Song of The Day #199

"La Luna" by Holger Czukay

I don't think this is related to Soon Over Babaluma's awesome "Come Sta, La Luna," but it's still, well, awesome. Comprised of forty-five minutes of pulsating, unusually ominous Kosmische drone, "La Luna" sounds especially relevant as acts like Emeralds, Expo 70, and Oneohtrix Point Never continue to trace from the template Czukay and his contemporaries constructed over thirty years ago. (Obviously the YouTube link is not the whole song. Not even close. But it'll give you a good idea.)

Song of The Day #198

"Across The Great Divide" by The Band

Starts beautiful, turns endlessly catchy. Just a rollickin', knee slappin' good pop song from Canada's premier southern United States band. Or rather, Band.

Song of The Day #197

"Manic Depression" by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Trying to continue the push towards SOTD 200. Trying to post more frequently. Happy SAG Awards.

Song of The Day #196

"It's Your Thing" by Cold Grits

Alas, second-semester-seniordom has rendered me so lazy I don't even have the will to take three minutes to craft Il Buono's Song of The Day posts. But, as of today, January 24, I will try to keep up the blog a little better. Today's SOTD is "It's Your Thing," which is an organ-driven, more or less instrumental (there's some unintelligible humming and mumbling) funk jam from Cold Grits, may sound familiar seeing as it's sampled on Kanye West's "POWER." Great sample notwithstanding, though, "It's Your Thing" is a great song, fraught with wah and grease like any good funk tune from a band with "grits" in their name should be.

Song of The Day #195

"Maria Callas" by Christian Marclay

The only thing more beautiful than a recording of Maria Callas's voice is several recordings of her voice played at the same time in warped speeds on records that are broken and stapled together and stuff. Right? Well, sort of. Christian Marclay does just that--the many recordings I mean--and creates, with Ms. Callas's voice, a very bizarre but nonetheless beautiful track.

Song of The Day #194

"The Dead Flag Blues" by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

...and we're back! After a much needed vacation (yes, even bloggers who write blogs that are high on brevity and low on readers need vacations), Il Buono should be pumpin' out Songs of The Day at a, well, daily rate as usual. Today's song isn't necessarily a song--a piece perhaps, or an aural story. Whatever you call it, it's awesome. "The Dead Flag Blues" was the first I ever heard from GY!BE, and it struck me like few other pieces of music ever had. (That I was alone in a dark basement when I was fourteen blaring it at a deafening volume may have had something to do with it...) Regardless of circumstance, "The Dead Flag Blues" was, and still is, so affecting less because of the story it tells--a horrifying story narrated by an Anton Chigurh soundalike--and more because the swirling, spiritual cacophony that envelops the narration pulls the listener (a.k.a. you) into the story. You're trapped. When that train comes, you feel like you're standing on the platform, you know?

Song of The Day #193

"Days Of Wine and Roses" by Sun Ra

So we've got a veritable buttload of lists comin' at you tonight, so all I'll say about this is: it's Sun Ra. How could it be bad?

Song of The Day #192

"Valley Of The Dolls" by Mylo

Chill tune, bra.

Song of The Day #191

"Enfants (Chants)" by Ricardo Villalobos

I'm a total sucker for children's choirs. Then again, who isn't? And when a children's choir is aided by a minimal house-tastic beat and piano riff courtesy of the inimitable Villalobos...pure magic.

Song of The Day #190

"By The Time I Get To Phoenix" by Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes is the man. His voice--not just its smooooth depth but also just the way he says things--is obviously unparalleled, and his ability to tell to stories is entirely enviable. These skills are showcased best in the nearly 20 minute "By The Time I Get To Phoenix." Hayes takes a classic song and weaves his own personal memories and stories and personality into it, updating it and internalizing it for all listeners to enjoy. When listening to this, you feel like you're in a dimly lit dive standing inches from Hayes, hearing him pour his heart out to you and only you. It's a beautiful thing.

Song of The Day #189

"Heaps Of Sheeps" by Robert Wyatt

Boy have I been falling hard for Mr. Wyatt lately. His voice and arrangements are so great and so recognizable, he... he's just awesome. "Heaps Of Sheeps," besides having a deceptively incorrect title, showcases the oft-melancholy Wyatt in fun mode, as he croons over a driving, Bo Diddley piano riff and soaring guitar effects. This whole album, Shleep, is really a boatload of fun--at least compared to other Wyatt efforts.

Song of The Day #188

"Come Out Of Her" by Fraction

A song that sounds like it could have been done by anyone from Alice Cooper to an American version of Boris, "Come Out Of Her" is an overwrought, extremely suggestive early hard rock gem. Great for air guitar (and air thrusting). (As a side note, Moon Blood's cover is one of the better album covers I've seen.)

Uncut's Albums of 2010

Uncut is a British music magazine that, like the other British music magazines whose lists I've profiled here on Il Buono, has distinctly British taste in music. It's weird how, while there are many artists and albums that get love on both sides of the pond, there are certain things that British people universally love that Americans don't and vise versa. You can view their top 50 albums here. All I'll say is that I'm satisfied with their #1 pick, but not much else in the top ten.

Song of The Day #187

"Ca A Rate" by Francoise Hardy

We'll take a break from list-reading to admire this truly wonderful '60s cut from a truly wonderful lady. Francoise Hardy definitely cracks my Top Ten Dream Women of All Time list--that is, if I was creepy enough to actually take the time to make such a list.

Song of The Day #186

"Wassup World?" by Dudley Perkins

This used to be my jam. Haven't heard anything about Perkins since, but at least he left me with this song.

Song of The Day #185

"The L Train Is A Swell Train And I Don't Want To Hear You Indies Complain" by Out Hud

Remember Out Hud? Me, too. I like Out Hud.

Song of The Day #184

"Beach Point Pleasant" by Ducktails

An early artifact of the now-overdone chillwave movement, "Beach Point Pleasant" sounds exactly how you would expect--although Ducktails seem to be able to make more intricate, interesting music than the many, many beach-inspired, lo-fi, synth-y groups that have since popped up.

Song of The Day #183

"Bbydhyonchord" by Aphex Twin

What's the title mean? I don't know, but I do know that this is a nice, laid-back, percussive slice from the wonderfully underrated pie that is DrukQs. Although I've dug Aphex Twin for a while, it wasn't until recently that I truly realized his genius; the man is arguably the most important electronic producer of this generation (even if he's a little creepy looking).

Song of The Day #182

"Fix Me" by Black Flag

This isn't your father's Black Flag (assuming your father is Henry Rollins), but rather the O.G. lineup with frontman Keith Morris, now of super-awesome punk revivalists OFF!. "Fix Me" is just what you want out of an early hardcore tune: self-loathing, hatred, distortion, and a runtime under one minute. Beautiful.

Song of The Day #181

"Funk Release Valve" by Drexciya

Whenever we're deep in Neptune's lair, we need a little funk release valve to relieve the stress. You know? Seriously, though, this tune further proves that as brainy as Drexciya were, they never forgot about the dancefloor or having fun.