A New Pandora Blog

Now that pandorastations.com has finally died, I've created a new blog devoted entirely to Pandora. Welcome to PANDORA Review.

Why You Run To Me

Song: "Why You Run To Me"
Artist: Gail Swanson
Station: Tir Na Nog

Assessment: Not for this station: thumbs down.
Comment: It's a pretty song, and would be nice on my folk stations, but it's not Celtic by any stretch.

Until It Sleeps

Song: "Until It Sleeps"
Artist: Apocalyptica
Station: Instrumetal

Assessment: Already upped, of course.
Comment: Probably not as hard as I'd like, but it is a typical Apocalyptica track. Big thunderous drums over most excellent cellos.

Cry Of The Night

Song: "Cry Of The Night"
Artist: Uli Jon Roth
Station: Instrumetal

Assessment: Hmm. Right on the edge of great. No change.
Comment: The guitar work is great, but it's not hard enough for where I'd like this station to go. I would not mind hearing it again though.

Feeling For You (Edit)

Song: "Feeling For You (Edit)"
Artist: Cassius
Station: I Sing the Body Electric

Assessment: Thumbs down.
Comment: The kind of electronica that I hate. Ugly drum track. Endless grove. Ick.

Arbol De La Esperanza Mantente Firme

Song: "Arbol De La Esperanza Mantente Firme"
Artist: Zu
Station: Prog Rog

Assessment: No Change.
Comment: This track is more like Fussion/Free Jazz, but is listed with hard rock influences.

The Dangling Conversation In Dub

Song: "The Dangling Conversation In Dub"
Artist: Otaku
Station: Pagan Pride

Assessment: Thumbs down.
Comment: Not particularly Pagan or Goth.

Distant Land To Roam

Song: "Distant Land To Roam"
Artist: The Scott Family Band
Station: Folkacide

Assessment: On the bluegrass side of country. No change.
Comment: I do try to keep Country out of this station, but I liked this song.

The Tree

Song: " The Tree"
Artist: Working For A Nuclear Free City
Station: Pioneers of Electronica

Assessment: Drone. Drone. Drone. Down.
Comment: I can understand Pandora coughing up this track: both Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulz have similar tracks. Nevertheless, such amorphous blah is not to be encouraged.

Enemy Of The System

Song: "Enemy Of The System"
Artist: The Toasters
Station: Ska's the Limit

Assessment: Already thumbed up.
Comment: Not much deciding to do in this session: that's four sings in a row that were already thumbed up. It's a fairly generic ska number with a bit of swing feel.

Complicated

Song: "Complicated"
Artist: Avril Lavigne
Station: Pretty Pop Princesses

Assessment: Again, been there thumbed up that.
Comment: My Quickmix serves up the third song in a row from this station. Fortunately, it's one of my all-time favorites. My seven-year-old loves this song as well. Avril has such a clear second soprano when she's not thrashing it on tour.

Precious Illusions

Song: "Precious Illusions"
Artist: Alanis Morissette
Station: Pretty Pop Princesses

Assessment: Thumbed up long ago.
Comment: It's not my favorite song of hers, but it's still a worthy part of the cannon.

Standing Still

Song: "Standing Still"
Artist: Jewel
Station: Pretty Pop Princesses

Assessment: Fits the theme well. Already thumbed up.
Comment: I'm not particularly a fan of Jewel, but she certainly counts as a pretty pop princess for the purposes of this station.

Clear White Light (Part 2)

Song: "Clear White Light (Part 2)"
Artist: Lindisfarne
Station: Prog Rog

Assessment: Not bad. Almost progressive. No change.
Comment: The tempo and arrangement are pretty normal. No real focus on the keyboard part. But the song is pretty.

This Life She Is Mine

Song: "This Life She Is Mine"
Artist: The Common People
Station: The Best Medicine

Assessment:Not particularly funny. Thumbs Down.
Comment: Strange grunts, though.

Middle Of The Night

Song: "Middle Of The Night"
Artist: Soviettes, The
Station: Grrrl Power

Assessment: Already thumbed up.
Comment: Good driving rock with a female lead vocal.

Spoonful (Live)

Song: "Spoonful (Live)"
Artist: Eric Clapton
Station: Less Talk Classic Rock

Assessment: Appropriate, but doesn't get me purring. No change.
Comment: I know Clapton's a great technician, but I have yet to like one of his songs.

(I Gotta) Feel

Song: "(I Gotta) Feel"
Artist: The Lovetones
Station: Womenfolk

Assessment: An okay song, but not for this station. Thumbs down.
Comment: Not particularly fokly. No female lead vocal. A nice pop song.

Prophetic

Song: "Prophetic"
Artist: RX Bandits
Station: Ska's the Limit

Assessment: Definitely ska. But on the punk side. No change.
Comment: The intro was nicely jazz, and when ever the horns kick in, it's great. But the vocal sections are driving but bland.

Loch Lomond (Live)

Song: "Loch Lomond (Live)"
Artist: Runrig
Station: Tir Na Nog

Assessment: What, are you kidding? Thumbs up, of course.
Comment: I've not heard this version of the tune. Quite the anthem. The entire audience is clapping a pattern other than two and four. Now, their clapping on every beat beat. Polyphony! What more could I want! Goosebumps. A capella audience verse. Acellerated a bit, but still. Band takes it back and brings it home. Wow.

Cosmic Cars

Song: "Cosmic Cars"
Artist: Cybotron
Station: Wir Fahr'n Fahr'n Fahr'n

Assessment: No change.
Comment: The fit is not too bad, actually. You can definitely see the connection to Kraftwerk. But it's a bit on the endless dance groove side of things for me.

Allergic To Love

Song: "Allergic To Love"
Artist: Eric's Trip
Station: Pagan Pride

Assessment: I've heard it before. No change.
Comment: It's not particularly a Pagan band, but it's a sweet song.

Life In A Nutshell

Song: "Life In A Nutshell"
Artist: Bears
Station: Piping Hot Leftovers

Assessment: Meh. About right for the station. No change.
Comment: I like the minor key, but the song is pretty static despite the guitar solo at the end.

Callas Went Away

Song: "Callas Went Away"
Artist: Enigma
Station: I Sing the Body Electric

Assessment: A song from a seed that needs to be thumbed up.
Comment: A down-tempo Enigma pirece that does what you'd expect a down-tempo Enigma piece to do. Exactly what I want from this station.

Darling Corey (live)

Song: "Darling Corey (live)"
Artist: The Weavers
Station: Folkacide

Assessment: Time to thumb this one up.
Comment: The Weavers sure can belt.

Angelfire

Song: "Angelfire"
Artist: Gin Wigmore
Station: Womenfolk

Assessment: Thumbs up, no question.
Comment: A total unknown on a song-writing competition compilation. Pretty song with an interesting vocal.

Doldrums

Song: "Doldrums"
Artist: Cul De Sac
Station: Pioneers of Electronica

Assessment: Rock instrumental. Thumbs down. Wait, no. Leave it be.
Comment: It does get out there later on, but the drums never cease. Hmm... I'm liking this better as it goes on. Nice composition, and gets its space on later.

That's The Punch Line

Song: "That's The Punch Line"
Artist: The Walkmen
Station: Techno, Dark and Alone

Assessment: Not techno. Thumbs down.
Comment: I can see the relation to other songs on this station, but there are no forward synths.

Motor Away

Song: "Motor Away"
Artist: Guided By Voices
Station: Grrrl Power

Assessment: Male lead. Not that interesting. Thumbs down.
Comment: I'll keep a good pop punk track with a male lead but not this.

Cloudy Summer Afternoon (Live)

Song: "Cloudy Summer Afternoon (Live)"
Artist: Bud & Travis
Station: Folkacide

Assessment: I've heard this before, but, again, no change.
Comment: I love Bud and Travis but this song is not very folksy.

Sevens, Michael Kennedy's, The Cup Of Tea

Song: "Sevens, Michael Kennedy's, The Cup Of Tea"
Artist: Liz Carroll
Station: Tir Na Nog

Assessment: Immediate thumbs up.
Comment: Pandora finds me another. This an excellent fiddle reel. Looks like another seed for the station. There we go. This track is much like the best of Ashley McIsaac.

Theme For An Imaginary Western (Live)

Song: "Theme For An Imaginary Western (Live)"
Artist: Mountain
Station: Less Talk Classic Rock

Assessment: Borderline down for me.
Comment: It's not horrible, but the vocals are pretty week, and the arrangement is pretty mundane.

Mad For Mothra

Song: "Mad For Mothra"
Artist: The Hellecasters
Station: Pioneers of Electronica

Assessment: Again, what's this doing on this station? No.
Comment: Well, at least it's instrumental. But that's rock drumming and guitars and not very interesting rock drumming and guitars at that.

Thanx

Song: "Thanx"
Artist: Lisa Marie Presley
Station: Womenfolk

Assessment: Not bad, actually. But not what I'm looking to encourage on this station. No change.
Comment: Well produced with interesting distortion on the rhythm quitars. I can certainly see the connection to the Indigo Girls here.

Highwayman

Song: "Highwayman"
Artist: Loreena McKennitt
Station: Loreena and Friends

Assessment: Thumbed up long ago.
Comment: The documentary The Burning Times led me to Loreena. How many times does the music in a documentary lead you to seek out who performed it? Nevertheless, the movie had me listening to her albums long before she was well known. I admire Enyz, but I've never bought her music. I own everything Loreena has done with two copies in a couple of cases: one for me and one for my wife so we'd stop stealing them from each other's car.

Sioux City Blues

Song: "Sioux City Blues"
Artist: Majic Ship
Station: Less Talk Classic Rock

Assessment: Lovely distortion. Click that up.
Comment: Classic sixties sound.

The Wisdom Of Gene And Paul (Live)

Song: "The Wisdom Of Gene And Paul (Live)"
Artist: Henry Rollins
Station: The Best Medicine

Assessment: Spoken word, but funny. A new thumbs up.
Comment: I've definitely heard this piece before on Pandora, ut must have failed to thumb it up. It's a foul-mouthed pitch for international tolerance. Good stuff.

Aileen

Song: "Aileen"
Artist: Alquimia & Gleisberg
Station: Oh, Wow, The Moon

Assessment: I'm surprised I hadn't already given this track a thumbs up.
Comment: Pandora directed me to this group via this station and I've since made it a seed.

Twilight

Song: " Twilight"
Artist: Peter Kater
Statiom: Oh, Wow, The Moon

Assessment: I'll give it a thumbs up.
Comments: This is a very slow number. The oboe solo is quite pretty, however. It might put you to sleep.

The Black Velvet Band

Song: " The Black Velvet Band"
Artist: Culann's Hounds
Statiom: Womenfolk

Assessment: Good song. Wrong station. Thumbs down.
Comments: This a average Celtic number. I like it, but it belongs in my Tir Na Nog station.

A Woman Left Lonely

Song: " A Woman Left Lonely"
Artist: Janis Joplin
Statiom: Less Talk Classic Rock

Assessment: It's slow and bluesy. Who cares. Thumbs up.
Comments: Oh, man, what a performance. So much pain. So beautiful.

Sweet Misery

Song: " Sweet Misery"
Artist: Janis Ian
Statiom: Less Talk Classic Rock

Assessment: A surprising thumbs up.
Comments: Janis Ian did a rock song? I thought she only did depressing, angst filled ballads that were really beautiful. Could be a bit more uptempo but still...

Stria (Edit)

Song: " Stria (Edit)"
Artist: John Chowning
Statiom: Pioneers of Electronica

Assessment: No discernible melody. Thumbs down.
Comments: I can total see how this track is similar to some of Tangerine Dreams and Klaus Schuze's, and I think I can tolerate this form of music a bit better than most. But ultimately I find it indulgent and boring.

Bravedancing

Song: " Bravedancing"
Artist: Rachael Sage
Statiom: Tim Westergren's Band

Assessment: Nice tune. Tim-esque piano backing. A new thumb up.
Comments: I seem to come across Rachel Sage in several of my stations. Nevertheless she hasn't made enough of an impression for me to seek out her work or make her a seed for a station. Still, this is a good little song.

No More Whiskey

Song: " No More Whiskey"
Artist: Little Angels
Statiom: Pioneers of Electronica

Assessment: Not remotely close to electronic music. Down, down, down.
Comments: Eighties metal? I have no idea why Pandora chose this track for this station.

New Macabre

Song: " New Macabre"
Artist: Russian Circles
Statiom: Instrumetal

Assessment:Already thumbed -up
Comments: This track is probably a little down tempo, but the bass and drums are definitely metal.

Back To Basics (Nocturnal Mix)

Song: "Back To Basics (Nocturnal Mix)"
Artist: Shape:UK
Station: I Sing the Body Electric

Assessment: Wholly insipid and generic dance track. That's a no.
Comment: Oh, Goddess I hate rhythm tracks like this.

Turned Out Lies

Song: "Turned Out Lies"
Artist: Spirit Of The West
Station: Tir Na Nog

Assessment: Definitely modern Celtic. Thumbs up.
Comment: I have to check if this group is included in the seed list for this station. Yes, indeed. Good. Nice flute reel towards the end.

Where Have All The Flowers Gone

Song: "Where Have All The Flowers Gone"
Artist: Peter, Paul & Mary
Station: Folkacide

Assessment: Already thumbed up, of course.
Comment: Yeah, it's too long, and down right mawkish, but I sang it as a lad, and, sadly, it had probably way too much impact on my psyche. Nevertheless, it's time is now as it is during any time of war.

Piece Of My Heart

Song: "Piece Of My Heart"
Artist: Janis Joplin
Station: Less Talk Classic Rock

Assessment: Already thumbed up, of course.
Comment: What can you say about genius? Truly, one of the archetypal tracks of rock. "Come on, come on, Come on now!"

You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It?)

Song: "You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It?)"
Artist: The Undertones
Station: Grrrl Power

Assessment: Not a bad song but not Grrrl Power. Thumbs down.
Comment: Meh.

Jam On Revenge (The Wikki Wikki Song)

Song: "Jam On Revenge (The Wikki Wikki Song)"
Artist: Newcleus
Station: Pioneers of Electronica

Assessment: Modern electronica with a particularly banal rhythm track. That's a thumbs down.
Comment: Speeded up samples make this track sound like a bad Warners Brothers cartoon.

Neo Futura

Song: "Neo Futura"
Artist: Die Form
Station: Pagan Pride

Assessment: I can see this as Pagan. A thumbs up.
Comment: Very industrial and ethereal. A touch of Goth. Quite nice.

That Would Be Me

Song: "That Would Be Me"
Artist: Yankee Grey
Station: Tim Westergren's Band

Assessment: Ugh. Country.
Comment: I can see the connection, but not what I want to listen to.

Let The Good Times Rock

Song: "Let The Good Times Rock"
Artist: Europe
Station: Bubble Gum!!!

Assessment: Maybe Bubble-gum in a larger sense, but not for this station. Thumbs down.
Comment: Sounds like bad Eighties Hair-Metal.

Nepenthe

Song: "Nepenthe"
Artist: Cul De Sac
Station: Pioneers of Electronica

Assessment: Defnitely apropriate for this station. New thumbs up.
Comment: I wasn't sold on this track until the bass and guiter came in. It certainly takes its time before it starts going somewhere. Much later: drums! Still, not a thunka-thunka dance track, for sure.

Movements Of A Visionary

Song: "Movements Of A Visionary"
Artist: Tangerine Dream
Station: Wir Fahr'n Fahr'n Fahr'n

Assessment:I love this track, but, unfortunately, I have another Tangerine Dream station. No change.
Comment: I haven't listened to this track in years. I love when the organ comes in. Defintely my favorite period of Tangerine Dream. I loved Bauman. I'm glad I got to see them live during this period.

Quopern

Song: "Quopern"
Artist: Ruins
Station: Prog Rog

Assessment: Hmm. Difficult piece. Vocals seem out of tune, but composition completely appropriate for the station. No change.
Comment: Is this track jazz or rock? Reminds me of "Caged Sex" by The Sickmen.

You Should Have Known

Song: "You Should Have Known"
Artist: Elaine K.
Station: Womenfolk

Assessment: Pretty mellow. Not very folksy. No change.
Comment: Not a very remarkable track. Nice final verse.

In The Picture

Song: " In The Picture"
Artist: Erik Wollo
Station: Pioneers of Electronica

Assessment: Good fit. I'll give it a thumbs-up.
Comment: No real drum track. Mostly harmless.

Life Becomes Me

Song: "Life Becomes Me"
Artist: The Nadas
Station: Pagan Pride

Assessment: Not a fit for this station: thumbs-down.
Comment: Seems to be blah, country-tinged rock. Nothin' Pagan about it.

Girl Like Me

Song: " Girl Like Me"
Artist: Lori McKenna
Station: Tim Westergren's Band

Assessment:Eh, it's okay.
Comment: I'm neverquite sure what I want out of my YellowWood Junction Station. I don't have much opion about Lite Rock, I guess.

Blah Blah Blah

Song: "Blah Blah Blah"
Artist: Say Hi To Your Mom
Station: Techno, Dark and Alone

Assessment: Already thumbs-up
Comment: This track is clearly related to those of Casiotone For the Painfully Alone. "I am going to drink your blood." Heh.