The Not-Pop Jukebox: 10/1/09 - 11/1/09

My Body's a Zombie for You - Dead Man's Bones

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Was there ever a band with a name more made for Halloween than Dead Man's Bones? I hardly think so. And My Body's a Zombie for You perfectly fits the bill for bizarre and a little frightening. It may not be about ghouls and ghosts, but it's got a children's choir singing inappropriate lyrics and chanting in a suitably-creepy way, adding a zing of Halloween what-the-hell that cannot be beat. Not only that but you can download the song for free from Amazon, which makes this a double treat for a Saturday Halloween. Happy trick or treating, all!

Wide World of Sports - Instant Funk

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I wanted to post a baseball-related song, to celebrate not only the US "World" Series but the fact that I won $10 on one of the games after throwing in a buck to help a friend round out a pool. Unfortunately, I could only find songs that stank. Happily, I stumbled upon Instant Funk and their Wide World of Sports during my search. Not only do you get pure funky grooves but you get this fabulous album cover included at no extra charge! It turns out that Instant Funk performed I Got My Mind Made Up, which has been getting stuck in my head off an on for roughly twenty years. Ah, the relief of knowing from where that song came. Check back tomorrow for a Halloween treat.

Violent Love - Otis Rush, Oingo Boingo, et al

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Violent Love was one of the very first songs on which I posted. There's a reason for that: it's one of my favorites. For me, laying the Otis Rush version cheek-by-jowl with the Oingo Boingo version is the best way to listen to the song. For your edification, I've included the Skankin' Pickle version of the Oingo Boingo cover and one from Willie Dixon much more faithful to the original. As you can see, Grooveshark has fixed their little widget problem, so I've added the playlist from yesterday's post on Ya Ya as well as getting these gems here for you to enjoy.

Ya Ya, Again

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I recently posted a video version of Buckwheat Zydeco performing Ya Ya, but I felt like I'd given the song short shrift. Today, I'd like to share not just the great Lee Dorsey original and the Buckwheat Zydeco version but also a funky Tina Turner take on Ya Ya and a somewhat bizarre John Lennon cover of the song. That last, alone, makes a second post almost mandatory for this one. Sadly, I could not find the Lee Atwater/Chuck Jackson/Carla Thomas version from the "Red Hot & Blue" album on which I first heard this song. It's well worth a listen, as are the rest of the songs included. It's too bad that the album isn't more available but at least you can sample it on the link above. BB King's Buzz Me alone makes it worth the price.

Rhythm Bandits - Junior Senior

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As promised, I've turning to something a lot more fun and upbeat, today. Rhythm Bandits is what I think pop music should sound like. It’s bouncy, infectious, and makes me think of 60s teenagers frantically dancing. Perhaps it’s the name, Junior Senior, and perhaps it’s the energy and tongue-in-cheek cheeriness of the perky sound. If all pop music sounded like Rhythm Bandits, I’d be blogging about that and not obscure stuff of which half of you have never heard (and perhaps another third wish you hadn’t). This isn't an unqualified recommendation of Junior Senior, by any means. They're a bit of a one-trick pony, but in small doses that trick can certainly entertain.

Kandi - One Eskimo

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In general, One Eskimo is too much of a downer for me. They're sweet, mellow, and sad and just really not my thing. Kandi, however, has stuck in my head like a scratched record. The video strikes me as being very much like their music--cute and touching. On its own, it's a lovely song. The album may be too much of a good thing, but at least there's one stand-alone song to enjoy. Have a quiet Saturday afternoon. I'll have to see about finding something a bit more wild for tomorrow.

Zip Gun Bop - Royal Crown Revue

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I was going to post a set of Bop Gun songs (and likely will, someday) but got distracted by the fabulous fellows of the Royal Crown Revue and their Zip Gun Bop, which doesn't fit my theme but is an awful lot of fun. As always during the week, my posting time is limited today so I'll let you swing to the bop and get down to the horns without a lot of introductory blather.

Vans Song - Suicide Machines

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The Suicide Machines have been around for years, and their sound and lyrical focus have changed a great deal along the way. At their best, they combine elements of ska and punk (more punk early on, more ska more recently, and even some horns) with some social commentary that adds a little kick of interest to their jumping music. Personally, as a fan of old-school Vans and Chucks (check my profile picture, if you doubt that), Vans Song gives me a little grin every time. It's also just a fun little tune. I'll quit blabbing, now, before I find another excuse to use parentheses.

Drum Song - Temper Trap

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Yet again, for today I have a song that I love from a band that I don't. It's not that I hate Temper Trap, I just don't love their music. It rates a "Meh" on a scale of "Bleh" to "Woo Hoo!" for me, except for Drum Song. This one get's an "Oh, Yeah". (Note: this is not a scientific scale but a personal experience. Your opinion and mileage may vary. Your input will help to refine this scale and provide valuable feedback for the standardization of these ratings...or something.)

King Curtis Sampler Pack

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I wanted to post the terrific Memphis Soul Stew from the ever-jazzy King Curtis, but I thought it was too short to stand alone. Then I discovered that my up-loading privileges have been suspended at Grooveshark (curse you, Keb' Mo' and Taj Mahal, love you both though I do!) and decided that I'd offer you something a bit bigger to enjoy, to suck up a little extra bandwidth from the 'Shark even though it isn't really their fault. Here, then, is fifteen minutes' worth of King Curtis in all his saxophone-wailing glory. In a Funky Groove gives you ten-plus minutes of pure, mellow jam while Watermelon Man picks it up a couple of notches and really gets you grooving. Hopefully, I'll get unblocked sometime soon and can upload more obscurity for you to enjoy. Obviously, I had intended to share something much less well-known than King Curtis, but that'll have to wait.

Headlock - Esser

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For today, let's enjoy a bit of electronic whining about the pains of love gone wrong. Honestly, Headlock is better than I just made it sound. It's a bit goofy and has a beat good enough to get you bobbing your head. I'm not a huge fan of the Esser's vocals, but for this song they definitely work. (I've decided that there's been altogether too much blue on this blog, so I'm trying a splash of green for today. We'll see how it looks. I may decide to just use the big playlist widget and fiddle with colors, if I don't like the green. Sometimes, you've got to shake it up, right?)

Cup a' Joe - The Alcoskalics

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Here it is, a Friday night, and I'm too tired to party. What in the world will I do? Happily, the Alcoskalics have the answer - have a Cup a' Joe! I'm a huge coffee fiend, and this song ranks among my favorites celebrating that fragrant brown brew. It's rabid beat, pulsing horns, and wild-eyed lyrics give me almost as much energy as a steaming cup of the good stuff.

Scrapple from the Apple - Charlie Parker

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It's a blustery cold autumn day, at the very end of apple season around here. I thought it was time I paid tribute to the varied and delicious fruits of yards and orchards, and to Charlie Parker as well. How can you resist the combination of a warm, saxy tune about...well...nothing in particular?

Seems to be on My Mind - Suburban Kids with Biblical Names

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If this post doesn't cement your belief that I am a sucker for bands with inventive names, then there's nothing more that I can do. At any rate, I ran across Suburban Kids with Biblical Names on an indie-pop sampler and was immediately intrigued by their sound. Happily, Grooveshark supplied a hefty sampler of their songs. I almost posted Loop Duplicate My Heart, but I thought it might hit a little close to home for those web addicts among us. Instead, I've decided to share Seems to be on My Mind from the same album, their third, cleverly titled "#3". They've another, surprisingly named "#4", which marks their return to the '4-track maxi-single' format that their other two albums shared. With each outing, the Kids seem to move a little more out of their jangly, self-conscious shell and to get more comfortable with their nerd-referential lyrics and geeky love songs.

Mighty Mighty - Earth, Wind, & Fire

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For what more could you ask on a Sunday than a funky 70s song on a funky 70s TV show that proves just how bad fashion and dance can be? Nothing, that's what. I hereby offer you Earth, Wind, & Fire's Mighty Mighty, played on Soul Train with a double dance line. If you don't like the song, you can just be entertained by the people and their antics...I mean, hot dance moves. Honestly, can you believe that people used to walk around in public in some of those clothes?

Rockabilly Liquor Trio

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No, this isn't a band review, although Rockabilly Liquor Trio wouldn't be such a bad name for a band. With Amazon's fabulous free music offerings, particularly the current Mojo Nixon bonanza, my mind wanders down loosely-connected paths. Today, that path makes a bit more sense than usual. The rockabilly and rough sound of Mojo Nixon's She's All Liquored Up lead me directly to Southern Culture on the Skids and Liquored Up and Lacquered Down. The next step connection was a bit more tenuous, but The Reverend Horton Heat had a few things to add about Liquor, Wine, and Beer, so I let him. I figured that Saturday was the perfect day for a liquor-fest, and that celebrating wacky, rockabilly songs went perfectly with that. If you've got a song that would fit this group, please let me know.

Jukebox Roots: Comme des Enfants - Coeur de Pirate

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Almost a year ago, I wrote about this French-Canadian young lady, Beatrice Martin, whose twee sound and lovely style would not normally be my thing but who had caught my ear. While I posted several links, I never did include a song from which you could get a sense of what Coeur de Pirate actually sounds like. Today, I'm remedying that bit of foolishness with Comme des Enfants, which I hear was a big hit in Quebec earlier this year. Ms. Martin must be 19 by now, but still her music has a maturity (and she writes and plays it herself) that belies her age. I'm hoping to hear more from her over the years, and to see if she can be as charming in English as she is in French. Lovely, charming, and sweet describe her sound on her first album, no matter what the future may bring. She's also adorable, which doesn't hurt.

Talk on Indolence - The Avett Brothers

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Here's another wacky little treat for you all--The Avett Brothers, who sound a whole lot like the Gear Daddies used to, back when I'd see them live a few times a year, giving a Talk on Indolence. They're clearing having a wonderful time. I'm not so big on songs about getting drunk, anymore, but this one has so much else going on that the lyrics aren't really paramount and the song tells a story rather than simply celebrating getting hammered. The beginning particularly caught my attention, with the chanting from 30 seconds into the track that starts your toes tapping practically from the first beat. The song completely switches character at a minute in, turning into a roots rock/alt-country remembrance. The banjo is a particularly nice touch.

I'm somehow not surprised that the guys have been around for almost ten years (and thirteen albums' worth of music) but that I've not heard of them until now. I bet they're a blast to see live, which you could apparently have done on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson last night, had you known about it. Happily for you, dear readers, I'm willing to devote a little time to finding such gems and to letting you know that Mr. Ferguson's site hasn't updated with anything more recent than October 2nd. If I can remember, I'll keep an eye out and post a link to the video this weekend. Until then, enjoy their Talk on Indolence

Taller Children - Elizabeth and the Catapult

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Once again, David Dye has introduced me to a song I've never heard that instantly captured my attention. It's been buzzing about my head all morning and I knew that I had to share it with you folks. I was going to include the music video, but Universal has once again decided that linking to them on YouTube is more valuable than actually allowing anyone to promote the band with their own videos. Suffice it to say that I'm excited to hear more from these folks, indie-pop though they may be, because the strength of this song leads me to hope that their others will also hold up to repeated listens. A quick play of Momma's Boy on the official Elizabeth and the Catapult site makes me eager to sit down with the album and hear more. I hope Taller Children makes you feel the same.

Chewing on Tinfoil

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Stu Daly with the Irish ska-punk band Chewing on Tinfoil dropped me a kind note, with their debut album "Get Rich or Try Dyin'" attached. (That's my favorite kind of note, by the way, should you feel the sudden desire to send me one of your own.) At any rate, I've been listening to them for three weeks, now, trying to decide how much I like the album. Hubby, by the way, immediately demanded that I share the album and has been happily playing it for folks, particularly Blood 'n' Sweat 'n' Tears, which showcases the lovely accents.

Dancefloor stands as my favorite of songs on the album, however. Chewing on Tinfoil does best with slower or shorter songs, I think. They tend to over-emphasize the beat on harder, longer songs, which makes them seem repetitive if you're not focused on the words. Perhaps my preference for horns makes it seem to me that some of those songs lack a bit of oomph. Under the Lamppost is an exception to this rule, though, offering a mellow ska beat and some thoughtful lyrics. All in all, it's a solid first effort well worth getting.

If you want to have a listen for yourself, try these three songs. If you like what you hear, you can head over to Quote Unquote Records and download the album. You can donate to the band, while you're there, to help them keep making music and maturing their sound. You can, of course, wander by their MySpace profile as well (look out, there's a Canadian band called Chewing on Tin Foil, who have skipped the ska part of ska-punk and also have released one album).

Money - NASA with David Byrne, Chuck D, Z-Trip, and More

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It's always fun when your favorite singers pop up in unexpected places. With David Byrne, first it was Toe Jam with The BPA and then I stumbled over Money with NASA and a slew of other folks. It's a strange and genre-bending song, adding Byrne and Chuck D to Ras Congo and Seu Jorge, which is just the way I like my music. I hope you enjoy it as well. Happy Saturday.

Freeker by the Speaker - Keller Williams

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After two days off, I've brought you a two-for-one bonus edition of The NPJ today. Not only do I have a goofy little doo-dad from Keller Williams (no, not the realty company!) but I've got my Music of the Month posted. Groove with the Freeker by the Speaker and then head over to listen to some John Huss Moderate Combo. I know this isn't much to read, after two days, but at least I'm giving you another place to read and listen to more! I'll try to be a bit more verbose tomorrow.