Friday, January 28, 2011

Song Of The Day: Lily Allen - Not Fair

One of my favorite albums of 2009 was Lily Allen's It's Not Me, It's You.  Today's Song Of The Day, Not Fair, was the second single from that album. It's a witty little song, so be sure to pay attention to the lyrics. Please enjoy.  :)




Wednesday, January 26, 2011

iPod Shuffle: Part 12

In an effort to listen to songs that don't get much intentional play on my iPod, I present Part 12 of my 'iPod Shuffle.'  So, play along with me:  Select 'shuffle' on your mp3 player, write down the first 10 songs that come up and listen to them.  No cheating!  Here are the 10 songs that came up for me.  Please share your ten in the comments section below.  Hopefully you'll hear something cool that you haven't heard before.  Click on the player at the bottom to hear samples of the songs and to purchase on Amazon MP3.  - Bret


New Model Army - Orange Tree Roads
A fantastic track from the Eight album.  A good song for a late night drive.
The Mission - Butterfly On A Wheel
This song always reminds me of Hysteria by Def Leppard.  Nonetheless, it's a good song.  :)
Brian Eno & Harold Budd - The Plateaux Of Mirror
I need to break out my vinyl copy of this tonight.
Joy Division - Atrocity Exhibition
Rad.  The lead-off track to Closer.  Brilliant.
Swans - Our Love Lies
From their 8th album, Children Of God.  I need to listen to this album more.  Cool song.
The La's - I Can't Sleep
From the first and only La's album.
Antony and the Johnsons - The Lake
Amazing.  Be sure to watch the video.
Frank Sinatra - Dancing On The Ceiling
Yes.
of Montreal - Bunny Ain't No Kind Of Rider
I love this band.
Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
I remember sitting on the floor in my living room in Chicago when this video came on MTV.

Friday, January 21, 2011

40 of the Best Second Albums - Part 1 of 2

After a glorious first album, pressure is always on for a band to top their debut with an even stronger second album.  Often bands fail and we have what is called in the music industry - The Sophomore Slump.  Someone once said that a band has their entire lifetime to write their first album, and only six months to write their second.  Let's have a look at some second albums that are among the best.  The following list is in a loose order, so when I look at this a week from now, most likely I'll want to shift things around.  :)
Please enjoy.


40.  Nico - The Marble Index
Release Date.  May 1969
Preceded by.  Chelsea Girl (1967)
Notes.  Nico and her harmonium with textures provided by former bandmate John Cale.  A major departure from the folkish stylings of her debut.
Key Tracks.  No One Is There, Frozen Warnings, Evening Of Light


39.  My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Release Date.  November 4, 1991
Preceded by.  Isn't Anything (1988)
Notes.  The group hasn't released an album since this sonic work of art.
Key Tracks.  Only Shallow, When You Sleep, Come In Alone



38.  Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
Release Date.  February 4, 2009
Preceded by.  Alright, Still (2006)
Notes.  Such a damn fine album.
Key Tracks.  The Fear, Not Fair, 22


37.  Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See
Release Date.  October 5, 1993
Preceded by.  She Hangs Brightly (1990)
Notes. From the opening chords of Fade Into You, it's like being stuck in honey.
Key Tracks.  Fade Into You, Five String Serenade, Blue Light


36.  Bauhaus - Mask
Release Date.  October 1981
Preceded by.  In The Flat Field (1980)
Notes.  Dark and experimental.  A great second album.
Key Tracks.  Passion Of Lovers, Hollow Hills, Mask


35.  Love And Rockets - Express
Release Date.  September 15, 1986
Preceded by.  Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven (1985)
Notes.  Quite psychedelic in contrast to their days in Bauhaus.
Key Tracks.  It Could Be Sunshine, All In My Mind, Ball Of Confusion


34.  Gary Numan and Tubeway Army - Replicas
Release Date.  April 1979
Preceded by.  Tubeway Army (1978)
Notes.  Gary Numan's final album with his band Tubeway Army.  'Cars' came next.
Key Tracks.  Me I Disconnect From You, Are Friends Electric?, Down In The Park


33.  Sisters Of Mercy - Floodland
Release Date.  November 13, 1987
Preceded by.  First And Last And Always (1985)
Notes.  After losing the band that performed on the first album, Andrew Eldritch pulled through with a unique and strong collection of songs on Floodland.
Key Tracks.  Dominion, This Corrosion, 1959


32.  Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
Release Date.  July 27, 1993
Preceded by.  Gish (1991)
Notes.  I remember buying Gish when it came out in 1991.  I still have the long box that CDs came in.  Siamese Dream was such a great followup record.
Key Tracks.  Cherub Rock, Disarm, Mayonaise, Today


31.  The Cure - Seventeen Seconds
Release Date.  April 18, 1980
Preceded by.  Three Imaginary Boys (1979)
Notes.  The difference between The Cure's first and second album are like night and day.  Seventeen Seconds set the mood for the next two albums.
Key Tracks.  Play For Today, A Forest, At Night


30.  Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith
Release Date.  July 21, 1995
Preceded by.  Roman Candle (1994)
Notes.  This is where Elliott's songwriting really started to take off.
Key Tracks.  Needle In The Hay, St. Ides Heaven, The Biggest Lie


29.  Metallica - Ride The Lightning
Release Date.  July 27, 1984
Preceded by.  Kill 'Em All (1983)
Notes.  Metallica really expanded their sound on Ride The Lightning, adding in the first 'ballad' of their long career - Fade To Black.
Key Tracks.  For Whom The Bell Tolls, Fade To Black, Fight Fire With Fire


28.  Neil Diamond - Just For You
Release Date.  September 16, 1967
Preceded by.  The Feel Of Neil Diamond (1966)
Notes.  Lots of Diamond's classic songs were on this album.
Key Tracks.  Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon, Shilo, Solitary Man


27.  The Velvet Underground - White Light / White Heat
Release Date.  January 30, 1968
Preceded by.  The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
Notes.  It doesn't top the first VU album, but it's still a stellar, chaotic group of songs.
Key Tracks.  White Light / White Heat, Lady Godiva's Operation, Here She Comes Now


26.  Peter Murphy - Love Hysteria
Release Date.  1988
Notes.  Much more focused than his debut album.
Key Tracks.  Dragnet Drag, Socrates The Python, Indigo Eyes


25.  The Jesus And Mary Chain - Darklands
Release Date.  August 1987
Preceded by.  Psychocandy (1985)
Notes.  In my opinion, the strongest album of their career.  Harnessing the chaos of Psychocandy into catchy riffs and hooks.
Key Tracks.  Darklands, Deep One Perfect Morning, On The Wall


24.  The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
Release Date.  June 6, 1981
Preceded by.  The Psychedelic Furs (1980)
Notes.  The Furs are going to be playing this entire album on tour in 2011.
Key Tracks.  Pretty In Pink, Into You Like A Train, No Tears


23.  Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing
Release Date.  October 12, 1998
Preceded by.  Placebo (1996)
Notes.  Placebo polished the raw energy of their debut into a really great second album.
Key Tracks.  Pure Morning, Without You I'm Nothing, My Sweet Prince


22.  Sinead O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Release Date.  March 1990
Preceded by.  The Lion And The Cobra (1987)
Notes.  This should be in your collection.
Key Tracks.  Nothing Compares 2 U, Black Boys On Mopeds, The Emperor's New Clothes


21.  Suede - Dog Man Star
Release Date.  October 10, 1994
Preceded by.  Suede (1993)
Notes.  The final album to feature guitarist Bernard Butler.
Key Tracks.  The Wild Ones, New Generation, The 2 Of Us



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40 of the Best Second Albums - Part 2 of 2

After a glorious first album, pressure is always on for a band to top their debut with an even stronger second album.  Often bands fail and we have what is called in the music industry - The Sophomore Slump.  Someone once said that a band has their entire lifetime to write their first album, and only six months to write their second.  Let's have a look at some second albums that are among the best.  The following list is in a loose order, so when I look at this a week from now, most likely I'll want to shift things around.  :)  I put exact release dates for some of the debut albums so that you can see how quickly some of the older bands actually put out their second album.

20.  Radiohead - The Bends
Release Date.  March 13, 1995
Preceded by.  Pablo Honey (1993)
Notes.  The Bends definitely surpassed their debut.  A really fine second album, setting the stage for 1997's OK Computer.
Key Tracks.  Fake Plastic Trees, High And Dry, My Iron Lung


19.  Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure
Release Date.  March 23, 1973
Preceded by.  Roxy Music (1972)
Notes.  The last Roxy Music album to feature Brian Eno.  The first two have always been my favorites.
Key Tracks.  Do The Strand, In Every Dream Home A Heartache, For Your Pleasure


18.  Pixies - Doolittle
Release Date.  April 18, 1989
Preceded by.  Surfer Rosa (1988)
Notes.  An excellent followup to the wonderful Surfer Rosa.
Key Tracks.  Debaser, Wave Of Mutilation, Here Comes Your Man


17.  Big Star - Radio City
Release Date.  February 1974
Preceded by.  #1 Record (1972)
Notes.  Classic.  R.I.P. Alex Chilton.
Key Tracks.  Back Of A Car, September Gurls, I'm In Love With A Girl


16.  Christian Death - Catastrophe Ballet
Release Date.  1984
Preceded by.  Only Theatre Of Pain (1982)
Notes.  A whole new band accompanied Rozz Williams for this dreamy second album.  Rozz's vocal delivery matured for what is my favorite album with his name on it.
Key Tracks.  Evening Falls, The Drowning, The Blue Hour


15.  David Bowie - Space Oddity
Release Date.  November 7, 1969
Preceded by.  David Bowie (1967)
Notes.  Most people think of this as his debut album, but his true debut occurred in 1967 with his quirky self-titled record.
Key Tracks.  Cygnet Committee, Letter To Hermione, Space Oddity


14.  U2 - October
Release Date.  October 12, 1981
Preceded by.  Boy (1980)
Notes.  A lot of people will disagree with me on this one, however I've always loved October.  While not as strong as Boy, it's a complex album and worth it to those that give it the required attention it deserves.
Key Tracks.  Gloria, October, Scarlet


13.  Nirvana - Nevermind
Release Date.  September 24, 1991
Preceded by.  Bleach (1989)
Notes.  A hell of a second album.  I love the rawness of Bleach and In Utero, but there is no denying the simplistic beauty of Nirvana's Nevermind.
Key Tracks.  Come As You Are, Lithium, Polly, Smells Like Teen Spirit


12.  Iggy Pop - Lust For Life
Release Date.  August 29, 1977
Preceded by.  The Idiot (March 18, 1977)
Notes.  Iggy's first two solo albums released in the same year - The Idiot and Lust For Life - are incredible.  You should have both of them.
Key Tracks.  Neighborhood Threat, Some Weird Sin, Lust For Life, The Passenger


11.  The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
Release Date.  February 14, 1985
Preceded by.  The Smiths (1984)
Notes.  Any album by The Smiths is great.  Oh yeah, How Soon Is Now is on this album too.  :)
Key Tracks.  That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder, Meat Is Murder


10.  R.E.M. - Reckoning
Release Date.  April 9, 1984
Preceded by.  Murmur (1983)
Notes.  A brilliant followup to their debut.  Out of all of the R.E.M. records, this is probably the one that hits my turntable the most.
Key Tracks.  7 Chinese Bros, So. Central Rain, Harborcoat


09.  Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Release Date.  September 18, 1970
Preceded by.  Black Sabbath (February 13, 1970)
Notes.  Recorded in just 6 days.  Classic.
Key Tracks.  Paranoid, Planet Caravan, Electric Funeral, Iron Man


08.  Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory?
Release Date.  October 2, 1995
Preceded by.  Definitely Maybe (1994)
Notes.  This album was huge.  Great songwriting.  Period.
Key Tracks.  Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, Cast No Shadow


07.  Lou Reed - Transformer
Release Date.  December 8, 1972
Preceded by.  Lou Reed (June 1972)
Notes.  Produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson.  You own this right?
Key Tracks.  Walk On The Wild Side, Vicious, Perfect Day, Satellite Of Love


06.  The Doors - Strange Days
Release Date.  September 25, 1967
Preceded by.  The Doors (January 4, 1967)
Notes.  Look at the release dates above - 7 months separated the first and second Doors album.  Incredible.
Key Tracks.  People Are Strange, Strange Days, You're Lost Little Girl


05.  Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel
Release Date.  January 1974
Preceded by.  GP (1973)
Notes.  Grievous Angel came out after Gram died in September 1973.  Many will disagree, but this is my favorite of his two solo albums.
Key Tracks.  Return Of The Grievous Angel, Love Hurts, In My Hour Of Darkness


04.  Led Zeppelin - II
Release Date.  October 22, 1969
Preceded by.  Led Zeppelin (January 12, 1969)
Notes.  Wow.  I don't know what else to say.
Key Tracks.  Ramble On, What Is And What Should Never Be, Thank You


03.  Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love
Release Date.  January 15, 1968
Preceded by.  Are You Experienced (1967)
Notes.  From the cover art to the guitar playing, just an amazing record.
Key Tracks.  Little Wing, Castles Made Of Sand, If 6 Was 9


02.  Joy Division - Closer
Release Date.  July 18, 1980
Preceded by.  Unknown Pleasures (1979)
Notes.  Released shortly after the death of Ian Curtis, Closer is an incredible second and final album in the Joy Division legacy.
Key Tracks.  Means To An End, Eternal, Decades, Twenty Four Hours, etc.


01.  Jane's Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual
Release Date.  August 21, 1990
Preceded by.  Nothing's Shocking (1988)
Notes.  I think of the live XXX album as the first, but for the sake of this list, Nothing's Shocking is the first studio album - so Ritual will count as their second.
Key Tracks.  Three Days, Then She Did, Classic Girl, etc.


Honorable Mentions

Audra - Going To The Theatre
Release Date:  April 23, 2002
Preceded by:  Audra (July 11, 2000)
Notes:  Cabaret Fortune Teller, which was written in the studio during the Theatre sessions, was almost left off the album in favor of another song.  It ended up being a lot of people's favorite song from the album.  :)
Key Tracks:  Midnight Moon Swing, Cabaret Fortune Teller, There Are No Snakes In Heaven


Other excellent second albums


If you missed Part 1 - click here

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