j's indie/rock mayhem - 18th january 2006

[tonight's show was a bit of an exercise in pretentious, self-absorbed radio. the reason? my guests for the evening, DJs in training, kyle and alex, had excellent taste. and do you know what it's like to get involved in a good music conversation? no offense to the people i work with, but high school teachers aren't generally a wealth of insightful commentary about krautrock, grime or the first time talking heads made sense to them. but my compatriots were and it showed in the excellent music they played during the hour they controlled the boards. they're actually going to be with me again next week to help out with the monthly feature.

what's that? yes, a new monthly feature. i'm going to focus monthly on a record label that has had an important impact on independent, college radio over the past 20 or 30 years. we'll start next week with that fine bastion of chicago taste-making, the incomparable touch and go records. so be prepared. now, onward!]

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Drive-by Truckers - "Feb. 14" [i hate to start off the show two weeks in a row with a song, but this new one from the truckers not only deserves to be heard, but repeatedly. their forthcoming album is due out in april, but they'll be playing a couple of shows here in north carolina in february (thursday 23rd at ziggy's in winston-salem, and friday 24th in asheville). here's to great southern rock. click here to check it out.]
Killing Joke - "The Wait" [from their self-titled debut. i have never quite understood how to classify killing joke, although proto-industrial makes sense to me. i think anyone with taste in even slightly heavier, darker music can appreciate this amazing album.]
Speedometer - "Have You Got the Message" [from their this is speedometer vol. 2 album. great british r&b/soul/funk mix. powerful, surging, fun.]
R.E.M. - "Disturbance at the Heron House" [from their masterful album document. if you like rem, but for some reason have never heard any of their first five albums for IRS records, please, for god's sake, go out and buy document right now. you will not be disappointed.]
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Irving - "White Hot" [by email request. that's right. the internet works! listener simone wrote in asking to hear these guys and guess what? she was rewarded. at least, i think she was. i hope she was listening. from their 2003 ep i hope you're feeling better now. irving are a wonderful pop-style group in the vein of the zombies influenced stuff. really quite good.]
Angels of Light - "I Pity the Poor Immigrant" [from the angels of light and akron/family album. a wonderful cover of the dylan classic. we'll be hearing more of these guys.]
Bob Dylan - "Obviously 5 Believers" [from the still oh-so-jaw-dropping blonde on blonde. nothing on that album rocks quite like this song, and though it was "just like a woman" that was stuck in my head all week, this was the song that fit better here.]
Built to Spill - "The Plan" [another band that lept into my brain this week, although this time due to new news. built to spill will be releasing their first album in some time in april. very exciting. so i dug back to their immaculate keep it like a secret album for this masterful song. click here to give it a listen.]
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Mi and L'au - "A Word In Your Belly" [from their self-titled album. mi and l'au are on young god records which is run by michael gira of the angels of light. connections! they're all over the place. like a creepier leonard cohen, this is a soft, luring record.]
Ride - "Vapour Trail" [from their debut album nowhere. another leading light of the shoegazer movement, this is quite a gorgeous song. click here to check it out.]
Ned's Atomic Dustbin - "All I Ask of Myself is That I Hold Together" [from 1995's brainbloodvolume. another band who was introduced to me via beavis and butt-head. mtv really affected my taste growing up. between beavis, 120 minutes and seeing videos like cracker's "low" and "get off this" and toad the wet sprocket's "fall down," i was lost in a sea of great music.]
the National - "Lit Up" [my favorite song from the completely amazing alligator album. if you haven't heard the national yet, do so.]
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Kevin Gordon - "Find My Way" [from his latest, o come look at the burning. great roots rock with some really sharp lyrics.]
Talking Heads - "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" [the song that wouldn't (and hasn't) left my head for several days. it's the lead track from the legendary remain in light album. no one has ever, or will ever, sound like this band and that places them among a unique canon in rock and roll. does the fact that they haven't caused a line of imitators make them less influential? i can't imagine anyone doing their schtick though. anyone trying to sound like talking heads would just sound stupid.click here and see how amazed you are.]
Del Amitri - "Medicine" [my personal favorite del amitri album, some other sucker's parade. another band mtv turned me onto, thanks to this album's single, "not where it's at."]
the Streets - "Sharp Darts" [from the stupendously enjoyable original pirate material. track after track of cockney bloke, laying out the ins and outs of life. and it's just thoroughly enjoyable.]
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My Bloody Valentine - "To Here Knows When" [from the 1991 masterpiece loveless. there's nothing quite like sitting down to listen to this album. being able to let it wash over you is a true treat.]
Love - "Alone Again Or" [from the forever changes album. this is where alex and kyle took over completely, more or less. the board at least. i got my thumb in on a few songs.]
Vashti Bunyan - "Hidden" [from the excellent lookaftering album that has really caught my attention. quiet, ethereal. beautiful folk music.]
Brian Eno - "St. Elmo's Fire" [from another green world. eno produced the talking heads' remain in light, so there's another connection for the evening.]
Ulrich Schnauss - "Knuddelmaus" [from the 2001 album far away trains passing by. schnauss has been compared to boards of canada and others of that ilk. really inventive music that is gorgeous.]
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Blonde Redhead - "10" [from an expression of the inexpressable. compared from time to time with sonic youth, blonde redhead, to me, tred their own unique path. it's hard to nail them down, so take a listen by clicking here.]
Lightning Bolt - "Planet of the Wolves" [a cover of the guitar wolf song. from the new guitar wolf tribute whose name i sadly don't know. the original song appears on the guitar wolf album of the same name.]
Dizzee Rascal - "Fix Up, Look Sharp" [who knew billy squire had so much use? this is an amazing song. definitely one of the highlights of the difficult boy in da corner album.]
the Church - "Reptile" [alex was familiar with "under the milky way" from this same album, starfish. so i clued him into the song that sold me as a listener on the church. i haven't turned back since.]
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Why? - "Crushed Bones" [unique and underground hip-hop. to be fair, i didn't get a good listen to it, and i don't have any prior knowledge of the band or song. i'll make sure to talk to kyle next week about it.]

That's it for this week. Don't forget to tune in next week for the label feature on Touch and Go Records. It'll be a hoot to say the least. Until then...Go Panthers! I forgot to say that on the air. I hope I don't jinx 'em...