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Mr MidFi
06-03-2008, 06:22 AM
I'd like to start posting a regular featurette here, based on a song I hear on my way in to work in the morning. My drive in lasts about 40 minutes or so, which is time enough for 9 or 10 songs to randomly shuffle up on my iPod...so there's usually at least one song every morning that evokes a memory, or prompts a thought, or inspires me in some way. Or just rocks my ass off.

Anyone who wants to chime in on this thread is invited to do so, whether it's to say something about today's song, or the album, or the band...or even some song YOU heard today. Or whatever.

I won't be posting every day, because often times I have actual work to do when I walk in the door. And sometimes, I might not have heard anything worth commenting upon. This morning's commute was not like that, however. There were a number of interesting tracks I'd love to say something about, including notable live cuts by Genesis (Fountain of Salmacis) and Wilco (Muzzle of Bees).

But the one I want to talk about today is "Nobody's Fault But Mine" by Led Zeppelin. I think the Presence album was the third or fourth one my brother and I ever bought, once we started pooling our meager resources back in the mid-70s. If memory serves, I didn't care much for it back then (my first dud purchase!), although the album cover concept was awesome as hell. There was simply too much repetitive riffing going on, and I wasn't a fan of the raw, bloozy, in-yer-face style they were exploring at that time. A month later, I bought their untitled 4th album, fell in love with it (like every adolescent boy does at some point), and put the Presence away.

But this morning, it was just a great little wake-up bomb to keep me company on the Reagan Tollway. Especially the instrumental breaks...that might be Plant's best blues harp solo ever, and the usual Jimmy Page "I-couldn't-play-it-this-way-again-if-I-tried" wankery sounds just right. But if you listen a little closer, be sure to pay attention to what Bonzo is doing back there on drums. He still amazes me...his stuff sounds so simple, but you try playing along with it sometime. :16:

Anyway, to hear Plant wailing out this weary mea culpa is not necessarily to step into the past to relive my youth. Yesterday, today and tomorrow...there's nothing like a little regret to remind you you're alive. It's no no no no no no...body's fault but mine!

Finch Platte
06-03-2008, 06:37 AM
Nice post, cool concept. Hope you can keep it up. :arf:

My commute was uneventful. I'm on my second or third listen of a disc I found in the fitty-cent bin at Rasputin's, by a band called Earshot. It's nothing ground-breaking, just chunky-sounding, heard it-a-million-times-before hard rock; but it's good enough to get me going in the a.m. Call it Caffeine Rock?

Allmusic: Earshot's debut album for Warner Bros. is a tense mixture of various alternative metal styles that were popular in the late '90s. More than any other band, Earshot sounds a lot like Tool. Now there are lots of bands who can lay claim to sounding like that band, but this could have easily been a lost Tool album and no one would look twice. Vocalist Will Martin can be a perfect clone for Maynard Keenan at times, although he also bears a striking resemblance to Ultraspank's Pete Murray. Tracks like "Get Away" and "Wake Up" are solid tracks that might be predictable, but retain their power and come across nicely. This is also a band that is not afraid to mess around with tempo, stopping songs in the middle and generally being very experimental with their general setup. But what they might fail to realize is that Tool is perhaps the ultimate experimental metal band, and they make this sort of metal better than any other band in this era. Earshot has a lot of potential, but on this debut they stick too close to a formula that was concocted by a band that does it better.

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf200/f251/f251558purw.jpg

fp

dean_martin
06-03-2008, 07:51 AM
I have a short commute - 6 to 7 mins, so most of the time I'm halfway through song 2 when I pull into the parking lot. I pulled out Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's Orange last night. Haven't listened to it in years. I remember getting all giddy the first time I heard the track "Flavor" go into its closing groove. Holy sh*t! Is that Beck? Hell yeah!

So I listened to Flavor this morning. I think I'll listen to Full Grown on the way home.

ForeverAutumn
06-03-2008, 12:12 PM
I like this idea.

This morning on the drive in I listened to Modest Mouse's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank for the first time. I got through the first six songs during the drive.

I've now spun the rest of the tunes and on first listen, I like it. I can't yet pick a Song de Jour, but Parting of the Sensory and Missed the Boat both stuck out as potential winners.

Slosh
06-03-2008, 02:39 PM
I know there's been a ton of talk about John Vanderslice lately, but today I listened to Emerald City yet again. It's just a perfect album. Only nine songs but they're all exceptionally great. Had I heard it last year it would have been at the top, or at least very close to the top of my Best of 2007 list. Anyone wants a preview here it is in WMA Lossless (sorry Mac people):

Part 1 (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?yiayj2dntxi)

Part 2 (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?coweu0osbjl)

Part 3 (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?c5d1g4xcmzg)

But just so I don't burn myself out on it I think I'll spin this tomorrow (for the first time):

Mr MidFi
06-04-2008, 05:42 AM
...another song du jour. After reaching into the dimly lit past yesterday to ruminate on an old Zeppelin chestnut, I was hoping that something interesting from this century would bubble up in the shuffle today. But aside from U2 "Vertigo" (and does anyone really want to read my thoughts on that song?) and Porky Tree's "Voyage 34" (which already has its own running commentary), it was a decidedly 20th Century morning for me.

Remember those heady days on this board when comp-trading was still a new and exciting craze? I sure do. A-way back yonder, a fellow named Jim Clark sent me (and many others) a very nice little comp that included the song "Litany" by Murray Attaway...this morning's song du jour. Some may recognize Attaway as the singer and principle songwriter for the seminal southern jangle-rock outfit, Guadalcanal Diary. I was a tremendous fan of their first 2 albums (Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man and Jamboree), and "Litany" sounds a lot like those GD efforts. Indeed, that fast-strumming sound punctuated by big, bashing drums of destiny can be found on an instrumental track on their first album...it almost sounds like a template. But the later song is clearly the more finished work, with inspirational, quasi-religious, "life goes on forever" lyrics.

I like this song a lot, and find myself wishing that Attaway or his former band had made it bigger than they did back in the 80s and 90s. It's worth noting that the 2 GD discs mentioned in the paragraph above were re-released on single disc a few years ago...not a bad bang for your 80s nostalgia dollar, if you're so inclined.

Odd fact du jour: My brother used to date a distant cousin of Murray Attaway back in high school. She was uber-hot, even by bubbly-blond-southern-girl standards.

Finch Platte
06-04-2008, 07:06 AM
Part 1 (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?yiayj2dntxi)

Part 2 (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?coweu0osbjl)

Part 3 (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?c5d1g4xcmzg)

But just so I don't burn myself out on it I think I'll spin this tomorrow (for the first time):

Anyone else having a problem w/ these? I DL'd them ok, but when I try to open it, it asks me to insert the last disc of the set and click ok. Doesn't work. :out:

fp

ForeverAutumn
06-04-2008, 07:24 AM
I had the need to spin Blue Rodeo's Western Sky on my drive into work this morning. This song feels very personal to me comparing city life in Toronto to life in the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Western Canada. I've take two trips to the Rocky's and I can't wait to get back. Every year I dream of being able to return there. I've canoed on Lake Louise, I got up at 6:00am to go bird watching in Jasper with a group called Friends of Jasper Park. That was the most memorable hike I've ever done, going into parts of the forest that were off the beaten path on unmarked trails with people who grew up there.

I love this song for what a great song it is, but also for the memories that it invokes of very happy and peaceful times in my life. If I didn't want/need to be so close to my family, I could spend my life in the Rocky's.

Well I'd rather be
walking through the tall pine trees
high up above Lake Louise
And I'd rather be
chasing after shooting stars
than waiting for this dumb 503 TTC (=Toronto Transit Commission, the 503 streetcar travels along Queen Street where all the cool, indie-hipster kids hang out).
I'd like to see
the sun set behind Saddle Mountain
and listen to the wind whisper my name
yea this world and me don't fit
one of us is going to have to quit
oh how I miss those western skies

And I'd rather be
back in the Rocky Mountains
than sitting in some bar on Queen Street
And I'd rather be
walking through the high meadow
than watching the latest war on my TV
So please don't you stand in my way
I just got to get out of this place
if I waste another day
I'm sure the sun will forget my name
Oh how I miss those western skies

oh to see the sunset in her eyes
oh to see the sunshine in her eyes

And I'd rather be
lying by the Bow River
just watching the clouds go by
Yea I'd rather be
anywhere else than here tonight
than stuck in the city
but through the pain
good things will come
after the rain the sun
but that don't mean much to me
stuck in the city
oh how I miss those western skies

bobsticks
06-04-2008, 08:00 AM
What a great idea for a thread Midfi. Clearly, the morning music can effect the rest of the day for good or ill. Since I'm runnin' old-school-behind-the-times without an MP3 player i make a few comps a week. Sometimes I'll plan it out but often if I'm running late I'll hit random and burn the first 17 or 20 songs.

Today on the exit ramp form one highway to another I kicked it in with The Cult's "Bad Fun" off the "Electric" album. Billy Duffy's stripped-down guitar and Astbury's Manchester via Canada yelp make it a cut reminiscent of the Arctic Monkeys meet AC/DC with a few Indian shamens thrown in. Yo La Tengo's "Dreaming" brought a surreal-retro dealio to the driving experience which came to a close with "NYC Bounce" off of Blockhead's recent Nu-Jazz outing. Good stuff appreciated by me and a potential good mood alterant, I'm sure appreciated by employees and associates alike.

Mr MidFi
06-05-2008, 06:50 AM
This is one of those mornings that my clients are flying off the rails, deadlines are approaching, the “creative” staff have ruffled feathers, and my email in-box can’t keep up the traffic. And the dew point is some impossibly high number, making it difficult to breathe. Calgon, take me away!

But the morning commute started off well…”Wordless Chorus,” the lead-off track from My Morning Jacket’s excellent Z album. An outstanding tune for a wet & warm Thursday morning. And, the perfect excuse to talk a little about their upcoming release, Evil Urges (dropping this Tuesday). I’ve heard some good buzz, and I’m looking forward to this one. I can also recommend their live shows, if you ever get the chance to see them.

I’m also really looking forward to tomorrow evening…and I think that FA prolly knows why. But that’s tomorrow’s post. Right now, I gotta go.

ForeverAutumn
06-05-2008, 07:48 AM
But the morning commute started off well…”Wordless Chorus,” the lead-off track from My Morning Jacket’s excellent Z album. An outstanding tune for a wet & warm Thursday morning. And, the perfect excuse to talk a little about their upcoming release, Evil Urges (dropping this Tuesday). I’ve heard some good buzz, and I’m looking forward to this one. I can also recommend their live shows, if you ever get the chance to see them.

I've heard a lot of buzz about this band without ever really hearing them. So, I made sure to watch them on SNL this past Saturday (rerun) and have to say that I don't understand the buzz. I thought that they kinda sucked.


I’m also really looking forward to tomorrow evening…and I think that FA prolly knows why. But that’s tomorrow’s post. Right now, I gotta go.

And I'm looking forward to Sunday for the same reason. Make sure to post some thoughts on Saturday...please.

Davey
06-05-2008, 07:56 AM
Wow, this place does look different today! My little commute doesn't occur til later, closer to noon, but doesn't mean I can't pretend, right? One of my true favorite records of the 90s, and I don't say that often (ok, anyone that has read even a handful of my posts knows that's a big fat lie :)), but Perfect From Now On by Built To Spill is the jam today. And the song that starts it on that parallactic ride is "Randy Described Eternity" ...

Where will you spend eternity
I've gotta be perfect from now on
I've gotta be perfect starting now

Did you see the recent news that they are gonna be touring Perfect From Now On around the world this fall? Should make for some pretty special concerts.

Mr MidFi
06-05-2008, 10:21 AM
Did you see the recent news that they are gonna be touring Perfect From Now On around the world this fall? Should make for some pretty special concerts.

No freakin' way! That's extraordinarily cool. Gotta link?

I love it when bands do that sort of thing.

Finch Platte
06-05-2008, 10:21 AM
Heh-

I got to squire a cute young intern around in the company truck yesterday. I went in to get lunch and left the key in the ignition, w/ the Clash's Super Black Market Clash playing on the CD player. When I came back out, it was still playing.

That's a good sign, right? :thumbsup:

fp

Davey
06-05-2008, 10:43 AM
No freakin' way! That's extraordinarily cool. Gotta link?

I love it when bands do that sort of thing.

I was reading their review of the new Shearwater record yesterday and happened to notice the BTS news ... which inspired my morning listen ... love that record ... http://treblezine.com/index_2.cgi?mode=news&newsdate=20080528#2786

Mr MidFi
06-06-2008, 07:25 AM
Really great selection of songs during this morning’s drive, including Springsteen’s wistful ode to carny life, “Wild Billy’s Circus,” and Peter Gabriel’s poignant “The Secret World”. But today, I’m here to talk about REM (their lackluster “King of Comedy” from the Monster album came on just as I was parking the car, so let's call that the nominal "song du jour").

Back in 1982, I transferred schools from Wake Forest to UGA. I knew very few people in Athens at the time and was constantly strapped for cash, so I did very little my first semester there besides study, drink, and listen to student radio station WUOG (88.5, “The Last One Left”). And those guys couldn’t play enough of the new single by these local yokels on the obscure Hib-Tone label…it was called “Radio Free Europe.” Not the toned-down version you hear on Murmur; this was the fast, raw-sounding version with lyrics you couldn’t possibly understand, no matter how stoned you were. I went to see them at the “old” 40-Watt Club in Athens, just around the corner from my horrid little apartment, and that sold me. These guys were very raw, but good!

One day, I went down to the local record shop with the intent to buy something by this band, Rem (which I pronounced “rem” at the time, and I wasn’t the only one). The kind folks at Wuxtry Records neglected to mention that the guitarist of the band was a former employee there…but they were more than happy to let me know that REM was releasing their first EP in just a couple of weeks. I came back and bought it on the day it dropped; and Chronic Town remains my favorite EP ever, to this day.

Over the next several years, REM became the soundtrack to my college years. And I saw them around town all the time; I was the guy who talked Peter Buck into buying his very first CD player back in 1985. Imagine that.

That was almost exactly half a lifetime ago for me. Imagine that.

I have no idea how many times I’ve seen REM live. A whole bunch. But tonight, I will add another show to the pile as they ply their trade at the United Center in Chicago…along with special guests Modest Mouse and The National. It’s a long, long way away from the old 40-Watt. But at least this time, I’ll have a date (two, actually…my wife and daughter).

We’re planning on having a good time.

dean_martin
06-06-2008, 08:17 AM
Nice story there, Mr. M. Hope you and your 2 dates have a blast at the show (that's a strong lineup from top to bottom).

I launched off to college (University of Alabama) in '86. Didn't hear any REM 'til then, but it didn't take long for me to become a fan. Radio Free Euorpe (probably the album version) was the first REM song I heard. I still remember which bar I was in on the strip in t-town. I wanted to roadtrip to Athens back then, but they wouldn't let me sell plasma more than once a week.

BTW, did you ever see Pylon live?

Mr MidFi
06-06-2008, 09:07 AM
Never got to see Pylon, which is a shame. But I was in town for the "triumpant return" of local darlings The B-52s, when they played the UGA basketball arena. To this day, the worst concert I have ever seen/heard.

ForeverAutumn
06-06-2008, 09:17 AM
I too am spinning REM today. I don't have any CDs earlier than Green so a friend made me a "best of" comp of REMs earlier stuff which I have been spinning all week. It's a gem.

Edit: Why do I do this to myself? I just went onto ticketbastard to see how "sold" Sunday's REM show is. They must have released a block of tickets. I can get primo seats, dead centre about 20 rows from the stage. If only I knew for sure that I could sell my existing tickets...it's soooooo tempting.

Slosh
06-06-2008, 11:02 AM
Well, I don't work on Fridays (for pay) but there's always some project or another around the house so I set my Soundbridge to play the entire library randomly and had at it. Lots of good stuff came up obviously but my standout of the day is Tarkio's "This Rollercoaster Ride". RIYL, umm . . . . . The Decemberists! ;) Great song but luckily you don't have to take my word for it. Click here (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mjigtmmuco0) and listen for yourself (Apple Lossless).

bobsticks
06-06-2008, 03:36 PM
Great read Mid-Fi. Most of the time it's easy to pick the winners but there's that special buzz when it's a happening. Heady years no doubt and I hope tonight's show lives up to the calling.

In California I dream of snow
And all the places we used to go
With the night falling down
With the night falling down
Now I'm living in Korea Town
Waking to the sound of car alarms

Checked out a little Canadian Amp on the way in today. Neko always delivers the twang. Little-known 'sticks fact: I am an aspiring inventor. Right now I'm working on a portable reverb unit so I can carry around a mandolin and maybe a zither and sound like this unamplified...just walkin' around work sounding like I'm in an acoustically gifted sewer. Might leave me alone and forsaken though...

Peace

Luvin Da Blues
06-06-2008, 03:56 PM
Little-known 'sticks fact:......

Now there's a idea for a daily thread " 'Sticks Little Known Facts", and I'm sure you have many my friend.

bobsticks
06-06-2008, 04:06 PM
Well you never know what the future holds...but if Slumpbuster comes 'round and starts posting lyrics to the Ballad Of Jerry Curlan as a response to your post then I quit.

If you haven't heard Neko Case you need to. I suggest Fox Confessor Brings The Flood. You will likey, oh yes you will.

Luvin Da Blues
06-06-2008, 04:42 PM
If you haven't heard Neko Case you need to. I suggest Fox Confessor Brings The Flood. You will likey, oh yes you will.

Bobs, just DL a bit of her concert footage, can't say that it turned me around but the SQ was pretty bad so I'll have a listen to her under better conditions. Interesting that she had her start in Vancouver.

If your looking for some Real Smooth country flavored guitar work check out

"Neck and Neck" a very decent collaboration of Mark Knopfler and Chet Atkins.

Spinning those Ben Harper and the NOSC disks alot..:thumbsup:

:2:

Mr MidFi
06-10-2008, 06:03 AM
I didn’t post yesterday because I didn’t listen to music on the drive in. I wanted to listen to Sports radio, and my ears were still a bit a-buzz from Friday night’s show at the United Center. REM played an awesome, energetic, hard-rocking and loud set show with a nicely mixed, imaginative set list (including “Pilgrimage” and an all-acoustic “Let Me In”). I was planning on writing a full review, but frankly Greg Kot got it 95% right in his Tribune review:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-r.e.m.-ovn-0609jun09,0,2184700.story

The only thing I’d add to it is that I was a little disappointed in the energy-level of the crowd. That absolutely WAS NOT the band’s fault in any way…but a Friday-night show with 27 songs, coming at the end of a hard workweek was a wee bit much for many of the 45-year-old suburbanites in attendance, especially after substantial sets from 2 opening acts. BTW, The National put on a fine show, with at least 3 songs from the Alligator disc, including the rousing set-closer “Mr. November”. And I’m sorry…but I just don’t like Modest Mouse. Their set didn’t sway my opinion much. But all in all, it was one of the best REM shows I’ve ever seen. I really hope they release a DVD from this tour, because it will rock.

And now, today’s Song du Jour: “This Fire” by Franz Ferdinand. This instantly likeable tune is best known for its opening signature chord riff, but hey…just about every song on this album was instantly likeable, aren’t they? But ask yourself this: when was the last time you pulled this disc out of the stacks and played it all the way through?

Or that Rogue Wave album that Slosh was all into a few years ago? Or that Now It’s Overhead disc from a couple years ago? Or The Jayhawks’ Rainy Day Music? Or Peter Gabriel’s last one (whatever it was called)?

There are a whole lot of releases that seem to fall into an unfortunate hole in some people’s listening patterns. They aren’t shiny, new toys anymore, but they never quite graduated into the “venerable classic” catalog rotation either. Franz Ferd’s s/t release is sorta like that for me…and I thank the suffle gods for throwing this up to the top of the list this morning. It’s exactly what I needed to hear, and I wouldn’t have thought to reach for it myself.

Mr MidFi
06-11-2008, 05:56 AM
As soon as I hit the tollway this morning, Band of Horses came on with today’s SdJ, “I could sleep when I lived alone…Is there a ghost in my house?” I’m not even sure what the actual title of this song is, but typing the entirety of the lyrics is no great burden, so there it is. I know this song has some haters out there, and believe me…I can understand hating this song. I really can. It’s the same goddamn line of lyric, over and over again.

But I can’t help liking this song, and I can’t tell you why. It just works for me. The dreamlike intro, the surging wall of guitars, the propulsive beat & tempo…all woven around this very, very odd lyrical line. For me, this song joins the pantheon of notable one-line songs by Built To Spill (“Everybody knows that you are”) and Neil Young (“Got mashed potato, ain’t got no t-bone”).

I like the album, too, and it just missed my year-end top 10 list (and would probably supplant The Redwalls’ s/t disc if I were to post that list again). Some people say they remind them of My Morning Jacket, and I can sorta see that.

Speaking of MMJ, I picked up their newest one yesterday and have spun it one-and-a-half times so far. And it’s…quite unusual. It will either end up in my top 5 for the year, or wind up being my greatest disappointment since Cedric Benson. Only time will tell. But it definitely isn’t the same-old.

Slosh
06-11-2008, 12:58 PM
My song-of-the-day today was an oldie (8 years!) : SDRE's "Disappear".

bobsticks
06-12-2008, 03:27 PM
I've heard a lot of buzz about this band without ever really hearing them. So, I made sure to watch them on SNL this past Saturday (rerun) and have to say that I don't understand the buzz. I thought that they kinda sucked..

"Z" is an older album and acceptable fare by most standards. No doubt what you witnesed was something off their newest effort. I listened to a few cuts the other day and came to the same conclusion you did Autumn.

Slosh
06-12-2008, 04:07 PM
I got Z several years after its release after seeing and being impressed with them on ACL. I find it to be a bit boring so I won't be picking up the new one, although I'll probably still hear it through friends. I think MMJ and MM&W should form a supergroup and call themselves My Morning Wood :D

NP:

bobsticks
06-12-2008, 04:18 PM
Whattup Sloshy,

I doubt you'll be impressed. It's sorta a sonic wall of sludge, dissonance done poorly and mostly just annoying.

On the other hand, Yer spinnin' my morning commute disc at this moment. That Ray Davies album is easily one of my top five for the year. Solid jangle on the way in, foh sure.

NP: http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertainment/music/images/presets-apocalypso.jpg

Mr MidFi
06-13-2008, 05:34 AM
I love that picture of Davies on the cover. Some people have an "I've-seen-it-all" kinda smirk on their face, and it's just annoying. It's perfect on Ray Davies because you know this guy really has seen it all...a half dozen times over.

And now, for something completely different. Well, not necessarily all that different, since we are talking about a wily old veteran singer/guitar player from London who has definitely seen his share or two of things as well.

Mr. David Gilmour got me misty-eyed this morning with his solo on the song "Mother". My emotions were already on the surface, I guess, because I had just bid farewell to my lovely wife and daughter, who are taking off today for 2-1/2 weeks in Italy. In my younger days, I would have reveled in the opportunity to enjoy the whole house to myself for days and days on end. Woo-hoo, bachelor life! But these days, those two gals are my primary source of joy, and I've never been apart from them this long.

But what is it about certain combinations of sounds that can stir the soul and draw out your passions and emotions, even when engaged in the most prosaic of activities (like driving on the tollway)? This has always been one of the most profound mysteries to me. Music is so ubiquitous in our lives that we can't help but take it for granted sometimes. But how can it be that this combination of notes, played by someone who really knows what he's doing, have such a deep effect...when those same notes played on those same 6 strings might leave me cold?

Anyway, very few rock artists have the ability to wring emotional substance out of an instrument like Gilmour can. His solo on "Mother" probably isn't even his best (it might not even be his sixth-best), but it sure worked for me this morning.

Ex Lion Tamer
06-13-2008, 05:36 AM
But I plugged in my ipod today and had a nice mix of tunes come on. If I was to pick a song of the commute it would probably be "Janie Jones" the opener from The Clash's self-titled debut, UK edition. Probably in my top 5 or 10 all time favorite Clash songs - love the backing vocals from Mick, love the drum sound and love the momentum that is carried the whole way through the song. It was absolutely the perfect adrenaline kick to start off a beautiful Friday the 13th morning. A few other tunes that helped put a smile on my face this AM..."A Little Bit Like You", The Flaming Stars, "Range Life" Pavement, "Away" The Feelies, "superstitious" Stevie Wonder, "Celebrated Summer" Husker Du.

Love the concept of this thread, I look forward to the contributions everyday.

bobsticks
06-13-2008, 06:09 AM
Josh Ritter-"Harrisburg"


Rose at the altar withered and wilted
Romero sank into a dream
He didn't make Heaven
He didn't make Harrisburg
He died in a hole in between
Some say that man is the root of all evil
Others say God's a drunkard for pain
Me I believe that the Garden of Eden
Was burned to make way for a train

Perfect tune for ramblin' and amblin' down the country highway that takes me out of the city for the day. A pilgrimage of a different sort, of course but the song has a resigned peacefulness in it's not-too-desperate melancholy.

ForeverAutumn
06-13-2008, 06:41 AM
This morning I was listening to Don Henley’s, The Heart of the Matter. This song just gets me right here (softly taps her heart). Not only is this just a well written song with the lyricist’s heart on his sleeve, but Henley brings a special vocal touch to it.

During the second version of the chorus, when he sings “but I miss you baby”…ah, right here I tell you.

This is one of the best break-up songs ever written and sung IMO.

Van Occupanther
06-13-2008, 07:33 AM
I got Z several years after its release after seeing and being impressed with them on ACL. I find it to be a bit boring so I won't be picking up the new one, although I'll probably still hear it through friends. I think MMJ and MM&W should form a supergroup and call themselves My Morning Wood :D

NP:


Do you have Morningwood's first album (maybe only album)? I think its okay, a punkish rock band with a female lead singer.

I also like the new Ray Davies CD. I haven't listened to it in over a month so maybe it is time to listen again.

jasn
06-13-2008, 07:51 AM
"My Dreams" and "Blue Eyes" from Pete Shelley's Heaven and the Sea. Why do I love all the one's that get ho-hummed by the critics?

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd500/d583/d583849t197.jpg

Mr MidFi
06-17-2008, 09:10 AM
I didn’t get a chance to post yesterday’s SDJ, as the power was out at my office when I got there. Vicious storms have wreaked havoc in the near-western ‘burbs of Chicago, and some of us are just starting to get back on our feet. But over the weekend, I finally picked up the recent two-disc remaster set of Porky Tree’s Lightbulb Sun, which includes the standout track “ShesMovedOn”.

I now have 3 different versions of this song. The original version came to me via Jar’s Porky Tree sampler disc from about 6 years ago…to this day, the best single-artist comp I ever received. The bonus-track version from Deadwing trimmed and toned down the explosive guitar solo found on the original, and placed more emphasis on the percussion and funky-chunky rhythm guitar. The stereo version on the remastered disc gets it pretty much right, I think. Plenty of dynamics to help propel the inherent drama of the song. And the full frontal guitar solo remains strikingly freaked out, as nature intended.

That was yesterday’s song. Today’s Song du Jour is another track from around 2000…the “Homecoming” suite from Green Day’s American Idiot disc. It’s hard to imagine this wacky punk-pop outfit, faced with slowly declining sales of its catchy/kitschy albums, pulling out not one but TWO epic, 10-minute, storytelling song-cycles out of its bag of tricks for this larger-than-life concept album. Harder still to imagine that such a stunt would actually work.

And yet, there it is. You know that at some point, someone sat them down in the studio and said, “You know, guys, this isn’t really a punk album anymore. I mean, it’s more like opera now isn’t it?” To which they apparently replied, “Yeah…so I guess we need to roll some focking kettle drums in here, don’t we?” And so they did. Bom-Bam-Ba-Bom-Bam, Bom-Bam-Ba-Bom-Bam kettle drums.

Over the top? No…this is over, back under again, up the other side and over the top yet again. There’s no doubt about it; this album was either going to resurrect their career, or give it a proper Viking funeral. And this climactic suite was either going to make people ill, or hit them where they live.

And it works. Hell, it does more than just work. It swings for the fences, and gets all that ball. Touch ‘em all, boys, and head for home.

ForeverAutumn
06-17-2008, 09:17 AM
Today’s Song du Jour is another track from around 2000…the “Homecoming” suite from Green Day’s American Idiot disc. It’s hard to imagine this wacky punk-pop outfit, faced with slowly declining sales of its catchy/kitschy albums, pulling out not one but TWO epic, 10-minute, storytelling song-cycles out of its bag of tricks for this larger-than-life concept album. Harder still to imagine that such a stunt would actually work.

And yet, there it is. You know that at some point, someone sat them down in the studio and said, “You know, guys, this isn’t really a punk album anymore. I mean, it’s more like opera now isn’t it?” To which they apparently replied, “Yeah…so I guess we need to roll some focking kettle drums in here, don’t we?” And so they did. Bom-Bam-Ba-Bom-Bam, Bom-Bam-Ba-Bom-Bam kettle drums.

Over the top? No…this is over, back under again, up the other side and over the top yet again. There’s no doubt about it; this album was either going to resurrect their career, or give it a proper Viking funeral. And this climactic suite was either going to make people ill, or hit them where they live.

And it works. Hell, it does more than just work. It swings for the fences, and gets all that ball. Touch ‘em all, boys, and head for home.

A classic album that will never collect dust on my shelf, for sure.

Speaking of storms, here's a pic of my neighbours backyard after a storm here on Sunday. Luckily, there was only some minor damage to the house and nobody hurt. They're gonna need a new fence though...

ForeverAutumn
06-17-2008, 10:42 AM
Green Day’s American Idiot disc.


Your post made me want to hear this disk so I pulled out the old iPod, plugged it into the speakers and was listening to it when She's A Rebel came on and I caught this lyric...

From Chicago to Toronto

I thought that it was a neat coincidence that it was a guy from near Chicago that made this Torontonian want to hear this disk. I'm just sayin'...

You can roll your eyes at me now.

Slosh
06-17-2008, 01:03 PM
here (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mjigtmmuco0) C'mon, there's gotta be at least one Decemberist fan around here that hasn't heard this.

Mr MidFi
06-17-2008, 01:18 PM
Your post made me want to hear this disk so I pulled out the old iPod, plugged it into the speakers and was listening to it when She's A Rebel came on and I caught this lyric...

From Chicago to Toronto

I thought that it was a neat coincidence that it was a guy from near Chicago that made this Torontonian want to hear this disk. I'm just sayin'...

You can roll your eyes at me now.

I've heard the two cities are alike in some ways...I dunno, I've never been to T-town (except a brief stopover in YYZ). One of these days, I'll have to do a long weekend there. We'll be happy to buy you a glass of wine or 5.

NP: "Time After Time" by REM. From their Reckoning album. Which you have no excuse not to own by now. Just sayin'.

ForeverAutumn
06-17-2008, 03:31 PM
I've heard the two cities are alike in some ways...I dunno, I've never been to T-town (except a brief stopover in YYZ). One of these days, I'll have to do a long weekend there. We'll be happy to buy you a glass of wine or 5.

NP: "Time After Time" by REM. From their Reckoning album. Which you have no excuse not to own by now. Just sayin'.

We had a Board of Directors meeting in Chicago about three weeks ago. Unfortunately, I didn't get to attend that one. I think that you should come to T.O. for a long weekend. Swishy and his lovely wife did and we showed them a good time. We'd do the same for you.

As for the REM disk, it's sitting in my Shopping Cart. I'm waiting until next week to pull the trigger.

My SDJ today was Nothing Else Matters by Metallica. I just love this song. I can't give a nice story about it like you usually do. I just dig it.

bobsticks
06-17-2008, 04:20 PM
C'mon, there's gotta be at least one Decemberist fan around here that hasn't heard this.

I'm here huckleberry, but I couldn't get playback after the dl...not even in the vaunted Monkey Machine.

Autumn, you would love Chicago. If'n y'all ever decide to do a Chitown rumble, I'm in.

ForeverAutumn
06-17-2008, 05:01 PM
I'm here huckleberry, but I couldn't get playback after the dl...not even in the vaunted Monkey Machine.

Autumn, you would love Chicago. If'n y'all ever decide to do a Chitown rumble, I'm in.

I couldn't get it to play back either.

I'd love to go to Chicago. Maybe we'll come there for a long weekend. :)

Slosh
06-17-2008, 11:47 PM
I'm here huckleberry, but I couldn't get playback after the dl...not even in the vaunted Monkey Machine.
It's in Apple Lossless, which I figured would be easier since most people use iTunes. It will play in MediaMonkey3 (but not MM2) if you have QuickTime installed.

Guess this is what happens when I try to dumb it down! :D

jasn
06-18-2008, 04:23 AM
Lot's 'o hours in the car yesterday with the iPod on shuffle. The standout was Jethro Tull: Baker Street Muse.

ForeverAutumn
06-18-2008, 04:49 AM
It's in Apple Lossless, which I figured would be easier since most people use iTunes. It will play in MediaMonkey3 (but not MM2) if you have QuickTime installed.

Guess this is what happens when I try to dumb it down! :D

Ahhhhhh. I'll try it again tonight. Thanks.

Mr MidFi
06-18-2008, 06:45 AM
Several excellent tunes for my ride in this fine morning. Among them, Joe Jackson “I’m the Man,” Death In Vegas “Girls,” Porky Tree “Synthesia,” Rush “The Camera Eye,” and EIEIO “Andy Warhol’s Dead (But I’m Not)”.

But today’s SDJ is “The Well & The Lighthouse” by Arcade Fire. It’s not their only song with overtly religious imagery and sentiment. In fact, this number could be marketed as Christian Contemporary. It’s a little allegory about being lured into the well of sin, being resurrected and living as a beacon for others. There really isn’t any hint of winking irony to it. Unless you consider it in the context of the rest of the album.

I used to be a church-going Christian. I sang in the choir for years. I would read the Bible regularly. I was a true believer. But those days are done for me. I won’t get into the whys and wherefors…not here, anyway. I’m just not a believer anymore.

And along the way, I married a nice agnostic girl, and we settled down and raised our own nice little agnostic girl. And we’re all happy as clams, to be perfectly honest. But sometimes, I really wish I could communicate to them how traditional Christian themes in music, art, literature, etc. still resonate with me. I sometimes feel like they are missing something essential in our culture. When we go traipsing about & admiring some dusty cathedral in Europe, I can’t help but feel that they aren’t “getting it” in the same way I am.

bobsticks
06-18-2008, 09:17 AM
But sometimes, I really wish I could communicate to them how traditional Christian themes in music, art, literature, etc. still resonate with me. I sometimes feel like they are missing something essential in our culture. When we go traipsing about & admiring some dusty cathedral in Europe, I can’t help but feel that they aren’t “getting it” in the same way I am.

The way you communicate it s by doing it as, thankfully, the music stands on it's own. In my own conversion away from the Cult of Man I was fortunate enough to not lose touch with some of those things. It's about separating the message fom the deliverer.I can still enjoy Spem in Alium or Berliner Messe and, of course, timing is everything. Shoot me a PM if you're really interested in hearing some stuff.

Mr MidFi
06-18-2008, 09:58 AM
It's about separating the message fom the deliverer.

Well, yes and no. When you separate the message from the messenger, I think a certain quality of contextual flavor is lost in translation. This would be especially true of cultural touchstones that arise from a messianic religious tradition.

But hey, I’m not going to make a big deal over this. My wife, who was born and raised in Arizona, probably feels the same way about my capacity to fully appreciate native & western motifs (for all I know).

bobsticks
06-18-2008, 10:41 AM
Well, yes and no. When you separate the message from the messenger, I think a certain quality of contextual flavor is lost in translation. This would be especially true of cultural touchstones that arise from a messianic religious tradition

Micro versus macro, and perhaps I didn't phrase myself well. I think you can separate the message from the current corps of drum-beating religious hacks and hate-mongers by appreciating the touchstones, to borrow your word, of the past. I'd much rather look to Thomas Tallis and William Byrd and Arvo Part than anyone walking the earth today.

Mr MidFi
06-19-2008, 06:19 AM
As soon as I pulled away from the driveway on this gorgeous June morning, John Lennon’s “Power To the People” came bursting from the speakers. And, seeing as I touched on religion yesterday, I thought I might as well grab one of the other famous “third rails” of polite conversation and see how far it takes me.

So…Politics. American-style politics. It’s an election year, and one of the more interesting ones in recent memory. And it occurs to me that Lennon’s venerable sing-along populist anthem would make a decent campaign theme song for Barack Obama. It’s got that hooky chorus, a positive overall musical vibe, that gospel-ly sounding opening and a lyrical theme that resonates well with the candidate’s message. And most importantly, it’s about us and not about him. He needs to stay on-message with that theme, and so far he’s done a good job of it. But then again…it probably wouldn’t work. Too closely associated with 60s/70s radicalism, and that doesn’t “play Peoria” well. Plus, Yoko prolly wouldn’t sell the rights anyway.

I have to tell you, I like this Obama guy. It’s true, his resume isn’t very long…and that’s a serious liability. Plus, he’s a person of color with a terrorist-sounding name (which automatically puts him in a position of disadvantage in certain areas of the U.S.). But I can’t help liking him as a candidate anyway. He gets it. The political well in Washington has been poisoned by bitter partisanship for too long. No one is working together, and nothing good is getting done. We need greater transparency and greater accountability from the Executive branch of our government. We need vision, sound judgment and positive leadership from our chief executive.

Arg! I’ve stepped in it now. Freakin’ politics, man. I promise to bring up sex next time.

bobsticks
06-19-2008, 06:39 AM
And most importantly, it’s about us and not about him. He needs to stay on-message with that theme....

For his own sake, yes he does.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DXQ5K834L._SL500_AA240_.jpg

bobsticks
06-19-2008, 06:43 AM
BTW, Mr. M., I got a chance to briefly skim yer site. Looks like y'all have had some fantastic travels.

ForeverAutumn
06-19-2008, 07:14 AM
Magic Power by Triumph is my SDJ. This song describes my life. No matter how bad life gets, music is my solace.

Rik Emmett still likes to play this song when he performs, and he tells a story of his childhood that inspired this song. A pivotal moment in his life when his mother bought him a little transistor radio that he would listen to all the time...crawling into bed and pulling the covers over his head and putting the little earphone in his ear to listen when he was supposed to be sleeping.

From the first time that I heard this song, way back in Jr. High, I've loved the way that the lyrics capture that everlasting love for music.


BTW, Mr. MidFi, I'm staying out of the religion and politics talks but when you get to the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll talk, count me in. ;)

Mr MidFi
06-19-2008, 07:43 AM
BTW, Mr. M., I got a chance to briefly skim yer site. Looks like y'all have had some fantastic travels.

Thanks, Bob. Yeah, we really have. Traveling is a really big deal to us; as big as music. Right now, I'm planning a trip to Bangkok for our 20th anniversary.

Mr MidFi
06-19-2008, 07:52 AM
No matter how bad life gets, music is my solace.

Yep. Amen to that. Music makes the bad times bearable, and the good times that much better. It adds zest when life is bland, and freshness when life grows stale.

NP: "Static/Diamond Bollocks" by Beck.

Ex Lion Tamer
06-19-2008, 10:13 AM
A Good Man is Easy to Kill Beulah; Damn I just love this song it is just such perfectly crafted pop music, from the bada bupbub badadas to the lovely string arrangements, to the flute and horns and the impossibly catchy riff - just a great way to start any day. (It was between this song and I Can't Escape Myself by The Sound which is a brooding, intense ode to manic depression - two more dissimilar songs I'd have trouble imagining - and yet, I love them both.

Slosh
06-19-2008, 12:55 PM
No one is working together, and nothing good is getting done.And this is bad why? The less the government does the better, IMO (and I'm most definitely not a conservative FWIW).

bobsticks
06-19-2008, 12:57 PM
And this is bad why? The less the government does the better, IMO (and I'm most definitely not a conservative FWIW).

anarchist?

Slosh
06-19-2008, 01:23 PM
anarchist?anarchrist :D

Mr MidFi
06-19-2008, 01:26 PM
anachronism?

Van Occupanther
06-19-2008, 10:57 PM
I am listening to Calexico Feast Of Wire this morning. Very good from these guys. I like also like In The Reins as well. But this morning, it will be Feast Of Wire.

Is this kind of music popular every where in the US or is it just popular near US/Mexico border?

bobsticks
06-20-2008, 01:35 AM
Is this kind of music popular every where in the US or is it just popular near US/Mexico border?


Oh, it curries favor at points north as well and thanks for the idea.

Mr MidFi
06-20-2008, 06:41 AM
OK, I promised some SEX today, after the religion and politics. And I wasn’t too sure how I was going to pull that off, while remaining true to the spirit of the thread. But not to worry…the very first song I heard this morning was “She Moves On” by Paul Simon, from his remarkable Rhythm of the Saints disc. The sensual melody of this song glides smoothly over your skin and wraps itself around a sultry samba beat, while the Brazilian percussion goes straight to your pleasure centers and rocks your body, like dancing with a half-naked stranger at Carnivale.

She can't sleep now
The moon is red
She fights a fever
She burns in bed
She needs to talk so
We take a walk
Down in the moonlight

Mmmmm…good stuff. OK, can you tell my wife’s been out of town for a week?

BTW, for my money, ROTS is the best solo album that Paul Simon ever put out (although his first release deserves an honorable mention here). Graceland got all the love from the press and the fans, but it never quite clicked with me. It always sounded more like a series of gee-wiz stylistic experiments than a cohesive album to me. ROTS is a more complete statement to me, and a thoroughly enjoyable listen from start to finish.

So, boys and girls…who wants to talk about sex? And music? Sex and music: two great tastes that taste great together!

3-LockBox
06-20-2008, 08:12 AM
the very first song I heard this morning was “She Moves On” by Paul Simon, from his remarkable Rhythm of the Saints disc

I've always meant to check that album out, but never did. I remember the couple of songs that got airplay, but it came out just before the grunge explosion. I should hunt down a copy.

I actually thought Heart And Bones was a decent album, but I don't think I ever heard anything on the radio and I don't think it even gets represented on his comps.

Mr MidFi
06-20-2008, 10:15 AM
I actually thought Heart And Bones was a decent album, but I don't think I ever heard anything on the radio and I don't think it even gets represented on his comps.

My old college roommate used to play that one a lot. The Negotiations & Love Songs compilation includes the title track plus "Rene & Georgia Magritte with Their Dog After the War". Both are lovely songs.

Mr MidFi
06-25-2008, 06:06 AM
Good morning! Today’s SDJ is a song I hadn’t heard in a long while…a classic Chuck Berry-style number by the Rolling Stones from their Goat’s Head Soup album. The track is listed as “Star Star” on the cover, but every Stones fan I know calls it “The Star-F@*&er Song”. It’s a jaunty, steady-rocking and vulgar little ditty about a lively young lady who likes to have intimate relations with celebrities. It’s a fun song that reminds me of my favorite physical activity.

Well, make that my second-favorite. I’m talking about my love of good, long walks. This is a great song to walk to. I know there are a number you Rave Reckers who work out regularly, and some of you run. Finchy likes his mountain bikes (OK, “likes” is the wrong word). But are there any devoted walkers out there? Just curious.

It’s the perfect exercise, one that relaxes and refreshes the mind while invigorating the body. The human form evolved over a period of 2 or 3 million years into a design that’s built for traveling long distances in an upright posture, on its hind legs. This activity simply HAS to be good for you. And it is! The only problem is, it takes time to do it right. Even at a steady 4 mph clip, you need a good 2.5 hours to cover 10 miles. But when the weather’s right and the tunes are good, and the trails/paths are relatively clear…it’s one great way to spend an afternoon.

And for the record: the best song to power-walk to is “Mystery Achievement” from The Pretenders’ s/t debut disc. So sez I.

bobsticks
06-25-2008, 06:18 AM
Yesterday I was a golfer and the hour and a half ride into the countryside necessitated albums du jour. Rolling through the small villages of Indiana I couldn't help but be reminded of the small towns on the Lake up north, sans water of course, but the little stops with five-and-dimes and soda shoppes completed the picture. VanMorrison's Pay The Devil's makeshift country tones seemed to be the most appropriate thing in the car...windows down, pedal steel, and a hot wind...Americana all the way.

Coming home, the very same off/on ramps that I used were shut down for constrution, although as typical in this state I never saw any construction workers. Traveling through the outlying suburban areas and through the Westside's "Lee-tle Meh-hee-co" the first half of JC's comp made the scene but soon gave way to Blackstrobe's Burn Your Own Church, synth bass funkin' it up and capturing the city vibe...heat rising from the pavements, conventioneers lining the streets, smokestacks and foundries with the Lucas Oil Fieldhouse in the distance.

Sorry there was no sex in this one. There was a hotty beercart girl but I like to keep my lechery separated from my charity evnts.

http://bluestormmusic.com/store/images/van-morrison_pay-the-devil.jpghttp://qs1435.pair.com/urbanout/blog/images/uploads/black_strobe.jpg

Mr MidFi
06-25-2008, 07:53 AM
One man's lechery is another man's charity. I'm not sure I know what that means, but I think I like the sound of it.

NP: "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Dylan

Mr MidFi
06-26-2008, 06:43 AM
It’s official. I’m now 6 spins in, and the new MMJ sucks like a Royal Dirt Devil. There are some discs that just make you go “meh, it just doesn’t work for me.” Evil Urges isn’t one of those. No, this is a disc that makes you sit up, stare wide-eyed in astonishment and say “Wow! This really does suck!”

Too bad…This band had everything going for it. Z was one of my top 5 releases in 2006. Last year’s live set, Okonokos, was a solid, career-spanning effort with some brilliant moments. One of those moments, in fact, is this morning’s SDJ.

“Golden” is a simple, bittersweet acoustic/country number that taps into the road-weary melancholy that’s been a staple of American music for decades (e.g. Running On Empty, New Adventures in Hi-Fi).


Watchin' a stretch of road, miles of light explode
Driftin' off a thing i'd never done before
Watchin' a crowd roll in
Out go the lights, it begins
A feelin' in my bones I never felt before
And people always told me that bars are dark and lonely
And talk is often cheap and filled with air…

The gorgeous, sad and lonely two-part harmonies suck you in and make you a willing participant in the wistful solitude of standing alone in a crowded room. But then, the song turns a corner and brings us home again…


Feelin' you are here again, hot on my skin again
Feeling good a thing I'd never known before
What does it mean to feel?
Millions of dreams come real
A feelin' in my soul I'd never felt before…
And you always told me,
No matter how long it holds me
If it falls apart or makes us millionaires
You'll be right here forever
We'll go thru this thing together
And on heaven's golden shore we'll lay our heads

What a thing it is to make a permanent, lifelong commitment to another person. What an amazing thing it is to have someone make such a commitment to you, as well. For better or for worse, in sickness and in health. And what an empty feeling it is to be without her.

nobody
06-26-2008, 06:58 AM
I heard Bo Diddley Was A Gunslinger on the way to work this morning.

Does anyone else in the history of music sing his own name as often as Bo Diddley?

bobsticks
06-26-2008, 03:59 PM
I heard Bo Diddley Was A Gunslinger on the way to work this morning.

Does anyone else in the history of music sing his own name as often as Bo Diddley?

Snoop D-O-double-G and Kid Rock...also it is said that in later years the lead singer of The Vapors took to referring to himself in third person leading to cries of "David Fenton is Turning Japanese" in seedy bars all over the North American continent.

Mr MidFi
07-02-2008, 05:44 AM
“Sulky Girl” by Robert Palmer, “Twist in My Sobriety” by Tanita Tickeram, “La Villa Stragiato” by Rush and “The Naming of Things” by Andrew Bird were all enjoyable bits o’ tunage on my ride in this morning, but my SDJ today is “Pot Kettle Black” by Wilco.

I don’t know this for a fact, but after seeing their video documentary, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” I’ve got the very clear impression that this song is about Jeff Tweedy parting company with longtime collaborator Jay Bennett.


It’s become so obvious
You are so oblivious to yourself…

Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m right about this. And the chorus reaffirms this impression:

Tied in a knot
But I’m not gonna get caught
Caught in a pot-kettle-black
Every song is a come-back
Every moment’s a little bit later

He doesn’t want to waste another minute of his life butting heads with another control-freak (no! you’re the control freak! No, man, YOU are!). And you can definitely see this on the screen…rent the DVD if you haven’t seen it.

It’s not the first moment of emotional honesty between these two to appear in their lyrics, either. Back on their second disc, Being There, you get this odd bit of interaction on “Misunderstood”:

Take the guitar player for a ride
Cuz he ain’t never been satisfied
Thinks he owes you some kind of debt
Be years before he gets over it

Out of emotional turmoil often comes the most starkly brilliant and emotionally honest musical moments. This is one of my favorite Wilco songs, and always glad to hear it. This morning, particularly.

Slosh
07-02-2008, 12:33 PM
Could be about Jay Farrar too, although I'd expect him to be over that years ago by now (maybe his wife doesn't let him forget).

Mr MidFi
07-02-2008, 01:11 PM
Could be about Jay Farrar too, although I'd expect him to be over that years ago by now (maybe his wife doesn't let him forget).

Yeah, I'd expect he moved past that split a long, long while before. But yeah, what is it with Jeff and songwriter/guitarists named Jay?

I'm looking forward to seeing them again, headlining day #2 at Lollapalooza this August. Hope the weather cooperates.

Mr MidFi
07-03-2008, 06:09 AM
The genii who lives in my iPod is a wise old soul. He knows it’s the day before Independence Day in the USA, and he knows I’m feeling the country-love today. So first off, I get “American Music” by the Violent Femmes (live, from the Viva Wisconsin disc), then The Black Keys covering Dylan’s “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?” from that awesome I’m Not There soundtrack. That’s followed by Bright Eyes playing a twisted little bit of Americana, “Traveling Song” and, finally, Pearl Jam playing “Corduroy” from their outstanding Rearview Mirror retrospective.

Like I said, I’m feeling the old patriotism. When my great-grandfather, a penniless coal miner, arrived on Ellis Island with his wife (who was pregnant w/ my grandfather), his fondest hope was probably that his unborn son would one day have a horse of his own. Instead, Thomas Stirling became a college graduate, a teacher, an athlete, a coach, a high school principal, a school administrator, and finally an artist. When he died at age 90, over 500 showed up for his funeral. Delivering the eulogy that day was the hardest thing I’ve ever done (and, arguably, the best piece of copy I ever wrote).

Anyway, Grampa was a thinking man's patriot. And he made sure I grew up one, too.

I don’t wave flags; that’s not my style. And I sure as hell don’t wear a flag lapel pin. And I don’t have that infantile nationalistic fervor that some folks love to display. Al Franken was dead-on when he said that those people love their country like a child loves his mommy…she’s perfect, she’s always right, she’s always virtuous, and YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH! I love her like a man loves a good woman. She has her faults, and she just pisses me off sometimes…but she’s so beautiful and her soul is so sweet that I can’t help but fall in love with her over and over again.

Anyone else feeling that way? Canadians, Aussies and Brits feel free to chime in…I’d feel awfully proud to be from there, too.

Luvin Da Blues
07-03-2008, 05:19 PM
Anyone else feeling that way? Canadians, Aussies and Brits feel free to chime in…I’d feel awfully proud to be from there, too.

I'm sure your Grandpa was as proud of you as you are of him.:)

Us Canucks may be a passive bunch but we're for the most part pretty proud to be a Canadian, I know I am. (Insert a comment from any Rich Texan :sleep: )

Cheers my southern brother.

To all 'mericans, ya'll have fun with your July 4 celebrations.:cornut:

ForeverAutumn
07-04-2008, 04:38 AM
I'm sure your Grandpa was as proud of you as you are of him.:)

Us Canucks may be a passive bunch but we're for the most part pretty proud to be a Canadian, I know I am. (Insert a comment from any Rich Texan :sleep: )

Cheers my southern brother.

To all 'mericans, ya'll have fun with your July 4 celebrations.:cornut:

I'll agree to all of that. I may not have been carrying a flag on Tuesday (Canada Day for my yankee bros who weren't aware), but I did wear red and white.

I was recently speaking to a collegue of mine who grew up in the Congo and escaped with her family during the civil war there. The story of her escape was a terrifying one and just drove home, even deeper, how lucky we are to be in the countries that we are in.

Mr MidFi
07-08-2008, 06:18 AM
I’m becoming increasingly convinced that the algorithms that drive iTunes’ shuffle function are predisposed to playing nostalgic tunes during AM drivetime hours. This morning’s commute took me back to my halcyon days as a record store employee in suburban Atlanta, circa 1980 or so. Those were some of the best times of my life, and some of the worst.

“While You See a Chance” by Steve Winwood was followed by the title track to U2’s October disc. A couple tracks later came “Towers of London” by XTC. And, finally, our SDJ: “Excitable Boy” from Warren Zevon’s live Stand in the Fire set. I felt like a pimply-faced teen again.

To call “Excitable Boy” twisted or even darkly comedic is to do violence to the language. It is sick, pitch-black humor with a side order of pitch-perfect social commentary. And the live version doesn’t tone it down a bit; indeed WZ set his sarcasm-blasters to STUN before belting this one out. But that didn’t stop me from playing it every single shift I worked for at least a year. I’ll never forget the look on the face of an outraged customer who couldn’t believe what she’d just heard blaring from the store’s sound system.

“He raped her and he killed her…then he took her home? What the…” she stammered in disbelief. This was not your typical priggish church-lady, by the way. She was more like your archetypal brassy southern woman, several years past her prime and wearing too much makeup. Think Tipper Gore. After she’d expressed her displeasure, I told her I’d be happy to skip to the next song. Which I did. No problem.

But…she wouldn’t let it go. She followed me over to the turntable and asked me whether I thought such a song was “appropriate” for play in a “family business”. I merely replied that the album was on our promo playlist, which it was. But still, she wouldn’t let it go. She dwelt on the word “appropriate” again, savoring on her tongue before flinging it at my face.

“Madam, this is Turtles. We sell records and tapes. We aren’t in the propriety business.”

She left, of course, in a huff before I could add that the Hallmark Store was across the street. I fully expected to get in Serious Trouble from this incident, but nothing ever came of it.

bobsticks
07-17-2008, 07:18 PM
I had a bit of a compelling moment this morn on the commute. Driving the highways and biways of my adopted midwestern home would normally evoke feelings of Americana but today, with an oppresive mist floating over the fields as I passed the Ronald Reagan Parkway, I tuned in and out to the Big Blue Ball.

I've mentioned this one before in passing but it's rather growing on me. I've gone on record as describing this as an "African rhythm-based" work, but it's easily more ephemeral than the average World Beat disc. With Peter Gabriel as a chief contributor I've taken to calling it Biko:The Album. It's also worth noting that Sinead O'Connor makes an appearance as well as Natacha Atlas (see Audiobill thread).

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SJ65Hit4L._SL500_AA240_.jpg

I also spent some time with John Vanderslice who, sadly, sounds better in my car than on the big rig.

Mr MidFi
07-18-2008, 06:24 AM
Unfortunately for me, I've been too busy this week to make much of a contribution to the general upkeep of this thread...so muchas gracias to 'sticks for throwing his Big Blue Ball into the mix. I will have to check it out.

I myself was raging down the Reagan Tollway this morning with a motley assortment of classic rawk, indie hipster BS and a classic old Stevie Wonder tune (Front Line). But it's a fun little number from Beck's new disc (Modern Guilt) that makes it as today's SDJ..."Gamma Ray".

I haven't heard much buzz about this one around here, and the reviews I've read elsewhere have been decidedly mixed. Most of them dwell on Modern Guilt being a "collaboration" with producer Danger Mouse. But this really sounds like a Beck album to me...period. It's not necessarily equal to his very, very best work, but I'm liking it.

While "Gamma Ray" is a radio-active burst of retro-cosmic energy, most of the disc takes on a fairly somber and serious lyrical flavor. Sonically, it sounds kinda similar to Guero (or a toned-down Odelay)...but the lyrics are more in the direction of Sea Change. Except, instead of wailing about a failed relationship, he now seems more than a little distressed about society going to hell in a handbasket.

At 34 minutes, Modern Guilt doesn't stay past its welcome, either. So there's my 2 cents worth. YMMV.

Mr MidFi
07-22-2008, 06:23 AM
Comedian Steve Martin once did a bit about how old-timey banjo music, like they used to play at Shaky’s Pizza, is impossible to resist. You can be in the most pissed-off mood of your life, but once you hear that banjo you’re like, “oh, I’m OK now…Much better now…I’m sorry.”

Thankfully, this post has nothing whatsoever to do with banjo music. But it does have everything to do with the music that is a guaranteed smile…no matter what your mood is. Which brings us to the Song Du Jour for my morning commute: “Lookin’ For a Love” by the J. Geils Band, from their classic Live Full House album (1973, I think). This entire disc is everything that a good live album should be. It’s fun, energetic, spontaneous, rollicking…and brief. And this song closes it out on a decidedly “up” note.

I actually feel sorry for people who’ve never heard this album before. It’s that fun.

So…what’s your go-to disc when you absolutely, positively need a shot of happy?

ForeverAutumn
07-22-2008, 07:05 AM
What a timely post...we were discussing the J. Geils Band at dinner last night!

What people listen to when they need a shot of happy deserves it's own thread, I think. I like to turn to a couple of guilty pleasures...two 80's hair bands...Poison and Def Leppard. Or if I'm feeling a little more punk I'll pull out some early Green Day.

Mr MidFi
07-23-2008, 06:22 AM
“Let the Sirens Rest” by Now It’s Overhead is today’s SDJ. I have Mr. Jim Clark to thank for turning me on to this splendid (if obscure) band and their very listenable release from a couple years ago, Dark Light Daybreak. This is a great, hypnotically moody song that’s ostensibly about moving away from the constant tension of the big city to a more relaxing life elsewhere…but could also be about ratcheting down our collective angst in the post-9/11 world.


You're feeling caught in a trap
worrying all of the day
always a storm building up for rain

That’s how the song, and the album, start off…with a palpable sense claustrophobic doom. But then…


and your head opens up
when you finally say
you won't go back where you came from
no way
from poison fear erosion
just washing you away
from loud to quiet
rest your eyes
it's time to let the sirens die off
time to let the sirens
rest your eyes

It’s a good song, and an album worth looking into (if you haven’t already). FA, I think you might like it too. Although I could be wrong.

ForeverAutumn
08-01-2008, 05:20 AM
I'm not sure where Mr. MidFi's been lately, but I'll give this thread a bump this morning to talk about my song du jour.

It's an oldie that some may consider classic rock and pooh pooh, but I have to say that it's one of my all time favourite songs. Its the kind of song that, when it comes on, I just have to pump up the volume and put the pedal to the metal (if I'm in the car that is). It can bring up my mood from the foulest of foul to the happiest of happy. I just love listening to this song. The song is...

Manfred Mann's version of Blinded by the Light.

Freakin' great song!!!

Slosh
08-01-2008, 07:56 AM
I'm not sure where Mr. MidFi's been lately, but I'll give this thread a bump this morning to talk about my song du jour.

It's an oldie that some may consider classic rock and pooh pooh, but I have to say that it's one of my all time favourite songs. Its the kind of song that, when it comes on, I just have to pump up the volume and put the pedal to the metal (if I'm in the car that is). It can bring up my mood from the foulest of foul to the happiest of happy. I just love listening to this song. The song is...

Manfred Mann's version of Blinded by the Light.

Freakin' great song!!!TMI :p

NP:

bobsticks
08-01-2008, 08:54 AM
I'm not sure where Mr. MidFi's been lately, but I'll give this thread a bump this morning to talk about my song du jour.

It's an oldie that some may consider classic rock and pooh pooh, but I have to say that it's one of my all time favourite songs. Its the kind of song that, when it comes on, I just have to pump up the volume and put the pedal to the metal (if I'm in the car that is). It can bring up my mood from the foulest of foul to the happiest of happy. I just love listening to this song. The song is...

Manfred Mann's version of Blinded by the Light.

Freakin' great song!!!


"Wrapped up in a..." what?!

Mr MidFi
08-01-2008, 11:28 AM
Revved up like a deuce. That's car-talk, son, dontcha know...

I'm sorry that I've allowed this thread to slip below the radar. My bad. But there's been a lot of work to do, and the boss has been hovering a little more than usual lately.

This morning, I had a marvelous time with the opening track, "Mahalis," from David Gilmour's first solo album. I had this one on vinyl when it first came out 30 years ago, but I hadn't heard it in about 20 years until I picked it up on CD last weekend. I forgot how much I liked this. Hell, I don't think I liked it this much even back in the day.

After all the increasingly BIG and "important" Pink Floyd releases in the 70s, and just before their GINORMOUS statement with The Wall, Gilmour put out this small, interesting, well-crafted little album with a couple of old buddies on bass and drums. It's a very comfortable album, and I'm glad to have it once again. And, it's a better recording than I remembered. Which is nice.

My musical weekend will revolve around Lollapalooza. I'm streaming the show live right now at work (NP: Yeasayer), but I'm really looking forward to seeing the Wilco headliner show live and in-person tomorrow night.

Here's the Saturday schedule: http://www.lollapalooza.com/schedule2008/day2.asp

Here's the live stream: http://attblueroom.com/music/Lollapalooza-Music-Festival/live-webcast.php

Mr MidFi
08-07-2008, 05:58 AM
“Dreamed about killing you again last night,
And it felt all right to me…”

This morning’s ride started out with this tasty, soulful homage to the Great City by the Great Lake, “Via Chicago” by Wilco from their live set, Kicking Television. What a great song, and what a great live album. And what a great band to experience live, especially in their adopted home of Chicago. Especially in front of 30,000 adoring fans.

And…what a perfect opportunity to segue into a brief bit on what I did this past weekend. Namely, attending Lollapalooza on Saturday. What an awesome day it was, too. Perfect weather (about 80 for a high, light breezes off the lake, beautiful blue skies), great music, affordable(!) beer and wine, and lots of cool people.

Most of these multi-day, multi-stage extravaganza (like SXSW, Bonneroo, Coachella, etc.) are held out in an open field in the middle of freakin’ nowhere. Lolla takes place in the middle of gorgeous Grant Park by the lakefront in downtown Chicago. There are tons of mass transit options and plenty of other things to see and do nearby. And if the direct sunlight gets too much for you, there are some great smaller stages set up in shady wooded areas…where the mood is decidedly more “chill”.

And it’s a great opportunity to see new bands you’ve never seen before, or even heard of before. I enjoyed the Ting-Tings (bouncy UK pop duo), Dr. Dog (decent jammy rock with 3-part vocal harmonies), Innerparty System (steady groovin’), Steel Train (sorta Arcade Fire meets Vampire Weekend meets Jet; youthful and clearly enjoying themselves), Explosions in the Sky (I don’t remember…too much wine), Okkervil River (ditto, unfortunately), Broken Social Scene (good set, but not fabulous), and Wilco (awesome! Came out wearing flashy, colorful Porter Wagner-style C&W suits).

Had a chance to meet up with sometime Rave Recker thereyet , who I know better from my travel community (Fodors Travel Talk forums). Enjoyed much of the day hanging with him, his brother and his 17-year-old son. Good folks, one and all. And a fine, fine day spent.

Hyfi
08-07-2008, 06:53 AM
King Crimson Red from '74 was the spin of the morning. Great tunes that held up over time and were way ahead of their time.

Ex Lion Tamer
08-07-2008, 09:07 AM
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Osheaga_Saturday_2006-09-
“Dreamed about killing you again last night,
And it felt all right to me…”

This morning’s ride started out with this tasty, soulful homage to the Great City by the Great Lake, “Via Chicago” by Wilco from their live set, Kicking Television. What a great song, and what a great live album. And what a great band to experience live, especially in their adopted home of Chicago. Especially in front of 30,000 adoring fans.

And…what a perfect opportunity to segue into a brief bit on what I did this past weekend. Namely, attending Lollapalooza on Saturday. What an awesome day it was, too. Perfect weather (about 80 for a high, light breezes off the lake, beautiful blue skies), great music, affordable(!) beer and wine, and lots of cool people.

Most of these multi-day, multi-stage extravaganza (like SXSW, Bonneroo, Coachella, etc.) are held out in an open field in the middle of freakin’ nowhere. Lolla takes place in the middle of gorgeous Grant Park by the lakefront in downtown Chicago. There are tons of mass transit options and plenty of other things to see and do nearby. And if the direct sunlight gets too much for you, there are some great smaller stages set up in shady wooded areas…where the mood is decidedly more “chill”.

And it’s a great opportunity to see new bands you’ve never seen before, or even heard of before. I enjoyed the Ting-Tings (bouncy UK pop duo), Dr. Dog (decent jammy rock with 3-part vocal harmonies), Innerparty System (steady groovin’), Steel Train (sorta Arcade Fire meets Vampire Weekend meets Jet; youthful and clearly enjoying themselves), Explosions in the Sky (I don’t remember…too much wine), Okkervil River (ditto, unfortunately), Broken Social Scene (good set, but not fabulous), and Wilco (awesome! Came out wearing flashy, colorful Porter Wagner-style C&W suits).

Had a chance to meet up with sometime Rave Recker thereyet , who I know better from my travel community (Fodors Travel Talk forums). Enjoyed much of the day hanging with him, his brother and his 17-year-old son. Good folks, one and all. And a fine, fine day spent.

It sounds a lot like the site for the Osheaga festival here in Montreal; which is located in Ile Ste Helene, the same site which has the track that hosts Montreal's F1 race every year, (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve). Literally a stone's throw from downtown Montreal on an island in the St. Lawrence River. There's direct subway (Metro) access (actually there is very little parking near the site), and lots to do and see just a subway stop away.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Osheaga_Saturday_2006-09-02_Afternoon.JPG/800px-Osheaga_Saturday_2006-09-02_Afternoon.JPG

Unfortyunately, I was not thrilled with the direction the festival has taken this year with mainstream acts like Jack Johnson and the Killers and Duffy pushing aside, though not completely, the lesser known acts. Still I would have enjoyed seeing - if the weather in MTL this year hadn't been so awful - The Kills, Broken Social Scene, Rogue Wave, The Weakerthans, Gogol Bordello, The Black Keys, Devotchka, Luke Doucet, Cat Power and others.

Radiohead was at the same venue last night, I really wanted to go but the weather kept me away.

These festivals are nice and all and good bang for the buck - but I'd rather see a band in just about any indoor venue.

Mr MidFi
08-13-2008, 05:50 AM
So, what happens when you take an arty shoe-gazer band and have them cover a light pop classic by the Beach Boys? At first, that question might sound like the start to a hideously bad joke...but only if you are unfamiliar with this morning's Song du Jour: "Little Honda" by Yo La Tengo. An electric burst of energy from their classic disc, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One, this little ditty just insists on burrowing its way into your cerebral cortex like a blunt and distorted sonic pick-ax. Which is not necessarily the right thing for everyone at 7:45 am. But I'm not everyone. Me likey.

Worth noting that the following song, "I Can't Stand It Anymore" by the Velvet Underground, makes a nice 1 - 2 combo punch with Little Honda. Which sounds like a new thread topic...or possibly even an old one. Have we done that before?

Mr MidFi
08-19-2008, 06:17 AM
So I went to Lollapalooza a couple of weeks ago, had a blast, and (as I’ve mentioned before) got myself horrendously “overserved”. So when I came home afterward, I apparently emptied my pockets on the kitchen table before I went to bed. And a few days later, my teenage daughter found a wadded-up coupon good for 25 free downloads from Lolla artists…which she promptly used, without my knowledge. Honestly, I don’t even know where or when I got that coupon in the first place.

So when I received the rather lengthy zero-balance invoice via email, I asked her what was up, got the scoop, and insisted that she burn me a disc. Only 22 tracks fit, but that was OK by me. And then I promptly forgot about my new disc, and didn’t play it until this morning.

Ohmyfreakingod, this is some good stuff. Some of it great stuff. Especially today’s SDJ, a straight-forward rock song by The Whigs called “Right Hand on my Heart”. Nothing fancy, nothing too challenging here…just a terrific rock song. Got 99 cents in your pocket? Go ahead and download it right now. I’ll reimburse you if it sucks.

Unfortunately, none of the track info burned onto the disc, so I have no earthly clue who or what I’m listening to on any given track. (I googled some of the lyrics to discover the Whigs track info.) But I intend to learn more as soon as I can. And I’m definitely checking out the rest of that Whigs disc.

bobsticks
09-24-2008, 02:19 PM
So I've been enjoying Noddy's FLAC Funk dealio alot lately but I've got a bit of a summer drive compy myself...makes the commute through the countryside very nice.

Song du jour? Take your pick...

1) Rhonda Vincent~Midnight Angel
2) Hayward Williams~Who's It Gonna Be?
3) Willie Nile~The Beautiful Wreck Of The World
4) Okkervil River~The Latest Toughs
5) Bob Dylan~Simple Twist of Fate
6) The National~Fake Empires
7) Calexico~Two Silver Trees
8) Mike Ness~Cheating At Solitaire
9) The Dreamers~Picadilly Night Bus
10) Songs:Ohia~Blue Factory Flame
11) Nick Cave~Jesus Of The Moon
12) Sixteen Horsepower~Outlaw Song
13) Faith & Disease~Bury Me Deep
14) Eddie's Ragga~Spoon
15) Calexico/Iron&Wine~He Lays In The Reins
16) Amos Lee~Street Corner Preacher
17) Sparklehorse~Sea of Teeth
18) Jim Hall Quartet~All Across The City

Mr MidFi
09-25-2008, 05:44 AM
That's a nice-looking comp there, 'sticks. It's funny...I haven't thought about this thread in forever. But this morning (just about 30 minutes ago, in fact) I was so very digging one particular track that I thought I should at least say something about it. And it wouldn't necessarily feel out of place on yer playlist there, son.

"I Can't Let Go" by Lucinda Williams, from her Car Wheels on a Gravel Road disc, is an instant groovy smile for me every time I hear it. I can't help but think, wouldn't it be awesome to be kicking back on some big back porch on a warm Indian-summer night with some good friends, cold beer and scattering of old guitars and makeshift percussion, jamming along with this one? I mean, instead of driving through a construction zone into a glaring, on my way to yet another day's work. That was what I was thinking this morning, anyway.

Anyone reading this post...if you have this one handy, go put it on. Go ahead, right now. You feelin' me? I'm right about this.

bobsticks
12-21-2008, 08:22 PM
Another road comp, similar to the first but more "in the pocket", as it were. This one saw me through the last road trip and still hasn't been more than momentarily dislodged from its home in the moon buggy...

Government Mule ~ "Child of teh Earth"
Alejandro Escovedo ~ "Sister Lost Soul"
Amos Lee ~ "Jails and Bombs"
Otis Gibbs ~ "Murder at the Read House"
Over the Rhine ~ "Jesus in New Orleans
Po' Girl ~ Prairie Girl Game"
Ray LaMontagne ~ "Hannah"
Spoon ~ "My Little Japanes Cigarette Case"
Wovenhand ~ "To make A Ring"
Neko Case ~ "Lion's Jaws"
Justin Townes Earle ~ "Lonesome and You"
Tiny Vipers ~ "Shipwreck"
Willie Nile ~ "On the Road to Calvery"
The Pogues ~ "Rainy Night in Soho"
Bryan Ferry ~ "Gemini Moon"
Dire Straits ~ "Brothers in Arms"

Mr MidFi
03-11-2011, 07:27 AM
I thought it might be time to resurrect this old thread, just for sh!ts & giggles. Why not?

Some fine tunage in the car this lovely (but chilly) morning, including a fun little romp called "Broadway" from Green Day side-project, The Foxboro Hot Tubs. Plus, an interesting folk number from a band called First Aid Kit, and I have no earthly idea how it got on my iPod. But today's Song du Jour comes from none other than Bob Dylan, playing "Jokerman" from his excellent and oft-overlooked Infidels disc.

There's a lot to like about "Jokerman," starting with Sly & Robbie and ending with Mark Knopfler. It's got a nice, sparse arrangement that gives every note a little room to breathe. And the melody and heavily allegorical lyrics provide an optimal showcase for Dylan's rough and idiosyncratic voice.

But here's the thing. Back in my younger days, my attitude toward BD was "meh, his music is overrated, but he's such a brilliant lyricist and poet... and a deep thinker." My attitude today is pretty much the opposite. I've come to really respect his songwriting, even as my regard for his lyrics (and his thinking) have waned.

One of Bob's most-quoted lines is "He not busy being born is busy dying." And when I was younger, I thought that statement was pretty profound. But the older I get, the less respect I have for this "fallacy of the binary". It's a common trap for outspoken personalities and active minds who are starved for the nourishment of a proper education. "You're either with us or you're against us" is another good example of such a fallacy. The truth is, there is a vast stretch of most lives that has little to do with being born or lurching toward death (even in the most abstract sense). In fact, I would argue that one of the primary goals in structuring one's life should be to try and maximize the span of this middle-period of fully functional adulthood.

But I digress. Jokerman's lyrics are an unwieldy mess, from start to finish. The allegorical biblical references are a mismatched grab-bag, and the overall message (ostensibly, an anti-Reagan screed) is nowhere near clear enough to work as polemic... and might be too dated to care about even if it was comprehensible. But taken solely as songcraft, it still stands the test of time.

bobsticks
03-11-2011, 10:44 AM
Great thread ressurection...Greenies for you!!

--sticks

Mr MidFi
03-18-2011, 06:07 AM
Another interesting, if eclectic, musical commute this fine Friday morn. Elvis Costello's "Lovers Walk" from Trust, "Aberdeen" from Cage the Elephant, and "Duke's Travels" by Genesis were among the offerings from the Shuffle gods, but today's Song du Jour is a little-known west-coast fusion number called "Wooed But Not Wed" off the s/t debut from Kittyhawk.

I am not a big jazz fan, but for whatever reason this album grabbed me by the lapels 30 years ago. I've had it on a beat-up cassette since then, but was never able to find it on CD. I scoured the internet for it once, about 5 years ago, to no avail. The title was long out of print, and the group was kaput for so long that another band (a folk-rock act from NC) had their name. I gave up.

Then, a couple weeks ago, I brought it up in a discussion with my teenage daughter about hard-to-find titles. I had offered it as an example of, well, not everything being findable on the intartubes. 5 minutes later, she had downloaded it (from iTunes, no less) and burned it to a disc for me. Just look at how wrong you can be.

Kittyhawk was notable, back in the day, for their extensive use of the Chapman stick... an odd 10-stringed instrument with frets that one plays with hammer-on tapping (like Stanley Jordan or Eddie Van Halen). It sounds like a bass, guitar and keyboards, all at once. Other bands and well-known players, such as Tony Levin, have been known to use it on occasion... but as far as I'm aware, no one has ever integrated it into their essential sound like these guys did. It's genuinely unique.

But odd instrumentation aside, it's the songwriting that sets this album apart. And this song is as representative of their sound as any. It starts with an easygoing melody on stick, moves gracefully into a typically breezy west-coast groove, then finishes with some rousing hot sax riffing. Great stuff, and it makes me feel like a smart-ass teenager behind the counter of the local record store again. In other words, exactly the same age that my daughter is now. Imagine that.

ForeverAutumn
03-18-2011, 07:30 AM
Rob Martino is a current day musician who is known for being one of the best on the Chapman Stick.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_JjimMO2SdE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Mr MidFi
03-18-2011, 11:35 AM
Cool, FA. I found this old stick demo by Paul Edwards of Kittyhawk, and it's fairly brief and interesting.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JtcqiZc_Vrg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

ForeverAutumn
03-18-2011, 11:45 AM
Great explanation of how the stick works. Thanks. I would love to try one of these, but I don't imagine that they're very commonly found in music stores.

Mr MidFi
03-18-2011, 11:55 AM
And, not to belabor the point... but here's the full band playing another track from that first album. Two sticks are betterer than one!

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/u9i0ZuIHEkM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Mr MidFi
03-23-2011, 06:26 AM
Songs can grow on you, as you all know. If you'd asked me a couple of years ago to list a few of the most notable tracks on Neko Case's last album, the songs I mentioned then would have very little overlap with songs I'd mention today. Which brings me to today's Commute Song du Jour... "The Pharaohs". I didn't really notice it much back then, but today it might just be my favorite song from her, period. Ever. And that's a pretty bold statement.

It first really grabbed me in a palpable way when I caught her live set. I was hanging with a buddy from work and a handful of high-school-age stoners I didn’t know, who were all primarily interested in seeing Lou Reed (who came on next) or Jane’s Addiction (who came on after that). There was a nice communal vibe going on, the band sounded tight, the harmonies were gorgeous, everyone was buzzed, and everything felt just right. And after she finished playing “The Pharaohs,” my buddy shouted “I LOVE that f@#king song!” and everyone around us nodded their agreement. Including me.

Now, every time it comes on, I pay attention. And sometimes, like this morning, I sing along with the chorus…

You said I was your
Blue, blue baby…
And you were riiiiiiiiiiight!

I love that f@#king song.

unleasHell
03-26-2011, 09:12 PM
Just saw this thread (sorry don't get in here too much anymore) and I too have a 30+ minute drive, last week I listened to the same (3) Cd's over and over (and over):
REM: Greatest Hits
Cure: Faith
Cure: Pornography