The J's: "Just Drums," Tapes 'n Tapes

From the album The Loon

Tapes n' Tapes:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: They have to be cool if David Cross is introducing them at concerts. I mean, he is MR. SHOW! — BJ

The J's: The Jayhawks, "Blue"

From the album Tomorrow the Green Grass

The Jayhawks:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I told my friend Jeff that our focus was the letter J, and he immediately responded with The Jayhawks. This one goes to to Jeff Erickson -- the biggest Hut Hot lover in Coralville. — BJ

The J's: Joanna Newsom, "Bridges and Balloons"

From the album The Milk-Eyed Mender

Joanna Newsom:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I know her voice is a little hard to take, but I still love her. Take it or leave it, just enjoy her harp playing. — BJ

The J's: "January," Headlights

From the album Some Racing, Some Stopping

Headlights:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: We haven't heard this Champaign, Illinois, band in a while -- probably because we played it a lot when it came out earlier this year. — BJ

The J's: "Jodi," The Dodos

From the album Visiter

The Dodos:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: This is my second favorite female-named song on the album, right behind "Ashley."

It seems like these guys had their 10 minutes of fame, then fell off the air waves. I'm not sure why this one didn't stick around a lot longer. Maybe the flood just put a damper on the playing for this campus. — BJ

The J's: "Jeepster," T. Rex

From the album Electric Warrior

T. Rex:   Wikipedia

DJ comments: A prime example of how late-Sixties English rock was destroyed by all that Seventies' glam. I guess I shouldn't say destroyed -- I love their hair-filled release, Electric Warriior (1971). In reality, I love the idea of Glam Rock. I'll just be quiet now. — BJ

The J's: Jukebox, Cat Power

Song: "Silver Stallion"

Cat Power:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: God, she's hot.

This was originally a Highwaymen's song. Compare the two versions by watching the video below. — BJ

The J's: Jake One, "Trap Door (feat. MF Doom)"

From the album White Van Music

Jake One:   Web site   Wikipedia

DJ comments: Since I'm playing Hip Hop, I have to comment on this. If you haven't heard, Vibe voted Eminem the Best Rapper Alive.

My. God.

Anyway, this album is out this month off Rhymesayers. — BJ

The J's: "Jimmy," Of Montreal

Of Montreal:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Song sound familiar? This is Of Montreal's version of M.I.A.'s "Jimmy".

If you haven't already been, you should head to Of Montreal's Myspace page. It's an Eighties' lover's wet dream! — BJ

The J's: Joshua Radin, "I'd Rather Be With You"

From the album Simple Times

Joshua Radin:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: If you like this, he's playing at the Picador tonight and in Des Moines tomorrow. — BJ

The J's: "Just Another Day," Her Space Holiday

From the album Sleepy Tigers

Her Space Holiday:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Her Space Holiday released its new album xoxo, panda and the new kid revival on October 7. I've seen it featured on several music sites, so I'm assuming you should give it a listen. — BJ

Video for Japanese Gum

The J's: "Jump In the Pool," Friendly Fires

From the album Friendly Fires

Friendly Fires:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Is the genre DISCO featured anywhere but Europe? I know we scrapped disco when everyone started dying from AIDS and cocaine addictions. I guess a lot of Europe has Universal Health Care, so they don't really have to work about that kind of stuff. — BJ

The J's: Jenny Lewis, "Acid Tongue"

From the album Acid Tongue

Jenny Lewis:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: This is the title track of Jenny Lewis's most recent release. I guess she doesn't like liars. — BJ

The J's: "Jesus On The Mainline," The Moondoggies

From the album Don't Be A Stranger

The Moondoggies:   Moondoggies on indieducky.com   MySpace

DJ comments: Harmonize, you Seattle Moondoggies! — BJ

The J's: Jane's Addiction, "Stop!"

From the album Ritual de lo Habitual

Jane's Addiction:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: My high-school Spanish was beneficial in figuring out the intro to this song. Thanks to last week's caller (the nice caller, not the douchebag caller) who requested some Jane's in the J mix this week. — cwc

The J's: Japanese Motors, "Single Fins and Safety Pins"

From the album Japanese Motors

Japanese Motors:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: A little surf rock, some lo-fi attitude, and I bet they get great gas mileage! — cwc

The J's: The Jesus and Mary Chain, "Never Understand"

From the album Psychocandy

Jesus and Mary Chain:   JAMC's Sub Pop web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Another song (along with the Japanese Motors tune) that I find to have more than a hint of Beach Boys influence. And I don't really like the Beach Boys all that much. Weird. — cwc

The J's: The Jam, "In the City"

From the album In the City

The Jam:   Wikipedia

DJ comments: These guys are the punk era's version of the Kinks, meaning the band that gets the least amount of praise for their contributions to music. The Sex Pistols flat-out stole this riff for "God Save the Queen"; I'm guessing the number of people who note the Pistols' contributions outnumbers Jam fans 20:1, at least. Bah. — cwc

The J's: "Just One Fix," Ministry

From the album Psalm 69

Ministry:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: My cousin Mark can be seen in Ministry's concert video, In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up, the stage-diving fool. — cwc

Check out William S. Burroughs in the song's video:

The J's: "Just Kickin' It Like a Wild Donkey," Minus the Bear

From the album This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic

Minus the Bear:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: One thing (and pretty much the only thing) about MTB that reminds me of Sufjan (who you'll hear later this evening): despite the goofy song and album titles, they both are really good. Hope many of you were able to enjoy the Picador show on Monday! — cwc

Minus the Bear will stare at you if you click play below:

The J's: Joy Division, "Digital"

From the album Substance

Joy Division:   MySpace

DJ comments: "This song is dedicated to Ian Curtis!!!!" (inside joke for me and my friend Sam.) — cwc

Here's the song as performed by the Control cast:



And a live version:

The J's: "July, July!," The Decemberists

From the album Castaways and Cutouts

Decemberists:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Colin Meloy might look like a hefty Dwight Schrute, but the man can rock. Check out the episode of Austin City Limits that the Decemberists shared with Explosions in the Sky for evidence. — cwc

The J's: "Jumpers," Sleater-Kinney

From the album The Woods

Sleater-Kinney:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: "Four seconds was the longest wait." Great way to end a song about leaping from the Golden Gate Bridge. — cwc

The J's: "John Wayne Gacy Jr.," Sufjan Stevens

From the album Illinois

Sufjan Stevens:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I remember listening to this song with my wife during a car ride some time ago. It got to the "he took off all their clothes for them" line, and she turned to me and said, "What the *%$!#$*& are we listening to?" to which I said, "You shouldn't end your sentences with a preposition."

Actually, I said, "It's a song called 'John Wayne Gacy Jr.,'" as if that made it all better. I'm not sure why I like this song; I think it's more that I respect the emotion Sufjan is able to extract from the listener. Even the melodramatic touches like the deep breaths at the end, that shit works for me.

But as a father, the song does disturb the shit out of me. You don't realize how f'd up things are until you consider the various things that could prey on your children. And that concludes my free birth control message. — cwc

The J's: "Jack Killed Mom," Jenny Lewis

From the album Acid Tongue

Jenny Lewis:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Jane's Addiction was by request from a random caller last week; this song was a recommendation from our friend Eric in Cedar Rapids. Jenny Lewis has been quite popular on KRUI recently...and Alphabet Soup this week! — cwc

The J's: Jurassic 5, "Quality Control"

From the album Quality Control

Jurassic 5:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: About six years ago, I was hanging out with one of my wife's cousins at a wedding reception, talking about music, and "the J-5" came up. I mentioned how they were one of the few current rap groups I liked, to which I was told "they aren't rap (sneer)." I know I'm old, but am I already deaf? Isn't this rap? — cwc

The J's: "Just Can't Get Enough," Depeche Mode

From the album Speak and Spell

Depeche Mode:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I know I've said this about 37 albums, but DM's Violator is definitely in my top 10 albums of all time. But today's song comes from DM's early days, when the synths were aweseome and hypercolor shirts were just around the corner. FUCK YEAH — cwc