Thursday Random Eight (12/24/2008)

The Christmas edition of the iPod Shuffle.

The Paper Chase - Now You're Gonna Get It: This is a very fun band. Play music with a chaotic desperation, they always come across a bit more raw than a guitar-driven indie-ish band typically does. Unfortunately, while maintaining all the qualities that makes me really like The Paper Chase, this song has a guitar riff in the middle that sounds just like Jack Skellington singing "This is Halloween" from Nightmare Before Christmas, so I always end up laughing by time the track is over.

Robyn Hitchcock - Agony of Pleasure (Demo): From the Eye album I mentioned a few weeks ago; the "demo" is one of those unnecessary tracks (on an otherwise great album) that I obtained before I finally learned not to get duped by buying the "remastered editions" of such releases.

Carter USM - A Perfect Day to Drop the Bomb: Another bouncy song from Carter; could it be the iPod has a new best friend?

Kid Silver - Hey Tresspasser: Not sure the point of the extra "s" in the title, but this is from the quite-possibly-perfect-pop album, Dead City Sunbeams. It kinda makes me sad to see its printing has been discontinued and that it can be purchased for sixty-some cents on the Amazon marketplace, but all the more reason to encourage everyone to go buy it.

Dalek - Forever Close My Eyes: Another mesmerizing trip-hop track with crazy piano and guitars throughout.

Twink - Three Little Piggies: Probably just want to forget this song was in the random eight.

Quasi - Seven Years Gone: I forget who I saw Quasi open for a number of years ago, but shortly thereafter I bought a number of releases that never really quite lived up to the show that I enjoyed. Then Hot S*it was released and I was finally had the album I was looking for. This is a great collection; I have a tendency to think they sound like a cross between The Beatles and The Flaming Lips, although I'm not sure I ever received any buy-in from others on that opinion (but then, I suppose, that is what opinions are).

Material Issue - Carousel: I suppose this is an appropriate way to close out a rather pop-oriented random eight.