Tom Petty - "I Won't Back Down"
I wanted to have an appropriate song to open up Groinstrong-a-thong last night. I think these lyrics prove why it was the perfect choice.
"Well I won't back down, no I won't back down
You could stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down
Gonna stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down
(I won’t back down) Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(I won’t back down) Hey I will stand my ground
And I won't back down"
We all love you Jonah. (And apparently we all love raffles too.)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Song of the Week 11/7/08
The Replacements - "Election Day"
Last week I finally got the reissues of the Mats final four albums (Tim, Pleased to Meet Me, Don't Tell a Soul and All Shook Down). This new Pleased to Meet Me disc includes "Election Day," a track first issued on the 1997 compilation All for Nothing/Nothing for All. For some reason I listened to it a lot Monday and Tuesday. I wonder why...
Last week I finally got the reissues of the Mats final four albums (Tim, Pleased to Meet Me, Don't Tell a Soul and All Shook Down). This new Pleased to Meet Me disc includes "Election Day," a track first issued on the 1997 compilation All for Nothing/Nothing for All. For some reason I listened to it a lot Monday and Tuesday. I wonder why...
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Song of the Week 10/31/08
Paul Westerberg - "Love Untold" (Live)
I need to send props out to my friend Mike for sending me the link to the Westerberg boot this track comes from. It's a concert at Fantasy Studios in San Francisco broadcast on KFOG on September 12th, 1996. And this version of "Love Untold," originally on 1996's Eventually, crackles with an energy that makes me think Westerberg was going through his own dose of unrequited love at the time. Westerberg even changes the lyrics to a couple of lines. "They were gonna meet on a crummy little street/It never came to be I'm told" becomes "I'm too old" and "We were gonna meet on a crummy little street" becomes "We were gonna meet but it never came to be," with Westerberg yelling "too bad" right after the line is done.
Just another tremendous performance in a career filled with them. (With additional props to the smoking band that includes guitarist Tommy Keene and drummer Michael Bland. That was a great group.) Download it now. In fact, download the whole damn show while you can.
BONUS: Here's video of the first time I ever saw Westerberg perform the song, at Irving Plaza in New York in July of 1996.
I need to send props out to my friend Mike for sending me the link to the Westerberg boot this track comes from. It's a concert at Fantasy Studios in San Francisco broadcast on KFOG on September 12th, 1996. And this version of "Love Untold," originally on 1996's Eventually, crackles with an energy that makes me think Westerberg was going through his own dose of unrequited love at the time. Westerberg even changes the lyrics to a couple of lines. "They were gonna meet on a crummy little street/It never came to be I'm told" becomes "I'm too old" and "We were gonna meet on a crummy little street" becomes "We were gonna meet but it never came to be," with Westerberg yelling "too bad" right after the line is done.
Just another tremendous performance in a career filled with them. (With additional props to the smoking band that includes guitarist Tommy Keene and drummer Michael Bland. That was a great group.) Download it now. In fact, download the whole damn show while you can.
BONUS: Here's video of the first time I ever saw Westerberg perform the song, at Irving Plaza in New York in July of 1996.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Song of the Week 10/24/08
The Temptations - "Shakey Ground"
I've spent much of this month listening to New York's oldies station CBS-FM. Perhaps its just a function of another birthday rolling around and I feel like reveling in my past. Or maybe I didn't want to sit through another WFUV fund drive. Then again, maybe I just didn't want to listen to baseball on the radio done by people not named Howie Rose.
Whatever the reason, I woke up one night to hear "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and it struck me that I haven't owned a single Motown album (and only a couple of tracks scattered on some compilations) since I scored a major case of burnout on all their acts in the early 90s. "Papa" sounded so good that night I realized I needed to get that song again. And while I was at it, I decided to download all of The Tempts greatest hits.
As I was scrolling through the various song selections last Thursday, I stumbled upon "Shakey Ground." I didn't even realize that this funky gem from 1975 (which I remember hearing on WGY-AM growing up) was a Temptations song. Damn, what a killer track. I love re-discovering songs from my past.
I've spent much of this month listening to New York's oldies station CBS-FM. Perhaps its just a function of another birthday rolling around and I feel like reveling in my past. Or maybe I didn't want to sit through another WFUV fund drive. Then again, maybe I just didn't want to listen to baseball on the radio done by people not named Howie Rose.
Whatever the reason, I woke up one night to hear "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and it struck me that I haven't owned a single Motown album (and only a couple of tracks scattered on some compilations) since I scored a major case of burnout on all their acts in the early 90s. "Papa" sounded so good that night I realized I needed to get that song again. And while I was at it, I decided to download all of The Tempts greatest hits.
As I was scrolling through the various song selections last Thursday, I stumbled upon "Shakey Ground." I didn't even realize that this funky gem from 1975 (which I remember hearing on WGY-AM growing up) was a Temptations song. Damn, what a killer track. I love re-discovering songs from my past.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Song of the Week 10/17/08
The Figgs - "The Loner"
Another Figgs show, another amazing take on Neil Young's "The Loner." So this gives me an excuse to post the video of the first time I saw them tackle it.
Quite simply, fucking awesome. And yes, the guitarist Mike Gent does dedicate it to me at the end.
Another Figgs show, another amazing take on Neil Young's "The Loner." So this gives me an excuse to post the video of the first time I saw them tackle it.
Quite simply, fucking awesome. And yes, the guitarist Mike Gent does dedicate it to me at the end.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Song of the Week 10/10/08
At the 2006 Austin City Limits Music Festival I got my first exposure to Okkervil River. In the 100 degree heat at Zilker Park my friend Stacy said, "We should stop and watch some of Okkervil River." Even though I was wilting, I agreed. The second song we saw them do was "The President's Dead." I was immediately hooked by this tale about how a simple and beautiful day in someone's life become memorable because of an assassination of a world leader. I found the song online once I got back to New York and it started me on my path to Okkervil River fandom.
Flash forward two years--I saw Okkervill River twice in the space of 9 days, the first at ACL and the second time time Tuesday night at Webster Hall here in New York. Frontman Will Sheff opened this show up with a song that used "The President's Dead" music, but with some decidedly darker lyrics: "The President's alive. I see his face on FOX 5. My friends I feel so terrified." However, "The President's Alive" isn't about our current ineffective leader. The lyrics go on to mention "The Vice standing by" with "just one tear in her eye." To open up a show with this song, on the night of second presidential debate, well, damn, it was pretty powerful. And got me hooked on Okkervill River all over again.
BONUS: This week's song title links will take you to some cool live recordings. "The President's Dead" links to a recording from the very first time I saw Okkervill River play in 2006, while "the President's Alive" links to the very first performance of "The President's Alive" in Richmond, Virginia on October 4th. Click here to get a free download of the studio version of "The President's Dead."
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Song of the Week 10/3/08
Death Cab For Cutie - "The Sound of Settling"
Simple SOTW addition:
A random WFUV playlist on my trip back into Brooklyn Saturday night
+
The shuffle setting on the Union Hall iPod Saturday night
+
Seeing Death Cab for Cutie do a kicking version of it during a kicking show last night at Radio City
=
SOTW.
I wish all math was that easy.
Simple SOTW addition:
A random WFUV playlist on my trip back into Brooklyn Saturday night
+
The shuffle setting on the Union Hall iPod Saturday night
+
Seeing Death Cab for Cutie do a kicking version of it during a kicking show last night at Radio City
=
SOTW.
I wish all math was that easy.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Co-Songs of the Week 9/26/08
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - "Kodachrome"
Talking Heads - "Houses in Motion"
Ah, Austin in September. The Austin City Limits Music Festival. (Known in these and other parts as ACL.) Three days of sun, fun and great music in beautiful Zilker Park. My third year of the attending the fest was just as great as the first two trips. I saw 19 artists perform during the festival, most of it really good. If I had to pick the Top 5 performances, I would go with Okkervill River, Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, What Made Milwaukee Famous and one of this week's SOTW performers, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. I knew that the Bright Eyes frontman was keeping away from doing songs from that catalog on this solo tour, yet I didn't expect his hour-long set to be just focused on his self-titled album, one new song and one tremendous cover. When Oberst and company broke into the 1973 Paul Simon solo hit, I started chuckling. It seemed that most of the crowd at the AT&T stage had never even heard the song. There were a few pockets of people dancing--and I could tell those folks were probably my age or a bit older. No matter, Conor kicked some serious ass. I really hope that cover ends up being one of the track released when the ACL live recordings come to iTunes next month. Check it out for yourself:
Now David Byrne and his band did a great set at ACL as the sun was setting on the first day of the festival, but it paled in comparison to seeing him at the very tiny Paramount Theater the night before the festival opened. My Austin friend (and place-to-crash supplier these past three years) Stacy couldn't make the first day of ACL due to work, so we decided to take the plunge and get tix for this ACL aftershow...that was before ACL. Huh? In any case, it was a very wise decision. Byrne is touring behind his great new collaboration with Brian Eno, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, and his set consists only of songs he wrote with Eno. (Or, in the case of the Al Green cover "Take Me to the River," Eno produced.) I am a huge fan of the Jonathan Demme-directed Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense, which takes simple staging and brings it to another level. Byrne's current show feels like an extension of all of that. The entire band is dressed in white and are supplemented by three dancers. And these dancers are tremendous. The choreography during the songs (I'd say about 75% of the set features the dancers) adds an extra dimension to the old Heads classics and the strong new material. Go see this show when it comes to your town. I promised you won't be disappointed. Check out one of the dancers in action:
And here you can check out what I thought was the best song of both Byrne sets I saw, "Houses in Motion" from Remain in Light:
Another great time in Austin (and Lockhart for some great bbq). I already have my tickets set for next year.
BONUS: Okkervill River were just so much fun, and I was very pleased to see this video for "Lost Coastlines" when I returned to the old grind:
Talking Heads - "Houses in Motion"
Ah, Austin in September. The Austin City Limits Music Festival. (Known in these and other parts as ACL.) Three days of sun, fun and great music in beautiful Zilker Park. My third year of the attending the fest was just as great as the first two trips. I saw 19 artists perform during the festival, most of it really good. If I had to pick the Top 5 performances, I would go with Okkervill River, Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, What Made Milwaukee Famous and one of this week's SOTW performers, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. I knew that the Bright Eyes frontman was keeping away from doing songs from that catalog on this solo tour, yet I didn't expect his hour-long set to be just focused on his self-titled album, one new song and one tremendous cover. When Oberst and company broke into the 1973 Paul Simon solo hit, I started chuckling. It seemed that most of the crowd at the AT&T stage had never even heard the song. There were a few pockets of people dancing--and I could tell those folks were probably my age or a bit older. No matter, Conor kicked some serious ass. I really hope that cover ends up being one of the track released when the ACL live recordings come to iTunes next month. Check it out for yourself:
Now David Byrne and his band did a great set at ACL as the sun was setting on the first day of the festival, but it paled in comparison to seeing him at the very tiny Paramount Theater the night before the festival opened. My Austin friend (and place-to-crash supplier these past three years) Stacy couldn't make the first day of ACL due to work, so we decided to take the plunge and get tix for this ACL aftershow...that was before ACL. Huh? In any case, it was a very wise decision. Byrne is touring behind his great new collaboration with Brian Eno, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, and his set consists only of songs he wrote with Eno. (Or, in the case of the Al Green cover "Take Me to the River," Eno produced.) I am a huge fan of the Jonathan Demme-directed Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense, which takes simple staging and brings it to another level. Byrne's current show feels like an extension of all of that. The entire band is dressed in white and are supplemented by three dancers. And these dancers are tremendous. The choreography during the songs (I'd say about 75% of the set features the dancers) adds an extra dimension to the old Heads classics and the strong new material. Go see this show when it comes to your town. I promised you won't be disappointed. Check out one of the dancers in action:
And here you can check out what I thought was the best song of both Byrne sets I saw, "Houses in Motion" from Remain in Light:
Another great time in Austin (and Lockhart for some great bbq). I already have my tickets set for next year.
BONUS: Okkervill River were just so much fun, and I was very pleased to see this video for "Lost Coastlines" when I returned to the old grind:
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Song of the Week 9/19/08
Old 97's - "Designs on You"
I love when a playlist I made over 2 years ago brings up a song I had totally forgotten about. "Designs on You" is a great track buried towards the end of Satellite Rides. The narrator is a guy who just can't help but say the truth to a woman (Annette) who's about to get hitched. As I was on the F train at 7:30 a.m. Sunday it totally hit the spot--and probably kept me awake too damn long once I got home.
I love when a playlist I made over 2 years ago brings up a song I had totally forgotten about. "Designs on You" is a great track buried towards the end of Satellite Rides. The narrator is a guy who just can't help but say the truth to a woman (Annette) who's about to get hitched. As I was on the F train at 7:30 a.m. Sunday it totally hit the spot--and probably kept me awake too damn long once I got home.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Song of the Week 9/12/08
The Zombies - "Care of Cell 44"
It's been a Zombies' couple of weeks here at the ol' Reynolds office in Brooklyn. Moria the concert pal and I went to benefit concert headlined by Nada Surf a couple of weeks ago. Sam Champion was also on the bill, and they did a cover of the Odessey and Oracle track "This Will be Our Year." I hadn't heard the original--and considering the concert pal was seriously considering it as her future wedding song--so I needed to borrow a copy of the album from someone at the office posthaste. And damn, Odessey and Oracle definitely lives up to all the critical kudos its gotten. What a pop masterpiece. And I may steal Moria's wedding song idea when I get hitched. (Sorry MM.)
Thursday night I stopped by Sample to see two of my good friends, Heather and Vanessa, have a beer or two, and give each of them a copy of a certain singer's new album. As I sat down a song came on that sounded familiar. It was Susanna Hoffs singing, yet it wasn't The Bangles. By the second time Vanessa had played the song (and jumped around while it was playing) I had to know what it was. She explained it was Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet covering The Zombies "Care of Cell 44." That's when it all made sense. I owned that Sweet and Hoffs album Under the Covers Vol. 1, and I had just been listening to that Zombies track Thursday morning on the F train.
Mystery solved--Song of the Week found.
It's been a Zombies' couple of weeks here at the ol' Reynolds office in Brooklyn. Moria the concert pal and I went to benefit concert headlined by Nada Surf a couple of weeks ago. Sam Champion was also on the bill, and they did a cover of the Odessey and Oracle track "This Will be Our Year." I hadn't heard the original--and considering the concert pal was seriously considering it as her future wedding song--so I needed to borrow a copy of the album from someone at the office posthaste. And damn, Odessey and Oracle definitely lives up to all the critical kudos its gotten. What a pop masterpiece. And I may steal Moria's wedding song idea when I get hitched. (Sorry MM.)
Thursday night I stopped by Sample to see two of my good friends, Heather and Vanessa, have a beer or two, and give each of them a copy of a certain singer's new album. As I sat down a song came on that sounded familiar. It was Susanna Hoffs singing, yet it wasn't The Bangles. By the second time Vanessa had played the song (and jumped around while it was playing) I had to know what it was. She explained it was Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet covering The Zombies "Care of Cell 44." That's when it all made sense. I owned that Sweet and Hoffs album Under the Covers Vol. 1, and I had just been listening to that Zombies track Thursday morning on the F train.
Mystery solved--Song of the Week found.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Song of the Week 9/5/08
Okkervil River - "Lost Coastlines"
It's not often I'll use the Song of the Week to plug an album, but the The Stand Ins by Okkervil River is worth making an exception. It's the third brilliant disc in a row (after 2005's Black Sheep Boy and 2007's The Stage Names) from frontman Will Sheff and company. It's a continuation of the themes Sheff explored on The Stage Names -- namely the life of a performer, either as a movie star or a rock star. (Or, as one caustic track on The Stand Ins explores, a "Singer Songwriter.") Sheff is by far the best lyricist in rock today (might have been that schooling at Macalester in St. Paul, I'm not sure). Each song is a compelling, funny, sometimes heartbreaking, yet always tautly constructed short story. "Lost Coastlines" is ostensibly about a crew departing on a ship, yet it's a great metaphor for a band leaving on what looks to be a hard slog of a tour. ("Leaving behind/All the faces that I might replace if I tried/on that long ride/Looking deep inside/but I don't want to look so deep inside yet.") And recently departed keyboardist-vocalist Jonathan Meiburg makes a great counterpoint to Sheff's distinctive off-kilt delivery with a smooth baritone that takes two verses. A fantastic lead off song from one of the (if not the) best albums of the year. I suggest you pick it up now. I can't wait to see them in their hometown of Austin in three weeks.
BONUS: Okkervil River got their friends to "stand in" on The Stand Ins by covering all the album's songs. They filmed each friend's performance and posted them on their YouTube channel. And damn, it's a totally great idea. This take on "Lost Coastlines" find The New Pornographers' A.C. Newman taking Sheff's vocal while Sheff himself slides right into Meiburg's part:
It's not often I'll use the Song of the Week to plug an album, but the The Stand Ins by Okkervil River is worth making an exception. It's the third brilliant disc in a row (after 2005's Black Sheep Boy and 2007's The Stage Names) from frontman Will Sheff and company. It's a continuation of the themes Sheff explored on The Stage Names -- namely the life of a performer, either as a movie star or a rock star. (Or, as one caustic track on The Stand Ins explores, a "Singer Songwriter.") Sheff is by far the best lyricist in rock today (might have been that schooling at Macalester in St. Paul, I'm not sure). Each song is a compelling, funny, sometimes heartbreaking, yet always tautly constructed short story. "Lost Coastlines" is ostensibly about a crew departing on a ship, yet it's a great metaphor for a band leaving on what looks to be a hard slog of a tour. ("Leaving behind/All the faces that I might replace if I tried/on that long ride/Looking deep inside/but I don't want to look so deep inside yet.") And recently departed keyboardist-vocalist Jonathan Meiburg makes a great counterpoint to Sheff's distinctive off-kilt delivery with a smooth baritone that takes two verses. A fantastic lead off song from one of the (if not the) best albums of the year. I suggest you pick it up now. I can't wait to see them in their hometown of Austin in three weeks.
BONUS: Okkervil River got their friends to "stand in" on The Stand Ins by covering all the album's songs. They filmed each friend's performance and posted them on their YouTube channel. And damn, it's a totally great idea. This take on "Lost Coastlines" find The New Pornographers' A.C. Newman taking Sheff's vocal while Sheff himself slides right into Meiburg's part:
Monday, September 01, 2008
Song of the Week 8/29/08
Neil Young - "The Loner"
It would be more factually correct to make the artist for this Song of the Week The Figgs, but no one has posted a YouTube clip of their mind-blowing version of this song they broke out at the Knitting Factory Friday night. I didn't expect it at all, which made it even more incredible. It had to be one of the Top 5 moments I've ever experienced at a Figgs show. (And there have been over 80 shows now.) Mike Gent, Pete Donnelly and Pete Hayes just rocked the hell out of it, while keyboardist Scott Janovitz absolutely nailed the keyboard parts that Young discarded after he recorded the song for his 1969 self-titled solo debut.
I don't know what else to write. It was one of those rock moments that can probably never be duplicated. I don't even remember the two songs they played afterwards.
BONUS 1: Here is Neil tackling the song earlier this year in Amsterdam.
BONUS 2: My friend Eric went with me to the show, and he knew how mind-blowing it was for me to see my favorite ever band do a song by my favorite ever solo artist. Below he chimes in with his own review from the Holland Tunnel.
It would be more factually correct to make the artist for this Song of the Week The Figgs, but no one has posted a YouTube clip of their mind-blowing version of this song they broke out at the Knitting Factory Friday night. I didn't expect it at all, which made it even more incredible. It had to be one of the Top 5 moments I've ever experienced at a Figgs show. (And there have been over 80 shows now.) Mike Gent, Pete Donnelly and Pete Hayes just rocked the hell out of it, while keyboardist Scott Janovitz absolutely nailed the keyboard parts that Young discarded after he recorded the song for his 1969 self-titled solo debut.
I don't know what else to write. It was one of those rock moments that can probably never be duplicated. I don't even remember the two songs they played afterwards.
BONUS 1: Here is Neil tackling the song earlier this year in Amsterdam.
BONUS 2: My friend Eric went with me to the show, and he knew how mind-blowing it was for me to see my favorite ever band do a song by my favorite ever solo artist. Below he chimes in with his own review from the Holland Tunnel.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Song of the Week 8/22/08
Ingrid Michaelson - "Be Ok"
It's not often I really connect with someone I interview. Ingrid Michaelson is one of the very few exceptions. I spoke with her last fall when her song "The Way I Am" was going up the charts and within minutes we were cracking each other up like old friends. She came by the day job this week to talk about her new single and upcoming EP called Be Ok, and within a minute we were bantering like a longtime morning drive show. I don't usually dig this kind of music, but knowing that there's such a cool person behind it somehow removes that barrier. "Be Ok" is wickedly catchy and is done in under 2:30, which plants it right in my wheelhouse. And part of the proceeds will go to Stand Up 2 Cancer. So basically you'd have to be an asshole not to dig this song, which you can check out a live version below recorded earlier this month.
It's not often I really connect with someone I interview. Ingrid Michaelson is one of the very few exceptions. I spoke with her last fall when her song "The Way I Am" was going up the charts and within minutes we were cracking each other up like old friends. She came by the day job this week to talk about her new single and upcoming EP called Be Ok, and within a minute we were bantering like a longtime morning drive show. I don't usually dig this kind of music, but knowing that there's such a cool person behind it somehow removes that barrier. "Be Ok" is wickedly catchy and is done in under 2:30, which plants it right in my wheelhouse. And part of the proceeds will go to Stand Up 2 Cancer. So basically you'd have to be an asshole not to dig this song, which you can check out a live version below recorded earlier this month.
Song of the Week 8/15/08
Wilco - "Walken"
This post is not brought to you by the makers of Crestor. Fuckers.
Anywhoo, Wilco.
In Brooklyn.
Outdoors.
With the horn section, The Total Pros, on 11 songs.
Fucking magnificient.
And this gem from Sky Blue Sky never sounded better. I hummed it the whole way home on the G train.
(There are no clips from the Brooklyn show, but this version from Lollapalooza is just as good.)
This post is not brought to you by the makers of Crestor. Fuckers.
Anywhoo, Wilco.
In Brooklyn.
Outdoors.
With the horn section, The Total Pros, on 11 songs.
Fucking magnificient.
And this gem from Sky Blue Sky never sounded better. I hummed it the whole way home on the G train.
(There are no clips from the Brooklyn show, but this version from Lollapalooza is just as good.)
Friday, August 08, 2008
Song of the Week 8/8/08
I love hearing songs wildly out of context in a public place. The latest example? Today I walked in the Chipotle on 48th street, saw the line was wicked long, turned around and got five steps before I stopped and realized that "God's Comic" was playing. I actually laughed out loud before I walked back out onto the street.
And now I've had the damn song in my head all afternoon. It certainly was one of my favorites in the spring and summer of 1989 when I worked at my college station, which is kind of ironic (in the Alanis Morissette kind of way) for a guy who didn't believe in God then and still doesn't now.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Song of the Week 8/1/08
Old 97's - "Rollerskate Skinny"
I wish Old 97's had done more songs from Satellite Rides Friday night at Webster Hall. (And I wish they didn't do that horrible electric arrangement of "Question," but I've been wary of Rhett Miller's song and arrangement judgement for a few years now so I shouldn't have been surprised.) At least they did "Rollerskate Skinny," my second favorite song on the album. The way Miller screams the line "I believe in love, but it don't believe in meeeeee" has always slayed me.
Really, that re-arrangement of "Question" has almost ruined the song for me as much as the version Miller recorded for his crappy second solo album. Check it out for yourself:
I wish Old 97's had done more songs from Satellite Rides Friday night at Webster Hall. (And I wish they didn't do that horrible electric arrangement of "Question," but I've been wary of Rhett Miller's song and arrangement judgement for a few years now so I shouldn't have been surprised.) At least they did "Rollerskate Skinny," my second favorite song on the album. The way Miller screams the line "I believe in love, but it don't believe in meeeeee" has always slayed me.
Really, that re-arrangement of "Question" has almost ruined the song for me as much as the version Miller recorded for his crappy second solo album. Check it out for yourself:
Monday, July 28, 2008
Song of the Week 7/25/08
Lucinda Williams - "Essence"
Here's a simple explanation for this SOTW--I had a dream with this song in it Tuesday night. Then Thursday morning I heard this song. Can't remember anything about the dream, except that this song was playing the entire time. I brought the album into work Friday to rip "Essence" into my iTunes, and it was already in there. I had no idea it was--I don't recall ever ripping it in when I first got my iTunes off the ground 3 and 1/2 years ago.
Kinda creepy.
Here's a simple explanation for this SOTW--I had a dream with this song in it Tuesday night. Then Thursday morning I heard this song. Can't remember anything about the dream, except that this song was playing the entire time. I brought the album into work Friday to rip "Essence" into my iTunes, and it was already in there. I had no idea it was--I don't recall ever ripping it in when I first got my iTunes off the ground 3 and 1/2 years ago.
Kinda creepy.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Song of the Week 7/18/08
This past week I went in for my second stint of jury duty in Brooklyn--and once again I got picked. In 2003 I served two weeks on a murder trial. Fortunately this time it was a civil case that got settled before we went into the courtroom. And each time I walked to the building I found myself singing the first single from the new Hold Steady effort. It's another great slab of (I almost hate to write this phrase but I will) Springsteen-esque rock with frontman Craig Finn spinning the tale of a guy being questioned by the cops. It was the perfect antidote to being wrapped up in the clutches of our jurisprudence system.
On the plus side, I don't have to go to jury duty for another eight years. By that point society might have broken down completely and vigilante justice will rule. Woo-hoo!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Song of the Week 7/11/08
The Black Crowes - "Locust Street"
I've always been a sucker for the slower entries in the Crowes catalog. "Thorn in My Pride" from The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, "Miracle to Me" from Lions and especially "Wiser Time" from Amorica all received multiple plays from yours truly. ("Wiser Time" must have been on every mix tape I made in the second half of 1994.) I learned that Warpaint had two great ballads when earlier this year I had to produce an album premiere special. We didn't play "Locust Street" in that special, but hearing the song four times last week on WFUV sure makes me wish we had.
BONUS: Here's the Crows playing the song live for the first time in Sayreville, New Jersey.
I've always been a sucker for the slower entries in the Crowes catalog. "Thorn in My Pride" from The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, "Miracle to Me" from Lions and especially "Wiser Time" from Amorica all received multiple plays from yours truly. ("Wiser Time" must have been on every mix tape I made in the second half of 1994.) I learned that Warpaint had two great ballads when earlier this year I had to produce an album premiere special. We didn't play "Locust Street" in that special, but hearing the song four times last week on WFUV sure makes me wish we had.
BONUS: Here's the Crows playing the song live for the first time in Sayreville, New Jersey.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
The Baseball Project is Out Today. You Should Purchase It.
Full disclosure: yours truly wrote the bio for the debut album from The Baseball Project, and even if I didn't I would still say it is one of my favorite albums of the year. Check out the band's blog (and Myspace) and listen to the entire album here. A fan of baseball or good catchy rock music needs a copy of it in their collection.
And since I wrote the bio (and it says everything I could say about such a fantastic album) I'm going to reprint it here:
What happens when two great songwriters decide to focus their talents upon their favorite sport? You get the highly entertaining debut disc from The Baseball Project, Volume One: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails. The album is the brainchild of Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate, Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3) and Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, Minus 5, and R.E.M). The two musicians were longtime fans of each other's work throughout the 80s but never met until the early 90s. Wynn recalls, "I honestly think the first time we met was side-by-side at the urinals at the Offramp in Seattle when I played there in 1992." He adds, "Scott didn't try to shake my hand."
After that fortuitous (and sanitary) meeting, the pair quickly discovered that they were both huge baseball fans. The two casually talked about an album of baseball material for a few years, but the idea for The Baseball Project crystallized at a chance meeting in 2007.
"It finally took flight at the R.E.M. pre-Hall of Fame induction party in New York," Wynn remembers. "Everyone was happy. The wine was flowing, the food was incredible and spring training had just started. Scott and I talked baseball until most of the party guests had cleared out. And we actually remembered it the next day."
Soon the pair started working on songs extolling the feats and defeats of players like Curt Flood, Satchel Paige, Ted Williams, and Black Jack McDowell, and convened last December at McCaughey's home in Portland. After a none-too-strenuous week of writing, refining, and rehearsing with Wynn's Miracle 3 drummer Linda Pitmon, they headed into Jackpot! Studios with producer/engineer Adam Selzer (M. Ward, Norfolk & Western), and were soon joined by longtime partner-in-crime Peter Buck.
The end result is an album that impresses not only with its depth of both widely known and obscure baseball lore, but with its melodic sensibility, walls of guitars, and catchy choruses. No, Frozen Ropes & Dying Quails does not require a PhD in pitching mechanics or membership in three fantasy leagues to enjoy on a purely musical level. The joyous chorus of "Ted Fucking Williams" would probably compel Babe Ruth to sing along. "Broken Man" is about slugger Mark McGwire, yet anyone can identify with the semi-tragic tale of being built up and then being humiliated in public in such a brief span of time. And in "Jackie's Lament", Mr. Robinson's trials while breaking baseball's color barrier become an anthemic call to anyone who overcomes life's obstacles.
McCaughey and Wynn admit that the inherent task of including so many names, dates and places required a different mindset than the standard three minute pop gem. McCaughey credits drummer (and Minnesota Twins fan) Linda Pitmon's "keen ear for editing" as a big help in keeping the songs from getting too encyclopedic or list-oriented. He adds, "It wasn't hard to find the inspiration for the songs, but it was hard to fit in the all the lyrics necessary to tell the stories. It really helped to keep the music fairly simple."
Wynn cites "Harvey Haddix" as perhaps the most difficult song to finish. The track makes the case for the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher to be credited with a perfect game (no hits, no base runners over nine innings) after he lost one in the 13th inning. The chorus names all 17 pitchers in history that are officially recognized with the rare feat--alas, the names of Randy Johnson, Addie Joss and Dennis Martinez aren't really found in rhyming dictionaries. Wynn explains, "It was like lyrical Sudoku. We had to somehow fit in all 17 pitchers. The last piece of the puzzle was a visit to Wikipedia and finding that Catfish Hunter threw his for the A's--I knew that already--and that Len Barker threw his against the Blue Jays. I didn't know that, and a natural rhyme was born!"
Wynn and McCaughey also take time to pay tribute to their favorite baseball players of all time. McCaughey's "Sometimes I Dream of Willie Mays" blends personal memories of his hero into a psychedelic time-warp. For Wynn, "Long Before My Time" marks the amazing career of Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax, who quit at his peak in 1966. Wynn says, "He had such an incredible five year run and then he just walked away. He was in the Hall of Fame at an age where most players are renegotiating their contract."
Both Wynn and McCaughey's love of baseball and its legendary players made its way sporadically into songs during their distinguished careers. The Young Fresh Fellows named-checked Seattle Mariners slugger Gorman Thomas on "Aurora Bridge" from 1986's Refreshments, while Wynn tipped his cap to Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial in his 1990 solo hit "Kerosene Man."
Wynn also penned the closing song for the 2005 baseball romantic comedy Fever Pitch. "I wrote 'Second Best' when Fever Pitch was meant to be about the futility of being a Red Sox fan," he explains. "The hook line was 'Why do I settle for second best, why is everything a test, just this once can't nice guys finish first and break this curse of always second best.' Then they won the World Series. Maybe I should take credit."
With Volume One in the album title, the question begs to be asked, is there more to come? "It seems inevitable," McCaughey says. "After all, we haven't written songs about (Seattle Mariners star) Ichiro or (innovative owner) Bill Veeck yet." Wynn adds, "Or (the one time midget pitch hitter) Eddie Gaedel!"
BONUS: Here's Scott, Steve, Linda and Peter on Letterman June 20th.
And since I wrote the bio (and it says everything I could say about such a fantastic album) I'm going to reprint it here:
What happens when two great songwriters decide to focus their talents upon their favorite sport? You get the highly entertaining debut disc from The Baseball Project, Volume One: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails. The album is the brainchild of Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate, Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3) and Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, Minus 5, and R.E.M). The two musicians were longtime fans of each other's work throughout the 80s but never met until the early 90s. Wynn recalls, "I honestly think the first time we met was side-by-side at the urinals at the Offramp in Seattle when I played there in 1992." He adds, "Scott didn't try to shake my hand."
After that fortuitous (and sanitary) meeting, the pair quickly discovered that they were both huge baseball fans. The two casually talked about an album of baseball material for a few years, but the idea for The Baseball Project crystallized at a chance meeting in 2007.
"It finally took flight at the R.E.M. pre-Hall of Fame induction party in New York," Wynn remembers. "Everyone was happy. The wine was flowing, the food was incredible and spring training had just started. Scott and I talked baseball until most of the party guests had cleared out. And we actually remembered it the next day."
Soon the pair started working on songs extolling the feats and defeats of players like Curt Flood, Satchel Paige, Ted Williams, and Black Jack McDowell, and convened last December at McCaughey's home in Portland. After a none-too-strenuous week of writing, refining, and rehearsing with Wynn's Miracle 3 drummer Linda Pitmon, they headed into Jackpot! Studios with producer/engineer Adam Selzer (M. Ward, Norfolk & Western), and were soon joined by longtime partner-in-crime Peter Buck.
The end result is an album that impresses not only with its depth of both widely known and obscure baseball lore, but with its melodic sensibility, walls of guitars, and catchy choruses. No, Frozen Ropes & Dying Quails does not require a PhD in pitching mechanics or membership in three fantasy leagues to enjoy on a purely musical level. The joyous chorus of "Ted Fucking Williams" would probably compel Babe Ruth to sing along. "Broken Man" is about slugger Mark McGwire, yet anyone can identify with the semi-tragic tale of being built up and then being humiliated in public in such a brief span of time. And in "Jackie's Lament", Mr. Robinson's trials while breaking baseball's color barrier become an anthemic call to anyone who overcomes life's obstacles.
McCaughey and Wynn admit that the inherent task of including so many names, dates and places required a different mindset than the standard three minute pop gem. McCaughey credits drummer (and Minnesota Twins fan) Linda Pitmon's "keen ear for editing" as a big help in keeping the songs from getting too encyclopedic or list-oriented. He adds, "It wasn't hard to find the inspiration for the songs, but it was hard to fit in the all the lyrics necessary to tell the stories. It really helped to keep the music fairly simple."
Wynn cites "Harvey Haddix" as perhaps the most difficult song to finish. The track makes the case for the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher to be credited with a perfect game (no hits, no base runners over nine innings) after he lost one in the 13th inning. The chorus names all 17 pitchers in history that are officially recognized with the rare feat--alas, the names of Randy Johnson, Addie Joss and Dennis Martinez aren't really found in rhyming dictionaries. Wynn explains, "It was like lyrical Sudoku. We had to somehow fit in all 17 pitchers. The last piece of the puzzle was a visit to Wikipedia and finding that Catfish Hunter threw his for the A's--I knew that already--and that Len Barker threw his against the Blue Jays. I didn't know that, and a natural rhyme was born!"
Wynn and McCaughey also take time to pay tribute to their favorite baseball players of all time. McCaughey's "Sometimes I Dream of Willie Mays" blends personal memories of his hero into a psychedelic time-warp. For Wynn, "Long Before My Time" marks the amazing career of Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax, who quit at his peak in 1966. Wynn says, "He had such an incredible five year run and then he just walked away. He was in the Hall of Fame at an age where most players are renegotiating their contract."
Both Wynn and McCaughey's love of baseball and its legendary players made its way sporadically into songs during their distinguished careers. The Young Fresh Fellows named-checked Seattle Mariners slugger Gorman Thomas on "Aurora Bridge" from 1986's Refreshments, while Wynn tipped his cap to Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial in his 1990 solo hit "Kerosene Man."
Wynn also penned the closing song for the 2005 baseball romantic comedy Fever Pitch. "I wrote 'Second Best' when Fever Pitch was meant to be about the futility of being a Red Sox fan," he explains. "The hook line was 'Why do I settle for second best, why is everything a test, just this once can't nice guys finish first and break this curse of always second best.' Then they won the World Series. Maybe I should take credit."
With Volume One in the album title, the question begs to be asked, is there more to come? "It seems inevitable," McCaughey says. "After all, we haven't written songs about (Seattle Mariners star) Ichiro or (innovative owner) Bill Veeck yet." Wynn adds, "Or (the one time midget pitch hitter) Eddie Gaedel!"
BONUS: Here's Scott, Steve, Linda and Peter on Letterman June 20th.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Song of the Week 7/4/08
a-ha - "Take on Me"
Okay, this was weird.
Since Wednesday night I've been listening to 101.1 WCBS-FM's A to Z countdown. They've been playing tons of songs I haven't heard in ages. Yesterday, as my Most Productive Holiday Weekend Ever [(C) 2008] continued, I started my long term project of dubbing over all my cassettes into digital files. This morning I was dubbing over an 80s Artists Only I did with my friend (and current Zisk co-editor) Mike Faloon on 92 WICB in May 1991. At the same time I was listening to CBS-FM in my living room while cooking breakfast. As "Take On Me" came on, I decided to go into my bedroom to see how much was left on one side of the tape. I turned the speakers up--and "Take On Me" was coming out of the computer. I did a doubletake, and realized that the "Take On Me" on the cassette was about :30 seconds ahead of the version coming out of the living room speakers.
Weeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiird.
Okay, this was weird.
Since Wednesday night I've been listening to 101.1 WCBS-FM's A to Z countdown. They've been playing tons of songs I haven't heard in ages. Yesterday, as my Most Productive Holiday Weekend Ever [(C) 2008] continued, I started my long term project of dubbing over all my cassettes into digital files. This morning I was dubbing over an 80s Artists Only I did with my friend (and current Zisk co-editor) Mike Faloon on 92 WICB in May 1991. At the same time I was listening to CBS-FM in my living room while cooking breakfast. As "Take On Me" came on, I decided to go into my bedroom to see how much was left on one side of the tape. I turned the speakers up--and "Take On Me" was coming out of the computer. I did a doubletake, and realized that the "Take On Me" on the cassette was about :30 seconds ahead of the version coming out of the living room speakers.
Weeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiird.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Song of the Week 6/27/08
The time: Saturday night, June 28th just before midnight.
The event: David Lame Roth vs. Sammy Haggard for supreme karaoke domination of Union Hall.
The winner: All the people there.
Sometimes a picture is worth more than a thousand words. This is one of those times:
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Song of the Week 6/20/08
R.E.M. - “Ignoreland”
It’s rare when I can say this about a band, especially an act who I’ve been a devoted fan of for 23 years:
Thursday’s R.E.M. show at Madison Square Garden was the best I’ve ever seen them.
Ever.
You might ask, "Why do you feel this way after 20 years of seeing them perform?" Well, I would reply that the set list was about as diverse as I’ve ever witnessed. The band finally seems comfortable without Bill Berry behind the drum kit. (Bill Rieflin is the second best Bill the band has ever had.) Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck looked like they actually enjoyed each other’s company and were having a terrific time going through their past (“Harborcoat?” “Disturbance at the heron House?” OMFG!) and their present (“Living Well’s the Best Revenge” from the great Accelerate is a quintessential set opener). And my friend and fellow baseball fanatic Scott McCaughey was his typical cheery on stage self. (Not as much bouncing as usual this time, but it's because he has a lot more to do this tour.)
Oh, and it might have helped that I had 5th row seats.
(The view from said seats via Molly’s iPhone)
There are times where I am way past my job being cool. (Well, pretty much the entire time at this point. I mean Coldplay walked around my office today and I was just annoyed.) Having someone the R.E.M. office calling me 2 hours before showtime to offer a last-minute pair of free tickets that ended up being that good? Holy shit, that is fucking cool.
It’s been five days since the show and I’m still listening to R.E.M. albums every day on my commute. It feels like a rebirth of my love of this band from Athens, Georgia. They’ve played such a huge part in my life from the moment I got to college. One of my first memories of Ithaca is buying Document (on CD--woo woo!) the day it came out at the college bookstore just after having my first classes. I waited out in a cold line for tickets for the Green tour with a bunch of friends. I was honored to be the first person to play “Losing My Religion” fresh out off the Fed Ex package. (And I’m sure there’s other stuff as well, but there are only so many brain cells left.) There have been times over the past few days when I’ve felt like that brash kid who was into radio all over again.
Sigh.
Anyways, on to the Song of the Week. “Ignoreland” has always been the stepchild of the mostly downbeat Automatic for the People. It’s got loud guitars, a funky clavinet part and sounds distinctly out of place next to “Monty Got a Raw Deal” and “Star Me Kitten.” Michael Stipe spits out the lyrics about the Reagan/Bush 1 era as co-producer Scott Litt makes Stipe’s voice sound as if it’s being broadcast over distorted speakers at the world’s largest political rally. It’s a song that would fit snugly on Life’s Rich Pageant or Document, yet the band never played it live until this tour. And my oh my, it really was a treat to see and hear. Stipe’s biting words are still applicable 16 years later:
“These bastards stole their power from the victims of the us v. them years,
Wrecking all things virtuous and true.
The undermining social democratic downhill slide into abysmal
Lost lamb off the precipice into the trickle down runoff pool.
They hypnotized the summer, nineteen seventy-nine.
Marched into the capital brooding duplicitous, wicked and able, media-ready,
Heartless, and labeled. super U.S.. citizen, super achiever,
Mega ultra power dosing. relax.
Defense, defense, defense, defense. yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. ignoreland. yeah, yeah, yeah. ignoreland.”
Perhaps it’s best that R.E.M. waited until now to play “Ignoreland.” The track fits in with the political motif that runs through most of Accelerate and the songs that filled out the MSG set. (“These Days” was just phenomenal.) R.E.M. will be back just in time for the fall elections and hopefully the cries of “Ignoreland” won’t be needed after November 4th.
BONUS:
Here’s the set list, with as many YouTube selections as I could dig up.
“Living Well is the Best Revenge”
“These Days”
“What’s the Frequency Kenneth”
“Bad Day”
“Drive”
“Hollow Man”
“Ignoreland” (Alas, its from Chicago, not NYC, but needs to be heard/seen live)
“Man-Sized Wreath”
“Leaving New York”
“Disturbance at the Heron House”
“Houston”
“Electrolite”
“Don’t Go back to Rockville”
“Driver 8”
“Harborcoat”
“The One I Love”
“Until the Day is Done”
“Let Me In”
“Horse to Water”
“Pretty Persuasion”
“Orange Crush”
“I’m Gonna DJ”
Encore:
“Supernatural Superserious”
“Losing My Religion”
“Begin the Begin”
“Fall on Me” (with Johnny Marr)
“Man on the Moon” (with Johnny Marr)
It’s rare when I can say this about a band, especially an act who I’ve been a devoted fan of for 23 years:
Thursday’s R.E.M. show at Madison Square Garden was the best I’ve ever seen them.
Ever.
You might ask, "Why do you feel this way after 20 years of seeing them perform?" Well, I would reply that the set list was about as diverse as I’ve ever witnessed. The band finally seems comfortable without Bill Berry behind the drum kit. (Bill Rieflin is the second best Bill the band has ever had.) Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck looked like they actually enjoyed each other’s company and were having a terrific time going through their past (“Harborcoat?” “Disturbance at the heron House?” OMFG!) and their present (“Living Well’s the Best Revenge” from the great Accelerate is a quintessential set opener). And my friend and fellow baseball fanatic Scott McCaughey was his typical cheery on stage self. (Not as much bouncing as usual this time, but it's because he has a lot more to do this tour.)
Oh, and it might have helped that I had 5th row seats.
(The view from said seats via Molly’s iPhone)
There are times where I am way past my job being cool. (Well, pretty much the entire time at this point. I mean Coldplay walked around my office today and I was just annoyed.) Having someone the R.E.M. office calling me 2 hours before showtime to offer a last-minute pair of free tickets that ended up being that good? Holy shit, that is fucking cool.
It’s been five days since the show and I’m still listening to R.E.M. albums every day on my commute. It feels like a rebirth of my love of this band from Athens, Georgia. They’ve played such a huge part in my life from the moment I got to college. One of my first memories of Ithaca is buying Document (on CD--woo woo!) the day it came out at the college bookstore just after having my first classes. I waited out in a cold line for tickets for the Green tour with a bunch of friends. I was honored to be the first person to play “Losing My Religion” fresh out off the Fed Ex package. (And I’m sure there’s other stuff as well, but there are only so many brain cells left.) There have been times over the past few days when I’ve felt like that brash kid who was into radio all over again.
Sigh.
Anyways, on to the Song of the Week. “Ignoreland” has always been the stepchild of the mostly downbeat Automatic for the People. It’s got loud guitars, a funky clavinet part and sounds distinctly out of place next to “Monty Got a Raw Deal” and “Star Me Kitten.” Michael Stipe spits out the lyrics about the Reagan/Bush 1 era as co-producer Scott Litt makes Stipe’s voice sound as if it’s being broadcast over distorted speakers at the world’s largest political rally. It’s a song that would fit snugly on Life’s Rich Pageant or Document, yet the band never played it live until this tour. And my oh my, it really was a treat to see and hear. Stipe’s biting words are still applicable 16 years later:
“These bastards stole their power from the victims of the us v. them years,
Wrecking all things virtuous and true.
The undermining social democratic downhill slide into abysmal
Lost lamb off the precipice into the trickle down runoff pool.
They hypnotized the summer, nineteen seventy-nine.
Marched into the capital brooding duplicitous, wicked and able, media-ready,
Heartless, and labeled. super U.S.. citizen, super achiever,
Mega ultra power dosing. relax.
Defense, defense, defense, defense. yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. ignoreland. yeah, yeah, yeah. ignoreland.”
Perhaps it’s best that R.E.M. waited until now to play “Ignoreland.” The track fits in with the political motif that runs through most of Accelerate and the songs that filled out the MSG set. (“These Days” was just phenomenal.) R.E.M. will be back just in time for the fall elections and hopefully the cries of “Ignoreland” won’t be needed after November 4th.
BONUS:
Here’s the set list, with as many YouTube selections as I could dig up.
“Living Well is the Best Revenge”
“These Days”
“What’s the Frequency Kenneth”
“Bad Day”
“Drive”
“Hollow Man”
“Ignoreland” (Alas, its from Chicago, not NYC, but needs to be heard/seen live)
“Man-Sized Wreath”
“Leaving New York”
“Disturbance at the Heron House”
“Houston”
“Electrolite”
“Don’t Go back to Rockville”
“Driver 8”
“Harborcoat”
“The One I Love”
“Until the Day is Done”
“Let Me In”
“Horse to Water”
“Pretty Persuasion”
“Orange Crush”
“I’m Gonna DJ”
Encore:
“Supernatural Superserious”
“Losing My Religion”
“Begin the Begin”
“Fall on Me” (with Johnny Marr)
“Man on the Moon” (with Johnny Marr)
Monday, June 16, 2008
Song of the Week 6/13/08
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "The Waiting"
I'm hatching a new project this fall, and "The Waiting" is a part of it (I hope). So I've been listening to the live version from Pack Up the Plantation quite a bit over the past few days. Sunday I'm at the second game of an unexpected doubleheader at Shea and the people who run the music decide to play this song (the studio version) as we waited for a Texas Rangers relief pitcher was warming up.
The live version below is tremendous. I love Petty's lengthy intro:
I'm hatching a new project this fall, and "The Waiting" is a part of it (I hope). So I've been listening to the live version from Pack Up the Plantation quite a bit over the past few days. Sunday I'm at the second game of an unexpected doubleheader at Shea and the people who run the music decide to play this song (the studio version) as we waited for a Texas Rangers relief pitcher was warming up.
The live version below is tremendous. I love Petty's lengthy intro:
Friday, June 06, 2008
Song of the Week 6/6/08
Death Cab For Cutie - "No Sunlight"
Death Cab's new album Narrow Stairs is easily one of my favorite discs of the year. Ben Gibbard and company have created an album that serves the many moods of Steve--happy ("Long Division"); sad ("The Ice Is Getting Thinner"): contemplative (yeah, it happens) ("Bixby Canyon Bridge"); Beach Boys-esque ("You Can Do Better Than Me") and finally poppy, which brings us to "No Sunlight." It's a perfect pop composition--great quick piano and guitar riffs, two instantly-memorable choruses ("in sunlight" and "no sunlight"), a head-bobbing bridge that comes around twice and it all clocks in at a brisk 2:40. I kind of hope "No Sunlight" doesn't become a single. It would be nice to have a favorite song on an album not be sullied by radio play.
You know what? I'm going to listen to the song for the sixth time today. I suggest you do the same.
Death Cab's new album Narrow Stairs is easily one of my favorite discs of the year. Ben Gibbard and company have created an album that serves the many moods of Steve--happy ("Long Division"); sad ("The Ice Is Getting Thinner"): contemplative (yeah, it happens) ("Bixby Canyon Bridge"); Beach Boys-esque ("You Can Do Better Than Me") and finally poppy, which brings us to "No Sunlight." It's a perfect pop composition--great quick piano and guitar riffs, two instantly-memorable choruses ("in sunlight" and "no sunlight"), a head-bobbing bridge that comes around twice and it all clocks in at a brisk 2:40. I kind of hope "No Sunlight" doesn't become a single. It would be nice to have a favorite song on an album not be sullied by radio play.
You know what? I'm going to listen to the song for the sixth time today. I suggest you do the same.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Song of the Week 5/30/08
The Doobie Brothers - "What a Fool Believes"
Wow, what a fun night of Yacht Rock at Union Hall. Hearing my friend Jed Parish sing this song live with Joe McGinty of Loser's Lounge was awesome. And then seeing Yacht Rock co-creator JD Ryznar do a William Shatner-esque take during the Hawl and Oatz Soft Rock Karaoke was fantastic.
Wow, what a fun night of Yacht Rock at Union Hall. Hearing my friend Jed Parish sing this song live with Joe McGinty of Loser's Lounge was awesome. And then seeing Yacht Rock co-creator JD Ryznar do a William Shatner-esque take during the Hawl and Oatz Soft Rock Karaoke was fantastic.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Song of the Week 5/23/08
Ryan Adams - "Touch, Feel and Lose"
Note to self: DO NOT listen to this song if again you happen to be walking through a neighborhood you haven't been to in a while, and you haven't been there for strictly emotional reasons.
Sheeesh, that kind of sucked the wind out of my Friday.
Note to self: DO NOT listen to this song if again you happen to be walking through a neighborhood you haven't been to in a while, and you haven't been there for strictly emotional reasons.
Sheeesh, that kind of sucked the wind out of my Friday.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Song of the Week 5/16/08
I finally got around to picking up this new (well, I guess a reunion after 33 years isn’t that new) Tom Petty side project last week after hearing “Scare Easy” for the umpteenth time on WFUV. After one spin on the subway ride home, my initial suspicious were confirmed--this is the best Petty original in a decade. It’s catchy as hell, it has a great “let’s get this down on tape live here in our rehearsal space” sound, guitarist and fellow moonlighting Heartbreaker Mike Campbell plays the hell out of the solo and the chorus is one of Petty’s strongest in age. He sounds absolutely recharged, which I’m grateful for after seeing some average Heartbreakers performances over the past two tours.
I love how Petty snarls these lines in harmony with guitarist Tom Leadon on the chorus:
“I don’t scare easy
I don’t fall apart
When I’m under the gun
You can break my heart
And I ain’t gonna run
I don’t scare easy
For no one”
Mudcrutch is the band that Petty and Campbell (along with keyboardist Benmont Tench) were in before the Heartbreakers were born. I’m pretty sure this country-rock-slash- psychedelic sound would not have brought them a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career like the Heartbreakers. But unlike most of us who will never have that opportunity, Petty and company got to get back together with some old friends and see if that magic from long ago was still there.
BONUS: Here’s the official video:
And to prove the undeniable greatness that is named Mike Campbell, check out his solo in this live version from Santa Cruz last month.
I love how Petty snarls these lines in harmony with guitarist Tom Leadon on the chorus:
“I don’t scare easy
I don’t fall apart
When I’m under the gun
You can break my heart
And I ain’t gonna run
I don’t scare easy
For no one”
Mudcrutch is the band that Petty and Campbell (along with keyboardist Benmont Tench) were in before the Heartbreakers were born. I’m pretty sure this country-rock-slash- psychedelic sound would not have brought them a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career like the Heartbreakers. But unlike most of us who will never have that opportunity, Petty and company got to get back together with some old friends and see if that magic from long ago was still there.
BONUS: Here’s the official video:
And to prove the undeniable greatness that is named Mike Campbell, check out his solo in this live version from Santa Cruz last month.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Song of the Week 5/9/08
Michael Jackson - "Off the Wall"
No big statement behind this song--my co-worker Doug suggested I play songs that had "wall" in the title, and this was the first one I thought of. A couple hours later at happy hour, the only song I could make out over the din was "Off the Wall."
And I suppose the less comments I make about this song's performer the better.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Derby Day Party 5/3/08
I was once again honored to DJ at Michael Boyd's annual Derby Day Party. This was the first time at Union Hall, and the place is so big (and was way crowded) I'm sure much of the music got lost in space. But that didn't stop me from coming up with a set that was chock-filled with Derby-related material. I'm already looking forward to next year.
Chet Atkins and His Galloping Guitar - "Kentucky Derby"
Ryan Adams and The Cardinals - "Cold Roses"
The Rolling Stones - "Dead Flowers"
Wilco - "Casino Queen"
Beau Brummels - "Old Kentucky Home"
Oasis - "Cigarettes and Alcohol"
Elvis Presley - "Kentucky Rain"
Loretta Lynn - "Van Lear Rose"
The Hold Steady - "Chips Ahoy!"
The Flaming Lips - "Race for the Prize"
Mike Doughty - "The Gambler"
Pavement - "Kentucky Cocktail"
Dave Clark Five - "Catch Us If You Can"
The Smithereens - "Blood and Roses"
The Arcade Fire - "Keep The Car Running"
Big Star - "Back of a Car"
Echo and the Bunnymen - "Bring on the Dancing Horses"
R.E.M. - "Horse to Water"
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - "King Horse"
The Figgs - "Breaking Through These Gates"
Graham Parker - "High Horse"
Sonic Youth - "Bull in the Heather"
The Monkees - "All the King's Horses"
Nada Surf - "Whose Authority"
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "You Got Lucky"
Nick Lowe - "Music for Money"
Social Distortion - "Bad Luck"
Dramarama - "Last Cigarette"
The Who - "You Better You Bet"
Count Basie - "Plenty of Money and You"
Ricky Nelson - "Sure Fire Bet"
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - "You and Me and the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)"
Cake - "The Distance"
Old 97s - "King of All of the World"
Joboxers - "Just Got Lucky"
Devo - "Whip It"
Mates of State - "Along For the Ride"
The Kinks - "David Watts"
The Strokes - "Trying Your Luck"
Big Dipper - "Ron Klaus Wrecked His House"
Guided By Voices - "Bulldog Skin"
Xavier Cugat - "One Mint Julep"
The Backbeat Band - "Money (That's What I Want)"
Matthew Sweet - "Girlfriend"
Warren Zevon - "Lawyers, Guns and Money"
Psychedelic Furs - "All That Money Wants"
Big Audio Dynamite - "The Bottom Line"
Song of the Week 5/2/08
Wilco - Jesus, Etc.
I heard this song every single day this week--twice in bars, once at random on my iPod and twice on WFUV at totally different times of the day. I love how it's become such a sing-a-long over the past seven years. (The above clip is from Wilco's great five night run in Chicago this past February.)
I heard this song every single day this week--twice in bars, once at random on my iPod and twice on WFUV at totally different times of the day. I love how it's become such a sing-a-long over the past seven years. (The above clip is from Wilco's great five night run in Chicago this past February.)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Song of the Week 4/25/08
Big Dipper - "Ron Klaus Wrecked His House"
Another year, another great reunion from Boston. This time it's Big Dipper, who I stupidly missed when they played at The Haunt in Ithaca 18 years ago. The always great Merge Records somehow concvinced the quartet to do an anothlogy of their indie work and to do three reunion shows to promote it. These guys looked a whole lot older, but played just as well (and as loud, my left ear thinks) as they did back in the day. The next to last song in Friday's set at Brooklyn's Southpaw was their "hit," "Ron Klaus Wrecked His House." The chorus to this song is a fucking monster. It would get stuck in my head in college, and it's still stuck in my head a few days after the show. One can only hope we don't have to wait another 18 years for a Big Dipper show.
BONUS: NYC taper was also there and documented the entire show, and you can hear the joy these guys felt in every note.
Another year, another great reunion from Boston. This time it's Big Dipper, who I stupidly missed when they played at The Haunt in Ithaca 18 years ago. The always great Merge Records somehow concvinced the quartet to do an anothlogy of their indie work and to do three reunion shows to promote it. These guys looked a whole lot older, but played just as well (and as loud, my left ear thinks) as they did back in the day. The next to last song in Friday's set at Brooklyn's Southpaw was their "hit," "Ron Klaus Wrecked His House." The chorus to this song is a fucking monster. It would get stuck in my head in college, and it's still stuck in my head a few days after the show. One can only hope we don't have to wait another 18 years for a Big Dipper show.
BONUS: NYC taper was also there and documented the entire show, and you can hear the joy these guys felt in every note.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Song of the Week 4/18/08
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)"
Goodbye Danny. You will be missed by hundreds of thousands of people. The Boardwalk is a little darker today.
Pardon the cliche, but pictures (or videos) are worth a thousand more words than I could muster up about how much Springsteen and the E Street Band's music has meant to me the past 25 years, or how much love everyone in that band felt for Danny.
Here's video of the 1975 Hammersmith Odeon performance I linked to:
The last time Danny played it with his dear friends, in Indianapolis on March 20th:
Bonus: The scene when Danny left the band last fall in Boston:
A great clip of the entire band watching Danny solo on "Kitty's Back" that night.
Because I can never watch this clip enough, the best "Kitty's Back" since the 1970s, from Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
And finally, watch this 1978 clip at about 8 minutes in. Danny does a blistering solo on "Prove It All Night." Wow.
Goodbye Danny. You will be missed by hundreds of thousands of people. The Boardwalk is a little darker today.
Pardon the cliche, but pictures (or videos) are worth a thousand more words than I could muster up about how much Springsteen and the E Street Band's music has meant to me the past 25 years, or how much love everyone in that band felt for Danny.
Here's video of the 1975 Hammersmith Odeon performance I linked to:
The last time Danny played it with his dear friends, in Indianapolis on March 20th:
Bonus: The scene when Danny left the band last fall in Boston:
A great clip of the entire band watching Danny solo on "Kitty's Back" that night.
Because I can never watch this clip enough, the best "Kitty's Back" since the 1970s, from Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
And finally, watch this 1978 clip at about 8 minutes in. Danny does a blistering solo on "Prove It All Night." Wow.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Song o the Week 4/11/08
Nada Surf - "Do It Again"
Gosh, I had a whole truckload of fun at Nada Surf Friday night. I was a bit worried about how my body would hold up over a three hour show (Superdrag co-headlined), but I felt perfectly fine all night. (Well, except for the occasionally garlic nan burp. And the fact that the sound at Terminal 5 is NOT meant for rock shows. No freaking way).
I went with Moria the concert pal, and we were convinced that the show was made better by these three kids (it was an all ages show, they might have been 21) who knew every single word--even the songs from the great new disc Lucky--and danced around and took pictures like they were having the time of their young lives. Heck, they probably were having the time of their lives. Their enthusiasm was infectious and made me enjoy a show that under normal circumstances wouldn't make it onto my Top 10 concerts for the year. An added bonus was how they pissed off this snooty couple in front of us. They both looked as if they swallowed a box of sour balls. Screw them if they can't have fun.
"Do It Again" was the song I sang loudest all night. (Which seems to be a pattern, if you scroll down a bit here.) These words, which I've probably pumped my fist to at least 100 times on the subway, took on a special meaning for me that night after the past few weeks:
“Maybe this weight was a gift
Like I had to see what I could lift
I spend all my energy
Walking upright.”
BONUS: Here's Nada Surf from Friday night at Terminal 5, doing the song I always associate with the concert pal.
Gosh, I had a whole truckload of fun at Nada Surf Friday night. I was a bit worried about how my body would hold up over a three hour show (Superdrag co-headlined), but I felt perfectly fine all night. (Well, except for the occasionally garlic nan burp. And the fact that the sound at Terminal 5 is NOT meant for rock shows. No freaking way).
I went with Moria the concert pal, and we were convinced that the show was made better by these three kids (it was an all ages show, they might have been 21) who knew every single word--even the songs from the great new disc Lucky--and danced around and took pictures like they were having the time of their young lives. Heck, they probably were having the time of their lives. Their enthusiasm was infectious and made me enjoy a show that under normal circumstances wouldn't make it onto my Top 10 concerts for the year. An added bonus was how they pissed off this snooty couple in front of us. They both looked as if they swallowed a box of sour balls. Screw them if they can't have fun.
"Do It Again" was the song I sang loudest all night. (Which seems to be a pattern, if you scroll down a bit here.) These words, which I've probably pumped my fist to at least 100 times on the subway, took on a special meaning for me that night after the past few weeks:
“Maybe this weight was a gift
Like I had to see what I could lift
I spend all my energy
Walking upright.”
BONUS: Here's Nada Surf from Friday night at Terminal 5, doing the song I always associate with the concert pal.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Song of the Week 4/4/08
Bob Dylan - "Things Have Changed"
Sometimes fate knows exactly what song to push in your face over a seven day period. I heard "Things Have Changed" once on Monday, twice on Tuesday, once on a random playlist on my iPod Friday and then late Saturday morning when I was going to bed. It's pretty amazing that an eight year old song could turn up that much, yet at the same time very appropriate. Things have indeed changed. Now I'm reading food labels to see how much sodium is in each package and cooking with olive oil and muching on raw almonds instead of chips. It's definitely a big change, but one I'll have to get used to for the rest of my life if I want to have one that lasts another 38 years.
Yet I think the biggest change is that Magnetic Field is no longer in my life. It's a place that had perhaps biggest impact of any music venue/bar on my entire life. On that tiny stage with Bunnie England and the New Originals I first got to live out my rock star fantasies and then rediscovered my love of entertaining people with a microphone in front of me. I've been trying to think of an appropriate epitaph for the Field, some words that will adequately describe all the fun and all the great people I met and became friends with and all growing up I did in the four years I went there. But they're not coming yet. Perhaps the creative side of my brain hasn't accepted the reality that I won't be able to sing "Surrender," spin Soul Asylum's "Sometime to Return" for a totally psyched crowd, make funny comments about someone stumbling over some lyrics, edit both of my fanzines at the bar, help friends talk through their problems, make bizarre 70s references with April and Scott, sing sad songs with Joe or act silly in the photo booth there ever again. I can honestly say that except for the one night when some idiots from Brooklyn Law came in at the end of Live Band Karaoke and when that Aussie dude got naked at 4:30 a.m., all of my memories of 97 Atlantic Avenue are good.
My life would be much worse off if I had never met these people at the Field: Lee, William, Stephen, Michelle, Charlene, Devon, Jonah, Boyd, Winnick, Quinn, Aggie, Abigail, Katharine, Ted, Jay, Naeemah, and my bandmates Paul, Paul, Scott and Troy. I love you all.
Here is my favorite picture from our last night of LBK at the Field (notice the water bottle, a sign of things to come for me):
Sometimes fate knows exactly what song to push in your face over a seven day period. I heard "Things Have Changed" once on Monday, twice on Tuesday, once on a random playlist on my iPod Friday and then late Saturday morning when I was going to bed. It's pretty amazing that an eight year old song could turn up that much, yet at the same time very appropriate. Things have indeed changed. Now I'm reading food labels to see how much sodium is in each package and cooking with olive oil and muching on raw almonds instead of chips. It's definitely a big change, but one I'll have to get used to for the rest of my life if I want to have one that lasts another 38 years.
Yet I think the biggest change is that Magnetic Field is no longer in my life. It's a place that had perhaps biggest impact of any music venue/bar on my entire life. On that tiny stage with Bunnie England and the New Originals I first got to live out my rock star fantasies and then rediscovered my love of entertaining people with a microphone in front of me. I've been trying to think of an appropriate epitaph for the Field, some words that will adequately describe all the fun and all the great people I met and became friends with and all growing up I did in the four years I went there. But they're not coming yet. Perhaps the creative side of my brain hasn't accepted the reality that I won't be able to sing "Surrender," spin Soul Asylum's "Sometime to Return" for a totally psyched crowd, make funny comments about someone stumbling over some lyrics, edit both of my fanzines at the bar, help friends talk through their problems, make bizarre 70s references with April and Scott, sing sad songs with Joe or act silly in the photo booth there ever again. I can honestly say that except for the one night when some idiots from Brooklyn Law came in at the end of Live Band Karaoke and when that Aussie dude got naked at 4:30 a.m., all of my memories of 97 Atlantic Avenue are good.
My life would be much worse off if I had never met these people at the Field: Lee, William, Stephen, Michelle, Charlene, Devon, Jonah, Boyd, Winnick, Quinn, Aggie, Abigail, Katharine, Ted, Jay, Naeemah, and my bandmates Paul, Paul, Scott and Troy. I love you all.
Here is my favorite picture from our last night of LBK at the Field (notice the water bottle, a sign of things to come for me):
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Song of the Week 3/28/08
Morrissey - "That's How People Grow Up"
Apparently for the former Smiths singer, growing up includes a big ol' cowbell being played for three minutes straight and wasting time looking for love.
Holy crap, I think I agree with him.
If he added having a health scare, starting to take care of your body and mourning the closing of your favorite bar in the lyrics, this might be my song of the year. "That's How People Grow Up" is one of the two new tracks on Moz's Greatest Hits: Deluxe Edition and it's the rare new song on a best of that stands up with all of the previously released material. I haven't liked a Morrissey song this much since "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get." It's wickedly catchy.
Listen to the cowbell and watch people go nuts below:
Apparently for the former Smiths singer, growing up includes a big ol' cowbell being played for three minutes straight and wasting time looking for love.
Holy crap, I think I agree with him.
If he added having a health scare, starting to take care of your body and mourning the closing of your favorite bar in the lyrics, this might be my song of the year. "That's How People Grow Up" is one of the two new tracks on Moz's Greatest Hits: Deluxe Edition and it's the rare new song on a best of that stands up with all of the previously released material. I haven't liked a Morrissey song this much since "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get." It's wickedly catchy.
Listen to the cowbell and watch people go nuts below:
Monday, March 24, 2008
Song of the Week 3/21/07
The Killers -"When You Were Young"
Why a Killers track that's 18 months old? Well, I spent all of last week (which was my freaking vacation) glued in front of my TV set, ill with a wicked case of acid reflux that was most likely caused by all the coughing I did when I had the flu in January and February. (Guess what? The reflux is 1000 times worse than the flu. ) And during my 14 hours a day video marathon, I stumbled across an old Later With Jools Holland episode on Fuse where they played it:
The song burrowed its way into my brain and came out in full force as I took the bus home from the doctor's office. She gave me a prescription for pills to battle the reflux, as well as a bottle of tiny little tablets to bring down my blood pressure, which had spiked with all the stress my body was under. I started humming "When We Were Young," realizing that the song's title had finally come true for me on a Friday afternoon in March of 2008. She described the blood pressure pill as "a water pill"...which is exactly what my grandmother called it when she took the same drug. Yay, I'm following in the footsteps of the rest of my family!!!
I suppose it's the second sign that acting like a kid should be a thing of the past I've gotten in the past month. The closure of Magnetic Field a week from tonight hasn't totally hit me. I believe mostly because I wasn't able to fully enjoy our last Live Band Karaoke because of the beginning of my acid reflux fun. Five hours of drinking water in a bar is just not fun. No sir.
At least this clip from that last night is fun. Our beloved regular Abigail tears it up on the song we learned especially for her, Free's "All Right Now." And oh man oh man, check out the guest stick playing by our former drummer Troy.
I think that this was our most documented gig ever--and I'll remember every moment of it because I was sober. How odd.
Why a Killers track that's 18 months old? Well, I spent all of last week (which was my freaking vacation) glued in front of my TV set, ill with a wicked case of acid reflux that was most likely caused by all the coughing I did when I had the flu in January and February. (Guess what? The reflux is 1000 times worse than the flu. ) And during my 14 hours a day video marathon, I stumbled across an old Later With Jools Holland episode on Fuse where they played it:
The song burrowed its way into my brain and came out in full force as I took the bus home from the doctor's office. She gave me a prescription for pills to battle the reflux, as well as a bottle of tiny little tablets to bring down my blood pressure, which had spiked with all the stress my body was under. I started humming "When We Were Young," realizing that the song's title had finally come true for me on a Friday afternoon in March of 2008. She described the blood pressure pill as "a water pill"...which is exactly what my grandmother called it when she took the same drug. Yay, I'm following in the footsteps of the rest of my family!!!
I suppose it's the second sign that acting like a kid should be a thing of the past I've gotten in the past month. The closure of Magnetic Field a week from tonight hasn't totally hit me. I believe mostly because I wasn't able to fully enjoy our last Live Band Karaoke because of the beginning of my acid reflux fun. Five hours of drinking water in a bar is just not fun. No sir.
At least this clip from that last night is fun. Our beloved regular Abigail tears it up on the song we learned especially for her, Free's "All Right Now." And oh man oh man, check out the guest stick playing by our former drummer Troy.
I think that this was our most documented gig ever--and I'll remember every moment of it because I was sober. How odd.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Song of the Week 3/14/08
Words escape me trying to describe our last Live Band Karaoke at Magnetic Field. All I can say is thank you to the hundreds of people who showed up and rocked out for 4 and 1/2 hours. A hat tip to our guitarist Paul Crane for suggesting this R.E.M. gem as our last tune.
And here's a pic from our first song of the night, Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days." I always loved that tie.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Song of the Week 3/6/08
Dusty Springfield - "Son of a Preacher Man"
At our next-to-last Live Band Karaoke at Magnetic Field, my friend Noreen finally showed up to see what I'd been emailing about for the past two and a half years. (Nothing like a bar closing to bring people out.) From the moment we learned this song two months ago, I knew that Reeny (a professional singer, unlike us amateurs) would kill it. And she did--big time. Made me wish I had a video camera. I could watch great singers do great songs on that stage forever. But nothing lasts forever.
If you're in the NYC area and reading this, come out this Friday. It will be a night for the ages.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Song of the Week 2/29/08
The Beatles - "Day Tripper"
I've witnessed some cool things happen on stage while being the MC extraodinaire for Bunnie England and the New Originals--but perhaps nothing will ever be cooler than playing at the Saturday Night Live afterparty and having Wilco guitarist-keyboardist Pat Sansone join the guys on stage to do "Day Tripper."
As I said to one perosn I know, now I can die a slightly less bitter man.
Here's Pat in action on keys with Wilco on SNL:
I've witnessed some cool things happen on stage while being the MC extraodinaire for Bunnie England and the New Originals--but perhaps nothing will ever be cooler than playing at the Saturday Night Live afterparty and having Wilco guitarist-keyboardist Pat Sansone join the guys on stage to do "Day Tripper."
As I said to one perosn I know, now I can die a slightly less bitter man.
Here's Pat in action on keys with Wilco on SNL:
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Song of the Week 2/22/08
Wilco - "Red-Eyed and Blue/I Got You (At the End of the Century)"
"When we came here today
We all felt something true
Now I'm red-eyed and blue"
Those last three lines in one of my favorites from Being There really struck me yesterday as I was looking at footage from Wilco's five night "play every song from every album" stand at the Riviera Theatre on You Tube. (The clip above is from the second night) My never ending/cold/flu/beast tackling the east died at the same time as two of my favorite music entities--No Depression magazine and my favorite bar Magnetic Field.
No Depression was one of the few places over the past eight years that wrote in depth pieces about artists I truly cared about. (Five pages on the Minus 5???!!?) They covered music that was true--intelligent rock/country/R&B that would never go out of style. And now due to the downturn in the music industry and the magazine world, they're closing up shop.
Magnetic Field...gosh, what haven't I said about this place on this blog? I'm sure I'll have more to say once the bar closes at the end of March. (And after Bunnie England has its last gig their on Friday March 14th--come on down!) But it was definitely a sad day when I was asked by one of the owners to write the release about the bar closing. On the plus side, the release I wrote is easily the most disseminated piece of copy I've had in my entire career. Not that that makes me feel any better about losing the place where I've lost most of my liver. At least I've 30 more days to enjoy doing that.
"When we came here today
We all felt something true
Now I'm red-eyed and blue"
Those last three lines in one of my favorites from Being There really struck me yesterday as I was looking at footage from Wilco's five night "play every song from every album" stand at the Riviera Theatre on You Tube. (The clip above is from the second night) My never ending/cold/flu/beast tackling the east died at the same time as two of my favorite music entities--No Depression magazine and my favorite bar Magnetic Field.
No Depression was one of the few places over the past eight years that wrote in depth pieces about artists I truly cared about. (Five pages on the Minus 5???!!?) They covered music that was true--intelligent rock/country/R&B that would never go out of style. And now due to the downturn in the music industry and the magazine world, they're closing up shop.
Magnetic Field...gosh, what haven't I said about this place on this blog? I'm sure I'll have more to say once the bar closes at the end of March. (And after Bunnie England has its last gig their on Friday March 14th--come on down!) But it was definitely a sad day when I was asked by one of the owners to write the release about the bar closing. On the plus side, the release I wrote is easily the most disseminated piece of copy I've had in my entire career. Not that that makes me feel any better about losing the place where I've lost most of my liver. At least I've 30 more days to enjoy doing that.
Song of the Week 2/15/08
R.E.M. - "Supernatural Superserious"
Holy crap. This song is AWESOME. Pleasepleaseplease let the rest of Accelerate be this good. It's such a joy to hear them rock like its 1994 or 1986 all over again. I could not stop listening to this song--15 times in a span of three day in my iPod alone. And that doesn't count the video:
And might I suggest this fun video site too?
Holy crap. This song is AWESOME. Pleasepleaseplease let the rest of Accelerate be this good. It's such a joy to hear them rock like its 1994 or 1986 all over again. I could not stop listening to this song--15 times in a span of three day in my iPod alone. And that doesn't count the video:
And might I suggest this fun video site too?
Song of the Week 2/8/08
The Dismemberment Plan - "The Ice of Boston"
Back in August I posted a link to my friend Michael Boyd's Patient Boy blog where he deemed a song that myself and my bandmate in The 5th Joe S. co-wrote called "Drunken Agreement" was his song of the week. That song somehow inspired Mr. Boyd to invite me to take part in his own solo show, set to take place in October during Magnetic Field's Monday night local music showcase. The song he wanted me to provide the vocals for was called "The Ice of Boston" by the now defunct D.C. band The Dismemberment Plan. I'd heard the band's name, but had never heard any of their music. My first time through "The Ice of Boston" I thought to myself, "Damn, Boyd knows how to pick a song that plays to my strengths." "Boston" is a humorous song about pursuing a lost love (okay, I get that) that features weird spoken verses (yup, I can do that) and then screamed choruses (oh yeah, I got that down). It, quite simply, is a song designed for me to sing.
That gig in October didn't happen, but it finally got rescheduled for the night of February 11th. After one rehearsal, I had a good feeling. After a second rehearsal, I knew it was going to kick ass. And it did. I don't think I've ever had a prouder moment on the Field's stage than talking/singing "The Ice of Boston." So thanks Boyd, for seeing a talent in me I didn't even know I had.
BONUS: The day after Boyd and I first rehearsed the song, I decided to look it up on YouTube just to see how frontman Travis Morrison handled it live. And I found four very distinct examples.
1) 1997 Brownies, NYC
This was the same year the song was released on The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified, and the band sticks to the original.
2) 2002 Halloween, San Diego
At this point the band had established their gag of having fans crowd the stage and singing along. Morrison is still somewhat invested and enjoys the song.
3) 2003 Final Tour, Seattle
I can see why the band decided to call it quits--watch the disdain Morrison has for the whole entire spectacle of the song.
4) 2007 Reunion Show for Cal Robbins, Washington D.C.
Perhaps reuniting for a good cause of helping the son of J. Robbins made Morrison tolerate the song, as he kind of actually gave something in his performance. Of course, the fans give a whole lot more.
Back in August I posted a link to my friend Michael Boyd's Patient Boy blog where he deemed a song that myself and my bandmate in The 5th Joe S. co-wrote called "Drunken Agreement" was his song of the week. That song somehow inspired Mr. Boyd to invite me to take part in his own solo show, set to take place in October during Magnetic Field's Monday night local music showcase. The song he wanted me to provide the vocals for was called "The Ice of Boston" by the now defunct D.C. band The Dismemberment Plan. I'd heard the band's name, but had never heard any of their music. My first time through "The Ice of Boston" I thought to myself, "Damn, Boyd knows how to pick a song that plays to my strengths." "Boston" is a humorous song about pursuing a lost love (okay, I get that) that features weird spoken verses (yup, I can do that) and then screamed choruses (oh yeah, I got that down). It, quite simply, is a song designed for me to sing.
That gig in October didn't happen, but it finally got rescheduled for the night of February 11th. After one rehearsal, I had a good feeling. After a second rehearsal, I knew it was going to kick ass. And it did. I don't think I've ever had a prouder moment on the Field's stage than talking/singing "The Ice of Boston." So thanks Boyd, for seeing a talent in me I didn't even know I had.
BONUS: The day after Boyd and I first rehearsed the song, I decided to look it up on YouTube just to see how frontman Travis Morrison handled it live. And I found four very distinct examples.
1) 1997 Brownies, NYC
This was the same year the song was released on The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified, and the band sticks to the original.
2) 2002 Halloween, San Diego
At this point the band had established their gag of having fans crowd the stage and singing along. Morrison is still somewhat invested and enjoys the song.
3) 2003 Final Tour, Seattle
I can see why the band decided to call it quits--watch the disdain Morrison has for the whole entire spectacle of the song.
4) 2007 Reunion Show for Cal Robbins, Washington D.C.
Perhaps reuniting for a good cause of helping the son of J. Robbins made Morrison tolerate the song, as he kind of actually gave something in his performance. Of course, the fans give a whole lot more.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Medic! Medic!
Yeah, been letting the blog lapse for a couple weeks. It may be a couple more as I'm battling this wicked bronchitis/flu. Hopefully I'll return to posting by the first weekend of March.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Song of the Week 2/1/08
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "Runnin' Down a Dream"
There's no escaping the Super Bowl, and there was no escaping this song this week.
Damn Fox Sports.
Mike Campbell still rocks like a mofo, even if they made him cut his solo short.
There's no escaping the Super Bowl, and there was no escaping this song this week.
Damn Fox Sports.
Mike Campbell still rocks like a mofo, even if they made him cut his solo short.
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