Top Ten Songs of the Week 10/4/10

This is sort of our weekly, Kasey Kasem-inspired luddite DIY version of a podcast. Every week, we try to mix it up, offer a little something for everyone: sad songs, funny songs, upbeat songs, quieter stuff, you name it. We’ve designed this as something you can do on your lunch break if you work at a computer (and you have headphones – your boss won’t approve of a lot of this stuff). If you don’t like one of these songs, you can always go on to the next one: every link here will take you to each individual song. As always, the #1 song here will appear on our Best Songs of 2010 list at the end of the year.

1. Norden Bombsight – Never to Be Seen Again

Noir backstreet 4 AM menace, backup alarm on the garbage truck and all (turn down your headphone volume!) from the Brooklyn rockers’ excellent new cd Pinto.

2. LJ Murphy – Imperfect Strangers

Live at Theatre 80 St. Marks – a newly rearranged version by the king of NY noir rock.

3. Mike Rimbaud – Got to Sell Yourself

Characteristically edgy, catchy, sardonic new wave-tinged rock from a more underground version of Graham Parker or Elvis Costello.

4. Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk – MT2

Noisy dub/drone/downtempo stuff via thefmly, thanks bros.

5. The Listeners – Driving Without Lights

Dark minor 80s style janglerock- good stuff.

6. El Opio – Ella

A psychedelic chicha classic from Peru circa 1972. Peruvian surf music is the best!

7. Sarah Kirkland Snider – This Is What You’re Like

Moody art-rock from her Penelope song cycle. She’s at le Poisson Rouge on 10/18 at 7. Free download.

8. Rachel Rodgers – Summer After 7

Caught the 14-year-old jazz flutist playing on the street the other day and she’s badass. Not that there aren’t other deep, smart 14-year-old people out there, but she’s the real deal. She knows her way around Bird, and Miles, and more and plays piano, and composes, and has Ron Carter on her cd. Go Rachel.

9. Darker My Love – Split Minute

Bizarre catchy 60s folk/psych/pop like something that was so underground even Lenny Kaye didn’t catch on for the Nuggets compilation.

10. Carl Wayne with ELO – Your World

A blast from the past: the former frontman of the Move tries his hand at soul music.

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Top Ten Songs of the Week 9/20/10

This is sort of our weekly, Kasey Kasem-inspired luddite DIY version of a podcast. Every week, we try to mix it up, offer a little something for everyone: sad songs, funny songs, upbeat songs, quieter stuff, you name it. We’ve designed this as something you can do on your lunch break if you work at a computer (and you have headphones – your boss won’t approve of a lot of this stuff). If you don’t like one of these songs, you can always go on to the next one: every link here (except for #1 this week) will take you to each individual song. As always, the #1 song here will appear on our Best Songs of 2010 list at the end of the year.

1. Klezwoods – Cuperlika

Centerpiece of the Balkan/klezmer/Middle Eastern band’s titanicallly good new cd Oy Yeah. Put it up on the web somewhere guys, you’ll sell a lot more records!

2. Serena Jost – Stay

Characteristically stark and compelling solo cello art-rock song from her forthcoming cd.

3. Band of Outsiders – Graveyard

Absolutely off the hook post-Velvets guitar madness, live at the Parkside this year. They’re at Bowery Electric on 9/23 at 10 opening for Richard Lloyd.

4. Ninth House – Down Beneath

Frontman Mark Sinnis was making this video in a cemetery in upstate New York when he noticed that the seemingly random grave he’d chosen to lie on belonged to one Mary Ann Larson, who died on Sinnis’ birthday in 1853. Coincidence? The band play the cd release show for their new one on 9/24 at at UC 87 Lounge, 87 Ludlow St. at 11.

5. Amy Bezunartea – Doubles

Hang with this – it’s worth your 3 minutes. Not your average girl with acoustic guitar, described by her label (Jennifer O’Connor’s project Kiam) as “kind of Joni meets Magnetic Fields” but better. Free download.

6. Zikrayat – Ish-Showq Mihayyarni

Classic obscure 50s Egyptian film music from the movie ‘Aziza’ starring Naima Akif, live at Galapagos last year. The song starts about 1:20 into the clip. They’re at Moustache (Lex and 102nd) at 8 PM on 9/24.

7. The Poludaktulos Orchestra – Rajkos

Brass band intensity – the missing link between Greece and Serbia, with Klezwoods’ amazing guitarist.

8. Gertrude Michael – Sweet Marijuana

Via night of the purple moon – precode movie music from 1934.

9. Amanda Thorpe – River Song

The dodgy sound reflects the crappy venue this was recorded at, but Thorpe’s voice transcends it – a classic that sounds as good as it did a couple of years ago.

10. Los Incas Modernos – Terremoto

An early Peruvian surf band – you can get lost in this stuff on youtube.