2009 Playlist

I sent out my mix of songs I listened to in 2009 today, rather belatedly.

1. The Knux - Cappuccino
2. Phoenix - 1901
3. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand
4. Rhymefest featuring Michael Jackson - No Sunshine
5. Deer Tick - Easy
6. The Clap - Che Guevara T-Shirt Wearer
7. Tom Waits - Way Down In the Hole
8. Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer
9. The Dead Weather - Will There Be Enough Water? (live)
10. Guy Clark - Desperados Waiting For a Train
11. The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)
12. Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood
13. The Gaslight Anthem - Great Expectations
14. Lupe Fiasco - Hip-Hop Saved My Life
15. Leonard Cohen - Anthem

Best finds: Rhymefest was a free download album online. The Clap I got (ha ha) after seeing an anti-Communist video from libertarian rag Reason. And I loved The Dead Weather's performance of "Water" at ACL so much that I had to track it down live (ultimately ripping it from a Youtube video).

Songs that I really listened to in '08 but I was too lazy to send out an '08 CD: Leonard Cohen, Fleet Foxes, the Knux.

Songs that had to be on there without question: Lupe Fiasco, Gaslight Anthem, Deer Tick.

Last cuts: "Love Lockdown" by Kanye West and "Bull Black Nova" by Wilco.

All in all: A mix of hip-hop, murder ballads, and inspiration. Hopefully folks like it!

Greg Kot - Scary Halloween Songs

Great blog post from the Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot on his favorite Halloween songs:
http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2009/10/scary-songs-to-put-a-shiver-in-your-halloween-party.html

I'll add a few more favorites:
Ryan Adams - "Halloweenhead" - it's got Halloween right there in the title.
Big Star - "Holocaust" - one of the great poppy bands ever with one of the great creepy songs ever.
Nick Cave - "Red Right Hand" - no surprise that this was used in "The X-Files" pilot.
Cranberries - "Zombie" - OK, it's a war song, not a zombie song, but it's still pretty haunting.
Howlin' Wolf - "Evil (Is Going On)" - even more sinister than it sounds thanks to Howlin's Wolf's gruff, passionate vocals.
Del McCoury Band - "It's Just the Night" - the definitive bluegrass Halloween song.
The Misfits - "Last Caress" - who knew rape and murder could be this fun?
Bill Monroe - "My Last Days on Earth" - this stark instrumental musing on death will stay with you.
Okkervil River - "For Real" - the modern masters of the murder ballad with their most potent take on it.
Outkast - "Dracula's Wedding" - what is a vampire scared of?
Portishead - "Sour Times" - should be in ever noir soundtrack.
Radiohead - "Climbing Up the Walls" - I used to nap in college listening to OK Computer and I'd wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of this song.
The Ramones - "Chain Saw" - because part of Halloween is silly, campy horror fun.
The Raveonettes - "Aly, Walk With Me" - the haunting opener to their 2008 offering Lust, Lust, Lust.
Tool - "Opiate" - no, it's not subtle, but it is frightening.
Wilco - "Bull Black Nova" - psychological nightmare of their latest LP.
Warren Zevon - "Werewolves of London" - cliched, but it's gotta be in there.