Author Archives: acompleteunknown

The 11 Best Songs By Small Black

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Today’s big music news finds Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre donating 70 million to USC to start a new school for the ever changing music, technology and business industry.  As noble of an effort as this is and extremely commendable, I wonder if it hinders progress.  Hear me out.  Dr. Dre and Iovine are major innovators in the field of music.  They didn’t go to school to learn how to be ground breaking, they taught themselves through being on the front lines.  And though there are a slew of cutting edge bands that have ties to college and art school (Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, MGMT, Pavement) it seems like the most successful route to becoming a musical innovator is by living in the trenches as a struggling musician for years and paying your dues (Eminem, Guns N Roses, Nirvana, The Black Keys, The Beatles, and N.W.A.)  I’m not saying this isn’t a positive thing…it is.  I guess my question is can great music be taught or is it learned?

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Small Black:

  1. Photojournalist (New Chain)
  2. Search Party (New Chain)
  3. Despicable Dogs (Small Black EP)
  4. Love’s Not Enough (Moon Killer Mixtape)
  5. New Chain (New Chain)
  6. Moon Killer (Moon Killer Mixtape) 
  7. Two Rivers (Moon Killer Mixtape)
  8. Crisp 100s (New Chain)
  9. Sun Was High (Photojournalist)
  10. Camouflage (New Chain)
  11. Sunday Son (Moon Killer Mixtape)

Buy Small Black’s new album, Limits of Desire…now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Vampire Weekend

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Read an interesting article that the “foodie craze” is killing the “music industry.”  They don’t give a lot of proof of that and basically correlate that it’s happening is as the food truck craze has risen, album sales have decreased.  Besides that not actually being true…there is a similarity between the two groups.  There is a rock star like quality behind some of the best food trucks.  Big foodies are always on the search for the next big thing…and it’s really important that they get to it before their friends.  If they do, then it’s even more important that they be the one to introduce their friends to the new food establishment.  People will wait hours to get a taste of a spicy ramen dish or a Mexican falafel or a latke taco.  T-shirts for niche restaurants are becoming popular…but only if you went there.  I saw one guy get ridiculed for wearing a Kogi shirt and had no idea what that was.  Can you imagine…foodie bullies?!  Food trucks are definitely the punk rock of restaurants and if you’re don’t have Mojo Nixon…then your store could use some cajun fixins…with a side of pig brain mayo (that’s a real thing…I’ve had it…and it’s delicious).

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Vampire Weekend:

  1. M79 (Vampire Weekend)
  2. I Stand Corrected (Vampire Weekend)
  3. Giving Up The Gun (Contra)
  4. Oxford Comma (Vampire Weekend)
  5. Holiday (Contra)
  6. A-Punk (Vampire Weekend)
  7. Jonathan Low (Twilight: Eclipse)
  8. Horchata (Contra)
  9. Ladies of Cambridge (Mansard Roof)
  10. Walcott (Vampire Weekend)
  11. Giant (Contra Bonus Track)

Buy Vampire Weekend’s new album, Modern Vampires of the City…now!

 

The 11 Best Songs By The Dixie Chicks

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Up until this week, I thought Benghazi was that good BBQ place across the way from the Jungle Boat ride at Disneyland.  Turns out I was wrong.  I’ve been reading up on the whole Benghazi situation and I think I’ve learned what the biggest threat to the American government is….it’s the American government!  Now I’m not trying to say the whole situation is Obama’s fault, not his fault, that there’s a conspiracy or not a conspiracy…leave that to the non-music bloggers.  What I find interesting…is that no matter what anyone does in government…there’s always someone out there who considers that person to be the worst thing to ever happen to this country and that there very existence threatens the foundations of America   Eight years ago it was George Bush, Dick Cheney, John Bolton, Condi Rice…then it was John McCain, Sarah Palin, Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney.  Now it’s Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid,  and Nancy Pelosi.  For some reason, it’s like people thrive on finding someone to blame for all of America’s problems…as if it’s ever one person’s fault.  Because if it’s someone else’s fault then it can’t be theirs.

 

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Dixie Chicks:

  1. Goodbye Earl (Fly)
  2. Not Ready To Make Nice (Taking The Long Way)
  3. If I Fall You’re Going Down With Me (Fly)
  4. There’s Your Trouble (Wide Open Spaces)
  5. Tonight the Heartache’s On Me (Wide Open Spaces)
  6. Travelin’ Soldier (Home)
  7. Cowboy Take Me Away (Fly)
  8. Wide Open Spaces (Wide Open Spaces)
  9. Landslide (Home)
  10. Top Of The World (Home)
  11. Ready To Run (Fly)

 

Buy Natalie Maines new solo album, Mother…now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Noah and the Whale

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David Bowie released a new video this week for his song, The Next Day.  It’s your basic Priests in a sex club, prostitutes, blood squirting everywhere, Gary Oldman-starred, music video.  Who hasn’t made a video like this?  I think Amy Grant made like three of them.  I get that the video is mildly offensive but it’s also making an artistic statement, whether you agree that the statement has validity or not.  I’m not saying that art always is accurate when questioning morality or religion or politics but it should have the right to ask these questions without the fear of being censored.  What is most surprising about this is that YouTube of all places has banned the video.  I’m assuming that they’re doing it because of the anti-Christian statement…or possible because of the blood?  But has YouTube seen the type of videos that are currently up on YouTube.  A basic search turns up 380,000 anti-Jewish videos, 494,000 anti-Muslim videos, and 446,000 anti-Christian videos.  Why is the line drawn at David Bowie?  Madonna’s Like a Prayer is up there on the Warner Bros channel.  Okay, so maybe it’s the blood… But then again, I found over 100,000 compilations featuring violent clips from Taratino movies, the Biting Elbows music video that opens with a guy getting shot in the head, and a compilation of all the bloody scenes from the first 5 Saw movies.  But again, David Bowie is where you draw the line?  I guess even at 66, David Bowie is still too cutting edge for our parents.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Noah and The Whale:

  1. Give It All Back (Last Night On Earth)
  2. Jocasta (Peaceful the World Lays Me Down)
  3. Stranger (The First Days of Spring)
  4. Just Before We Met (Last Night On Earth)
  5. Shape of My Heart (Peaceful the World Lays Me Down)
  6. My Broken Heart (The First Days of Spring)
  7. If My Album Sold A Million (Presents The A Sides)
  8. Blue Skies (The First Days of Spring)
  9. Give a Little Love (Peaceful the World Lays Me Down)
  10. Black Cab (Presents The A Sides)
  11. I Have Nothing (The First Days of Spring)

Buy Noah and the Whale’s new album, Heart of Nowhere…now!!!

The 11 Best Songs By She & Him

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There has been considerable uproar over Zach Braff’s use of Kickstarter to shoot his new movie.  For some reason every one thinks that Kickstarter should not be for wealthy people and only for hard-working people.  I’ve seen Kickstarters for many friends and associates.  They make nothing.  One friend was trying to purchase a lunch truck.  He raised $2,400.  He needed $25,000.  Another friend was trying to raise money for his wedding.  He was asking for $40,000.  He got $7,600.  I even had friend trying to fund a short film.  He needed $35,000.  He got…and I’m not making this up…$650.  When our friends use it…they’re doing something for themselves and are just looking for our support.  Yes, in theory it should be for the up-and-comers trying to pursue their dream…but that doesn’t always work.

On the flipside, when a celebrity uses Kickstarter, they’re offering a product that everyone will have the potential to enjoy.  Rob Thomas offered a Veronica Mars movie that no studio would make.  The only way for this to happen was with Kickstarter.  Zach Braff can’t get the backing of a studio for his new project, so he’s asking the fans to step up and help him get it done.  A lot of people are pointing out that Braff could just pay for it himself.  Sure, but that’s possible…but that doesn’t work creatively.  For filmmakers to succeed, you need to be beholden to a great source.  They also need to know there’s an audience for this pic.  If Braff put up his movie and no one bid…then he knows not to make.  And if people want to give money…let them.  They want to do it…who are we to stop them?  Having the audience involved in the project is a good thing.  That means Braff has to put up something good.

The last one to pay for his own movie so he could have complete control of the outcome…George Lucas and the new Star Wars trilogy.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By She & Him:

  1. Don’t Look Back (Volume Two)
  2. This Is Not A Test (Volume One)
  3. Over It Over Again (Volume Two)
  4. In The Sun (Volume Two)
  5. Sweet Darlin’ (Volume One)
  6. Thieves (Volume Two)
  7. Ridin’ In My Car (Volume Two)
  8. I Was Made For You (Volume One)
  9. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? (Volume One)
  10. Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want (500 Days of Summer)
  11. Lotta Love (Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?)

Buy She & Him’s new album, Volume 3…now!!

 

The Unknown: Pickwick

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This six-piece neo-soul, blues, grunge x band out of Seattle falls somewhere between the rowdiness of the Black Keys and the intimate storm of the Cold War Kids while Robert Flack and Sam Cooke are blowing cool kisses from the corner of the room.  Formed in 2008, they have just released their debut album this year after a series of vinyl 7-inches built their reputation.  And let the music speak for itself.

Check them out here.

Buy Pickwick’s new album, Can’t Talk Medicine…now!

The 11 Best Fleetwood Mac Songs Featuring Stevie Nicks

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Fleetwood Mac may be most famous for their line-up featuring Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks but if their famous for anything else, it’s for their everchanging line-up.  From Peter Green to Danny Kirwan to Bob Welch to Rick Vito to Billy Burnette to Bekka Bramlett to Dave Mason to line-ups with Christine Perfect then Christine McVie then minus her altogether then line-ups with Lindsey and Stevie to line-ups with Stevie without Lindsey to line-ups without either to line-ups with Stevie and  Lindsey back.  It’s hard to keep track. And we give Axl Rose a hard time.  Even though Christine is probably my favorite Mac songwriter, this list is dedicated to the new tour, new EP and current line-up.

Here are the 11 Best Fleetwood Mac Songs Featuring Stevie Nicks:

  1. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
  2. Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac)
  3. Seven Wonders (Tango In the Night)
  4. Dreams (Rumors)
  5. Sara (Tusk)
  6. Sisters of the Moon (Tusk)
  7. Gypsy (Mirage)
  8. Gold Dust Woman (Rumors)
  9. Thrown Down (Say You Will)
  10. Freedom (Behind the Mask)
  11. Not Make Believe (Say You Will Bonus Track)

Buy Fleetwood Mac’s new EP, Extended Play…now!!

The 11 Best Songs By The Airborne Toxic Event

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Facebook’s ads are killing me.  They’re not just annoying my Facebook experience, they’re also hurting this blog. GBU has its own Facebook page.  We have have a modest amount of followers.  Now I can’t speak for all my followers but I know when I like a page, it’s because I want to get updates from that page.  For awhile, that was happening.  But now, Facebook is asking me to pay to advertise to the followers I already have.  They’re only exposing my blog to about 20% of my followers.  Meanwhile, on my personal page, I’m not getting updates of the stuff I like…but instead I’m getting updates/advertising in news feed for things I don’t really care about…or things I don’t even like.  I get that Facebook needs to make money…but not at the expense of ruining the experience.  If people stop liking Facebook because of the ads and stop coming…then it makes using it as an advertising platform irrelevant.

So here’s my grass roots plan.  I need more followers.  If you haven’t liked our Facebook page yet…please do it now.  Here’s the link: GBU Facebook.

If you have liked the page…suggest it to another friend.  See if you can help us build our following.  The more followers we get, the more posts we’ll do…so everyone wins.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Airborne Toxic Event:

  1. Gasoline (The Airborne Toxic Event)
  2. Papillion (The Airborne Toxic Event)
  3. Numb (All At Once)
  4. Innocence (The Airborne Toxic Event)
  5. Welcome To Your Wedding Day (All At Once)
  6. The Wishing Song (Muppets: The Green Album)
  7. The Winning Side (Bonus)
  8. Wishing Well (The Airborne Toxic Event)
  9. All I Ever Wanted (All At Once)
  10. The Graveyard Near The House (All At Once)
  11. Boots of Spanish Leather (Chimes of Freedom)

Buy ATE’s new album, Such Hot Blood…now!!!

The 11 Best Song By Iggy & The Stooges

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The Stooges were commercial failures.  None of their albums charted in the top 100 on billboard.  Sales through out their careers were minimal at best.  In 40 years, they’ve never had an album go platinum…or even gold for that matter.  They’ve never had a hit single.  They’ve never been on TMZ (I’m guessing).  But their iconic status is legendary.  Inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame, they weren’t ushered in because of their charting abilities…it was because of their pure unadulterated influence over almost every band that dared to pick up a guitar since their incarnation.  Don’t believe me…Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, The Offspring, NY Dolls, X, Wilco, Sex Pistols, Slayer, Sonic Youth, Ryan Adams, Black Keys, Soundgarden, Guns N Roses, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Ramones, and even Depeche Mode have all claimed that they were influenced by Iggy & co.  That’s not a bad resume considering their albums got outsold by the likes of Edward Bear and Anne Murray.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Iggy & The Stooges:

  1. Search & Destroy (Raw Power)
  2. Gimme Danger (Raw Power)
  3. Raw Power (Raw Power)
  4. I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges)
  5. No Fun (The Stooges)
  6. I Got A Right (Raw Power Outtake)
  7. Fun House (Fun House)
  8. Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell (Raw Power)
  9. Down On the Street (Fun House)
  10. TV Eye (Fun House)
  11. Shake Appeal (Raw Power)

Buy Iggy & The Stooges new album, Ready To Die…now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Har Mar Superstar

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I’ve been looking for a full-time job for the past couple of months.  It’s brutal out there.  I’ve rewritten my resume about 100 times and contacted every person I’ve ever known and some that I don’t know.  I don’t advise the latter. I keep telling myself that it’s just tough out there and I have to work extra hard to get a good job.  I’m up for it.  No job’s worth getting unless you have to struggle to get it.  I went for a run after a day of applying.  As I came to a stop at a red light, there was another guy standing there, too.  He had about 70% of his teeth and still hadn’t figured out how to use a bath.  He was having an argument with himself about what was better, Star Trek or doughnuts.  I am not making this up.  And he was getting himself riled up.  I think doughnuts were winning and he wasn’t happy about it.  Here’s the kicker to the story.  He was wearing a 7-Eleven t-shirt…because he works there.  This guy has a job and I don’t.  I’m not bitter…but if this guy set the bar I need to brush up on my pastry treats.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Har Mar Superstar:

  1. DUI (The Handler)
  2. Cut Me Up (The Handler)
  3. Body Request (The Handler)
  4. Dope, Man (Dark Touches)
  5. Transit (The Handler)
  6. EZ Pass (You Can Feel Me)
  7. Girls Only (Dark Touches)
  8. Almond Joy (Dark Touches)
  9. Tall Boy (Dark Touches)
  10. Never My Love (Whip It)
  11. Cry 4 Help (Har Mar Superstar)

Buy Har Mar Superstar’s new album, Bye Bye 17 now!!!