Halloween is by far my favorite holiday. There are no family obligations, you can celebrate pretty much anyway you want (including staying inside and watching movies), it's the one time of the year my fascination with the macabre isn't considered weird, and candy, candy, candy. To celebrate, here is an alternative mix of season appropriate songs. I avoided the completely obvious ones you'll hear at least 10 times today no matter what ("Monster Mash," "Werewolf of London," "Thriller"). Instead, I went with some classic hip hop (Geto Boys, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince), punk (Ramones, The Dead Milkmen), 80s and 90s favorites (Dinosaur Jr, Letters to Cleo), current favorites (Benjamin Booker, Sallie Ford), and, of course, a smidge of metal. It's longer than our normal mixes, but 31 is 13 backwards, and 2 hours is about as long as trick or treating lasts. Plus, I love Halloween. Enjoy!
As much as I loved Wild Flag's first and only album, when I heard they were breaking up, there was a hint of hope that it meant Sleater-Kinney might reunite. Then, all three members joined Pearl Jam on stage to cover "Rockin' In the Free World." On Friday, reports surfaced of a mystery 7" to be included with their new Start Together box set. Yesterday, it was confirmed that Sleater-Kinney is indeed reuniting, and they have a new album coming out that was secretly recorded. No Cities to Love is due out on 1/20/15 on Sub Pop, and yes, there is a tour.
You can get a download of "Bury Our Friends" for the cost of an email address at Sleater-Kinney's website. You can also check out their tour dates, which I couldn't be more excited for. For some reason, they were that band I never got out to see for no real reason, and I'll thankfully get another shot.
I have nothing against Pearl Jam, but I'm more than a little sick of them covering Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World." Covers are usually special and unexpected. This is done at virtually (if not literally) every show Pearl Jam plays. Also, of Neil Young's entire catalog they choose "Rockin' in the Free World?" Can't they throw out "Cortez the Killer" or "Like a Hurricane" once in a while? It's getting to be their "Freebird" and it's not even their song.
So why am I writing about it you ask? Maybe because when they performed it in Portland recently they had all three members of Sleater-Kinney on stage to perform it. All three members of Sleater-Kinney. They haven't been on a stage together in seven years. I love Wild Flag and all, but Sleater-Kinney reunion please now thank you? Also, Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey from The Minus Five were there, too. Did you ever think you'd see the day Sleater-Kinney got more attention than R.E.M.?
