Ribaldry and Schmaltz

I've Found Another Reason Playlist Friday

2009-03-13T22:24:00.000-04:00

Here's another playlist that would never happen again if I had sworn off the Rhapsody forever. It's a very fine track from that recent Cesaria Evora archeological release, and the Minutemen song it made me start instinctively humming alongside.

I've Found Another Reason Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

I've Found Another Reason Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Sayko dayo - Cesaria Evora
No! No! No! To Draft And War/Joe McCarthy's Ghost - The Minutemen

Slow Road Back Tuesday Playlist

2009-03-11T22:13:00.004-04:00

I'm happy to say I think things are turning around. I've got a loaner Rhapsody To Go account, and someone in Development is supposedly sifting through the smoking crater of my own account.

Let's mark the slow road back with the sort of tracks I'd certainly rarely encounter if I gave up my wanderings in the depths of the Rhapsody catalog.

It's "What Did I Do Wrong?" and "Super Phrases 3: Impatience & Exaggeration" from the Rhythmic Cantonese and Rhythmic Mandarin albums. Try them out the next time you get in over your head in Wanchai or Shenzhen.

Slow Road Back Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Slow Road Back Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

What Did I Do Wrong? - The Third Ear
Super Phrases 3: Impatience & Exaggeration - The Third Ear

Beleted

2009-03-05T09:57:00.005-05:00

I've gotten no updates on my technical problem in over six weeks, despite regular queries to my dedicated support thread. Yesterday I tried to call for an update, and lost it when asked to start from scratch, cheerfully ignoring the hours of excruciating phone time and weeks of my ass twisting in the breeze.

I have no idea why such a thing should happen, but here's one of the world's toadiest Rhapsody fanboys transformed into a golem of blind hatred.

Yet another update: Late Friday I made direct contact with an unscripted human, and might actually have this all straightened out in a day or two. More news as it happens.

Piss-poor Peoples

2009-02-27T09:40:00.005-05:00

Now I've lost all sense of humor about this unresolved technical problem with my Rhapsody Library/account. I've gotten absolutely zero response from the committed folks in Tier >2 Escalation Department, so I've basically just started posting notes to myself every few days on my issue support tracking thread:

"Hi, I've still gotten absolutely no update on this, and the problem still exists. I cannot use the Rhapsody software to log in to Rhapsody, and have not been able to sync my mp3 player in well over a month.

This morning I manually reset my password and can log in to Rhapsody Online (but it appears the problem with multiple multiple copies of all My Playlists persists).

This has gotten pretty freaking far beyond ridiculous."

Addendum: Ah Hell, now that I've had my Friday morning aural Thorazine, I guess my sense of humor hasn't been completely stripped away. So here's a couple songs for the Rhapsody Technical Support special teams, at home and abroad:

Rhapsody Technical Support Love Playlist

Flushed From The Bathroom Of Your Heart - Johnny Cash
This Is Good - Black Flag

Somewhere Apart

2009-02-25T09:08:00.003-05:00

I am still in Rhapsody Limbo. Here is my latest communique from the ever-effective Tier 2 Escalation Department: "I apologize that we have been unable to resolve the issue. Therefore, I have forwarded this issue to our next level of experts. They will contact you with an update as soon as possible."

That was last Thursday. I think somebody's doing something, though, because some time Friday my password stopped working. Now I can't even listen with Rhapsody Online, but I think it means someone was actually rummaging around the damaged data in my account/Library.

So there'll be no pithy Rhapsody Online song link today. Instead I'll recommend this pretty stupendous Robyn Hitchcock show from March 2005 at the Great American Music Hall. Above and beyond the always-enjoyable staples, it's a birthday show, and includes a segment where he moves over to piano for several songs to very fine effect, especially Chapter 24 and Somewhere Apart.

Of course, if your Rhapsody account hasn't been fragged, you're probably enjoying Goodnight Oslo.

The Service Elevator Is Out

2009-02-13T15:37:00.004-05:00

This morning I was reading about Muzak filing for bankruptcy. And of course my mental soundtrack for that article was DEVO's E-Z Listening Muzak Disc.

And thank you Internets, specifically the very fine blog I'm Learning To Share, for providing mp3's of volumes 1 and 2 of the original cassettes. A link to the full zip is mid-way down the post, and volume 2 is the slightly more lively set, particularly Jerkin' Back and Forth, the elegiac Gates Of Steel, and the well-twangified That's Good.

A Very Happy Love Weekend to one and all (unless you work for Muzak, I suppose).

Enduring Decrepitude

2009-02-11T15:07:00.003-05:00

A quick update here: three weeks later I'm still unable to successfully log in using the Rhapsody application. Yesterday I got an update from the "Tier 2 Escalation Department" that "We have checked our records and found that this case has been already forwarded to the appropriate department for further research. I am sure that the issue will be fixed at the earliest and will let you know regarding the updates."

Tell that to my useless, unsynced Sansa, "Jack".

Well, at least the Rhapsody Online Flash player's brief reign of terror ended today.

Here's one song for the general situation:

Lone Rose Holding Now - Melvins

In much more auspicious news, the President wasn't the only one to arrive in Fort Myers yesterday:

Standing By the By And By

2009-01-21T17:10:00.003-05:00

Way to jinx myself. Pretty soon after that last post my Rhapsody life went certified platinum FUBAR. Unable to log in using the application. Able to log in to Rhapsody Online, but with 64, then 128 copies of each of My Playlists. I'm not sure what power of 2 we're up to right now because the My Playlists page times out before telling me.

But you can't just pick up the phone, state those facts, and have things resolve directly and rationally. Somehow I've held on through several hours of interminable scripted technical support insanity, and four days later remain suspended between escalating layers of "help".

Good Times.

Here's a little Rhapsody Online link to mark the occasion.

Flat Out Fucked - Mudhoney

P.S. In directly related news, this month marks the fifth anniversary for Dimeadozen.org, and people are posting some particularly choice shows to mark the occasion. That and archive.org's Robyn Hitchcock holdings are the only things getting me through this week.

A Word

2009-01-17T00:35:00.004-05:00

We're taking on a strange schedule here at Ribaldry and Schmaltz to accommodate the new baby, and the fact I was too tired and honest to fake my way out of four weeks of jury duty on a [facts scrubbed] trial.

In the meantime, here are the three greatest regional segments I have encountered on Youtube, ever. More or less all you need to know about Boston television in the late 20th century: Creature Double Feature, Dana Hersey (at the now-erased Rathskeller, no less), and V66.

There was also a local show in the early days of cable access in Brockton that my brother and I would just call and basically yell the word "Spaghettios" into the phone until they put us on the air. That was a pretty good show, too.

Best of Ribaldry & Schmaltz 2008

2009-01-02T14:25:00.012-05:00

I'm a wee bit discombobulated these days. Luckily, before my life started over again last month I had the foresight to sift through every post from 2008 and gradually distill the twenty greatest songs proferred here at Ribaldry and Schmaltz in that year. So today, we can continue that annual tradition in a timely manner.

Right now I can't offer any coherent or thorough reflections on developments in the Rhapsody database or platforms last year, though I'd say there was more good than bad (If you told me I'd have to give up the Doors to get the Husker Du catalog, I don't think you'd see much hesitation. And look! As of this typing Morrison Hotel is mostly back. I think Land Ho! itself would get me through 2009.)

The biggest happening here at R&S Labs was undoubtedly our summer-long feature of Major League Baseball Walk Out Song playlists. I've expanded the introductory post from that series to include organized links to all the entries. By a happy coincidence, that post also includes links to the rest of the top five posts that drive "traffic" to Ribaldry and Schmaltz.

Wow. And as of today, sitemeter tells me we are officially the place the Intertubes turn to settle the question "Are Steve Zahn and Gregg Zaun brothers?" Just another service we offer here at R&S.

Happy New Year, children.

Best of Ribaldry & Schmaltz 2008 Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Best of Ribaldry & Schmaltz 2008 Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

01 All My Life - Harry Nilsson
02 I'd Be Ahead If I Could Quit While I'm Behind - Bobby Womack
03 Ten Minutes To Four - Eddie Harris
04 Bad Boy - Doug Sahm
05 Halloween - Kirsty MacColl
06 Derelict - Phil Grenadier
07 Dou Wakadou - Hugues Aufray
08 Neigbours - The Rolling Stones
09 Lord Of The Dance - Ian Campbell Folk Group
10 Of Cursed Womb - Behold... The Arctopus
11 Pack Jam - Jonzun Crew
12 Fire/Sign - Gossip
13 Fado Dos Fados - Amalia Rodrigues
14 Moron - The Dead Milkmen
15 Speedplay (For Max Roach) - The Vandermark 5
16 The Endless Sea - Iggy Pop
17 Jesus In The Temple - Marah
18 I'm Blue - The Shangri-Las
19 Crawl Back (Under My Stone) - Richard Thompson
20 Faith - Violent Femmes

For historical reference, here are links to our previous annual best-of posts:
2005
2006
2007

Just Added Breeders Saturday Playlist

2008-12-27T21:04:00.009-05:00

The first two Breeders albums came into Rhapsody very recently. Pod is the only Breeders album I love from start to finish. And for some insufferable reason, it's the only one that's not streamable in Rhapsody from start to finish.

So today, let's take a sampler of what we can get.

In related news, a baby was born to our house on December 21, and Schmaltzy Junior now has a Kim to her Kelley, a Laura to her Sarah, or an Eva to her Zsa Zsa, if you will.

Schmaltzy Junior was squarely in the Winston Churchill/Tor Johnson mold of baby faces, but Little Shifty is more of the Wally Shawn/Nosferatu prototype. Neither had averse reactions to my singing voice in the wee hours of the first week, so any musical distinctions between them remain to be discovered. In the meantime, our playlist today continues with a handful of tracks to note the new arrival, Ribaldry and Schmaltz stylee.

Just Added Breeders Saturday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Just Added Breeders Saturday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Howdy Little Newlycome - Woody Guthrie
Hellbound - The Breeders
Happiness Is A Warm Gun - The Breeders
Song For A Future Generation - The B-52s
The Youngest Was The Most Loved - Morrissey
We're A Happy Family - Ramones
Family Man - Black Flag
Snowin' In Brooklyn - Ferron

Raiding the Stocking Friday Playlist

2008-12-19T13:07:00.003-05:00

So speaking of songs that weren't in Rhapsody before, it looks like Christmas comes early this year. That's right, since the last time I searched in vain for it, "Just Got Lucky" by the JoBoxers came into Rhapsody.

There's something that'll help you break up the barking dog carols and Celine Dion in the week to come.

Other options are the cream of the extras from this week's expanded remaster of Pavement's Brighten The Corners, some recently added classic Eumir Deodato, and the finest Jingle Bells I've heard so far this year.

Happy Friday, universe.

Raiding the Stocking Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Raiding the Stocking Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Just Got Lucky - JoBoxers
Winner Of The - Pavement
Harness Your Hopes - Pavement
Arranha Ceu - Eumir Deodato
Samba De Verao - Eumir Deodato
Jingle Bells - Celia Cruz

Lookin' For A Truck Tuesday

2008-12-16T09:46:00.007-05:00

I'm currently spending my pre-holiday weeks in a perfect balance of caffeine-fueled productivity and cookie-fueled time squandering.

I've also been working mostly on my partition that isn't conducive to playlist posting. So instead, here's a little Grooveshark widget with a handful of classics I've whined aren't available in Rhapsody over the years. Overall I found that application of limited use, which even this short list exemplifies (inconsistent sound quality, bad track data, nebulous legality, progressively deteriorating UI, etc.) But within those confines (namely these six songs and a little Frank Zappa) it was just what I needed that one day.

P.S. A version of Fish Heads, properly attributed, did come in to Rhapsody this year, but it's some kind of early version or something with a decidedly different approach from this one.

The Cross Eyed Rambler Manifesto Playlist

2008-12-04T14:33:00.007-05:00

Over the last few months I've made many failed attempts at putting together a coherent post about the 2008 Paul Heaton solo album The Cross Eyed Rambler. Now the year is almost gone, and I'm no closer to really making any clear sense of it. But the fact I keep listening to it over and over trying to get to the bottom of things certainly mandates some public recommendation.

First, it rocks. Thoroughly and continuously. Then, it drives a steamroller back and forth across the fine line between razor-sharp satirical insight and curmudgeonly get-off-my-lawn myopia. Between wry, self-deprecating humor and black, bilious rancor.

So basically a thoroughly honest, rich, compelling slab of rock and roll.

Right on.

The Cross Eyed Rambler Manifesto Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

The Cross Eyed Rambler Manifesto Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

The Cross Eyed Rambler
I Do
The Balcony

P.S. On a data sidepoint, this album and artist remain misfiled in Rhapsody. Moving the album from "Classical > 20th21st Century > Electronic" to "Brit Rock" or something (that's where the 2008 Paul Weller album is), and linking the Paul Heaton page to the "Related Projects" sections of the Housemartins and Beautiful South pages would rectify things quite nicely.

Old Country Easy Listening Wednesday Playlist

2008-12-03T08:40:00.004-05:00

Among the many things to be thankful for, a trip back to the old country last week for the holiday meant plenty of driving within the listening area of "Easy 99.1" WPLM-FM. Unfortunately, they had already switched over to a Christmas music heavy rotation, and we didn't stay in town long enough for Strictly Sinatra, so it wasn't as stellar a listening experience as I've gushed about in the past.

So in lieu of any songs we actually heard them play last week, here's a little playlist of easy classics and a couple gems I'd personally include when programming my own easy listening channel. Move over, Polyester Palace!

Old Country Easy Listening Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Old Country Easy Listening Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show) - Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.
And I Love Her - Bobby Womack
Your'e The Boss - Elvis Presley with Ann-Margret
You Don't Know Me - Henry Mancini
Fool To Cry - The Rolling Stones
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - The Spinners

A Really Ragged Notion That They'd Return Tuesday Playlist

2008-11-25T16:25:00.004-05:00

Earlier this year, I was morbid, pale, and ready to book myself in at the YWCA when the meager Smiths offerings that were in Rhapsody mostly disappeared.

But now it's a sunny day, so let's go where we're wanted, and I'll meet you at the Play All button for The Deluxe Edition of this The Sound Of The Smiths compilation.

Just the thing to listen to while driving back to the old house on Thursday to savor the flavor of murder.

I could go on like this, but already a nation turns its back and gags.

Here's a short playlist of some highlights.

A Really Ragged Notion That They'd Return Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

A Really Ragged Notion That They'd Return Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Nowhere Fast
Back To The Old House
Barbarism Begins At Home [7" Version]
Meat Is Murder [Live at Oxford Apollo 18/3/85]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-11-21T00:46:00.005-05:00

Today out to lunch, a sampler of syncopated gems that have come into Rhapsody in recent months.

There's a solid representative from the big heap of Arthur Lyman remasters we obsessed about recently. The Winner's Circle, the album today's track comes from, is one of the most consistent. On Broadway is also a standout.

Then a fine example of what Señor Coconut is capable of, from this week's Just Added list.

Bobby Valentin does it slowly and perfectly.

And added earlier this summer, Cornell Dupree folds the Trolley Song into Slip Slidin' Away for some reason, but it all works out alright.

Happy Friday, folks!

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

With A Little Help From My Friends - Arthur Lyman
White Horse - Señor Coconut
Borinquen Yo Te Canto - Bobby Valentin
Slip Slidin' Away - Cornell Dupree

Voraciously Alternate Wednesday Playlist

2008-11-19T09:44:00.011-05:00

So I listened to set II of 2/20/93 yesterday, the centerpiece of the "Phish At The Roxy" eight-disc release. And I was transported back, not to the show I didn't attend, but to the hubbub about that show on my first Home On The Web, rec.music.phish.

Of course, most of the things that make that set so remarkable appeal pretty exclusively to nerds who obsessed over every set list, in-joke, song tease, and recitation of Kung. I absolutely don't blame the majority of humans who have nothing but baffled disdain for the music of this band and the people who enjoy it. But for the happily afflicted, this set remains a delicious Rosetta Stone of improvisational breakneck chop suey.

Back in those neolithic days of the Internets, sharing music meant checking in on USENET and organizing or joining a tape tree. Or arranging a generous blanks and postage deal. Or using rec.music.phish to identify like-minded local individuals and hosting taping parties. It was a golden age of income for the Maxell Corporation and a nascent offering from the US Postal Service called Priority Mail.

And the kids of today wantonly slosh dozens of gigabytes of HD-quality concert video up and down the pipes, complaining bitterly when an audio spectral analysis reveals someone performed some minor tinkering with a recording before seeding.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

The Reba and Harry Hood from the set in question are still not streamable in Rhapsody, so for today's playlist purposes we'll just highlight the middle segment.

Voraciously Alternate Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Voraciously Alternate Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Glide
Mike's Song
I Am Hydrogen
Weekapaug Groove
Fast Enough For You

Friday Maddow Decade Playlist

2008-11-15T00:29:00.003-05:00

Now, I'm NOT saying Rachel Maddow has made a pact with Satan, but her ratings have stayed up weeks after Election Day. And of course, I've been trying to manufacture some playlist excuse to post this picture of her throwing the horns.

So, as another notable Massachusetts transplant once said, "If I can't mosh to it, it's not my revolution."

Friday Maddow Decade Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Friday Maddow Decade Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Goddess - Vincent Price
Conversation With A Cop - Fanny
Time Zones - Negativland
Fame And Fortune - Mission Of Burma

Fresh Catch Tuesday Playlist

2008-11-11T08:29:00.003-05:00

Today just a fine, mellow fresh catch trio of tracks that have been surfacing in the Mixer with some regularity recently.

Fresh Catch Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Fresh Catch Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

It Don't Matter To Me - Bread

Roll Um Easy - Little Feat

Aisumassen (I'm Sorry) - John Lennon

Shelf Browsing Fresh Catch Playlist

2008-11-10T09:22:00.003-05:00

Before modern technological marvels like Rhapsody existed, I made most of my more serendipitous musical discoveries in the neglected "media" rooms of our nation's libraries.

From the walls of jazz vinyl in the Brookline Public Library where I first heard gritty chunks of Get Up With It and Naked City right next to fluffier bits like Kai and JJ. To the recorded lecture archives of my alma mater that provided the exclusive Kurt Vonnegut, Anne Sexton, and William S. Burroughs sound clips that peppered many a classic mix tape. To oddball kindred gems like Ry Cooder's Crossroads soundtrack and Volume 1 of the Asch Recordings.

I dare say aimlessly browsing the stacks of any library is one of my favorite human activities, and that's certainly linked to my obsession with the Rhapsody catalog.

Shelf Browsing Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Shelf Browsing Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Somebody's Callin' My Name - Ry Cooder
Moses Smote The Waters - The Thrasher Wonders
Where Could I Go But To The Lord? - Sister Ernestine Washington with Buck Johnson
Lonesome Train - Sonny Terry
Willie Brown Blues - Ry Cooder

Schmaltzy Went A-Courtin' Friday Playlist

2008-11-07T23:19:00.009-05:00

When Lady Ribaldry and I were courting, we often drove in to work together listening to the morning jazz show on WHRB. And there was one DJ who tended to throw alot of Anthony Braxton into the mix. And one of the things that helped me fall hard for Lady Ribaldry was witnessing her absolute revulsion for Anthony Braxton. We would be gabbing about this or that, and suddenly she would realize there was some kind of squonky nonsense screaming from the car speakers and punch over to Loren and Wally or some such thing. It was adorable, is what it was.

Is that wrong? To love a woman in part for the things that drive her absolutely bugfuck crazy? I sure hope not.

A couple other things in that category are the voices of Doug Martsch and Paul Barman. Who can blame her. And yet, what is that woman thinking?

Here's a track from each of those individuals, to mark our sixth wedding anniversary this weekend.

Of note, this great Anthony Braxton album Beyond Quantum from this year is misfiled in Rhapsody. Figure it out, numbnuts. I'm sure fans of free jazz and classical music make up a microscopic percentage of the subscribership, but these things might get more listens if they were slotted correctly. At least split it from "Milford Graves Anthony Braxton" to two separate artist names...

Schmaltzy Went A-Courtin' Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Schmaltzy Went A-Courtin' Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Third Meeting - Anthony Braxton, Milford Graves, William Parker
MTV Get off the Air, Pt. 2 - MC Paul Barman
The Weather - Built To Spill

Death Takes A Holiday Playlist

2008-11-03T10:21:00.002-05:00

I just got back from a two-day vacation for a weekend class on Death and Dying in Chinese Medicine with the incomparable Jeffrey Yuen. Perfectly scheduled for illumination between Halloween and the day of reckoning for the American presidency. Around and with the subject matter, it was great to trod the sidewalks of Nonantum like a tourist, wander the autumn banks of the Charles, and linger over lunch at Tommy Doyle's pub.

Here's a little playlist travelogue postcard.

Death Takes A Holiday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Death Takes A Holiday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Halloween - Kirsty MacColl
Strange Boat - The Waterboys
Death Is Not The End - Bob Dylan
Collecting The Soul - Qin Zhongying

For All I Care Source Material Playlist

2008-10-22T21:57:00.016-04:00

It's no secret I'm slightly fond of The Bad Plus. Their new album was released this week in Europe, where they just started a fall tour. For All I Care features vocalist Wendy Lewis on most of the tracks, all of which are covers. In addition to adding a voice, new elements include a venture into Roger Miller country and music from 20th century composers.

Since this album won't be released in the USA until February 2009, for now we'll have to make do with these samples from 7digital, monitor dimeadozen for any live fall recordings, and offer up this playlist of the source tracks in Rhapsody.

Long Distance Runaround packs the most into the sample snippet for my ears.

For All I Care Source Material Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

For All I Care Source Material Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Lithium - Nirvana
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Fem (Etude No. 8) - Fredrik Ullen (Gyorgy Ligeti, comp.)
Radio Cure - Wilco
Long Distance Runaround - Yes
Semi-Simple Variations - Robert Taub (Milton Babbitt, comp.)
How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees
Barracuda - Heart
Lock, Stock and Teardrops - Roger Miller
Variation d'Apollon - Berliner Philharmoniker (Igor Stravinski, comp.)
Feeling Yourself Disintegrate - Flaming Lips

Addendum: To see how many "goodies" we can "festoon" this post with for the "special interests", here's a making-of short video (boy, I can't wait for November 5. Almost makes you don the tinfoil hat and wonder if the US release of this album was pushed out a few months to allow us all to potentially approach Barracuda without any confounding associations.)

Nerd Dance The Baseball Sunday Playlist

2008-10-19T01:32:00.005-04:00

Well, I guess playlist hoodoo played no role in the outcome of game 6 of the ALCS. The Red Sox just plain won the game the old fashioned way. So for today, let's dance nerd style, invoke the voice of Suzy Creamcheese, and leave the baseball to the professionals.

No pressure, Jonny.

Nerd Dance The Baseball Sunday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Nerd Dance The Baseball Sunday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Rounder - Pere Ubu
Nail - The Sugarcubes
Hello Teenage America - Meat Beat Manifesto
Groupmegroup - Liquid Liquid

Monday Morning Update:

Beautiful job, Rays. In an interesting historical side note, I feel several dozen orders of magnitude better than I did on this equivalent day five years ago [baseball-reference.com].

Red Sox Bumper Music 2008 Sampler Playlist

2008-10-16T20:07:00.013-04:00

Once again, as an incantation to Lady Luck to help the local baseball squad stagger one more game into the post-season, we offer up a playlist of Red Sox radio broadcast bumper music.

Like last year, here's a partial playlist sampler of songs heard coming out of commercials during Boston Red Sox radio broadcasts this season. From spring training, when that godforsaken commercial for a Gloria Estefan show at Mohegan Sun played in EVERY inning break and pitching change for a freaking MONTH, to the Japan vacation, to the inevitable post-All Star Break skid, to these crisp October evenings of excitement and humiliation. Good times, indeed.

Hats off to Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Jon Lester in particular, who rewarded my transistor twisting game in and game out all year long.

As I noted last year, the playlist contains only the songs I could identify in the few seconds they played during the games I listened to. There are plenty of songs I couldn't place, and plenty of games I didn't hear.

Certainly the exorcised "Rays" have earned everything they've achieved in 2008, and I applaud them for it. But first, let's see if Daisuke Matsuzaka can Inspector Clouseau his way to one more victory tonight...

Friday Morning Update:

Well that was fascinating. Put the Phillies-Rays Swing State Series on hold for one more game, anyway. Now, what playlist hoodoo am I going to have to cook up to insure a win on Saturday?

Red Sox Bumper Music 2008 Sampler Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Red Sox Bumper Music 2008 Sampler Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Kiss - Prince
The Spirit Of Radio - Rush
Patty Lee - Les Savy Fav
Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker
Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
Pusherman - Curtis Mayfield
Hard To Handle - The Black Crowes
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
Do Me! - Bell Biv Devoe
Jerry Was A Race Car Driver - Primus
Black Betty - Ram Jam
One - U2
Jessica - Allman Brothers
Too Many Puppies - Primus
Beat It - Michael Jackson
Foxey Lady - Jimi Hendrix Experience
Iron Man - Black Sabbath
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Do It Again - Steely Dan
Centerfold - J Geils Band
Here I Come - The Roots
The Distance - Cake
Tighten Up Pt. 1 - Archie Bell And the Drells
A Message To You Rudy - The Specials
No I In Threesome - Interpol
Take On Me - A-Ha
Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

Unavailable in Rhapsody:

Ramble On - Led Zeppelin

P.S. The Album Warrantless Wiretap feed in the sidebar has been broken for a couple weeks. Apparently it's a "platform issue" and they're out for everybody who uses a Rhapsody song or album feed, with no clear fix date.

All you've really missed from my heavy rotation that hasn't been posted here yet are the big crop of Arthur Lyman remasters that came into Rhapsody recently, and the "new" Paul Heaton album The Cross Eyed Rambler (which rocks, and is not "Classical > 20th/21st Century > Electronic" music, no matter what the Rhapsody database thinks).

Morning Mystery, New Year Thursday Playlist

2008-10-09T08:32:00.004-04:00

In the morning I usually listen to WHMP AM while getting washed up and such. Recently they put Jelly Belly from Medeski, Martin, and Wood's 1996 confection Shack-Man in heavy rotation as their bubbly but tense morning bumper music out of commercials. Take that, Renee Montagne!

Let's document that here in case it's been confounding anyone else's half-awake brain.

In related news, MMW play the music of John Zorn to good effect on the recent Tzadik release Zaebos: The Book of Angels volume 11. We'll round things out today with one piano and one organ track from that album. Some fine songs to help welcome in the start of the year 5769.

Morning Mystery, New Year Thursday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Morning Mystery, New Year Thursday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Jelly Belly - Medeski, Martin, and Wood
Tutrusa'i
Ahaij

Fresh Catch Catchup Thursday Playlist

2008-10-02T09:54:00.002-04:00

I try to keep up with the Rhapsody Just Added list as much as possible, but there's alot going on in there. The version in the Rhapsody software lists up to 1,000 albums, and seems to get updated two or three times a week. If you look at it through Rhapsody Online, frequently the list is over 3,000 albums long. Not even I can procrastinate that much.

So, here's some good news that slipped past me at some point since I last checked these artist pages. The catalogs of The Cramps, Circle Jerks, and Ian Dury have all been significantly rounded out at some point somewhat recently.

Fresh Catch Catchup Thursday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Fresh Catch Catchup Thursday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

New Kind Of Kick - The Cramps
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll - Ian Dury & The Blockheads
Goo Goo Muck - The Cramps
Love Kills - Circle Jerks

Addendum: I found this Cramps picture on an mp3 blog post at Ear Wax Vibrations that just so happened to be serving up the original version of Goo Goo Muck by Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads. It's actually the first in a series of posts featuring source versions of songs recorded by the Cramps, and infinitely worth investigating. Thank you!

Dead Set On Wednesday Playlist

2008-10-01T08:56:00.001-04:00

Of note, it looks like yesterday's thirtieth anniversary release marking the Grateful Dead's concerts at the pyramids at Giza is accompanied by a considerable rounding out of the rest of their catalog in Rhapsody (in regular and expanded versions). I'm not immune to such things.

"Rocking The Cradle - Egypt 1978" sounds pretty tepid for the most part so far, so here's a few other scattered tracks from the other albums as a welcoming committee.

Dead Set On Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Dead Set On Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Greatest Story Ever Told - Grateful Dead
Pride of Cucamonga
Alabama Getaway
Loser

Post-Mortem Walk Out Checkmate Song

2008-09-30T11:07:00.001-04:00

We had house guests on a recent weekend, and while watching a little baseball, conversation came around to my summer walk out song post series. My erudite visitor pondered a few moments, and declared his own walk out song would have to be the theme from Sanford and Son.

Check and mate, my friends. Check. And. Mate.

Sanford and Son Theme - Quincy jones [Rhapsody Online Version]

Sanford and Son Theme - Quincy Jones [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Baboon Squeeze Friday Playlist

2008-09-26T08:47:00.003-04:00

There's a song on the new Charlie Hunter record Baboon Strength named "Difford Tillbrook" which, oddly enough, is a cheeky romantic interlude in the style of Squeeze's Difford and Tillbrook.

Today, let's set Difford Tillbrook with a few of the Squeeze tracks it rattles most sympathetically with, including a couple of the stronger songs from Squeeze's later phase (a period that suddenly appears to be over twenty years ago).

In other news, never mind the "mortgage-backed securities" crisis, I suspect the most dangerous drain on the American economy right now is from lost worker productivity. For the last month I can't refresh my browser window fast enough to keep up with the deluge of zaniness coming from the Presidential campaign. Who can work at a time like this? And yet, these molecules aren't going to flag themselves. I better go look busy.

Well, as a very wise, dead man once said: "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."

Happy Friday, kids.

Baboon Squeeze Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Baboon Squeeze Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Difford Tillbrook - Charlie Hunter
Someone Else's Bell - Squeeze
Last Time Forever - Squeeze
Cigarette Of A Single Man - Squeeze

Thank You Very Much Wednesday Playlist

2008-09-24T08:47:00.001-04:00

My favorite "Thank You" at the end of a song on a live album is on The Smiths' Rank, which isn't currently in Rhapsody. The runner-up is at the end of "Pulled Up" on "The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads".

Today let's put that song together with a fine song from one of this year's better live albums, Gossip Live In Liverpool. And Be Stiff, of course.

Thank You Very Much Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Thank You Very Much Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Fire/Sign - The Gossip
Be Stiff - DEVO
Pulled Up - Talking Heads

A Little Support Friday Playlist

2008-09-19T08:55:00.004-04:00

Earlier this summer, the second Marah album Kids in Philly was added to Rhapsody. Unfortunately, almost every track was riddled with digital hiccups. The ever-insightful generic Rhapsody support form suggested I should check to see if my audio card was properly installed. Thanks!

A few days later I was rubbernecking on the Rhapsody support boards, and lo and behold there was a stickied post that offered a direct email address to contact with Rhapsody database errors. So I tried it, and got a very timely, coherent reply. The album was pulled out, and replaced with a functional copy. So, thank you Lauren, and cheers to Rhapsody for offering a functional bypass to the frustrating thicket of the general support script. Unfortunately, it looks like that stickied post has been taken down. Ah well.

Among other things, the track "Christian Street" also teaches noobs like me the correct way to pronounce "Marah". We'll round things out with a couple of the finer, freakier standouts from the new Paul Weller record, and a sympathetic track from the Bonzo Dog Band.

Happy Friday, everybody!

A Little Support Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

A Little Support Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Christian Street - Marah
A Dream Reprise - Paul Weller
Echoes Round The Sun - Paul Weller
Humanoid Boogie - Bonzo Dog Band

Vigilance Returns Tuesday Playlist

2008-09-09T08:47:00.003-04:00

So last night was the broadcast debut of local hero Rachel Maddow's television program on MSNBC. And as fascinating as that occasion was, it was made that much better in the last three minutes with the triumphant return of Kent Jones. If you ask me, which you didn't, Mister Jones added a humor and chemistry to Ms. Maddow's radio show that made it stand far above the more repetitive and pedantic Air America offerings. And I for one am grateful she brought him back in.

He looked a little klunky making the transition to being live and on camera, and didn't get to offer up a trademark "The Boston Red Sox Crispus Attucks'ed the Texas Rangers 7 to 2, and the Seattle Mariners Purple Hazed the New York Yankees 5 to 2". But he did get in a serviceable joke at the expense of Michael Phelps and Lance Armstrong, so he should gradually get caught up on the events that have transpired since he was summarily shitcanned by radio management at the end of 2007.

And, it looks like the show segments will be available the next morning at rachel.msnbc.com, so we got that going for us (assuming MSNBC doesn't just go and replace everybody with "Uncle" Pat Buchanan through the end of the 2008 political campaign!)

Vigilance!

Vigilance Returns Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Vigilance Returns Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Welcome Back - John Sebastian
Big Takeover - Bad Brains

Fresh Catch Friday Playlist - Gruesome Tench Edition

2008-08-29T09:28:00.005-04:00

I playlisted up only four songs all summer that weren't part of the walk out songs bonanza, so my desk is covered with scraps of paper with scrawl on them like "songs that name-check Reseda", "favorite 'Thank You' at the end of a live track", and "Mike Gordon album actually not that bad". Hopefully I'll get a chance to elaborate on some of these now that the MLB hoopla is complete.

But first, the big Rhapsody addition news from the summer was the latest round of Robyn Hitchcock reissues on Yep Roc. Here there be Egyptians, with "Gotta Let This Hen Out", "Fegmania!", and "Element of Light". Of special note, this time around Rhapsody also gets the full box set "Luminous Groove" that includes those three albums plus a disc of rarities and a disc of live tracks.

But we'll start off with a fine remainder from the recent U2 reissues, from that nebulous lost era between the death of the 45 and the advent of the cassingle.

Have a great Labor Day weekend, folks!

Fresh Catch Friday Playlist - Gruesome Tench Edition [Rhapsody Online Version]

Fresh Catch Friday Playlist - Gruesome Tench Edition [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Treasure (Whatever Happened To Pete The Chop) - U2
Bass - Robyn Htchcock & The Egyptians
Veins of the Queen - Robyn Htchcock & The Egyptians

2008 Boston Red Sox Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-08-26T17:07:00.007-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 Boston Red Sox.

In a standout move as surprising and welcome as his 11th inning game-winning home run [Reuters] two days ago, Jed Lowrie walks up to the classic "Teenage Kicks" by the Undertones. Didn't see that one coming. Josh Beckett has a song that starts right out using a big deficit in the bottom of the ninth as a metaphor for life's challenges.

Also of note, Kevin Youkilis' vote officially makes Rick Ross the third most popular artist from the walk out lists we've seen, behind only AC/DC and Metallica. So there you go.

Here is the current list, as provided by the Red Sox organization.

Jeff Bailey - "Moby Dick" by Led Zeppelin
Josh Beckett - "Rockstar" by Nickelback
Coco Crisp - "Sexy Can I" by Ray J feat. Yung Berg
Jacoby Ellsbury - "Cherub Rock" by Smashing Pumpkins
Jon Lester - "I Use What I Got" by Jason Aldean
Mike Lowell - "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath
Jed Lowrie - "Teenage Kicks" by The Undertones
David Ortiz - "Ayo Technology" by 50 Cent
Jonathan Papelbon - "Wild Thing" by The Troggs, "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" by Dropkick Murphys
Dustin Pedroia - "Dre Day" by Dr. Dre
Jason Varitek - "Me and My Gang" by Rascal Flatts
Kevin Youkilis - "Push It To The Limit" by Rick Ross

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 Boston Red Sox Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 Boston Red Sox Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Rockstar - Nickelback
Sexy Can I - Ray J feat. Yung Berg
Cherub Rock - Smashing Pumpkins
I Use What I Got - Jason Aldean
Iron Man - Black Sabbath
Teenage Kicks - The Undertones
Ayo Technology - 50 Cent
Wild Thing - The Troggs
I'm Shipping Up To Boston - Dropkick Murphys
F@ck Wit Dre Day - Dr. Dre
Me And My Gang - Rascal Flatts

Procedural Note: This is the last official walk out music playlist in the series. The Angels, Tigers, and Nationals claimed to be unable to track such information, and all remaining teams didn't reply. I think we've gotten a good idea of what's going on out there, though. I'll put together a single post to centralize links to the full set.

Enjoy the rest of the 2008 baseball season, folks!

Out To Lunch Friday Walk Out Music Newsflash

2008-08-22T13:13:00.006-04:00

In a Ribaldry and Schmaltz world exclusive newsflash, we were just informed by Minnesota Twins PA announcer Adam Abrams that Twins catcher Mike Redmond has changed his walk out song from "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin to "We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off" by Jermaine Stewart. I have added an asterisk to Mr. Redmond's entry in the Twins playlist post.

Unfortunately, "We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off" is not available in Rhapsody, so we'll have to make do with the video for the song from YouTube:

2008 Philadelphia Phillies Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-08-20T08:33:00.006-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies.

Today I broke my image system for this playlist series of trying to find a rookie card of a great player who started with the featured team. I opted for the 1975 Mike Schmidt card over his 1973 rookie card for two reasons. First, his rookie card is one of those that squeezes three rookies onto one card, and second, 1975 was his first year with the moustache. Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same.

For standouts on this list, Shane Victorino is a natural mystic driving out evil spirits with a swing of the bat with "Duppy Conqueror". And Jayson Werth? I have pretty indiscriminate taste in music, and even I am at a loss to explain wanting to walk out into a stadium full of people to "Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar. But if it works for you, my man, go with it!

Here is the current list, as provided by the Phillies' organization.

Pat Burrell - "Dirty Laundry" by Don Henley
Chris Coste - "La Grange" by ZZ Top, "Love Rollercoaster" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Greg Dobbs - "Megalomaniac" by Incubus
Adam Eaton - "Cochise" by Audioslave
Cole Hamels - "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
Ryan Howard - "Put On" by Young Jeezy feat. Kanye West, "Drivin' Down The Block" by Kidz in the Hall, "Made You Look (remix)" by Jadakiss/Nas, "Dey Know" by Shawty Lo, "The Boss" by Rick Ross
Kyle Kendrick - "Wherever I May Roam" by Metallica
Brad Lidge - "Soldiers" by Drowning Pool
Brett Myers - "Enemy" by Drowning Pool
Jimmy Rollins - "Girls All Around The World" by Lloyd
Chase Utley - "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin
Shane Victorino - "Duppy Conqueror", "Jamming", "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley
Jayson Werth - "Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 Philadelphia Phillies Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 Philadelphia Phillies Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

La Grange - ZZ Top
Megalomaniac - Incubus
Cochise - Audioslave
Put On feat. Kanye West - Young Jeezy
Drivin' Down The Block (Low End Theory) - Kidz In The Hall
Made You Look (Remix) - Jadakiss/Nas
Dey Know - Shawty Lo
The Boss - Rick Ross
Soldiers - Drowning Pool
Girls Around The World - Lloyd
Duppy Conqueror - The Wailers
Jamming - Bob Marley
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
Heavy Metal - Sammy Hagar

2008 St. Louis Cardinals Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-08-19T14:26:00.008-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 St. Louis Cardinals.

The standout in this list is definitely Brian Barton with Sam Cooke singing "A Change Is Gonna Come". It has to be the first instance we've come across of a player walking out to a swell of strings and setting a tone of humble persistence.

Also of note, it seems like "Givin the Dog a Bone" and "Shake a Leg" are the only songs from Back In Black we haven't seen on one of these lists yet. Of course, the Phillies are coming up next, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I spent a while trying to decipher the identity of Albert Pujols' song. He's done so much for my Fantasy team this year, it's the least I could do. It turns out it's likely a song from a 2005 Christian hip hop compilation called "Crunkfest 2: Godlova" from Arrow Records. Thank you, Yahoo! Answers.

Here is the current list, as provided by the Cardinals' Guest Services division. Note: This list isn't the exact text sent by the team. I cleaned up some of the data to avoid confusion (like changing "Click Click Take A Picture" to "Know What I'm Doin'", changing "Black Sabbath" to "Ozzy Osbourne", et cetera).

Rick Ankiel - "All Along The Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix
Brian Barton - "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
Chris Duncan - "Calm Like A Bomb" by Rage Against The Machine
Troy Glaus - "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne
Cesar Izturis - "Anthem" by Pitbull
Jason LaRue - "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)" by Big & Rich
Braden Looper - "Shoot To Thrill" by AC/DC
Ryan Ludwick - "Brass Monkey" by Beastie Boys
Joe Mather - "Welcome Home" by Coheed and Cambria
Aaron Miles - "Back In Black" by AC/DC
Yadier Molina - "Un Poco Loca" by Jowell y Randy
Albert Pujols - "Clap Yo Hands" by ISM
Brendan Ryan - "Welcome To Jamrock" by Damian Marley
Skip Schumaker - "Know What I'm Doin'" by Lil Wayne
Adam Wainwright - "I Got My Game On" by Trace Adkins

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 St Louis Cardinals Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 St Louis Cardinals Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
Change Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
Calm Like A Bomb - Rage Against The Machine
Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
The Anthem - Pitbull
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) - Big & Rich
Brass Monkey - Beastie Boys
Welcome Home - Coheed and Cambria
Un Poco Loca - Jowell y Randy
Know What I'm Doin' - Lil Wayne
I Got My Game On - Trace Adkins

2008 San Francisco Giants Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-08-12T09:00:00.004-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 San Francisco Giants.

The Giants are another team who have a dedicated page on their Web site that includes "Player Intro Songs" in addition to some of the video player "Giographies" and "Scoreboard Feature Clips" that might show on the Jumbotron during games.

One note: two of the songs below (for Tim "The Freak" Lincecum and Aaron Rowand) don't exist as worded on the site. I've tried to divine what song they were trying to specify, but sadly, I'm no Linkin Park scholar, so I can't be 100% sure on that one.

Here is the current list, exactly as provided by the Giants' Customer Service division:

Rich Aurilia - "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" by The Beastie Boys
John Bowker - "Outta Control" Remix by Mobb Deep
Matt Cain - "Click Click Boom" by Saliva
Fred Lewis - "My Hood" by Young Jeezy
Tim Lincecum - "Paranoid" Remix by Linkin Park
Bengie Molina - "Can't Be touched" by Roy Jones, Jr
Aaron Rowand - "Living Dead", "Never Gonna Give Up" by Rob Zombie
Jack Taschner - "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent
Omar Vizquel - "Of Wolf and Man" by Metallica
Tyler Walker - "Wherever I may Roam" by Metallica
Brian Wilson - "Rise Up" by Disciple
Randy Winn - "Flashing Lights" by Kanye West
Barry Zito - "15 Steps" by Radiohead

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 San Francisco Giants Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 San Francisco Giants Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys
Outta Control (Remix) - Mobb Deep
Click Click Boom - Saliva
My Hood - Young Jeezy
Big Pimpin'/Papercut - Jay-Z/Linkin Park
Living Dead Girl - Rob Zombie
Never Gonna Stop - Rob Zombie
Stranglehold - Ted Nugent
Flashing Lights - Kanye West
15 Step - Radiohead

Historical footnote: the old Candlestick Park was the second major league park I ever saw a game at, and the first to play Frank Zappa between innings ("Dancing Fool", of course).

Fresh Catch Friday Playlist

2008-08-08T11:08:00.004-04:00

Today we interrupt the walk out song brouhaha for a down-home fresh catch Friday playlist. I've had the refrain from "Bad Boy" overriding any attempts at rational thought for thirteen or fourteen hours a day for the last week, so why not foist it on the rest of the world?

From there, it's a short collection of fine songs with very varied pedigrees, but an undeniable bubble gum thread glomming them all together.

Of note, Rhapsody Radio doesn't have a Bubble Gum channel, but I got a pretty good rotation from the Shaun Cassidy channel. You know, in case it ever comes up...

Fresh Catch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Fresh Catch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Bad Boy - Doug Sahm
Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares
I Was Made For You - She & Him
Cindy Tells Me - Brian Eno

2008 San Diego Padres Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-08-07T08:33:00.005-04:00

Here is a very partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 San Diego Padres.

Of note here, Jake Peavy appears to bring as much detailed research to bear on his walk out music as he may to reviewing scouting reports on opposing batters. He is the first National League pitcher we've encountered with separate songs designated for pitching and batting.

Here is the current list, as provided by the Padres' Corporate Communications division:

Brian Giles - "Scar Tissue" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Adrian Gonzalez - "Get Up/Levantate" by Pitbull, "El Mariachi Loco" by Banda El Mexicano
Trevor Hoffman - "Hell's Bells" by AC/DC, "Don't Tell Me What Love Can Do" by Van Halen
Greg Maddux - "Limelight" by Rush
Jake Peavy - "Hillbilly Deluxe" by Brooks & Dunn (batting), "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd (on field)

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 San Diego Padres Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 San Diego Padres Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Get Up/Levantate - Pitbull
Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do) - Van Halen
Limelight - Rush
Hillbilly Deluxe - Brooks & Dunn
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd

2008 Minnesota Twins Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-08-05T10:45:00.005-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 Minnesota Twins.

The Twins provide the first player (Joe Mauer) with his own eponymous, custom walk out song. Yes, it's the "Joe Mauer Theme Song" by Minnesota's own A&R. Unfortunately, that song is not in Rhapsody, but you can hear it on the Official A&R Blog, while reading the tale of A&R bringing the hip hop to the Metrodome in an official appearance just last week.

Here is the current list, as very kindly provided directly by the Twins' PA announcer Adam Abrams:

Brian Buscher - "La Grange" by ZZ Top
Michael Cuddyer - "Petrifried" by Fort Minor, "Come And Get Me" by Timabaland, "Drop" by Ying Yang Twins
Adam Everett - "Face Down" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Carlos Gomez - "Yo Soy el Mejor" by Arcangel, "Reto" by Tito el Bambino, "Fuera de base" by Wisin y Yandel, "El Jefe" by Daddy Yankee
Brendan Harris - "Tamborine" by Eve, "Cherry Pie" by Warrant
Jason Kubel - "Click Click Boom" by Saliva
Mike Lamb - "The Fight" by The Classic Crime
Joe Mauer - "Joe Mauer Theme Song" by A&R
Craig Monroe - "Hustlin" by Rick Ross, "Dey Know" by Shawty Lo, "My Dougie" by Lil Wil
Justin Morneau - "Big Gun" by AC/DC
Nick Punto - "The Way I Are" by Timbaland
Mike Redmond* - "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin
Denard Span - "Father Figure" by Army of Anyone
Matt Tolbert - "Zombie" by The Cranberries
Delmon Young - "I'm Me" by Lil Wayne, "Now I Can Do That" by Bake Up Boyz, "This Joint" by Slightly Stoopid

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 Minnesota Twins Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 Minnesota Twins Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

La Grange - ZZ Top
Petrifried - Fort Minor
Come And Get Me - Timabaland
Drop - Ying Yang Twins
Face Down - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Reto - Tito el Bambino
Fuera de base - Wisin y Yandel
Jefe - Daddy Yankee
Tambourine - Eve
Cherry Pie - Warrant
Click Click Boom - Saliva
The Fight - The Classic Crime
Hustlin - Rick Ross
Dey Know - Shawty Lo
My Dougie - Lil Wil
The Way I Are - Timbaland
Father Figure - Army of Anyone
Zombie - The Cranberries
I'm Me - Lil Wayne
Now I Can Do That - Bake Up Boyz
This Joint - Slightly Stoopid

* Update August 22 , 2008: Soon after this playlist was posted, Mike Redmond changed his walk out song to "We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off" by Jermaine Stewart. Unfortunately, this song is not available in Rhapsody.

2008 Cleveland Indians Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-07-24T14:44:00.003-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 Cleveland Indians.

The Indians mix things up a little. Of particular note, Casey Blake says "Eric Byrnes of the Diamondbacks, I'll see your 'Your Love' by the Outfield, and raise you a "Lunatic Fringe".

Here is the current list, as kindly provided by the Indians' Fan Services Team:

Casey Blake - "All These Things That I've Done" and "Read My Mind" by The Killers, "No Leaf Clover" by Metallica, "Lunatic Fringe" by Red Rider
Paul Byrd - "Shine" by Collective Soul
Asdrubal Cabrera - 2 Unknown Songs
Fausto Carmona - "Stronger" by Kanye West
Jamey Carroll - "Jump" by Van Halen, "Superhero" by Jane's Addiction, "Pink Houses" by John Mellencamp, "Ants Marching" by Dave Matthews Band
David Dellucci - "Symphony of Destruction" by Megadeth, "Devils Dance" by Metallica, "The Godfather Theme Song"
Ben Francisco - "Roc Boys" by Jay-Z, "Made You Look" by Nas
Ryan Garko - Unknown song, previously "The Boss" by Rick Ross, "When You Were Young" by The Killers
Franklin Gutierrez - "Love Is Gone" by David Guetta
Travis Hafner - "Du Hast" and 3 other songs by Rammstein
Aaron Laffey - "Breathe Into Me" by Red
Cliff Lee - "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "Rocket" by Smashing Pumpkins
Victor Martinez - "Rosala" by Juan Luis Guerra
Jhonny Peralta - No music
Rafael Perez - "Lo Que Paso, Paso" by Daddy Yankee
Kelly Shoppach - "Come With Me" by Puff Daddy and Jimmy Page, "Save A Horse" by Big and Rich
Grady Sizemore - "The Trance Is The Motion" by Static X
Jeremy Sowers - "Driver's Seat" by D.H.T., "Pot Kettle Black" by Wilco
Jake Westbrook - "Small Town" by John Mellencamp

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 Cleveland Indians Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 Cleveland Indians Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
Read My Mind - The Killers
Lunatic Fringe - Red Rider
Shine - Collective Soul
Stronger - Kanye West
Jump - Van Halen
SuperHero - Jane's Addiction
Pink Houses - John Mellencamp
Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band
Symphony of Destruction - Megadeth
Love Theme From The Godfather - Nino Rota
Made You Look - Nas
The Boss - Rick Ross
When You Were Young - The Killers
Love Is Gone - David Guetta
Du Hast - Rammstein
Breathe Into Me - Red
Bullet Wirh Butterfly Wings - Smashing Pumpkins
Rocket - Smashing Pumpkins
Lo Que Paso, Paso - Daddy Yankee
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) - Big & Rich
The Trance Is The Motion - Static-X
Driver's Seat - D.H.T
Pot Kettle Black - Wilco
Small Town - John Cougar Mellencamp

A procedural note: R&S Labs will be closed for summer vacation for one week starting tomorrow. The walk out song playlists will resume when we return.

2008 Pittsburgh Pirates Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-07-21T09:03:00.004-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates provide the most conservative collection of tracks so far. Didn't they get the memo from Bud Selig about playing "Sexy Movimiento" early and often? But, on a close listen I can't argue with the first twenty seconds of most of these songs in their potential to inspire a drive, deep to left, and gone. High marks to Zach Duke for getting his own name in there, and to Tom Gorzelanny for digging back to Ted Nugent's solo debut for "Stranglehold".

Here is the current list, as kindly provided by the Pirates' Client Relations division:

Jimmy Bartheimer - "Blue Monday" by Orgy
Jason Bay - "Down With The Sickness" by Disturbed
Brian Bixler - "Kickstart My Heart" by Motley Crue
Raul Chavez - "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
Ryan Doumit - "Mother" by Danzig
Zach Duke - "Duke of Earl" by Gene Chandler
Phil Dumatrait - "Galvanize" by The Chemical Brothers
Chris Gomez - "The Greeting Song" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Tom Gorzelanny - "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent
John Grabow - "Flashlight" by Parliament
Adam LaRoche - "Back in Black" by AC/DC
Nate McLouth - "For You" by Staind
Doug Mientkiewicz - "I Stand Alone" by Godsmack
Xavier Nady - "Whiskey In The Jar" by Metallica
Ty Taubenheim - "Dig In" by Lenny Kravitz
Jack Wilson - "Jumpin' Jack Flash" by the Rolling Stones

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 Pittsburgh Pirates Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 Pittsburgh Pirates Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Blue Monday - Orgy
Down With The Sickness - Disturbed
Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crue
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Mother - Danzig
Duke of Earl - Gene Chandler
Galvanize - The Chemical Brothers
Stranglehold - Ted Nugent
Flashlight - Parliament
For You - Staind
I Stand Alone - Godsmack
Dig In - Lenny Kravitz
Jumpin' Jack Flash - The Rolling Stones

2008 Arizona Diamondbacks Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-07-17T08:02:00.006-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 Arizona Diamondbacks.

Of note, the Diamondbacks are the first responding team to specify some players with "No Music Selected". I guess as a starting pitcher Randy Johnson doesn't really "walk out", but that didn't stop Brandon Webb from selecting the very tasty vintage sounds of "Jam On It". I mean, if you had the chance to make thousands of people hear any song at top volume on stadium speakers, would you just let that opportunity pass? Orlando Hudson says "HELL No!"

Here is the current list, as kindly provided by the Diamondbacks organization:

Chris Burke - "I Go Back" by Kenny Chesney, "Young" by Kenny Chesney
Eric Byrnes - "Your Love" by The Outfield
Juan Cruz - No Music Selected
Doug Davis - "Ants Marching" by Dave Matthews Band
Stephen Drew - "The Boondocks" by Little Big Town
Edgar Gonzalez - "El Cantador" by Vicente Fernandez
Robby Hammock - "Ohh Ahh" by Grits
Dan Haren - "Faint" by Linkin Park
Orlando Hudson - "Down With the King" by Run DMC, "I Run This" by Birdman, "Be Easy" by T.I., "Knockin' Doors Down" by Pimp C, "Being Famous" by Big Kuntry King
Randy Johnson - No Music Selected
Conor Jackson - "Say Yeah" by Wiz Khalifa
Brandon Lyon - "Dragula" by Rob Zombie
Brandon Medders - "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix
Augie Ojeda - "Dollar Bill" by Wyclef Jean
Micah Owings - "Great Day To Be Alive" by Travis Tritt
Tony Pena - "Salio El Sol" by Don Omar
Yusmeiro Petit - "5 Letras" by Fido Alexis
Chad Qualls - "Killing In The Name Of" by Rage Against The Machine
Mark Reynolds - "Down" by 311, "Hillbilly Deluxe" by Brooks & Dunn
Alex Romero - "Sexy Movimiento" by Wisin y Yandel
Jeff Salazar - "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson
Doug Slaten - No Music Selected
Chris Snyder - "Mosh" by Eminem, "Put You On Game" by Lupe Fiasco
Justin Upton - "The Hand Clap" by Hurricane Chris, "Dey Know" by Shawty Lo, "Get Like Me" by David Banner
Brandon Webb - "Jam On It" by Newcleus
Chris Young - "Umma Do Me" by Rocko, "Rock Star" by R Kelly

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 Arizona Diamondbacks Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 Arizona Diamondbacks Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

I Go Back - Kenny Chesney
Young - Kenny Chesney
Your Love - The Outfield
Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band
El Cantador - Vicente Fernandez
Ohh Ahh - Grits
Faint - Linkin Park
Down With the King - Run DMC
I Run This - Birdman
Be Easy - T.I.
Knockin' Doorz Down - Pimp C
Fsck Being Famous - Big Kuntry King
Say Yeah - Wiz Khalifa
Dragula - Rob Zombie
Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) - Wyclef Jean
It's A Great Day To Be Alive - Travis Tritt
Salio El Sol - Don Omar
5 Letras - Alexis & Fido
Killing In The Name - Rage Against The Machine
Down - 311
Hillbilly Deluxe - Brooks & Dunn
Sexy Movimiento - Wisin y Yandel
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Mosh - Eminem
Put You On Game - Lupe Fiasco
The Hand Clap - Hurricane Chris
Dey Know - Shawty Lo
Get Like Me - David Banner
Jam On It - Newcleus
Umma Do Me - Rocko
Rock Star - R Kelly

ADDENDUM: On a related note, I can get on board with dumping the Southwest kitsch color scheme from the Arizona uniforms this year. But I think it's hilariously unfortunate that the typeface on the new shirts makes them look as much like the "D-Bags" as the "D-Backs".

2008 Kansas City Royals Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-07-16T08:16:00.008-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 Kansas City Royals. The Royals are organized to the point they have a dedicated, updated URL for player "walk-up" songs: http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/kc/fan_forum/atbat.jsp

The Royals are also the first team we'll encounter who include several tracks for some players, allowing them to mix and match or have a unique song for each at bat.

Here is the current list:

Mike Aviles - "Sexy Movimiento" by Wisin y Yandel
John Buck - "Shoots And Ladders" by Korn, "Headstrong" by Trapt
Billy Butler - "Click Click Boom" by Saliva, "Simple Man" by Charlie Daniels Band, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson
David DeJesus - "I Know" by Jay-Z, "Billionaire" by Rick Ross
Joey Gathright - "I'm Da Man" by Plies, "la La" by Lil' Wayne
Ross Gload - "I Stand Alone" by Godsmack
Jimmy Gobble - "Copperhead Road" by Steve Earle
Alex Gordon - "Can't Be Touched" by Body Head Bangerz
Mark Grudzielanek - "Evenflow" by Pearl Jam, "Higher" by Creed
Jose Guillen - "Ayer La Vi" by Don Omar, "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" by Jay-Z, "Rompe" by Daddy Yankee
Leo Nunez - "Metele Sazon" by Tego Calderon
Tony Pena - "Ya Yo Mangue To" by Omega Y Su Mambo Violento, "Sacala" by Hector el Father, "Shorty" by Casa de Leones
Joel Peralta - "Intro (Quitense)" by Wisin y Yandel
Joakim Soria - "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'N' Roses
Mark Teahen - "Want Your Body" by Jose Lima, "Sexy Can I" by Ray J, "Story of My Life!" by Social Distortion
Yasuhiko Yabuta - "TNT" by AC/DC

The playlists contain all the songs currently available in Rhapsody, listed separately below the playlist links.

2008 Kansas City Royals Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 Kansas City Royals Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Sexy Movimiento - Wisin y Yandel
Shoots And Ladders - Korn
Headstrong - Trapt
Click Click Boom - Saliva
Simple Man - Charlie Daniels Band
Thriller - Michael Jackson
I Know - Jay-Z
Billionaire - Rick Ross
I'm Da Man - Plies
La La - Lil' Wayne
I Stand Alone - Godsmack
Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
Evenflow - Pearl Jam
Higher - Creed
Ayer La Vi - Don Omar
Rompe - Daddy Yankee
Metele Sazon - Tego Calderon
Sacala - Hector El Father
Shorty - Casa De Leones
Intro Los Extraterrestres - Wisin y Yandel
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns 'N' Roses
Sexy Can I - Ray J
Story Of My Life - Social Distortion

2008 Baltimore Orioles Walk Out Song Playlist

2008-07-15T12:03:00.010-04:00

Here is a partial list of walk out songs for the 2008 Baltimore Orioles. The raw song list graciously provided by the Orioles appears first. Below the MLB playlist links is a list of the songs available in Rhapsody, with a couple detail corrections.

Melvin Mora - Carnaval by Celia Cruz
Ramon Hernandez - Can't be Touched by Roy Jones Jr.
Brian Roberts - Personalized CD
Nick Markakis - Hillbilly Deluxe by Brooks and Dunn
Kevin Millar - Trippin by Godsmack
Chris Ray - Sweet Dreams - Marilyn Manson
Aubrey Huff - So Hot by Kid Rock
Erik Bedard - Cashmir [sic] -Led Zepplin
Adam Lowen - Hysteria by Muse
Adam Jones - personalized CD
Luis Hernandez - personalized CD
Luke Scott - I Wanna Be Your Dog by Stooges
Scott Moore - Rebel Yell by Billy Idol
Jeremy Guthrie - Like I Love You by Justin Timberlake
Jamie Walker - Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
Chad Bradford - Gimme Back My Bullets by Lynyrd Skynyrd
George Sherrill - Blood Milk Sky by White Zombie
Steve Trachsel - Duck and Run by 3 Doors Down

2008 Baltimore Orioles Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

2008 Baltimore Orioles Walk Out Song Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

La Vida Es Un Carnaval - Celia Cruz
Hillbilly Deluxe - Brooks & Dunn
Trippin' - Godsmack
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Marilyn Manson
Hysteria - Muse
I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges
Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
Like I Love You - Justin Timberlake
Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple
Gimme Back My Bullets - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Blood, Milk And Sky - White Zombie
Duck And Run - 3 Doors Down

2008 MLB Walk Out Song Playlist Master Post

2008-07-15T12:00:00.023-04:00

I started Ribaldry & Schmaltz as a place to note the more remarkable and unusual things I found while wandering the Rhapsody catalog. I avoided counters, ads, coherent design, and other such frivolities in an effort to keep the experience "pure". But then I saw the Smithsonian Institution of Hilarity that is the "Search Engine Phrases That Led Folks to TheWVSR" page at the incomparable West Virginia Surf Report. After that, I couldn't resist adding a counter to see what search phrases brought people to R&S.

It turns out most of them are looking for a list of Major League Baseball walk out songs. And all they learn is that Drake Lelane and I are a couple of nerds. The rest of the people who come here are wondering who sang the Love Boat Theme song, what songs were in the book Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, which Rolling Stones songs have lead vocals from Keith Richards, or what are the lyrics to Jumpin' With Symphony Sid.

So, in an effort to actually give the people what they want, and satisfy my own curiosity, I filled out contact forms on the Web pages of every team in Major League baseball, asking for a list of 2008 Walk Out Songs. I've only got a couple so far. My initial conclusion: somebody could get a PhD thesis out of trying to make sense of the psychology behind these lists.

I'll present them as they come in and I'm able to cobble playlists together. None are comprehensive so far, but even incomplete they're pretty illuminating.

Once the whole collection is done, I'll create a universal link post or some such thing.

ADDENDUM: For historical reference, here's a comprehensive "At-bat" song list compiled by Page 3 on ESPN.com from the 2004 season. It's based on direct interviews with the music staff for each team. Of interest, it notes that some players stick with the same song for several seasons while others change it up from day to day. So there you go. Walkout.

PUDENDUM: Here are links to the playlists of all the teams who responded. Note that the team who won the World Series responded, and the one that lost didn't. You had your chance, douchebags!

American League:
===============
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Cleveland Indians
Kansas City Royals
Minnesota Twins

National League:
==============
Arizona Diamondbacks
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
St. Louis Cardinals

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-07-11T08:01:00.008-04:00

Driving home yesterday I was unexpectedly overtaken with a physical need to hear "Moron" by the Dead Milkmen. After hearing the lyrics again, I think it may even have been subconsciously triggered by the death of Jerry Falwell.

I guess my body was on to something, because the song still sounds great, but to this day I don't agree 100% with their opinions on Boris Becker and anarchy. Both are likely to remain misunderstood and underappreciated for some time to come.

Mama, on the other hand, I have no legitimate explanation for, other than it being Friday.

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Moron - Dead Milkmen
Mama - Genesis

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-06-27T15:23:00.010-04:00

There was plenty of compelling nonsense and mayhem on the Rhapsody Just Added list this week, suitable for some Friday out to lunch listening.

First, there were a heap of previously unavailable Harry Nilsson albums that came in to Rhapsody, including Pussy Cats, one of the recorded documents of John Lennon's Lost Weekend of 1974. Among the many, many bizarre things about this album, the credits report that both Keith Moon and Ringo Starr played the drums somewhere in there. We here at R&S were a bit into the Walkmen's cover of this whole album not too long ago, so now you can go back to investigate the original without leaving Rhapsody.

In pretty much the same mode, George Jones and Johnny Paycheck got loaded and cut a "rock and roll" album(?!) called Double Trouble in 1980(?!!!).

Finally, our minds will simply implode trying to make sense of the black hole of irony and nihilism that is the Harvard Opportunes' opulent arrangement of one of the most reviled songs ever recorded.

Happy Friday, everybody!

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Obama Intro - Tony Yayo
All My Life - Harry Nilsson
When You're Ugly Like Us (You Just Naturally Got To Be Cool) - George Jones/Johnny Paycheck
We Built This City - The Harvard Opportunes

Amalia Rodrigues Live at Max's Kansas City Playlist

2008-06-24T16:39:00.002-04:00

Among the many fine Amalia Rodrigues albums that came into Rhapsody last week were some endearingly dodgy-sounding live shows. While listening to No Cafe Luso, I kept expecting someone near the mic to ask for their Pernod, or for Ms. Rodrigues to announce about the next song: "It's also the first song we ever wrote that had an augmented chord."

And thus the Amalia Rodrigues Live at Max's Kansas City Playlist was born.

Amalia Rodrigues Live at Max's Kansas City Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Amalia Rodrigues Live at Max's Kansas City Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Fado Marujo (O Marujo Portugues) - Amalia Rodrigues
Femme Fatale - Velvet Underground
Fado Dos Fados - Amalia Rodrigues
Sweet Jane - Velvet Underground

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-06-20T14:13:00.004-04:00

So, it's just been a pretty great week all around on the Rhapsody Just Added list, beyond what we've highlighted already. Ça Plane Pour Moi is back. The Rhapvailable Amalia Rodrigues doubled. There were some fine Tom Ze remasters. And we'll march right into the weekend with the Rebirth Brass Band 25th Anniversary album.

Coimbra may not seem all that out to lunch, but it's a peppy fado song with a saxophone, so there you go.

Happy Friday, peoples!

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Ça Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand
Toc - Tom Ze
Coimbra - Amalia Rodrigues
Remember When - Rebirth Brass Band

Update: Looking a little deeper at Encontro, the Amalia Rodrigues album that holds Coimbra from the playlist above, it turns out that the saxophone is played by none other than Don Byas, a collaboration that goes a ways toward explaining the instrumentation departure for a fado record.

The Big Day Playlist

2008-06-18T09:32:00.003-04:00

If there's one comment that the vast community of Rhapsody blog nerds have posted to each other most over the years, it would have to be: "Sure, it's nice that [Insert Band Name] is in Rhapsody now, but when, oh WHEN, will we be able to hear 'Charlton Heston' by Stump?!"

Oh yeah, and I guess most of the Hüsker Dü catalog finally came in to Rhapsody yesterday, too, whoever they are.

The Big Day Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

The Big Day Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Charlton Heston - Stump
The Politics of Dancing - Re-Flex
Indecision Time - Hüsker Dü
Divide And Conquer - Hüsker Dü
Dead Set On Destruction - Hüsker Dü

Just Added Gems Monday Playlist

2008-06-16T08:22:00.000-04:00

A large, freaky neighborhood of real estate in my brain is devoted to maintaining a list of "important" songs that aren't available in the Rhapsody catalog. Periodically one of these gems will come in on the Just Added list, or just suddenly appear when I'm searching for something else. Well, today we can reassign the brain cells that were pining away for Sex Crime (1984) by the Eurythmics, since Live 1983-1989 came in last week. Now maybe there'll be more storage space for the Joboxers and Who Killed Bambi.

Also of note on the Just Added list last week was the historically fascinating "lost" 1979 Cowsills album Cocaine Drain.

Just Added Gem Monday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Just Added Gem Monday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Sex Crime (1984) - Eurythmics
Cocaine Drain - The Cowsills

Tempting Fate Tuesday Playlist

2008-06-10T08:22:00.003-04:00

Hey, let's tempt fate two days in a row. From the same era as High Voltage and Let There Be Rock, Aerosmith's Draw The Line, Rocks, and Live! Bootleg are unexpectedly turned on in the Rhapsody this morning.

I whined about not being able to listen to Kings and Queens in Rhapsody in my second post ever for Ribaldry and Schmaltz over three years ago, so we can put that dream to bed today. It's no Whole Lotta Rosie, but it'll have to do today, I guess.

Tempting Fate Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Tempting Fate Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Kings And Queens - Aerosmith
Chip Away The Stone - Aerosmith

Rhapsody Gave Me The Jack Playlist

2008-06-09T15:39:00.008-04:00

With all due respect, screw the Radiohead catalog, there are two AC/DC albums in Rhapsody! Shouldn't news like that be occupying all six slots of the Music Guide front page? High Voltage and Let There Be Rock were on the Just Added list when I was sifting through during lunch. And now there seems to be a wet patch on my office chair.

Was it Coca-Cola?

It could all be some button-pushing mistake, so take advantage while you can.

[Tuesday morning update: Apparently it was too good to be true. It looks like twelve hours later these albums have been turned off again. Well, it made my speakers quite happy for an afternoon, anyway.]

Rhapsody Gave Me The Jack Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Rhapsody Gave Me The Jack Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock 'n' Roll) - AC/DC
The Jack - AC/DC
T.N.T. - AC/DC
Let There Be Rock - AC/DC
Whole Lotta Rosie - AC/DC

Addendum: Wow, and the hits just keep on coming. Via "what dave just listened to in rhapsody" it looks like the classic summery Butter 08 record is in Rhapsody now. I swear I searched for that one unsuccessfully within just the last couple weeks.

It looks like the Butter 08 record is a reissue on Grand Royal "Gr2 Classics". Also coming in under this umbrella is the Grand Royal Liquid Liquid reprinting. We'll look into this a little more and report if there's bigger things going on here.

Triptik Septych Playlist Friday

2008-06-06T08:54:00.004-04:00

A week ago today we loaded into a rented Malibu and set a course for Camden Yards via Grandma's house in Maryland. We kept Schmaltzy Junior's spirits buoyed for the day-long drive with an occasional infusion of Twizzlers and her preferred sounds: Silly Songs With Larry and the Disney movie hits. Overall a very successful trip for us and the visiting Boston Red Sox. Schmaltzy Junior got her cotton candy, I got my Boog's Barbecue, and Manny got home run 500 (501 at our Sunday afternoon game).

The most eye-opening thing was observing firsthand the difference in result when a line drive up the middle came by Dustin "The Venus Fly Trap" Pedroia, compared to Julio "The Sieve" Lugo.

Here's a playlist septych of our triptik, representing the songs I got stuck in my head by reading road signs on the way down.

Triptik Septych Playlist Friday [Rhapsody Online Version]

Triptik Septych Playlist Friday [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Rockaway Beach - Ramones
New York, New York [from On The Town] - Frank Sinatra
Hackensack - Thelonious Monk
Allentown - Billy Joel
The Gettysburg Address - Johnny Cash
(Don't Go Back To) Rockville - REM
The Streets Of Baltimore - Bobby Bare

Just Because Thursday Playlist

2008-05-29T08:51:00.006-04:00

So yesterday's investigations led back to a pretty amazing Bobby Womack contribution, Checkin' Out, on a Don Covay tribute album. This begat alot of listening to Don Covay, including a fine version of "Just Because". Not to be confused with the Just Because popularized by Elvis Presley that we included in the Young@Heart sampler not too long ago, this begat a search for the original versions of these two grammatically daring songs.

So here they are performed by the folks who wrote them: Just Because by Lloyd Price and Harold Logan, and Just Because written by Bob Shelton, Joe Shelton, and Sydney Robinson.

Along the way, I encountered this pretty astounding track from rock & roll/doo wop madmen the Treniers and another great source track of Elvis inspiration.

Good times, indeed.

Just Because Thursday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Just Because Thursday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Poon-Tang - The Treniers
Just Because - Lloyd Price
Just Because - The Shelton Brothers
Love Me - Will & Ruth

Addendum: Here's a nice clip of the Treniers on the Colgate Comedy Hour in 1954 featuring some impressive dance floor battling. Let's just say I'd like to see Jerry Lewis pull out some of those moves next Labor Day.

Slightly Summer Country Fresh Catch Playlist

2008-05-28T12:57:00.004-04:00

Here's a vaguely cohesive playlist inspired by yesterday's Just Added/New Release list in Rhapsody. First there were a fistful of Bobby Womack reissues, including the irresistibly titled "B.W. Goes C.W.". It's not all gold, but this track and Behind Closed Doors come across very well.

Then, there's the decently-recorded mixed bag the Byrds Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971. It's also not seamless: what the product description at Amazon lists as "peerless four-part vocal harmonies" sometimes sounds like four guys talking at the same time to my philistine ears. And, I wanted to stay excited for an 18-minute Eight Miles High freakout, but it really hit a lull there for about twelve minutes in the middle. But overall, this set's got some fine guitar work and a well-rounded setlist, so there you go.

For a more solid stretching out, I admit I haven't been immune to Crystal River on the Mudcrutch record, which will induce many a vacant grin on the lawns of America's concert sheds this summer, I'm sure.

Slightly Summer Country Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Slightly Summer Country Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

I'd Be Ahead If I Could Only Quit While I'm Behind - Bobby Womack
Baby, What You Want Me To Do - The Byrds
You Were The Fool - Ween
Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power) - Willie Nelson & Calexico
Crystal River - Mudcrutch
Tennessee Jed - The Grateful Dead

Friday Toolbox Playlist

2008-05-23T09:21:00.003-04:00

Not entirely out to lunch, not quite a coherent fresh catch playlist, but not an absolute mess, either. Let's call it a fully functional toolbox of a playlist to employ while working around the domicile this Memorial Day Weekend.

Ever since my guitar hero pointed out that Richard Thompson is HIS guitar hero, I've been doing alot of homework listening through the Rhapsody. Mock Tudor may very well be the most loaded, perfect two-word album title I've met in a very long time.

From there it's Robyn Hitchcock's fine ode to over-the-counter codeine, among other things, and the sounds and visions that may ensue.

Happy Friday, everybody!

Friday Toolbox Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Friday Toolbox Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Crawl Back (Under My Stone) - Richard Thompson
Solpadeine - Robyn Hitchcock
Humpty Dumpty - Ornette Coleman
Chain Reaction - Can
Back Home Again - John Denver

Rhapsody Psychic Friends Playlist

2008-05-15T08:21:00.004-04:00

Who knows what to make of such things, but I had two odd precognitive Rhapsody moments yesterday. While working Tuesday afternoon, out of their entire catalog, I listened to It Still Moves from My Morning Jacket. Then last night, I happened to be sitting in the same room while Lady Ribaldry was watching the American Idol results show (yeah, that's how it happened). Imagine my surprise when the signature guitar opening of One Big Holiday came up and that song became the soundtrack for David Archuleta's Utah homecoming montage.

Then, yesterday morning I pulled up some tracks from the Peggy Lee Singles Collection box set. After lunch, Schmaltzy Junior picked out the Lady and the Tramp movie to bring home from the library. And of course, it turns out Ms. Lee co-wrote and sang most of the music in that show, and voices the wife, Siamese cats, and the stray lady dog Peg.

Spooky. Who can say what astounding incidental music I will foresee today with these mysterious talents.

For the playlist, we'll take directly relevant songs, and add in a couple more period xenophobic hits from the Peggy Lee Singles Collection.

Rhapsody Psychic Friends Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Rhapsody Psychic Friends Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

One Big Holiday - My Morning Jacket
The Siamese Cat Song - Peggy Lee
Let's Do It - Peggy Lee
Mañana - Peggy Lee

The Procrastinator's Confession Playlist

2008-05-02T11:09:00.002-04:00

Here's the happy circumstances that brought three appropriate songs together: Yesterday I was working away, listening to Iggy Pop's New Values. Suddenly I somehow found myself procrastinating and reading an archived Onion AV Club Random Rules column with Greg Saunier of the band Deerhoof. This column series has people cue up songs randomly from their mp3 players and riff on what comes up. This one was better than most, especially his perspective on Stevie Wonder in general and "Maybe Your Baby" in particular. From my incomplete research, I can also highly recommend the Random Rules feature with Patton Oswalt.

So there you go.

Happy Friday, all.

The Procrastinator's Confession Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

The Procrastinator's Confession Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

The Endless Sea - Iggy Pop
Believe E.S.P. - Deerhoof
Maybe Your Baby - Stevie Wonder

Oh, Rhapsody, So Much To Answer For Playlist

2008-04-30T11:21:00.007-04:00

Ah, springtime. And an old man's ears turn to the airy pep of Cemetery Gates. And are denied?! Say it ain't so.

At some point in the last week or two most of the Smiths catalog that was in Rhapsody has fallen into a deep hole somewhere and can now feel the soil falling over its head. Truly an ignominious end to National Poetry Month.

We never had Meat Is Murder, but now everything is gone with the exception of the Singles compilation. I know Nick Dedina didn't like Rank, but Hell, now that record doesn't show up in the Rhapsody Online album list even with the "Show All" option button selected!

So hear my plea, Rhapsody rights managers: repeat for the Smiths whatever dark magic you worked to get the Bee Gees catalog back in Rhapsody, and I'll scratch your name on my arm with a fountain pen!

Oh, Rhapsody, So Much To Answer For Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Oh, Rhapsody, So Much To Answer For Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish - The Smiths
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now - The Smiths

Persuasions Sing Zappa Sampler

2008-04-26T10:21:00.002-04:00

Here's something worth breaking in over the weekend for: at some point since the last time I checked, the Persuasions Frank Zappa record Frankly A Cappella [wiki] came into the Rhapsody catalog. Here's a distilled sampler for a Saturday brunch.

Persuasions Sing Zappa Sampler Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Persuasions Sing Zappa Sampler Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Electric Aunt Jemima
The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
Harder Than Your Husband
My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama

Sunny Day Organ Fresh Catch Playlist

2008-04-23T09:14:00.002-04:00

Today a fresh catch batch of especially good songs that moved through the Mixer here at R&S Labs over the last couple weeks. They have decidedly different origins, but all feature well-employed organ sounds.

First, another track gleaned from my slow listen through The Rest Is Noise, it's the quite rocking Organ Solo from Leos Janacek's Glagolitic Mass. From there, High Coin from the new Clinic record, which for some mysterious reason has become the most played new release here since Marah's Angels of Desctruction! Lastly, it's a languid but solid jam on Spill The Wine brought to us by Los Aragon from another Musart-Balboa compilation of vintage way-southern rock and soul.

Sunny Day Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Sunny Day Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Organ Solo - Leos Janacek
High Coin - Clinic
En Mi Onda - Los Aragon

Out To Lunch Three Years Playlist

2008-04-18T09:22:00.006-04:00

As of last Sunday, it appears Ribaldry & Schmaltz has been making the world safe for Rhapsody subscribers with questionable taste for three years. I have no profound statements on this arbitrary milestone, but here's a couple fascinating facts:

- We're #6 in a Google search of the word "ribaldry"
- We're #10 in a Google search of the word "schmaltz"

But will we use this power for good, or evil?

For today, inspired by Reggae Mylitis, I started doing a little research into a playlist of songs about physical afflictions with a musical cause. Rockin' Pneumonia came right up, of course. But from there things got a bit dodgy. There were a couple "Rock Fever"s and such, but overall it wasn't coming together on a grand scale. If I had found the "Jazz Polio" or the "Soukous Syphilis", things really might have worked out!

During my wanderings, though, Diseases from Michigan and Smiley came through the Mixer. And when I heard those three distinctive guitar notes flash bulbs started going off in my memory. Yes, it's one of the foundational samples from Remix For P Is Free from the debut Boogie Down Productions record. Criminal Minded got a belated twentieth anniversary double-disc reissue this winter, so let's just ditch the pathological playlist and serve these songs up together. (Of note, on the second disc of this reissue, see why it's called "Remix" and what the "P" is by comparing to the even more spartan The P Is Free Original 12" Version).

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Rockin' Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu - Huey "Piano" Smith
Reggae-Mylitis - Peter Tosh
Diseases - Michigan and Smiley
Remix For P Is Free - Boogie Down Productions

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-04-11T10:10:00.010-04:00

Today out to lunch, a small playlist stew confusing international sources and destinations.

First, thanks to Hugues Aufray, we learn that if you translate Roger Miller's "Do-Wacka-Do" into French, it sounds like "Dou Wakadou". It's like those French have got a different word for everything, as one wise observer once said [rhapsody.com].

Then, we go through the looking glass and learn that several decades before a bunch of American hippies flipped it around, the Alabama Song/Whiskey Bar [wikipedia] was part of a German opera, but sung with English lyrics by prostitutes seeking whiskey, boys, and dollars.

Lastly, it turns out that My Way was originally a French song about something else entirely before Paul Anka bought it, made up his own lyrics, and peddled it to Frank Sinatra. And between that and a bunch of Swedish weirdos [rhapsody.com] desecrating Cotton Eye Joe, Yankees games would never be the same.

Yes, it took a while, but we finally worked things around to the first spring weekend featuring a scrimmage between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox (a team with questionable musical predilections [wpri.com] of their own).

Happy Friday, everybody!

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Dou Wakadou - Hugues Aufray
Alabama Song - Lotte Lenya/North Germany Radio Chorus
Comme D'Habitude - Claude François

Monday Morning Addendum: What the Hell was I on? Of course, it's "New York, New York" that regularly emanates from the Yankee Stadium PA, not "My Way". But why let the facts get in the way of blogometric post symmetry?

Young@Heart Hometown Premiere Sampler Playlist

2008-04-08T10:02:00.005-04:00

The eponymous documentary Young@Heart had a hometown premiere last Friday night. It was giddily surreal to be watching those local indie kids blow up on the big screen from the dark balcony of the same theater where the culminating concert in the film takes place. It's impossible to fully harness the live power of the Chorus on celluloid, but even that portion the movie delivers is enough. Plus, we get to follow them into their bedrooms, hospital rooms, showers, backstages, and Festivas.

It's hard to say what people will make of it outside the walls of this Valley, but I assure you it's a little window into what's right in this conflicted mortal world. And of course, it brings the Rock.

The Chorus will be on the Tonight Show and Ellen Degeneres next Wednesday and Thursday respectively, before playing a full set at the Wilshire Theater in Los Angeles Thursday night (April 17). It looks like the movie opens in "select theaters" tomorrow, but nationally Friday, April 18.

Unfortunately, I don't think there's any coordinated soundtrack being released, so here's a little sampler playlist of source material. It's far from comprehensive, just a few of the big hits and one or two that stood out for me.

Young@Heart Premiere Sampler Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Young@Heart Premiere Sampler Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Should I Stay Or Should I Go - The Clash
Yes We Can Can - Allen Toussaint
Just Because - Elvis Presley
Schizophrenia - Sonic Youth
Forever Young - Bob Dylan
Road To Nowhere - Talking Heads

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-04-04T09:16:00.005-04:00

Today out to lunch we bring another plate of loud music for old men. Because if the Pack Jam is twenty five years old this year, that means I'm old enough to need a hip replacement after my next trip to the roller rink.

From there it's a track from the finest electric saxophone player to ever issue a stand-up comedy record, Eddie Harris. Eddie Harris Sings The Blues features a few songs where Mister Harris rather successfully sings through a saxophone mouthpiece plugged into a wah-wah pedal, but Ten Minutes To Four has a superior solid groove to my rough ear. It also channels the freakout vibe from Can't You Hear Me Knocking in a way appropriate for the Rolling Stones movie that opens today.

Lastly, you'd have to have some issues with dementia to publicly lament the absence of the original version of Digging Your Scene from the Rhapsody catalog. Well, now I can publicly acknowledge that that particular injustice has been rectified.

Out to Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out to Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Pack Jam (12" Remix) - Jonzun Crew
Ten Minutes To Four - Eddie Harris
Stone Thames - Big Audio Dynamite
Digging Your Scene - The Blow Monkeys

The Rest Is Noise, An Occasional Companion: Salome

2008-03-27T09:36:00.006-04:00

I've mentioned a couple times that my Christmas stocking brought me the Alex Ross book The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century. As a complete philistine when it comes to this kind of thing, I've been thoroughly enjoying the stories, the writing, and the music. Rhapsody (along with those new speakers) has been a damn handy resource for doing the actual listening along to the twentieth century. There are some pages that name-check up to ten different pieces of music, so investigating them all in hard copy would be a pretty daunting and expensive task.

Mister Ross' own site includes an annotated chapter guide with sound samples, and links to some pieces on iTunes.

I haven't been playlisting every single piece, but have come across a few helpful things I'll tack up here as they get organized.

The first chapter starts with the premiere of Richard Strauss' opera Salome. I was able to follow the action in this one more closely after finding the side-by-side German-English libretto on Google Books.

And, when there are multiple recordings of a piece in Rhapsody I've been fumbling around Wikipedia, Amazon reviews, and odd forums for guidance on picking a winner. For Salome, this imperfect method led me to this Decca recording by the Wiener Philharmoniker, with Birgit Nilsson in the title role.

Richard Strauss' Salome [Rhapsody Online Version]

Richard Strauss' Salome [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Out To Lunch With Jesus Friday Playlist

2008-03-21T08:49:00.003-04:00

Here's a little something to fill in the day around that one meatless meal observant Catholics are limiting themselves to today. I'm dedicating the Rockin' Holy Week Playlist this year to my late father-in-law, who played guitar in a church folk group for many, many years. I always paid more attention to the song choice and structure than the ceremony when we went to visit, and remember being completely freaked out by Lord Of The Dance, the first song below. It's simultaneously peppy, macabre, and defiant in a way that makes even Leonard Cohen's lonely wooden tower sound like a jungle gym.

Happy Season of Renewal, everybody.

Out to Lunch With Jesus Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out to Lunch With Jesus Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Lord of the Dance - Ian Campbell Folk Group
Faith - Violent Femmes
Jesus In The Temple - Marah
God Knows I'm Good - David Bowie
Sitgmata Martyr - Bauhaus

Addendum: For another installment in my findings from listening through Alex Ross' The Rest Is Noise, let's add Igor Stravinski's Symphony of Psalms to the Rockin' Holy Week playlists this year. This version is taken from the monumental Original Jacket Stravinski Conducts Stravinski box set. Sometimes I try not to be too much of a Rhapsody fanboy, but if constant access to things like the entire Original Jacket Collection isn't worth fifteen bucks a month, I don't know what is.

Symphony of Psalms - Igor Stravinski [Rhapsody Online Version]

Symphony of Psalms - Igor Stravinski [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Loud and Clear Fresh Catch Playlist

2008-03-13T12:39:00.003-04:00

Today, another fresh catch batch of songs collected while roaming the Rhapsody catalog, with an emphasis on things that still sound good at loud volumes. We've got a perennial classic from the Mighty Diamonds, the Pops Staples version of Papa Legba, and a track from the fourth album to find its way into Rhapsody from 2007 Ribaldry and Schmaltz poster boy Philippe Katerine.

Loud And Clear Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Loud And Clear Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Right Time - Mighty Diamonds
Papa Legba (Pops Staples Vocal Version) - Talking Heads
Les Grands Magasins - Katerine

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-03-07T09:43:00.006-05:00

Today out to lunch, we again emphasize songs with lush, big sound, something that will probably continue for another year or two, unless I go deaf.

First up, we welcome this reissue of the first two Flo & Eddie records to Rhapsody. It's an education for me, and a balm for ears still mourning the loss of the Frank Zappa and the Mothers catalog from Rhapsody so long ago now.

Next, a fine specimen I came across while listening to Jah knows what last week (maybe the new Ray Davies record?). It appears to be a group of guys from Norway performing interpreted versions of Kinks songs, to fine effect.

Then, last year I was gratefully exposed for the first time to the music of Juan Torres Y Su Organo Melodico. I've been slowly working my way through his large and growing catalog in the Rhapsody. Here's the highlight from his album of movie soundtracks: the Godfather.

Happy Friday, kids.

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

I Been Born Again - Flo & Eddie
En Veldig Respektabel Mann - "Kassa" Olsen
El Padrino - Juan Torres Y Su Organo Melodico

Lifting the Veil Thursday Playlist

2008-03-06T09:02:00.006-05:00

Obviously I was plenty happy for years listening to Rhapsody all day with a set of the cheapest speakers on the shelf at Wal Mart. So my quaint existence has been completely ripped apart by the depth and power of these new speakers. A mote has been removed. A veil lifted. I may have been driven a little insane by what I've heard beyond that veil, but the fact I can still question my sanity must mean all is not lost, right?

Right?!

And I know I pointed this out a long time ago, but the sequence that starts soon after the two minute mark in Napalm For Breakfast is the reason good speakers and volume knobs were invented.

Lifting the Veil Thursday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Lifting the Veil Thursday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Flash's Theme - Queen
Napalm For Breakfast - Rhythm Devils
Bat Chain Puller - Captain Beefheart

Out To Breakfast with J Shifty Friday Playlist

2008-02-29T11:36:00.004-05:00

I've been stalking Robert and Drake on their birthdays for the last couple years, so I decided to come clean this year and acknowledge the date of my own birth (yesterday).

Most appropriately, Lady Ribaldry and Schmaltzy Junior surprised me with a new set of Bose computer speakers to mark the occasion. Let's break them in with some well-recorded music for old men that stands up to high volume.

After the introductory bits, it's Roland Kirk with my favorite version of one of the finest melodies there is, Fats Waller's Jitterbug Waltz.

We've also got a couple songs from recently released albums that have made my hand, acting completely on its own, reach for the volume knob and rotate in a clockwise direction. I'm talking about Blue But Cool from Marah's Angels of Destruction! and the magnum opus Bright Lights from Black Mountain In The Future.

And, as one of the kids listening their way through Alex Ross' book The Rest Is Noise after finding it in their Christmas stocking, we've included the loud grooves of Alban Berg's Three Pieces for Orchestra.

As we geezers are wont to say: Turn it up, dude.

Out to Breakfast with J Shifty Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out to Breakfast with J Shifty Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Happy Birthday Bubba - Ingrid DuMosch
Talk (Fats Waller) - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Jitterbug Waltz - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Blue But Cool - Marah
Three Pieces for Orchestra - Alban Berg
Bright Lights - Black Mountain

Fresh Catch Beat Friday Playlist

2008-02-22T10:02:00.003-05:00

Today a fresh catch playlist of period beats, suitable for those snowbound and ancient enough to remember the days of WBRU before the advent of Coors Light-sponsored ski reports and other such goofiness.

Fresh Catch Beat Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Grinding Halt - The Cure
Watusi Rodeo - Guadalcanal Diary
Change - Killing Joke
Cavern - Liquid Liquid
Twist And Crawl - The English Beat

Fine Celebrity Playlist Acknowledgment Wednesday

2008-02-20T08:59:00.004-05:00

I usually don't find much inspiration in the Rhapsody Celebrity playlists, but I've got to give a little credit where it's due. The Corinne Bailey Rae Celebrity Picks List [list, doesn't play] this month is pretty solid from top to bottom. It's got an emphasis on dark horse hits that run well together, something we strive for on the good days here at R&S Labs. In particular, I was happy to get pulled out from under my rock to hear the Isley Brothers version of "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight".

I've got to point it out, if only because it's the first celebrity list I've listened to more than once since the great My Morning Jacket classic [list, doesn't play] of 2005.

Salvation in the Slush Wednesday Playlist

2008-02-13T11:03:00.006-05:00

So we got a few inches of snow overnight, which I got to start shoveling before sunrise this morning just as it turned to pissing rain. Luckily, after an hour of that I was rescued by my neighbor with the turbo-powered snowblower before I caught both the plague AND diphtheria. Good times.

Now that I'm dry and warmed up let's mark the occasion in playlist form, so I can look back on this day and laugh some time this summer.

Salvation in the Slush Wednesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Neighbours - The Rolling Stones
Flood - Sebadoh
Snowblind - Black Sabbath
I Love A Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt
Black Sheets Of Rain - Bob Mould

Addendum: On that note, if you're reading this you've probably already done so, but if not, why not investigate the new Bob Mould record District Line [rhapsody.com page]? I'm still getting my head around it, but the fact I keep cueueing it up must mandate some kind of endorsement.

Fresh Catch Tuesday Playlist

2008-02-12T12:30:00.001-05:00

There was a big batch of odd and interesting albums on the Rhapsody Just Added list last week.

Best album cover certainly goes to the Belmonts' Cigars, Acappella, Candy. The songs didn't drive me crazy start to finish, but this amalgam of My Sweet Lord, He's So Fine, kazoos, and sophisticated corporeal percussion is pretty flawless.

There were also two Chico Hamilton albums on the list (1958's Gongs East and 1959's Three Faces of Chico) that include some of the first recorded Eric Dolphy. On Three Faces of Chico, Mister Hamilton also sings: with the group, with his voice, and alone through the drum set. Interestingly, these albums also provide us with the second tracks in two weeks with a well-employed jazz cello (from Nate Gershman, in this case).

Fresh Catch Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Fresh Catch Tuesday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

My Sweet Lord - The Belmonts
More Than You Know - Chico Hamilton
No Speak English, Man - Chico Hamilton

Year of the Rat Opera Playlist

2008-02-07T10:57:00.001-05:00

The start of the Year of the Earth Rat is a most auspicious time to foist another playlist of Chinese Opera onto the world. Who wouldn't chew their way through a lead pipe to enjoy a golden cube of this fine, freaky cheese?

We'll start out to the south, with a couple fine tracks of Cantonese Opera featuring Wen Juefei (more about each at Foshan Museum and VisitGZ.com).

Next, we'll head on up to Beijing to hear from Mei Lanfang. Last fall, over a dozen volumes of the Classic Collection of Mei Lanfang came into the Rhapsody catalog. I won't claim to know more than wikipedia and News Guangdong tell me about this legendary gentleman, but that's plenty to get us started.

Gung Hay Fat Choy, kids.

Year of the Rat Opera Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Year of the Rat Opera Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Pearl Curtain Upside Down - Wen Juefei
Big Brother Yan Gets Married - Wen Juefei
Fen River Bend - Mei Lanfang
The Drunken Concubine - Mei Lanfeng

Monday Morning Quarterbackin'

2008-02-04T09:01:00.000-05:00

Well, the Giants certainly outplayed the Patriots in that football game last night, but at least we got to see [myspace] a few Big Wheels and hear Fu Manchu, right?

Ah well. In brighter news, pitchers and catchers report for spring training next Thursday, Valentine's Day.

Mongoose - Fu Manchu [Rhapsody Online Link]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-02-01T11:02:00.000-05:00

Today out to lunch, a spirited grit sandwich. It started when I was listening to this new Vandermark 5 record Beat Reader this week, and was wondering who played the screaming guitar bits at the five minute mark in the song Speedplay below. Well, of course, that's no guitar, it's cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm. And it's pretty freaking beautiful.

Let's roll that track around in our mouths with some kindred vintage(?) tracks from Bikini Kill and Minor Threat, a song from the punishing Behold... The Arctopus 2007 guilty pleasure Skullgrid, and another oddball from last year: Charlie Hunter and Bobby Previte welcoming John Medeski to their third outing as Groundtruther.

We'll head into Super Bowl Weekend with another track from Beat Reader that somehow harnesses the powers of Willie the Pimp, the Funky Drummer, and Mr. Bungle's Platypus within the first two minutes. And then things get kinda weird.

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

Double Dare Ya - Bikini Kill
Speedplay (For Max Roach) - Vandermark 5
Of Cursed Womb - Behold... The Arctopus
Kingda Ka - Groundtruther
In My Eyes - Minor Threat
New Acrylic (For Andreas Gursky) - Vandermark 5

Gordon Lightfoot Hits Rhapvailable Playlist

2008-01-31T09:28:00.001-05:00

There are alot of inexplicable holes in the Rhapsody catalog, and some albums seem to drift in and out of availability with the tides. And some tracks within albums will blink on and off periodically.

I've got a proprietary list of tracks I search for to assess changes in the health of certain parts of the Rhapsody catalog. In the light rock domain, these diagnostic dowsing rods include "Cool Night" by Paul Davis, "Souvenir of London" by Procol Harum, "Captain of Her Heart" by Double, and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot.

The Gordon Lightfoot situation has been particularly vexing. At one point, a fistful of his albums did come into Rhapsody, but the hits were universally unavailable.

Friends, I'm here to tell you today that has changed. Today we can finally employ a Rhapsody playlist to observe [ssefo.com] the loss of the twenty-nine man crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald that cold, stormy day in November, 1975.

Gordon Lightfoot Hits Rhapvailable Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald
If You Could Read My Mind
Sundown
Carefree Highway

P.S. Here's a brief but informative historical overview of Great Lakes shipwrecks in general at northshorevisitor.com.

Fresh Sound Additions Part Three Playlist

2008-01-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

Let's serve up another find from the Fresh Sound New Talent Records additions to Rhapsody we've been mining this month. Today it's Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson appearing on the 2000 release Sweet Transients, led by trumpeter Phil Grenadier. The first track features Mister Iverson to fine effect, and the second distills the noirish grit of Beck's Derelict into a dangerous, alluring listen.

It looks like Mister Grenadier is pretty damn active [myspace] around Boston currently, and is preparing to wander the globe with the John Scofield Trio + Horns this spring. Neat.

Fresh Sound Additions Part Three Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Alone Together - Phil Grenadier
Derelict - Phil Grenadier

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-01-25T08:58:00.001-05:00

Today out to lunch, it's a risky country buffet mixing the Shangri-Las then and now, Lewis Carroll, Trio, and a Cement Mixer, all on one plate.

Shun the fumious bandersnatch this weekend, kids.

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

I'm Blue - Shangri-Las
Cry About The Radio - Mary Weiss
Jabberwocky - Lewis Carroll
Da Da Da - Trio
Cement Mixer - The Orlons

Rufus Does Judy Frankenstein Playlist

2008-01-23T08:46:00.001-05:00

Back in 2006 Rufus Wainwright got to live every red-blooded North American boy's dream: making awkward jokes at Bucky Pizzarelli's expense in front of thousands of people.

Wait, no, that's mostly just my dream. What Rufus did was to recreate Judy Garland's 1961 Carnegie Hall concert in its entirety on the same stage some forty five years later.

The recording of this singular event came into the Rhapsody catalog last month, and has had us perpendicular, hanging on a cable car ever since. Today, we exploit the Rhaplink form for our own nefarious purposes, and doctor up a playlist where Judy and Rufus trade tracks for the whole concert across the aether of the decades. Heretical nonsense, or a joyous musical journey? You make the call.

Unfortunately, the duet and family tracks on the Rufus version got turned off in Rhapsody at some point, so we've had to monkey things around a little bit near the end. In another technical note (if only to myself six months from now), the sound levels for the Rufus recording are just a smidge higher than Judy Garland's. So don't twist the volume too high during a Judy song or you might get a little shock when the next track comes up. The playlist starts on a Rufus track to avoid this by default...

Rufus Does Judy Frankenstein Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

1. Overture: The Trolley Song/Over The Rainbow/The Man That Got Away (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
2. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) - Judy Garland
3. Medley: Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
4. Do It Again - Judy Garland
5. You Go To My Head (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
6. Alone Together - Judy Garland
7. Who Cares? (So Long As You Care For Me) (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
8. Puttin' On The Ritz - Judy Garland
9. How Long Has This Been Going On (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
10. Just You, Just Me - Judy Garland
11. The Man That Got Away (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
12. San Francisco - Judy Garland
13. That's Entertainment (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
14. I Can't Give You Anything But Love - Judy Garland
15. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
16. You're Nearer - Judy Garland
17. A Foggy Day (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
18. If Love Were All - Judy Garland
19. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
20. Stormy Weather - Judy Garland
21. Medley: You Made Me Love You/For Me And My Gal/The Trolley Song (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
22. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody - Judy Garland
23. Over The Rainbow - Judy Garland
24. Swanee (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright
25. After You've Gone - Judy Garland
26. Chicago (Live At Carnegie Hall) - Rufus Wainwright

Gee-whiz Reference section: Here's a first-hand account [My Husband Betty] of the first night of the Rufus recreation, that includes text of the next-day New York Times review of the original Judy concert in the comments.

Old Timey Beer Commercial Monday Playlist

2008-01-21T09:30:00.001-05:00

Last week a far-reaching compendium called "Old Time Radio Commercials" came in on the Rhapsody Just Added list. There were plenty of historically valuable tidbits ranging from Ex Lax and Maypo to Lucky Strike cigarettes and Dupont Chemicals, but here are the malted highlights.

First, when I used to haul four dollar crates of Lucky Lager home I had no idea I was part of a proud tradition of cheap inebriates stretching back generations.

Second, an angelic quartet reminds us all:

"Drink to me darling not with thine eyes,
But with Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
Because if you toast me with Pabst Blue Ribbon,
I'll know that your love's sincere."

Lastly, take a tip from none other than Louis Armstrong, who once said:

"Schaeffer is the one beer to have
when you're having more than one
Schaeffer's pleasure doesn't fade
even when your thirst is done

The most rewarding flavor in this man's world
For people who are having fun
Yes, Schaeffer is the one beer to have
When you're having more than one."

What a wonderful world, indeed.

Old Timey Beer Commercial Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Lucky Premium Beer
Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer - 2 commercials
Schaeffer Beer feat. Louis Armstrong

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2008-01-18T09:20:00.001-05:00

Today out to lunch, we start with another find from the Fresh Sound excavation mentioned Wednesday. It's pianist Helen Sung funking it up on Prince's Alphabet Street from 2006's Helenistique. The original isn't Rhapvailable, so some perverse gland compelled me to call up the Batdance as a substitute. So there you go. Then, I noticed that the Widowermaker! EP snuck into Rhapsody at some point, containing one of the last Butthole Surfers songs I really liked.

We'll bookend the festivities with a representative from Helen Sung's 2007 release Sungbird, a distinctive musical meditation using Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz's Espana, Op. 156 as a touchstone.

Do it on the One this weekend all, and, uh, if I may, go Pats.

Out to Lunch Friday Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Alphabet Street - Helen Sung
Batdance - Prince
The Colored FBI Guy - Butthole Surfers
Malaguena Miniatura - Helen Sung

Fresh Sound Additions Sampler Playlist

2008-01-16T09:59:00.001-05:00

Last week there were mass additions to the Rhapsody catalog from the Fresh Sound Records jazz label. The immediate result of that here at R&S Labs is a look into early releases from members of the Bad Plus and their cohorts. If you search on bassist Reid Anderson and pianist Ethan Iverson on the Fresh Sound master catalog page, you'll find multiple releases with those gentlemen as leaders, supporting each other, and in combination with folks such as guitarist Ben Monder, jedi master Paul Motian, and saxophonists Chris Cheek, Bill McHenry, and Mark Turner.

Here's a sampler from my initial explorations of this trove: the first installment of the Bad Plus medal-winner series, a representative from Reid Anderson's 2000 outing The Vastness of Space, a solo piano excursion where Smoke Gets In Your Eyes from Ethan Iverson, and Mister Anderson standing out on vibraphonist Tom Beckhams' 2000 release Suspicions.

Of particular note, The Vastness Of Space also features versions of Prehensile Dream and Silence Is The Question quite distinct in delivery and instrumentation from the versions that would later be recorded by the Bad Plus.

I'll try to report back as I uncover more.

Fresh Sound Additions Sampler Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

1972 Bronze Medalist - The Bad Plus
Foxy - Reid Anderson
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - Ethan Iverson Trio
Kansas Tale - Tom Beckham

Get Behind Me Satan Fresh Catch Playlist

2008-01-10T09:01:00.000-05:00

Wings of a Dove started circling my head moments after my feet hit the floor this morning. Rather than fight it, let's pair it with some biblical brethren and call it a Thursday morning Fresh Catch Playlist.

Of note, the Ras Michael and Eek-A-Mouse songs both came into Rhapsody last year with other mass additions from the Greensleeves Reggae Classics reissues series. Browse through the Greensleeves catalog for other cornerstones from this series that started in 2001, and then fire them up in the Rhapsody at will.

Get Behind Me Satan Thursday Fresh Catch Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

Wings of a Dove - The Wailers
Chant A Psalm - Steel Pulse
Birds In The Treetop - Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus
Noah's Ark - Eek-A-Mouse

Recently Added Wedding Present - Cinerama Playlist

2008-01-08T09:15:00.000-05:00

There's been a creeping David Gedge infection spreading in Rhapsody over the last few months. Some time in the fall, the oversized "The Wedding Present: Live 1987" came in, recorded while touring for their debut album George Best. It provides an illuminating contrast between the air in the room for the riled reception in Leicester and the more tentative Munich crowd. Also in the fall came the early singles and BBC sessions compilation Tommy and 1996's Saturnalia.

On the Just Added list this last weekend was the Wedding Present Singles 1995-1997 compilation, harboring this live version of Brassneck, and Volume 2 of the Cinerama John Peel Sessions. I was raised as a Bizarro bandwagon fanboy, so hearing the rest of the spectrum has been quite edifying. Keep them rolling in, please.

Recently Added Wedding Present - Cinerama Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

Getting Nowhere Fast (Live Leicester) - The Wedding Present
I'm Not Always So Stupid (Live München) - The Wedding Present
Never Said - The Wedding Present
Brassneck (Live) - The Wedding Present
Heels (Peel Session) - Cinerama
Because I'm Beautiful (Peel Session) - Cinerama
Sly Curl (Peel Session) - Cinerama

Best of Ribaldry & Schmaltz 2007

2007-12-31T09:40:00.001-05:00

Once again, here are the twenty finest songs purveyed this year on Ribaldry and Schmaltz. It was another fine year for strip-mining the Rhapsody Just Added lists and generally wandering willy-nilly in the wilderness of the Rhapsody catalog.

As irregular and undisciplined as I was in posting this year, somehow I still put up over twenty three hours of playlist. And of course, after sorting through for a couple weeks, I don't think there's a dud in the bunch. Sixteen of these songs were new to the Rhapsody catalog in 2007, and five of those (Adassa, Robbie Fulks, Kurt Elling, the Leverts, and Banda Jerez) were New Releases.

It was a great year to be a dumbass who pays fifteen dollars a month to rent music. As more reality-based Best of 2007 lists have shown, [Radish and Drake] there were hundreds of fine new albums well worth listening to that you might not want to pay for outright, or even spend your time and hard drive space pirating.

Beyond that, there were the thousands of illuminating additions that came in due to changes in digital rights or reissues: from the Touch & Go, Fantasy, Fania, BUDA, Musart-Balboa, Decca International, Universal Latino, and Dischord labels, just off the top of my head.

To get Rhapsody-specific, in 2007, regularly working on multiple partitions and machines forced me to spend alot more time with the Rhapsody Online interface. That service got at least two serious overhauls this year (one just last week), which made it easier to access your Library and playlists, and made it much easier and more flexible to craft and share playlists. Still, I get no or incomplete results performing a search by Keyword mixing Artist and Track data, under both Firefox and Explorer. And, my only call to India this year (which went very smoothly, thank you!) came after I tried to use Rhapsody Online on two different Vista partitions on the same machine on the same day (at least I think that's what broke my account).

On the Rhapsody application front, some time this year the cost of a basic subscription jumped 30%, and we were all force-upgraded to Rhapsody v4. On the plus side, at some point they mostly fixed v4. The mp3 player management section in particular was transformed from a dangerous black magic ritual to a transparent drag-and-drop love fest. One thing that appears to have gotten broken, though, is the Custom Channels creator. Luckily for me, I already had custom channels including Husker Du and the Housemartins. Now, no matter what combination of characters I type into those text boxes, no match for those bands (among others, I'm sure) is offered.

Here's to more fascinating, lovely bits of listening in 2008 and beyond. Cheers, all!

Best of Ribaldry & Schmaltz 2007 Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Best of Ribaldry & Schmaltz 2007 Playlist [Rhapsody Player Software Version]

01 Après Moi - Katerine
02 i wanna drive - neutral nation
03 I Won't Hurt You - The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band
04 Ohoho Gedama - Mahmoud Ahmed
05 Nod Scene - Monster Magnet
06 I'm Henry The VIII, I Am - Herman's Hermits
07 Ya Me Canse - Adassa
08 It's A Man Down There - Duster Bennett
09 Gugamuga - Unspecified
10 I Like Being Left Alone - Robbie Fulks
11 Bus Back To Birmingham - Drunk Stuntmen
12 A New Body And Soul - Kurt Elling
13 Nardis - Mariane Bitran
14 A Promise (Is A Comfort To A Fool) - Gregory Isaacs
15 You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly - Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
16 Tapped - Eddie Levert Sr & Gerald Levert
17 A Medios Chiles - Banda Jerez
18 St. James Infirmary - Bobby "Blue" Bland
19 Des étoiles - Katerine
20 Show Me - Pretenders

Top 3 Driveway Shoveling Albums of 2007

2007-12-14T09:48:00.001-05:00

I've spent quite a bit of time over the last two weeks out in the driveway with a shovel in my hands and the baby Sansa in my snow bib. And this weekend promises to bring even more opportunity to get in some music listening and crystal flinging. So why not take my findings and toss them onto the steadily-mounting slag heap of year-end best-of lists?

Despite the fact such lists are rapidly becoming the Fruit Cake of the 21st century, the staff here at Ribaldry & Schmaltz proudly present the

Top 3 Driveway Shoveling Albums of 2007:

3. Beyond - Dinosaur Jr
2. Roses - Bill McHenry
1. Sky Blue Sky - Wilco

All three albums were indeed released in 2007, share themes of muted persistence, and deliver chilled, fluffy atmospherics entirely appropriate for hours under a white sky, maintaining a form conducive to long-term lumbar harmony.

Keep a steady pace this holiday season, and remember to lift with the legs, everybody!

Top 3 Driveway Shoveling Albums of 2007 Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Either Way - Wilco
Symphony - Bill McHenry
We're Not Alone - Dinosaur Jr

Good Times Tuesday Fresh Catch Playlist

2007-12-04T10:31:00.001-05:00

Today a fresh catch playlist of good times tracks encountered recently on the Rhapsody Just Added list and in related wanderings of the catalog. One odd note: the Hep Stars were a 60s Swedish pop supergroup, harboring Benny Andersson before the formation of ABBA.

Good Times Tuesday Fresh Catch Playlist [Rhapsody Online Version]

Tanda Pa Varann (Save Your Heart For Me) - Hep Stars
Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries - Rudy Vallee
Sunny - Bobby Hebb
Everybody Can't Be Pretty - The Casinos
Happy Soul Time - Bill Doggett

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2007-11-30T09:37:00.001-05:00

Today out to lunch, we first welcome to Rhapsody a version of Whiskey River by the man who wrote it, Johnny Bush. Johnny was the drummer in Willie Nelson's Record Men in the early 60's before going on to record hits of his own, including this immortal ode to cardiovascular ruin. With its swing, jangle, and cannonball croon, this version stands happily on its own next to the one Willie's put his stamp on every other night for the last thirty five or so years.

While we're here, why not follow up with a song from Bobbie Nelson's 2007 solo debut. Sister Bobbie has played piano with Willie on stage and in the studio since at least 1973's Shotgun Willie, and just got around to recording on her lonesome.

We'll close with another recently added Texas album, and appropriately enough it's Doug Sahm singing about that other Willie drummer, Paul English.

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

Whiskey River - Johnny Bush
Laura - Bobbie Nelson
Me And Paul - Doug Sahm

East Side Cruising Thursday Playlist

2007-11-15T11:03:00.001-05:00

Another odd compilation series on the Rhapsody Just Added list last week came under the name "East Side Story". It's a series of singles compilations ranging from doo-wop to soul, with some of the songs coming to the Rhapsody catalog for the first time.

The series is from an outfit named East Side Records. Oddly, it appears the only things East Side Records specializes in are these oldies compilations and original southern California Latin hip hop. Reconciling the two was making me dizzy until I found this comprehensive Lowrider Oldies [will not autoplay] playlist linked on the Barbara Mason Rhapsody Online page. As author TDawg specifies, "This cruisin' chrome playlist features a multitude of classic soul and R&B recordings that are intended to inspire memories of long-past days of cruising down the strip."

Mystery solved, and there's another American musical experience I was born too late and distant to savor, though I did almost buy an El Camino once...

East Side Cruising Thursday Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

Yes, I'm Ready - Barbara Mason
Hey There Lonely Girl - Eddie Holman
Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye - The Casinos

Update (2007-12-05): At some point over the last few weeks, it looks like this compilation series has been removed from Rhapsody, breaking the playlist above. Versions of the first two tracks are available on other compilations, but it looks like we've indeed told the Casinos goodbye for the time being...

Ribaldry On Tuesday Playlist

2007-11-13T08:29:00.000-05:00

There were twenty five volumes of a series titled "Radio & Recording Rarities" on the Rhapsody Just Added list last week. I'm still working through Volume 1, which appears to be a collection of pointedly ribald vaudeville-era singles. The sound quality so far is alarmingly good considering the vintage of the recordings.

Volume One starts on a seasonally appropriate high note with Christmas Balls from Ben Light and His Surf Club Boys. Seventy years earlier, it makes Chocolate Salty Balls sound like a church hymn. Apparently Mr. Light had a successful career [Saxony Records] with his stride piano style in more staid settings, but kept the masses happy with the bawdy singles.

I'll report back as I encounter more solid tracks from this series. For today, we'll pair Christmas Balls with another ribald classic, recently restored to Rhapsody after a nearly year-long absence.

Ribaldry on Tuesday Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

Christmas Balls - Ben Light and His Surf Club Boys
ILBT's - Joe Walsh

Addendum:
Here are a handful of other historically illuminating songs from Volume 1 of Radio & Recording Rarities:

Ribald Addendum Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

Give It To Mary With Love - Cliff (Ukelele Ike) Edwards
She Was Shot In Her Box (At The Opera) - Bruce Raeburn
The Full-Her Brushman - Ben Light and His Surf Club Boys
When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go - Ben Light and His Surf Club Boys

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

2007-11-02T08:41:00.001-04:00

Today out to lunch, we officially welcome the first Ian Dury & The Blockheads track into Rhapsody. It looks like it may even have come in on the same compilation that delivered us the Safety Dance earlier this summer, and I missed it entirely. For shame.

We'll round things out with a few appropriate tracks patiently waiting their turn to be released from the live well.

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury & The Blockheads
Smalltown Boy - Bronski Beat
Oh! You Pretty Things - Bowie at the Beeb
Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John

Bad Plus Live Anticipation Playlist

2007-10-30T12:37:00.000-04:00

This weekend Lady Ribaldry and I are going for our second overnight, out of town date since Schmaltzy Junior was born. So of course we're going to see one of the Saturday Bad Plus sets at the Regatta Bar in Cambridge. This is my plastic sack stuffed to bursting with Halloween candy.

The power, joy, and depth these three bring to music pretty much distills everything we stand for here at Ribaldry and Schmaltz. I daresay if you assembled every track and playlist I've thrown up here over the years and squeezed them into the shape of a piano trio, the Bad Plus would result. So yes, for the next few days I am the barreled fish, happily anticipating the shots to be fired.

In related news, Do The Math, the blog primarily penned by pianist Ethan Iverson, is a fun resource for well-considered but unassuming discussion on music, literature, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in addition to being a dangerous gateway drug to fantastic piano playing in other genres.

This year's fine PROG isn't in Rhapsody, so for today's anticipatory sampler, we'll recruit two tracks from Blunt Object Live in Tokyo.

Bad Plus Live Anticipation Playlist - [Rhapsody Online version]

We Are The Champions
Silence Is The Question