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Song of the Day #2,251: ‘Footdown’ – Michael Penn

mp4‘Footdown’ is the fifth track on Michael Penn’s fourth album, 2000’s MP4: Days Since a Lost Time Accident. And it marks the very moment when he went from one of my favorite artists to an afterthought.

That’s a lot to hang on one song, I know.

Penn’s first three albums were brilliant. 1989’s March was a glistening pop debut, featuring his only true hit (‘No Myth’) and nine other songs even better than that one. In ’92, he avoided the sophomore slump with Free-For-All, an even deeper and more rewarding record. And ’97’s Resigned continued the winning streak.

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Song of the Day #2,250: ‘Violent Shiver’ – Benjamin Booker

benjamin_bookerBenjamin Booker is a New Orleans-based blues-rock guitarist who sounds much older than his 25 years.

As with a couple of songs I’ve featured this week, this genre isn’t among my favorites, but I do appreciate it.

I wasn’t surprised to learn that Booker is touring with Jack White, as this song suggests a definite White Stripes influence.

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Song of the Day #2,247: ‘Two Weeks’ – FKA Twigs

fka_twigs_two_weeksI pulled all of this week’s Songs of the Day from the ‘Playlist’ page of the latest issue of Rolling Stone. It has steered me toward some great tracks and artists in the past.

I’m not sure I can count FKA Twigs among them.

While I can recognize, on a cerebral level, the appeal of this sort of music, it has never done much for me. This sounds like Kate Bush mashed up with Rihanna but ends up falling short of either of them.

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