Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Side One, Track One


Like clockwork, the Mighty Tim Young has today delivered our weekly edition of Contrast Podcast. This week we are treated to an entire virtual album of killer kick-off tunes. You know, those Side One, Track One songs that start off a record/CD by sending shivers down your spine. So prepare your vertebral column accordingly.

You can download the podcast here, or use this handy-dandy RSS feed to subscribe: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ContrastPodcast

And so, without further ado, a record full of opening tracks:

(00:36) Sonic Youth - Dirty boots
Ross from Just Gimme Indie Rock

(05:43) Bob Marley - Keep on moving
Simon from You can call me Betty

(09:54) David Bowie - Five years
Michael from The Yank Sizzler Podcast

(15:15) Spank Rock - Backyard Betty
Bethanne from CTASLS

(19:28) Thragedium - Cupidus Gloriae
Marcos from Mindboosternoori

(21:55) Hope of the States - The black amnesias
Tim The Daily Growl

(27:23) The Stooges - Search and Destroy
ZB from So the wind won’t blow it all away

(31:26) Butthole Surfers - Sweat loaf
Bob from Gimme Tinnitus

(36:21) Bruce Springsteen - Thunder road
Natalie from Mini-Obs

(42:03) Matthew Jay - Let your shoulder fall
Alex (who might get a website one day)

(46:56) Weezer - Tired of sex
Tim from FunFunFun

(50:10) Elvis Costello - Beyond Belief
Fraser from BKYLN song of the day

(53:43) Diffuser - I am
Andy from Circles of Concrete

(57:56) Nerf Herder - Vivian
Tom from Other People’s Toys

(01:01:20) The Gift - Front of
Nuno from Undercover Songs

(01:08:28) Guided by Voices - Hardcore UFOs
Jamie from The Run Out Groove

(01:10:38) The Sex Pistols - Holidays in the sun
FiL from Pogoagogo

For me, this week was a no-brainer. "Holidays in the Sun" is, hands down, my favourite album opener. Period. Indeed, I've poked around my record box for other potential candidates, but have come up with precious little apart from an old 45 single adaptor and a worn-out turntable belt. Oh, and this gem, which is indeed precious, kicks off the magnificent Doolittle, and makes this chien andalousia dance like Ian Curtis on crank:

Pixies - Debaser (buy here or e-here)

But that is a paltry offering indeed, though the quality be high. So to float further down this stream of consciousness, here are two tracks by ex-Pistol singer John Lydon that also make me boogie.

Public Image Limited - Bad Life (buy here)
An oft-maligned bit of Lydon's work, methinks. I love the menacing edge and tribal drums set against the disco-esque beat.

Leftfield & Lydon - Open Up (buy here)
Alright, not the best of the lot, but I appreciated hearing the shrill & snarl of Johnny's voice at those 1994 indie discos. Actually, the best Lydon collaboration was "World Destruction" with Afrika Bambaataa. That rocked summat fierce. But I posted it not all that long ago, so am loath to do so again. Unless it really means that much to you...

15 comments:

Mentok said...

Just saw in the news about that awful wind storm in Vancouver. A whole neighbourhood evacuated ... wow.

Are you and your family OK?

FiL said...

We're fine, thanks for asking. The wind and rain was quite fierce round our way, but it seems those up against the North Shore mountains (West Van & North Van) and the coast got the worst of it. We lost a few minor tree branches, nothing much. It was so bad that folks were actually driving considerately and within the speed limit - that's amazing for Vancouver!

Actually, Dearest Wife commented that out here she really does feel much more exposed to natural forces than she ever did in London. But we're well situated; away from flood and landslip zones, elevated, and on bedrock. The last is quite important vis-a-vis earthquakes; much of the greater Vancouver area (e.g. Richmond, Delta) is built on sediment that will just liquefy when the next big one hits.

Anonymous said...

Bah wind, rain, earthquakes, landslides? Pish Posh I laugh in the face of danger!!!

I am so kidding...I love the earth, good elements *kneels down and kisses ground*

Good to hear that all things are stable at the FiL residence. Tis a bit rugged no matter what part of Canada you are in indeed. It is so lush and...nature like? I think you get what I am saying, I agree obviously with Mrs. FiL...

So I will say smashing job on this weeks CP. The Sex Pistols most certainly take the prize over your other contenders, good choice.

Anonymous said...

Bah! Where is lovely sound of Yat Kha and their glorious cover of Love Will Tear Us Apart. Albert Kuzevin will be looking for you FiL....

Of course, I can't really take credit for remembering Yat Kha. My own dear bride happened to hear Albert on NPR doing a cover of Led Zeppelin's "In the Garden of Eden (aka Inna Gadda da Vida)"

Yet another sign of aging - that which was obscure and cool is now showing up on All Things Considered.

Anonymous said...

i WISH i owned that awesome lil record player! xo c

Natsthename said...

I still have an old Technics turntable with one old needle left on it. It's not hooked up with the stereo equipment right now, but perhaps I should do that! Just got rid of an old Sesame Street kid's record player, too. Ahh, the analog days!

Anonymous said...

do you guys remember playing "singles," where you'd pick one track off an album and play it, and the next person would pick theirs, etc.? and what about the other various uses album covers used to serve . . . you know what i'm talking about, right? ;-)

Natsthename said...

;) Not a clue, mjrc! Did it have anything to do with cleaning?

FiL said...

Dearest Rachel, many thanks for your kind comments. Yes, it's great to be connected to the nature - something that was sorely lacking in London.

Dearest, Dearest Eliot: Indeed, kargyraa throat singing + Joy Division = sublimeness beyond most things. But LWTUA was not the opening track, methinks, so disqualified on a technicality. BTW, when are you going to get your own blog? The world needs you...

Ma chere Colleen: It's groovy, n'est-ce pas? Reminds me of the first one I ever had, probably age 4...

Dearest Nats: I've got an old one too that's hooked up to the PC, but the needle's knackered. So my grand vinyl-to-mp3 conversion programme is thwarted by the lack of a wee sliver of metal. Argh!

Dearest Marcy, I know not of what you speak. I am, and have always been, pure as the driven snow. OK, maybe snow that's been driven over. A bit. Perhaps quite a bit. Oh, heck...

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