Clang & Clatter

I didn’t think you cared about my Friday Five at Popdose.

Galactic Cowboys - “Bucket of Chicken” (Let It Go, 2000)
A funky organ-based instrumental filler of sorts from the Cowboys’ swan song. Not a bad track, but not what you’d expect from this group.

Foo Fighters - “Best of You” (In Your Honor, 2005)
One of the best (and commercially successful) tracks from this double-album from the Foos. Say what you will, but Dave Grohl knows how to write a good rock song.

Metallica - “That Was Just Your Life” (Death Magnetic, 2008)
Much ado was made about the mastering of this album, so much so that the songs themselves were often overlooked. Death Magnetic was a return-to-form of sorts—not the revisiting of the Master of Puppets glory days that fans have long craved—and in my opinion it was an excellent album and exactly the shot in the arm the band needed after the beating they took for St. Anger. This song kicks off a relentless James Hetfield riff-fest that slows down only a couple of times during the album’s 72 minutes, and that’s just fine by me.

Queensrÿche - “Sign of the Times” (Hear in the Now Frontier, 1997)

Would someone please let me know
How we have spun out of control
Has the captain let go of the wheel?

Little did guitarist, primary songwriter, and founding member Chris DeGarmo know how prophetic these words would be as longtime fans currently find themselves scratching their heads wondering what has happened to this band. Or maybe he did. HITNF was the last album with DeGarmo on-board as a full-time member, choosing instead to follow a career as a professional pilot and a short stint as a hired gun for Jerry Cantrell’s backing band. This album doesn’t get much respect in the Queensrÿche ouvre—and that’s understandable in light of some of the classics that preceded it—but for the most part, it’s not a bad album. It’s just that as a Queensrÿche album it’s fairly forgettable, and it was definitely a sign that the band’s better days were behind it.

Glen Phillips - “Didn’t Think You Cared” (The Unreleased Songs Compilation, 1st Edition, Disc 1)
Just like it says on the tin, this is a compilation of live and demo versions of (at the time) unreleased Toad the Wet Sprocket and Glen Phillips solo material. This is a typical ballad-y Glen song from a poor quality bootleg played to an audience that was obviously way more interested in talking (and eating? I think I hear clinking silverware in the background). I’ve heard a couple of other bootleg shows like this one, and it never ceases to amaze me how much chatter there is when Glen isn’t playing a Toad song.

Listen to this entire Friday Five playlist on Spotify.

Getting my Good Friday Five on over at IckMusic.

Def Leppard - “See the Lights” (First Strike, 1979)
An “album” of demos from back when Def Leppard was a bonafide NWOBHM band. The “album” was later unofficially released without the band’s consent. “See the Lights” is not the best song on the collection—that designation would have to go to “Wasted” or “Sorrow Is a Woman,” both of which were released on On Through the Night—but it’s not bad, either.

Black Sabbath - “Never Say Die” (Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978, 2002)
Ozzy had already quit and rejoined Sabbath by the time Never Say Die was recorded, and he pulls no punches when expressing his dissatisfaction with Sabbath at that point in his career, calling it “the worst piece of work that I’ve ever had anything to do with. I’m ashamed of that album. I think it’s disgusting.” With the exception of the cheesy ending, “Never Say Die” is a great, fun tune—should any Sabbath song be “fun”?!—although it sounds like it would fit better on Blizzard of Ozz.

Smashing Pumpkins - “Today” (“Unplugged” 100% Pure Acoustic Performances, 1993)
I never really cared much for the original, so a bootleg recording of an acoustic rendition of it is probably not going to rate very high for me. The performance is uninspiring and limp, with no musical embellishments until the very end when Iha adds an arpeggiated section, and Corgan struggles to hit some of the higher notes as he whines his way throughout the song. Sounds like they don’t even like it very much.

Galactic Cowboys - “Through” (At the End of the Day, 1998)

I thought you were in love, what a fool’s mistake
I don’t care about love now
It’s true
I’m through

And unfortunately Galactic Cowboys’ career was almost through at this point as well. ATEOTD is one of my favorite GC albums, containing the excellent “The Machine Fish Suite,” but I’m ashamed to admit I usually skip this one. Not that there’s anything much wrong with it. I just don’t usually turn to Galactic Cowboys when I want to hear a ballad.

Rush - “Cinderella Man” (Different Stages, 1998)
Not sure why, but this version always sounds really sloppy to me, and Geddy seems to really be straining to hit some of the notes. Odd for a band that is usually so tight.

Stop the running and check out the Friday Five with IckMusic.

The Clash - “Police on My Back” (Sandinista!, 1980)
“I been running Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday”

Queen - “Flick of the Wrist” (Sheer Heart Attack, 1974)
Quite possibly my favorite Queen album of all time. Seriously.

“Reduce you to a muzak fake machine, then the last goodbye.”

Spock’s Beard - “Made Alive/Overture” (Snow, 2002)
Opening track of the last album—a double-disc concept album at that!—to feature founder Neal Morse.

“Like a flaw that seeks perfection…”

Foo Fighters - “Bridge Burning” (Wasting Light, 2011)
From one album opener to another, this time the latest from Dave Grohl and company. I’m still impressed with how good this album is and how much I’m still listening to it (the true test).

“These are my famous last words!”

Atomic Opera - “New Dreams” (For Madmen Only, 1994)
Epic album-closing slow, crunchy groove from the third band in former ZZ Top manager Sam Taylor’s holy Houston triumvirate that also included King’s X and Galactic Cowboys.

“I use to think that Hell could last forever.”

Quite an eclectic and enjoyable set this week. Later.

Just shufflin’ my way through Friday with IckMusic’s Friday Five.

Crunchy - “Jerk Store” (All Day Sucker, 2001)
Fun power pop from the debut album of Monty Colvin’s first post-Galactic Cowboys project. Low, distorted bass, catchy chorus, great harmony vocals, and it’s based on a George Costanza joke. Nice.

Rush - “The Weapon” (Signals, 1982)
Well it looks like Rush is here to stay for my Friday Fives, and you know what? I’m OK with that. I’ve really grown to love Signals over the years despite it being instrumental in ushering in Rush’s more-synths-less-guitar period. “The Weapon” is one of the high points on the album.

I Mother Earth - “Hello Dave!”/”Like a Girl” (Scenery and Fish, 1996)
I’m cheating again. “Hello Dave!” is the 48-second nonsensical album opener from I Mother Earth’s second release, so I included the track that follows it as well. I Mother Earth can be an acquired taste at times, and “Like a Girl” is no exception. It continues the heavily percussion-based funky grooves found on their excellent debut Dig, but they dropped some of the Latin flair and jam-band attitude and added a more post-grunge alternative feel. Unfortunately, vocalist Edwin left the group after this album, and I Mother Earth seemed to continue to struggle to find its sound, changing styles from album to album. Their releases can sometimes be fairly hard to come by at a good price in decent condition, making it difficult to check this band out if you’ve never heard them before.

Galactic Cowboys - “The Buzz (coughing)” (The Horse That Bud Bought, 1997)
“The Buzz” contains none of the progressive leanings or quirky sense of humor present in other Galactic Cowboys tunes. Short and sweet (clocking in at only 1:26), this is straight-ahead, heavy, aggressive metal.

Geoff Tate - “Every Move We Make” (Geoff Tate, 2002)
What’s the deal with iTunes shuffle?! How does it repeatedly decide to pick songs from the same albums week after week? Anyway, here’s a low-key, laid-back, soft-groove tune from the Queensrÿche frontman’s solo disc, although I think it’s a better song than last week’s pick by iTunes.