The Lucky Donut

Part Two: Leaving Las Vegas after getting your ass kicked [20m32]

In case you hadn't noticed there are many ways to lose money in Vegas. As I'd been playing mostly tournament poker then many times I'd be driving home empty handed, usually as the result of a sudden and cruel beat. The soundtrack I've tried to put together here is based on those times although the same kind of thing would very likely work if you just dumped your bankroll on blackjack or craps. I just didn't try that on the last trip to find out

Faithless - Salva Mea [10m48]
And yo, reality is dreaming, just below my skin I'm screaming

Yes, there is a radio edit, but I can remember thinking it sounded completely cut to shit when I heard it on Radio One for the first time. So half of this playlist is taken up by one track - a bit greedy, but what a track! It takes four minutes to get going, just long enough to make it onto the freeway before the euphoria kicks in. Sure you lost this time, and sure you're mad about that moron who couldn't let his flush draw go when you had him in a world of hurt. Just below your skin, you're screaming, but the rest of you is ready to move on.

Magic Numbers - Forever Lost [4m11]
Looks like it all went wrong. What am I to do?

I could easily have put this song on the driving to Vegas playlist, and quoted "I want to go where the people go. Cause I'm forever lost". There's almost no bad time to play this record, one of the best jangly pop songs ever written. Piled full of musical cliches, just you try not to tap and sing along with this, and see if you aren't smiling by the end of it.

Moby - New Dawn Fades [5m33]
Directionless, so plain to see a loaded gun won't set you free. So you say.

OK I don't really get this either, but humour me. How do you follow an uplifting dance classic and a bouncey happy pop song? With something very angry and very depressing of course! Obviously we still have something to scream about. One last chance to get it out before we get home. And with this Moby takes a great Joy Division wrist-slasher and holds back the urge to run it at 1000 BPM. On paper it sounds truly dreadful, but the result is simply spinechilling. Possibly the only Moby track to not be used on a commercial yet.

Near misses, on account of having nearly 11 minutes taken up just by Faithless... Take a long drive home and add these. In this order.

Bloc Party - So Here We Are [3m52]
It all went wrong, again. ... I figured it out.

Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit [3m16]
I don't know how I got this way, I know it's not alright so I'm breaking the habit tonight

Prodigy - No Good (Start The Dance) [6m17]