My iTunes Top 50 - 2008

iT's been nearly a year since I posted my first iTunes top 25 list. This year I'm expanding the list to the top 50 most played songs of 2008. My iTunes library contains about three thousand songs now, and I usually, (but not always), play iTunes on the shuffle setting, therefore the following winners are mainly the selections which the computer has chosen to play most often. And as it turns out, the computer has pretty good taste.
1 Streaming in first place with 222 plays, is KZSC Santa Cruz. This excellent local listener sponsored radio station moves up from third place with an excess of a hundred views more than the second place winner. I usually tune in to Platterpus Rising on Tuesday mornings and Here There and Everywhere Thursday mornings. Congratulations KZSC.

2 In second place, moving up from fourth place with 99 plays, is another listener sponsored radio station, WORT in Madison, Wisconsin. Thanks to streaming technology, I can keep in touch with my favorite Wisconsin city and former home.
3 In third place with 90 plays, local Santa Cruz radio station KSCO who came in first place on the previous top list. Unfortunately KSCO stopped their live stream service about half way through the year, otherwise they would have come in first place again. Sorry KSCO. You blew it! Still, third place is not bad.
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4 Metropolis - The Vox Jaguars - Good as Gone - 87
5 Crazy Little Thing - Captain Beefheart - Spotlight Kid - 756 Brazil - Geoff Muldaur - Brazil (soundtrack) - 73
7 Frail - The Vox Jaguars - Good as Gone - 728 Send in the Clown - The Simpsons - Songs in the key of Springfield - 71
9 Dust - Adrian Belew - Dust- 7010 Totally Wired - The Fall - 50,000 Fans Can't Be Wrong - 6911 Frame by Frame - King Crimson - B'BOOM - 6712 Kaw-Liga - The Residents - Stars and Hank Forever - 65
13 Angela (Theme from Taxi) - Bob James - Man on the Moon - 6414 I Will Survive - Tony Clifton - Man on the Moon - 62
15 Click Clack - Captain Beefheart - The Spotlight Kid/Clear Spot - 61
16 On the Beach Goes the Crimson King - Adrian Belew - Dust - 60
17 Greensleeves - California Guitar Trio - A Christmas Album - 59
18 Chase - Ravi Shankar - Tana Mana - 58
19 And She Was - The Talking Heads - 12 x 12 OriginalRemix - 57
20 Coconut - Harry Nilsson - Personal Best - 56
21 The Robots - Kraftwerk - The Man Machine - 55
22 I'm So Bored with the USA - The Clash - The Clash - 54
23 KUER - Public Radio - Salt Lake City - 53
24 Sheep - Les Claypool's Frog Brigade - Live Frogs: Set 2 - 51
25 Good as Gone - The Vox Jaguars - Good as Gone - 50

26 Trigger Hippy - Morcheeba - Who Can You Trust? - 48
27 Onward - Yes - Tormato - 47
28 Marble Hearts - Master Mason - Lektron - 45
29 Number One - The Rutles - The Rutles - 44
30* KRCL - Community Radio - Salt Lake City - 43
31 Men in Helicopters - Adrian Belew - Side Three - 39
32 MTV Get Off the Air - Dead Kennedys - Frankenchrist - 38
33 Look Into the Future - Journey - Look Into the Future - 37
34 One time - Adrian Belew - Dust - 35
35 21st Century Schizoid Man - April Wine - Classic Masters - 33
36 Sinister Exaggerator - Primus - Miscellaneous Debris - 31
37 Swagger - The Vox Jaguars - Good as Gone - 30
38 Big Blue Sun - Adrian Belew - Dust - 29
39 Smithers Jones - The Jam - Setting Sons - 28
40 Level Five - King Crimson - Level Five - 27
41 Dinosaur - Adrian Belew - Side Four (Live) - 26
42 Goodbye Blue Sky - Various Artists - Back Against the Wall - 25
43 Harvest Moon - Neil Young - Harvest Moon - 24
44 Picnic in the Jungle - Snakefinger - Chewing Hides the Sound - 23
45 The Court of the Crimson King - Asia - Fantasia Live in Tokyo - 21
46 Anna - George Martin - Beatle Girls - 20
47 Fire at Midnight - Jethro Tull - Christmas Album - 19
48 Heroes - King Crimson - Heavy ConstruKtion - 18
49 Mother Nature's Son - Harry Nilsson - Harry - 17
50 Christmas is the Time - Kids of Widney High - Lets Get Busy - 15

The most represented artist on the list is Adrian Belew with three songs in the top 25 and another six in the top 50. Three of them are King Crimson pieces and feature Mr. Belew on guitar and vocals. Congrats Ade!

The second most represented act is the Vox Jaguars with a total of five positions on the list. Their song, Metropolis, comes in on the top of the songs list in position #4, and another Vox Jaguars song, Frail, at position #7 comes in on the top ten list. They hold three positions on the top 25 list and another two positions on the top 50. In position #28, Marble Hearts, by Vox Jaguars' Master bassist, Mason, is an electronique version of the Vox Jaguars song.

* KRCL changed their streaming address, therefore its position on the list is not representative of actual plays of this fine station streaming from the City of Salt. Otherwise, KRCL would have been in the top three. Better luck next year KRCL!

Blue Monkee - Not a Belew Monkee

My first impression of the new Saul Zonana CD surprised me... in a good way. I wanted to play it for my son who's critical ear would either confirm or deny what I was hearing, so when we were alone in the car, I played it for him and didn't tell him what we were listening to, because I didn't want to influence his critique in any way. He asked, "Who are we listening to?" I replied, You tell me." He listened intently for a few moments and proclaimed, "It feels like Belew, but I know it isn't... Is it Saul Zonana?" he asked with rhetorical uncertainty. "Good job!" I affirmed. I was impressed that he guessed correctly. He had only heard Saul Zonana live on one occasion, and it had been a couple of years previous.

As we discussed the music on the CD, we agreed that it didn't really sound like Adrian Belew at all, but rather felt like Belew. Crisp, clean honest music with a side of lyrical irony, perhaps Zonana and Belew are kindred spirits. It may also have something to do with the fact the the CD was mastered at Studio Belew, and we were picking up on the feel of the equipment.

Either way, Saul Zonana's Blue Monkey stands on it's own and shouldn't be compared to anything else. A very comfortable listen. I've played it a dozen times now, and I like it better every time. Every song is good enough to become a commercial hit, and I wouldn't be surprised if someday Mr. Zonana's music is known to the masses.

I've had a chance to see Saul Zonana perform live on two separate occasions. I'm impressed by anyone who can stand up in front of a huge crowd with nothing more than a guitar and carry the show solo. Bravo!

Most recently, I saw Mr. Zonana open for Adrian Belew at Slims in San Francisco. I spoke with him at the products table where he was setting up a list and money jar so that for only one dollar, everyone who signed his list would receive his new CD when it was released. I signed the list, and reached into my wallet for a dollar, but didn't have one. Unfortunately, I had spent all my cash on pizza before the show. I figured that Mighty Mo would have a buck in her purse, but when she checked, she didn't have any cash with her either. Bummer! My name was on the list, but I hadn't paid for the CD, and by the end of the show I had forgotten all about it... until I got home and downloaded the photos from the show. There among the photos was a picture of the empty money jar. I felt terrible.


Not long ago, the new Blue Monkee CD that I didn't pay for arrived in the mail, and I've been listening to it since. It is certainly well worth a dollar, so I've decided to send a one hundred cent note ($1) to Mr. Zonana, and hopefully alter my karmic trajectory for the better.

My iTunes Top 25

The holidays brought a new hard drive to our home, and with the new virtual space, iTunes has become a part of my daily life. I've been using iT on my computer for more than a month now, and out of nearly two-thousand songs, the following tunes have risen to the top, and represent the cream of my play list.

Interestingly, the top four positions go to radio stations which are scattered across the country. The streaming feed is counted once per play, even if I have it on for hours at at time.

1 In the number one position, coming in first place with forty-four plays is KSCO, 1080 AM in Santa Cruz, California. i Tune into KSCO pretty much every day, but not only on the computer. I am fortunate to live where I can listen to this local radio station at home or in the car. AM talk radio programming such as Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly help to keep me abreast of the workings of the right-wing propaganda machine. However, unlike most other AM talk stations I have heard, KSCO's political programming is much more balanced. Congratulations KSCO!

2 In second place with forty-two listens, is KRCL, 90.9 FM in Salt Lake City, Utah. I especially enjoy getting up early on Sunday mornings to listen to the Native American music on KRCL. I tune in to their political programming to keep in touch with left-wing political propaganda. KRCL has been one of my most profound musical influences, and holds a special place in my heart. I began listening twenty-five years ago, and thanks to live feed, I can hear it anytime I'm at my computer.

3 Close behind, in third place with forty-one plays is KZSC, 88.1 FM in Santa Cruz California which I listen to every Tuesday and Thursday morning... Platypus Rising, and Here There and Everywhere respectively. My favorite FM station in Santa Cruz.

4 WORT 89.9 FM Madison Wisconsin - play count 34. A fine station I was first introduced to when I lived in Madison, (before the war), and have fond memories of this eclectic, listener sponsored, left-wing voice from the heart of America's Dairyland. And thanks to live stream, I can once again Tune in for political propaganda, and a host of entertaining and informative programming.

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5 Number One - The Rutles - The Rutles - 27
6 Dust - Adrian Belew - Dust - 26
7 Click Clack - Captain Beefheart - Spotlight Kid - 26
8 Totally Wired - The Fall - 50,000 fans... - 26
9 Send in the Clown - The Simpsons - Songs in the Key of Springfield - 26
10 And She Was - Talking Heads - 12x12 Original Remixes - 26
11 Frail - The Vox Jaguars - Good As Gone - 26
12 Greensleeves - California Guitar Trio - Christmas Album - 25
13 I'm So Bored With the USA - The Clash - The Clash - 25
14 MTV Get Off the Air - Dead Kennedys - Frankenchrist - 25
15 I Will Survive - Tony Clifton - Man on the Moon - 25
16 Onward - Yes - Tormato - 25
17 On the Beach Goes the Crimson King - Adrian Belew - Dust 24
18 Angela (theme from taxi) - Bob James - Man on the Moon 24
19 Coconut - Harry Nilsson - Personal Best - 24
20 Frame by Frame - King Crimson - B'BOOM - 24
21 The Robots - Kraftwerk - The Man Machine - 24
22 Trigger Hippie - Morcheeba - Who Can You Trust? - 24
23 Chase - Ravi Shankar - Tana Mana - 24
24 Kaw-Liga - The Residents - Stars and Hank Forever - 24
25 Metropolis - The Vox Jaguars - Good As Gone - 24

Best Live Record of the Year - Side Four: Critique

Pre-Order Belews

I waited a long time to hear this CD. Back when the double Mike power trio was touring, there was talk about plans to release live material to complete Adrian's Sides theme. After all, a three-sided record doesn't make much sense.* Then came the Eric and Julie version of the power trio, and more promises of a Side Four in the future. Recently it was announced that Side Four would soon be released, and that pre-orders were being taken at http://www.adrianbelew.net/ I promptly pre-ordered my copy of Side Four in order to be among the first to hear it. That was the plan anyway... 

I looked for it in my mailbox daily, until one day, it donned on me that I couldn't remember informing Pay-pal of my address change when I moved a couple of years ago. I decided to check my on-line receipt, and to my horror, I discovered that my signed copy of Side Four had been shipped to my old address on B-40 Drive. I picked up the telephone and called the people who currently live there, but no one answered, so I left a message explaining what had happened. A few more days passed and I hadn't hear back, so I drove to Happy Valley to find out for myself. When I arrived, no one was around, no mail in the box, and no package anywhere to be found. Next door, the infamous Happy Valley Villa loomed forebodingly... making me wonder if my Side Four was being enjoyed by some villain living within the gates of the spooky complex once owned by the Elizabeth Montgomery family. On Christmas Eve, I successfully contacted the current residents at my former address who told me that they hadn't seen the parcel. OK, so it is lost, I should be able to find a copy of Side Four somewhere in Santa Cruz right? wrong! I found two Side Twos, and one Side One, but no Side Four for X-Mass. 
Unexpected Surprise

I play disc golf every Thursday, and today was no exception. I realized that I had forgotten my special disc golf glasses, so Mighty Mo met me at the course, so I'd be able to see where to throw the disc. In addition to my special spectacles, she handed me a small manila mailer. The official Nashville TN postmark was dated December 24, X-mas Eve. I knew it was Side Four before I looked to see. The good folks at Adrian Belew Presents had made sure that I received a replacement for my lost parcel. I had a fantastique round of disc golf in anticipation of listening to my new compact disc.

I didn't open the parcel until I got home. Knowing that it would be difficult to give a critical listen with all the hustle and bustle of extra-family activity all around me, I chose to wait until the house was quite quiet and dark. I didn't want any interruptions. With headphones adjusted comfortably on my ears, I pushed play, and heard the best live album of the year... maybe the best album of the year... I haven't heard all of them yet, so can't say for sure. 
The Listen
 
Writing on the Wall erupts like a volcano on a primordial landscape. The thundering sound makes me feel like some kind of Primusaurous Erectus is coming to scoop me up and devour me. Fast as punk and tight as a fine Swiss watch. Suddenly, another Dinosaur rears its head for an old familiar Krimson cover. The bass is masterfully executed, the drums are precise and deliberate. Adrian's voice is powerful as he delivers every note with convincing passion. Pretty freakin' good for an old guy. Oh, and the guitar... Oh, yea... and did I mention the bass? What really stands out on this track is the bare foot pretty's phenomenal frettery. Wow! Queen Crimson.

I had always hoped of one day seeing and or hearing Les Claypool play Ampersand live with Belew... this is probably better... Next, Adrian introduces his masterful young musicians who have just made such an impression on the audience (and listeners at home like me). Young Lions sounds as though the trio has played together for a decade. Adrian's guitar solo roars and reminds everyone what they're there for. He manages his custom-made Parker Fly guitar as though it is an extension of himself. No wonder Beat Box Guitar was nominated for a Grammy a couple of years ago. Infused with a touch Krimsonesence, it really grooves, and is a lot of fun to listen to too. It sounds like the band is having a great time... like three kids in a sandbox. One of the most beautiful songs in the sides series is Matchless Man. The lyrics and backwards guitar give this piece a bit of a Lennon flavour.

Next the band plays A Little Madness. I wonder how mad folks feel about the title. I don't think they'd like it, but I do... really... what, do you think I'm Krazi? In a couple of months, I'm going to Drive all the way to San Fancisco to see this dynamique trio because they're not coming to the vegetarian and barefoot-friendly Santa Cruz. The Siblings Slick sit this one out as Adrian commandeers the wheel and takes everyone on a Belooperistic adventure. Nice!

One of my favorite Belew songs is Of Bow and Drum, from the Op Zop Too Wah album. I couldn't ask for a better live presentation. Great job. Last November, I was impressed when these three played Big Electric Cat at the Catalyst here in Santa Cruz. Listening to this track reminded me of the excitement in the air that night. From frogs croaking in the jungle to the slick presentation on this disc, there are now lots of versions of Thela Hun Gingeet for the Krimsonnoisseur to enjoy. 
Not Kids Anymore

Now that I've heard Side Four, I feel like it isn't fair to refer to Eric and Julie Slick as kids any longer. They've proven themselves. Any band would be thrilled to have either one of these exceptional performers in their ensemble... Adrian Belew is fortunate to have both of them. He'll have to work hard to keep up with these two.

I have to wonder what is next for the Twang Bar King now that the Sides are complete...
and what of the siblings Slick?* Unless you're the Residents who recorded a three sided concept album called Tourniquet of Roses. The double album was intended to have a blank fourth side, but economics outweighed concepts, and the music was whittled down to accommodate the limitations of a single 12# vinyl disc, (two sides). Fortunately, the full version is now available on one side of a single compact disc.

Favorite Album Covers: Soundproof

There is something really groovy about vinyl records. I adore the smooth motion of the needle on the vinyl as it is spirals on its journey to the center of the disc... meditative in a way. I've heard lots of vinyl, and seen even more album covers. Over the years, I've spent so much time flipping through records, that anymore I hardly have to look at the covers as I thumb through stacks of vinyl... like a speed reader. Some record covers are creative and artsy, while others are pretty lame... like the album cover was simply an afterthought. Through the years, I've seen the best and the worst. With some covers, I have wondered, "Man, what were they thinking?" Sometimes I stumble across things I've never seen, or heard before, and on rare occasions, I'll even purchase an album I've never heard, as long as the cover is aesthetically pleasing to me. I picked up this Soundproof record at the flea market a couple of years ago (see image with post). I really appreciate the rhetro/future look of the flying saucer, and the alien-planetscape. Turned out that the musique on the record doesn't appeal to me much, (although very interesting and worthy of a listen), however it sure looked cool framed and hanging on my wall for a year or so. While still greatly appreciated, the cover is no longer displayed on the wall, this cover is now back in the collection with many other fine records.