Sort by Song Title:
First: (Don’t Fear) The Reaper | Nothin’ like a little BÖC to start out a playlist of any kind…
Last: Zumbi | Caetano Veloso, one of the finest singer/songwriters in the world.

Sort by Time:
Shortest: Untitled | Fantômas, clocking in at 0:004.
Longest: Circle | A fine comedy album performed by Eddie Izzard; the guy really is a genius. This one weighs in at 1:19:15.

Sort by Artist:
First: 1.6 Band’s Back in Church | Some math rock I picked up at epitonic.
Last: Immigrant Song, previously a single of the week, performed by (cluster of Japanese characters I can neither read, nor care to find the html code for).

Top 5 Most Played:
1. Fabulous Dramatics by 4th Avenue Jones | 24 Plays.
2. An Honest Mistake by The Bravery | 17 Plays.
3. 16 Military Wives por los Decemberists | 17 Plays.
4. Through the Walls by RJD2 and Ric Ocasek | 16 Plays.
5. Sunshine to the Rain by Miri Ben-Ari | 15 Plays.

First Song that Plays in a Shuffle:
Bruce Springsteen’s Cover Me.

Songs with x in the Title:
Sex: 11 (counting the variation “sexy”).
Love: 81 (damn).
Death: 5
Money: 4

What have you got?

• Supreme Beings of Leisure – Sublime | SBoL def has some good trip hop-py stuff with some good ’60s movie music sounds mixed in there too. Sublime, with it’s sitar and Indian percussion is a great tune to open up this week’s Friday Random 5.
• Ry Cooder and Manuel Galban – Dru Me Negrita | Ry Cooder seems to have some kind of obsession with Cuba, between this and the Buena Vista Social Club project. But this is a good album, a mashup of Mambo and surf guitar. Definitely the stuff for sitting back, indulging, and being mellow.
• Jerry Cantrell – Cold Piece | I was just as upset as the next guy when Alice In Chains broke up, but Jerry Cantrell did a great job of carrying the torch with his two solo albums. This is a longer piece featuring guests Fish and Angelo from Fishbone.
• Cafe Tacuba – Dejate Caer | Originally by Mexican rock group Los Tri, Cafe Tacuba decided to funk this one up on their tribute EP Vale Callampa. I spent hours figuring out the bassline to this one.
• Res – They Say Vision | I just love this song. Neo-soul is groovy, I say. It’s a shame this girl didn’t take off more than she did.

iTunes Bitches!

• Josh Rouse – James | DB prolly wouldn’t like this one, because it’s got a very smooth ’70s sound (the album is titled 1972). He’s a Nebraska boy (though as far as I know he moved away pretty quickly) so I gotta give him props for that. And DB says it’s “a groovy ditty”.
• Ratatat – Lapland | Ratatat is a duo comprised of an awesome guitarist and a guy playing synth. The result is an awesome virtuosic 8-bit metal sound. This is one of their more laidback tracks.
• Galactic – Paint | I was turned on to Galactic by a music journalist out in Ventura CA, and I’m glad he did, because these guys are sweet. It’s a jazz rock sound, with a bit of voodoo funk mixed in. This album was produced by Dan the Automator as well, so you know it’s good. Don’t miss their cover of “Tenderness”, also on this album.
• Los Amigos Invisibles – Porno Song | From the Venezuelan disco-funk group, this song plays out like the soundtrack to a porno. From the introductory sounds of a guy coming home, putting a tape in his vcr, and sitting on his couch, to the slow wah-wah verse, and finally a very climactic guitar solo, you basically get what this song is about despite the language difference. Unfortunately it’s not in the iTMS, but you can find it on the file-share networks pretty easily. Ick, they just showed a cesarian section delivery on tv.
• Wes Montgomery – Caravan | Wes Montgomery was an incredible jazz guitarist, and his talent really shines in this very upbeat tune with both Moroccan and old west influences..

As always, those links open up to the iTunes Music Store. Don’t try this at home.

• Café Tacuba – Alármala de Tos | This is a cover of a song by one of the groups that brought rock music to Mexico, Bottellita de Jerez (bottle of sherry). A very dramatically told story of a girl who is screwed over in life, and then raped by her father, so she takes revenge. It’s a great song and a great rendtion of a Mexican classic.
• Bossacucanova f. Celso Conseca- Just a Samba | I’m just going to come out and say it. If you’re hosting any kind of mellow party during the summer, cooking outside, mixing up drinks and hanging out, put on some Bossacucanova! A fantastic Brazilian group that renders traditional sambas and bossa nova tunes in a wonderful DJ/loungey style. Just listening to this song now, even though it’s thirty degrees out, makes me think of sitting in the backyard with a few of my best mates, a rum and coke drink in hand, and good memories.
• Electric Samurai – Immigrant Song | Apparently iTunes is in a covers kinda mood today. Even I’ll admit this one’s a bit weird. It’s a Japanese speed metal/industrial remake of the Led Zeppelin hit. If you’re in an ass-kicking mood, this is for you.
• Sergent Garcia – | The first original song of the day. A reggae tune about a missed chance for love with Cuban rhythms underneath. Good stuff.
• Prince – Kiss | Prince is teh awesome. ‘Nuff said.