Your Tuesday Morning Random Album Recommendation: "Station to Station" by David Bowie

Artist: David Bowie

Album: Station to Station

Release Year: 1976

Label: RCA 

Genre: Art Rock, Dance Rock, Dark Glam, Funk/Disco, Post-Punk

For Fans of: Iggy Pop (Solo), Todd Rundgren, Talking Heads

Perfect For: Warming your dark, cold heart in a dark, cold world--but not too much because it's important to carry some of that coldness around to remind you the party can't last forever

Album Highlights: "Station to Station", "Golden Years", "TVC15"

To Stream: Spotify, Grooveshark (No Subscription Required)

The Non-MJR Review

Playlist of the Week: To Build a Fire

Light it up.

The end of year work begins in earnest.  To further help prepare you, I've  updated my giant mega ultra "MJR's Top Tracks of 2013" Spotify playlist.

This final playlist of the week for the year is one of my favorites thus far in 2013.  It keeps me warm and will hopefully do the same for you.

There are TWO ways to listen to this playlist!  The Spotify version of the playlist is located directly below the track listing. Not a Spotify subscriber?  No problem. Directly below the Spotify playlist, an 8tracks playlist (requiring no subscription) is also found below.  Just press the 'play' button on the box and rock.  (Works on computers or mobile devices.)

Playlist of the Week: To Build a Fire from RobRobRiot on 8tracks Radio.

The MJR Top 5 Albums of 2013 Weekly Standings and 3 Thoughts/Facts/Opinions/Lies/Kneejerk Reactions

Savages made it in to my record collection the old school way.  They knocked me on my ass live.  If you squint real hard, you can see me out in the audience.  Knocked on my ass.

The MJR Top 5 Albums of 2013 Weekly Standings*

*Spotify links provided when available

1.  ...Like Clockwork by Queens of the Stone Age (Last Week: 1)

2.  After Dark 2 by Various Artists (Last Week: 2)

3.  The Electric Lady by Janelle Monae (Last Week: 3)

4.  AM by Arctic Monkeys (Last Week: 5)

5.  We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic by Foxygen (Last Week: NR)


Other 2013 Contenders (in no particular order)

• White Lighter by Typhoon (Last Week: 4)
• The Flower Lane by Ducktails
(Last Week: 5)
• MCII by Mikal Cronin
• Amok by Atoms For Peace +
• Trouble Will Find Me by The National
• OutRun by Kavinsky
• Floating Coffin by Thee Oh Sees
• Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend
• Curiosity by Wampire
• Specter at the Feast by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
• Settle by Disclosure
• Thr!!!er by !!!
• Anxiety by Autre Ne Veut
• Mozes And The Firstborn by Mozes And The Firstborn 
• Soft Will by Smith Westerns
• 180 by Palma Violets
• The Silver Gymnasium by Okkervil River 
• Idle No More by King Khan And The Shrines
• The North Borders by Bonobo
• The Bones of What You Believe by Chvrches 

+Available via Grooveshark

Newly Added 2013 Contenders This Week:

• The Speed of Things by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
• Silence Yourself by Savages
• Secret Songs: Reflections From the Ear Mirror by Nobunny
• Lousy With Sylvianbriar by Of Montreal
• Seasons Of Your Day by Mazzy Star

3 Thoughts/Facts/Opinions/Lies/Kneejerk Reactions to/about Music This Week

1.  Potentially provocative observation that I actually don't intend to be: I never thought I would have so many female artists in my music collection.  And while that may sound sexist, I can assure you that I've generally "gone" where I've been "lead" in terms of finding great music.  For whatever reason, I'm finding more dynamic, daring, innovative, and plain damn good music from women than I ever have before.

2.  I got married earlier this month and my lovely wife and I decided to make a mixed CD to give to guests.  If you're interested, you can listen to it on this handy Spotify playlist.  Fun (EASY) game: Guess which tracks are mine and which ones are hers.  Side note: There is a palpable sense of personal victory I feel for finding a way to include a Desert Sessions song on my wedding mixed CD.

3.  Now that the wedding and honeymoon are over, my other labor of love can begin--my year end music project.  Best songs/best albums list-making bliss/misery/consternation.  And mid-November is just about the time that all the work I've done up to this point keeping running lists and ratings gets shot to hell when I'm suddenly bombarded with tremendous albums I've managed to miss in 2013.  I'm certain I'm not alone in this.  Having said all that, PLEASE send great music my way that you think I've missed.  I promise to only take 60% of the credit for finding it later.

Your Tuesday Morning Random Album Recommendation: "Gotham!" by Radio 4

Artist: Radio 4

Album: Gotham!

Release Year: 2002

Label: Gern Blandsten

Genre: Indie electronic, Post-punk dance, dance punk

For Fans of: The Rapture, !!! (Chk Chk Chk)


Perfect For: Urban dance party, catharsis via tribal beats, NYC

Album Highlights: "Start a Fire", "Eyes Wide Open", "Calling All Enthusiasts", "End of the Rope"

To Stream: Spotify, Grooveshark (No Subscription Required)

The Non-MJR Review