10 Songs: Monday, October 6th, 2014

Drugs – 1, War- 0

1. Red Eyes – The War On Drugs – I was never a fan, it sounded like the usual indie mish mash of Kurt Vile, Cold War Kids, the National, brought to a boil, and I am old enough for this to feel like weak gruel. Plus I didn’t like their name. But this is an excellent song and any way, two of these guys play with the Violators so the Kurt Vile connect makes sense – B+

2. Body Language – Kid Ink, Usher, Tinashe – New r&b plus a pretty good modern rap guy go for the charts – B

3. Hydraulic Pump (parts I and II) – P-Funk -And it is the organ that’s doing the pumping – A-

4. Fool In The Rain -Led Zeppelin – The beat here is so weird, it is skittish, it makes you trip over yourself – A

5. Don’t Ask me why – Billy Joel – “Don’t wait for chances, just take your chances…” Maybe his smartest lyric, “don’t ask for favors, don’t talk to strangers.” He segued out of the Bernstein “America” on stage and given the break that makes sense as well  – A+

6. Freestyle – Bassnectar – This is from 2012 and features Angel Haze, and it is a wonder – A

7.  The days – Avicii – It took a coupla spins but by the time you hit the three minute mark it is obvious this is a huge track – A-

8. Hideaway – Kieza – The poster girl for state of the art – A-

9. Mama – Shannon And The Clams – excellent 50s doo wopper – B+

10. I Never Learn – Lykki Li – They were discounting tix on Groupon to $35 and if I wasn’t going to Bassnectar I’d have bought one.