Inviting Gesture

Smile Council 

(Perfect Monday)

I contend that the best feeling in the world, outside of the obvious carnal pleasures, is the discovery of a new great song. Whether the listener is captivated from the moment the intro begins or is swept away later during a rousing chorus, there's a brief moment where one cherishes the thought that he/she will have this song for the rest of his/her life. Whenever I encounter such a song, I almost immediately, and innately, begin to think of where I will need this song. Perhaps I'll need it driving home one day, while drumming on the steering wheel ("The Laws Have Changed"), a catharsis from the stress or boredom of the working day. Maybe I'll need it at a friend's house party at the exact, rare moment when everybody's primed to dance ("Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger"). If my sentimentality isn't thick enough already, this last simile will certainly put it over the top: discovering a new song is like making a new friend. For the rest of your life, you'll never be without that wonderful companion.

Monday's show was full of such songs, specifically, "Heartbeat (It's a Love Beat)," as my guests Ryan, Adam, and Blake brought the best from their collection to share with the RIDY audience. It really was a pleasure to be a part of their perfect Monday experiment. Later in the day, I was thinking about what would constitute my perfect Monday. I'm pretty sure that any day bookended by a leisurely breakfast, coffee, and newspaper, and a Dodgers game, would qualify. What say you? What's your perfect Monday?

Comment below, and make requests. Next week, I'll most likely recap Coachella and interview my preaching sister (not the healing sister) who's in town for the Pepperdine Lectures. Stay tuned.

Downlow the Show

4/25/05

Shouldn't Happen to a Dog - Thee Headcoats
I Don't Like Mondays - Boomtown Rats
I Was Never Young - of montreal
C'Est la Mort - Stereo Total
Heartbeat (It's a Love Beat) - DeFranco Family
Oh My Dear (Falling in Love) - Ween
I Got You - Split Enz
I am an Astronaut - Ricki Wilde
Hey Ma - Cam'ron
When Will I See You Again - The 3 Degrees
If We Can Land a Man on the Moon - Beulah
Busted Afternoon - Old 97's
More Pretty Girls Than One - Lyle Lovett
Pure - Lightning Seeds
Duchess - The Stranglers
Shout to the Top - The Style Council

With Friends Like These . . .

who needs anime?

Thanks to everyone who came up to the studio yesterday to share their musical treasures with Radio in Dog Years's fans and followers. It was a fun time, as evidenced by the recording (available for download below). Not to be sappy, but as my time at Pepperdine ends and I move on towards other endeavors, I've come to a better appreciation of how unique my employment situation is. Specifically, it is great to work with so many people that I consider not only friends, but people who are consistently encouraging and compassionate. I can only hope that I have been a fraction of the positive influence on my colleagues that they have been on me. You know this.

DOWNLOAD THIS, FOOL

4/18/05

Shouldn't Happen to a Dog - Thee Headcoats
Every Heartbeat - Amy Grant
Gone - Doug Martsch (listener request)
Justin's Set
Adore - Prince
Nappy Heads - The Fugees
Michelle's Set
Heartbeat - Annie
A Good Horse - The Cardigans
Katie E.'s Set
You Don't Know - Kierra "Kiki" Sheard
Pick up the Pieces - Average White Band
Rob's Set
Close to Modern - French Kicks
The Girl from Back Then - Kings of Convenience (Riton remix)
Kristy's Pick
Wanderlust - The Delays
Katie B.'s Pick
A Little Respect - Reverse Osmosis
How Great Thou Art - Shooby Taylor

Milton Bradley, MVP

Another frustrating week due to the cd burner malfunctioning. Still, I should point out that I played my boy J-wild's request (Scratch Track). I'm now 2 for 2 with requests, so keep 'em coming. Anything but Yorn, baby . . . anything but Yorn.

If you want some good reading, check out All Music's bio of Quintron. It's such a hagiography, especially considering how obscure he is. Apparently, he's done some stuff with the Reigning Sound but I've not yet heard it.

Dodgers and, specifically, Jeff Kent are blowing up. Here's to $ball.

Shouldn't Happen to a Dog - Thee Headcoats
Dog It - Digable Planets
No Strings Attached - The Mad Lads
Curls - Madvillain
Fresh Mode - Ugly Duckling
1972 - Scratch Track
(under backcasting) A Little Soul - Pete Rock
Wet Work - Q and not U
Dungeon Master - Quintron
Confidence - Scritti Politti
Treat the New Guy Right - Silkworm
(under backcasting) C'mon 'n Ride It (The Train) - Quad City DJ's
The Rest of the Day - Bedhead
Bombs - The Impossible Shapes
Calvary Cross - Richard and Linda Thompson
Who Knows Where the Time Goes - Fairport Convention

Ecumenical Liberation Army

Saw a great movie last night: Network, starring Faye Dunaway, William Holden, and my boy Bobby Duvall. To say that it's a bit prescient is understating that fact. I would've never guessed that a movie about television that came out in 1976 would hold up almost thirty years later. While renting this particular movie in Blockbuster, I had a realization: that store is terrible. I know this may seem like the grumblings of some lame hipster, but honestly, the selection is so sparse. I went in ready to rent the first of those Julie Delpy/Ethan Hawke movies, checked all permutations of the title words - Before, After, Sunrise, and Sunset - but came up utterly empty. Despite the fact that I couldn't remember its name, is that not a relatively popular movie? Also, everything was alphabetized all wacky. I don't think that numbers should be filed at the beginning of section just because they are numbers. It's confusing. For example: 1984 is filed at the beginning of the drama section, but Eight Men Out is under E in the same section.

This is beginning to look way too similar to a normal blog (not that there's anything wrong with that). Time to cut it off.

Lots of Japanese music this week. Hopefully, you'll dig it (mp3).

4/04/05

Shouldn't Happen to a Dog - Thee Headcoats
Earthquake Weather - Beck
Fall Down 7 - All Night Radio
Nomarinho de Portao - Tom Ze
Rollins Power Sauce - Beck?
You Were Good - Mitch Hedberg
(under backcasting) Camaro - Couch
Jet Generation - Guitar Wolf
Happy Birthday - Pizzicato 5
Drop - Cornelius
After a Song - Nagisa Ni Te
Plus Chicker - Polysics
(under backcasting) Harajuku Girls - Gwen Stefani
Fake Palindromes - Andrew Bird
Milk Man - Deerhoof
Fist Fight - Gran Ronde
Blood and Thunder - Mastodon
(underbackcasting) Electric Company vs. Lexaunculpt
54 - 46, That's My Number - The Maytals