Rules of the game:

- Choose a singer/band/group
- Answer using ONLY titles of songs by that singer/band/group
- Tag 6 more people (let them know they've been tagged)

I pick Jonathan Coulton. And you should listen to the tracks asap. He totally rocks. <3

1. Are you male or female?
That Spells DNA

2. Describe yourself.
Code Monkey

3. What do people feel when they're around you?
You Ruined Everything

4. How would you describe your previous relationship?
Ikea

5. Describe your current relationship.
Someone Is Crazy

6. Where would you want to be now?
Skullcrusher Mountain

7. How do you feel about love?
I Feel Fantastic

8. What's your life like?
Better

9. What would you ask for if you had only one wish?
RE: Your Brains

10. Say something wise.
Don't Talk to Strangers

Every now and then, I notice something about myself that I hadn't realized before. Occasionally, it's some glaring personality trait that needs to be changed or an article of clothing; maybe a strange glowing lump that speaks appears on my forehead... you know, those everyday little things that crop up?

Well, I was looking through my Last.fm library last week and noticed that there had been a kind of surge in the number of Johns in my list. Not that I purposely select my listening material based on first names, but it is a little eerie.

The big, standouts are guys like John Mayer, John Scofield, John Flansburg & John Linnell of They Might Be Giants fame, and of course, Johnny Cash. Continuum and Try! have been a staple of the iPod in recent weeks, and I found Legend of Cash volume 1 and vol. 2 at the library (when I was picking up the reserved copies of No! and Here Come the 1,2,3's).

Scofield's album of Ray Charles covers, That's What I Say, has been a favorite of mine since it came out last year, and I really liked what he did on Out Louder... oh, John Medeski would be another addition to the list! Combustication takes me to good places, and like TMBG, Medeski, Martin and Wood recently did a cool kid's album - Let's Go Everywhere - which featured a funkily twisted cover of I've Been Everywhere, bringing us back to Cash!

It's a grand old Web o' Johns, isn't it?

That isn't even the end of it. Jonathan Coulton hasn't lost his charm; if anything, I'm increasingly impressed with him the more I listen. The kids ask for Code Monkey all the time (and Creepy Doll freaked out my Goosebumps-loving 9-year-old), and I just found out what I'm Your Moon was about, and fell in love with that one.

How many more could there be? Well, you did ask... I checked out the new John Hiatt, since WTMD was talking up his Hot August Blues appearance. John Petrucci, as in the guitarist from Dream Theater, is on a renewed ascendancy on my playlist. Heck, I've even noticed a Johnette (as in Napolitano, the singer from Concrete Blonde) lurking about on there.

John Coltrane is kind of a given; I've been listening to Blue Train a lot, though not often on a scrobble-friendly medium. If I really started to dig, I wonder how many exciting, embarrassing, or unexpected Johns I might run into? Mellencamp? Bon Jovi? Adams?

Just goes to show, patterns emerge in the strangest of places. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to use the... um, you know.

This is borrowed directly from a recent series of journals by JoeIsListening, wherein one takes 64 songs selected at random from one's playlist and puts them in an elimination tournament which I gather is based somewhat on basketball playoffs or something. I don't know from basketball, so I won't comment on that. To quote from Joe, "These will be divided into 32 musical face offs. Losers go away and the winners advance until 'there can only be one.'" I eliminated any under-1-minute tracks from the list, but didn't bother with a ten-minute-plus track or a number of 8-9 minute ones.

I am also borrowing Joe's Difficulty-O-Meter, which "gauges the degree of difficulty in deciding which song advances. The scale runs from * (no contest, no thought required) to ***** (pass the razor blades)".

Now, I've got close to 30,000 tracks in my system, many of which I could not hum even a snatch of upon seeing the title, so this could be interesting, or not as much. Let's see.

1. Lebanese Blonde (French mix) by Thievery Corporation
vs.
2. Relax (Come Fighting) by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Frankie
Comments: Both of them good grooving tracks, but I think "Relax" got the edge because of my greater familiarity with it, and perhaps it's a bit less laid-back and a little more forceful.

3. Broken Birds by Jane Siberry
vs.
4. 7 8 9 by Barenaked Ladies
Difficulty: *
Winner: The Ladies
Comments: Little contest here--a pretty much acoustic track from a past-her-prime Siberry doing a misguided album of songs she wrote as a teenager, versus a catchy children's song from Canada's top popsters.

5. Heat of the Moment by Willy DeVille
vs.
6. Dreamin' by Lou Reed
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Willy
Comments: Willy DeVille mostly wins by default, because the Lou Reed track, from his subdued "Magic & Loss", is just not very strong. We'll see how Willy does in the next round...

7. Hell in a Handbasket by Drywall
vs.
8. Framed by Saga
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Drywall
Comments: This is far from my favourite track from Stan Ridgway's "Drywall" project, but it's still at least distinctive enough to edge out a less-familiar prog-rock track from Saga.

9. Afterglow by Genesis
vs.
10. The Message by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five
Difficulty: *
Winner: Flash
Comments: A weak track from a weak Genesis album against one of the classic songs of rap music? Okay, I'm not rap's biggest fan, but Grandmaster Flash nailed this one.

11. Slip Inside This House by 13th Floor Elevators
vs.
12. Close But No Cigar by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Al
Comments: A catchy, appealing tune from Weird Al's latest album, even if not one that stuck out on first listen, holds its own against Roky Erickson's eerie tune.

13. We're Just Temporary Ma'am by White Whale
vs.
14. The Warrior by Scandal
Difficulty: *****
Winner: The Whale
Comments: Okay, "The Warrior" is a classic of 80's pop-rock, where White Whale are just some obscure upstart indie-rock band, but "We're Just Temporary Ma'am" is catchy and has a great title, which won out over nostalgia by a hair.

15. Prayer Meeting by Chet Atkins
vs.
16. Ultraviolence by New Order
Difficulty: ***
Winner: The Order
Comments: While "Ultraviolence" is one of those tracks that I couldn't hum you a bar of right now, it still outdoes a Chet Atkins instrumental cover version from "Solid Gold '68". Or, at least, this particular one.

17. My Hippy Angel by Bob Geldof
vs.
18. The Luxury by The Tragically Hip
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Sir Bob
Comments: While the Tragically Hip have some great songs, I have trouble getting into a lot of their album tracks, while Geldof's song is a fun listen.

19. Rocket by Primitive Radio Gods
vs.
20. Take Me Away by Fefe Dobson
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Fefe
Comments: Though Dobson's Avrilesque charms are overly obvious, they nonetheless outweigh those of that PRG guy.

21. Stay Awake by Suzanne Vega
vs.
22. Streets of Banaras by Ann Mortifee
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Ann
Comments: This was an interesting pairing. I love Suzanne Vega's a cappella take on the Mary Poppins song, but somehow her quiet, deadpan song paled next to Ann Mortifee's intense, histrionic soprano workout.

23. Furry Old Lobster by Jonathan Coulton
vs.
24. The Last Word by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Mary
Comments: Mary Chapin Carpenter wins out over Jonathan Coulton for having more clever lyrics, but this is admittedly one of Coulton's weaker numbers.

25. As Good as New by ABBA
vs.
26. The Nightfly by Donald Fagen
Difficulty: ***
Winner: BAAB
Comments: The throbbing disco beat and harmonies have it over Fagen's soft jazz and wry weary-radio-DJ lyrics.

27. Questions in a World of Blue by Julee Cruise
vs.
28. The Rhythm of the Heat by Peter Gabriel
Difficulty: **
Winner: Pete
Comments: Julee Cruise is just a little too wispy to take on the primal power of even the live version of one of Gabriel's best tracks.

29. Tomber by Laurence Jalbert
vs.
30. Tapestry by Carole King
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Laurence
Comments: Laurence Jalbert, who on this song strikes me as a sort of Francophone Melissa Etheridge, edges out Carole King on this one.

31. You Took My Heart by Chris Isaak
vs.
32. Junior by John Mellencamp
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Cougar
Comments: John Mellencamp's story was a little more compelling than Isaak's bouncy lament.

33. Chance (single version) by Big Country
vs.
34. Messages by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Difficulty: ***
Winner: BC
Comments: The OMD track just wasn't striking me, which left Big Country on top by default.

35. Animation by Jon Anderson
vs.
36. Foxglove by Bruce Cockburn
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Bruce
Comments: The Jon Anderson track just went on and on, leaving the field open for Cockburn's little guitar instrumental.

37. What If We Don't Get What We Want? by 13 Engines
vs.
38. Rooms on Fire by Stevie Nicks
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Lucky 13
Comments: An uncharacteristically low-key track from alt-rockers 13 Engines, which takes out past-her-prime Stevie.

39. Mermaid Smiled by XTC
vs.
40. Perfect World by Talking Heads
Difficulty: ****
Winner: XTC
Comments: I'm not that familiar with the XTC track, actually, but it manages to beat out one of my less-than-favourite Heads tracks.

41. Manto's Arrow And The Sphinx by Andreas Vollenweider
vs.
42. Eric's Theme by Vangelis
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Vangelis
Comments: Despite (or, perhaps, because of) what sounds like Lisa Gerrard wailing in the background, Andreas Vollenweider is unable to beat the majestic track of "Chariots of Fire".

43. Kissing Gate by Sam Brown
vs.
44. Fading Lights by Genesis
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Ms. Brown
Comments: Not my favourite Sam Brown track, but it's better than the dull and overlong Genesis song, at least.

45. What a Day That Was by David Byrne
vs.
46. There Won't Be Trumpets by Stephen Sondheim
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Mr. Sondheim
Comments: Perhaps if the Byrne song had been the "Stop Making Sense" version, it might have beaten out this minor Sondheim song from the "Side By Side By Sondheim" revue.

47. The Killing Moon by Echo & the Bunnymen
vs.
48. Pull Me Down by The Skydiggers
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Echo
Comments: For a song I was unfamiliar with, the Skydiggers track was unexpectedly strong, but not enough to beat out the classic E&TB song.

49. So Serious by Electric Light Orchestra
vs.
50. Bus Stop by The Hollies
Difficulty: **
Winner: Holly
Comments: It'll take more than that silly ELO song to defeat one of the best pop songs of the 60's! I can see "Bus Stop" getting quite far in this competition, in fact...

51. Double Take by Blondie
vs.
52. Islands of the Future by Gentlemen Without Weapons
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Blondie
Comments: Oh, my. The Blondie song is pretty silly, and from their latter days, but what is it up against? While Gentlemen Without Weapons sounded more pop than new-age with their synthesizers filled with animal and natural sounds, this song contains a gagworthy voiceover from a young Fairuza Balk that eliminates it from this round.

53. Grimsby by Elton John
vs.
54. Nightswimming by R.E.M.
Difficulty: ***
Winner: REM
Comments: The Elton John song is okay, but not great, and the REM song has been growing on me lately.

55. Careful With That Axe, Eugene by Pink Floyd
vs.
56. The Horns of Rohan & The Battle of the Pelennor Fields by Bo Hansson
Difficulty: **
Winner: Floyd
Comments: Oh, please. There's no way that Hansson and his synthy Lord of The Rings soundtrack can compete with such an epic of prog. I mean, with screaming and everything!

57. Look Down by Claude-Michel Schönberg
vs.
58. Saskatchewan Sea by The SplendourBog
Difficulty: ****
Winner: Les Miz
Comments: The SplendourBog song is an interesting ode to Canada's flattest province, but it can't decide whether to be serious or jokey, so the Les Misérables track, not one of my favourites but decent enough, narrowly pulls ahead of it.

59. The Story of One Chord by Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper
vs.
60. Lovers Anonymous by 10cc
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Mojo
Comments: The Mojo & Skid track is silly stuff, and so is the 10cc I suppose, but the 10cc track has the disadvantage of being pretty dull musically, so it drops out.

61. I Wanted Your Heart by Magazine
vs.
62. Love Don't Need No Tyranny by Tanita Tikaram
Difficulty: ***
Winner: Tanita
Comments: Neither of these are songs I'm that familiar with, but the Magazine track was grating on me a bit on this listen, so Tanita takes it through greater tunefulness.

63. Amelia by Joni Mitchell
vs.
64. Future Call by Jill Cunniff
Difficulty: **
Winner: Jill
Comments: While I like a number of Joni Mitchell songs, this isn't one of them. I mean, my favourite album of hers is "Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm", for heaven's sake. Jill Cunniff's isn't quite Luscious Jackson, but it's still a more fun listen.

Next week, or so, Round Two, where the 32 winners in this round duke it out with each other...

Take the 50 top artists in your musical profile, and create a cloud of the similar artists that are not in your top 50. The result is a collection of highly recommended artists for your personal profile. You can generate your own cloud (in BBCode) at http://anthony.liekens.net/pub/scripts/last.fm/recommend.php

My recommendations are

10,000 Maniacs B.B. King Barenaked Ladies Ben Folds Five Buddy Guy Cake Camper Van Beethoven David Bowie Eels Ella Fitzgerald Elmore James Elvis Costello Elvis Costello & The Attractions Eric Clapton Harvey Danger Jane's Addiction John Lee Hooker Jonathan Coulton Julie London Junior Wells King Missile Lemon Demon Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs Lightnin' Hopkins Lou Reed Modest Mouse Moxy Früvous Muddy Waters Otis Rush Pavement Peggy Lee Pixies Sonic Youth Soul Coughing T-Bone Walker Talking Heads Tears for Fears The Aquabats The B-52's The Cars The Flaming Lips The Lemonheads The Pretenders The Replacements The Stanley Brothers The Velvet Underground The Yardbirds U2 Ween XTC

As promised, here's the second installment of my "let's all discover fantastic new music - FOR FREE" ;) series of journal entries ^^

In my first post, I wrote about a new promising Swedish band called the zissous. Now, I'm gonna write about a totally different type of artist.

I came across Jonathan Coulton's I Feel Fantastic by a sheer coincidence. I was looking for free music to download here on Last.fm, and found that song. Downloaded it, obviously, and took an instant liking to Mr Coulton's great voice as well as to the simple yet gorgeous lyrics.

I finally got around to visit Mr Coulton's website - jonathancoulton.com - yesterday and found that the guy's got tons of free songs for download. One song that caught my immediate attention was a little song entitled Ikea. Freakin hilarious, right there.

So I definitely recommend you to download some of his songs, you won't regret it :)

Peace :)

No, patrzcie Jonathan Coulton pobił nawet Tesco Value. Wg. Last.fm ma prawie tyle odsłuchań u mnie co Tesco Value razem z Czesław Śpiewa. Jednak to lekko zafałszowane, Jonathan Coulton jeszcze nigdy nie był na był na moim odtwarzaczu i wszelkiej odsłuchania jego utworów zostały przescrobblowane.

Ostatnio szukając sobie filmiku we flash'u zatytułowanego The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny dotarłem do wykonawcy muzyki użytej w nim. Lemon Demon... ciekawie otagownay "geek rock" muszę się ciekawiej temu przyjrzeć ;) Ogólnie twórczosć tego artysty nie trafia w mój gust, lecz parę jego utworów jest naprawdę wartych odsłuchania(kolejność losowa):

• The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny
• Vanilla
• I've Got Some Falling to Do
• Kitten Is Angry
• Knife Fight
• Marketland

Lemon Demon - I've Got Some Falling to Do
In an airplane, I was flying.
Just a flight attendant guy.
I can be clumsy, and I stumbled
Out the door into the sky.
Now I am falling through the air.
Wind and regret flow through my hair.
All I can do right now is stare down at the ocean.

Suddenly, there’s a ring in my cell phone. I pick it up.
It’s the Angel of Death, and he says “Wazzup?”
I say, “What is it this time?”
And he’s like, “Well, hello, goodbye, I’ll see you in hell.”
He can be like that sometimes, he’s such a nut.
So I snicker and say, “I’d love to, but
Gravity’s calling, I’ve got some falling to do.”

I’m in a state of shock, but it’s something new.
I guess it all depends on your point of view. It’s true.

This is boring. Yes I’m falling,
But it’s taking quite a while.
My destination is impending.
Might as well go out in style.
I put my arms out to the skies,
Whistle a tune and close my eyes,
Trying to briefly realize perpetual motion.

Suddenly, giant tentacles rise from the open sea,
And with total precision they lasso me.
It’s a monstrous squid and he saved my life,
But I am too freaked out to be nice.
So I tell him the truth, that I’d rather fall.
No offense but at least it’s predictable.
Gotta stop stalling, I’ve got some falling to do.

I’m probably gonna die, but it’s something new.
I guess it all depends on your point of view. It’s true.

Yesterday I went to the beach for the first time this year. I almost forgot how much I loved it. Being generally a cave-dweller who shuns the sun and one who can't stand the sight of themselves in shorts, it seems surprising I'd enjoy wearing a swimsuit in a hot, sunny, public place. However, the way the waves and sand and beach feeling all combined is very enjoyable, and if I'm in the water no one can see my legs anyways.

Anyways, I've decided to make a mix of the very best beach/sea/summer songs. This is only a prototype listing and subject to change. Also, suggestions are welcome.

1. Michael Leviton - Summers The Worst
2. They Might Be Giants - Metal Detector
3. The Beach Boys - Sloop John B
4. Islands - Don’t Call Me Whitney, Bobby
5. Michael Leviton - The Beach Gets Cold
6. They Might Be Giants - Idlewild
5. The Beach Boys - Surfin USA
6. Islands - Rough Gem
7. They Might Be Giants - The Cap'm
8. Spiralmouth - Nsanity Island
9. They Might Be Giants - Caroline, No
10. Michael Leviton - I'm In Love With The Tip Of Your Iceberg
11. The Beach Boys - Surfer Girl
12. Islands - Joggin Gorgeous Summer
13. Michael Leviton - You'll Pay For Your Day at Pleasure Island
14. John Linnell - Arkansas
15. Michael Leviton - The Glanis Fish
16. West Ottawa Choirs - Child of the Sea
17. Islands - Swans (Life After Death)


Being considered: if you think any of these should/definitely shouldn't be on my mix, say so.
Jonathan Coulton - I Crush Everything, Blondie - The Tide Is High, Atomic Kitten - The Tide Is High, Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man, Mono Puff - The Devil Went Down to Newport, Tally Hall - Be Born, Banana Man, Haiku, The Monkees - This Just Doesn’t Seem to Be My Day, I Wanna Be Free(preferably the fast version if i can find it), Look Out, Here Comes Tomorrow.


*EDIT:
Thank you, Jade! Shop Vac indeed sounds beach-y. And I'm considering taking Arkansas off the list

Saw it floating around here, had nothing better to do.

1. How did you get into 29?

I got into Rage Against the Machine through Last.FM

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22?

The first Nine Inch Nails song I heard was probably "Only"

3. How many albums by 13 do you own?

I currently own 0 Death Cab for Cutie albums

4. What is your favorite song by 15?

But alas, 15 is a podcast

5. What is your favorite song by 5?

My favorite 宇多田ヒカル song is "EXODUS '04"

6. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy?

"Suliman" By Infected Mushroom

7. What is your favorite song by 10?

"Blue Lines" By Massive Attack

8. What is a good memory you have involving 30?

I dunno, finding out about them? (Muse)

9. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy?

"Tei! Tei! Tei!" By Polysics

10. How many times have you seen 25 live?

I've never seen Saul Williams live. I'd love to though.

11. What is the first song you ever heard by 23?

"Nerdcore Hiphop" By MC Frontalot

12. What is your favorite album by 11?

"White Blood Cells" by The White Stripes

13. Who is a favorite member of 1?

All the members of Fugazi rock.

14. Have you ever seen 14 live?

No, I've never seen BNL live, but I've tried to get tickets.

15. What is a good memory involving 27?

Hanging out with my friends and listening to Moby's album "
Play"

16. What is your favorite song by 16?

"Plug Tunin" By De La Soul

17. What is your favorite album by 18?

"When It Falls" by Zero 7

18. What is your favorite song by 21?

"Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd

19. What is the first song you ever heard by 26?

Again, it's a podcast

20. What is your favorite album by 2?

"The Else" by They Might Be Giants

21. What is you favorite song by 3?

"Red Sky" By Thrice

22. What is you favorite song by 8?

"Intergalactic" by Beastie Boys

23. How many times have you seen 17 live?

I've never seen System live and don't really intend to

24. What is the worst song by 12?

Any thing off of "Make Believe"

25. What was the first song you ever heard by 25?

"List of Demands" By Saul Williams

26. What is your favorite album by 7?

"Discovery" By Daft Punk

27. What is your favorite song by 24?

"Dramamine" By Modest Mouse

28. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy?

"19-2000" By Gorillaz

29. What is your favorite album by 4?

I don't know, Jonathan Coulton's albums

30. How many albums do you own by 20?
I own 0 Nullsleep albums