Grace Again!
November 27, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Music | 4 Comments
So with five weeks left in the New York Metropolitan area (and most of that the holidays), I have one last shot to see live music before I go. A quick run through the Village Voice showed only one possible option…
Grace Potter! She and the band are back in town on Friday, headlining their own gig.
Finally - I get to see them in their full glory.
Added to iPod
November 25, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and did not have to deal with 1) traffic jams, 2) airport delays or 3) cold turkey. (For me - two out of three ain’t bad.) I also hope no one shopped on Friday. The whole thing is a crock and for a consumer to worry about whether a retailer is making profit or not is totally bizarre (I blame the media). And the folks who work for retailers could certainly use a break from the two and a half months of Christmas. I haven’t shopped AT ALL yet. So there, Wal-Mart!
Les McCann & Eddie Harris - “Swiss Movement” Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1969.
Various Artists - “Nuggets” That first volume of old 60s garage music that came out years ago. From “I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night” to “Louie Louie”.
Manu Chao - “Clandestino”
Oranj Symphonette - “The Oranj Album” Cool but up to date jazz with a handful of movie themes.
Bobby Darin - “The Bobby Darin Story” The fun part of this greatest hits collection is that Darin put it together and talks on the record - adding intros and outros to each album side. Very cool.
Dave Edmunds - “Repeat When Necessary” His best piece of work. Stellar from start to finish.
Sly and the Family Stone - “There’s A Riot Going On” And there was. I have the greatest hits, but this record is something to itself. Bad vibes, hot tunes, anger and sadness create a heady concoction. A seminal piece of work for the end of an era.
Dead Kennedys - “Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables” More political commentary a decade later. Fast and furious, Jello Biafra, East Bay Ray and the boys served up California and the rest of the country on a plate and threw it against the wall. What fun! This is the 25th anniversary edition and comes with a DVD of the band live.
Palatine
November 21, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
… it’s finally here. For years I have searched Ebay for this record collection. It is a four disk set of the best of the Factory label - in my opinion one of the classic DIY labels in rock history. From 1979 to 1990, this was the Manchester sound. Happy Mondays, Joy Division, Durutti Column and This Mortal Coil - and many others - all came out of the Factory label with each album, single, video and event numbered. One of the Factory’s main impressarios - Tony Wilson - sadly passed away this summer.
This set was put out in a VERY limited release as CDs, LPs and 45s. The vinyl showed up yesterday.
I’m so excited. I think I’ll spend Sunday watching football and burning this.
Note To The Siblings: I’ve got my Christmas CD.
Added To iPod
November 18, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
Another Sunday – another Fantasy Football fiasco. I’m surprised that there are enough uninjured players to have a game. The whole league went deep into the talent pool just to have a warm body on the field. It’s ugly. Even as I watched today (45 mins. – tops), players fell like flies. Sports medicine is booming!
Brand X – “Product”
The dB’s – “Like This” and “Sound Of Music” Off the vinyl. I’m not sure if they are on CD or not, but these are essentials records.
Mahavishnu Orchestra – “Apocalype” This is the one with Michael Tilson Thomas. I was always taking this out of the library when I was a kid. I’m not sure why.
David Gilmour – The first album. Only one I’ve liked so far…
The Rolling Stones – “Flowers” and “Exile On Main Street” I noticed that my Stones collection was somewhat lacking.
Added to iPod
November 14, 2007 | Filed Under Music | 6 Comments
All right! The (recently) annual family Christmas CD has been decided. Last year, my brothers and sister exchanged CDs of our 15 favorite songs. This year it is our favorite cover songs. Not necessarily fifteen, but a full CD worth (I would say no less than 50 minutes). I have checked with the judges and they have agreed that covers of traditional songs counts. Therefore, one could do a whole CD of… Christmas songs! Not that I would, but it is possible.
And there may be a few covers in this lot:
Dropkick Murphys - “The Gangs All Here”
Memphis Minnie - “Hoodoo Lady: 1933-1937″ The greatest hits of one of the best female blues artists ever.
Billie Holiday - “All Of Me” Another best of.
R. L. Burnside - “Come On In”
Ray Charles - “The Genius Hits The Road” From 1960.
Neneh Cherry - “Homebrew” Love her! Also check out her album “Man”.
Beats International - “Let Them Eat Bingo” Fatboy Slim right before he changed his name.
Added to iPod
November 9, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
Well, that took a while. But just because I haven’t posted doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy.
Because I have been.
Busy.
November’s Global Rhythms CD. Mainly Latin sounds - both classic and hip hop – with new Manu Chao, Mala Rodriguez and a duo from Budapest called Katan (beautiful song). But it was a brief article in the magazine that brought me to:
Rodrigo Y Gabriela – This self titled album shows some serious acoustic guitar chops. I hear they are pure high energy in concert. From Mexico City, now living in Dublin. Check them out.
Steve Earle – “The Hard Way” Early Steve Earle.
Bruce Springsteen – Because I enjoyed “Magic” so much, I decided to add my favorite hits – mostly from “Darkness”.
Cheech & Chong – “Sister Mary Elephant” anyone? “Earache My Eye”? “Black Lassie”? Classic comedy.
Bad Religion – “New Maps Of Hell” Best live band.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Fever To Tell” Thought I had this one already.
Everclear – “So Much For the Afterglow”
10CC – “Best Of” From Rubber Bullets to Good Morning Judge.
Faithless – “To All New Arrivals”
Fatboy Slim – “Palookaville” That and some of the best known singles.
Robin Trower – For some reason, these songs were in my brain. Why? Don’t know. Had to by an import CD to get these tunes. All the best tracks from “Bridge of Sighs”, “Long Misty Days” and “In City Dreams”.
Added to iPod
October 28, 2007 | Filed Under Music | 11 Comments
“Sweeny Todd - Original Soundtrack” Len Cariou and Angela Landsbury. This music rocks - ask Tim Burton…
DJ Shadow -”The Private Press”
Brazilian Girls - “Talk to la Bomb”
PiL - “Second Edition” The CD version will do until I can record the Metal Box.
Jewel - “Pieces of You” Stop sniggering. Most of you never heard her real first album. I bought this early and saw her play at the late, lamented club Tradewinds on the Jersey Shore. She was straight forward and a lot of fun. Then one of the singles hit, she got a video, a stylist and REPRODUCED the whole record. This is the original recording.
Roisin Murphy - “Ruby Blue”
Also - Tim Curry - “Fearless” Just the three big singles. They were perfect hits - especially in the days when they would start the midnight festivities at Rocky Horror. Only put on CD once in a greatest hits collection that now goes for $100 on eBay. Luckily, I have vinyl.
Added to iPod
October 21, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
People ask if I actually listen to all this stuff.
The answer is YES!
Jack Lancaster - “Marscape” Old, instrumental art rock with Phil Collins and members of Brand X.
Miles Davis - “Fillies de Kilimanjaro”
“DIY - Mass. Ave. - The Boston Scene” featuring classis hits by The Neats. Nervous Eaters, The Real Kids and many more bands from my youth.
Manu Chao - “Esperanza” French born. Spanish descent. He sings a potent mix of latin, reggae, and african rhythms in english, french, spanish and a few other languages. A dollop of politics, a wiley sense of humor and a love of the ganja. I believe this is his second album. Good stuff.
Thelonius Monk “Monk’s Music”
Suphala - “Blueprint” World-beat jazz with this young tabla artist. Getting quite a reputation. Look her up.
Bruce Springsteen - “Magic” Honestly - my wife plays him so much that the only other Bruce CD I have loaded is “Nebraska”. But I heard the new single at the airport in London and it was strong. Not bad for an old guy…
CAN - “Soundtracks”
Galaxie 500 - “The Portable Galaxie 500″ A best of.
Also - some missing songs from Horslips now that their ENTIRE catalogue is on iTunes.
8,247 songs. 24.8 days. Can I make it to 30 before I go??
M.I.A.
October 16, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Music | No Comments
Ah, the things we learn in a day…
I mentioned earlier that I thought M.I.A.’s new record “Kala” is one of the best of the year. Then I remembered that a woman who works in my office was from Sri Lanka (via London). So I asked her if she knew M.I.A..
“Yes”, she said curtly. “I hope you don’t like her.”
Why?
“Because she supports the terrorists - the Tamil Tigers!”
oh.
Hello? Wikapedia? (actually I used Encarta)
The Tamil Tigers are a terrorist group in Sri Lanka similar to the IRA. The Tamil people form part of the society in Sri Lanka and Southern India. There has been tensions between them and the main ruling class for years and - after a few serious ethnic clashes - 100,000 Tamils fled into Sounthern India. The Tigers or LTTE (The Liberation Tigers of Eelam) are a separtist group fighting for a separate Tamil nation and use violence and assasinations to get their point across (sound familiar?).
From what I read, M.I.A.’s father joined the Tigers when the violence started and she and her mom left for London. Supposedly, there has been no contact between them for years. But she filters ethnic struggles, fighting for your rights and a no BS attitude through her songs.
So - a little less ignorant. I still think the record is hot.
Added to iPod
October 13, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
It’s a music FRENZY!!!
First - I added two CDs from magazines I picked up at Heathrow Airport: one just called DJ (filled with techno stuff) and another called The Word, which has new tunes from John Fogerty, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings and Alison Moyet.
Then:
Geroge Harrison - “All Things Must Pass” The 30th Anniversary Edition.
Vangelis - “Vangelis Odyssey” Mainly from his soundtrack work.
Underworld & Gabriel Yared - “Soundtrack to Breaking and Entering” Not very Underworld-like, but pretty
Band of Horses - “Cease To Begin” Nice record of moody alterna-pop. Wouldn’t seem out of place on a Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack. Oddly - there is a song on the record titled ‘Detlef Schrempf’ (anyone? anyone?)
Fat Boy Slim - “Late Night Tales” Part of a series of chill-out mix CDs - where a known artist throws together his favorite tunes. This one is a lot of fun - filled with old vinyl recordings.
M.I.A. - “Kala” This young, Sri Lankan woman mixes hip-hop, techno and World vibes with fierce lyrics and brass balls. This is one of the best records of the year!! Check it out.
Radiohead - “In Rainbows” I paid three pounds ($6.00) for this download. That is because their last couple of records were worthless, pretentious twaddle. Well, I’m glad I only paid six bucks. Though the new record is much better than previous offerings - it is still f–ing BORING! They make Coldplay look like a rock band! Why does the band even have a guitar player? Do they need the dues?!
Lou Reed - “Berlin” and Big Star - “Sister Lovers” These are two classic records. Along with “Tonight’s The Night” and Nilsson’s “Pussycats”, these are among the most messy, painful and brilliant records in the Rock canon. Lou has described “Berlin” as his Hamlet. It is about a tortured relationship that ends badly. But the record is produced to within an inch of its life by Bob Ezrin. Horns, strings and a full, crisp production provide the background to some of Lou’s most heartbreaking tunes. “Sister Lovers” was the last Big Star record. No contract. No sales. No hope. Alex Chilton can be heard dissolving into drugs and alcohol on the album. But his talent shines through the songs and the vocal performances. It is scary and well worth the trip.
Added to iPod
September 29, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
let’s see….
Stray singles by Foghat, The Mighty Lemon Drops and The Beastie Boys.
Frank Zappa - “apostrophe” Who you jiving with that Cosmic Debris?
The Monkees - All the best of the Monkees. They DO deserve a place in the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame. If the Bee Gees can be there, then the Monkees are GOD!
Milla Jovovich - “The Divine Comedy” Most people think of Milla as their favorite, sexyist zombie killer (I have seen ALL the Resident Evil movies). But she is also a singer! Her vocals have appeared on a number of electronica albums - including Crystal Method’s great “Legion Of Boom”. This record was recorded in 1994 - when she was 19. Think of a cooler Sarah McLaughlin. The Gentleman Who Fell was the sort-of hit.
Also an “Arabic in 60 Minutes” CD for my trip next Saturday to Kuwait. You HAVE to know the basics for ANY country you visit. Even if you stumble through - the attempt means everything.
Added to iPod
September 23, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
on to lighter material….
The Guess Who - “Greatest Hits”
Robin Lane & the Chartbusters - From Boston. Their first and best.
Robyn Hitchcock - “Eye” From 1990, this is a mainly acoustic record. I got it mainly for the lovely “Queen Elvis”, but there are some very good cuts here.
The Beat Generation - Just cherry-picked my favorites from this 3-disc box set of beat jazz, readings, interviews and more. Mostly music, though.
Added to iPod
September 15, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
First, I had to chance down that song from the new iPod commercial. Turns out to be a song by Feist called “1234”. Feist is also one of the singers from Broken Social Scene but is having a nice solo career as well.
And:
The Who – “Who’s Next”
Sex Pistols – “Never Mind The Bollocks” Every iPod should come with this record…
Elvis Costello – “Blood and Chocolate”
Loreena McKennitt – “The Visit”
Velvet Underground – “Live MCMXCIII” Their reunion concert in Paris.
I also have my October Global Rhythm CD that takes us from Sweden to Cuba to Zimbabwe to Brazil and back. All kinds of good sounds here: an easy reggae from Toots & the Maytals, Bossa Nova from Luciana Souza and a fun tune by an Italian/Somali woman named Saba called “Jidka”. And 12 other bits of the World….
Added to iPod
September 8, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
where was we…?
Adrian Belew - “Desire of the Rhino King” This is an amalgam of his first three solo records.
Steve Hackett - “Time Lapse” One of his many live records.
Pink Floyd - “Animals”
Soundgarden - “Superunknown”
P J Harvey - “Dry” Her great first album.
Dr. John - “Gris Gris” Gris gris gumbo ya ya…
Then there was this little oddity I picked up the other day. It is a two disk set called Rogue’s Gallery and it is calls itself a collection of “pirate ballads, sea songs & chanteys”. I don’t know where they found these songs but they are too cool. AND they are sung by a wide assortment of artisits: Bryan Ferry, Bono, Nick Cave, Richard Thompson, Loudon & Rufus Wainwright, Stan Ridgway and more. Some of these songs are FILTHY!!! (check out “Good Ship Venus”) But it is a surprise a minute CD and I HIGHLY recommend checking it out.
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