I’m posting this for the sole purpose of making sure my roomate Dave is never more than an internet connection away from hearing this song. He’s been known to get cranky when he can’t. It’s from Blind Melon’s second record, released just months before frontman Shannon Hoon’s fatal cocaine overdose.

I never felt that Blind Melon got a fair shake because they will forever be known only as the band that sings that “No Rain” song. Dave thinks about it like “No Rain” is a song from the radio. The stuff on Soup is actually Blind Melon. It’s the same way I think of “Creep.” It’s a song that’s generally associated with Radiohead, but real Radiohead is stuff like “The National Anthem.” Unfortunately for Blind Melon, their iron lung didn’t get a chance to sustain them long enough to make a greater impression.  So I’m going to try to do my part to share something else.  Also their cover of the Schoolhouse Rock classic “Three is A Magic Number” and, because I mentioned it, “The National Anthem.”

 Blind Melon - Vernie [3:16m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Blind Melon - Three is a Magic Number [3:14m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - The National Anthem (Live) [4:58m]: Play in Popup | Download

Okay, I said some things about Sigur Rós last week that weren’t entirely friendly. This is largely due to my irrational hatred of them (I’ve decided to make Quarashi my personal pinnacle of Icelandic music, judging Björk to transcend borders).  I felt a little bad, because a lot of people really enjoy Sigur Rós, and if you’re one that might, but don’t yet know it (it seems to be the rational thing).  So here are the two tracks that I enjoy.  “Svefn-g-englar” I know from the Vanilla Sky soundtrack, and “Starálfur” you may know from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.  I think I mentioned that already.  Anyhow, songs I do enjoy.  Enjoy them yourself.

 Sigur Rós - Svefn-g-englar: Play in Popup | Download
 Sigur Rós - Starálfur [6:47m]: Play in Popup | Download

All this jazz about Radiohead being opposed (and rightly so) to the release of a Greatest Hits comp has gotten me to thinkin’. Actually it was one of the comments on the NME article, but I would’ve come up with it eventually. If EMI wanted to do something that would sell, and be less blatantly offensive, they ought to have released a B-Sides & Rarities instead. Y’know, like Amnesiac. Anyone who likes Radiohead enough to be interested in this Hits disc is likely to have those songs already because, well, they are good songs. So it’s a rarities night tonight: the sexiest song ever written (according to Thom), the sexiest song ever written (according to me), a corrected version of an old song done live on French TV, an old song done for the radio with members of the Posies (not Pixies, I can’t stress this enough), a “No Surprises” b-side, a string quartet rendition of an OK Computer track, one of my favourite early songs live, and an acoustic version of Kid A’s closer. I think it’s a pretty balanced selection. And, because I like you, I’m throwing in a video of “Karma Police” live on Le Reservoir. That whole set is floating around YouTube, I recommend you seek ‘em out. [youtube onw96jFCHb4]

 Radiohead - Nobody Does it Better (live) [3:35m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - Talk Show Host [4:14m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - Fog (again) [live] [2:17m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - Blow Out (acoustic) [3:23m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - How I Made My Millions [3:08m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Section - Electioneering [3:15m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - Killer Cars (live) [2:17m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - Motion Picture Soundtrack (acoustic) [3:16m]: Play in Popup | Download

Jen’s at work, so I was put in charge of and I wasn’t told that she’d already done the Friday Mix. This means that, instead of in addition to learning about new hip sounds that are happening now, you get to bear the brunt of my David Bowie Friday. See, I woke up this morning with a hankerin’ for some Bowie, and I didn’t want to over do Outside because it’s too choice to get sick of, so I grabbed Earthling, Heathen, Hurling Disdain and Xen’s Magic Bowie Mix and enjoyed those at work. And I pass the savings on to you!! So here are some Bowie songs you need to hear:

We’ll start off with a mash-up, a classic, three modern ones, and lastly doing “Hurt” with Trent Reznor in 1995 while touring together. It’s from the bootleg Hurling Disdain. Enjoy some Bowie, ya’ll!!

 50 Cent vs. David Bowie - 21 Questions of Fame [4:25m]: Play in Popup | Download
 David Bowie - Life On Mars [3:52m]: Play in Popup | Download
 David Bowie - Seven Years in Tibet [6:22m]: Play in Popup | Download
 David Bowie - Everyone Says Hi [3:58m]: Play in Popup | Download
 David Bowie - The Pretty Things are Going to Hell [4:41m]: Play in Popup | Download
 David Bowie and Trent Reznor - Hurt (live) [6:11m]: Play in Popup | Download

I’m so sure you guys are aware. Right? New single from My Morning Jacket? Okay, well in case you’re in a hole that needs cleaning, here’s an mpfree.

My Morning Jacket | MySpazz | Buy Evil Urges

Footnotes:

• They’re gonna be at Bonnaroo this year.

• They have a new album coming out on June 10th. Hold onto your pants. If you were at SXSW you got a preview.

• They were on the cover of Spin this month (ooh la la).\

• Jim James is dirty hot.

 My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges [5:12m]: Play in Popup | Download

I love PBS. They have this kickass show called Austin City Limits that I catch once in a blue moon. As our hour of Scrubs was over, I did a little channel surfing to find something to flicker in the background while I dozed off to sleep. I turn into PBS and I see a band playing, so I stop and decide to listen in for a second to see if they suck or are delicious. 

Delicious all the way. I didn't know it until the end of the program, but the band I was watching was called My Morning Jacket, and they were playing "Golden".

I was caught up in the rest of the show, which was only a few songs. Golden was definitely country, with that slide guitar wahwahing. Then the rest of what they played was a mix of progressive syncy rock. The lead, Jim James, his voice is relatively plain but it definitely works so well with their music. They're great live, too, as well as the music making me an instant fan, which doesn't often happen. I do enjoy the feeling of falling in love with music.

After some research I discovered that their latest album is called Okonokos, they've lost and gained two band members, they've been around since '98, and they played at Bonnaroo for a few years, the last one being in 2006. Dammit. They also named their band after a jacket with the initials MMJ on it that was found after a show.

 Anyways, here are four of the five tracks I caught on PBS. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and currently do. My Morning Jacket gets a big LTM stamp of approval.

My Morning Jacket Official  // MySpace // Get Okonokos

Wiki // Austin City Limits Website

Gideon MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/Gideon.mp3]

Golden MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/golden%20-%20my%20morning%20jacket.mp3]

Anytime MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/My_Morning_Jacket-Anytime.mp3]

Dondante MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/mymorningjacket-dondante.mp3]