Songs That Might Otherwise Pass You By

Shoot Yer Wads, "The Shoot Yer Wads Anthem"

Okay, I'm just trying to figure out if I can play this at work. As long as I don't scream the name of the song, I should be okay. Well, then again the chorus is "shoot yer wads". Maybe I should play it quietly. You can't really tell what lyrics like "purple helmut" and "the full salute" are referring to, can you? Oh, you can? Huh. I guess it's not as veiled as I think. Ha ha! "Veiled"! Get it? Like "hooded". Hee hee. I just want to dance to this song. I love any song that refers to traveling the galaxy, regardless of the otherwise "dirty" nature of the song. I might put this on my podcast next week, too.

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Shoot Yer Wads has wads...of hair.


Elizabeth Willis, "4 A.M." (Zip File)

Elizabeth Willis' classical training is on display in this song: the violin is absolutely gorgeous. It dances around and shimmies through the equally gorgeous vocals. Her voice is also as professionally polished. The command she holds is only obtained through years of study and practice. This ain't a girl who's been singing into a hairbrush the whole time. Elizabeth is truly a musical master: she composes these beautiful hybrids of classical and modern pieces and plays most of the instruments. She also shows a business acumen which may be the catalyst to a truly successful career. She's set up a publishing company under her name and a record company called Little Blackbird Records, LLC. This is a woman who not only knows how to control her music, but also her direction. It's that type of discipline that aids not only her music, but will set the stage for a longlasting and fruitful career.

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Elizabeth Willis is ready for the expedition

Little Joy, "No One's Better Sake"

I've missed The Strokes for a long time now. I was a total convert when their debut came out. Their releases since them have been few and far between, but that doesn't mean they're gone. Albert Hammond Jr. has been releasing albums, and most recently, the drummer, Fabrizio Moretti has collaborated with two other musicians to record the self-titled album Little Joy. Though only 1/3rd Stroke, the vocals in this song are reminiscent of the hazy, loungy stylings of The Strokes. Well, a Ska version of The Strokes. The Bossa Nova influence of band member Rodrigo Amarante is in play also. His band Los Herminos plays Brazilian Bossa Nova. Their song "Alem do que se ve" has the same sense of joy (big joy, too--not little) and brashness. Whatever the Brazilian is for "Joy de Vivre", that's what they share.

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No. It is not at all evident from this photo that Rodrigo Amarante, Binki Shapiro and Fabrizio Moretti got the name Little Joy from a bar. (Photo by Autumn de Wilde).