Supersuckers: "Creepy Jackalope Eye"

The Supersuckers are the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world. If you don't believe me, just ask them.



The next new episode will be coming on May 3, starting three episodes where you won't have to hear me talk at all. I've recorded them at my parents' house while recovering from a minor medical adventure, and don't have a microphone here, so they're packed full of musical goodness.

You'll hear the Supersuckers in there, along with a lot of other people. Some you've heard here before, and others will be new to the show.

Episode 17: Living on a Thin Line

This may be the longest show to date. Here's what you'll hear (direct download here):

Edward Guglielmino, "Demigod"
Splitsville, "The Popular"
David Jacobs-Strain, "The Soul of a Man"
The Tombstone, "End of Nothing"
Kristin Mainhart, "Cary Grant"

And, continuing something I started last episode, you'll once again hear me read a piece of my own creation, a story -- a blank-verse poem, actually -- titled "26 Ways to Hurt."



The Kristin Mainhart track was submitted by the artist herself (on CD!). David Jacobs-Strain comes to you via the IODA Promonet, and Splitsville comes to you via the Podsafe Music Network. The other tracks came from the artists' MySpace pages and are played with their blessing.

Download "Soul Of A Man" (mp3)
from "Ocean Or A Teardrop"
by David Jacobs-Strain
Northern Blues

• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody
• Buy at Navio Download

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Jonathan Coulton: "Tom Cruise Crazy"

Since I posted a link to the song last week, I figured I'd post the video for you to enjoy. Here's Jonathan Coulton doing his song "Tom Cruise Crazy" at a live gig.



New show's coming up tomorrow. You'll hear songs from two artists I've played before, three I haven't, and another piece from my own creative writing past.

Episode 16: Talk About the Passion

No, R.E.M.'s not involved in this episode in any shape, form or fashion. But there is passion here in abundance.

Today's episode (direct download here) includes:

James Brown, "Gut Bucket"
Ciaran Flynn, "In Dreams"
A Brokeheart Pro, "Dark Red and Loud"
Braquet, "No Excuses"
Dance on Evidence, "Weather Changes"

And you'll hear something else: I've decided to get daring and read a (short) piece of original fiction. A monologue, really. It's titled "Ripple," but it isn't about the Grateful Dead song (though that may just be the finest piece of music ever recorded).



The James Brown and Braquet tracks come via the Podsafe Music Network. The Dance on Evidence track was found at GarageBand.com. The others came from the artists' MySpace profiles.

Episode 15: Earth Day and birthdays

Today's Earth Day, and it's also the birthday of two very special women: Kelly in Atlanta (the newlywed) and Andrea in Berlin, Germany. Here's wishing them both a year full of joys.

Today's show also includes music! Here's what you'll hear (direct download here):

Richard Hefner, "House of the Rising Sun"
Helen Sventitsky, "Just This Side of Eden"
Amir Beso, "Balkan Nights"
Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3, "Here Come the Miracles"
Holly Bakehorn, "Let 'Er Rip"

Richard Hefner's track comes from EZFolk.com, which he manages -- lots of great music there, country and folk and blues. The other tracks came from the artist's own Web sites or MySpace profiles.

Nina Simone

Four years ago today, the world lost a unique artistic visionary when Nina Simone passed away. Here she is performing "Four Women" in concert:



And here she is doing her civil rights song "Mississippi Goddam:"



Both of those songs were of her own penning. She was also a genius at reinterpreting the songs of others and making them her own. Here's a fan-made video with album covers and stock photos accompanying her performance of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun:"



She started out at a time when black artists were regularly taken advantage of by record companies, when women were still in a subservient position, and black women suffered under both forms of oppression. She was "difficult," which meant she wasn't afraid to show she had backbone, to speak her mind, to walk away when people were impossible to change and find better company. She is sorely missed.

New podcast episode coming tomorrow.

Video: George Pelecanos with Steve Wynn and friends

George Pelecanos is a crime writer based in Washington, D.C., who first came to my attention as a writer (and later producer) on HBO's bloody brilliant Baltimore-based "great American novel for television" called The Wire.

Here we see him reading from his most recent novel, The Night Gardener, with Steve Wynn (formerly of Dream Syndicate) and other musicians backing him.



You'll hear more from Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3 on Sunday's edition of the podcast.

Episode 14: The One With the Swooning

Today's episode (direct download here) features love songs, though some admittedly come with a skewed point of view. (If the phrase "skewed point of view," when entered into Google and accompanied by a click of the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, does NOT take you to Jonathan Coulton's Web site -- well, then that's just sad.) Here's what you'll hear:

Jonathan Coulton, "My Monkey"
Laura Clapp, "I've Been Thinking About You"
R-Three, "Love Is Stranger Than Fiction"
Steve Kilbey, "Under the Milky Way" (live and acoustic)
Jackie DeShannon, "Stay in My Life"

The Jonathan Coulton and R-Three tracks come from the artists' Web sites. Laura Clapp's song comes from the Podsafe Music Network. And the tracks by Steve Kilbey and Jackie DeShannon (make that, "the legendary Jackie DeShannon") come from the IODA Promonet.



Congratulations to Kelly and James down in Atlanta, who got married on April 14.

Download "Stay In My Life" (mp3)
from "Stay In My Life"
by Jackie DeShannon
DeShannon Communications

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album


Steve Kilbey
"Under the Milky Way" (mp3)
from "Acoustic & Intimate"
(Karmic Hit)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at eMusic
Buy at Napster
Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
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Bright Eyes: "First Day of My Life"

Here's the video for Bright Eyes' "First Day of My Life."



Note: If you're offended by the sight of same-sex couples expressing their love (in a non-sexually explicit way) in the same way opposite-sex couples do without anyone batting an eye, you'll be uncomfortable a couple of times during this video. Oh, and you're probably an ass.

The guy in the red jacket with the really tall hair looks a lot like Malcolm Gladwell, though I don't think it's him. (He looks a little older than the author of Blink and The Tipping Point, which are must-read books for those who aspire to geekiness.)

New episode coming Wednesday, featuring five love songs.

Episode 13: 'If You Haven't Done Your Taxes Yet, You're Screwed!' Edition

Hope you've got your taxes filed. If not, you may be in hot water. Here's some music to cool you off (direct download here):

Tribal Machine, "Black Fly"
Tommy B. Goode, "Accomplices"
The Worsties, "Midwest"
Free Speech, "Become of Me"
Little Charlie and the Nightcats, "Got to Have a Job"

The Tribal Machine, Tommy B. Goode and Free Speech tracks came from the artists. The Worsties come via the Podsafe Music Network, and Little Charlie and the Nightcats come via the IODA Promonet.



Oh, and you actually have until April 17 this year to file your taxes, since the 15th falls on a Sunday and since Monday is a holiday in Washington, D.C. You lucked out this year, but may not be so lucky next time!

Download "Got To Have A Job" (mp3)
from "Nine Lives"
by Little Charlie & the Nightcats
Alligator Records

• Buy at Navio Download

More On This Album

The Church: "Under the Milky Way"

Here's a video from back in the late 80s, I think; The Church doing their song "Under the Milky Way," complete with Waddy Watchel's scorching guest appearance on guitar.



Steve Kilbey, the vocalist, appeared on the show recently in the group Jack Frost. You'll be hearing a solo performance from him soon, courtesy of the IODA Promonet. For now, enjoy this little slice of perfect, shimmering rock-n-roll.

Episode 12: Kicking Butt and Taking Names

Here's a shorter episode, but what it loses in time, it makes up for in ferocity. Here's what you'll hear (direct download here):

Sirsy, "Me and My Ego"
Pallor, "My Machine"
Greydon Square, "Molotov"
Deathboy feat. Warren Ellis, "Revolution"

All tracks in this episode were either submitted by the artists themselves or pulled from their Web sites with their blessing. If you like what you hear, go forth and purchase.

Little Charlie and the Nightcats: "Hurry Up and Wait"

Here's a video from the blues band Little Charlie and the Nightcats. You'll be hearing them on the April 15 show -- because there's nothing like tax time to make you sing the blues.



Why, yes, I am working ahead. I've slotted out tentative dates for shows all the way through the end of November, largely based on the potential for Bizarro Files wackiness or the birthdays of select individuals. There is a madness to my method, I mean, a method to my madness.

The next show will be April 11, and includes Greydon Square's song "Molotov" from his forthcoming release, The Compton Effect. Plus other goodies.

R-Three: "Elsa Green"

And, while I'm at it, here's a video for R-Three's "Elsa Green." No, Rhett's not paying me. :)

Gustav Bertha: "One" (U2 cover)

Below you'll see and hear Gustav Bertha performing U2's classic "One" in what I presume is his home studio in Switzerland. If this were anyone else, I wouldn't think of posting it. There are a ton of homemade YouTube videos of people doing cover songs -- I love cover songs, I love indie music, but most of them are so low in quality that it's hard to find the good ones.

But Gustav Bertha is an artist I admire a lot, a funny and talented guy (and a great podcaster). This is a bit rough -- has the feel of a demo, almost -- but there are some flashes of genius in here. The little bits of almost honky-tonk playing on the keyboard in between the verses, for instance -- the vamping for the camera, in much the same way Bono does. (Don't try to deny it -- Bono's a natural-born ham.)

My only concern here is that what is for me the song's most powerful and damning line -- "When all you've got is hurt" -- seems to be almost brushed off. But hey, Gustav's the musician here. I'm just an obscure podcaster who's thrilled when he gets into double digits listening to an episode. And Gustav -- well, he's Gustav.

Episode 11: Insert Your Own Title Here

I'm at a bit of a loss for a clever headline on this one, so you can insert your own if you feel it needs it.

Here's what you'll hear today (direct download here):

Gustav Bertha: "Cruel Serenade" (from the album Babble)
Richard Hefner: "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" (EZFolk.com)
Jack Frost: "Thought That I Was Over You" (IODA Promonet)
Lennon: "Brake of Your Car" (IODA)
Rob Costlow: "Meant to Be" (Podshow)



I also talk about a couple of my favorite podcasts, which you'll find listed in the toolbar on the right-hand side of this blog.

You can buy all the Gustav Bertha albums via download from his site linked above. The IODA-sponsored tracks may be downloaded below for as long as their promotions remain active.

Download "Thought That I Was Over You" (mp3)
from "Jack Frost"
by Jack Frost
Karmic Hit

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album

Download "Brake Of Your Car" (mp3)
from "Damaged Goods"
by Lennon
John Galt Entertainment

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album

Greydon Square: Giving atheism a good rap

Atheists get a bum rap.

Enter Greydon Square, a rapper and outspoken atheist who's involved with the Rational Response Squad. This is a video for his song "Roots."



I first heard of Greydon through his recent interview on the Humanist Network News podcast. You'll be hearing him on the podcast at some point in the near future, as the official release date of his new album draws near.

The next new episode will be coming up this Sunday, by the way. Greydon's not in there -- I got his track in the e-mail tonight, and I recorded the episode on Monday -- but he will pop up soon. This weekend's upcoming episode will feature one artist you've heard on here before and four who are new to the show, as well as a little talk about some of my favorite podcasts.

Episode 10: Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time?

This one's a very mixed bag, with musicians from all over the world.

Here's what you'll hear today (direct download here):

27B-6: "Tony" (from the Groovy People album)
The Afghan Music Project: "A Rose Among Ruins (Guli Dar Wairaanahaa)" (IODA Promonet)
Solstice Coil: "Photosensitivity" (from the album A Prescription for Paper Cuts)
Alice Gomez: "Living the Light" (IODA)
Edward Guglielmino: "Oxygen Mask" (MySpace)

27B-6 was a Tennessee band. Solstice Coil is based in Israel. Alice Gomez is a Native American musician. And Edward Guglielmino is in Australia.



You've heard their lead singer Micah Barnes on here before, with his current group Colossal Head. The IODA-sponsored tracks may be downloaded below for as long as their promotions remain active.

Download "A Rose Among Ruins" (mp3)
from "AMP"
by The Afghan Music Project
Afghan Music Project

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album

Download "Living The Light" (mp3)
from "Sky Prayer - The Best of Alice Gomez"
by Alice Gomez
Talking Taco Music

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Stream from Rhapsody
• Buy at Rhapsody

More On This Album