Chicago - A message from the station manager

By Scott Buckner
I’d be willing to bet that there have been more songs written, for better or worse, since the dawn of man than there are grains of sand on North Avenue beach. That’s a lot of sand. And a lot of songs, too. The guys in the original Alice Cooper band were my personal musical heroes during high school, and as much as I still love a good Motley Crue-AC/DC headbanging today, my world still stops whenever I hear a really gorgeous song that has somehow managed at various points during the past 20 or 30 years to lilt its way over all that goddamn racket Angus Young and his brother have been graciously gifting to people just like me.
I’m a sucker for the pretty song. Not just the nice-enough song, but the song that makes the planet stop turning for that three or four minutes you’re listening to it; the completely-pretty song that makes you think this is exactly why someone invented music. And really, the entire human race relies upon songs like these to bring proper perspective, order and balance to the world, especially on those nights when you walk into your neighborhood bar to discover the management is letting that godfuckingawful Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne tribute band play until closing time.

Read More

Posted on October 23, 2009

More Booze

A Compilation By Brian Page
I dig honky tonk songs about that place between diminished and extinguished capacity. I chose these because in general they’re less well-known, the music’s good, and they were made in my favorite period of 1960 to the late 1970s. And I have them on listenable 45s.
morebooze.jpg
1. Booze And Wine
By: Ben “Queenie” Stewart and the Tune-Drifters
Note: On the Scarlo label from Elmhurst, Illinois.
2. One Too Many
By: Clay Allen
Note: “Guess I’d better drive, ’cause I’m too drunk to walk”
3. Dim Lights, Thick Smoke
By: Leon Rausch
Note: An update of the perennial Rose Lee & Joe Maphis song

Read More

Posted on May 12, 2009

An iTunes Top 25

By Steve Rhodes
This really doesn’t look right, but according to my iTunes, these are the most 25 played songs/stations in my library.
1. WELY: The End of The Road Radio.
2. WRONGRADIO.com.
3. Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy/Elton John.
4. Rocky Mountain High/John Denver.
5. True Confessions/Blue Oyster Cult.

Read More

Posted on May 4, 2009

Comcast’s New Music Choices

By The Beachwood Comcast Music Choice Affairs Desk
Comcast has remade its Music Choice lineup including the addition of several new genres/channels. Let’s take a look.
Channel: Hit List
Description: Today’s hottest mainstream and rhythmic pop hits and crossover smashes straight off the charts!
Now Playing: Angels On The Moon/Thriving Ivory
*
Channel: Hip-Hop and R&B
Description: Today’s hottest Hip Hop and R&B music, exclusives mixes and remixes.
Now Playing: Mad/Ne-Yo
*
Channel: MC MixTape
Description: A non-stop mix and blend of popular music and beats designed to keep the party going.
Now Playing: Pop Life Vol. 2/DJ Lonnie B.

Read More

Posted on April 22, 2009

Don’s Crosstown Bus Playlist No. 1

By Don Jacobson

The traditional thing here on Playlist is for me to hunt down someone’s song playlist so I can tell you what people who know more about music than me are pushing out there to their listeners, usually on podcasts or Web-based radio shows. But this time, I’m going to let you know what has made my own latest indie-rock mix CD, which is coming with me on my next cross-town bus trip. Everything I list here has recently been freely available on the Internet as promo MP3s from the artists themselves or their labels. Remember, NO file-sharing, you artist-dissing greedheads.

Read More

Posted on January 23, 2009

The Obama Victory Set

By Steve Rhodes

After closing out my Division Street Election Night blogging and watching Barack Obama’s victory speech, I headed down to the Beachwood Inn to check out the action. Shortly thereafter, folks who had been at the Grant Park rally started trickling in . . . and the jukebox fell silent. Armed with a couple house jukebox dollars, the responsibility fell to me to get the party started. I was under a lot of pressure – to move quickly while maintaining a celebratory vibe combined with Obama themes without being too obvious. You know, like Richard Roeper. Here’s what I came up with.

Read More

Posted on November 5, 2008

McCain Radio

By Steve Rhodes

Little did we know when we listened to Obama Radio on Slacker.com and posted a playlist that Slacker went all non-partisan and put together a McCain Radio channel as well. But they did.
“McCain Radio plays the favored music of John McCain including his personal song picks, tracks from his favorite artists and music played at his events,” Slacker says. “Hear an eclectic mix of tunes ranging from Elvis Presley and The Beach Boys to Hank Williams Jr. and ABBA.”
Let’s listen in.

Read More

Posted on October 28, 2008

Obama Radio

By Steve Rhodes

Slacker.com has introduced Obama Radio, described by the station as “the favored music of Barack Obama including his personal song picks, tracks from his favorite artists and music played at his events.” I’ve been listening to it all morning and I think you’ll see from the playlist that the concept is, well, a bit of a stretch.

Read More

Posted on October 24, 2008

Inflight Radio: American

By The Inflight Music Affairs Desk

We’ve already brought you the inflight stylings of United and Delta; comes American, which compiled its attempt at a hipster playlist in the sky with the help of Paste magazine.
Featured tracks:
1. Goodbye Midnight/The Spring Standards
2. Without a Word/Giant Sand
3. Wreck/The Bittersweets

Read More

Posted on October 20, 2008

Music By Paste

By The Beachwood CD Sampler Music Affairs Desk

The latest Paste magazine sampler.
1. You Stood Me Up/Benji Hughes
2. Say Hey (I Love You)/Michael Franti & Spearhead
3. It’s Alright/Dar Williams
4. Lost Coastlines/Okkervil River
5. You Won’t Be Able To Be Sad/The Break and Repair Method

Read More

Posted on October 9, 2008

1 2 3 4 6