The F's Are Here!

Here it is ladies and gentlemen, the blog post for the letter F. I took me longer to get this finished than I anticipated, I had hoped to have this finished and posted a good 2 weeks ago. I unfortunately got busy with work and a road trip, so despite having finished listening to the F's about 3 weeks ago I am just now getting around to writing up this blog post.

The F's were interesting, a lot of familiar songs from the one and done artists and some great artists with a large presence in the list. The F's were very easy to get through listening wise, there weren't really too many artists or songs on the list that I found myself having changed my preference for. The F's had alternative arena rock and indie dance techno, and everything in between. We start of the F's with the first eight tracks being from one and done artists before we finally get to the first multiple track artist.

The first of the one and done artists who populate the top of this list is The Faces with the song "Ooh La La." The title isn't familiar to most people, but the song should be. The chorus of this song is one of the more well known choruses of the past 30 plus years. The band also featured musicians who have become some of the biggest names in music over the last four decades, including Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. "Ooh La La" features the iconic chorus "I wish that I knew what I knew now, when I was younger." The song is a song of regret about past relationships, Stewart sings about women using you and abusing you. The song has been featured on multiple movie soundtracks over the years, and that is also how it came to be on my iTunes. I got this song off of the soundtrack for the movie Rushmore. I have always liked this song, Rod Stewart's voice mixed with excellent guitar work really make this song stand out. It feels a bit odd because the song seems really up beat for a song about regret and bitterness. I think I will continue to enjoy this song for a long time.

Faith No More comes up next. Faith No More have been hailed as one of the most influential bands of the 80's and 90's, their influence can be seen in a lot of alternative metal and even rock-rap. Their most famous song is "Epic," which still has a presence on alternative rock radio twenty two years after its release. I really like that song, but the song that I have on my iTunes is the first of their tracks to gain popularity and be played on MTV. The song is called "We Care A Lot," and features a thumping bass line as the driving force behind the song. Fan's of the song "Epic" who have not explored the earlier records of Faith No More may not initially recognize this song as a Faith No More song. This is due to the fact that this track was recorded with the band's original vocalist, who was replaced in 1988. The song is a lot of fun, and a track that I enjoy quite a bit. The song, like several of Faith No More's songs, has a bit of a comedic vibe to it. They sing about how they care about the everything from the police to the Transformers. They also sing that "it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it." I think I will continue to enjoy this song for quite some time.

Faith No More "We Care A Lot"


The Fall song "Bingo Master," follows up Faith No More on this playlist. The Fall are a British punk band that has never really caught the public's ear, and is not known to the majority of music fans born from 1990 on, but despite this they have put out 28 studio albums since their formation in the 70's. This track comes from the compilation box set "No Thanks: The 70's Punk Rebellion." The song has that classic 70's British punk, and starts off slowly before breaking out in the chorus. The song is a fun one, and one that I wasn't very familiar with before this compilation and the before this blog. The lyrics are strange, but interesting. I definitely recommend this band for fans of bands like The Damned.

Next up is the first of two songs in a row from the compilation "A Santa Cause: It's A Punk Rock Christmas." This particular song is "Yule Shoot Your Eye Out," by Fall Out Boy. Fall Out Boy are a band commonly associated with the "emo" genre of music that gained popularity back in the early 2000's. I was never a big fan of Fall Out Boy and the style of music that they represented, but this is a nice song. It's not really your typical cheery Christmas song with lyrics about the ending of a relationship singing lyrics like "don't come home for Christmas, you're the last thing I wanna see underneath the tree. Merry Christmas, I could care less." The song is mainly just singer Patrick Stump on Acoustic guitar, with a second acoustic guitar accompanying him. It's not an unpleasant song, but not a song that I would listen to year round.

The next one and done from "A Santa Cause: It's A Punk Rock Christmas," is Far featuring Chino Moreno. This song is a cover of the famous 1984 song done for Band Aid. The original features the popular artists of the time coming together to sing a song who's proceeds went to organizations providing aid to Africa. The song featured the following artists: Linda Ronstadt , Adam Clayton (U2) , Phil Collins (Genesis), Bob Geldof (The Boomtown Rats), Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet), Chris Cross (Ultravox), John Taylor (Duran Duran), Paul Young, Tony Hadley, Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran), Simon Crowe, Marilyn, Keren Woodward (Bananarama), Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet), Jody Watley (Shalamar), Bono (U2), Paul Weller (The Style Council, and previously The Jam), James "J.T." Taylor (Kool & The Gang), George Michael (Wham!), Midge Ure (Ultravox), Martyn Ware (Heaven 17), John Keeble (Spandau Ballet), Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet),Roger Taylor (Duran Duran), Sara Dallin (Bananarama), Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama), Sting (The Police), Pete Briquette (The Boomtown Rats), Francis Rossi (Status Quo), Robert 'Kool' Bell (Kool & the Gang), Dennis Thomas (Kool & the Gang), Andy Taylor (Duran Duran), Jon Moss (Culture Club, former member of Adam and the Ants), Rick Parfitt (Status Quo), Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Johnny Fingers (The Boomtown Rats), David Bowie, Boy George (Culture Club),Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood),Paul McCartney, Stuart Adamson (Big Country), Bruce Watson (Big Country), Tony Butler (Big Country), Mark Brzezicki (Big Country).** This version of the song is more in the alterative hardcore style. The song goes from a nice sweet song to a bit of a louder/harder sound. It is not as good as the original, but I've heard worse covers.

The Fastbacks were an American rock band the formed at the end of the 70's. The band featured a mixed line up with two women and two guys forming the band. The song on my iTunes is "In The Summer," a fun song with female vocals in a style very close to punk rock, with slightly more pop sounding guitars. I had heard this song on occasion before listening to it again for this blog. I believe it was put on my iTunes by my older brother for his wedding party. I enjoyed this song when I listened to it again for this blog, it's a great summer anthem, and ode to the fun and freedom experienced by a lot of people in the summer time. I would recommend this for punk fans and fans of female fronted rock bands.

Next up is the most vulgar song of the F playlist, in Fear's "I Love Livin In The City." The song is a punk rock song featuring lines like "my ass smells just like the sewers," and also features lyrics about "crabs crawling on my balls." The song is all about the plight and poor conditions of those who live in the inner city, and the attitude of people who live in the city's suburbs compared to reality. It's a quick aggressive song meant to be controversial and provoke a response. It's a good song, and one that I've been enjoying for many years now, and will continue to do so.

The final one and done artist, before the beginning of the artist blocks, is The Feelies. The Feelies are a band out of New Jersey who play a style that sounds like an early version of a lot of modern indie music like Bloc Party. The guitar work is what stands out in this song, there in a wailing guitar that overshadows the backing music. The rest of the song doesn't feel particularly remarkable to me, the vocals are pleasant and so is the song itself, but it doesn't really stand out in my mind. A good song, but not memorable.

The first artist to have a sizable presence on the F playlist is Canadian singer songwriter Feist. Feist came to popularity with the release of her 2006 album The Reminder, which featured the singles "1,2,3,4," "I Feel it All," and "My Moon My Man." Her songs are all very melodic songs that prominently feature her vocals. She tends to write up beat songs about relationships and personal experiences. On her previous album the song "Mushaboom," was a track about what she wanted her future to be like. Her songs are always very enjoyable and fun to listen to. Her vocals are a big part of what makes these songs so good, she sings with a very distinct melodic style that is instantly recognizable to anyone who is a fan of her music. I first heard Feist in 2005 when I saw the video for the song "Mushaboom," on MTVu. I liked the song, but didn't really start paying attention to her until The Reminder. I enjoy her songwriting style, the arrangements she chooses and her vocals. Her slower songs aren't as much fun, but are still good in their own right. Feist is also a member of the Canadian rock collective Broken Social Scene. I would definitely recommend Feist to anyone who is a fan of the female singer songwriter genre, and to fans of folk rock. Feist is an artist I will be listening to for a while.

Feist "I Feel is All"


Next up is Filter, a 90's alternative rock band out of Cleveland. The band gained popularity in 1990's with the songs "Hey Man, Nice Shot," and "Take A Picture." The band featured a former member of Nine Inch Nails and started out as a industrial rock band, but moved more to the alternative rock side of the genre as the progressed. Their songs are loud and fast, featuring a mix of vocals being sung and shouted. You can hear some of the industrial influences in their music, but the music more sounds more like a slightly harder version of the Alternative rock of the 90's. I liked "Take A Picture" when I heard it played on Alternative rock radio in the 90's early 00's so I purchased the album Title of Record. The rest of the album is pretty good, and I liked it when I bought it. I am not as big of a fan now as I was then. The songs are good, but my musical taste has shifted enough to where they aren't something that I would listen to with any kind of consistency. I still hear "Hey Man, Nice Shot" all over movies and video games, and I enjoy the song. The band is just not something that I would ever want to look deeper into.

Filter "Hey Man, Nice Shot"


Fischerspooner is up next for the F playlist. Fischerspooner are an electro pop duo out of New York City. The duo uses programmed beats and synthesizer lines to make fun and interesting dance music descendent from groups such as Kraftwerk. The duo are the core of band, but the band has had up to twenty members. The other 18 members were all dancers and back up vocalists. The band was formed by the classically trained musician Warren Fischer and video artist/ theater performer Casey Spooner. Their musical style while remaining electronic, has changed from album to album. Their debut album #1 was described by many as being an example of electro clash, a rejecting of the current dance music trends and infusing electronic music with modern art. Their second album, Odyssey was a bit more mainstream and featured actual live instruments, the band said this was due to being signed to Capitol Records. Their third album Entertainment is still much more danceable and pop infused than #1 but not quite as much as Odyssey. The first single off of #1 "Emerge" has been used in TV and video games over the past few years and remains one of their most well known songs. I first heard Fischerspooner through this single, and then when my older brother gave me the entire album. The album is hard to get into if you're not used to this type of music like I wasn't at the time. Upon listening to the album again over the years I have grown in appreciation for the album. You know that the album isn't going to be your usual dance record when the first song opens up to the sound of someone blowing smoke, which slowly turns more electronic with each additional breath. I enjoy Fischerspooner's music and the artistic styling that they put behind the music and their stage show. Their artists in more senses of the word than just music, they make the art of their music physical with their stage show. I look forward to Fischerspooner's next album, and hope that I can see them live again sometime in the near future.

Fischerspooner "Emerge"


Another Metallica cover from the two previously mentioned Metallica tribute albums is up next, this one is by a band called Fist and is off of Overload: A Tribute to Metallica. This is yet another track that makes me regret ever purchasing these albums. This one features the same style of guttural singing/yelling that I have maligned in my previous posts about this album. The music doesn't save this cover either. It's not a good cover musically ever. I don't like the guitar sounds, and the whole song just doesn't work for me. Steer clear of this album.

The Flamin Groovies provide us with the next one and done contribution to this playlist. The Flamin' Groovies were an American rock band out of San Francisco who formed in the late 60's. The song that is on this playlist is their most well known song "Shake Some Action." The band incorporated elements of 50's rock and roll and bits of the genre that would later become power pop in the 70's. I like this song, it's a fun song that's easy to sing along to and enjoy. I wasn't familiar with this song before my older brother put it on my computer for his wedding celebration party. It's a song that I've enjoyed each time I've heard it and one which I will continue to enjoy.

Fleetwood Mac are the next artist to grace this playlist with their recorded musical presence. Fleetwood Mac formed in London in the late 60's, and since then have become one of the most influential and respected bands of the last forty years. So many artists have named Fleetwood Mac as a major influence. Their songs are easily accessible rock and roll, and a perfect example of popular rock and roll in the 60's and 70's. Their songs are iconic, and have been spread throughout popular culture. They have been featured in movies, on TV, and have been covered by numerous musicians over the years. I enjoy their music when I hear it, but I've never had a huge desire to dig deeper into their music. They are just a band that I can listen to when they come on, but not a band I listen to consistently.

Next up is Flight of the Conchords, a comedic folk music duo from New Zealand. Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement make up this comedic duo. The duo has gained a lot of attention over the past five years with a radio show on the BBC and then a television show on HBO. The episodes were centered around the songs that they had already written. The songs don't have any common themes, and are written much like a standup routine set to music. There are songs about David Bowie in space "Bowie in Space," and a racist dragon "Albi the Racist Dragon." Their songs are completely ridiculous, and that is part of what makes them so funny. I first heard Flight of the Conchords when my younger brother begin watching the HBO series. I thought the show was ok, but I like the songs a lot more. The songs are hilarious and a great listen when you need a pick me up or a good laugh. I would recommend them to fans of comedy music, and stand-up comedy.

Flight of the Conchords "Albi The Racist Dragon"


Flogging Molly follows Flight of the Conchords in the F's. Flogging Molly are a Los Angles based Celtic rock band. The band infuses traditional Irish music into rock and roll music with a punk influence. The band's members are mostly American, but lead vocalist David King was born in Dublin, Ireland before moving to Los Angles in his 20's. The band features traditional Irish fiddle and penny whistle along with the standard rock and roll guitar, bass, and drums. The songs most often focus on events in Irish history, and traditional Irish tales. I first heard Flogging Molly through their most well known song "Drunken Lullabies." I really liked that song and the song that follows it on the album "What's Left of the Flag." For years I didn't bother to explore further than those songs, but when I finally did I was glad I did. I enjoyed the mix of traditional Irish music with punk rock, and I still do. The majority of their songs are fast paced songs that make you feel like getting up and dancing. There are songs that involve drinking like a lot of people expect from Irish music, but the majority are about things like the Irish struggle against the English crown, and the period of history when Irish people were sold into slavery in the Barbados islands. I enjoy them quite a bit and have seen them live a good three or four times. Fans of Gogol Bordello and similarly heritage infused music should definitely check out Flogging Molly, and anybody who is already a fan should definitely check them out live.

Flogging Molly "Rebels of the Sacred Heart"


The artist who follows Flogging Molly was all over the popular culture of 2010 and was named one of Spin Magazine's Artists of the Year. Florence and the Machine are a band formed by vocalist and songwriter Florence Welch in England. The band features rotating musicians who back up Welch's vocals. Her style of music incorporates several styles, the most noticeable is soul music mixed with some rock and roll. Her vocals mixed with these influences are something really special. Her song "Dog Days Are Over," was featured in the trailer for the 2010 movie Eat Pray Love. I enjoyed "Dog Days Are Over," and had been hearing nothing but good things about her 2009 debut Lungs so I finally decided to purchase the album in February, and I'm glad that I did. Her songs can be sweet and tender and then raise in to a powerful cacophony. I will continue to enjoy her music and this album for a long time, and look forward to her next album.

Florence + The Machine "Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)"


The one and done Fongus is the next artist to make an appearance on the F's and also the second artist from the Overload: A Tribute To Metallica album much maligned above. Once again it's the vocals that ruin the cover for me. The vocals are obviously done by someone using English as a second language, their first language being Spanish. Honestly I would rather hear the song in Spanish, it's not that his accent ruins the vocals, it's his accent mixed with the echoing reverb on the vocals. The musicianship is pretty close to the original, but the vocals make this another bad cover. Steer clear.

Next we have one of the most popular rock bands of the past decade, The Foo Fighters. Foo Fighters feature Dave Grohl, formerly of Nirvana, on vocals and guitar and have grown from just Dave Grohl's project to one of the biggest bands of the late 90's and 00's. They have one three Grammys for Album of the Year and have been nominated six times. The band has become a staple on rock radio and in arenas around the world. Dave Grohl has become one of the biggest rock musicians in rock and roll, and has several side projects alongside the Foo Fighters. These projects include Them Crooked Vultures (with Joshua Homme and John Paul Jones), Probot, and has provided guest drums for Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, and Tenacious D. I first heard Foo Fighters through alternative rock radio, and I grew to really like their songs quite a bit. Their songs aren't the most insightful or the most powerful, but they are very good/solid songs. Dave Grohl and company know how to write for their audience, they know how to write a good radio hit. I enjoy The Foo Fighters and I will continue to do so.

Foo Fighters "The Pretender"


Next up is a one and done in The Four Tops. The Four Tops are one of the most influential and well respected doo-wop/R&B groups of the Motown era. The song featured here is one of their most well known songs "Reach Out (I'll Be There)." The song has the classic Motown sound that you would expect from a group like this and features great lyrics telling the subject of the song to reach out and take his hand, that he'll be there when he's needed. I enjoy Motown as a genre, and this song and group is no exception.

Next up is a band that I've been enjoying quite a bit ever since seeing them live back in 2009, Foxy Shazam. Their music and their raucous high energy show made me buy their album and I've been enjoying them ever since. Foxy Shazam put an amazing energy and power into their performance that really comes through in their music. Foxy Shazam plays a mix of post hardcore, soul, and glam rock. Their songs are frequently humorous in nature, and feature extravagant lyrics and themes. Front Man Eric Nally is the primary song writer for the band and was recently tapped to write songs for the artist Meatloaf's new album alongside former Darkness front man Justin Hawkins. Their second album Introducing is the album that introduced me to the band, and is my favorite of the two that I own. The debut comes out fast from the start and hits you right away and doesn't really let go until the end. Their third album, and their major label debut, is a good album, but it just doesn't feel the same as their previous album. It doesn't have the same fierce energy. The band is has began to gain mainstream recognition, they were named a band to watch by Spin Magazine and had their song "Unstoppable" featured in ads for the Super Bowl and for EA Games NHL 11. I will continue to enjoy their music for the foreseeable future and look forward to seeing what they do next.

Foxy Shazam "A Dangerous Man"


The Chairman of the Board follows Foxy Shazam on the F playlist. Frank Sinatra is one of the most popular and iconic figures in music. His songs are often regarded as timeless classics, and his song "New York, New York" has been the anthem for New Yorkers for fifty years, and is the song most often used to represent New York City in movies and TV. Frank Sinatra was considered the King of Swing, and was not only a famous actor but was an accomplished actor as well. I have always enjoyed Frank Sinatra, and this is probably a good thing since I hear his music several times a day playing in the lobby at work. I quite enjoy swing music, and Frank Sinatra made some of the best swing music ever produced. I will continue to enjoy Frank for a long time.

The Frankl Project are a punk band, with occasional Ska undertones, based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. The band consists of three High School friends Jake Tippy, Joe Frankl, and Paul Schroder who came together to perform an explosive brand of punk mixed with Ska. Their music is fast and loud just like punk should be, but they also know how to write a song, including breakdowns to switch up the pace. The songs almost always deal with political issues that inspire the band to speak through their songs. Songs like "Soap Box Soldier," are where they are at their best. I have been listening to this band for a long time. Jake and I had been friends in school, and even when we went to different schools we kept in touch. I enjoy the Frankl Project quite a bit and have seen them perform around Cincinnati several times over the years, and have gotten to know Joe and Paul and see an awesome live show. Any fans of melodic punk rock and bands like Defiance Ohio should check out The Frankl Project.

Frankl Project "Tail End of a Movement"


Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish group who came to radio popularity in 2004 with their single "Take Me Out," which appeared on their debut record. Franz Ferdinand take their name from historical figure Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand, who's assassination sparked the first World War. The band plays a catchy, fun, brand of rock and roll. Their songs are often upbeat, with a up tempo drum beats and quick guitars. Singer Alex Kapranos' Scottish accent is very audible in his singing style. Franz Ferdinand are also very art inspired, using art as an theme for several of their album covers and music videos. I first heard Franz Ferdinand through the radio and their hit single "Take Me Out." I liked the song quite a bit so I purchased the entire album, and I was not disappointed. The album is full of great songs, and anybody who liked "Take Me Out," should like this album. I listened to the CD for a while and then moved on to other things until Franz Ferdinand came back onto the scene with their second album in 2005. This album was very similar but featured a slight evolution of style from their first album, and I enjoyed it just as much as their debut. I lost a bit of interest in Franz Ferdinand when they took four years to release their third album, I had discovered a lot of new music in those four years. I never purchased their third album, but I did enjoy the single "Ulysses." "Ulysses," was a bit different then their previous songs, featuring the keyboard much more heavily than in past songs. The songs features the keyboard playing a slightly more robotic sound. I like this band, and will for quite some time. I recommend this band to fans of British rock and roll.

Franz Ferdinand "Do You Want To"


The Frisk, a one and done artist, appear next on the F's via the Rock Against Bush Vol. 1 compilation. The Frisk were a punk band out of California featuring former members of The Criminals and AFI's bass player on drums. The song is a good one, and probably the song I remember most (from a band I hadn't previously heard of). The song is a quick one, and I especially like the guitar work in this song. Other than the interesting guitar work, it's kind of your standard pop punk song. The song seems to have a political undertone, but it's not readily apparent up first listen. The song doesn't have the edge of a lot of older punk rock, but it's still good. I like it, and would recommend it to fans of AFI.

From First to Last are up next, appearing via the A Santa Cause: It's A Punk Rock Christmas!" From First to Last are often described as being a post hard core band, but would probably be described as part of the "emo" movement by detractors. The band switches back and forth between melodic singing and a less melodic yelling of the vocals. The song is a play off of the Christmas staple "12 Days of Christmas," replacing the classic Partridge in a Pear Tree with "My first pair of Saucony's." The song isn't particularly good, it's really hard to understand what the lyrics are whenever the singer does his guttural yell. Fans of this style of music would probably enjoy this song, but I'm not one of them and would recommend skipping this song.

Our final one and done artist of the F's is another from one of the much maligned Metallica tribute albums that are in my iTunes library. This cover of Metallica's "Creeping Death" is done by the band From The Depths. This cover isn't any better than the other terrible covers, once again the instrumentation aspect isn't the worst part of the song, the vocals are. The singer sings with this raspy hiss that is just not enjoyable at all. It feels like he's trying too hard to sound scary and evil by putting on a fake "demon" voice. It ruins the song completely, avoid this song.

Our second to last band of the F's is the Toronto, Ontario band Fucked Up. Fucked Up are a hardcore band who started gaining the attention of music magazines in 2006-2007. They were seen as an answer to post hardcore and a return to something closer to the original sounds of Hardcore. The band members all go by pseudonyms, the lead singer's being "Pink Eye." Pink Eye provides the band with a sound that helps it stand out. His strained yelling/singing make an interesting combination with the more melodic music. The band has an interesting mix of styles, and unique song titles like "Black Albino Bones," and "Crooked Head." My older brother first introduced me to this band back in 2006-2007 when he gave me their debut album Hidden World. The band was a sound I wasn't really familiar with, and I found them interesting. I still find them interesting, they're not one of my favorite bands but are a good listen. If you're a fan of classic hardcore than I suggest you check out Fucked Up.

Fucked Up "Crooked Head"


We end the F's with the classic punk band Fugazi. Fugazi formed in Washington D.C. in 1987. Fugazi featured Ian MacKaye on vocals, and was an intentional departure from his previous work as a hardcore punk artist. Fugazi featured more classic punk sounds, but also incorporated reggae and an odd start and stop song structure. This can be heard very clearly in their most well known song "Waiting Room," which features a complete four second pause twenty one seconds into the song. Ian MacKaye is also well known was being one of the people at the forefront of the Straight Edge movement that advocated clean living free of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. It was antithetical to the common view of the "punk rock" lifestyle which featured excess and hedonism. Ian MacKaye is was also in the well known hardcore band Minor Threat. I like Fugazi, but for a long time I hadn't explored past "Waiting Room," but in High School and starting college, I was very interested in Punk Rock and explored some of the bigger bands of the genre. Fugazi was one of those bands, and I got the album 13 Songs. The album features "Waiting Room," which is my favorite Fugazi song, but the rest of the album features twelve other great tracks. I would suggest Fugazi to fans of Rancid and people interested in exploring punk rock.

Fugazi "Waiting Room"


That brings the F's to a close, and I am glad for it. This took longer than I had expected due to lack of motivation brought on by working close to 40 hours a week, and not wanting to write on work days. I enjoyed listening to the F's, there were a lot of great bands in the F's and also some not so good ones. I hope to have the G's up a whole lot sooner than the F's, so stay tuned. I hope you enjoyed this post, and fell free to leave comments, comments let me know people are reading these posts.