Per aspera

.5) “You Can’t Kill Michael Malloy,” Primus
1) “Star,” The Roots
2) “Stroker Ace,” Lovage
3) “Bus to Beelzebub,” Soul Coughing
4) “Elvis is Dead,” Living Colour
5) “Fierce Flawless,” Ani DiFranco
6) “Welcome,” Land of the Loops
7) “Believe it if You Like,” Sinéad Lohan
8) “Drugs Have Done Good Things,” Bill Hicks
9) “Drunk Sincerity,” Bad Religion
10) “Kansas City,” James Brown

Bonus track: “Uncle Alvarez,” Liz Phair

“Bus to Beelzebub” reminds me of my Freshman year at Vassar. The girls in the triple across the hall played Ruby Vroom constantly. They played it so much that when I went home for October break that year, I found myself missing it. Especially “Bus to Beelzebub” (which incorporates Raymond Scott’s “Powerhouse,” a piece of music perfectly suited to providing the background music to the depiction of factory processes - like, for instance, the turn-of-this-century Yankees getting up to bat).

“Uncle Alvarez” makes me nostalgic for my Senior year. Liz Phair’s whitechocolatespaceegg was on fairly heavy rotation on our House Wurlitzer that second semester, as was Belle and Sebastian’s If You’re Feeling Sinister. Result: I still listen to that Liz Phair album, and my hatred for Belle and Sebastian remains pure.

UPDATE: Holla back young’un.  Woo!  Woo!