iPod Ubu
For cherry-picker iPodistas here is the list of the Best of Ubu as voted by fans.
Keef Rob reports:
I have most Pere Ubu albums ripped from my CD's to mp3, and listen at low volumes. I tend to listen to tracks at random crossfaded approximately 7 seconds into each other. 7 seconds seems to be a magic number for crossfading songs for some reason. Four works well, too, but not as well as 7. The idea is to keep the sound happening constantly, as while some people people drink, snort, or smoke their money, I put mine in my ear.
I've noticed a very interesting thing about that wonderful notorious track of Pere Ubu's "Sentimental Journey." While I've listened to it countless times, and *almost* have gotten the structure placed in my head (cued improv?), I have found that no matter what song follows after it, the final flourish always fits perfectly with the following song. It could be the crassest Euro techno track and it fits. The amazing track that it managed to melt into so perfectly this time around (one which made want to tell you about this phenomenon) was Todd Rundgren's "I Think You Know", not a song I would nominate for classic status, but I like it well enough. It made me sit up and take notice -- so I tried many other songs to check the crossfade, and I've found it doesn't matter what song follows it -- it fits perfectly. This is a nifty trick and it's one you should be very proud of. I wish I could dream up a sound that fits so very perfectly, and with this particular phenomenon, one which is absolutely mind blowing, why "Sentimental Journey" is not a staple of radio.
Other songs that fit well following "Sentimental Journey" to the point of astonishment:
1906 - West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band
Spring Of Two Blue Jays (piano solo) - Cecil Taylor
Other Planes Of There - Sun Ra
The Fall Of Saigon - This Heat
Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue - Frank Zappa
Something I Learned Today - Husker Du
any study by Conlon Nancarrow
any tune by Captain Beefheart
Kooks - David Bowie
