Today is 1996

I woke up this morning, convinced that I’d time-traveled back to the mid/late 90s. Round Here, by the Counting Crows was on the radio. Then Bush, Pearl Jam, Sugar Ray, and Weezer. If not for a new Linkin Park song wedged in there (which, by the way, is a whole new type of unlistenable (sic) Linkin Park. I really appreciate it when terrible bands keep their crap fresh), I would’ve been convinced that I was listening to 98 Rock, and was about to get up and ready so my dad could drive me to my 7th grade classes.

I’ve checked this anomaly of a radio station (Radio 929 in Boston), and their entire morning playlist is riddled with late 90s gems. Before I awoke they had played Sneaker Pimps, Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam (twice?), Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Cake, Alanis Morisette, Blink 182, Black Crowes, Dave Matthews, Green Day, STP, and Harvery Freaking Danger. When was the last time Flagpole Sitta was actually played on the radio?

This amazingly 90s playlist, coupled with the fact that they had exactly 1 minute of commercials while I was listening this AM, have led me to the conclusion that this is a radio station of the gods, and that I must appease it by posting in its honor. Enjoy.

Counting Crows – Round Here *Amazing live version, where Adam goes into Van Morrison’s ‘Sweet Thing.’

Bush – Comedown

Pearl Jam – Even Flow *This is the version from one of the Ten sessions. Check out the SRV inspired solo.

Sugar Ray – Fly

Weezer – Buddy Holly *Remember when Windows 95 came with the video for this song. Good times.

[Edit: Between the time I left home and got to work, the station played Hootie and the Blowfish, Cypress Hill,  a second round of Black Crowes, Smashing Pumpkins, and Dave Matthews, Offspring, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones. This station truly is glorious.]

Take me out to the ballgame

Last night I spent about an hour watching Ken Burns’ new documentary “The Tenth Inning.” The portion of Burns’ 4-hr followup to 1994′ “Baseball” that I watched reminded me of the magic of the game of baseball, and why I still love it so much.

And to accompany the game are the songs that fuel it, the songs that celebrate it, and the songs we drunkenly sing during the 7th inning stretch after drinking a few too many beers – Eddie Vedder, I’m looking at you.

Eddie Vedder – All The Way

Bruce Springsteen – Glory Days

Dropkick Murphys – Tessie

State Radio – Right Me Up

Eddie Vedder – Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Momma-Son: 20 Years Later

I was all of five years old when a few long haired Seattleites sent a cassette tape to a San Diegan surfer, at the suggestion of drummer friend Jack Irons. According to the fantastic Pearl Jam fansite Two Feet Thick, today is the 20th anniversary of that fateful day. The day when Eddie Vedder received a cassette tape in the mail, went surfing in a sleep deprived state, and came up with the tragically beautiful lyrics to the three instrumental demos that he’d heard.

When the tape left Seattle, the songs were called Dollar Short, Agytian Crave, and Times Of Trouble. When it returned, with the words “for Stone + Jeff” scribbled on it, the re-dubbed tape now had the tracks we know as Alive, Once, and Footsteps.

We’re Engaged!

Dear friends, family, loyal readers, and music lovers alike,

Just yesterday, I got engaged to the most wonderful girl in the world. And now, on top of the world, it’s time to share my joy with you, in the form of wedding songs. Thanks for reading and sharing in my happiness and as always – enjoy the music.

The Avett Brothers – January Wedding

Band Of Horses – Marry Song

Drive-By Truckers – Marry Me

David Bowie – Be My Wife

Subway Sweat Mix

Here’s a few songs I’ve been thinking about and listening to recently. Some are newer. Some are older. All are awesome.

Horse Feathers is a band I recently discovered on La Blogotheque. Their Take-Away-Show is quite awesome, partially because they have a cellist, and partially because they do the Appalachian-hippie-indie-bluegrass-rock thing really well.

You guys probably know the other two bands, but may not know the songs. So check out all the tracks, crank them loud, and use the music to cope with the late-night summer heat.

Horse Feathers – The Drought

The Raconteurs – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) {live}

Ben Harper – Power Of The Gospel

Yoga Mix 2

Picture courtesy of http://yogatothepeople.com/

These songs, while not used in a 15-minute yoga practice, are songs that I heard tonight when I ventured downtown for a yoga class. Elana and I had been doing Yoga To The People’s Hot-Power Vinyasa at the midtown studio until the summertime hit, at which point we had trouble completing the class without collapsing from the intense heat. When it’s 98 degrees outside, and the thermostat is set to 100 degrees inside, the room bakes to unfathomable degrees. Needless to say, we decided to put yoga on hold for a few months.

But today, I decided to venture all the way downtown to participate in a more normative temperatured practice. The result was wonderful; their Sunday night candlelit practice is awesome, and the music, of course, was perfect as well.

Here’s a few songs that stood out to me, which I figured I’d share with you.

Travis – Why Does It Always Rain On Me

Ben Sollee – A Change Is Gonna Come {Note: I think they played the original version of this song, but I don’t know who it’s really by, so I’m sharing my favorite version.}

Bon Iver – Skinny Love

Nine days

We’ve recently begun a period of mourning for the ancient temple in Jerusalem, commemorating the date when it was burned to the ground, 2000 years ago. Many Orthodox Jews, in an attempt to intensify their mourning, will refrain from listening to music. As a music-blog writer, I feel torn. On the one hand I want to be able to participate as much as possible in this communal mourning. On the other, I want to continue writing and posting.

So, the solution as I see it is a simple one. I’ve always thought of music as a way to express one’s feelings and emotions. We all have songs that we associate with happiness and joy, and songs that we associate with sadness as well.

For the next few days, we’re going to be posting sadder songs. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to email me, or leave them in the comments, and I’ll try to post as many of them as possible.

Olin & The Moon – Hello Goodbye

Ben Harper – Amen Omen

Miles Davis – Blue In Green

Happy Friday

I know it’s been some time since I’ve posted. I was moving apartments this week, which made my life pretty darn busy. But it’s Friday, and that means it’s the weekend again. So here are a few songs to celebrate your Friday.

Please enjoy responsibly.

The Black Crowes – Good Friday

Deer Tick – Friday Xiii

Summertime clothes

(Not actual footage of our frisbeeing)

It is truly summertime. In New York City, temperatures are reaching the 90s on a regular basis, my fear of subway-sweat (if you live in NYC you know what I’m talking about) has limited my transportation to buses, and I can no longer get to sleep without the AC on full blast. And while I’d say I prefer the cold months (there’s nothing quite as cozy as a good sweater and a cup of coffee on a chilly morning), I do enjoy the summer months.

Just today a bunch of the guys and gals from my lab ventured out of our dungeons (seriously – we have no windows in the lab) to enjoy an hour of frisbee tossing. I kicked off my shoes, rolled up my jeans, and had a blast just frolicking on the Math lawns, and enjoying the outdoors.

So crank up these tracks, pour yourself some lemonade, and enjoy the summertime.

Dead Heart Bloom – New York City Heat

The walls fall down

Today is the 17th of the Jewish month of Tamuz, a day that marks the beginning of a three-week mourning period. One of the things that is said to have happened on this day is that the walls surrounding the temple in Jerusalem were torn down about 2000 years ago.

To commemorate and remember this event here are a few songs for the day.

Gil Scot-Heron – Or Down You Fall