• Corb Lund Band “Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier” [mp3] from the album of the same name.

For those unfamiliar with Corb Lund, he can be thought of as the Joel Plaskett of Alberta. Some may recognize “Gonna Shine Up My Boots” from the movie Slither, featuring another Albertan, Nathan Fillion (most famous as the creepy priest in the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the captain of Serenity in Firefly, or, possibly, the guy who drives the awesome car in Drive).

• Corb Lund Band “Gonna Shine Up My Boots” [mp3] from the album Five Dollar Bill.

As is quite obvious, I am very much into country music these days.

• Old 97s “Curtain Calls” [mp3] from the album Too Far to Care.
• Cuff the Duke “Anti-Social” [mp3] from the album Life Stories for Minimum Wage.

All the same, some Native hip hop:

• Manik’s “Go Away Dream” [mp3] and “Horror Stories” [mp3], both from the Indigebonics album, which is available for free here.
• Team Rezofficial’s “Hater” [mp3] and “Prepped for War” [mp3], from the Work mixtape, which is also available for free from here.
• I’d also recommend podcasts from The Plex Show, Friday nights 9:00-11:00PM local time on Aboriginal Voices Radio.
• Not Natives, but still awesome – The Native Guns’ “Champion” [mp3].

Fortunately, our hopes for good music in the near future have not yet been entirely destroyed. For instance, Sam Roberts “Love at the End of the World” and “Parallel Play” from Sloan.

So,

• Kanye West and John Mayer “Bittersweet Poetry” from Graduation [mp3]

I teach my first class of the semester and am presently preparing my first lecture. In honor of such an exciting event, I give you the following for your consideration:

• Joel Plaskett Emergency: “Come On Teacher” [mp3] from the “Truthfully, Truthfully” album.

A couple years ago, Sam Roberts became a minor star in Canada for some really shitty song and its accompanying video in which he looked like Jesus stuck in a dingy at sea. I didn’t particularly care for it, but the mainstream media thought that he was one of those great “on the verge of breaking into the mainstream” sort of things – like the Arcade Fire on a smaller scale and slightly less well-dressed. He has recently released a new album, “Chemical City,” the first single from which is being played on Top 40, secretary/office administrator, and “best rock” radio stations. It’s actually quite good – I’m willing to admit it. I just hope he doesn’t look like Jesus anymore.

• Sam Roberts “Bridge to Nowhere” [mp3] from the “Chemical City” album.

To make up for something this wimpy this week, something totally awesome – like the Blue Oyster Cult – will have to be featured next week.

People continue to be excessively concerned with the end of the world – or at least excessively concerned with those who are excessively concerned with the end of the world. So, this week’s “Musical Friday” continues the “rapture,” “eschaton,” “apocalypse” tone.

• The Unicorns – “I Don’t Wanna Die” [mp3], “Sea Ghost” [mp3], “I Was Born a Unicorn” [mp3], “Ready to Die” [mp3] from the “Who Will Cut Our Hair When We Are Gone?” album.
• The Islands – “Swans (Life After Death)” [mp3], “Rough Gem” [mp3], “Volcanoes” [mp3] from the “Return to Sea” album.

I may have lied: only one song is “apocalyptic.” However, astute listeners will note that the “Swans (Life After Death),” the first song on The Islands album, begins where “Ready to Die” picks up. My favorite, from the first, is “Sea Ghost” (it’s seems reminiscent of a certain song from an old and obscure Folk Implosion album) and, from the second, is “Volcanoes.” Calvin, however, is partial to “Rough Gem” in part because he likes diamonds and because he can cut because he’s a rough gem. Admittedly, I too wish I was born a unicorn. But then, who doesn’t?

In honor of the recent blog battles over the place of “progressive” Christianity and politics, I bring to you Musical Friday: Eschaton Edition.

• Beulah “Maroon Bible” [mp3] from the “Handsome Western States” album;
• Godspeed You Black Emperor! “East Hastings” [mp3 - large file; reduced bitrate] from “F#A#∞” album;
• Sebadoh “Jealous of Jesus” [mp3] from the “Freed Weed” album;
• Sonic Youth “Do you believe in rapture?” [mp3] from the “Rather Ripped” album.

I’ll admit that the Sebadoh song is not particularly good. I can’t decide if I prefer “Do you believe in rapture?” or “Pink Stream” – regardless of how creepy it is – on their most recent album.

First, the official song of Mickey. Also, two songs that Mickey never heard, but would have liked:

• Built to Spill “Big Dipper” [mp3]
• Built to Spill “Car” [mp3]

Both from their “There’s Nothing Wrong With Love” (1994) album. Not only did Mickey enjoy constellations, but he also liked dinosaurs and car rides.