Alphabet Soup on KRUI 89.7FM

Gentlemen, N: Jamie Ness

2009-04-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

Song: "4 Track Mind"

Jamie Ness: MySpace

DJ Comments: Jamie Ness is a singer-songwriter out of Duluth, Minnesota. I only know him because he and my brother were friends several years ago. It's hard to find information on him, but it looks like he's playing in a band called Taconite.

I'm unsure of how you can get a hold of his work, but one of my favorite songs is about how he puked on his girlfriend. Good stuff.

Gentlemen, N: Nas

2009-04-29T14:59:00.002-05:00

Song: "It Ain't Hard to Tell"
From the album Illmatic

Nas: Web site

DJ comments: I might be the whitest guy who owns Illmatic. — cwc

Gentlemen, O: Otis Redding

2009-04-29T14:58:00.000-05:00

Song: "Ole Man Trouble"
From the album Otis Blue

Otis Redding: Web site Wiki

DJ comments: Despite dying when he was only 26 years old, Otis Redding managed to make his way into the Rock Hall of Hame. We can all thank Little Richard for bring Redding into the music world -- he was a direct influence who lived in the same town (Macon, Georgia) as impressionable little Otis. — BJ

Gentlemen, O: Conor Oberst

2009-04-29T14:57:00.002-05:00

Song: "The Calendar Hung Itself..."
From the Bright Eyes album Fevers and Mirrors

Bright Eyes: Web site

DJ comments: Conor at his most Robert Smith-ish. — cwc

Gentlemen, P: Joe Price

2009-04-29T14:56:00.000-05:00

Song: "La Crosse Fever Blues"
From the album Designated Driver

Joe Price: Web site MySpace

DJ comments: Joe and Vicki Price currently live in Lansing, Iowa, about a 15 minute drive from the town where Chris and I were raised. They will be in Iowa City on June 13. — BJ

Gentlemen, P: Prince Rogers Nelson

2009-04-29T14:55:00.001-05:00

Song: "Do It All Night"
From the album Dirty Mind

Prince: Web site

DJ comments: I would prefer to listen to "Sister" off Dirty Mind, but it's hard to get those MF bombs on the radio at 3 p.m. — cwc

And if you know anything about Prince Rogers Nelson's relationship with YouTube, you'll understand why I'm not linking/embedding video here.

Gentlemen, Q: Finley Quaye

2009-04-29T14:54:00.000-05:00

Song: "Sunday Shining"
From the album Maverick A Strike

Finley Quaye: Web site MySpace

DJ comments: Finley Quaye is a British Reggae artist. It seems he picked up a lot more notoriety in the UK than the US.

Though his music is fun, I chose it mainly because I needed a Q and Chris already chose Q-Tip. So there you have it... — BJ

Gentlemen, Q: Q-Tip

2009-04-29T14:53:00.001-05:00

Song: "Wait Up"
From the album Amplified

Q-Tip: Web site

DJ comments: Q-Tip gets much love from this show (and this DJ in particular) not because his moniker fills a tough letter on our playlist but because he's really good at what he does. (It also helps that I have a clean version of the Amplified album.) — cwc

Gentlemen, R: Josh Ritter

2009-04-29T14:52:00.000-05:00

Song: "To The Dogs Or Whoever"
From the album The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter: Web site MySpace

DJ comments: This album is fantastic. — BJ

Gentlemen, R: Emitt Rhodes

2009-04-29T14:51:00.003-05:00

Song: "Lullaby"
From the album The Royal Tenenbaums

Emitt Rhodes: Web site

DJ comments: Unlike many artists used in Wes Anderson movies, Emitt Rhodes is not a member of the British Invasion; rather, he was born in Decatur! — cwc

Gentlemen, S: Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks

2009-04-29T14:50:00.000-05:00

Song: "Gardenia"
From the album Real Emotional Trash

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks: Web site MySpace

DJ comments: It seems half the boys I know have a man crush/hard on for Stephen Malkmus. It's an odd phenomenon to observe -- I feel many of my indie friends would prefer Stephen Malkmus to a nude Victoria's Secret model lying spread eagle in their bed. — BJ

Gentlemen, S: Stevie Wonder

2009-04-29T14:49:00.002-05:00

Song: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)"

Stevie Wonder: Web site Wiki

DJ comments: In my eyes, Stevie Wonder is THE gentlemen. He sings beautiful songs about women, sings to children, plays multiple instruments, produces music and does a whole hell of a lot more. What a man, what a man. What a mighty good man. — BJ

Gentlemen, S: Kevin Shields

2009-04-29T14:49:00.001-05:00

Song: "City Girl"
From the album Lost in Translation

Kevin Shields: Wiki entry

DJ comments: I'm pretty sure that if I started a supergroup, Kevin would be my guitar player. — cwc

Gentlemen, T: Booker T. and the MG's

2009-04-29T14:48:00.000-05:00

Song: "Green Onions"
From the album Green Onions

Booker T. & the MG's: Web site Wiki

DJ comments: This was a request from my dear friend Shani, who lives in New York. Shani, if you read this, I love and miss you. — BJ

There's some crazy dancin' going on in this video.

Gentlemen, T: Adrian Thaws (aka Tricky)

2009-04-29T14:47:00.001-05:00

Songs: "Christiansands" and "Strugglin'"
From the albums Pre-Millennium Tension and Maxinquaye, respectively

Tricky: Web site

DJ comments: Since his real name and his artist name both fall under the T category, I am going to play two of his songs, and say "fuck you" to the U slot today (and X, for that matter). — cwc

Click here to see the Christiansands video.

And below, you can hear "Strugglin'" while staring at an album cover:

Gentlemen, V: Chad VanGaalen

2009-04-29T14:46:00.000-05:00

Song: "Bones of Man"
From the album Soft Airplanes

Chad VanGaalen: Web site MySpace

DJ comments: I haven't yet had the opportunity to listen to this entire album, so I can't provide much input on its worth. I can tell you the video posted below is sweet as hell, though. — BJ

Molten Light video:

Gentlemen, V: Eddie Vedder

2009-04-29T14:43:00.001-05:00

Song: "Society"
From the album Into the Wild

Eddie Vedder: Wiki entry

DJ comments: I guaran-fuckin-tee if I played Pearl Jam, I'd get some snide comment from the music gods around here, even if it was something off the more recent (read: less popular) albums. — cwc

Gentlemen, W: Tom Waits

2009-04-29T14:42:00.000-05:00

Song: "Chocolate Jesus"
From the album Mule Variations

Tom Waits: Web site MySpace

DJ comments: I've heard he's big in Japan. — BJ

Gentlemen, W: Muddy Waters

2009-04-29T14:41:00.002-05:00

Song: "Loving Man"
From the album Chess Blues Guitar

Muddy Waters: Web site Wiki

DJ comments: I need a loving man, but typically when I meet a Manish Boy, a term that describes the majority of males in Iowa City, I tend to feel how Muddy sings. — BJ

"Manish Boy" live:

Gentlemen, W: Rufus Wainwright

2009-04-29T14:41:00.001-05:00

Song: "The Art Teacher"
From the album Want Two

Rufus Wainwright: Web site

DJ comments: The piano isn't all that complicated, at least to my ear, but I always thought it was great. — cwc

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Gentlemen, X: Xavier Rudd

2009-04-29T14:40:00.000-05:00

Song: "Messages"
From the album Food in the Belly

Xavier Rudd: Web site MySpace

DJ comments: Much like Mr. Quaye, I needed an X...

Xavier Rudd is Australian. He plays lots of instruments... and he's hella sexy. That's right, I said "hella." — BJ

Gentlemen, Y: Young M.C. (Marvin Young)

2009-04-29T14:38:00.000-05:00

Song: "Principal's Office"
From the album Stone Cold Rhymin'

Young M.C.: Wiki

DJ comments: You probably know this man from his timeless classic, "Busta Move." Apparently this was his second biggest hit. Can't say I've ever heard it before, but I suppose I'm a bit out of the Nineties loop. Perhaps Chris can discuss the success of Young M.C. — BJ

Gentlemen, Y: Yusuf Islam

2009-04-29T14:37:00.002-05:00

Song: "Heaven/Where True Love Goes"
From the album An Other Cup

Yusuf: Web site

DJ comments: Cat Stevens in da house. — cwc

Gentlemen, Z: Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention

2009-04-29T14:36:00.000-05:00

Song: "What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?"
From the album We're Only In It For The Money

Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention: Web site MySpace

Zappa on Crossfire:

Gentlemen, Z: Zach Condon

2009-04-29T14:35:00.001-05:00

Song: "Postcards from Italy"
From the Beirut album Gulag Orkestar

Beirut: Web site

DJ comments: My favorite song by Mr. Condon. — cwc