Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#124)

(#124, Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis)

I was pretty much obsessed with Jenny Lewis back in 2009, and I'm not kidding when I tell you that I probably listened to this record 100 times that year.  Six years later, it is still in heavy rotation.  Not a weak song in the bunch.  The new one is good, but I need more time with it.













Take a listen to "Acid Tongue" and "Carpetbaggers", featuring Elvis Costello ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#125)

(#125, Help! by The Beatles)

Get used to seeing a lot from these gents over the next four months.  I really look forward to watching this with the kids soon.















Take a listen to "The Night Before" and "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" ...

newgazzi Vol 19

Who likes new music?  Take a listen to this month's batch of newgazzi ...

Track #1 ("Tired Oak" by Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas)




Track #2 ("Time Between" by Bear in Heaven)




Track #3 ("Rain Plans" by Israel Nash)




Track #4 ("Never Coming Home" by Reigning Sound)




Track #5 ("Saturday's Song" by Hiss Golden Messenger)




Track #6 ("Full Grown Boy" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)




Track #7 ("Old Habits" by Small Houses)




Track #8 ("Patsy" by Monomyth)

Patsy - MONOMYTH from Seth Smith on Vimeo.


Track #9 ("Rocking Chair" by The Districts)




Track #10 ("Workingman" by Strange Majik)




Track #11 ("I Love You Money" by Lowell)




Track #12 ("Honey Do" by Beverly)




Track #13 ("10:35" by Young Doctors in Love)




Track #14 ("Complete Surrender" by Slow Club)




Track #15 ("Perfect To Me" by Marc Broussard)

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#126)

(#126, Nine Types of Light by TV on the Radio)

This band's last two albums have pretty much propelled them into appointment listening for me.  They have a new one coming out later this year, and the bar has been set extremely high.  The album is a must listen, and the video below is a must see ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#127)

(#127, Live at Luther College by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds)

I've never seen Dave Matthews live, with or without his band, but I think this kind of show would be more my speed.  Don't get me wrong, the band is great, but I'm not sure I need to hear a 27 minute version of Ants Marching.  The musicianship on this live recording is amazing, and there are many unreleased tracks that make this record worth having, even if your are a Dave studio album completist.

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#128)

(#128, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins)

This is 121 minutes well spent.  I remember listening to this for the first time, not wanting it to ever end.  I still feel the same today.  One of the few double albums I can listen to all the way through, and not feel exhausted afterwards.  Great energy, fantastic musicianship ...












Here is "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and "1979" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#129)

(#129, Walk It Off by Tapes 'n Tapes)

Discovered these gents during the 24 hour Human Giant marathon years ago.  This is their second record, and while I like the other two, this one is head and shoulders their best effort.  Also a favorite of Todd Kemper's ... speaking of Human Giant, release season two on digital video disc, already ...












Won't you please enjoy "Le Ruse" and "Conquest" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#130)

(#130, Chocolate and Cheese by Ween)

The only reason I don't / can't listen to this more is I don't want to answer questions about the album art with my daughter and/or co-workers.  I'm not really sure what to say about this album, other than my ears really enjoy it.  I'm not sure if it is intended to be as tongue and cheek as I have interpreted it.  I've heard a number of their other recordings, and they don't come across quite as cheesy and chocolatey as this record.  I still love it.









Take a listen to "Freedom of '76" and "I Can't Put My Finger On It" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#131)

(#131, God Shuffled His Feet by Crash Test Dummies)

There may not be a-non Billy Joel / Weezer album I've listened to more in my life.  This is such an obscure album to be in that position, but for whatever reason, this record is home to me.  The vocals my not be everyone's cup of tea, but I dig Brad Roberts, and the sonic ride this album takes me on.











Here is "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" and "When I Go Out With Artists" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#132)

(#132, Bad As Me by Tom Waits)

It took a long time, and a lot of patience, but Tom Waits has become one of my favorite artists.  I would even argue to say that the only artist I listen to more these days is Elvis Costello.  This album is a sonic masterpiece, many, many colors are demonstrated.  The vocals aren't for everyone, but I've grown to really dig his vocal style.  This is also one of my daughter's favorite records.










Take a listen to "Chicago" and "Raised Right Men" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#133)

(#133, Blue Light, Red Light by Harry Connick Jr)

If memory serves me, after I purchased She, this was the first Connick album that I bought.  I didn't know much about him, I guess I knew of him from the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack, but that was about it.   As I get older, this is the kind of music I'm most drawn to.  Great singer.  Wonderful arrangements.  Big sound.  I could listen to this on repeat all day.










Take a listen to "With Imagination (I'll Get There)" and "Just Kiss Me" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#134)

(#134, The Delivery Man by Elvis Costello & The Imposters)

With Billy Joel basically retiring as a recording artist 21 years ago, Elvis Costello has become my new favorite artist.  Sure, I still mark out for the old Billy Joel records, and I will be first in line for the stadium shows, but the guy I've been listening to the most over the past 12 years has been Costello.  I didn't embrace this album much at first, but over time, I really started to appreciate what I heard, and went from never thinking much of it to pulling this out quite frequently.  The album has a country feel to it, which would leave you to believe why I didn't like it at first, but as I said, over time, it has become an all-time favorite.




Take a listen to "Country Darkness" and "The Delivery Man" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#135)

(#135, Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience)

I just learned that there are no less than six versions of this album floating around.  The version I have has 17 tracks, but the original UK and US versions each only had 11 tracks.  Of all the artists we lost much too early, Hendrix and Lennon are the two that I think would have made the biggest contributions beyond the years they were given.









Here is "Hey Joe" and "The Wind Cries Mary" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#136)

(#136, Person Pitch by Panda Bear)

I love telling this story.  The first time I ever ate at B-Dubs was in Madison, late 2007.  It was the night I proclaimed that Brandon Starks would forever be known as Asian Zing, and it was the night I asked Matt Schewe to recommend two records to me.  I asked that one of them have a strong track 1, and the other be something from a band I've never heard of.  He recommended this record by Panda Bear, and Return to Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio.  It turns out, I had never heard of either of these ... and I didn't enjoy either record after one listen.  I never really gave the TV on the Radio record another fair chance, however, for some reason, I've embraced the two records they've released since then with open arms.  But this record, I came back to, and slowly began to appreciate it.  I then started to listen to the Animal Collective records, and started to realize this guy brought something special to the table.  The vinyl version of this record has a slightly different track order, due to the fact that there are a pair of 12 minutes songs on the album.  Either way, this is the goods.


Take a listen to "Comfy in Nautica" and "Take Pills" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#137)

(#137, God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise by Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs)

Ray LaMontagne has become one of my favorite artists in the game.  His records are great, and I feel like he would give a great live show.  The music on this record is phenomenal, and the $5.99 I paid for it at Best Buy is a crime.  I feel like I owe someone four to six bucks.











Here is "Repo Man" and "Beg Steal or Borrow" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#138)

(#138, Born on a Pirate Ship by Barenaked Ladies)

Last night I had a dream that Ed Robertson nominated Steven Page for the ice bucket challenge.  No I didn't, but I hope these guys find a creative way (or not creative, I don't care) of getting the band back together.  BNL without Steven Page doesn't work for me.  This is one of their finest efforts, but I love all that early stuff.











Here is "Stomach vs Heart" and "The Old Apartment" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#139)

(#139, Broken Bells by Broken Bells)

I know I've said this before, let me say it again.  James Mercer is the goods.  Danger Mouse is the goods.  This record is the goods.  One of my daughter's favorite records, too.















Take a listen to "The High Road" and "The Mall & Misery" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#140)

(#140, Body and Soul by Joe Jackson)

I do this thing in the shower, where I sing Joe Jackson songs as Elvis Costello, and Elvis Costello songs as Joe Jackson.  This morning, I sang two songs from this record as Elvis Costello.  They are the two songs featured below.














Here are Joe Jackson's versions of the Joe Jackson songs "The Vedict" and "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#141)

(#141, Outlandos D'Amour by The Police)

This is one of the finest debut albums of all time, and I still regret not seeing these guys and Elvis Costello in the summer of 2008.  There isn't a single solitary second of filler on this record.  The stand out tracks are "Roxanne", "Hole in My Life", "Can't Stand Losing You" and "Born in the 50s".










Here is "Roxanne" and "Born in the 50s" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#142)

(#142, Bitter Tea by The Fiery Furnaces)

Eleanor Friedberger.  Eleanor Friedberger.  Eleanor Friedberger!  I still can't sit through Blueberry Boat to save my soul (how do you do it Matt Schewe?), but this album is a masterpiece.  I hope to hear more from the Siblings Friedberger down the road.













Take a listen to "The Vietnamese Telephone Ministry" and "Benton Harbor Blues" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#143)

(#143, Poses by Rufus Wainwright)

This is one of my favorite voices in popular music today, and I simply need to see this man sit at a piano and sing for two and a half hours.  If you are not familiar with Wainwright, this is a great place to start.














Here is "Greek Song" and "Poses" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#144)

(#144, Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins)

I'm not exaggerating when I say that I listened to this record about 200 times in 2004.  I'm not even sure who got me into this band (and it bugs me that I can't remember), but I do know that I will be blindly loyal to whatever James Mercer does until the end of time.













Here is "Kissing the Lipless" and "So Says I" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#145)

(#145, Star Turtle by Harry Connick Jr)

A concept album, based around the idea of a "space turtle" that arrives in New Orleans, looking for musical salvation.  This is one of Connick's funk albums from the mid 90s, but this record brings much more than just funk.  There are many flavors for all to enjoy here.  I say leave American Idol alone and make some more great albums ...











Take a listen to "Hear Me in the Harmony" and "City Beneath the Sea" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#146)

(#146, Crash by Dave Matthews Band)

Dave Matthews is very similar to Billy Joel, in the sense that he has a very, very loyal fan base, but has never been a critic's darling.  I remember reading reviews of this when it came out, and this got trashed.  I've never claimed that Dave Matthews is the best lyricist on the planet, but he and his band know how to play.  There are some incredible song here, and I still enjoy this record as much as I did in 1996, marking out to "Too Much" on the MTV.









Here is "Too Much" and "Say Goodbye" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#147)

(#147, Please Please Me by The Beatles)

One of the most important records in rock n roll history, the debut Beatles album ... comprised of eight original Lennon/McCartney tunes and six covers, this record was ranked 39th all time by Rolling Stone back in 2012.  We are getting to the point on the list where I could listen to any one of these albums on repeat for 24 hours, and never tire of it.  This is no exception.











Here is "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Love Me Do" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#148)

(#148, Damn the Torpedoes by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers)

Congrats to Tom and the boys for celebrating their first ever #1 album a few weeks back.  The new record is fantastic, and I think it's time I saw them live.  Tom Petty is one of the masters at writing three and a half minute pop songs that rock and make the radio relevant.  This is a must get vinyl.











Take a listen to "Refugee" and "Even the Losers" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#149)

(#149, Rumours by Fleetwood Mac)

This is the fourth highest selling studio album of all time, only behind Michael Jackson's Thriller, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, and AC/DC's Back in Black.  The musicianship on this record is bonkers, and I still think that Buckingham/Nicks record needs to be re-released at some point.  Four of these songs charted, and three or four more could have.  This is essential.










Here is "I Don't Want to Know" and "Gold Dust Woman" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#150)

(#150, Sailing to Philadelphia by Mark Knopfler)

Mark Knopfler has built up quite a catalogue since Dire Straits disbanded nearly 20 years ago. For those not familiar with him, this is one of the finest guitar players of all time, and has written some of the most memorable riffs in the history of rock n roll.  This record features guest vocals by two pretty decent singers in their own right, James Taylor and Van Morrison.











Here is "What It Is" and "Baloney Again" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#151)

(#151, De Stijl by The White Stripes)

If anyone says they owned this before they saw Hotel Yorba on MTV2, they're probably lying to you.  That being said, Meg White is one of my favorite human beings, and this album is the shit.  I've been warming up to the solo Jack White albums as of late, but I hope we haven't seen the last of The White Stripes.












Take a listen to "You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl)" and "Hello Operator" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#152)

(#152, Wise Up Ghost by Elvis Costello and The Roots)

A genius idea, that kind of happened by accident.  I hope they work together again.  This is a MUST for my vinyl collection.  It will happen.















This is "Walk Us Uptown" and "Tripwire" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#153)

(#153, Ten Summoner's Tales by Sting)

OK, this is Dad Rock, so what.  Even though I'm still upset that this beat out Billy Joel's River of Dreams for best album at the Grammy's in 1994, I still love the album.  Sting is one of the five coolest men on the planet ... past, present or future.  This is an essential album to own.












This is "Seven Days" and "It's Probably Me" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#154)

(#154, Plastic Beach by Gorillaz)

This is such a sonic joy, I want to cry.  It makes me wonder why I still haven't connected with their first two records, and why I threw their fourth one away about a month after buying it.  I could listen to this all day, everyday.












Check out "White Flag" and "Stylo" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#155)

(#155, Mule Variations by Tom Waits)

This another album that took me a while to get on board with, but now, it's in pretty heavy rotation.  Waits has become one of my favorite artists over the past few years, while Billy Joel continues to tour the hits, and Weezer plays cruise ships.  While I acknowledge that he is an acquired taste, I have the pallet.











This is "Big in Japan" and "Filipino Box Spring Hog" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#156)

(#156, Ten by Pearl Jam)

When Phil Hohlweck and Tom Hnasko were raving about this in high school, I was still listening to Billy Joel and Harry Connick, Jr records on a consistent basis.  It took about 12 years for me to even give this a chance.  I can now honestly say this is an all time classic, but I was still more of an AIC and Pumpkins guy ...












Here is "Black" and "Why Go" ...

Fugazzi Grand III : My Top 500 Albums (#157)

(#157, Nimrod by Green Day)

Many will say this is where the boys sold out.  I say this is where they grew as a band.  There are a lot of flavors here, and a lyrical maturity not yet seen from Billie Joe Armstrong.  And hey, to be included in the Seinfeld finale has to be pretty cool.













Take a listen to "Nice Guys Finish Last" and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" ...