Random Start: The Fall of Troy - “A Man. A Plan. A Canal. Panama.”

I love technical music. The problem it can run into, though, is that if the writer stumbles upon something catchy or repeatable, the moment will go by in a flash never to be heard from again. This song is over eight minutes long and I really only listen to it for the part that starts at about 45 seconds. It feels like a chorus and they repeat the pattern twice and then I’m left with 7 minutes of fret board acrobatics that are interesting, but I’m stuck longing for the chorus that never was.

Random Start: Foxing - “Night Channels”

I thought I already told this story here, but since I can’t find it I’ll tell it again. Foxing came through town with O’Brother and one of the opening bands was Tancred. When Foxing played this song, the singer from Tancred came out to turn it into a duet. Everyone else in the room may as well have not existed because the performance they gave was so intimate and personal that I felt like a voyeur. They pushed and pulled and wrapped mic chords around each other so violently and then touched each other so delicately. I’ve never seen anything like it and it’s one of my favorite moments from attending a show ever.

Random Start: Sharks Keep Moving - “Cashmere, Washington”

I like putting Sharks Keep Moving on during hangovers and sunsets.

Random Start: Mates of State - “Whiner’s Bio”

Know how you associate bands/artists/whatever with certain people? It took me a really long time until I was able to listen to Mates of State again. I even saw them live during that period and still had to skip tracks by them for a few years after that. This seems like a good song (title) for relaying this story.

Random Start: Error - “Jack the Ripper”

I completely forgot about this side project until a few weeks ago. Released in 2004, I can’t imagine that I’ve listened to this EP a total of ten times. Error features Atticus Ross of NIN, Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, Greg Puciato of The Dillinger Escape Plan, and this song in particular also includes Joey Karam of The Locust.

Random Start: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - “Blaise Bailey Finnegan III”

This EP has two of my favorite GY!BE songs. “Moya” (Side A) might actually be my all time favorite, but hearing the ramblings of this enthusiastic renegade over this track certainly is interesting.