Canada Day Playlist - 80s Edition

Canada Day is right around the corner, so I thought I'd put together another Canada Day playlist, pulling the best I could find from YouTube.

I then decided to focus on my favourite Canadian music videos from the 80s, because every time I start searching on YouTube I inevitably find something that sends me on a nostalgic journey into the past.

YouTube is to today's kids what MuchMusic was to me in the 80s, so consider this playlist a tribute to the glory days of The Nation's Music Station, which was MuchMusic's awesome slogan at the time. I wonder if they're still using that one, because it's a slogan I would happily steal.

This playlist includes a few songs that will be familiar to regular listeners of Dynamic Range Radio, but I also included a bunch of rarities that I haven't been able to find anywhere apart from YouTube. There's also a bit of the inevitable 80s cheese that I would feel a bit guilty playing as part of the regular rotation. And because Dynamic Range Radio is an eclectic station, I threw in a couple of modern songs at the end of this playlist that are very much inspired by the sounds of the 80s.

As usual, I apologize for the poor quality of some of these YouTube videos, and the occasional fluctuations in volume. Those are things I avoid on Dynamic Range Radio, so if you're new here I recommend tuning in after listening to this playlist and I hope you'll hear the difference.

And if you want to hear my first Canada Day Playlist featuring a wide array of artists from different decades, click here. 

Spend St. Patrick's Day With Classic Irish Ladies

It's been a good month for my favourite Irish lasses, with Sinead O'Connor releasing a new album, followed by Dolores O'Riordan reforming with the Cranberries.

So in their honour, I've put together a St. Patrick's Day collection of videos featuring their latest singles along with some other Irish songstresses, some of whom you know, and some you may not be familiar with.

Have An Unhappy Valentine's Day

Feeling a bit lonely today? Valentine's Day got you down? Let Dynamic Range Radio help you drown your sorrows in sound.


The Cure - In Between Days

Yesterday I got so scared
I shivered like a child
Yesterday away from you
It froze me deep inside

Nigel Tufnel Day Playlist

In honor of Nigel Tufnel Day, aka 11.11.11, here's my selection of 11 songs that deserve to be cranked to 11. These are songs that stop me in my tracks every single time I hear them and get me reaching for the volume control.

AC/DC - It's A Long Way To The Top
Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy
Ashley MacIsaac - Brenda Stubbert
Big Country - In A Big Country
The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God
Vivaldi - Four Seasons - "Summer" - Presto
XTC - I'm The Man Who Murdered Love
Soundgarden - Rusty Cage
Taj Mahal - Leaving Trunk
Big Sugar - Ride Like Hell
The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner

I couldn't find high quality videos for all of these tracks on YouTube so I gave up pretty quickly because, like Nigel, I'm easily distracted by shiny things. So instead of spending hours searching the internet - time that could be better spent rockin' and trying on leather trousers - here's the first and last tracks on the list, which are easily two of the greatest crank 'em to 11 tracks ever recorded.

Canada Day Playlist 2011

In past years I've focused primarily on old favourites of mine, so this time around I decided to do something different and link to tracks from recent artists I like but haven't gotten around to playing on Dynamic Range Radio yet.


Woodpigeon - In The Battle Of Sun vs. Curtains, Sun Loses And We All Sleep Until Noon



Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month




Bell Orchestre - Throw It On A Fire



Jill Barber - Never Quit Lovin' You




But any time I visit YouTube I usually get sidetracked and it becomes a trip down memory lane, which is why I decided to throw in this bit of obscure 80s cheese, followed by a modern salute to classic fromage

Killer Dwarfs - Stand Tall



The New Pornographers - Your Daddy Don't Know

Rapture Playlist

NPR has put together a pretty good playlist for the Rapture, so here's something to get you into the mood



My own set of Rapture tunes will hit the airwaves at approximately noon today, so stay tuned for that. And here's a great apocalyptic song that neither NPR or I was able to work into our playlists.




I hope to see all you sinners back here tomorrow!

Oscar Party Playlist (Part 1)

Awards season is in full swing and if you're planning to host an Oscar party I've got some suggestions for your playlist. No matter what movie wins best picture you can crank up one these tunes immediately afterwards.


Black Swan

Here's the song that inspired me to create this list. If only I'd been on the studio payroll to suggest playing this over the end credits.

Ocean Blue - Ballerina Out Of Control

(Note: all links direct to YouTube)

The King's Speech

These first two songs feature singers who fake stutters almost as convincingly as Colin Firth and the third kicks off with one of the most famous speeches in British history. And if your party guests are drunk enough you could try playing Kiss's "Strutter" to see if you can fool them.

BTO - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

The Who - My Generation

Iron Maiden - Aces High

The Social Network

"A long time ago, we used to be friends
But I haven't thought of you lately at all"

If that doesn't sum up the Facebook experience I don't know what does.

We Used To Be Friends - Dandy Warhols

Imaginary Friends - Ron Sexsmith

Creep - Scala & Kolacny Brothers

Inception

It probably doesn't have a hope of winning and was only nominated to get the fanboy audience tuning in Oscar night, so when Inception loses and a twenty-something male starts ranting about how Christopher Nolan got robbed, you can play this to rub it in.

Billy Ocean - Get Out Of My Dreams (Get Into My Car)

Toy Story 3

It's an extreme longshot to win Best Picture since a huge percentage of Academy voters are actors and they look down on animated films which only provide actors with voice work, but when Toy Story 3 walks away with the Best Animated Feature you can play this song which would send shivers down Woody's spine. 

Toys In The Attic - Aerosmith

127 Hours

Co-host James Franco will get plenty of exposure to ease the pain of losing to Colin Firth, and hopefully there'll be a comedy bit at some point with Franco becoming trapped between two Oscar statuettes.

Rock And A Hard Place - The Rolling Stones

Part 2 featuring all the remaining best picture nominees and a few extras will be posted as soon as I can think of something clever related to Winter's Bone. Suggestions are welcome. UPDATE: Part 2 can be found here.

You can buy better sounding versions of all the aforementioned songs from Amazon mp3 using the following widget, and I've also added links to the soundtrack albums. I highly recommend the original scores from The Social Network and Black Swan.

And while we're on the subject of awards, there's still time to vote in this year's Dynammy Awards. Your choices and mine will be revealed the day before the Grammy Awards.

Oscar Party Playlist (part 2)

The Fighter

Christian Bale has a good chance of walking away with a Best Supporting Actor trophy, but the movie is a longshot Best Picture hopeful, which is only fitting since all the best boxing movies are about longshots. And when it comes tragic boxing stories, there are plenty of songs to choose from. Here are three of the best, and I also recommend Dylan's "The Hurricane" or Springsteen's "The Hitter"

The Boxer - Simon And Garfunkel

Song For Sonny Liston - Mark Knopfler

Body Of An American - The Pogues

The Kids Are Alright

If anyone has a chance of taking away Natalie Portman's much deserved Oscar statuette, it's Annette Bening. And if she does walk away with the hardware, you can crank up any one of these lesbian-approved anthems.

Indigo Girls - Romeo And Juliet

Tegan & Sera - Call It Off

Melissa Etheridge - I'm The Only One

The Town 

I was hoping The Town would manage a Best Picture nomination, partly because I thought it was terrific, but mostly because it would have given me an excuse to add The Clash's "Bankrobber" to this playlist. No such luck, but Jeremy Renner managed a Best Supporting Actor nomination which is more than enough reason for me to suggest the Clash. And nothing screams out Boston to me quite like Jonathan Richman.

Bankrobber - The Clash

Jonathan Richman - Roadrunner

Winter's Bone

I knew that if I looked hard enough I'd find a Steve Earle song that summed up the themes of Winter's Bone in three minutes. "Oxycontin Blues" is a track from Washington Street Serenade I'd forgotten about, but it fits the bill perfectly.

Oxycontin Blues - Steve Earle

True Grit

I love the Coen Brothers and thoroughly enjoyed True Grit, but when it came time to pick a song that goes along with the movie, I drew a blank. I think this movie is a longshot since the Coens have already won for No Country For Old Men, a movie that's quite similar in tone to True Grit, and Jeff Bridges won last year for Crazy Heart, but here are some musical highlights from earlier in their careers if either one scores an upset

The Soggy Bottom Boys - A Man Of Constant Sorrow
Jeff Bridges - The Weary Kind

You can find part 1 of the Oscar Party Playlist here featuring the front-runner nominees like The Social Network, The King's Speech, and Black Swan, and there's still time to vote in the Dynammy Awards, Dynamic Range Radio's alternative to the Grammys.