The Playlist: From R. Kelly to Pulp, what we're listening to this week

There's always a random assortment of tracks making their way through my little Genius contraption, ahhh how it knows me so well. The simplicity of AI covering all my basic needs. I look forward to the day the Genius will be able to tell me what I want to eat and Siri can run out and get it. I'm hoping perhaps I might be able to act as your Genius this week and let you in on some of the oldies, the newbies and the not so newbie oldies that'll be flowing through my speakers the whole week through. "Eyes Without A Face," by Billy Idol: Heard this gem over the weekend and have not stopped looping it. I've stood around many a pretty girl and sang eyes without a face, and they look at me like I'm a creep who may or may not wants to make button puppet faces out of them. No comment. Also the name of a creepy old black and white flick. "Kiss Me Deadly," by Generation X: If you're going on a Billy Idol kick you can't forget this ballad. Probably the best punk rock love song, with cheesy John Hughes heart ever. This started emo music ladies and gents, or maybe that was Leonard Cohen? Also, the name of a creepy old black and white flick. "Smoke and Mirrors," by The Magnetic Fields: If Depeche Mode were still kind of terrifying and sexual today, they'd be The Magnetic Fields. Slow droning voices over a synth beat turn me on. There . . . I said it. I don't care who knows it either. "Karen's Song," by The Manhattan Cartel: These bluesy kids are gonna be playing Arlene's Grocery tonight. Well worth checking out. If you don't, I will, and I'll have the write up for you tomorrow. And you'll feel stupid for having missed it. Idiot. http://soundcloud.com/the-manhattan-cartel/02-karens-song "Sweet Thing," by Van Morrison: The reminder of this song was the best part of The Five-Year Engagement. Jesus Christ, 2 hours and 30 minutes of: let's push the wedding back. I love you. I hate you. Let's push it back. Ya let me down Jason. You let the tribe down? "Like A Friend," by Pulp: This is the only band anyone's been talking about for weeks, and yet they never talk about this phenomenal song. Think Ethan Hawke chasing after Gwyneth Paltrow circa 1998. Black clothing. Chalk drawings. A weird De Niro cameo? Great Expectations. "When A Woman Loves," by R. Kelly: R. Kelly track of the week. Because there always should be one. Anyone out there going on his Love Letter cruise? "Guilty Conscious," by Eminem & Dr. Dre: I've been listening to Dre 2001 a lot lately. It got mentioned in a group sometime recently and I dove Dre first into it. This track might be the last time I was really surprised by rap, and by a music video. One of the best of the best. "West End Girls," by Pet Shop Boys: If you were west of 6th Avenue this weekend, you know what those Pet Shop Boys are ripping and rapping about. Don't give them sass, knives and razors in their four-inch boots buuuuuddy. "She Drives Me Crazy," by Five Young Cannibals: Is there a better band name out there? I'm skeptical. It's unfortunate they kicked the can after this one-hit Prince rip off? wonder? By the by, the lead singer totally looks like olympic decathlete Bryan Clay.