Episode 92: Wake that Sleepyhead in You

Anticipating Ian’s arrival in a few weeks (if he’s punctual), one of the things I’ve been considering is responding to and teaching discernment with coarse language.  And because I’ve been on a Sonic Youth kick recently, I’ve specifically thought about cussing in music.

I’ll spare you most of my thoughts and conversation with my wife, but I can say that I am convinced parents must model for children a healthy respect of language.  I don’t think this involves overreacting to my son when he inevitably drops a minor curse word…and on the other end of the spectrum, it obviously doesn’t mean I should mean that I should cuss like a sailor.  I guess I have some time to figure things out before he gets old enough that it matters.  You know, maybe I have enough time before then to write a book…

Enjoy the show.

1. “No Room” – Two-Pound Planet (No Sense of History | Alternative/Stunt | 1992)
2. “(I Got A) Catholic Block” – Sonic Youth (Sister | SST | 1987)
3. “Surgeon” – St. Vincent (Strange Mercy | 4AD | 2011)
4. “Natural Frost” – Welcome (Sirs | FatCat | 2007)
5. “Salad of Speech” – 100 Flowers (100 Years of Pulchritude | EMI | 1990)
6. “Okay, I’ll Admit That I really Don’t Understand” – The Flaming Lips (Zaireeka | Warner | 1997)
7. “Listen, It’s Gone” – The Ocean Blue (Beneath the Rhythm and Sound | Sire | 1993)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1415312/92radiofreeraytown.mp3″

Radio Free Raytown – Episode #92 (10/8/11)

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This week’s rotation.

I’ve been listening to a lot of good records lately, in no particular order.

1. Strange Mercy – St. Vincent (4AD | 2011)
2. Tango Boys – Motel Beds (Fictionband Mechanics | unreleased)
3. Unknown Pleasures – Joy Division (Factory | 1979)
4. The Law of Things – The Bats (Flying Nun | 1990)
5. The HMV/Parlophone Singles ’88-’95 (disc one) – Morrissey (EMI | 2009)
6. Home Cookin’ – Jimmy Smith (Blue Note | 1959)
7. Siberia – Echo and the Bunnymen (Cooking Vinyl | 2005)
8. Bounce Around – Minisnap (Magic Marker | 2008)
9. Don’t You Rise – The Bats (Slumberland | 2009)
10. Lo-Fi Feeling – The Tambourine Club (independent | 2011)

You can get Lo-Fi Feeling for free from The Tambourine Club’s website.

Driving. Rotation. Pacifico. Freddie Mercury.

I started my job as a Pizza Hut delivery driver on Sunday. (I cooked and delivered pizzas through college, so there was no learning curve. It’s okay, while I look for a real job.) The hours are horrible if you enjoy a happy marriage, but I have had some joy in driving around and listening to music. I just don’t think enough people really listen to music in their cars these days. Everyone’s distracted by their cell phones, or they just listen to the crappy radio with commercials screaming at you, breaking up what few songs are played. Anyway, my rotation this week, in no particular order…

1. Joy Electric – Ministry of Archers (2005)
2. Starflyer 59 – Dial M (2008)
3. St. Vincent – Actor (2009)
4. Joy Electric – Curiosities and Such (2009)
5. Marty Wilson-Piper – Nightjar (2008)
6. Pet Shop Boys – Alternative, disc 2 (1995)
7. TV On the Radio – Dear Science (2008)
8. Pacifico – Thin Skin and an Open Heart (2009)
9. Martin L. Gore – Counterfeit EP (1989)
10. R.E.M. – Murmur (1983)

I really dig the new Pacifico album. Matthew Schwartz sounds like he’s singing for girls but also not singing for girls. Sure, most of his songs could appeal to the self-enlightened teenage girl who thinks that the Juno soundtrack rivals Abbey Road, but there are many more points of reference in his music than trendy, chick-friendly schmaltz. He’s a really good singer, channeling a lot of Brian Wilson at times, with a cavalcade of background vocals. I also hear touches of The Posies, Starflyer 59, and maybe the Go-Betweens(?).

On a complely unrelated note, my brother-in-law was on a Queen kick yesterday. Now I can’t get “Save Me” out of my head.

Episode #3

I set out to make these shows a weekly habit. Since it’s summer and I have more time to work on them, here is the next show–short, concise and digestible–and a few days early.

1. Deastro – Tree Frog
2. St. Vincent – Actor Out of Work
3. Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks
4. Burning Hearts – Sea Bird
5. Ester Drang – Grave Mistake

If you like any of these artists, buy all of their albums. You will not be disappointed. (Know that Deastro’s glorious album, Keeper’s, is only available digitally.)

Radio Free Raytown Episode #3 – 7/15/09