Scattered Thoughts

I've been using Pandora lately. For those who don't know about it, the Music Genome Project runs this website, which allows users to enter a song or an artist they like, then it plays a song from that artist. Similar artists' songs follow, based on some crazy unexplainable attributes attributed to the songs in the database itself. I don't know how it works but at times it works wonders. Then at times, like last week I wonder why I waste my time (I had to listen to Smash Mouth, and I had to because I had used all my skip overs for the hour).

I like to think I have good music tastes and exploring new music is an important part of expanding my somewhat limited library. But I don't think I've ever actually heard a song I really like, that I would invest time in trying to get to know that musician or musical group. I mean sure, like I said earlier it works wonders because it finds music that sounds close. But when I want to listen to MY Morning Jacket, I listen to them because of Jim James, and nobody else sounds like that, so when I enter My Morning Jacket and play that station, I don't want to hear freaking Smash Mouth from their killer album "Astro Lounge".

This of course leads me into my next point. I am embarking on a new idea, this may be a total flop, but I'm going for it. Diving head first into Tom Waits. I've wanted to listen to his music for awhile, but I've been a wuss and said that buying music was too expensive, but no more damn it. I'm going to start at the beginning, when he was a pure folk singer, then go through what I have slightly sniffed the musical odyssey of his career.

Finally, Prince was damn good on Super Bowl Sunday, despite what the out of touch Lumberjack. I would have preferred he play his own songs a bit more, and news that he needs a hip replacement dampened his ability to dance up a storm, but I enjoyed it. In his time, Prince was a funk genius, pushing the envelope.
If you're looking for an interesting song try, "P(ussy) Control" on The Gold Experience. Its not what you think it is. I mean isn't this what this blog is all about, recommending music we like. I'm a huge fan of his early funk like "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "I Feel For You" as well as his more progressive "I Would Die 4 U" from Purple Rain. Enjoy this stuff. He is a true original. Kudos to the NFL for finally giving him the Big Stage. I was sick of all these Brits, I feel you Bedwetter.

Also, was Billy Joel's voice going through some synthesizer or something? Was that just me? He sounded like a member of Zapp.