Best of '09 (Vol. II)

Another mix of some faves from '09. A bit louder and more energetic than the previous volume, but still nothing that'll peel the paint off walls.

Let's Jump Around Some

1. The XX VCR
2. Cornershop Who Fingered Rock 'n' Roll?
3. Lucero The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo
4. Cheap Trick Sick Man Of Europe
5. The Films Holiday
6. Rancid Last One To Die
7. The Aggrolites It's Time To Go
8. Robyn Hitchcock Saturday Groovers
9. The Dead Trees Shelter
10. The Fate Lions Ride The Artifact
11. The Weight Had It Made
12. Deadstring Brothers The River Song
13. Reigning Sound Call Me
14. The Greatest Hits Electric Blanket Boogie
15. The Shazam Hey Mom, I Got The Bomb
16. Radio Faces Coffee Cup
17. Bazooka Jones You Suck
18. The Beat Strings My Medicine
19. Rich Hope Let's Jump Around Some
20. Cracker Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey
21. Brendan Benson Don't Wanna Talk
22. Bad Veins Gold And Warm

Spoon - B-Sides and Rarities

For my money, one of the best bands of the past decade. Deceptively simple, incredibly melodic, hook-filled, groove-based, and cool as fuck. Their detractors sniff that they're just straightforward rock. They're wrong. And they're right. And they're missing the point entirely. There's something much deeper going on than just catchy songs - and, anyway, when did catchy songs become a point of embarrassment?

This compilation collects 22 non-album cuts. It's not comprehensive; there's plenty of odds 'n' ends left off. But all of it is high sound quality and, at the very least, filled with interesting additions to the Spoon catalogue.

Spoon - B-Sides & Rarities

1. Got Nuffin
2. Revenge!
3. Stroke Their Brains
4. My First Time, Vol. 3 (Light Version)
5. Carryout Kids
6. Well-Alright
7. Monkey Feelings
8. It Took A Rumor To Make Me Wonder, Now I'm Convinced I'm Going Under
9. I Turn My Camera On (John McEntire remix)
10. Sunday Morning, Wednesday Night
11. I Could Be Underground
12. The Underdog (demo)
13. Deep Clean
14. Bring It On Home To Me
15. The Book I Write
16. Shake It Off
17. Irrigation Man
18. If You Say So
19. You Get Yours
20. Let The Distance Keep Us Together
21. Is This The Last Time
22. In The Right Place, The Right Time

#1,3 - from Got Nuffin single
#2, 11 - from 30 Gallon Tank +3 ep
#4 - from My First Time, Vol. 3 ep
#5 - from Gimme Fiction bonus disc
#6 - from Dark Was The Night compilation
#7, 8 - from Sister Jack UK single
#9,10 - from Sister Jack US single
#12 - from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga bonus 7"
#13 - I-Tunes exclusive
#14 - Sam Cooke cover, from B-Sides And Demos
#15 - from Stranger Than Fiction OST
#16 - from Anything You Want single
#17, 18 - from If You Say So Motherfucker compilation
#19, 20 - from Home, Vol. 4 ep
#21,22 - from Stay Don't Go single

Don't Call Me Honey

Not exactly a collection of 60s girl groups, but more a comp of female-led songs that mine the sound of that particular era. There's something from every decade since the 50s here, including the relatively well-known rockabilly vixen Wanda Jackson as well as forgotten treasures like Billie Davis and the totally untamed Tammy St. John. Genya Ravan appears twice, once on the lead-off track from her gritty '78 masterwork Urban Desire and before that as leader of Goldie & The Gingerbreads (one of the first ever all-girl hard R&B bands). The Prissteens show up twice as well (sort of), once as themselves and once as Purple Wizard. Also lots of stuff from the punk/new wave era (Pearl Harbor, Holly & the Italians, Ellen Foley, Pretenders, Josie Cotton, Catholic Girls, Rachel Sweet, and Lost Durangos). The more modern era is represented by the likes of Ruby Ann, Raveonettes, the Pipettes, Amy Faris, and the Detroit Cobras. And even if you're sick of Amy Winehouse give her a fresh listen in this context - the woman definitely delivers.

DON'T CALL ME HONEY

1. Pretenders Stop Your Sobbing
2. Catholic Girls Boys Can Cry
3. The Angels Get Away From Me
4. Goldie & The Gingerbreads V.I.P.
5. Ruby Ann Don't Call Me Honey
6. Purple Wizard I'm Gonna Get You Yet
7. Ellen Foley What'sa Matter Baby?
8. Holly & The Italians Tell That Girl To Shut Up
9. Genya Ravan Jerry's Pigeons
10. Tammy St. John Boys
11. Pearl Harbor & The Explosions Everybody's Boring But My Baby
12. Maria McKee I'm Gonna Soothe You
13. Patti Scialfa Baby Don't
14. The Prissteens Scandal, Controversy, and Romance
15. Rachel Sweet B-A-B-Y
16. Lost Durangos Evil Town
17. Billie Davis & The Leroys Whatcha Gonna Do?
18. Amy Farris Anyway
19. The Raveonettes Ode To L.A.
20. Ronnie Spector All I Want
21. Amy Winehouse Me And Mr. Jones
22. The Pipettes Pull Shapes
23. Shelby Lynne Your Lies
24. Josie Cotton Jimmy Loves Maryanne
25. Wanda Jackson Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad
26. Detroit Cobras Bye Bye Baby