The Avalanches’ Robbie Chater estimates there are around 3500 samples used on the group’s Since I Left You album. As someone who negotiates sample uses, I pity the poor soul who had to secure and track those licenses!
Robbie Chater celebrates a birthday today. Or maybe he doesn’t celebrate it. I don’t know. I don’t know him. Either way, I celebrate. Lots of cuts by The Avalanches on today’s playlist.
Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello, the two members of The Postal Service, collaborated by sending recordings of their music back and forth through the mail, which inspired their band name. The fact that they used FedEx and UPS for this purpose is besides the point. Do you really think they could get away with calling their project FedEx?
Ben Gibbard of The Postal Service and Death Cab For Cutie was born on this date in 1976. His work is well-represented on today’s playlist.
My favorite Weezer song is “Buddy Holly,” from their 1994 album titled Weezer, not to be confused with their 2001 album titled Weezer, their 2008 album titled Weezer, their 2016 album titled Weezer, or either of their 2019 albums titled Weezer. My second favorite Weezer song is “Hash Pipe,” from their 2001 album titled Weezer, not to be confused with their 1994 album titled Weezer, their 2008 album titled Weezer, their 2016 album titled Weezer, or either of their 2019 albums titled Weezer. In third place I’d probably put “Island in the Sun,” also from their 2001 album titled Weezer, not to be confused with their 1994 album titled Weezer, their 2008 album titled Weezer, their 2016 album titled Weezer, or either of their 2019 albums titled Weezer. Next for me would be “Beverly Hills,” from an album not titled Weezer, which I find confusing.
Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo was born on this date in 1950 and has never been the governor of New York. To celebrate a handful of Weezer songs are on today’s playlist. Oddly, I didn’t include any of the favorites I mentioned, which is the most confusing part of this post.
Congratulations to Megan Thee Stallion, who has placed a song in my year end top five every year since 2019. Her “Her” is my number two song of ’22, kept from number one by Beyoncé, who guested on the remix of MTS’s “Savage,” my number 4 song of 2020. 2022 was a year that left me wanting, so my top 100 has 92 songs. Here they are:
BREAK MY SOUL – Beyoncé
Her – Megan Thee Stallion
About Damn Time – Lizzo
As It Was – Harry Styles
This Hell – Rina Sawayama
Coconuts – Kim Petras
Goodbye Mr. Blue – Father John Misty
Wild – Spoon
Sacrifice – The Weeknd
All the Good Times – Angel Olsen
BILLIE EILISH. – Armani White
Measure of a Man – FKA twigs feat. Central Cee
Meet Me at Our Spot – THE ANXIETY, WILLOW & Tyler Cole
Today’s playlist celebrates the October 6 birthdays of Millie Small, Arcade Fire’s Will Butler, The Replacements’ Tommy Stinson, Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo, Matthew Sweet, Jamila Woods, Dominique A, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, and Timex Social Club’s Michael Marshall; and the October 7 birthdays of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Flying Lotus, John Mellencamp, Slowdive’s Neil Halstead, Godley & Creme’s Kevin Godley, The Auteurs’ Luke Haines, The Mighty Diamonds’ Donald “Tabby” Shaw, Climax Blues Band’s Colin Cooper, Kool Keith, Toni Braxton, The Raveonettes’ Sune Rose Wagner, Lotus Plaza, and Alfred Drake.
Today’s playlist celebrates the August 17 birthdays of Dexys Midnight Runners’ Kevin Rowland, The Go-Go’s’ Belinda Carlisle, Phoebe Bridgers, Mark Dining, Luscious Jackson’s Jill Cunniff, The Revolution/Wendy & Lisa’s Lisa Coleman, Maria McKee, The Pack’s Lil B, and Robert DeNiro; and the August 18 birthdays of Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne, Aphex Twin, the xx’s Romy, Wu-Tang Clan’s Masta Killa, The Orioles’ Sonny Til, Clairo, House of Pain’s Everlast, The Primitives’ Tracy Tracy, The Move’s Carl Wayne, Mika, The Toys’ Barbara Harris, Johnny Preston, Maxine Brown, The Lonely Island’s Andy Samberg, Martin Mull, and Denis Leary.