Waffles Staff Picks: August 2014-08-18

[Humbert]

Waffles Staff Picks: August

2014-08-18 01:34:56

Waffles Staff Picks - August Edition

Welcome to the August edition of the Waffles.fm Staff Picks. Please remember we do not look to balance genres or purposely seek out diversity - these are simply albums by bands that we love, and hope that you find something you enjoy as well. Note that each pick may be an individual track, or an entire album (for the purpose of the theme). In every case, however, the entire album will be FL.

BTW, we would once again like to welcome our new moderators Sowilo and icebox into the fold! (and welcome back our veteran wozgo) They've been doing a fantastic job getting up to speed and helping us take care of business (those reports don't resolve themselves!), and it's been great having 'em

And we would also like to thank everybody who applied for the position, even if you weren't ultimately selected -- we appreciate your dedication to the Waffles cause. Rest assured if we are ever looking for new mods in the future, we will keep you on our list :waffleslove:

Theme: Charity

izmo

Artist: Sarah McLachlan

Track: Angel

condon313

Artist: Various Artists

Track: We are the World

"In 1984 Michael Jackson, along with a number of other leading musicians, made the song We are the World to raise money for Africa. We baked a special bread from it(…). When you have been through such hard times you never forget events like this. If you speak to anyone who was in Addis Ababa at that time they will all know what Michael Bread is and I know I will remember it for the rest of my life"

-Elias Kifle Maraim Beyene

Woodenhead

Artist: Neil Young

Track: Fork in the Road

Sometimes, charity misses the mark:

"There's a bailout coming but it's not for me

It's for all those creeps watching tickers on TV"

Also, because it's Neil Young - original co-founder and long-time performer of Farm Aid.

kaishin521

Artist: Tank

Track: Love Them Girls (Timbaland Remix)

Because everybody needs a little lovin'.

wozgo

Artist: Various Artists

Track: Do They Know It's Christmas?

The obvious choice coming from the 80s music guy, I know, but the song really is genius. Recorded and produced in 24 hours with some of the biggest stars of 1984. All in an effort to raise money for famine relief in Africa. Ethiopia was experiencing the worst famine it had seen in 100 years, attributing to some 400,00 deaths. The popularity of this single led to the Live Aid event of 1985, one of the most memorable concerts of all time.

icebox

Artist: Phil Ochs

Track: Outside of a Small Circle of Friends

This song was a response to the notorious Kitty Genovese killing (inaccurately remembered, as it turns out) forty years ago this year, and is on its face about apathy, but fits a charitable theme because it is intended to get people, especially his liberal fan base, to start helping those in need, and working to right social wrongs regardless of personal cost or convenience. A great song, because it starts with the obvious wrong of Genovese case, but by the end of the song Ochs is using examples that harshly ridicule a good chunk of his own audience, a stance that few artists have the guts to take.

Sowilo

Artist: Various Artists

Album: No Red Seas Vol I

Our oceans are running dry from overfishing and pollution, and we need to protect ocean habitats and marine wildlife, and end destructive and illegal fishing practices. And the No Red Seas series of compilations has had two fundraisers to help stop this, involving post-industrial music: first in 2012 for Sea Shepherd, and again in 2014 for The Black Fish. All money paid for these compilations to the Bandcamp goes straight to these organisations. This is the first out of the two with over 4 hours of music and a few songs from a couple of my favourite bands such as Spiritual Front. "Featuring new and established artists from 20 countries; principally from the neoclassical, neofolk, and dark ambient genres. Many of them have donated previously unreleased material for this cause, and a number have also provided their own personal statements in support of it in their track information."

galador

Artist: Manchester Orchestra

Track: 100 Dollars

While the whole album is amazing, this single track is probably one of the most esoteric. Lasting only a minute and a half, the artist offers the listener "a small dog in the kitchen... I just want you to feel at home". Sometimes, we all need something charitable to feel at home.

nomado

Artist: Mr. Bungle

Album: California

Track: Sweet Charity

"Save me

The heavens have opened

And I'm alone

Sweet charity"