iPod Shuffle (Blurbs About Songs)

In an effort to demonstrate my awesome taste in music, I've decided to plug in my 30 GB iPod (which is currently about 98% full) and shuffle a bit through the 4,520 tracks contained within. I'll then write a little blurb about the song. This should be fun (for me, anyway) and will allow you to see that I listen to much more than Phish. But in the interest of full disclosure, you should know that my catalog of live Phish demands a nice chunk of space.

1. "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle" - by Nirvana -> "I miss the comfort in being sad," wails Kurt Cobain on this track from In Utero. One of the middle-of-the-pack songs from that effort, I think. The coolest part? Has to be the barely audible palm-muted guitar in the intro.
2. "Chelsea Dagger" - by The Fratellis -> Meh, not a huge fan of this one, folks. I mean, it's not bad, but it's got one of those hooks that will burrow its way into your brain and overstay its welcome. It actually found its way onto my iPod because I downloaded the whole album to get more acquainted with the band. My download impulse was driven solely by "Flathead," which I find so much more appealing.
3. "The Best Things" - by Filter -> A great track from an even greater record. Here's a funny story: it was the summer of 1999 and my parents had just blessed me with my own television and cable hookup in my bedroom. One of my favorite pastimes in the summer preceding my freshman year of high school was to stay up late (past midnight was a big deal for a 14-year-old) and watch MTV's 120 Minutes on whatever night it was on. That's where I learned a lot about not-so-popular alternative music, and it's where I first saw the video for Filter's "Welcome to the Fold" from Title of Record. That's the moment I became a Filter fan, and when I knew I had to get my hands on the new album. The rest is history. I listened to Title of Record a lot during my freshman year, and, consequently, hearing a song from it always brings me back. Instant nostalgia. And great industrial rock, to boot.
4. "Abuse Me" - by Silverchair -> Remember Silverchair? I sure do. If you were into all the second-rate grunge bands that rode the coattails of the more successful Seattle acts, then you must know this trio of Aussies. I say second-rate there as a bit of an insult, but the fact is that I really liked these guys, and I still do. At least their stuff prior to Neon Ballroom. "Abuse Me" was probably my favorite track of theirs. The ethereal intro is so spooky and wonderful, and the pre-chorus refrain is a classic: "C'mon, abuse me more. I like it." I never understood the whole bit about throwing the sailors overboard, but I mindlessly sing it anyway.
5. "Comedown" - by Bush -> Ah! A great band to follow Silverchair because they're the other great example of a second-rate grunge band. For some reason, these guys had a huge following in my middle school. I still enjoy them every now and then in spite of the cookie-cutter power chords and Gavin Rossdale's stream-of-consciousness lyrics that don't make much sense. Listening to this song reminds me of the music video, which I recall enjoying. Perhaps I should look it up on YouTube and take a stroll down memory lane...

Wow, this has been a lot of fun. Unfortunately, only doing these five songs probably gives you the impression that I was big into the whole grunge scene. I guess I was, but this isn't very representative of what else dwells in my iPod. I'll definitely have to come back for a second round of this game.

Until then!