Five Random Tracks
Saw this done a few years ago on another site, and thought it would be fun to...ummm...borrow the idea. It works as such: Put your mp3 player or other music playing device on random; list the first five tracks that play; and profit.
The only other rule is 'no cheating'. I want to see what your listening to, warts and all, so even if you're a bit embarrassed by something, post it up!
I'll kick it off:
Spoon - "Out Go the Lights": Transference wasn't quite as good as a few of their other albums, but I still thoroughly enjoy it.
Broken Social Scene - "I'm Still Your Fag": I haven't listened to this album in awhile. I need to do that.
The xx - "Crystalised": I'm very curious to see what this band does with their follow up. I'm thinking it will be disappointing.
The Replacements - "Mr. Whirly": Early Mats off of Hootenanny. Always puts a smile on my face.
The Mountain Goats - "Genesis 30:3": So depressingly good. Certainly a change after the Mats, though.
The randomization sure hit some of my favorite bands this time. Kind of surprising. Usually when I do this my embarrassing stuff rises right to the top.
Anywho. What ya got?
Craig
The only other rule is 'no cheating'. I want to see what your listening to, warts and all, so even if you're a bit embarrassed by something, post it up!
I'll kick it off:
Spoon - "Out Go the Lights": Transference wasn't quite as good as a few of their other albums, but I still thoroughly enjoy it.
Broken Social Scene - "I'm Still Your Fag": I haven't listened to this album in awhile. I need to do that.
The xx - "Crystalised": I'm very curious to see what this band does with their follow up. I'm thinking it will be disappointing.
The Replacements - "Mr. Whirly": Early Mats off of Hootenanny. Always puts a smile on my face.
The Mountain Goats - "Genesis 30:3": So depressingly good. Certainly a change after the Mats, though.
The randomization sure hit some of my favorite bands this time. Kind of surprising. Usually when I do this my embarrassing stuff rises right to the top.
Anywho. What ya got?
Craig
Comments
Here are the first five from my iPod:
Saarland Radio Wind Trio - Music for Wind Trio: Jacques Ibert, Cinq pi
Caravan - Duke Ellington - Money Jungle
E Nan Mian Nuku - El Rego et ses Commandos - Legends of Benin
Tensions - Charles Mingus - Passions Of A Man: The Complete Atlantic Recordings
Just Couldn't Tie Me Down - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
Run - Vampire Weekend - Contra
Tangerine Dream, La Marche, from Joanna D'Arc.
Gene Autry, Travelin' Blues, from the That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine box set. Complete with yodels.
Don Gallardo & How Far West, Anytown USA, from the Regards to the Season EP. Pretty much country, lots of pedal steel guitar. An AmieStreet purchase from 2009.
Donna the Buffalo and Jim Lauderdale, Awake Now, from Wait Til Spring.
Ghalib Ghallab, 95th Street, from Toya's Song. Smooth jazz, and I swear they are using a drum machine. Another AmieStreet addition to tmy library.
Electronic > Cowboy > Country > Jam Band > Smooth Jazz
Dave Holland Quintet, "Claressence," from Archive Series Vol 1. This was a $1 special on Dave's website.
Clifford Jordan Quartet, "Maimoun," from Glass Bead Games. If it's Cliff, I'm in.
Jimmy Smith, "Back at the Chicken Shack," Best of Jimmy Smith. Jimmy was one of the artists that really spurred my interest in jazz.
Coleman Hawkins, "I Surrender Dear," from Commodore Jazz Sampler. Wish I had more discs from this series, issued early in the Jazz-CD renaissance.
So. The collection is actually much more diverse than this, though it does reflect the large amount of Jazz I carry around with me every day!
I'll have to give it a shot this week with the laptop and the full library.
Craig
Replacements, 20th Century Boy (outtake from the Let It Be reissue, excellent start)
Vince Guaraldi Trio, Christmas is Coming (a few months early, but always welcome)
The dB's, A Spy in the House of Love (from Like This, my favorite dB's album, three for three!)
Beatles, The End (Abbey Road, would have been better at #5, but why quibble?)
Heaven & Hell, Neverwhere (from The Devil You Know, RIP RJD)
Nothing to be embarrassed about. Whew.
Of the first 17 (out of 9,562) songs, 4 have been John Coltrane.
Tommee Profitt, Always (A friend of mine, on AmieStreet)
Lambchop, Sharing a Gibson with Martin Luther King Jr.
J. Kirby and Group, Every Mail Day
Don Patterson, Last Train From Overbrook
Guy Clark, Mud
I wonder about iTunes randomness generator, since two tracks within 20 minutes of each other were from Blues for Allah. With more than 400GB in the iTunes library, I find that a little less than random.
Wayne Shorter "502 Blues (Drinkin' And Drivin')" from Adam's Apple
BT "The Unbreakable" from These Hopeful Machines
Super Som Lord "BR Samba" from Black Rio Vol. 2 Brazil Soul Power 1968-1981
Jamie Lidell "The Ring" from The Ring (Single) (one of the best tracks this year)
Born Ruffians "What To Say" from What to Say (Single)
Now from the entire collection:
Dead Or Alive - "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" from The Wedding Singer
Isis - "Weight (Fennesz Remix)" from Oceanic: Remixes/Reinterpretations
Superdrag - "I Only Want a Place I Can Stay" from Industry Giants
The Black Keys - "Work Me" from You're the One (Single)
Emmylou Harris - "So Sad (To Watch Goog Love Go Bad)" from Emmylou Harris Anthology
Didn't make as much of a difference as I would have expected.
I actually heard a while ago Apple was adjusting the Shuffle algorithm to avoid such coincidences...thereby making it actually less random so that it would seem more random.
Fiddler's Dream by Bela Fleck (Daybreak)
Apparitions II by Dennis Riley
Thirty One Years and Counting by Ian Hawgood (Enfants Ruraux--free album)
Bestioles by D'Incise (no-R-mal--free album)
Emarabini by Soweto Gospel Choir (Grace)
ETA: My second five
Unalo by Sounds of Taraab (Zanzibar, New York--free album)
Ottowa Valley Reel by Eddy Arsenault (Prince Edward Island Style of Fiddling vol. 2)
Put Out A Fire and Get Stoned by Virt (52 Weeks--free album)
Turn Your Radio On by John Hartford (Aereo-Plain)
So We'll Get No More A-Roving by Phyliis Bryn-Julson (Music of George Walker)
(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket: Elton John (on Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, one of the first LPs I ever bought -- great song in Elton's catalog that never gets played on the radio)
Houseparty: J. Geils Band (live on Houseparty: The J. Geils Band Anthology, excellent Rhino collection from a band I always enjoy but often forget about)
Nephretite: Dexter Romweber (instrumental on Blues That Defy My Soul, looks like the first time I've played that one)
Bad Detective: New York Dolls (demo from A Hard Night's Day -- oh, how I love this band)
Little Umbrellas: Frank Zappa (from Hot Rats, my least favorite track on my favorite Zappa album)
I even own three of the five on CD. Dexter Romweber and the Dolls were eMu downloads.
FWIW, next five songs came from the Spongetones, Clash, Inmates (on the excellent Children of Nuggets Rhino box), Beatles and Outkast.
First up Charles Earland's Letha
then Harmonia Mundi Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F. III Allegro agitato (Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F, Rhapsody in Blue, Cuban Overture (HMU 807441))
followed by Lauryn Hill and Oh Jerusalem
with Chick Corea taking fourth place with his Fingerprints (sorry no link they must have taken it down)
and finally Coleman Hawkins' Stealin the Bean
That is fairly representative. Pretty impressive for my eclectic bona fides, no? Hell I'm impressed ;+)
Welcome to the club guys, I have been a randomite since day one. It is the one really cool thing about mp3 that you can't really duplicate with other media. I have a 6 cd changer in the chariot and it just does not even compare.
Anybody have any insight into the randomization algorithm for WMP. I get some pretty weird combo's from time to time. And occasionally it gets stuck in a 10 track loop that pisses me off no end.
The Lady of Shallot by Loreena McKennitt from The Visit
Funny How Time Slips Away by Al Green & Lyle Lovett from Rhythm, Country & Blues (this is a terrific album on MCA pairing country and R&B stars - I Fall To Pieces as done by Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood is desert island worthy- there was a TV show also [?PBS?] )
Paranoid by Ozzy Osborne from Tribute
Someone To Watch Over Me by Sarah Vaughan from Sarah Vaughan Sings George Gershwin
White Room by Cream from The Very Best of Cream
A strange short trip, but interesting.
From 123G in iTunes which has been pared of any content from CD to make room for MP3s:
So Long by The Dixiaries from Jook Joint Volume 1
September Song by Django Reinhardt from Best of the Radio Sessions
A mhaighdean mhara (The Mermaid) by Alasdair Fraser & Tony McManus from Return To Kintail
Jesuitmont by Kornog from Music From Brittany
If You're Feelin' Low by Susan Enan from Plainsong
Sunno))) - "Sin-Nanna" (Black One, 2005)
Akron/Family - "Untitled" (Akron/Family, 2005)
Pangea - "A massive hit" (No-R-mal, 2009)
Dennis Gonzalez Jnaana Septet - "Ganesha the Spy" (The Gift of Discernment, 2008)
The odd-seeming part of the above is just how recent all 5 are. I think the median year of my library is 1997.
The Wailers - I Shot the Sheriff from Burnin' -- a classic.
Big Audio Dynamite - Dial a Hitman from No. 10, Upping St. -- I have a ton of Clash and Clash related/offshoot stuff (my all time favorite band), so not surprised this came up. Not among my favorite BAD tracks, though.
Cabaret Voltaire - A Sunday Night in Biot from Cabaret Voltaire 1974-1976. Another one of my favorite bands, from my favorite early period for them.
Al Green - Livin' for You from Greatest Hits. C'mon - it's Al Green! Always welcome when he pops up.
Sun Ra - Star Time from the Nubians of Plutonia. Lots of Sun Ra too, so not surprised at this one either.
I've played this game before and this is probably the most representative sampling of what's on my ipod I've ever hit. I'm usually apologizing for something, but no apologies today! And, I'd like to point out, I actually have quite a bit of music released in the 90's and 00's, despite what you might conclude looking at the list above. Neko Case and TV on the Radio came up while I was typing this...honest!
The Chemical Brothers - We Are the Night, From "We Are the Night" (ripped from CD acquired from BMG using one of their 'pay only shipping' promo codes)
The Replacements - Anywhere's Better Than Here, from "All For Nothing/Nothing for All, Disc 1" (ripped from CD, acquired from used CD store)
The Mekons - Angel Dog, from "Where Were You?: Hens Teeth and Other Lost Fragments of Popular Culture, Vol. 2"
Kurt Vile - The Finder, from "Square Shells" (from AmieStreet and can't format a link 'cause they're currently down)
Nine Inch Nails - Down In It: Pretty Hate Machine is such a fantastic album.
The Beastie Boys - So What'cha Want: I wish they'd release their new album.
Led Zeppelin - I Can't Quit You Baby: The live version from BBC Sessions.
Johnny Cash - The Long Black Veil: From At Folsom Prison. Finally getting some variation.
The Suburbs - Baby Heartbeat: Criminally underrated band.
Craig
Johnny Cash - It Don't Hurt Anymore (American VI)
John Hartford - Tater Tate and Allen (Mark Twang)
Michael Hayden - Sumphony in B Flat, III: Minuet
Alejandro Escovedo - I Wish I Ws Your Mother (Thirteen Years Bonus Disc)
Benedictus - Simon and Garfunkel (Wednesday Morning 3 AM)
A very relaxing random five...
Una voce poce fa - Maria Callas - The Collection
We've Done This Before - Kimmie Rhodes and Willie Nelson - Picture in a Frame
Baby Man - Mary Lou Williams - A Grand Night for Swinging
20th Century Man - The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies
The Long Black Veil - Deadstring Brothers - Deadstring Brothers
All of those album from eMusic ....
Pedals by Language of Love
South for the Winter by River City Extension
Vicksburg Stomp by Mississippi Mud Steppers
Meltdown by Justin Roberts (it's the boy's music, which I'd usually skip over if I were alone)
Onse Vader im Hemedryk by Dan Laurin, composed by Jan Van Eyck
168GB hard disk library with Rhythmbox. Random starts with the current song so I hit skip once.
Bendito - Dick Dale from Calling up Spirits (1 previous play, last played 10/2007)
Feel - Teenage Fanclub from Man-Made (1 previous play, last played 9/2007)
Elevator Music 9 - Jah Wobble from Elevator Music (1 previous play, last played 1/2008)
Sunshine Superman - Donovan from eMusic Big Hits (no previous plays)
Love in Veins - Ian McCulloch from Slideling (1 previous play, last played 8/2008)
"Aces" from Rebukes! by Dragging an Ox Through Water - recommended if Amie ever comes back
"Bad Character" from The Unseen by Quasimoto
"Icefall" from Scope by Nobukazu Takemura - reminding me I need to listen to this album more.
"Don't be Cruel" from Elvis by Elvis - although I guess technically it's a bonus track.
"Mpangaji Mungu" from Liwalo Na Liwe by Jagwa Music (link) - I swear this was random even though I just had this in the "what are you listening to" thread.
Hey, this game is fun!
Perfect Stranger - Eleni Mandell
Penumbra - The Drones
When I Still Had You -- Sonny Landreth feat. Eric Clapton
Viet-Nashville - Houston Marchman
Hitting You - Loudon Wainwright III
Nothing embarrassing, alas.
crocodiles girl in black
the ramones wart hog
st. vincent surgeon
junior byles chant down babylon
the caretaker sebald
the walkmen thinking of a dream i had
no age common heat
comets on fire blue tomb
sidi toure maimouna
waht; only five (5) songs, you say? hm.
1/Film Noir - Gaslight Anthem
2/Heart is Strange- School of 7 Bells
3/ Incarte- Josh Maxey
4/just have I Become- Oliver Tank
5/Bongo Rock- The Incrdible Bongo Band
Blood Moon - Deer Tick
Wrecking Ball - Emmylou Harris
All Night Long - Delbert McClinton
Four Letter Word - Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real
2.Saltarello secondo - Paul O'Dette - The Art of the Lute
3.Rowan Tree - Jenny Masterson - Harp Scotland
4.Hey Spo-Dee-O-Dee - Wild Bill Moore - Ham Hocks And Cornbread
5.Riding With The Blues - Ike Perkins - 100 African American R&B '50's Masters
6.4 + 20 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Deja Vu
7.1970 - The Stooges - lux and ivy's favorites volume 4 (just in case anyone hasn't picked up the 10 free volumes of lux and ivy's favorites here - see the very first entry of eMusers..Standard..Free thread - please indulge yourselves - it freaking rocks)
8.I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home - Mac Wiseman, The Osborne Brothers - 100 Greatest Bluegrass Hits
9.Milk Cow Blues - Sleepy LaBeef - The Very Best of Sleepy LaBeef
10.Woodpecker Rock - The Braves - 30 Original Historic Rockabilly Classics Volume 2
Well, I let it go for 10 hoping to get a little more dissonance but the Shuffle let me down.
Hochlanders Abscheied from Schumann's Myrthen
Basin Street Blues by Louis Armstrong
Gaitas by La Poeme Harmonique
Parade of Shadows by Grant McLennan
Smash the Glass Cerys Matthews
Sailed the Seas James Welbourne
Miles Weatherhill Rachel McShane
Engome John Williams (the classical guitarist, not the film score JW)
Son Jethro Tull
Actually I was quite surprised by that list, taken from my whole itunes, rather than just the ipod - 3 of those are unticked, so not on my ipod. Amazed there was no jazz! Also amazed that all are UK artists.