yo la tengo

Playlist #189

/ xeyeti / Leave a comment

Happy Monday! I survived being sick all last week (yesterday, I still didn’t have much of a voice, and every about fourth word was just a wheezy silence), missed going to what turned out to be a fun wedding up in New York, and actually caught up a bit on sleep? That last one can’t be right.

  1. Waxahatchee, “Crimes of the Heart”: Spent a good chunk of the weekend just listening to Waxahatchee’s Tigers Blood, and I really dig the almost primitive simplicity of the three chord structure she tends to use on her songs. Also, makes it really easy to play along!
  2. Hurray for the Riff Raff, “Buffalo”: I’m down for any song that seeks to examine, however tangentially, the Plains’ Indians’ hunting of the buffalo.
  3. Cassandra Jenkins, “Petco”: Can you find transcendence in the eyes of a lizard behind glass at a pet store? It’s more likely than you think thanks to drugsTM!
  4. Joel Adam Russell, “Knock the Boy Out of You”: A simple country song about toxic masculinity and calling out the asinine behavior of so-called “alpha males.”
  5. Tom Petty, “You Saw Me Comin'”: An unreleased Wildflowers outtake that is easily good enough to be on the album proper.
  6. Yo La Tengo, “Pass the Hatchett, I Think I’m Goodkind”: A mostly-instrumental tune with a great groove and a sinister vibe.
  7. Neko Case, “Dirty Knife”: Speaking of vibes, Neko Case remains brilliant at crafting them, and this song is a great example.
  8. Hank Williams III, “Atlantic City”: Trying real hard to outdo grandpa’s wild ways, Hank III takes a rip-roaring turn through Springsteen’s song about need and hunger.
  9. Linda Ronstadt, “Silver Threads and Golden Needles”: This woman takes a great song and turns it into a stone-cold classic.
  10. Lizzo, “About Damn Time”: I need this kind of jumped-up energy to get me through today.

Playlist #27

/ xeyeti / Leave a comment

Good evening! As we roll into November, I have a new playlist full of tasty treats for you.

  1. Drive-By Truckers, “Daddy’s Cup”: When I saw these guys live about 15 years ago, they played this song, and damn if it didn’t blow me away back then. Who knew racing cars could make for compelling family drama?
  2. Yo La Tengo, “Deeper Into Movies”: I always feel like I should listen to these guys more. They’re very good at what they do, and what they do is quite nice.
  3. Wilco, “Handshake Drugs”: I enjoy playing this one on the guitar. It’s only got four chords and two verses, so even my tiny brain can remember it all.
  4. Rockwell, “Somebody’s Watching Me”: One of my freshman students was singing this song the other day. “How do you know that song?” I asked, as she did not strike me as the sort to listen to music that was more than six months old. “TikTok,” she replied, and a little piece of my curmudgeonly heart died.
  5. Bill Withers, “Ain’t No Sunshine”: When he repeats the “I know” over and over and over again, two thoughts run through my mind: (1) he forgot the next line and (2) how did he not pass out?
  6. Bruce Hornsby, “The Great Divide”: This guy writes good songs. I should probably listen to more than just this one and “That’s Just The Way It Is.”
  7. Bush, “Glycerine”: First of all, Bush is pretty terrible. Second, while this isn’t necessarily a good song, it’s at least entertainingly bad.
  8. Carole King, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”: Still one of the best, most underrated songwriters out there. Is there a bad song on Tapestry? No, no there is not.
  9. Charlie Sexton, “Burn”: Charlie Sexton, 80s heartthrob, Dylan guitarist, guy who puts out an album every decade or so. We’re way past due for a new one, Charlie. Let Bob spin his wheels behind a guitar for a few months, go record something for us.
  10. Courtney Barnett, “Pedestrian At Best”: Australian musician who has a wonderful off-the-cuff, relaxed lyrical style that I enjoy listening to, even if her voice is an acquired taste (and one the Wife has yet to acquire).