"Where I want my words said and no one wants to listen though"

1987's Some Kind of Wonderful was the last great teen movie of the 1980s. The soundtrack was a blissful concoction of "B" - bands, with the exception of The Jesus and Mary Chain, that was put together by uber-producer Stephen Hague (New Order, Pet Shop Boys, etc.) Of the great songs collected for this soundtrack, Furniture's "Brilliant Mind" is one of my favorites. It has a, well, brilliant sense of urgency and warmth, much like a relationship at the start. Sadly, Furniture did not procude many more songs and eventually called it a day in the early 90s. But this song is a lasting reminder of their ability to craft a brilliant tune.

Brilliant Mind - Furniture

"Welcome Back, Frank"

Since I'm posting an instrumental upon my return to blogging, I figured I would quote the title of one of my favorite comics, "The Punisher:Marvel Knights". So I have been a little busy at work, foreclosures are up....my brother moved in for a few weeks....and other family matters have taken precedence...but tonight I return, and I promise, more good things will come and on a regular basis. Tonight, in celebration of the upcoming Cure shows I will attend, here's a look back to Lost Wishes, the instrumentals from the Wish studio sessions. Tonight, check out "The Three Sisters", a song that I only wish had lyrics.....

The Three Sisters - The Cure

"Line of force from heaven, a tear in a stranger's eye"

There is something very unique about the last time a band plays a song live. In 1985, New Order essentially stopped playing tracks off Movement, their first album. A personal favorite, "ICB", was played for the last time on December 13, 1985 at the Salle Du Baron in Orleans, France. By 1986, New Order stopped going back to Movement and started concentrating on the singles and their more recent albums we all know and love. But Movement is a key album as it represents the transition from Joy Division to New Order.

ICB (12/13/85 Live) - New Order

"They crowded up to Lenin with their noses worn off"

R.E.M. recently completed a five night stand in Dublin, where they publicly worked on new material for their upcoming album and also shared some old classics. While the new material is very good and sounds better than anything on the last two albums, let's focus on the older tracks. One of my top five all-time R.E.M. tracks made an appearance on July 4th and it was cracking. "Harborcoat" captures the timeless appeal of old R.E.M. -- somewhat unintelligble lyrics, jangly roots rock feel, and Stipe's timeless voice.

Harborcoat (7/4/07 Live) - R.E.M.

"And its true that I stole your lighter"

When Liz Phair hit the scene, she was a sultry girl with a dirty mouth and dirtier mind that played a skillful guitar. Her songs were devastating and cut right to the heart. 1993's Exile on Guyville, a witty play on the Stones' Exile on Main Street, is a brilliant debut album that features several classic indie rock songs, including "Fuck and Run", "Never Said", and my favorite "Divorce Song". Take a listen and bask in a performer at the start of a creative peak that lasted three solid albums.

Divorce Song - Liz Phair

"Win the beating heart the prize"

With Bob Mould working away on his next solo release, I find myseld getting progressively more anxious for it to see the light of day. 2005s Body of Song revealed a revitalized Mould deftly incorporating electronic elements with his classic alt-rock sound, or as one friend said "Sugar as if it were mixed by the Pet Shop Boys". The album and subsequent tour found Bob rocking out with a great band and revisiting old classics from Husker Du, Sugar, and his early solo days. Check out "Beating Heart the Prize", a brilliant track from this album and a great example of how Bob is really expanding his sound.

Beating Heart the Prize - Bob Mould