Random 10 for Aug. 19, 2008

1. Midnight Oil, “Power and the Passion”

One of the most cerebral and biting political bands of the 1980s (not that there was a great deal of competition for that distinction, natch), Midnight Oil eventually proved its political bona fides in 2004, when lead singer Peter Garrett was elected to Australia’s House of Representatives (he now serves as that country’s Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts). In the music video for “Power and the Passion,” however, Garrett is not so much a politico as a groovy golem.

2. Louis Jordan and His Tympani Five, “What’s the Use of Gettin’ Sober (When You Gonna Get Drunk Again)”

3. The Plimsouls, “Apology”

4. William Shatner, “Common People”

God bless William Shatner. His earlier attempts at crooning (see “Mr. Tambourine Man”) were utter hilarity, but Has Been,his 2004 full-length LP collaboration with Ben Folds, was no novelty. Captain Kirk lends his own indelible spin — or, as Shatner would say: Lends … His own … Indelible … Spin — to  Pulp’s “Common People.” The accompanying music video is fan-made, but its Legos animation seems like a good fit.

5. Franz Ferdinand, “Outsiders”

6. The Fuzztones, “She’s My Witch”

7. Elvis Costello, “Moods for Moderns”

8. Rilo Kiley, “It’s a Hit”