Let Your Prog Flag Fly

December 6th, 2009

I’ve been having a less-than-stellar few weeks, but thankfully I found an album so amazingly bizarre that I think it could actually be sold as a cure for depression…well, if it came with a bottle Prozac and some vodka. Good triple play if you ask me.

Fireballet
Les Cathedrales
Centurion (Tales of Fireball Kids)
The Fireballet
Atmospheres
Night on Bald Mountain
I have a odd relationship with prog rock. I worship Pink Floyd, but I really don’t consider them “prog” as much as they are psychedelic. On the flip side, I used to think Rush was the worst band in the history of the universe, but someone forced me to listen to 2112 and I came around (but I still hate Geddy Lee’s voice). More recently I’ve become interested in King Crimson and have discovered some pretty amazing obscure 70s prog bands like Magma and FM. And even in the prog I don’t like (such as Jethro Tull) I recognize the talent behind the music and can usually appreciate it on that level (notable exception: Traffic – I fucking hate that band).

However, what I like most about prog rock is just how damn stupid it can be. And I mean that as a compliment. There is no shame in prog, no restraint, it is what it is, like it or not. And that’s how we get stuff like a theatrical performance of King Arhtur ON ICE (thank you Rick Wakeman) and Peter Gabriel performing as a flower.

Fireballet definitely encompasses everything I love about prog rock, preposterous concepts, technical ability and a hard-to-define wackiness, all in one amazingly odd and quirky album.

Night On Bald Mountain was Fireballet’s first release and came out on Passport records in 1975. In ways the album is actually restrained when compared to other prog rock releases, most of the songs hover around the four-minute mark, and keyboard solos are kept to a minimum on those numbers. However, it’s the other two pieces in which Fireballet really let their freak prog flag fly in all its insane and ludicrous glory.

The first is “Les Cathedrales” which apparently borrows liberally from Theme One by Van De Graff Generator. Even though, they mix it up a bit, adding a great spacey intro and moving the originals sax melody to various keyboards and other electronic instruments. The vocals by lead singer Jim Como are also an addition to the original, and his forceful delivery really drive home the energy of the tune in the bridge before it delves off into solo insanity.

The real highlight of the album though is the title track, a 19-minute take on the Modest Mussorgsky composition that features every damn instrument you could possibly imagine (more on that in a minute) and some original lyrics about wizards…and stuff (okay the lyrics are kind of out there). Needless to say it’s totally insane/inane/brilliant stuff. It’s definitely the kind of thing that could only be created in the 70s that’s for sure.

If you decide to download these songs (and if you’ve read this far I’m assuming you have) then you might be wondering what the hell you’re hearing. There’s a lot going on here man. Thankfully the back cover breaks down the instrumentation by performer for us.

Jim Como was the Phil Collins of the group, going double-duty as a drummer/singer. In addition to drums he also played timpani, xylophone, vibes, glockenspiel, Chinese bell tree, gongs, finger cymbals, tubular bells (which is apparently more than a Mike Oldfield album) and triangle. I do love that he felt the need to credit his gong playing separately from his drum playing, hell I love the fact that he had multiple gongs! Bryan Howe backed up Jim as the organ player, rocking out on a Hammond and pipe organ as well as a celeste. And while Howe may have been the organ player, Fireballet also had a pianist. His name was Frank Petlo and he played piano, electric piano, ARP 2600 Synthesizer, Mellotron, electronic strings and the Oberheim DS-2 digital sequencer. Ryche Chlandra was the guitarist of the group, playing both acoustic and electric. He also performed various “electronic devices” which is probably the coolest credit in the history of music. Rounding out the group was the Marytn Biglin who played bass, 12-string guitar, bass pedals and Moog Taurus pedals. Their producer, one Ian McDonald of King Crimson and Foreigner fame, also contributed to the mix, playing sax and flute on a couple tracks.

That is…a lot of instruments. One can only imagine what their practice space looked like. Did these guys ever go on tour? I couldn’t find any information on their live show. I do know that they released one more album (the hilariously-named Two-Too) before calling it quits. They have a MySpace page however, and Ryche is even on Twitter!

Despite these all work remains out of print, never released on CD – which is why I am putting up all of Night On Bald Mountain here for download. If anyone from Fireballet objects, please let me know and I shall remove its progtastical greatness in due haste. Until then I recommend everyone check it out, its’ great stuff. And it’ll make you want to watch Fantasia (which for some reason I have on LaserDisc – so I got that going for me, which is nice).

Everybody Talk About Blog Music

December 4th, 2009

I actually have some stuff to say about tonight’s music so I’m going to skip my usually random BS intro and just cut to the chase. Besides, seeing both John Travolta and Rod Stewart on Conan tonight zapped my brain of any creativity. What the fuck was that? Old semi-talented has-been night on the Tonight Show? It was painful.

M
Pop Musik (Tolga’s Version)
Shockingly this is the first remix of “Pop Musik” I’ve found. I would assume this sucker has been remixed both illegally and legally about a billion times over. It’s just one of the most brilliant tracks ever written. Best one-hit-wonder that isn’t Tainted Love? Maybe. This weird remix from the early 90s was from a German 12” single that contained another remix of a late-70s/early-80s dance track…

Blue Feather
Let’s Funk Tonight (Celebrate Remix)
…which would be this track right here. Everything I know about Blue Feather I found out on Wikipedia about 20 minutes ago, so I’m not going to go into any detail, you can read it for yourself. This song is retarded though, and there should be a worldwide ban on using “funk” as a replacement for “fuck” unless you are George Clinton. Okay maybe Bootsy Collins can too but that’s it. No one else. I’m talking to you Red Hot Chili Peppers!

Techno Madness
Techno Madness (Lime Light Mix)
Techno Madness (Original Club Mix)
Techno Madness (Radio Edit)
Techno Madness (Scott’s Med Mix)

Okay, I found it. The search is over. This is, without question, the stupidest techno song of all time. Nearly every stereotype from 90s techno is here, collected in these four remixes. You got the sample of Chuck D yelling “bass!”, random sirens, the generic hard synth riff, and even some “woos” thrown in for good measure. All it’s missing is some hoovers, an Amen Break and that James Brown “Woo! Yeah!” sample. That is represented on tonight’s blog post in that Blue Feather remix.

Techno Madness is the name of the song and the performer, who exactly “Techno Madness” might be is a bit of a mystery. I can find no information on this person. This track was released by ZYX Records, which is a German label, so I’m willing to bet whomever “Techno Madness” is he/she/they/it is from Europe. Besides, Americans weren’t making this kind of stupid dance music in 1992, we were busy making our own bran of stupid dance music (see C+C Music Factory, Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch for examples).

Blame
Spectre
Binary Sunset
Sigma
Point Four
A quick addendum to tonight post to prove I listen to some “intelligent” electronic music. This is nifty neato-keen spaced-out drum ‘n’ bass from a 2-12” EP I got a few years ago. I don’t know much about Blame but I dig his style based on what I’ve heard. If you download these tracks and like what you hear then I suggest you check out this post of mine from a while back for some similar stuff.

Big Dumb Dance

December 2nd, 2009

I hope everyone had a better Thanksgiving than I did. To recover from you family holiday trauma here is some big dumb 90s dance music. Because we all need more of that.

Apollo 440
Carrera Rapida (Theme From Rapid Racer) (Salt Tank’s Rip Tide Remix)
Carrera Rapida (Theme From Rapid Racer) (Frog Junkies Funk Junkie Remix)
Carrera Rapida (Theme From Rapid Racer) (The E-Z Drum & Bass Orchestra Remix)
Carrera Rapida (Theme From Rapid Racer) (Mondo Azul Remix)

So grabbing these mixes off of a 12 inch single bring my knowledge of Apollo 440 to a whopping three songs. There is of course their smash hit “Stop The Rock” but I also was aware of them back in “the day” (the day being the late 90s) due to their strange remix of the theme to Lost In Space, which I think was used in the 1998 film version of the TV show. Spoiler Warning: That movie is one of the worst sci-fi flicks of all time.

I remember seeing that piece of trash in the theater. Ugh. I also remember that it opened huge, and was the film the finally dethrone Titanic from its reign of terror at number one at the box office. A few weeks before this crapular cinematic abortion forced upon an unknowing movie public that a much better sci-fi film, the amazing Dark City, was released to an overwhelming thud. The fact that Dark City, an amazing, breathtaking one-of-a-kind piece of film making bombed while Lost in fucking Space did bang-up business was one of my first indicators that there is no justice in the entertainment world, especially when it comes to awesome sci-fi.

Anyways, this single is actually from the soundtrack to a video game called Rapid Racer (or Turbo Prop Racing in the states). I never played that one, I was probably too busy recovering from seeing Lost In Space in the theater on opening weekend. How the hell did a kind of well-known electronic act get involved with what looked to be a standard boat racing game? Man the 90s were fucked up.

War
Galaxy 2000 (Main Mix)
Galaxy 2000 (Dub Mix)

Want further proof of the 90s ridiculousness? Okay, how about the fact that house producers Plump DJs remixed 70s funk band War’s “Galaxy” and renamed it “Galaxy 2000”? That’s even more random than when The Doobie Brothers’ “Listen To The Music” was remixed for dance clubs in the mid-90s…okay maybe not but it’s still odd. These remixes are good though.

Jon The Dentist
Shindo (Jon The Dentist’s Epic Mix)
Shindo (Dexterous Remix)
Shindo (DJ Misjah Mix)

Now were getting from weird to just downright stupid. Okay, that’s harsh. “Shindo” is actually a pretty amazing trance track and it still holds up some 10 plus years later as an obvious precursor to hardstyle house music. In fact, Jon the Dentist is supposedly hailed (by whom?) as an innovator of the hardstyle house sound. I can see it though, because if “Shindo” is any indication he was making fast-paced and incredibly awesome dance tracks that were impossible to dance to due to their insane BPM long before that whole thing took off as a movement. I don’t know how you kids dance to that stuff. It makes my feet want to fall off. What is stupid however is the name Jon The Dentist. Because when I’m listening to Hi-NRG house I really want to be reminded of my sore gums.

Hypertrophy
Beautiful Day (Juniorverse Remix)
Beautiful Day (Original Mix)
Beautiful Day (Tank Remix)
Just Come Back To Me (Kosmonova Remix)

Hypertrophy is the technical term for “getting buff.” It’s also apparently the name of a bunch of German producers who make mediocre house music if this song is any indication. “Beautiful Day” isn’t awful, but it isn’t great either, and the dude’s vocals get REALLY annoying after a while. “Just Come Back To Me” is generic acid house to the 10th degree. I listen to it and imagine that it was cut from the soundtrack of Hackers.

Funking up your Thanksgiving

November 25th, 2009

This is the only post for the week, as I am heading to the wastelands of northwest Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Ever been to Toledo? It’s kind of like Fallout 3, but with more mutants and worse radio stations. I will be surviving the trip by alternating between Slayer’s new album, the debut from Them Crooked Vultures and Harpo Marx’s classical harp record Harpo Marx in High Fidelity.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with delicious turkey and minimal family dysfunction. Unless you’re reading this in a country other than the US, then have a good Thursday.

Grace Jones
I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect For You) (The Perfectly Extended remix)
If you want hours of entertainment just go a Google image search for Grace Jones (really not work safe). I remember when she was banned from Disney World for flashing her chest at a crowd. Disney said that was inappropriate, I say it’s Grace fucking Jones, they’re lucky she didn’t grab her staff and fight an orc to the death (go see Conan the Destroyer kids…on second thought – don’t).

Side note: Grace Jones is still recording music, still kicking ass and she’s apparently still batfuck insane. Thank god.

Pete Shelley
Waiting for Love (12” Remix)
The drums in the beginning of this are a little funky for a second, but it’s not a skip – I think it’s a mistake that’s on the actual record. Aside from that this is an excellent track, although I’m told that the album it’s from , 1986’s Heaven And the Sea, is one of his weaker efforts. It’s definitely not as amazing (or gay) as “Homosapien” and that’s a shame. If Adam Lambert really wants to gay it up the dude should cover that tune.

George Clinton
If Anybody Gets Funked Up (It’s Gonna Be You) (Colin Wolfe Mix)
Fact: George Clinton is god. I got nothing else to say about him. This is from a 12” single. It had other mixes, but they were all torn and scratched to shit, sorry.

Erasure
Supernature (Daniel Miller/Phil Legg Mix)
Supernature (Mark Saunders Mix)
You Surround Me (Gareth Jones Mix)

I don’t know how I didn’t get around to posting these tracks sooner, I’ve had this single sitting by my computer for about a year now. I’d see it in my pile and think “oh yeah, I should listen to that.” Finally put it on today and I’m a big fat idiot for not doing that sooner. “Supernature” kicks ASS – totally fabulous in every sense of the word. The first mix is the best, but the second is quite good as well. “You Surround Me” is pretty awesome too. These are all from a 12” inch single.

Cross-dressing, cross-samples and, um, GusGus.

November 21st, 2009

Meh! Meh I say!

Dead Or Alive
You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) (Extended Mix)
Brand New Lover (Bubble Mix)

Did you know Jessica Simpson tried to cover You Spin Me Round? She failed because she’s a no-talent piece of trash who should fall off the face of the Earth. Seriously. How many great songs does that vapid talentless nimrod need to butcher? She fucked up that song, Robbie Williams epic power ballad “Angels,” “Take My Breath Away” and “These Boots Are Made For Walking.” She even over-sampled John Mellencamp’s “Jack and Diane” for her first album. It’s not bad enough that she has to release “original” pieces of shit that the average retarded teenybopper wouldn’t be caught dead listening to, but she has to go a ruin good songs? I think it’s funny that she’s credited as a songwriter on most of her releases, like that no-talent piece of trash can put two notes together, the idiot can barely put two fucking words together. I hate that people are so critical of her weight, when her personality, stupidity and lack of talent are all much better reasons to tear her to shreds.

How was that for a random rant? These tracks are from a 12” single.

Big Audio Dynamite II
Rush (12” Mix)
No rant here. “Rush” kicks ass. Not only that, but I can use this space to promote the new album by Carbon/Silicon, which is Mick Jones’ latest band (also featuring Tony James from Sigue Sigue Sputnik.) Carbon Bubble is currently free to download at Carbon/Silicon’s website. Go get it. It’s excellent. And if even if you don’t like it, who the fuck cares? It’s free!

GusGus
Polyesterday (Shot In The Leg Remix)
Hands down one of the best song titles of all time. Good track too. I know little about GusGus so I’ll just shut up now. This is from a white label single I got last week.

Emerge from Something

November 18th, 2009

Wow! Two posts in two days! Check out my style! Tonight is nothing buy amazing awesome spectacular music. I’d like to say that’s always the case here, but we all know that’s not true – I did once put up a cover of “Tutti Frutti” by Sting after all.

Mint Royale
Shake Me
Shake Me (The Light Remix)

Okay, am I crazy or is this song sampling George Harrison’s “What Is Love”? Listen for it, it comes in around 2:20, right after the female voice. It sounds like the beginning of the chorus to “What Is Love” is being sampled for like half a second or something, anyone agree with me? “Shake Me” is on the original version of Mint Royale’s debut album On the Ropes, but it was taken off of the American version. Regardless, neither of these appear to be the regular version and both were taken from a 12” single.

Felix Da Housecat
What Does It Feel Like? (Röyksopp Return The Sun Remix)
Control Freaq (No Ears Re-Edit)

As a whole I think Felix is a bit uneven, however I will say that Devin Dazzle & the Neon Fever is probably one of my favorite albums of the decade. Not a weak track on that record, and its great music to work out to. The original versions of these tracks were on his first album, Kitten and Thee Glitz, and while that record had “Silver Screen Shower Scene” it was more than a little messy. These tracks kicked ass though, and the remixes do also. Side note: Röyksopp is amazing, and their new album is without question the best dance record of the year. Go buy it.

Fischerspooner
Emerge (The Hacker Remix)
Emerge (Moguai Mix)
Emerge (Selway’s Memory Boy Superstar Mix)

Once again, I don’t understand this song. It it supposed to make sense? I don’t think so. I sure as hell hope not. I previously put up a few mixes of this track, scored a few more from another promo 12” I picked up.

Where My Head Is

November 17th, 2009

I’m going to try and force myself to be productive with the blogging this week and I’m going to commit right now to two additional blog posts this week. I’d like to say that I haven’t been posting as much because I’ve been extra busy with work or, y’know – a life, but I’ll just be honest and blame Borderlands. That game is like crack with shotguns that shoot fire and lightening.

Basement Jaxx
Where’s Your Head At? (Extended Mix)
Where’s Your Head At? (Stanton Warriors Remix)
Where’s Your Head At? (Sounds of Da Future Remix)
Where’s Your Head At? (Jaxx Nite Dub)

I didn’t realize until a bout a year ago that this amazing track is based off samples from two – count ’em two – Gary Numan tracks. One Gary Numan song is amazing, and two put together is even more amazing. Someone should make a track samples 80 Numan tunes at once – based on my theory of exponential Numan quality that would be the best song of all time. These tracks actually are available on iTunes (well, all expect the extended mix anyways) but I don’t care. This track kicks ass and I feel like sharing these remixes. To quote a reviewer of the single on iTunes, “if you don’t like this song, there’s something wrong with you.”

Massive Attack
Safe From Harm (12” Mix)
Safe From Harm (7” Instrumental)
Safe From Harm (Just a Dub Mix)
Safe From Harm (Perfecto Mix)

Ooooh….pretty. I think Massive Attack’s Blue Lines is definitive proof that sometimes someone can actually make a perfect song. There are TWO perfect songs on Blue Lines (this track and, of course, “Unfinished Sympathy”). What’s more amazing than that is that there is also a perfect song on Massive Attack’s sophomore album Protection (“Karmacoma”) and three perfect tracks on their third album Mezzanine (“Angel” “Teardrops,” and “Inertia Creeps”). Sometimes I listen to Mezzanine and I have a hard time doing anything else because that music is just so fucking great that I just want to close my eyes and just take it all in. Okay, that sounds kind of gross, but I wasn’t going for the double entendre…okay maybe I was. Anyways, these remixes are from a 12” single. More awesome electronic music later this week.

Liv Tyler should be Aerosmith’s new lead singer.

November 11th, 2009

I’d fucking GO to that show.

I complain a lot. It’s kind of my thing. That’s how I roll. I especially complain when musicians and bands I like do shit I can’t stand. LIke when Wolfmother decided to be twats and release 80 billion versions of Cosmic Egg, or when Billy Corgan…does anything. However, I’m actually going to talk nice about a band I like, because they did something awesome.

The Foo Fighters’ released a greatest hits collection this month. Actually, they had no real say in the decision, their label decided to do it against the wishes of Dave Grohl. Like every greatest hits it has a few new songs tacked on to entice fans who own everything to shell out the extra bucks for the new songs. That’s always annoying, and what’s more annoying is that usually when there’s a greatest hits on iTunes you can’t just buy the new tracks, you have to buy the whole album.

Well that’s not the case this time, probably because Dave was against the compilation in the first place. If you just want the new tracks, you can have them, not only that, there’s an entire EP that is JUST the new tracks, making it easy and cost effective to get them. That EP also includes their cover of Wings’ “Band On The Run” which was never released in America. It’s nice to see a band reward their devoted fans instead of punishing them for a change. I doubt you’ll ever see fucking U2 do that shit (still bitter over not being able to legally just buy “The Saints Are Coming”).

Man, that was a lot of nice for me…I don’t know what to say next. Oh yeah, I remember. To the person that spammed my comments with repeated requests for a Blondie song – piss off.

Ah, I feel better now.

Deborah Harry
I Can See Clearly (The Club Mix)
I Can See Clearly (N.Y.C. Dub)
I Can See Clearly (Blonde Rave)
I Can See Clearly (Dub-a-mental)
I Can See Clearly (Boriqua Tribal Mix)

I think I’m going to have to cave and finally buy a Deborah Harry solo record. Any recommendations? I’m avoiding Koo Koo, I’ve heard that album is as bad as the cover is good. These remixes (which are all actually really fucking good) are from a 12”.

Talking Heads
Slippery People
Making Flippy Floppy

Slippery flippity floppity slippy flippy flop. Yeah…that’s all I got. Actually, strike that, I got more. What the fuck is “Making Flippy Floppy” about? Is it about screwing? “Flippy Floppy” is the best/worst euphamism for boning ever – and I’m totally gonna start using it. These remixes are from a 12” single. They are by John “Bellybean” Benitez, and if you know who that is then that means something to you.

Swine Poo. Oh, and some TMBG and stuff.

November 6th, 2009

It’s been nearly four weeks since I first got sick with the flu, and I’m still feeling the after effects of it. I’m going to go ahead and call it – I had the swine flu. Fucking pigs. Meh.

Random music time!

A-Ha
I’ve Been Losing You (Extended Mix)
A-Ha is breaking up. I know this is shocking news to everyone in America who assumed they vanished into a black and white comic sometime around 1986. However, they’ve been quite big in Europe since 1984, and I’m assuming their impending break-up is pretty big news in Norway, where I assume they are blonde synth-pop gods. I’m not a huge fan of A-ha, but I do have their greatest hits compilation and I do have to say that I do think that over their course of their 20-plus year career they no doubt showed signs of fucking genius. Anyone who says they don’t like “Take On Me” is a damned liar, and “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” just might be one of the most beautiful songs of the 80s. “I’ve Been Losing You” isn’t as good as that classic, but it does have a pretty awesome drum intro.

They Might Be Giants
S-E-X-X-Y (Tee’s Freeze Mix)
S-E-X-X-Y (Tee’s In House Dub)
S-E-X-X-Y (The Warren Rigg Microwave Mix)

I’ve seen nerd gods TMBG so many times I’ve actually lost count, I think it’s six or seven. Usually I’m better at keeping track of such things, but nearly every time I’ve seen them it’s been at Mr. Smalls in Pittsburgh, so all thsoe shows kind of morph together into one AMAZING concert. The first time I saw TMBG was in 1996, when they were touring in support for Factory Showroom, the album that features the original version of “S-E-X-X-Y.” I was just getting into them at the time and really wanted to see them. I wanted to see them so bad I went with my mom to see Hootie And The Blowfish because TMBG was opening for them. That’s some fucking dedication right there. I’m hardcore like that. These remixes are from a 12” single. Also, apparently the person who owned this 12” before me treated it like sandpaper, so there are a few pops and clicks. Sorry about that.

P.M. Dawn
I’d Die Without You (Extended Jeep Mix)
I’d Die Without You (Remix Dub)
I’d Die Without You (Extended Remix Radio Edit)
Hippie Hip Hop! I’m tired now and out of things to say. This song is so mellow it might kill you, be careful.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in Toledo

November 2nd, 2009

I hate it when a band I like does something that I consider moderately evil. Thankfully I don’t like U2 or it would happen a lot. I am a fan of Wolfmother though, I think their debut is one of the best “rawk” albums in years, totally cribbing the best of AC/DC, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. I’ve been looking forward to their sophomore album, Cosmic Egg, for months and bought it the day it came out, even though I had a review copy! I’m fucking loyal!

However, there are two versions of the album (excluding the iTunes BS), a standard and a deluxe. The deluxe version has four more songs and costs about six bucks more. That’s annoying. There’s no reason why the “standard” album can’t have those four extra tracks, it’s just a marketing ploy. That’s fucked up. What’s more fucked up is that the deluxe version is two CDs, even though it would all fit on one CD. I’m assuming the official line is that it makes it more like the vinyl copy, which is split across two LPs (because it has to be). The actual reason? Because every two-CD edition sold counts as TWO copies sold, artificially inflating the numbers.

In a time where it’s getting harder and harder for artists to convince people to actually go out and BUY music this shit doesn’t help.

Siouxsie And The Banshees
The Killing Jar (Lepidopteristic Mix)
Something Wicked (This Way Comes)
Are You Still Dying Darling?

For those playing at home, a Lepidopterist is someone who collects butterflies, which makes sense since a killing jar is the jar used to kill caught butterflies. It’s one of the best-named remixes I’ve seen in a while, although it pales in comparison to all the crazy-ass Erasure remix titles (example: Truly In Love With The Marx Bros. Mix).

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
(Forever) Live And Die (Extended Mix)
(Forever) Live and Die (7” Version)
We Love You (Extended)
We Love You (7” Version)
We Love You (Dub)

These are from two 12” singles that are both excellent, although if I had to pick a favorite I would have to go with “(Forever) Live And Die,” it’s such a catchy tune. I was originally going to call this post “Mo’ MD” but that’s just stupid. Speaking of stupid, I’m at my dad’s house right now and after being subjected to Fox News for an hour I am currently being forced to watch Survivor. It’s like a greatest hits of what’s wrong with American media all from the comfort of a couch. Sigh. The opening of the extended mix of “(Forever) Live And Die” is a bit scratchy, but it improves as the song goes. Sorry about that.