Thursday 29 November 2018

A Wet Thud Christmas Playlist


Some cool for your Yule, Wet Thud presents a 90-song playlist of some of our preferred holiday tunes for your listening pleasure. Dig in.




Tracklisting:
01) David Bowie x Bing Crosby "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy"
02) Darlene Love "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
03) Low "Just Like Christmas"
04) Wham! "Last Christmas"
05) Charles Brown "Please Come Home For Christmas"
06) Vince Guaraldi Trio "Christmas Time Is Here"
07) Thurl Ravenscroft "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch"
08) Judy Garland "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
09) The Ronettes "Sleigh Ride"
10) Boney M. "Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord"
11) The Hives x Cyndi Lauper "A Christmas Duel"
12) Brenda Lee "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree"
13) Emmy The Great x Tim Wheeler "Home For The Holidays"
14) The Beach Boys "Little Saint Nick"
15) Stevie Wonder "What Christmas Means To Me"
16) The Pogues x Kirsty MacColl "Fairytale Of New York"
17) Wizzard x The Stockland Green Bilateral School First Year Choir "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"
18) Band Aid "Do They Know Its Christmas?"
19) Slade "Merry Xmas Everybody"
20) Shakin' Stevens "Merry Christmas Everyone"
21) John Lennon x Yoko Ono x The Plastic Ono Band x The Harlem Community Choir "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"
22) The Waitresses "Christmas Wrapping"
23) Greg Lake "I Believe In Father Christmas"
24) Dolly Parton "Hard Candy Christmas"
25) Chuck Berry "Run Rudolph Run"
26) The Darkness "Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End)"
27) Ramones "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)"
28) Donny Hathaway "This Christmas"
29) Run-D.M.C. "Christmas In Hollis"
30) The Killers "A Great Night Sled"
31) Sting "Gabriel's Message"
32) Daryl Hall and John Oates "Jingle Bell Rock"
33) The Temptations "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"
34) The Jackson 5 "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
35) Pretenders "2000 Miles"
36) Prince "Another Lonely Christmas"
37) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Christmas All Over Again"
38) Paul McCartney "Wonderful Christmastime"
39) José Feliciano "Feliz Navidad"
40) Queen "Thank God It's Christmas"
41) Clarence Carter "Back Door Santa"
42) Julian Casablancas "I Wish It Was Christmas Today"
43) Saint Etienne x Tim Burgess "I Was Born On Christmas Day"
44) Otis Redding "Merry Christmas baby"
45) Loretta Lynn "To Heck With Ole Santa Claus"
46) Smashing Pumpkins "Christmastime"
47) Coldplay "Christmas Lights"
48) The Kinks "Father Christmas"
49) Kurtis Blow "Christmas Rappin'"
50) Destiny's Child "Carol Of The Bells a.k.a. Opera Of The Bells"

NOW UPDATED TO 90 SONGS:
51) Tracy Chapman "O Holy Night"
52) Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You"
53) Badly Drawn Boy "Donna And Blitzen"
54) U.S. Girls "Blue Christmas"
55) Kate Bush "Home For Christmas"
56) Fiona Apple "Frosty The Snowman"
57) Bing Crosby "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
58) Belle And Sebastian "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"
59) Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town"
60) U2 "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
61) Phoebe Bridgers "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
62) Darlene Love "A Marshmallow World"
63) James Brown "Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto"
64) Eartha Kitt "Santa Baby"
65) Roy Orbison "Pretty Paper"
66) The Flaming Lips "Christmas At The Zoo"
67) Bryan Adams "Christmas Time"
68) Eurythmics "Winter Wonderland"
69) The Nat King Cole Trio "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)"
70) Harry Belafonte "Mary's Boy Child"
71) Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters "Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)"
72) Andy Williams "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"
73) Alvin And The Chipmunks "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)"
74) Poly Styrene "Black Christmas"
75) The Fall "Hark The Herald Angels Sing"
76) Mogwai "Christmas Song"
77) Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings "Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects"
78) Barbra Streisand "Jingle Bells?"
79) Frank Sinatra "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
80) Perry Como "(There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays"
81) Elvis Presley "Blue Christmas"
82) Lucky Soul "Lonely This Christmas"
83) Bing Crosby "I'll Be Home For Christmas"
84) Patti Smith "We Three Kings"
85) eels "Christmas Is Going To The Dogs"
86) Phoenix with Bill Murray "Alone On Christmas Day"
87) Devo "Merry Something To You"
88) Burl Ives "A Holly Jolly Christmas"
89) Bing Crosby "White Christmas"
90) Sufjan Stevens "O Holy Night"


Monday 26 November 2018

Artist Top 40: Iggy Pop


Born James Newell Osterberg Jr. in the Spring of 1947, the man the world came to know as Iggy Pop grew up the only child of a nurturing family amid the inauspicious surroundings of a Michigan trailer park. Taking up the drums in high school, he acquired the nickname "Iggy" while a member of The Iguanas, who released one lone single in 1965. Two years later, he dropped out of university to form The Psychedelic Stooges with brothers Ron and Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander.

Ditching their titular adjective, The Stooges and their style of chaotic garage rock would go on to inadvertently form a blueprint for the punk movement of the mid-seventies. Though largely ignored at the time, both the Stooges' eponymous debut and its follow-up Fun House, became cult classics over time, with Pop himself eventually coming to be labeled by many the "Godfather of Punk."

The Stooges imploded for the first time in 1971, undoubtedly exacerbated in part by Iggy's heroin addiction. However, when none other than a Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie expressed interest in making an album with Pop, a slightly-altered lineup of The Stooges reunited to produce what became the blistering Raw Power album. Pop's drug problem flourished, seeing the confrontational nature of his legendary live performances escalate to truly combative, culminating in an actual biker brawl at one Detroit gig that proved to be The Stooges' very last. The very last for twenty-nine years anyway.

Taking time off to get clean, Iggy Pop made his return to the public eye in 1977 with the release of his first solo album, The Idiot, again produced by David Bowie. The now Berlin-era Bowie also played keyboards on Pop's first solo tour, and produced the Lust For Life record, released a mere five months following The Idiot. In addition to two successful albums, the Bowie association contributed to a newfound interest in The Stooges material, seeing the sudden issue of a number of shelved recordings (including Kill City) during this time period.

The records between 1979's New Values and 1982's Zombie Birdhouse marked a return to the rawer sounds of Iggy's proto-punk beginnings, and pleased some long-term fans, but proved less commercially successful than his first two albums. He then took four years off before returning with Blah Blah Blah (another Bowie production), which remains his best seller to date. It's also his most pop-oriented, as 1988's Instinct was another return to his punk aesthetic, while 1990's Brick By Brick was a rock-pop hybrid with guest appearances from Slash and Kate Pierson, and glossy production courtesy of Don Was.

Pop's tendency to flirt with different genres and ebb and flow where moments take him has made for an eccentric discography, ranging from an album of standards covers (2012's Après) to a jazzy record inspired by French novelist Michel Houellebecq (2009's Préliminaires) to his recent collaboration with electronic mainstays Underworld (2018's Teatime Dub Encounters EP).

Along the way, there have been highs and lows, with Iggy having achieved a frankly impressive number of career resurgences. Still active in his seventies, there seems like no better time than now to pause and acknowledge the improbable longevity of one of the greatest performers in all of rock 'n' roll history.

Curated below is a ranked list of Wet Thud's favourite musical moments from the long and storied catalogue of Mr. Iggy Pop. Dig in. Find a Spotify playlist of the entire countdown following number one below.

040. "Corruption"
Iggy Pop
(from Avenue B, 1999)

039. "I Need More"
Iggy Pop
(from Soldier, 1980)

038. "Funtime"
Iggy Pop
(from The Idiot, 1977)

037. "TV Eye"
The Stooges
(from Fun House, 1970)

036. "My Idea Of Fun"
The Stooges
(from The Weirdness, 2007)

035. "Skull Ring"
Iggy Pop with The Stooges
(from Skull Ring, 2003)

034. "Red Right Hand"
Iggy Pop with Jarvis Cocker
(from Peaky Blinders Series 4, 2017)

033. "Sister Midnight"
Iggy Pop
(from The Idiot, 1977)

032. "Tonight"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)

031. "Little Know It All"
Iggy Pop with Sum 41
(from Skull Ring, 2003)

030. "Cold Metal"
Iggy Pop
(from Instinct, 1988)

029. "Loose"
The Stooges
(from Fun House, 1970)

028. "Kill City"
Iggy Pop with James Williamson
(from Kill City, 1977)

027. "Some Weird Sin"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)

026. "Down On The Street"
The Stooges
(from Fun House, 1970)

025. "Real Wild Child (Wild One)"
Iggy Pop
(from Blah Blah Blah, 1986)

024. "Success"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)

023. "Gimme Danger"
Iggy and the Stooges
(from Raw Power, 1973)

022. "Mask"
Iggy Pop
(from Beat 'Em Up, 2001)

021. "I'm Bored"
Iggy Pop
(from New Values, 1979)

020. "Cry For Love"
Iggy Pop
(from Blah Blah Blah, 1986)

019. "Well Did You Evah"
Deborah Harry and Iggy Pop
(from the Red Hot + Blue compilation, 1990)

018. "Sunday"
Iggy Pop
(from Post Pop Depression, 2016)

017. "Kick It"
Peaches with Iggy Pop
(from Peaches' Fatherfucker, 2003)

016. "Pumpin' For Jill"
Iggy Pop
(from Party, 1981)

015. "Gardenia"
Iggy Pop
(from Post Pop Depression, 2016)

014. "Candy"
Iggy Pop with Kate Pierson
(from Brick By Brick, 1990)

013. "Raw Power"
Iggy and the Stooges
(from Raw Power, 1973)

012. "Aisha"
Death In Vegas featuring Iggy Pop
(from Death In Vegas' The Contino Sessions, 1999)

011. "Nightclubbing"
Iggy Pop
(from The Idiot, 1977)

010. "Wild America"
Iggy Pop
(from American Caesar, 1993)

009. "Five Foot One"
Iggy Pop
(from New Values, 1979)

008. "1969"
The Stooges
(from The Stooges, 1969)

007. "Home"
Iggy Pop
(from Brick By Brick, 1990)

006. "No Fun"
The Stooges
(from The Stooges, 1969)

005. "Search And Destroy"
Iggy and the Stooges
(from Raw Power, 1973)

004. "The Passenger"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)

003. "I Wanna Be Your Dog"
The Stooges
(from The Stooges, 1969)

002. "Lust For Life"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)

001. "China Girl"
Iggy Pop
(from The Idiot, 1977)









***** text-only version of the list *****

###. "Song Title" Artist (Album Title, Release Date)

040. "Corruption" Iggy Pop (single from Avenue B, 1999)
039. "I Need More" Iggy Pop (album cut from Soldier, 1980)
038. "Funtime" Iggy Pop (album cut from The Idiot, 1977)
037. "TV Eye" The Stooges (album cut from Fun House, 1970)
036. "My Idea Of Fun" The Stooges (album cut from The Weirdness, 2007)
035. "Skull Ring" Iggy Pop with The Stooges (album cut from Skull Ring, 2003)
034. "Red Right Hand" Iggy Pop with Jarvis Cocker (single from the Peaky Blinders Series 4 soundtrack, 2017)
033. "Sister Midnight" Iggy Pop (single from The Idiot, 1977)
032. "Tonight" Iggy Pop (album cut from Lust For Life, 1977)
031. "Little Know It All" Iggy Pop with Sum 41 (single from Skull Ring, 2003)
030. "Cold Metal" Iggy Pop (single from Instinct, 1988)
029. "Loose" The Stooges (album cut from Fun House, 1970)
028. "Kill City" Iggy Pop with James Williamson (single from Kill City, 1977)
027. "Some Weird Sin" Iggy Pop (album cut from Lust For Life, 1977)
026. "Down On The Street" The Stooges (single from Fun House, 1970)
025. "Real Wild Child (Wild One)" Iggy Pop (single from Blah Blah Blah, 1986)
024. "Success" Iggy Pop (single from Lust For Life, 1977)
023. "Gimme Danger" Iggy and the Stooges (album cut from Raw Power, 1973)
022. "Mask" Iggy Pop (single from Beat 'Em Up, 2001)
021. "I'm Bored" Iggy Pop (single from New Values, 1979)
020. "Cry For Love" Iggy Pop (single from Blah Blah Blah, 1986)
019. "Well Did You Evah" Deborah Harry and Iggy Pop (single from the Red Hot + Blue compilation, 1990)
018. "Sunday" Iggy Pop (album cut from Post Pop Depression, 2016)
017. "Kick It" Peaches with Iggy Pop (single from Peaches' Fatherfucker, 2003)
016. "Pumpin' For Jill" Iggy Pop (single from Party, 1981)
015. "Gardenia" Iggy Pop (single from Post Pop Depression, 2016)
014. "Candy" Iggy Pop with Kate Pierson (single from Brick By Brick, 1990)
013. "Raw Power" Iggy and the Stooges (album cut from Raw Power, 1973)
012. "Aisha" Death In Vegas featuring Iggy Pop (single from Death In Vegas' The Contino Sessions, 1999)
011. "Nightclubbing" Iggy Pop (album cut from The Idiot, 1977)
010. "Wild America" Iggy Pop (single from American Caesar, 1993)
009. "Five Foot One" Iggy Pop (single from New Values, 1979)
008. "1969" The Stooges (album cut from The Stooges, 1969)
007. "Home" Iggy Pop (single from Brick By Brick, 1990)
006. "No Fun" The Stooges (album cut from The Stooges, 1969)
005. "Search And Destroy" Iggy and the Stooges (promotional single from Raw Power, 1973)
004. "The Passenger" Iggy Pop (album cut from Lust For Life, 1977)
003. "I Wanna Be Your Dog" The Stooges (single from The Stooges, 1969)
002. "Lust For Life" Iggy Pop (album cut from Lust For Life, 1977)
001. "China Girl" Iggy Pop (single from The Idiot, 1977)





Monday 19 November 2018

120 Great Songs Under 120 Seconds Long


Apropos of nothing in particular, Wet Thud presents a playlist of 120 songs that get the job done in 120 seconds or less. Definitely not outstaying their welcome, these songs, arranged here in chronological order, make for an eclectic trawl through sixty years of musical arguments for brevity.

Ranging from Buddy Holly to Rihanna, no artist is repeated, which is why this isn't simply a 'The Best 120 Songs by Guided By Voices' list. Ditto for other acts with discographies crammed with super-short-but-sweet tunes like the Pixies or the Minutemen. Also absent are any songs that exist purely as intros or interludes, as well as any "skits" or "sketches," because let's be honest, a lot of that shit's just filler.

Find here instead a collection of fully-realized songs that have little to do with one another, save for the fact they each happen to be really short. Ideal listening for today's increasingly shorter attention spans. Dig in.





Monday 5 November 2018

Artist Top 40: ABBA


At some point in the coming weeks, the biggest pop group in music history is due to release their first new single in thirty-five years. While the magnitude of reunions in general has lessened in recent years, with the practice of "getting the band back together" having become de rigeur for everyone from very-missed classic artists to very-forgotten one-hit wonders, the curiosity surrounding a potential reunification of Swedish songsmiths ABBA remains piqued. 

More in demand than even long-shot reunions like Talking Heads or The Smiths, ABBA, the four-piece famously made up of chief songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus alongside vocalists Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, has allegedly turned down billion dollar offers to tour again. While the likelihood of the band hitting the road again grows lower with every passing year (barring rumours of a touring hologram show coming to fruition), this past April it was announced ABBA had recorded a pair of new songs.

Reportedly named "I Still Have Faith In You" and "Don't Shut Me Down," the songs will be the first newly-recorded material from the group since two then-new singles were included on the ironically-titled The First Ten Years compilation just prior to the group's 1982 split. Rightfully wary of sullying their reputation as some of the pop canon's most celebrated contributors, ABBA has decided that now, after three and a half decades of inactivity, is the right time to return.

While it will be interesting to see how/if the group's new music resonates with modern audiences, Wet Thud is taking this opportunity to look backwards and trawl through ABBA's time-honoured back catalogue. Presented below is a countdown of our favourite forty songs from the seventies superstars. Did it end up just being the track listings of the ABBA Gold and More ABBA Gold compilations in a different order? Sort of, but no. While those are excellently curated collections, a number of the group's non-singles and deeper cuts also made our list. Hope you enjoy. Find a Spotify playlist of the entire countdown following number one below.

040. "Arrival" (album cut from Arrival, 1976)

039. "The Way Old Friends Do" (album cut from Super Trouper, 1980)

038. "Tiger" (album cut from Arrival, 1976)

037. "The King Has Lost His Crown" (album cut from Voulez-Vous, 1979)

036. "Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)" (single from Ring Ring, 1973)

035. "Hey, Hey Helen" (album cut from ABBA, 1975)

034. "If It Wasn't For The Nights" (album cut from Voulez-Vous, 1979)

033. "So Long" (single from ABBA, 1974)

032. "When All Is Said And Done" (single from The Visitors, 1981)

031. "The Day Before You Came" (single from The Singles: The First Ten Years, 1982)

030. "Ring Ring" (single from Ring Ring, 1973)

029. "Honey Honey" (single from Waterloo, 1974)

028. "Lovelight" (b-side from the "Chiquitita" single, 1979)

027. "Mamma Mia" (single from ABBA, 1975)

026. "Super Trouper" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)

025. "Head Over Heels" (single from The Visitors, 1981)

024. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" (single from ABBA, 1975)

023. "Voulez-Vous" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)

022. "I Have A Dream" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)

021. "Money Money Money" (single from Arrival, 1976)

020. "Chiquitita" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)

019. "Rock Me" (single from ABBA, 1975)

018. "SOS" (single from ABBA, 1975)

017. "The Visitors" (single from The Visitors, 1981)

016. "Thank You For The Music" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)

015. "Lay All Your Love On Me" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)

014. "On And On And On" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)

013. "The Winner Takes It All" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)

012. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" (single from Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, 1979)

011. "Waterloo" (single from Waterloo, 1974)

010. "Take A Chance On Me" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)

009. "The Name Of The Game" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)

008. "One Of Us" (single from The Visitors, 1981)

007. "Does Your Mother Know" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)

006. "Summer Night City" (single, 1978)

005. "Angeleyes" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)

004. "Eagle" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)

003. "Fernando" (single, 1976)

002. "Dancing Queen" (single from Arrival, 1976)

001. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (single from Arrival, 1976)









***** text-only version of the list *****

###. "Song Title" (release format from Album Title, release date)

040. "Arrival" (album cut from Arrival, 1976)
039. "The Way Old Friends Do" (album cut from Super Trouper, 1980)
038. "Tiger" (album cut from Arrival, 1976)
037. "The King Has Lost His Crown" (album cut from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
036. "Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)" (single from Ring Ring, 1973)
035. "Hey, Hey Helen" (album cut from ABBA, 1975)
034. "If It Wasn't For The Nights" (album cut from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
033. "So Long" (single from ABBA, 1974)
032. "When All Is Said And Done" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
031. "The Day Before You Came" (single from The Singles: The First Ten Years, 1982)
030. "Ring Ring" (single from Ring Ring, 1973)
029. "Honey Honey" (single from Waterloo, 1974)
028. "Lovelight" (b-side from the "Chiquitita" single, 1979)
027. "Mamma Mia" (single from ABBA, 1975)
026. "Super Trouper" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
025. "Head Over Heels" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
024. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" (single from ABBA, 1975)
023. "Voulez-Vous" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
022. "I Have A Dream" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
021. "Money Money Money" (single from Arrival, 1976)
020. "Chiquitita" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
019. "Rock Me" (single from ABBA, 1975)
018. "SOS" (single from ABBA, 1975)
017. "The Visitors" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
016. "Thank You For The Music" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
015. "Lay All Your Love On Me" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
014. "On And On And On" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
013. "The Winner Takes It All" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
012. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" (single from Greatest Hits, Vol. 2)
011. "Waterloo" (single from Waterloo, 1974)
010. "Take A Chance On Me" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
009. "The Name Of The Game" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
008. "One Of Us" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
007. "Does Your Mother Know" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
006. "Summer Night City" (single, 1978)
005. "Angeleyes" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
004. "Eagle" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
003. "Fernando" (single, 1976)
002. "Dancing Queen" (single from Arrival, 1976)
001. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (single from Arrival, 1976)