Albums -- A: Aenima, Tool

Song: "Forty-Six & Two"

Tool:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: It's hard to believe this album came out in 1996. This is the one that hooked me on Tool, though I didn't start listening until 2002 or 2003 (thanks to an old friend who forced me to sit down and watch the band's videos).

Just in case some of you haven't heard already, Tool will have three songs featured on future Guitar Hero games. This is taken from the Web site:

Guitar Hero fans from all over the world will be able to rock out to "Parabola" and Grammy-award winning "Schism" from Tool's critically-acclaimed 2001 album Lateralus in addition to "Vicarious" from their 2006 Grammy-award winning album 10,000 Days.

I'm not sure that you can say a band sells out if they put music on Guitar Hero anymore... it seems EVERYONE is doing it.

Last thing, I swear. If you like Tool, especially this album, you should check out Bill Hicks and see if you notice any parallels. Aenima was dedicated to Hicks and some of the songs are drawn from his stand-up comedy. For instance, the lyrics from the song Aenima were drawn from Hick's Arizona Bay -- you can listen to that by watching the video posted below. I will note that Hicks is known for his potty mouth, so don't put this one on with the kiddies around. — BJ

Aw, c'mon! I want the song about getting fisted!!!! — cwc

Album -- B: Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River

Song: "For Real"

Okkervil River:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Last week I played a song from O.R. stating I wasn't a huge fan and that I was unsure of the album as a whole. This week I decided to match that song and those comments with the album with which I'm most familiar. Black Sheep Boy plays at Donnelly's (my stomping grounds) a lot thanks to a couple of our bartenders.

Just in case you know nothing about the band, you should check out their album art. It's the same guy and he does a fantastic job for them and several other artists -- check him out. — BJ

HONORABLE MENTION:

• B.R.M.C., Black Rebel Motorcycle Club


• Back to Black, Amy Winehouse


• Backyard Tent Set, Caroline Smith And The Good Night Sleeps


• Blue Screen Life, Pinback


• Boneclouds, Mason Jennings

Albums -- C: CrazySexyCool, TLC

Song: "Diggin' On You"

TLC:   Wiki

DJ comments: I know Chris probably hates me for playing this, but it is one of my all-time favorite "C" albums -- I just have so many good memories/associations that accompany this one.

I remember sitting in my room in the 5th grade, lounging on a horrible looking green leather chair, reading my Goosebumps with this album playing. That same year (1997), two of my friends and I entered East Elementary's talent contest with a grand idea. We dressed as the members of TLC (baggy clothes with one girl sporting the Left Eye black dash) and lip sank "Waterfalls" while standing behind a cardboard cutout that was supposed to look like ocean waves. It was painted at least four different shades of blue because the ink kept running out of our markers. But here's the best part -- we brought the audience into the act by spraying them with water bottles. To this day people still tell us we were the bee's knees that day. — BJ

Click here if you actually want to watch the video.

Albums -- D: Destroyers Rubies, Destroyer

Song: "Painter In Your Pocket"

Destroyer:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Destroyers Rubies, the sixth LP from Destroyer, was another HMH (Hipster Must Hear) when it was released in 2006. I couldn't stop listening for a good month, even if Dan Bejar's voice can be a little much sometimes. — BJ

I love the fan videos:

Albums -- E: Entertainment!, Gang of Four

Song: "Ether"

Gang of Four:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Without these guys, Bloc Party would not be possible. — cwc

Albums -- F: Fevers and Mirrors, Bright Eyes

Song: "The Calendar Hung Itself..."

Bright Eyes:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Conor at his most Robert Smith-ish. — cwc

Albums -- G: The Gray Race, Bad Religion

Song: "A Walk"

Bad Religion:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: The coolest voice in the punk genre. — cwc

Albums -- H: Hearts of Oak, Ted Leo + the Pharmacists

Song: "2nd Ave., 11 A.M."

Ted Leo + the Pharmacists:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I almost played DJ Sammy's techno version of Bryan Adams's "Heaven" here, but thought better of it. After seeing Brittany's "C" entry, I might reconsider. — cwc

Albums -- I: In Utero, Nirvana

Song: "Heart Shaped Box"

Nirvana:   MySpace   Wiki

DJ comments: Everyone knows Nirvana. We love In Utero. I especially love the cameo lineup for the video "Heart Shaped Box": Jesus, a fat woman with no skin, a stellar pair of purple pants, and all of Iowa City's aborted babies... — BJ

Albums -- J: Jukebox, Cat Power

Song: "Aretha, Sing One For Me"

Cat Power:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Cat Power is one of the best representations of Girl Power since the Spice Girls. Despite being a hot chick singing girly songs with a hell of a voice, I know several guys (including Christopher) who love to sit down with Jukebox and other Cat Power albums. This is a great one for a day spent hanging in or studying with the ladies. — BJ

Albums -- K: Knives Don't Have Your Back, Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton

Song: "Doctor Blind"

Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: This video makes me realize how truly depressing Wal Marts are. It's just a big room with sh t in it. — BJ

Albums -- L: Langhorne Slim, Langhorne Slim

Song: "Restless"

Langhorne Slim:   MySpace

DJ comments: Damnit! Slim JUST played at The Picador last week. How did I not about that one? I heard it was a small crowd, which made it a rather enjoyable show.

Anyway, check out his Daytrotter Session from 2006. — BJ

Lanhorne Slim on The Late Show with David Letterman:

Albums -- M: Mass Romantic, The New Pornographers

Song: "Mass Romantic"

New Pornographers:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I hope they put out a new album soon, because I was not a fan of Challengers. Which means I can go back to their first album, the title track from which you'll find here. — cwc

Albums -- N: Night Falls Over Kortedala, Jens Lekman

Song: "The Opposite of Hallelujah"

Jens Lekman:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I bet this guy gets a ton of action from the female populace. — cwc

Albums -- O: Only, Sun 60

Song: "Treasure"

Sun 60:   singer Joan Jones's MySpace

DJ comments: One of those bands I pretended to love to impress a chick in college. I did really like this song, though. — cwc

All the official Sun 60 videos on YouTube are not available for embedding, so fuck 'em.

Albums -- P: Post, Bjork

Song: "Enjoy"

Bjork:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: A collaboration with Tricky. Good tune. Great album, start to finish. — cwc

Albums -- Q: Quicksand and Rattlesnakes, Califone

Song: "Stepdaughter"

Califone:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Needless to say, I only own one "Q" album. I love Califone, but this is not my favorite of their albums. — BJ

Albums -- R: Rubber Factory, The Black Keys

Song: "Girl Is On My Mind"

The Black Keys:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I'm afraid that Rubber Factory has fallen into the shadow of The Black Keys most recent album Attack & Release, which the duo put out this spring. If one could wear out songs on their iPods, this album would be scratched to hell on mine. — BJ

Albums -- S: S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Incubus

Song: "Vitamin"

Incubus:   Web site

DJ comments: This was the first band I ever got into to the point that I wanted their entire collection. I started with Make Yourself and made my way back. This one was released in October, 1997. Everything the band put out before Make Yourself is a far cry different from their later stuff (especially Morning View). Enjoy Incubus. — BJ

Albums -- T: This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About, Modest Mouse

Song: "Dramamine"

Modest Mouse:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Mm... Isaac Brock. Strap on your boots and your Xanax -- some of the songs are a bit slow/depressing. It's great winter music, and we should be in for a bad one this year. — BJ

Albums -- U: Unknown Pleasures, Joy Division

Song: "She's Lost Control"

Joy Division:   MySpace

DJ comments: Have you seen the movie Control yet? — cwc

Albums -- V: Visiter, Dodos

Song: "Fools"

The Dodos:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I wondor wy dey chowse too misppell da wurd Visitor. — cwc

Albums -- W: White Blood Cells, The White Stripes

Song: "Hotel Yorba"

White Stripes:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: This song and "You're Pretty Good Looking" (from De Stijl) hooked me on these guys. — cwc

Albums -- X: XO, Elliott Smith

Song: "Sweet Adeline"

Elliott Smith:   MySpace

DJ comments: In case the Joy Division song didn't finish you off... — cwc

Albums -- Y: Yes, Morphine

Song: "Honey White"

Morphine:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Mark Sandman was the best two-string-bass player/singer ever. (Rest in peace.) — cwc

Albums -- Z: Zeitgeist, Smashing Pumpkins

Song: "Tarantula"

Smashing Pumpkins:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Ladies and gentlemen, once again, the Billy Corgan Experience!!!!

I actually really like this song; I can only say that about two of the songs on the latest album. But what strikes me about this video: there's no way in hell Billy Corgan would let this many people have a role in his music. Only drummer Jimmy Chamberlin can have a voice in this band (and he rules). — cwc