The Tenth Blog of Christmas - $15 Song CDs

Advisory:  there is an unusually high level of rock nerdiness here.  (Even for this blog.)  So be warned.

You all have probably figured out that I own a lot of music.  There are further depths to my music depravity, as I am about to disclose.

As Denis and Ryan know firsthand, in 2001 I completed a set of CDs called "$15 Songs."  The basic premise:  you buy a CD for one great song, but the rest of the album is just awful; so, you essentially just spent $15 for one song.  

I expanded this to good-to-great songs from mp3 samples, compilation CDs, or one-off work purchases.  The first set (in 2001) consisted of twelve 80 minute CDs (about 16 hours of material).  Keep in mind:  these are just leftovers from albums I'm not keeping.

I decided in the summer of 2011 to create the next group of CDs as a further glorious display of musical mental illness.  After I had compiled everything together, I had on hand Volumes 13-55 (about 57 hours of music).  Once again:  LEFTOVERS.

My co-editor on these is Mrs. Snilch Report, who has dutifully checked these out with me. We're on our third listen now (yes, it's taken a year and a half), having eliminated a full 8 hours of music (last Volume is now #48) in the process.  The task has become much more difficult with the crazy amount of mp3s I get as samples now; some songs are a great first listen, but not so much on the second.

So what does a typical $15 Song playlist look like?  I've randomly selected one pre-1995 and one post-1995.  We're beyond the looking glass here, people:

Volume 24 - 1990

(19 songs, RT 79:20)

1. Skid Row - "Youth Gone Wild" (classic song that didn't hit big until 1991; and yes, I have "18 and Life" on another volume)
2. Morrissey - "November Spawned a Monster" (much to Paul S.'s chagrin, I really think he was better in The Smiths; therefore I have a lot of one-off Morrissey songs on these comps)
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Show Me Your Soul" (from the Pretty Woman soundtrack which Jay L. owned in college; I always really liked this one)
4. DJ EZ Rock & Rob Base - "It Takes Two" (classic college, especially since BA absolutely despises it)
5. Peter Murphy - "Cuts You Up" (from the Pretty in Pink soundtrack, reminds me of when Mrs. Snilch Report and I started dating in 1862)
6. Letters To Cleo - "Sister" (a very underrated band; their first album produced this classic but nothing else noteworthy)
7. Alice In Chains - "Man in the Box" (Bubba owned this one before Dirt was a twinkle in Layne Staley's eye; I loved this track but I found the rest of the album uneven)
8. Origin - "Growing Old" (classic Ryan college song; album has long since disappeared into the mists of time)
9. They Might Be Giants - "Istanbul" (my late great friend Jamie R. loved these guys and turned me on to them in the last year; it's possible I may get this album later)
10. Bad Religion - "Against the Grain" (thank you to The Dan Patrick Show for opening this tune up to me; I'm still not a fan of All Ages, much to Matz's chagrin)
11. Madonna - "Vogue" (I have been told that "you have to own The Immaculate Collection," which is incorrect - I only need this song and "Burning Up")
12. Aztec Camera - "Good Morning Britain" (at one point I really tried to believe that Aztec Camera was not a "brilliant debut album, crappy followups" kind of band; I was wrong) 
13. Peter Gabriel Feat. Youssou N'Dour - "Shaking The Tree" (an extra track from 16 Golden Greats that does not appear on the more complete Hit/Miss)
14. Poison - "Ride the Wind" (I came home from college one year and found this in Moira's collection; like Madonna, all I need from Poison is this song and "Fallen Angel")
15. Even As We Speak - "Blue Suburban Skies" (great lost track from an Australian band, from their compilation with the legendary title A Three Minute Song Is a Minute Too Long)
16. MC Hammer - "U Can't Touch This" (please Hammer, don't hurt 'em)
17. Bruce Dickinson - "Tattooed Millionaire" (I had this goofy sampler tape that this was on; it's Iron Maiden's lead singer trashing Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe)
18. Depeche Mode - "Enjoy the Silence" (not only one of the finest songs this band ever produced, but an all-time great song)
19. Hindu Love Gods - "Raspberry Beret" (I like to end my comps with a cover when possible; this band is R.E.M. with Warren Zevon replacing Michael Stipe as vocalist covering Prince)

Volume 41 - 2005-2006

(19 songs, RT 79:17)

1. Peter Bjorn and John - "Young Folks" (I like to believe that they named their band so they could shorten it to "PB and J"; the whistling is quite invigorating) 
2. Neon - "He's a Whore (Demo)" (recommended by Bob Mould at one point; the rest of the EP was not that interesting, and I never saw a follow-up)
3. My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult - "Dope Kult" (I own one great MLWTTKK album; the rest is hit or miss for me)
4. Deep Purple Helmet - "Spend Some Time" (Eric Salt in a long-forgotten Boston local supergroup; they only had a three-song EP, so all get into the $15 song pile even though I am keeping it, so I can listen to these tracks more)
5. King of France - "Just a Body" (The Baxter soundtrack had some real quirky gems) 
6. 50 Foot Wave - "Hot Pink, Distorted" (my favorite Kristen Hersh project, and it's free)
7. A Band of Bees - "The Russian" (proof that this is where songs from Sell-Back Pile 1 albums end up)
8. Gorillaz - "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head" (I'm not that interested in Gorrilaz, but I got this on a sample CD and really liked it)
9. Copeland - "No One Really Wins" (I have had this for years, not sure where I got it from or why I never investigated the band further; great song)
10. The Long Blondes - "Once and Never Again" (Lyrics:  "19... you're only 19 for God's sake/Oh, you don't need a boyfriend"... classic)
11. The Posies - "I Guess You're Right" (this was a sample track included with a laptop I bought, of all things)
12. The Hold Steady - "Cattle and the Creeping Things" (I'll just admit I'm not a big Hold Steady fan and we'll just agree to move on, okay?)
13. Sloan - "Even Though" (bonus free download track from the album that needed a home)
14. The Epoxies - "Synthesized" (classic $15 song: great track, so-so album)
15. Amy Miles - "Put" (another track from The Baxter which is just amazing)
16. stellastarr* - "Sweet Troubled Soul" (these guys have a limited 80's sound and I can only take so much; thus I own one album and the rest end up on these comps)
17. Dropkick Murphys - "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" (don't hate me, but damn it's catchy)
18. Deep Purple Helmet - "Fall for Grace" (because I sort by year, DPH has a second track on this volume)
19. The Decemberists - "The Mariner's Revenge Song" (The Decemberists are either great or annoying in my book; this classic 8+ minute song is not a cover, but does scream "end of the line" to me)

If you've read this far, thank you for your patience or your sympathy for a relatable obsessive compulsive disorder.

- Snilch

Yes, I Got Your E-mail. Now Leave Me Alone. Part 1.

I do (eventually) get around to most of what you recommend.  I generally try not to publicly disparage you unless you really provoke or annoy me.  Which most of you do.

In any case... here are your feeble well-intentioned efforts to expand my already prodigious musical vocabulary, and the details on how you all have failed me yet again.

• The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You (2009).  Al actually sent this to me to listen to, which is good because I probably wouldn’t have bought it on my own. Oddly enough, he chose this week to get all over me about listening to it as well.  Normally I run screaming from this brand of light pop, but I have to say it’s decent.  It’s very nice, light, and introspective, although I rarely sit down to listen to music on the porch rocker with my corncob pipe to watch lightning bugs.  Nothing against that; I just don’t do it that often.  But this is decent and well worth a listen.
  
  CD Placement rating:  CD Rack.
  
  
• Adam Ezra Group - View from the Root (2008). Brian (via John S.) recommended this one, as a light powerpop album in the vein of Alanis Morrissette.  As I listened to the opening track (“Vision”), I was more struck by a cross between the Dave Matthews Band and the Goo Goo Dolls, with the vocals reminiscent of the lead singer of the O.C. Supertones.  Now, it is true that I’d like to like both Dave Matthews and the Goo Goo Dolls, but they both lack some indefinable something that ultimately sours me on both.  Not here.  Adam and the band play in that folk-rock vein that can very easily verge into the self-indulgent; they have a bit more substance than that and manage to stay on the correct side of the ledger throughout, even when they veer to the brink (like in “Basement Song”).  Ultimately there’s less Goo Goo’s and more Dave Matthews, but the more authentic lyric quality and meticulously produced sound is ultimately undeniable.  Now don’t turn into Train, guys.  
  
  CD Placement rating:  Portable CD Case.
  
  
• A Band of Bees - Free the Bees (2004).  Andrew likes to recommend bands whose names start from A-L so he doesn't have to scroll too far down to see his name.  This strategy plays off here in spades.  A Band of Bees took a time warp directly from the 60's, and have refused to adapt past that musical technique, style, and production.  Even the vocals make you think this is from 40-50 years ago.  It's a pleasant listen, just not really my thing these days.
  CD Placement rating:  If you still listen to The Beach Boys or Herman's Hermits, this will be a Portable CD Case or Car CD Changer pick for you.  For me, it's nice, but ends up in Sell-back Pile 1.
  
  
• Miklós Rózsa - Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (Soundtrack) (1982). Another Brian recommendation, who keeps trying to expand my musical vocabulary with soundtracks, and it must be working because I keep picking these things up.  First impression:  it’s orchestral.  (Thanks, I’ll be here all week.  Please try the roast beef, and tip your server generously.)  It's very good, but I lack the musical vocabulary in this genre to explain exactly why.
  CD Placement rating:  Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Killing Joke - What's THIS for...! (1981, re-mastered/re-issued 2005). The mysterious uzine and its unidentifiable author posted a response to a 2007 post in August 2010 (!), claiming I had wrongfully represented Killing Joke's best album as their first, despite the statute of limitations on that review having long since run out.  (Yes, these are the jokes.)  I went back to Killing Joke source/"expert" Mark, who immediately backed down from his 2007 statements with a "well, I haven’t listened to EVERYTHING they’ve done," thus hanging me out to dry.  So I now throw him under the bus in public.  (Well, this blog really only qualifies as "semi-private.")  Having listened to their sophomore follow-up, I find that it is really splitting hairs:  they're both great albums.  If I had to pick one, I'd probably give the edge to the first album over the second simply because the second doesn't have an equivalent to "Wardance" or "Complications."  But this one is musically more mature; in two or three years I could easily see reversing my opinion.  Or not.
  CD Placement rating:  Car CD Changer.
  
  
• Plunderphonics - Plunderphonics 69/96 (2001).  I had to pick this up off iTunes as I didn't want to plunk down the massive quid based on what I believed was a "blind" recommendation by Donna M.  Quite simply, this whole album (all 60 tracks) is absolutely nuts.  On the first disc it's sample after sample after sample -- the album starts with the final piano chord at the end of The Beatles' "A Day in the Life," and continues with Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, Public Enemy, Dolly Parton, and everywhere in between.  There's even a song that appears to be a career summary of The Doors. So it's all over the place with rock, rap, pop, etc., until the second half, which is spoken word and orchestral, which is also nuts, but different, and, much like this run-on sentence that seems like it will never end, in some ways you don't want the album to end either because you're not quite sure what's coming next.  I didn't know what to call this music, but allmusic.com calls it "Avant-Garde," which is another way of saying "you will love this or despise this."  Allmusic has a lot more prose, flowery language, and pointed descriptions of this album as well.  My take is "Me likee."
  CD Placement rating:  This is a Car CD Changer worthy play for me, but could be Pile of Death for you.  One word of warning:  these songs most definitely are not shuffle friendly; play them as an album, it is an experience.
  
  
• The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site (2003).  Thanks to @gcn1 for this one.  Somehow all Canadian bands (from Sloan to The Tragically Hip to Glass Tiger) all share a common tonality – I can’t put my finger on it, but I knew The Weakerthans were Canadian before I read the liner notes.  (Okay, so the song “One Great City!” with the line “I hate Winnipeg” may have been a pretty obvious clue as well.)  Overall, it’s excellent Canadian indie/garage power pop touched with a twang of Uncle Tupelo, with the standout track “The Reasons” occupying my T rides on repeat for the entire month of November.  They’re fun, smart, self-depricating, and they rock.  Great car drive fare. 
  
  CD Placement rating:  CD Rack.  Go get “The Reasons” on iTunes, jackass.
  
  -Snilch