Today's Random Ten is a sugary, spacey blend of techno treats and retro faves, the sole exception being John Hiatt's bouncily ascerbic screw-the-mass-media-overload Luddite anthem from his 1995 CD Walk On, "Shredding the Document." It's ten years old, but lyrically as timely as ever.

1. John Hiatt - "Shredding the Document"
2. Armand van Helden feat. Spaldi - "Hear My Name"
3. S-Express - "Theme from S-Express (ViperXXL remix)"
4. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - "I Love Playin' With Fire (Live in NYC 1982)"
5. Coldplay - "White Shadows"
6. Oakenfold - "Starry-Eyed Surprise": this one was featured as the backing track to a soft-drink commercial I saw recently, where volumes of glittering CGI bubbles rise from aluminum cans to encircle iPodded, rollerblading youngsters with clouds of carbonated joy. I suppose it's telling I remembered the song, but not which cola it was shilling.
7. The Egg - "Wall (Mylo remix)"
8. Donald Fagen - "New Frontier"
9. Air - "La Femme d'Argent"
10. Fine Young Cannibals - "Johnny Come Home"

Back when The Fine Young Cannibals and Donald Fagen were riding the charts, I couldn't stand their music. Every time "She Drives Me Crazy" came on the radio or MTV, I wanted to smash the TV with a baseball bat scream. Now, hearing Roland Gift's voice or Fagen's jazzy Steely Dan-style grooves don't recall teeth-grinding teenage radio malaise, but instead, pleasant summery recollections. What gives? I'll chalk it up as dementia praecox one of the nicer aspects of getting older.

However, just shoot me if I ever look back on Orange Alerts, the War on Terror, or Dubya Days with dumbfounded nostalgic glee. Let's hope that twenty years down the line, we won't have good reason to. Until then, keep the Space Pop coming, and have a great weekend.

UPDATE: that Oakenfold tune was selling Diet Croak™.

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