Tag Archives: Audio Files

What’s better than an ordinary montage? A “Footloose” montage. (Image from “Footloose”)

It’s been a montage kind of week at the iGuide thanks to movie guy Timothy Guy and what better to get us going into the weekend than this anthem to power you up from John Parr?
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Michael Jackson dances with zombies in the “Thriller” video. (Contributed Image)

Some days, you just need some Michael Jackson in your speakers. Today is one of those days.

Since it’s Halloween time, let’s listen to “Thriller,” which had a video that scared the bejeezus out of me as a child. Back when we first got MTV, I was enamored with the videos. My mom heard what was coming on next and warned me to turn off the TV and being the obstinate person I sometimes am, I ignored her. Boy, was that a mistake.

I had nightmares for YEARS. The yellow eyes, the red jacket, but the worst was Vincent Price’s cackle at the end.

I don’t think I watched the video again for at least a decade.

Now I just love the zombie choreography.

Now, for something that won’t give me nightmares, here’s my favorite MJ track as of late: “P.Y.T. Pretty Young Thing”:

Walk the Moon (Contributed Image)

Today’s Audio Files has a theme–houses!

I can’t get Walk the Moon’s “Anna Sun” out of my head. You might have heard the band on the radio, but they have a good back story, too.

The Cincinnati-based band released “Anna Sun” on their own independent album in 2010, and later ended up with management and signed to a major label.

The band will play the House of Blues in San Diego on Nov. 14.

The song reminds me of another song from a Washington D.C.-area band. I first saw Crash Boom Bang years ago when the band was trying to win a spot at the HFSTival. They’re still around and I still rock the old demo version of the song on my iPod. This is the version of “House” off the band’s album, which has a bit of a slicker sound.

New Kids on the Block

Ever since I read L.A. Weekly’s summary of the awesome New Kids on the Block authorized biography I just can’t get enough NKOTB.

I will admit that I was one of the fans who saw them at the sold-out Staples Center in LA in 2008. It was the first time I saw the band live (one of my friends who joined me had seen them back at Dodgers Stadium back in the day). That night was one of the most fun concerts I have ever attended.

Donnie Wahlberg was always my favorite, therefore “Cover Girl” was my favorite NKOTB song. I remember taping the concert this video came from when it was on the Disney Channel back in the day. And when I say tape, I mean the VCR. NKOTB kicked it analog style. I might be able to do the choreography. Maybe. Possibly. Yeah, I still remember it.

Then, I decided to break out my acid-washed jean jacket and peace sign earrings to rock out to Tiffany, an Inland area resident who also toured with NKOTB.

Does anybody else remember the “Full House” episode where D.J. and Stephanie con Joey into letting them stay up late to watch Tiffany Live in Japan?

Should it concern me that I can still remember that episode shot for shot but I forget whether or not I locked my car door?

I also LOVE the awesome special effects in this video for “I Think We’re Alone Now.”

So tell me, what are your favorite pop songs?

Superdrag’s “Regretfully Yours” will be re-released on vinyl. (Contributed Image)

It’s time for another trip through the weird synapses of my record collection.

One of the most underrated rock bands that sprang out of the 1990s is Superdrag. The Knoxville, Tenn. band was best known for the song “Sucked Out,” with the intense chorus that makes your throat hurt just thinking about it.

“Sucked Out” has been stuck in my head ever since I heard about the upcoming vinyl release “Regretfully Yours,” the band’s album that houses that track, plus goodies like “Slot Machine,” “Destination Ursa Major” and “Carried.”

Here’s “Sucked Out”:

If you dig aggressive power pop, I highly recommend 2000’s “In the Valley of Dying Stars” and the more melodic “Last Call for Vitriol.”

Now for something completely different. I am a big pro football fan. I’m from Baltimore and rep the Ravens (5-1, baby!), but I also have a number of fantasy football teams, because I’m a giant football nerd and I actually co-manage a team with my dad, who lives outside of Baltimore. It’s our bonding time.

On Sunday, we were down by 110 points (we faced a team that had Shonn Greene, Michael Vick and Wes Welker) going into the Green Bay/Houston game. We have QB Aaron Rodgers and WR Jordy Nelson on our team. I figured we were sunk, but my dad didn’t stop believing, and with Rodgers’ 6 touchdowns (3 of them). He kept calling me talking about our comeback.

That was a very long story just to get to this song, which is LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out,” which starts off with “Don’t call it a comeback/I’ve been here for years.” It’s been in my head since last night.

By the way, we ended up losing by 15 points, but it was a pretty epic try.

You can pick up Deep Cotton’s new track for free via the group’s website. (Contributed Image)

Today I have two songs that are complete earworms and one is being offered as a free download.

Up first is Deep Cotton, a group that is part of Janelle Monae’s Wondaland Arts Society. “We’re Far Enough From Heaven” has a catchy melody, handclaps and a danceable groove.

I heard it in a YouTube commercial, of all places, where it looks like Monae has the best house parties ever.

You can download the song for free on the Deep Cotton website.

This next one is one of the dance party staples for my friends and I. Stick with the opening and then get ready to twirl around in indie rock abandon. It’s from a Vermont band called The Essex Green and it’s called “Don’t Know Why (You Stay).”

The beacon for all music lovers–Amoeba Music in Los Angeles. (Photo courtesy of the Vanessa Franko Collection)

I think one of the reasons my family and friends find a trip to Amoeba Music with me so daunting is that I don’t just stick to one section. I usually start in the rock/pop area, (used first), but before I can make my way to the register with a basket full of finds, I’ve hit the hip-hop, dance, jazz, clearance and oldies’ areas at the very least.

The first time I came to California, on a family vacation, I was given only 20 minutes to explore the Amoeba in Hollywood for the first time, can you imagine? It was like supermarket sweep with me grabbing every punk import I could find.

Luckily, now that I live here, Charming Husband finds my Amoeba trips amusing (at least for the first 90 minutes or so).

The point of all this is that I have a very eclectic music collection, one that includes two artists that go together like peanut butter and battery acid.

With the Space Shuttle Endeavour making its final tour through South Central Los Angeles, I started thinking about all of the great rap that sprang out of the area and cracked myself up thinking about Ice Cube watching Endeavour pass by en route to the LA Science Center, even though I don’t think the shuttle is going through Compton. Here’s the N.W.A. classic “Straight Outta Compton.” Don’t worry kids, I found the “clean” version.

Now, take that and put it with this other song that has been in my head since I got an email pitching a Counting Crows interview for their November show at Pechanga yesterday afternoon.

It’s another very L.A. song, with mentions of canyons and Hollywood, but very different than the last one. Here’s a live version of “A Long December.”

Yeah, only at the Audio File can you find N.W.A. and Counting Crows in the same place. Well, here and at home in my CD collection. Got questions for Adam Duritz? Post them in the comments below.

The Gaslight Anthem at the 2009 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. (2009/File Photo)

The rain is putting me in an East Coast mood today, so here are two bands from New Jersey.

Up first is The Gaslight Anthem, which is what you get if the Bouncing Souls and Bruce Springsteen had a love child.

I interviewed singer Brian Fallon and bassist Alex Levine at Coachella a few years back and they were absolutely delightful. I’ve been patiently waiting for them to make a return to the festival. Fingers crossed for 2013!

“The ’59 Sound” is my favorite album by the band, but the 2012 release “Handwritten” is one of my favorite albums of the year. Here’s “The Backseat,” off “The ’59 Sound.”

Also from Jersey, and in a completely different style, is Bon Jovi. The first album I ever bought for myself was “Slippery When Wet.” It was so epic and I had so many Bon Jovi posters on the wall that my cousins STILL talk about it.

My favorite Jovi song off that record isn’t one “Livin’ on a Prayer” or “You Give Love a Bad Name” or “Wanted Dead or Alive,” either. It’s “Raise Your Hands,” which makes me happy when the band plays it live.

One of my favorite days on this job was when I got to be on a conference call with Tico Torres, Richie Sambora and David Bryan. Now I just need to interview Jon Bon Jovi and we can cross that one off the bucket list.

It’s funny because back then, my mom was never a Bon jovi fan, but now I’ve seen them with her three times. I will also totally admit to playing the air keyboard to “Bad Medicine” off “New Jersey,” an album that I own on vinyl, cassette (for my old walkman back then) and CD. It’s also on my iPod.

Bill Withers (AP Photo)

For tonight’s Audio Files, I want to focus on one artist that I think is beyond amazing.

If you don’t know Bill Withers, you’ve definitely heard his songs on singing competition shows.

An incredible singer/songwriter, he was the subject of the documentary “Still Bill,” which is one of my favorite music docs ever. If you have Netflix, it was available on there pretty recently.

“Ain’t No Sunshine” is one of his most beloved hits.

I have another sentimental tie to Withers–back when I was an intern at the Boston Phoenix, my reviews of the reissues of “Still Bill” and “Menagerie” landed me my first album review in The Phoenix. They still do the best music poll in the U.S., too.

Here’s “Use Me,” which has one of the best grooves ever created in a song. Just listen to it and try not to do a shoulder dance, I dare you.

And then there’s “Grandma’s Hands.” Here’s a version where he talks about his grandmother as an inspiration.