PLAYLIST: Mondo Radio (09/28/11)

Here's the playlist for this week's edition of Mondo Radio, which you can download or stream here. If you dig it, please find the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Artist - Song - Album
Mystic Minds - It's Real - Mind Over Matter
Mystic Minds - Welfare To Unemployment - Mind Over Matter
Leon's Creation - Confusion - This Is The Beginning
Satisfaction Unlimited - Bright City Lights - Think Of The Children
Aaron Neville - Hercules - Mojo Presents: Heavy Soul
Moses Dillard & Tex-Town Display - I've Got To Find A Way (To Hide My Hurt) (Part 1) - Mojo Presents: Heavy Soul
Nightmares On Wax - Nights Interlude - A Word Of Science: The First And Final Chapter
Nightmares On Wax - Biofeedback - A Word Of Science: The First And Final Chapter
Nightmares On Wax - Aftermath - A Word Of Science: The First And Final Chapter
Nightmares On Wax - Mega Donutz - A Word Of Science: The First And Final Chapter
Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five - This Is Where You Got It From - On The Strength
Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five - The Boy Is Dope - On The Strength
Mantronix - In Full Effect (In Full Effect) - In Full Effect
Mantronix - Get Stupid Fresh (Part III) - In Full Effect
Walter Wanderley - É Preciso Cantar - Batacuda
Big Freedia - Almost Famous - Scion A/V Presents: Big Freedia
Big Freedia - Excuse - Scion A/V Presents: Big Freedia
DJ Roc - I Don't Like The Look Of It - The Crack Capone
DJ Trouble - Bangs & Works - Bangs & Works Vol. 1
Trans Am - First Words - Sex Change
Trans Am - North East Rising Sun - Sex Change
Bis - Oh My - At Home With The Groovebox
Cibo Matto - We Love Our Lawyers - At Home With The Groovebox
Elton Motello - Pop Art - Pop Art
Elton Motello - 20th Century Fox - Pop Art
Adam And The Ants - Xerox - Dirk Wears White Sox
Adam And The Ants - Tabletalk - Dirk Wears White Sox
Sir Robert Charles Griggs - Fabulous Body And A Smile - The Legend Of Sir Robert Charles Griggs
Sir Robert Charles Griggs - West Coast Billy - The Legend Of Sir Robert Charles Griggs
Neil Young - I'm The Ocean - Mirror Ball
Neil Young - Big Green Country - Mirror Ball
The Doors - Strange Days - Classics
The Doors - Love Her Madly - Classics
Iggy Pop - The Passenger - Lust For Life
Iggy Pop - Tonight - Lust For Life
Harry Nilsson - At My Front Door - Son Of Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson - Jump Into The Fire - Nilsson Schmilsson
The Rolling Stones - Monkey Man - Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones - Ventilator Blues - Exile On Main St.

VIDEO: Doc - Project MK-ULTRA

Here's another program I curated for Network Awesome's "Salute to Drugs", a 1979 ABC News report on the CIA's Project MK-ULTRA, which involved dosing unwitting subjects with LSD and other powerful drugs in the hopes of discovering a truth drug and, ultimately, a mind control agent. Unethical, criminal and just plain creepy? You bet! But as Timothy Leary points out, without the agency's tests, it is somewhat doubtful that the counter-cultural movement of the 1960's, as we know it, would have occurred.



Trouble viewing the video? Watch it on Network Awesome.

VIDEO: Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue

One of my contributions to Network Awesome's week-long "Salute to Drugs", Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue is an animated anti-drug special simulcast by every major network, as well as many cable outlets, on April 21, 1990. What sets it apart from any other special or "very special episode" is that major companies, including Disney and Warner Brothers among others, allowed their characters to be used royalty free. I guess the scourge of drugs is enough to persuade normally litigious media companies to put branding and copyright aside. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, McDonald's financed the whole thing. Enjoy!

FEATURE: Cut Copy: Restless and Ever-Growing

In advance of their show tomorrow at Turner Hall, I talked to Cut Copy's newly-minted bassist Ben Browning about touring, joining a band in progress and, of course, their latest album Zonoscope.

Read the full article here

FEATURE: Bob Marley: An Icon and a Man

Writing about Bob Marley is a bit of a challenge. He means so many different things to so many different people, has been so thoroughly discussed and documented that he doesn't even quite seem like a real person. So when Network Awesome asked me to write a companion piece to a video collection of live performances, it seemed like a good excuse to point out that there was indeed a man behind the legend (no pun intended, honest).

Read the full piece here.

PLAYLIST: Mondo Radio (09/21/11)

Here's the playlist for this week's edition of Mondo Radio which you can stream or download here. If you dig it, please find the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Artist - Song - Album
Ray Cathode - Time Beat - Single
Bob Marley And The Wailers - No Sympathy - Soul Rebels
The Congos - Solid Foundation (Disco Cork Mix) - Heart Of The Congos
African Head Charge - Elastic Dance - My Life In A Hole In The Ground
Cheap Trick - Big Eyes (Live) - Cheap Trick At Budokan
Cheap Trick - Ain't That A Shame (Live) - Cheap Trick At Budokan
Nick Gilder - Here Comes The Night - City Nights
Nick Gilder - 21st Century - City Nights
David Bowie - Love You Till Tuesday - The World Of David Bowie
David Bowie - Fame - Changesonebowie
Brian Eno - Needles In The Camel's Eye - Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno - Dead Finks Don't Talk - Here Come The Warm Jets
T. Rex - The Slider - The Slider
T. Rex - Telegram Sam - The Slider
Bob Sharples - American Revolutionary War (Great Britain - March Of The British Grenadiers/United States - Yankee Doodle) - Battle Stereo
Adam And The Ants - Picasso Visita El Planeta De Los Simios - Prince Charming
Adam And The Ants - That Voodoo! - Prince Charming
Talking Heads - Drugs - Fear Of Music
Talking Heads - Heaven - Fear Of Music
Mission Of Burma - Possession - The Sound The Speed The Light
Mission Of Burma - Forget Yourself - The Sound The Speed The Light
Wire - Down To This - Red Barked Tree
Wire - Red Barked Trees - Red Barked Tree
Pixies - Dig For Fire - Bossanova
Pixies - Broken Face - Surfer Rosa
Pixies - Gigantic - Surfer Rosa
Gang Of Four - Damaged Goods - Entertainment!
Gang Of Four - I Found That Essence Rare - Entertainment!
Buzzcocks - Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore - A Different Kind Of Tension
Buzzcocks - Something's Gone Wrong Again - Singles Going Steady
The Clash - Police On My Back - Sandinista!
The Clash - Lost In The Supermarket - London Calling
The Jayhawks - Cinnamon Love - Mockingbird Time
The Jayhawks - Black-Eyed Susan - Mockingbird Time
Wilco - A Shot In The Arm - Summerteeth
Wilco - Handshake Drugs - A Ghost Is Born
Carnivores - Georgia Power Company - If I'm Ancient
Carnivores - Salts To Mine - If I'm Ancient
Jeff The Brotherhood - Hey Friend - We Are The Champions
Jeff The Brotherhood - Bummer - We Are The Champions

ALBUM REVIEW: The Jayhawks - Mockingbird Time

The Jayhawks occupy a somewhat strange place in the pop music totem pole. Never really making it to the top, but also not never sinking completely into obscurity, the Minneapolis alt-country outfit trudged the middle of the road, developing a fan base, not massive, but devoted and sustaining. It's a position that, like anything, has its pros and cons: on the one hand, the pressure level is manageable and you're free to be yourself, on the other, stagnation becomes a very real possibility.

Perhaps because they could and perhaps because they needed to, The Jayhawks had been on hiatus since 2003's Rainy Day Music, but now they've returned, sounding refreshed and confident on the new Mockingbird Time. This is due in part to Mark Olson, who after leaving the group 16 years earlier (in the wake of 1995's Tomorrow the Green Grass) revived the classic lineup onstage for a few festival gigs, fell back into the old groove, and set about touring and writing new material.

Like so much alt-country, the new album isn't paradigm-shifting, mind-blowing stuff, but it is nevertheless a sprightly, instantly ingratiating set of songs. Unsurprisingly, you can hear the Neil Young influence trickling down into tracks like "Black Eyed Susan", but mostly, the group keeps things light and folky, sprinkling in a few indie-rock refrains for good measure. Lyrically, lines like "There's so much color in the sky that's in your eyes" can initially sound like bad teenage poetry, but settle into place on repeat listens, which the album invites, despite the 50 minute run time. It's not an essential record; like The Jayhawks themselves you can take it or leave it, but those already inclined to pick it up will find a lot to like.

PLAYLIST: Mondo Radio (09/14/11)

Here's the playlist for this week's edition of Mondo Radio, which you can download or stream here. If you enjoy the show, please find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Artist - Song - Album
Mark Mothersbaugh - Ping Island/Lightning Strike Rescue Op - The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou Original Soundtrack
Devo - Freedom Of Choice - Freedom Of Choice
Devo - Gates Of Steel - Freedom Of Choice
Devo - Theme From Doctor Detroit - Dr. Detroit Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Cheap Trick - Downed - In Color
Cheap Trick - Need Your Love - Dream Police
Sweet - Into The Night - Desolation Boulevard
Sweet - Solid Gold Brass - Desolation Boulevard
David Bowie - It Ain't Easy - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
David Bowie - Rock 'N' Roll Suicide - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks - Long Hard Book - Mirror Traffic
Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks - Share The Red - Mirror Traffic
Pavement - Transport Is Arranged - Brighten The Corners
L. Ron Hubbard - Golden Era Of Sci-Fi - Battlefield Earth
The Beta Band - B+A - The Three E.P.'s
The Beta Band - Al Sharp - Hot Shots II
Stereolab - Percolator - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Stereolab - Doubt - ABC Music
Wu-Tang Clan - Method Man - CD Single
Method Man & Redman - Cereal Killer - Blackout!
Gravediggaz - Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide - 6 Feet Deep
Ice Cube (Feat. George Clinton) - Bop Gun - Greatest Hits
Eric B. & Rakim - Don't Sweat The Technique - CD Single
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock - Grandmaster Flash Essential Mix: Classic Edition
Indeep - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - Grandmaster Flash Essential Mix: Classic Edition
Charanga 76 - Music Trance - Bob Blank: Blank Generation Blank Tapes - NYC 1975-1985
Fantastic Four - Sexy Lady - You've Never Been Hit So Hard Phase 1
The Housemaster Boyz - House Nation - Trax Records 20th Anniversary Collection
The Maytals - 54-46 Was My Number - Reggae Reggae Reggae
Peter Tosh - Dem Ha Fe Get Beaten - Bush Doctor
Bob Marley And The Wailers - Rebels Hop - Reggae Rebel
U Roy - Chalice In The Palace - Dread In Babylon
Augustus Pablo - Keep On Dubbing - King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
Henry Mancini - Fallout! - The Music From Peter Gunn
Henry Mancini - The Floater - The Music From Peter Gunn
David Grusin - The Singleman Party Foxtrot - The Graduate Original Sound Track Recording
Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson (Version 1 As Heard In Film) - The Graduate Original Sound Track Recording
David Grusin - Sunporch CHA-CHA-CHA - The Graduate Original Sound Track Recording
Henry Mancini - Peter Gunn - The Music From Peter Gunn

UPDATE: "Adam and the Ants: Fashion Victims" on WFMU's Beware of the Blog

Thanks to the good folks over at Network Awesome, a piece I wrote for them a couple weeks back has found its way to WFMU's Beware of the Blog. As a big supporter of public media, good music and weirdness in general, I'm understandably proud to have the piece featured there.

You can read the piece here.

VIDEO: Video Power - Episode 01

Here's another video I curated for Network Awesome, the very first episode of Video Power from 1990. This tips and tricks show, which also featured a cartoon starring a cross section of Nintendo/Acclaim characters, morphed into a game show format in its second season. As an added bonus, this version also comes with all of the original commercials intact. Kick back, relax and get ready for the most '90s thing you've ever seen.

PLAYLIST: Mondo Radio (09/07/11)

Here's the playlist for this week's edition of Mondo Radio, which you can download or stream here. If you dig it, please find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Artist - Song - Album
Adventure - Iron Stallion - Adventure
Björk - Human Behaviour - Greatest Hits
Blur - Death Of A Party - Blur
Blur - Strange News From Another Star - Blur
Radiohead - (Nice Dream) - The Bends
Cibo Matto - Sugar Water - Viva! La Woman
Cibo Matto - White Pepper Ice Cream - Viva! La Woman
Air - Easy Going Woman - Surfing On A Rocket CD Single
Air - People In The City - 10,000 Hz Legend
Of Montreal - Chrissy Kiss The Corpse - Satanic Panic In The Attic
Of Montreal - For Our Elegant Caste - Skeletal Lamping
Architecture In Helsinki - Do The Whirlwind - In Case We Die
Four Tet - No More Mosquitoes - Pause
Fantastic Four - Sexy Lady - You've Never Been Hit So Hard: Phase 1
Ramones - Psycho Therapy - Ramones Mania
Ramones - Needles & Pins - Ramones Mania
Nobunny - Ain't It A Shame - First Blood
Nobunny - Breathe - First Blood
The Hives - Die, All Right! - Veni Vidi Vicious
The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk - Tyrannosaurus Hives
The Strokes - Is This It - Is This It
The Strokes - Take It Or Leave It - Is This It
Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was - The Peel Sessions
Stiff Little Fingers - Barbed Wire Love - The Peel Sessions
The Stranglers - Peaches - The Collection 1977-1982
The Stranglers - Hanging Around - The Collection 1977-1982
The Clash - Complete Control - The Clash
The Clash - White Riot - The Clash
Lou Reed - The Heroine - The Blue Mask
Nick Drake - One Of These Things First - Bryter Layter
Belle & Sebastian - Seymour Stein - The Boy With The Arab Strap
Jim Carroll - Hairshirt Fracture - Runaway EP
The Stone Roses - Made Of Stone - The Stone Roses
Happy Mondays - Donovan - Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches
The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds (Dance Mix MK I Edit) - Little Fluffy Clouds CD Single
The KLF - What Time Is Love? (Pure Trance 1) - 12" Single
Underworld - Born Slippy .NUXX - 1992-2002
The Coup - 5 Million Ways To Kill A C.E.O. - Party Music
Jaylib - The Red - Champion Sound

FEATURE: Adventures in Record Collecting #2

In this new and mildly exciting new feature, I go record shopping and tell you about what I bought:
Date: 09/03/11
Location: Goodwill, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Money Spent: $2.09 USD
Number of Records Purchased: 2

The Records:

Simon & Garfunkel - The Graduate: Original Soundtrack Recording:

Simon & Garfunkel get the credit for this soundtrack to Mike Nichols deserved classic film The Graduate, but there's a lot to like about the jazzy lounge numbers provided by David Grusin as well. With that said, S&G cuts like "April Come She Will" and, of course, "The Sound of Silence" are still lovely.

Henry Mancini - The Music from Peter Gunn:

A nice collection of soundtrack music from the NBC/ABC detective series Peter Gunn, composed and conducted by that master of film and television scores Henry Mancini. I've never seen the show (and was surprised to learn that legendary filmmaker Robert Altman directed many of the early episodes), but the theme song is an immediately recognizable part of our collective consciousness. The rest of the album has a decidedly more conventional jazz feel, but is still perfect for creating some classically cool ambiance.

Since I had not planned on buying any records, today's outing was a pleasant surprise. Although it would have been even better had that copy of the 2001: A Space Odyssey Soundtrack not looked as if someone had smeared peanut butter on it, as I definitely would have bought it.

VIDEO: The Adventures of Superpup - Pilot

One of the stranger ideas to come out of Superman's golden age (and there were a lot of strange ideas for Superman in the 1950s), this pilot episode for the The Adventures of Superpup (1958) recast the familiar cast of characters, including Clark Kent, Perry White and Lois Lane, with anthropormphic dog versions. Be sure to find this and more great videos at Network Awesome.

CONCERT REVIEW: Pearl Jam w/ The Strokes, Queens of the Stone Age, Mudhoney, John Doe & More (Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI)

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Pearl Jam set up this two-day festival featuring The Strokes, Queens of the Stone Age, Mudhoney, John Doe and a host of side stage acts, the only event of its kind in the country. Overall the event seemed to convey much of what makes Pearl Jam so good, as well as what makes them so aggravating.

Read my full review here.

CONCERT REVIEW: TV on the Radio (The Pabst Theatre, Milwaukee)

It's a little baffling as to why TV on the Radio had never performed in Milwaukee until now, but given the city's cultural inferiority complex there failure to play here was probably perceived as an indicator of our shortcomings as opposed to an accident of circumstance. No matter now though, since last night, the band took the stage at the Pabst to show us what we've been missing.

Read my full review here.

Photo Credit: CJ Foeckler