Hello! Have some soup

We (Christopher and Brittany Jade), the long-winded DJs on KRUI's Friday 3-5pm shift, now have our own specialty show — Alphabet Soup. We'll be playing (at least) 26 songs per show, with each song representing one letter of the alphabet. Time permitting, we'll pick our "letter of the day," and that artist will have a bonus song played at the end of the shift. (V, Vampire Weekend, took the honors in Episode 1.)

For now, we're tying the list to artists. Undoubtedly, we'll branch out to song titles, source albums, geographic locations, or whatever helps us find a good song for the letters "Q" and "X" and "Z"...

We have one show in the books, from Feb. 15. Found below is the list of songs, along with links to artists' MySpace pages and (in most cases) embedded videos related to the songs we played. We also aim to offer the show in podcast form very soon; when we do, we'll post links here.

Ep. 1, A: Ambulance Ltd, "Anecdote"

From the album LP

Ambulance Ltd web site
Ambulance Ltd on MySpace

DJ Comments: I fell in love with these guys when they played Lollapalooza in 2005. They were staying at our hotel and were really nice guys when we approached them.

I decided to post a video, although it is not the song Anecdote. "Stay Where You Are" was the song that started my brief LTD obsession. (At some point you will notice I have had a lot of band obsessions over the past six years.) -- BJH

Ep. 1, B: Andrew Bird, "Lull"

From the album Weather Systems

Andrew Bird web site
Andrew Bird on MySpace

DJ Comments: I often refer to Bird as the Willy Wonka of music. His parents met at the University of Iowa, so he admittedly loves Iowa City. He played a solo show at The Englert in 2007 -- it was beautiful.

Ep. 1, C: Cake, "Friend is a Four-Letter Word"

From the album Fashion Nugget

Cake web site
Cake on MySpace

DJ Comments: Nothing goes better with soup than cake. We chose this song because it ties in so well with the "Z" slot.

Ep. 1, D: Death Cab For Cutie, "A Lack of Color"

From the album Transatlanticism

Death Cab web site
Death Cab on MySpace

DJ comments: Seth Cohen loved this song. — cwc

Ep. 1, E: Electrelane, "On Parade"

From the album The Power Out

Electrelane web site
Electrelane on MySpace

Ep. 1, F: Film School, "Two Kinds"

From the album Hideout

Film School web site
Film School on MySpace

DJ comments: Go get the album; it's one of the better discs of 2007. — cwc

Ep. 1, G: Charlotte Gainsbourg, "The Songs That We Sing"

From the album 5:55

Charlotte Gainsbourg web site
Charlotte Gainsbourg on MySpace

Ep. 1, H: Hot Chip, "Wrestlers"

From the album Made in the Dark

Hot Chip web site
Hot Chip on MySpace

DJ comments: Most people in Iowa, basking in the glow of the rejuvenated Hawkeye wrestling squad, figure this song actually is about wrestling. We're pretty sure it's about making whoopee. — cwc

Ep. 1, I: Interpol, "Length of Love"

From the album Antics

Interpol web site
Interpol on MySpace

DJ comments: I'm pretty sure these guys are atop our "most played artists" list. And for good reason. I only wish we had a good video clip of "Length of Love" to include here. Instead, here's another song from Antics, "Slow Hands."

Ep. 1, J: The Jayhawks, "Blue"

From the album Tomorrow the Green Grass

Jayhawks fan page
The Jayhawks on MySpace

DJ comments: I saw these guys in 1995 in Ames. I went with this girl I had a crush on...and her boyfriend. I was so hoping the fake ID the dude was using would get spotted at the door, but it was a New York license, so the bouncer had no chance. And neither did I, if you get my drift. — cwc

Ep. 1, K: The Kinks, "Victoria"

From the album Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks on MySpace

Ep. 1, L: Laura Veirs, "Pink Light"

From the album Saltbreakers

Laura Veirs web site
Laura Veirs on MySpace

DJ comments: What a cutie. — cwc

Ep. 1, M: Metric, "Dead Disco"

From the album Old World Underground, Where Are You Now

Metric web site
Metric on MySpace

Ep. 1, N: Nirvana, "Scentless Apprentice"

From the album In Utero

Nirvana on MySpace

I originally planned on using a song from the Unplugged set, but decided to go with what has long been my favorite tune of theirs, one that drove annoying people from my dorm room way back when. — cwc

Ep. 1, O: Paul Oakenfold, "Ready Steady Go"

From the album Bunkka

Paul Oakenfold web site
Paul Oakenfold on MySpace

DJ comments: I'm including a clip from Collateral where the song was used. I really liked this movie. — cwc

Ep. 1, P: Public Property, "Power Trip"

From the album What's Goin Down

Public Property web site
Public Property on MySpace

Ep. 1, Q: Queen, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

From the album The Game

Video of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" from Live Aid 1985

Ep. 1, R: Rilo Kiley, "Pictures of Success"

From the album Take Offs & Landings

Rilo Kiley web site
Rilo Kiley on MySpace

Ep. 1, S: Spoon, "Stay Don't Go"

From the album Kill the Moonlight

Spoon web site
Spoon on MySpace

Kill the Moonlight is another must for any music collection. We agreed on February 15, it is our favorite Spoon album.

Ep. 1, T: TLC, "Creep"

From the album CrazySexyCool

TLC on MySpace

DJ comments: Brittany goes old skool on us. This is why we wanted a specialty show, to do fun things like this that show our oddball personalities. — cwc

Yes, I decided to go old "skool" with the TLC. I knew I'd hear some crap for including this song, but I had to play it. No matter how old I get, I will always rank CrazySexyCool among my top albums. It has too many 5th grade memories attached to it. — BJH

Ep. 1, U: U2, "Like a Song..."

From the album War

U2 web site
U2 on MySpace

DJ comments: I have a never-ending argument with my friend Beck (not that Beck) that War is a better album than Achtung Baby. We're always drinking/drunk when we have this conversation, so you can imagine the high level of intellect. But I'm still right, goddammit. — cwc

Ep. 1, V: Vampire Weekend, "A-Punk"

From the album Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend web site
Vampire Weekend on MySpace

DJ comments: This song earned "V" our letter of the day. Good job, Vampire Weekend!

Ep. 1, W: The White Stripes, "Hotel Yorba"

From the album White Blood Cells

The White Stripes web site
The White Stripes on MySpace

DJ comments: I was singing along at the top of my lungs. Thank Brittany for not turning on my mic during this song. — cwc

Ep. 1, X: X-Ray Spex, "Oh Bondage Up Yours"

From the album Germfree Adolescents

X-Ray Spex web site
X-Ray Spex on MySpace

DJ comments: Watch the movie Punk! Attitude; you'll see that Poly Styrene (the singer) hasn't lost her looks. I'm pretty sure I could play that sax bit, yet that's not meant as an insult. — cwc

Ep. 1, Y: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Y Control"

From the album Fever to Tell

Yeah Yeah Yeahs web site
Yeah Yeah Yeahs on MySpace

DJ comments: Great song from a band I'm pretty sure I'd hate to see live. I can't see how they can re-create some of the cool songs onstage, since Zinner is the only guy playing any stringed instruments. Still, powerful tune. — cwc

Ep. 1, Z: Zack Attack, "Friends Forever"

From the show Saved by the Bell

Comments from the DJ: I always wondered if Slater actually played drums on this track. Wasn't he in Menudo? — cwc