CHIRP Playlist 09.17.10

2:58PM MGMT It’s Working from Congratulations (Columbia)

2:53PM The Rolling Stones Rocks Off from Exile on Main Street (Rolling Stones)

2:47PM Grinderman Mickey Mouse and the Goodbye Man from Grinderman 2 (Anti-)

2:44PM Phoenix Girlfriend from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote)

2:42PM Elvis Presley Blue Moon of Kentucky from The Sun Sessions CD (RCA Victor)

2:40PM Jon Langford and Skull Orchard Pieces of the Past from Old Devils (Bloodshot)

2:27PM Mavis Staples Wrote Song for Everyone from You Are Not Alone (Anti-)

2:26PM Crosby, Stills & Nash Marrakesh Express from Crosby, Stills & Nash (Atlantic)

2:22PM Junip Off Point from Fields (Mute)

2:17PM Okkervil River For the Enemy from Down the River of Golden Dreams (Jagjaguwar)

2:16PM Rufus Wainwright This Love Affair from Want Two (Universal)

2:04PM Swans Jim from My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky (Young God)

1:57PM The New Pornographers The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism from Mass Romantic (Matador)

1:54PM Gigolo Aunts Everything Is Wrong from Minor Chords and Major Themes (E Pluribus Unum)

1:48PM Pernice Brothers Flaming Wreck from The World Won’t End (Ashmont)

1:43PM Be Your Own Pet Becky from Get Awkward (Universal)

1:39PM Land of Talk Swift Coin from Cloak and Cipher (Saddle Creek)

1:36PM Sonic Youth 09 09 09 from Washing Machine (Geffen)

1:29PM Abe Vigoda Dream of My Love from Crush (Post Present Medium)

1:24PM The Walkmen Juveniles from Lisbon (Fat Possum)

1:20PM Talking Heads Heaven from Fear of Music (Sire)

1:16PM Ra Ra Riot You and I Know from The Orchard (Barsuk)

1:01PM TC James and Fist O’Funk Orchestra Get Up On Your Feet (Keep On Dancin’) (Walter Gibbons Mix) from Mixed With Love: Essential and Unreleased Remixes 1976-1986 (Strut)

12:58PM Trans Am Firepoker from Trans Am (Thrill Jockey)

12:55PM Modest Mouse Head South from This is a Long Drive For Someone With Nothing to Think About (Up)

12:54PM Steve Dawson I Wish That I Could Believe In You Again from I Will Miss The Trumpets And The Drums (Undertow)

12:49PM Jenny and Johnny End of the Affair from Live recording (Internet)

12:45PM The Chapin SIsters Sweet Light from Two (Lake Bottom)

12:44PM Death Cab for Cutie Coney Island from The Photo Album (Barsuk)

12:32PM Townes Van Zandt Loretta from Flyin’ Shoes (Tomato)

12:31PM Arp Summer Girl from The Soft Wave (Smalltown Supersound)

12:22PM Of Montreal I Feel Ya’ Strutter from False Priest (Polyvinyl)

12:20PM Material Issue So Easy To Love Somebody from Destination Universe (Mercury)

12:16PM Superchunk Digging for Something from Majesty Shredding (Merge)

12:11PM Wolf Parade Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts from Apologies To The Queen Mary (Sub Pop)

12:06PM Neil Finn She Will Have Her Way from Try Whistling This (Work)

12:02PM Dylan LeBlanc If the Creek Don’t Rise from Pauper’s Field (Rough Trade)

CHIRP Playlist 09.10.10

2:59PM Smoking Popes Can’t Find It from Destination Failure (Capitol)

2:56PM The Black Keys Girl Is On My Mind from Rubber Factory (Fat Possum)

2:53PM Buena Vista Social Club Buena Vista Social Club from Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit)

2:45PM Frisbie I Know What’s In Store from period. (Hear Diagonally)

2:43PM The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir Aspidistra from The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir (Bloodshot)

2:41PM Marshall Crenshaw Someday Someway from Marshall Crenshaw (Warner Bros.)

2:36PM Chin Up Chin Up I Hope for Tumbleweeds from We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers (Flameshovel)

2:33PM Film School Heart Full of Pentagons from Fission (Hi-Speed Soul)

2:27PM Grass Widow Fried Egg from Past Time (Kill Rock Stars)

2:23PM Jellyfish Sebrina, Paste and Plato from Spilt Milk (Charisma)

2:19PM Magic Kids Hey Boy from Memphis (True Panther Sounds)

2:18PM Lucero And We Fell from Nobody’s Darlings (Liberty & Lament)

2:17PM Jenny and Johnny Committed from I’m Having Fun Now (Warner Bros.)

2:14PM The Love Language Heart to Tell from Libraries (Merge)

2:04PM Elsinore Chemicals from Yes Yes Yes (Parasol)

2:03PM The Beatles I’ve Just Seen a Face from Help (Parlophone)

2:03PM Apples In Stereo, The Dream About The Future from Travellers in Space and Time (Yep Roc)

1:48PM The Decemberists The Bagman’s Gambit from Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars)

1:46PM Chief You Tell Me from Modern Rituals (Domino)

1:42PM Menomena Cough Coughing from I Am the Fun Blame Monster! (FILMguerrero)

1:35PM Goldfrapp Believer from Head First (Mute)

1:34PM Turrks Franklin with Glasses from Bisbee (Deleted Art)

1:30PM Rabble Rabble Doubt It from Bangover (Commune)

1:22PM The Charlatans UK Sonic from Some Friendly (RCA)

1:18PM Sleigh Bells Rill Rill from Treats (Mom+Pop)

1:16PM Janelle Monae Dance or Die from The ArchAndroid (Bad Boy)

1:12PM Robyn Criminal Intent from Body Talk Pt. 2 (Konichiwa)

1:03PM James Blackshaw All is Falling Pt. 2 from All is Falling (Young God)

12:59PM Aimee Mann King of the Jailhouse from The Forgotten Arm (SuperEgo)

12:54PM Drive-By Truckers Daylight from A Blessing and a Curse (New West)

12:47PM Bob Dylan Only A Pawn in Their Game from The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Columbia)

12:45PM Cotton Jones More Songs for Margaret from Tall Hours in the Glowstream (Suicide Squeeze)

12:38PM Titus Andronicus …And Ever from The Monitor (XL Recordings)

12:37PM Male Bonding Pumpkin from Nothing Hurts (Sub Pop)

12:34PM Best Coast Summer Mood from Crazy for You (Mexican Summer)

12:32PM Free Energy Bang Pop from Stuck on Nothing (DFA)

12:27PM Seafarer The Yeti from Hiding Places EP (self-released)

12:22PM S. Carey Move from All We Grow (Jagjaguwar)

12:19PM The Breeders Fortunately Gone from Pod (Elektra)

12:16PM The Vaselines Whitechapel from Sex With an X (Sub Pop)

12:11PM Ra Ra Riot Boy from The Orchard (Barsuk)

12:10PM Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Sunshine and Clouds (And Everything Proud) from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (self-released)

CHIRP Playlist 09.03.10

3:00PM Swiss Dots Fall Down from Glaciers (Vinahyde)

2:53PM Eels Oh So Lovely from Tomorrow Morning (e Works)

2:48PM Spiritualized Shine a Light from Lazer Guided Melodies (Dedicated)

2:42PM Candy Claws Sunbeam Show from Hidden Lands (twosyllable)

2:36PM The Magnetic Fields California Girls from Distortion (Nonesuch)

2:33PM Elvis Costello Alison from My Aim is True (Columbia)

2:31PM Jon Langford & Skull Orchard Haunted from Old Devils (Bloodshot)

2:24PM Bratmobile Cryin’ Tryin’ Lyin’ from Girls Get Busy (Lookout)

2:19PM Bon Iver Skinny Love from For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)

2:18PM Franco La Rumba OK from Roots of OK Jazz: Congo Classics 1955-1956 (Crammed)

2:10PM California Wives Twenty Three from Affair EP (self-released)

2:10PM Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues from At San Quentin (Columbia)

2:01PM Matthew Dear Honey from Black City (Ghostly International)

1:59PM Jenny and Johnny Big Wave from I’m Having Fun Now (Warner Bros.)

1:57PM Ratatat Breakaway from Ratatat (XL)

1:46PM Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Everlyn from Let It Sway (Polyvinyl)

1:43PM Rogue Wave Catform from Descended Like Vultures (Sub Pop)

1:41PM Best Coast Boyfriend from Crazy for You (Mexican Summer)

1:38PM Film School Distant Life from Fission (Hi-Speed Soul)

1:31PM Frisbie Booksong from Subversive Sounds of Love (Hear Diagonally)

1:27PM Camera Obscura Books Written for GIrls from Underachievers Please Try Harder (Merge)

1:25PM The Books I Am Who I Am from The Way Out (Temporary Residence)

1:17PM LL Cool J Mama Said Knock You Out from Mama Said Knock You Out (Def Jam)

1:13PM Coltrane Motion Please Call It A Comeback from Hello Ambition! (Datawaslost)

1:12PM Simon & Garfunkel Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard from The Concert in Central Park (Warner Bros.)

1:02PM Chief The Minute I Saw It from Modern Rituals (Domino)

12:56PM Van Morrison Spirit from Common One (Mercury)

12:52PM Wildbirds & Peacedrums Bleed Like There Was No Other Flood from Rivers (The Control Group)

12:46PM Jackie Wilson I Get The Sweetest Feeling from The Greatest Hits of Jackie Wilson (Brunswick)

12:42PM The Kinks Last of the Steam-Powered Trains from The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society (Reprise)

12:32PM Sufjan Stevens All Delighted People (Classic Rock Version) from All Delighted People EP (Asthmatic Kitty)

12:24PM King Khan and BBQ Show, The Third Ave from Invisible Girl (In the Red)

12:22PM Kid Koala Like Irregular Chickens from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (Ninja Tune)

12:18PM !!! AM/FM from Strange Weather, Isn’t It? (Warp)

12:11PM Big Star September Gurls from #1 Record/Radio City (Stax)

12:10PM Red House Painters Follow You, Follow Me from Shanti Project Collection 1 (Badman Recording Co)

12:05PM Elsinore Body of Water from Yes Yes Yes (Parasol)

Previous Post

, originally uploaded by P. Jeff Smith.

Bus Stop

“Bus stop, wet day, she’s there I say
Please share my umbrella
Bus stop, bus go, she stays love grows
Under my umbrella
All that summer we enjoyed it
Wind and rain and shine
That umbrella we employed it
By August she was mine” — The Hollies, “Bus Stop”

I don’t know if this is a radical stance or not, but I just think there should be a bench at every bus stop. Especially since the buses don’t run nearly as regularly as they used to. I was on the bus with a woman last night and I checked when her connecting bus was coming and it was going to be 24 minutes until it came. Now … she wasn’t that old, she didn’t have very much with her and it was about 9:30 p.m., so the heat wasn’t unbearable. But we all know we’ve been having a real live summer this year, there are plenty of older people who take the bus, and anyone who’s ever had a few grocery bags to carry knows that having to stand and wait for the bus can be quite a chore. Hell, anyone who’s ever been really tired or sick or worn out or even depressed knows it can be really nice just to sit down and wait.

I don’t know what the resistance is. I suppose cost is some part of it, but the fact of the matter is, they’ve actually taken *away* benches places where there used to be some. I suppose there are some traffic issues in some places — benches clogging up the walkways — but there are still benches in places where the walkway is kind of tight, so I don’t know if that is a reasonable train of thought. I’m specifically thinking of the bench on the SE corner of Broadway and Addison where you catch the 36/Broadway bus going north. I’ve been more than happy to sit on that bench, with my groceries from Jewel, catching some afternoon rays on many occasion.

Lastly, I’m sure there’s this ongoing need for people to keep homeless people from having a free and obvious place to sleep. But the way I see it, who cares? During most of the day, they wouldn’t be sleeping there. In the wee hours of the night (when a lot of the bus service has been cut, AHEM!), regular customers aren’t going to be needing to sit on the benches anyway. If there is a real need to keep some sort of order, then the police can get them to move. Move along sir, move along. Not to mention, the new benches have those annoying dividers that make it pretty hard to get a good stretch out, you know?

Besides, as The Hollies have made note of, there’s so many great things that potentially could happen at a bus stop, right? I guess I could start calling aldermen and get some sort of ball rolling. And couldn’t we get some ads on those babies to fund them and their upkeep? Isn’t Chicago all about selling space? How about some private/public partnerships? Either way, I want some bus benches back. They say there’s no rest for the wicked, but I think the elderly and the hard-working should get some sort of break.

, originally uploaded by smussyolay.

Guilty Pleasure

I don’t really like the term “guilty pleasure.”  Because it normally refers to music or books or something that you like, but that you shouldn’t, because it’s considered uncool. Or “lowbrow” according to Wikipedia.  I don’t like that, because I think that if you like a certain kind of music or book, then you should like it.  It shouldn’t matter if other people like it or hate it.  And I’ve been a hypocrite about it myself.  I’ve done YouTube videos dissing Dave Matthews, so sorry to all the people who have their love on for DMB.

So, I always feel internally doubly guilty? when I have guilt about a guilty pleasure.  But I don’t believe in those! I think.  But there’s one “guilty pleasure” that always bugs me on an actual moral level.  That I think I shouldn’t like because I’m a feminist. Because I don’t want people to fall for bullshit Hollywood stories about fantastical romance that is just so beyond.  Not to mention a movie that glorifies prostitution.

But, “Pretty Woman?”  I’m a fucking sucker.  Every time.  Loving the shit out of Richard Gere and Julia Roberts probably doesn’t help, but given I saw the movie in high school, I’m not positive that’s not where I came to love them both.  I know that my principles dictate that I should hate the movie in every way.  That there’s just nothing I should like about it.  But every five minutes, there’s some exchange or some line or something in there that I’m just loving.  Some little thing being revealed about their character/s that is completely charming to me or heartbreaking or charmingly heartbreaking.  There’s a believable evolution of their characters, in my opinion.

It’s on in the background right now, and I could just sit and write some sort of paper on it.  And it wouldn’t be a huge teardown criticism of it, I think.  And that is always a huge guilty pleasure of mine.   So there, I said it.  I can’t help it.  All of my mind wants to hate “Pretty Woman.”  I’ve heard how terrible it is, what it represents, how awful it is.  And I still kinda sorta love it.  Oh well.

V:  You’re late.

E: You’re stunning.

V: You’re forgiven.

I’m sold.

CHIRP Playlist 07.06.10

5:58PM The Smiths Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me from Strangeways, Here We Come (Sire)

5:53PM The Gossip Keeping You Alive from Standing In the Way of Control (Kill Rock Stars)

5:49PM Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse Insane Lullaby from Dark Night of the Soul (EMI)

5:46PM Janelle Monae Cold War from The ArchAndroid (Bad Boy)

5:41PM The Beatles The Night Before from Help! (Apple)

5:38PM They Might Be Giants The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) from Apollo 18 (Elektra)

5:35PM Elvis Costello Radio Radio from This Year’s Model (Columbia)

5:31PM Telegraph Canyon Safe on the Outside from The Tide and the Current (Velvet Blue)

5:29PM Best Coast Moody from Where The Boys Are (Blackest Rainbow)

5:24PM The Drifters Up On The Roof from The Definitive Drifters (WSM)

5:19PM Andre Williams Tricks from That’s All I Need (Bloodshot)

5:16PM BBU Chi Don’t Dance from Fear of a Clear Channel Planet (Rubyhornet)

5:13PM Baths You’re My Excuse To Travel from Cerulean (Anticon)

5:06PM Marshall Crenshaw Mary Anne from Marshall Crenshaw (Mary Anne)

5:00PM Frisbie Martha from The Subversive Sounds of Love (Hear Diagonally)

4:55PM Zapruder Point Uhhh/Gloria from Low Resolution (self-released)

4:54PM Material Issue Diane from International Pop Overthrow (Mercury)

4:51PM Pernice Brothers Jacqueline Susann from Goodbye, Killer (Ashmont)

4:46PM Califone Michigan Girls from Quicksand/Cradlesnakes (Thrill Jockey)

4:41PM The Radio Dept. Heaven’s On Fire from Clinging To A Scheme (Labrador)

4:39PM Horse Feathers Starving Robins from Thistled Spring (Kill Rock Stars)

4:29PM Wolf Parade Ghost Pressure from Expo 86 (Sub Pop)

4:27PM Tender Trap Do You Want A Boyfriend? from Dansette Dansette (Slumberland)

4:22PM Mates of State Think Long from Bring It Back (Barsuk)

4:20PM Speck Mountain Summer Above from Summer Above (Burnt Brown Sounds)

4:11PM Sleigh Bells Crown On The Ground from Treats (Mom+Pop)

4:11PM Stevie Wonder If You Really Love Me from Where I’m Coming From (Tamla)

4:05PM The Black Keys Next Girl from Brothers (Nonesuch)

4:03PM Martha and the Muffins Mess from Delicate (Muffin Music)

3:53PM The Chemical Brothers Another World from Further (Astralwerks)

3:50PM Robyn Dancehall Queen from Body Talk Pt. 1 (Konichiwa)

3:50PM Hall & Oates Rich Girl from Very Best of Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA)

3:39PM Kathryn Calder Follow Me Into The Hills from Are You My Mother? (File Under: Music)

3:35PM Frightened Rabbit Swim Until You Can’t See Land from The Winter of Mixed Drinks (Fat Cat)

3:35PM Phoenix Everything is Everything from Alphabetical (Astralwerks)

3:32PM Stars I Died So I Could Haunt You from The Five Ghosts (Soft Revolution)

3:23PM Van Morrison Domino from His Band and the Street Choir (Warner Bros.)

3:16PM The Fall Cowboy George from Your Future Our Clutter (Domino)

3:12PM Geronimo! Thunderbattles from Fuzzy Dreams (self-released)

Forgive Yourself

Forgive Yourself, originally uploaded by davidham.

CHIRP Playlist 06.11.10

3:03PM Vivian Girls Double Vision from Everything Goes Wrong (In The Red Records)

2:57PM Mercury Rev A Drop In Time from All Is Dream (V2)

2:55PM Freelance Whales We Could Be Friends from Weathervanes (Frenchkiss)

2:46PM Phosphorescent I Don’t Care If There’s Cursing from Here’s To Taking It Easy (Dead Oceans)

2:43PM Mother Lion Simple House from Local Customs: Lone Star Lowlands (Numero Group)

2:39PM Patrick Watson The Great Escape from Close to Paradise (Secret City Records)

2:38PM Crosby, Stills and Nash Helplessly Hoping from Crosby, Stills and Nash (Alantic)

2:30PM The Depreciation Guild Dream About Me from Spirit Youth (Kanine)

2:26PM Ted Leo & the Pharmacists One Polaroid A Day from The Brutalist Bricks (Matador)

2:23PM Sonya En Mi Nube (Get Off My Cloud) from Absolute Belter (B-Music)

2:19PM Broken Social Scene All to All from Forgiveness Rock Record (Arts & Crafts)

2:12PM Mucca Pazza St. Fresca’s Regret from Plays Well Together (self-released)

2:05PM The Loneliest Monk Easy Breathing from The Loneliest Monk (Kilo)

2:03PM Puerto Muerto Song of the Moon from Drumming for Pistols (Fire Records)

1:59PM Deer Tick I Will Not Be Myself from The Black Dirt Sessions (Partisan)

1:58PM Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, The Aspidistra from The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir (Bloodshot)

1:51PM Booker T. & the M.G.’s Groovin’ from The Very Best of Booker T. & the MG’s (Rhino)

1:47PM Suckers Martha from Wild Smile (Frenchkiss)

1:45PM Comets On Fire Holy Teeth from Avatar (Sub Pop)

1:38PM Wolf Parade Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts from Apologies to the Queen Mary (Sub Pop)

1:32PM Foals Blue Blood from Total Life Forever (Sub Pop)

1:32PM The Curtains The Thousandth Face from Calamity (Asthmatic Kitty)

1:24PM Murs & 9th Wonder Let Me Talk from Fornever (SMC Recordings)

1:21PM The Spinners Could It Be I’m Falling In Love from The Spinners (Rhino)

1:16PM Devendra Banhart Cristobal from Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon (XL Recordings)

1:11PM Kurt Vile Hey, Now I’m Movin’ from Square Shells EP (Matador)

1:07PM Light Pollution All Night Outside from Apparitions (Carpark)

1:04PM Fang Island The Illinois from Fang Island (Sargent House)

12:57PM Brilliant Colors Short Sleeves At Night from Introducing (Slumberland)

12:54PM The Ponys Check The Door from Deathbed Plus 4 EP (Matador)

12:53PM Woven Bones Guess You Already Knew from In and Out and Back Again (HoZac)

12:50PM Bob Dylan Only A Pawn In Their Game from The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Columbia)

12:40PM Drive-By Truckers Goodbye from A Blessing and a Curse (New West)

12:35PM Crooked Fingers You Must Build A Fire from Dignity and Shame (Merge)

12:27PM Andre Williams America from That’s All I Need (Bloodshot)

12:23PM A Tribe Called Quest 8 Million Stories from Midnight Marauders (Jive Records)

12:21PM Califone Giving Away The Bride from All My Friends Are Funeral Singers (Dead Oceans)

12:12PM Sweet Talks Sasa Absonsam from The Kusum Beat (Soundway)

12:11PM Chin Up Chin Up I’m Not Asking For A Tennis Bracelet from Chin Up Chin Up (Flameshovel)

12:10PM Here We Go Magic Hibernation from Pigeons (Secretly Canadian)