Friday, November 23, 2007

Song of the Week 11/23/07

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - "Kitty's Back (live in Boston 11/19/07)"

After getting this news, and then reading this review, I needed to hear and see what I could of this show. I found a decent quality boot online, and kept returning to this part:



Just seeing Clarence, Nils and the Boss himself look on as Danny plays tells you all you need to know about the depth of love and respect within this group of musicians. There's thousands of people thinking of you Mr. Federici. They all hope to see you back real soon.

And hey, nice way to take a bow:



BONUS: This 2002 version of "Kitty's Back" is still one of the Top 5 TV performances of all time:

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Song of the Week 11/16/07

Joseph Arthur - "In the Sun"



Sometimes I think I listen to WFUV too much. I heard Arthur's most popular (arguably) song once in the middle of the night when I woke up during a broadcast of that day's World Cafe. Then it was played during the morning show and then again that night when the "proper" airing of the World Cafe takes place. I've known the song for years but never felt compelled to own it, until now.

I played the song as I wrote the above paragraph, and during that time I realized that Michael Stipe really did an awful cover of it in 2006. But it was for a good cause (Katrina relief efforts) so I'll give him a pass.

But not for Around the Sun. There's no way to forgive him for that piece of crap.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Song of the Week 11/9/07

Buffalo Tom - "Good Girl"

Geez, this Buffalo Tom album is a grower. Every time I listen to it I seem to have a new favorite. This week it was "Good Girl," which the band did a fantastic version of Saturday night at Southpaw. (Actually, the entire night was pretty fantastic. Bill Janovitz is still one of the most passionate frontmen in rock.)

I wonder what song I'll like more this week?

ALSO: My fellow concert attendee Eric Holland gives his take on the show in vlog form here.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Song of the Week 11/2/07

Quicksilver Messenger Service - "Fresh Air"


Ah, the power of rediscovering an old tune. I woke up a little after 4 on Thursday morning when this song came on the World Cafe on WFUV. I got up and wrote down (Ed: hey, that could be a song lyric) "Fresh Air" on a piece of paper just so I would remember hearing the song when I got up for work that day. I'm confident in stating that I hadn't heard "Fresh Air" on the air since 1990, perhaps even 1989. And since downloading it (which I had to do as soon as I got into work) I've played it twice a day since then.

There's nothing revolutionary about the song (except that it seems incredibly dated-sounding 37 years later). It's just one of those tracks that have fallen through the cracks in the age of tightened and over-researched playlists. It does have a have a hard-to-resist chorus:

"Ooooooooooh, have another hit--of fresh air!"

Riiiiiight
, that's exactly what a San Francisco band would be talking about.