Last.fm Playlist: 5/18/08

1. "Serious", [DARYL] - Another frustration with last.fm is that they use brackets as part of their coding language. As a result, last.fm users can't really show their love of the band because the brackets in the band's name confuses the computers. Oh well.


2. "Bearfield Fight Song", American Werewolf Academy - My thanks to Aaron Thedford for finally uploading the band's catalogue to the last.fm website. I'm sure my readers will be thankful to Mr. Thedford after they hear what I can only describe as "candy to the ears".


3. "Fat Girls", THe BAcksliders - Another fabulous track from You're Welcome. The CD Release Party is June 6th at Double-Wide; save that date.


4. "Trick Photography", Black Tie Dynasty - I predict that BTD will not play this song Saturday at the Granada Theater. Frankly, I miss hearing this song at their shows.


5. "Throw Me Overboard", The Demigs - This band opens for BTD and The Burning Hotels at Granada. Be there early for this band. Why? Because they rule; that's why.


6. "Mama Help Me", Edie Brickell and New Bohemians - This song just never caught on the way it should have. I'd call it sophomore slump, except that the song is too good to slap that label on it.


7. "Still Below You", Fishing For Comets - I chose the version off of their debut EP because, well, that's the only version in the last.fm catalogue.


8. "Write for You", Goodwin - I've been listening to this song so much that I'm hoping all of you enjoy as much as I have. That's why "Write for You" remains on the playlist for a second week.


9. "What Are You Waiting For?", John Dufilho - Even though it's from John's solo album, it feels just like a Deathray Davies song. Not that that's a bad thing.


10. "Sophisticate", The Marked Men - I had not heard of this band until listening to them on last.fm's Denton Tag Radio. If you're a fan of pop punk (Ramones style of course, not Good Charlotte), then you'll probably like this song.


11. "A Smile in the Garden of Sunshine", Matthew and the Arrogant Sea - Okay, so the band went a little overboard with the multi-million dollar record deal story. Get past the hype, and what you'll find are some lovely songs by this band.


12. "In Tennessee", Nicholas Altobelli - Another thanks goes out to Mr. Altobelli for uploading songs on last.fm. His Streetcar Visions EP is a very enjoyable collection of songs that is well worth buying.


13. "Doreen", Old 97's - Alas, I do not have a copy of Blame It on Gravity yet. Perhaps I'll buy it at Good Records on the 31st when Old 97's also do an in-store performance. By the way, I want to know, readers, what do you think of the new album?


14. "Love My Way", The Polyphonic Spree- Yes, I'm a sucker for unusual cover songs, and this is definitely an unusual cover. Hearing the ever so happy Tim DeLaughter sing "It's a fashion with a gun my love", well, that just doesn't have that happy go lucky Polyphonic Spree vibe. Yet it works. Go figure.


15. "When We Was Kool", PPT - Is it humanly possible to frown and listen to a PPT song at the same time? I doubt it. By the way, if you haven't checked out the video on YouTube yet, do so.


16. "Almost Home", Rahim Quazi - I figured that the first Rahim song to be featured on a playlist would be the title track to his new album, Supernatural. That was before I saw that Rahim uploaded this, one of my favorite songs of his ever. This song has never made it onto an album; I've only heard it at live shows, mostly because he's kind enough to play it whenever I yell this song out. "Supernatural" will have to wait for another week. By the way, look for more stuff on Rahim on Ghost of Blind Lemon in the near future.


17. "Slide Shows", Rose County Fair - I have nothing witty or insightful to offer about this song, other than the fact that it's by Rose County Fair, which means it's good. Enough said.


18. "Hang On", Salim Nourallah - I've never known another songwriter who can write such sad lyrics and make it so utterly catchly as Salim Nourallah can do. Who else could write lines like "hang on, hang on/'til everything is gone" and make it a chorus that sticks in your head?


19. "Goats Across the Fire", Shibboleth - I love this song, but really guys, what's up with the song title?


20. "Your Life", Smile Smile - Between "Hang On" and this song, maybe I oughtta warn listeners to take their Prozac before listening to this playlist.