This morning as I was putting on my face and listening to the radio, I heard a commercial for the California SNAP (State Nutrition Action Plans) Program. Mild mannered everyman talking about eating right, getting his family healthy . . . blah, blah, blah.

Talk about a missed opportunity! There’s already a perfect song for their campaign. With a little rewriting, Snap’s “The Power” could be blasting over the airwaves again, this time with a different message.

Release Date:  02/23/2010

Label: American; Lost Highway

Producer: Rick Ruben

4 Word Review: “The soundtrack for Armageddon.”

I don’t remember the song. I had never heard it before and don’t recall if I’ve heard it since. It was playing over the sound system of a restaurant at which I was dining with a friend of mine. She was a nurse by trade.

Nurse: “Do you like this song?”

Chill: “I don’t recall ever hearing it before.”

Nurse: “Really? It’s on everywhere. I love it. Music is my life.”

Chill: “Your life? Don’t you have like four children?”

Nurse: “Asshole.”

I was futzing around with my iPod today and noticed that iTunes keeps a play count for all of the songs I have.  At this point, it’s close to 3,000.  I’ve had this little guy for about 4 years now, so that’s how long it’s been keeping count. I found it interesting that, of the bands I would consider my favorites (Pearl Jam, The Mars Volta, Augie March, Eels and the Beatles), only two of them are featured in that top 50. Here, for your complete disinterest, are selections from my top 50 most played songs:

If you haven’t heard, Facebook has declared this week “Doppelganger Week” and since Facebook is a real life big brother we must all do as they say.  DON’T  QUESTION BIG BROTHER, JUST DO IT!!!  All this doppelganging has got me thinking about something that comes up in my mind when ever I hear one of the following songs, is this musical “doppelganging” or is just copy-cating? 

Release Date: 01/26/2010 (US)

Label: Elektra

4 Word Review: Leader for year’s best.

Here’s a video of Charlotte performing a cut from the album called “Trick Pony” on Letterman. 

Release Date: 01/11/2010

Label: Pratt Productions (seriously?)/ Warner Music Group

4 Word Review: Heidi?  Kill yourself.  Please.

Here’s a video.  I wouldn’t recommend it if you’ve been contemplating suicide, as this most certainly will push you over the edge.

Everything is ready except you, Planet Earth.

Inspired by a Space Jazz-themed post that none of you read because you were all liveblogging about the metaphorical stars here on Earth, I decided to post a music mix of my own.  It includes jazz, new wave, hip hop, trip-hop and experimental rock.

The song list presented by Dr. B. Johnson dealt with high quality yet depressing songs. Songs to cry and set things on fire and jump out of a window while they tootley-too away on your music player of choice. (Mine: A gramophone.) While some sad songs are excellent, others have many of the same chords and lyrics in common (Bad Country! Pseudo R&B!) There is a reason cried and died rhyme, Dear Readers, and it’s a Clear Channel conspiracy!

Release Date: 12/17/1971

Label: RCA

4 Word Review: Doesn’t show it’s age.

Here’s a live cut of “Oh, You Pretty Things,” one of my favorites off the album which I picked up only a few days ago.  Where the hell have I been?  Enjoy!

I’ve been in a jazzy mood tonight.  Why don’t we all share some music with each other?

Ok friends. Check this out. Maybe you’re hung over. Maybe you’re a little blue. Maybe you’re depressed out of your fucking skull. Maybe you’re just so sick of it all. Maybe you’re just bored or maybe you’ve actually become ennui incarnate.

Whatever the reason, if you’ve ever thought about offing yourself or perhaps just overdosing a little on your favorite narcotic but were worried that you didn’t have the right background music for a peaceful death, or near-death experience, well then you’re in luck, because here’s the soundtrack you’ve been looking for!

Release Date: 09/15/2009

Label: Vagrant Records

4 Word Review: My favorite U2 album.

Here’s a vid from a cut of this album called “In Exile”:

Here’s a band.  Now, here’s a band.  Here’s a band that I don’t think I’ve been excited about, at least in the same kind of “Man, doesn’t it feel good to be depressed?” kind of way, since I found Weatherbox back in mid 2007.  Not to say this band, this now here’s a band band has depressing music.  Mellow, certainly.  But is it melancholy?  To a degree, I’d concede.  The cause being singer Yoni Wolf’s drugged out drawl, the kind of voice you here first thing in the morning or after a big bong hit.

Anyway.  Good stuff here, now.  And now, here’s the band:

Very much not safe for work, the Flaming Lips’ latest video for “Watching the Planets” is… well, I don’t quite know if I have words.

But I’ll try, just for you, dear reader.