Shuffleathon 2007 Review

A couple of weeks back I got my Shuffleathon CD from Alan which came with a accompanying letter, a CD, and a blank envelope.

The letter was as follows:

Hi there Adem,
Welcome to my Shuffleathon CD! I hope it turns out not to be too painful.

Actually it?s probably quite mainstream. I decided to follow the letter of Toni?s instructions and make a CD which reflected myself rather than just have a theme or a cool set of tunes as I?m sure some have done. So there is a well thought out reason behind every song.

I have included a tracklist which is in a sealed envelope in the CD cover. The reason I did it this way is that with the one I receive, I decided to listen through once with no preconceptions of what to say on it. So I figured I would give whoever got mine the same opportunity.

Anyway, hope you enjoy. If not, hope you don?t begrudge the amount of time spent listening too much.

Cheers

Alan.

So I did what Alan instructed and left the tracklisting in the sealed envelope and bunged the CD on, not knowing what I was to get. It was nice to wonder about what songs were going to come out of my speakers, although I was also a little nervous as it was also a collection of songs that were meant to reflect Alan? what if they were shit??? How would I cope with that? I definitely had no preconceptions as to what the music would be as I?d never previously visited Alan?s blog, and so onto the songs.

I gave the whole CD a listen, as instructed, and then I whipped out the tracklisting to see what I?d been listening too. Of course I knew some of the songs but a lot were unknown to me.

1. Lady Grinning Soul ? David Bowie
2. (Nothing But) Flowers ? Talking Heads
3. Straight To You ? Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
4. The Dam at Otter Creek ? Live
5. Drunk on the Moon ? Tom Waits
6. Fire on Babylon ? Sinead O?Conner
7. This One?s Gonna Bruise ? Beth Orton
8. If I Had A Million Dollars ? Barenaked Ladies
9. Shipbuilding ? Suede
10. Country Death Song ? Violent Femmes
11. Meeting Across The River ? Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
12. The Greatest ? Cat Power
13. In The City ? The Jam
14. Daniel Cowman ? Reina Spektor
15. King of the Kerb ? Echobelly
16. Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day ? Jethro Tull
17. Beautiful Freak ? Eels
18. The Reluctant Cannibal ? Flanders and Swann

I can honestly say that I?ve listened to the entire compilation at least six times now, and you know what? Some of the songs I first heard and which didn?t immedietly grab my attention are now in my head and working their intended magic. I originally thought that the songs were a bit pretentious as I could only recollect hearing 4 of the songs before (does that really make it pretentious?) I can only say that it wasn?t what I normally listen too, but as I said, the songs have grown on me and I looking beyond the initial hearing. Yes a few are still not to my taste but I can happily say that after hearing the album a few more times it?s can definitely be classed as a ?grower? which, as it the way, often give more longterm enjoyment than those more ?obvious? and instant albums which are soon discarded.

I guess now is the time to go through the songs, as that?s what seems to happen. I?m not a music reviewer so you can only expect a sentence or so or each song. So without further delay *cue drumroll*

1. Lady Grinning Soul ? David Bowie
At first listen I thought that this was a lass but soon enough you realise it?s Bowie. I like Bowie but have to say that I?d never heard the song before, no wonder it had been considered one of Bowie?s most underated songs (link) (see the ..not original vid though)

2. (Nothing But) Flowers ? Talking Heads
Ah.. David Byrne? I like this? especially the jangly guitars?and of course his voice.. I?m not quite sure what the songs about (?!) but a definite thumbs up form me. Hang on? wikipedia to the rescue ?The lyrics describe a post-apocalyptic world in which modern technology has been largely eliminated, and there is ?nothing but flowers.? The song?s protagonist yearns for the disappeared items of his youth such as lawnmowers and fast food. The song is a satire of humanity?s alienation from and disregard for nature.?? ah?now I get it. (see the )

3. Straight To You ? Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
I have to say that this isn?t really one for me. Not a big fan at all. Best left at that. (see the )

4. The Dam at Otter Creek ? Live
Live are a band I?d heard of but never actually heard, and this song makes a good change of tempo on the CD, starting off quite mellow and then really kicking in around halfway when the drummer starts doing his stuff and the singer really goes for it. This is definitely more like my type of stuff.(listen to , but video has nothing to do with song.)

5. Drunk on the Moon ? Tom Waits
This is what I?d probably call ?a bit wanky?, and not my cup-of-tea. skip. (?if you can bare it)

6. Fire on Babylon ? Sinead O?Conner
I probably only know one Sinead O?Conner song?.can you guess what it is? This has got quite a rhythmic tune underlying it and could be mistaken for something by the likes of Massive Attack, and so gets the thumbs-up from me. This could find it?s way onto a ?chilling out evening-in? CD if I were ever to make one. ()

7. This One?s Gonna Bruise ? Beth Orton
Beth Orton?s name was bandied around alot in the 90s but have I heard any of her stuff? Well, not until now. She?s got a good voice and this song makes me contemplate a little too much and get a little depressed. If it does that then it certainly has a place and I?m happy (?) to listen to it when I?m a little down. (no video on youtube for Beth? sorry love)

8. If I Had A Million Dollars ? Barenaked Ladies
Yay! A good ol? happy song. You all must know it. I personally love it. ?Haven?t you always wanted a monkEy??( which showcases some excellent fashion from 1990)

9. Shipbuilding ? Suede
A nice song from Suede, in fact I used to have a couple of their albums in the late 90s, but as it seems to be, I don?t think I?d heard this one before, but I like it. Quite relaxed and with a bit of a jazz/rock vibe (must be the trumpet). In fact you could link this pretty well with Bowie on the first track and you wouldn?t be surprised if good ol? Dave had put this out in the 70s. ()

10. Country Death Song ? Violent Femmes
I can?t help but bobbing my head along to this song?and then the lyrics come in?.have a listen?it?s about a bloke who goes mental, kills his daughter by throwing her down a well, and then hangs himself in a barn?. I like it! ()

11. Meeting Across The River ? Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Not my thing as it sounds like it?s from some musical theatre production?give me Dancing in the Dark anyday ()

12. The Greatest ? Cat Power
Never heard of her. Wish I had. This is lovely and she?s got such a great voice.()

13. In The City ? The Jam
Not the best Jam song I reckon, but fits along nicely with the whole compilation.()

14. Daniel Cowman ? Regina Spektor
The quirky piano (and voice) on this is quite unique, and well worse a listen, and so I?ll definitely go exploring and looking around for some more of her stuff. I don?t know if I?d buy it but I think there?s something very interesting about her music. (no video for this one? sorry)

15. King of the Kerb ? Echobelly
Echo belly peaked in britpop with this one in the mid-nineties, and then dropped off the kerb (sorry couldn?t resist), but a quick bit of surfing shows that they?re still going strong although not making a dent in the charts. I guess it?s an ok song but wouldn?t make it onto compilation cd of mine with all the songs to choose from but I guess it means something to Alan. ()

16. Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day ? Jethro Tull
We?re getting near the end of the Cd and it?s certainly time to be uplifting. I?m feeling the 70s here. (non-official )

17. Beautiful Freak ? Eels
Back to the 90s and a lovely and thoughtful song that can certainly get you thinking.
()

18. The Reluctant Cannibal ? Flanders and Swann
Hmmm.. this obviously means something to the compilator (is that a word??compilationist?) but it misses the target with me, but as Alan said in his letter, the songs are they?re to reflect himself.(no vid)

Overall some good ?uns, a few ones that will definitely get some attention, and then a couple which do absolutely nothing for me. So I may not have connected to all the songs on a personal level but I have a feeling that I know Alan a little better, not hard considering the first I?d heard of him was this CD), but you get what I mean, and there is a definite theme running through it, although only one song sticks out and that?s the Barenaked Ladies and feels like it may have just been popped in there to keep the occasional lister happy and desn?t blend in with the compilation although I do love it.

Well there you go. That?s the end of the review. *cue applause*