Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Brian Eno Edition

Today is the birthday of Brian Eno, one of the most prolific and influential musicians of this or any era in music. His talent for production is not just displayed on his own albums (of which he has over 40) but his numerous collaborations with a who's-who of Pop and Rock icons, from John Cale to The Talking Heads to David Bowie to U2.

Eno also helped create the music genre called Ambient. At a time when Punks dug in with noisy simplicity and Progressives were getting grandiose and complicated, Eno and a few others went in a different direction, fashioning gentle, atmospheric music that blends into surroundings as much as it commands attention. His album Ambient 1: Music for Airports floats by at a glacial pace, but if you listen to it a few times it might permanently change your perception of music. Over the decades, Eno's innovations and curiosity have paved the way for musicians of the acoustic, electric, and electronic variety to express themselves in new ways. To celebrate the occasion of the godd Mr. Eno's birth, take your MP3 player, press the "shuffle" button, and share the first 10 songs that you hear:

1. "Come Live With Me" by Heaven 17 (How Live Is) - A syth-Pop lament from a man to his half-his-age girlfriend.

2. "I Feel Pretty" by Sarah Vaughan (Ken Burns Jazz) - A live redition of the West Side Story hit song, given extra dimensions by one of the greatest Jazz vocalists who ever lived.

3. "Girls With English Accents" by Fergus & Geronimo (Unlearn) - An abstracted skiffle-ish number with a touch of psychadelia, mellowed out with a shot of cough syrup.

4. "Evil Gal Blues" by Dinah Washington (Classic Dinah Washington) - Sweet, sweet Blues from the one and only.

5. "Stumble" by R.E.M. (Dead Letter Office) - It's a testiment to how great R.E.M. was that their B-sides and outtakes album was as good or better than much of the brand new Alternative music coming out at the time.

6. "Super Blues" by Archers (PDX Pop Now! 2012) - Fast, loud, and messy Rock from the Great Northwest. The folks at PDX Pop Now! do a tremendous job curating their yearly compilation album.

7. "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" by Chicago (Chicago VI) - This '70s/'80s Pop band hit the Lite Rock Senior Circuit a while ago. Their biggest hits still hold up though, IMO. Great music to play out on the lakefront on a sunny Summer day. 

8. "Lucid" by Mount Salem (Endless) - Satisfying Hard Rock that sounds like it could make a good love song for the new Made Max movie.

9. "Track 3" by Jai Paul (Jai Paul) - Fractured, thumping electronica guided forward by a gentle love song.

10. "Grave Matters" by Deadkill (This T-Shirt Is a Record: Seattle Noise, Vol. 1) - Some more Rock from the upper-left USA. Two minutes of rage and volume, these guys did their Grunge homework. Apologies to the Seattle Rock community for whom "Grunge" is a four-letter word.

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