track of the day

Moyet performs here with her usual surplus of bluesy vocals, and while the tinkly nineties synth sounds a teeny bit dated, the result is excellent nonetheless. A foreboding, and darkly spiritual, song. Perfect for that late-night playlist or drive home. Unfortunately, the track this album comes from, Hoodoo, never received much press due to Moyet's difficulties with her label. She wanted artistry, and they wanted hits. The two achieve a sketchy union on this song, which probably explains its glum atmosphere.

If you look at lyrics for this gem-----a glance at the words is usually required by the rapid and blissfully muddled vocals of Elisabeth Fraser----the references to being "pulled round" seem highly appropriate. "Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires" morphs from a doomful opening and into a jubilant, shoegazing circle dance. Fraser saves her finest vocal salvos for the end, where the entire song melts into a strange mix of joy and immediacy.

"Charming" isn't the sort of word one might usually use in describing progressive metal, but this short instrumental from 2005's Alaska certainly fits the bill. The opening twangs of the guitar gently recline into clicking and plucking reminiscent of fine bossa nova, making it a tune even your bourgeois dinner guests can enjoy.

This charming interlude from Vespertine is the perfect bridge from autumn to winter. Delicate and rife with twinkle, "Frosti" has all the quiet power of an icicle dropping to the ground.

Layered in potent brawn, and backed by darkly folksy guitar, "I Think I'm A Mother" is a delightfully weaved grimness. A touch of weary, slug-like emotion added to the already-sinister rhythm and lyrics make for an excitingly nefarious brew.

A b-side from Hounds of Love, "Be Kind To My Mistakes" is an impressive plead for forgiveness. Bush's vocals here are not her best, but the sheer prowess and effectiveness of their delivery is intense stuff nonetheless. An adventurous, tough song that's deserving of quite a few listens.

Blending the playful, the threatening, and the seductive, "Down Boy" is a delectable piece of punk (or "art punk" for all you genre nitpickers). Nick Zinner's wildly alluring guitar work melds perfectly with Brian Chase's ferocious-yet-edible percussion, and the brief siren howls from Karen O punctuate the song with animal instinct. A charged sexual battery, "Down Boy" is one hell of a song.

This obscure-yet-excellent track from the likewise obscure-yet-excellent 1-800-ZOMBIE is an 8-bit infused romp through an electrified Mushroom Kingdom. With rapping bearing the signature vocals of a fourteen-year-old girl and lyrics of a faux frightening fashion, "Crip Walken" is inane electronic fun. It's a good thing, too, because this electrorap duo far exceeds the hipster fashion limit.

Listen to "Crip Walken" at Last.fm
Get the album from Payloadz.

A cover of The Strangler's song, "Strange Little Girl" comes from Tori Amos' disc of feminist interpretations on several songs, the excellent Strange Little Girls. "Strange Little Girl" starts off with a neat little groove before plunging into steady, polished riffs. Amos sings with restraint but also with aptitude, and while we're never quite sure where the "strange little girl" is headed, we're pleased with the musical result nonetheless.

Remember this from about sixteen years ago? You should, as, despite the obvious puns ready to be gleaned from her surname, CeCe Peniston's "Finally" is a dance classic. Pausing along with the jittery synth and growling in ebullient expectation of the lover she has found, Peniston molds solid house and vocal prowess together into an amazingly danceable fusion. Canine refrains and upbeat percussion apparently make for a fine piece of music. Click on Download to get the album from Amazon.

With a funk-infused bassline and a hearty helping of sultry soul, "Take Control" seems at first a sass-riddled pledge to passivity. Once Amerie unleashes her enthused vocals, however, there's more doberman in her voice than docile poodle. Amerie is keen on demanding her pleasure in this piece, and her impassioned cries for control become yelps of her own strength. A fantastic song. From Amerie's latest, Because I Love It. Click on "Download" to be taken to Amazon.

Here's a truly haunting piece of music from Norwegian Anja Garbarek's 2001 release Smiling & Waving. Minute crunches and constant ghostly buzzing welcome you to a world of industrial isolation. To the backdrop of the aforementioned drone, grinds, and whirs, Garbarek emerges and looses lonesome notes. You then exit the same way you came in; through a vapid passage of existential ambiance. "It Seems" Garbarek has crafted an immensely powerful song, and she has. Get it from Amazon.

Coming from her album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head, Scarlett Johansson's "Falling Down" is full of bloated vocals, overproduced "magical forest" beats, and a side-dish of vanity. For those who have an appreciation of the weird, however, it's certainly a fine number. I purchased the album back in June and feared taking another listen for a few months. Second impressions, however, were favorable; and while she's no Nico (as her apologists claim), Johansson does have unique vocal styling and has made a decent album. Get it from Amazon. Let's hope she makes another solid brick of bizarrely good music somewhere down the road.

Who's afraid of Patrick Wolf? It's hard to be with an endearing electronic ditty like this.

Sultry electronic R&B from early-90s Madonna. Quite upscale.

Squid Can has just been playing dead for the past few months. The amazing strings in this Family Tree version of "Play Dead" may liven things up a bit.

Superb trip-hop from Portishead's latest album in over a decade(!), Third. More sinister than Dummy, and certainly less brooding, Third introduces a new Portishead, one that is unsettlingly perfect for the paranoid modern world.

The final track on Moby's new Last Night. So calming, it's almost painful. Aside from this somnolent blast of wonder, Last Night is chock-full of nineties-styled dance. Get the album now if you haven't already!

Another fun, folksy romp from Suzanne Vega. This one comes from 1996's Nine Objects of Desire.

Delicious French indie rock. Nothing else to say, really.

Track of the Day is back, with not so much of a vengeance! Today's track is a single from Tori Amo's superb Boys for Pele (1996). Its strong feminist message is only empowered through the catchy beat.

From the "Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory" soundtrack. Mr. Tobin is very accessible for anyone wishing to dabble in the drum n' bass genre.

A classic among all music-lovers. Not much can be said about it, it speaks for itself.

(P.S. Ignore the quaint "John Lemon" tag. Isn't Imeem cute?)

From the critically acclaimed album Loveless, which I have been listening to quite a lot lately. Ah, shoegazey bliss.

Energetic rock with a high-replay value. From FF's second album.

Today's track of the day comes from progressive rock quartet Porcupine Tree. The soft, warm chords and orchestral violin are simply great. Pumping out music since the early 90's, I'd have to say this is one of the most underrated bands of both yesterday and today

Whatever it is, I sure like it. A tinge ominous and certainly European, Annie Clark has a winning piece here.

What's with these homies, diss'n my girl?

About the lamest opening line ever to a song, but catchy nonetheless. Weezer's "Buddy Holly" takes the cake as today's track of the day.

I've been listening to Utada's Exodus lately, and in large amounts. The album really is an excellent introduction to J-Pop and, as a whole, it shines with life. This is possibly my favorite song from the album. Its primal drumming and immediacy make it a stand-out track.

The new Fleetwood Mac, as some music journalists have proclaimed? That's up to you.