MEMENTO MORI

ARTIST: MAZZY STAR
ALBUM: SO TONIGHT THAT I MIGHT SEE
SONG: INTO DUST
DATE: OCT. 5 1993
STATUS: ACQUIRED

Mazzy Star made it cool to be sad, even sexy. Never officially released as a single, "Into Dust" haunts and simmers just below a boil.

We never know what's coming our way, and its usually more epic than we understand, and like us it is already returning to from wence it came, and that's all kinds of beautiful.

JELLY BEAN BORITOS, TANGO MANGO, JOHNNY CASH AFRO HAVING

ARTIST: REDMAN
ALBUM: WHUT? THE ALBUM
SONG: TONIGHT'S DA NIGHT
DATE: MAY 4, 1993
STATUS: NOT ACQUIRED

Redman was every moral guardian's worst enemy. Not only was he not having it, but he was also smart and funny. Only Redman would write a smooth sounding jamb, take the joke a full thirty seconds into the song and then turn it around for the final three minutes. Its hard to play a rapper off like he's a dumb thug when he's bending the joke back over on top of you.

ACHING, BEAUTIFUL, AND ENJOYABLE

ARTIST: THE CRANBERRIES
ALBUM: TO THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED
SONG: WHEN YOU'RE NOT ARROUND
DATE: NOVEMBER 1996
STATUS: ACQUIRED

Rarely is such a sad song so enjoyable. Without Dolores O'Riordan's distinctive Irish lilt, this song would sound even more like a broken heated miss you doo-wop charmer than it does. It makes you wish for drizzly grey skies and an angry see to gaze across.

ITS ALL ABOUT THE CREW

ARTIST: BEASTIE BOYS
ALBUM: CHECK YOUR HEAD
SONG: PASS THE MIC
DATE: APRIL 7, 1992
STATUS: ACQUIRED

I think they filmed half of what they needed for a video in black and white and then gave up and just shot three random scenes of the Beasties being the Beasties and called it a day. Works for me.

IN JAMAICA, ALL VIDEOS ARE WRECKX-N-EFFECTS VIDEOS

ARTIST: BORN JAMERICANS
ALBUM: KIDS FROM FORIGN
SONG: WARNING SIGN
DATE: 1994
STATUS: ACQUIRED

Thank god foe BET, bringing flavor into every cable loving corner of this great country in the '90's. Its the only way a suburbanite, even a sophisticated suburbanite like myself, was ever going to discover reggae, reggae/hip hop, bootie shorts, that girls like to wear bootie shorts, and spliffs. That brown paper bag will kill you.

Here's a fun thing to do. Its casual Friday, so on your lunch break go buy an air brushed shirt with your face on it and cane carved like a cobra. Wear the shirt and spin the cane when you return to work. See how long it takes to revoke casual Friday. Now everyone hates you, but they won't see you again until Monday.

HENRY ROLLINS CAN GO FUCK HIMSELF, BUT SERIOUSLY, MAD RESPECT TO HENRY ROLLINS

ARTIST: EDIE BRICKELL AND NEW BOHEMIANS
ALBUM: SHOOTING RUBER BANDS AT THE STARS
SONG: WHAT I AM
DATE: NOVEMBER 1988
STATUS: ACQUIRED

I often find my child self apologizing to my adult self for the musical choices he made (and my adult self always gracefully accepts), but not so with "What I Am". This song in no way surprises me as an adult after years of not hearing it, and it doesn't disappoint. Love the guitar solo, enjoy her voice, and the lyrics are ambiguous and thoughtful, never sure quite where the point is going.  Highly enjoyable.

Little known fact. Edie and the other new Bohemians recycled Simple Minds video concept, because it was good for the earth.

RICHARD LINKLATER DIRECTED THIS VIDEO AND EVERY VIDEO R.E.M. RELEASED IN THE 80'S. ITS A FACT.

ARTIST: R.E.M.
ALBUM: DOCUMENT
SONG: FINEST WORKSONG
DATE: MARCH 1988
STATUS: ACQUIRED

In 1998 I wasn't the most critical consumer of music, but the one weird chick whose older sister was in art school loved R.E.M. and took her to the concert and she wore the shirt to school the next day. Plus she was a stone cold fox, or so everyone said. We were all prepubescent and didn't really understand what that meant.

"Finest Worksong" is one of the best song names ever and it captures R.E.M at the height of their college radio chops. Its also a nice contrast to yesterday's liberating nihilism. Why think when you can do. Live in the moment. Code you little code monkeys code for life is a gift for today, and tomorrow you may be dead.