James McMurtry - Memorial Day.mp3
Buy: Childish Things (2005)
This song is a bit dated, but I think it still kicks fucking ass!
The Perceptionists - Memorial Day.mp3
Buy: Black Dialogue (2005)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Day
Sorry about the lack of posts lately. The man is working me to the bone. Here are two tracks for this fine American holiday. The first is from the second most underrated songwriter in the US (the first being Chris Knight).
James McMurtry - Memorial Day.mp3
Buy: Childish Things (2005)
This song is a bit dated, but I think it still kicks fucking ass!
The Perceptionists - Memorial Day.mp3
Buy: Black Dialogue (2005)
James McMurtry - Memorial Day.mp3
Buy: Childish Things (2005)
This song is a bit dated, but I think it still kicks fucking ass!
The Perceptionists - Memorial Day.mp3
Buy: Black Dialogue (2005)
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Dharma Rockstar Station
Who's ready for a bazillion hours of Lost tonight? Me! I was bored at work the other day, so I dug out my mad photoshop skillz and made this:
At the Dharma Rockstar Station, we rock out! Or we sit around in our underwear, drink Dharma-issued whiskey, and listen to Iggy Pop, like Sawyer did in the season premiere, while lamenting the death of Juliet.
"I'm the runaway son of a nuclear A-bomb!!!"
Iggy and the Stooges - Search and Destroy.mp3
Buy: Raw Power (1973, Reissue Legacy Edition 2010)
At the Dharma Rockstar Station, we rock out! Or we sit around in our underwear, drink Dharma-issued whiskey, and listen to Iggy Pop, like Sawyer did in the season premiere, while lamenting the death of Juliet.
"I'm the runaway son of a nuclear A-bomb!!!"
Iggy and the Stooges - Search and Destroy.mp3
Buy: Raw Power (1973, Reissue Legacy Edition 2010)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
May (or May Not) Feel Bad For You
The monthly comp from the forum users at AltCountryTab.ca.
Download the zipped comp for one week only!
1. The Broken Family Band - "Give And Take"
Hello Love (2007)
2. Roky Erickson and Okkervil River - "Goodbye Sweet Dreams"
True Love Cast Out All Evil (2010)
3. Michael Schenker - "I Am Grateful"
Thank You, Vol 3 (2003)
4. Earl Scruggs, his kids, and The Byrds - "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"
His Family and Friends (1972)
Comment: This album is one of my faves, but the DVD is a must have.
5. Country Gazette - Tried So Hard.mp3
From: Traitor In Our Midst (1972, out of print)
Comment: Good take on this Gene Clark song.
6. Jim and Jesse - "Roll Over Beethoven"
Berry Pickin' In The Country (1965)
7. The Sadies - "Postcards"
Darker Circles (2010)
Comment: My favorite from their new one, though all of the songs are exceptional.
8. The Fox Hunt - "I'll Drink Cheap"
Long Way to Go (2010)
9. Joe Pug - "Not So Sure"
Messenger (2010)
Comment: This song has been kicking my ass lately.
10. Martha Tilston - Rockpools.mp3
Buy: Lucy and the Wolves (2010)
Comment: I just discovered this purveyor of British folk with an absolutely gorgeous voice. This is my favorite song off of her new album.
11. Martha Tilston - "Wild Swimming"
Lucy and the Wolves (2010)
Comment: Another song from Tilston's new album, this one much darker.
12. John Moreland - Trust Funds.mp3
From (free download from MySpace): Rob's House Demos (2009)
Comment: This guy kinda reminds me of Tim Barry. Saw him open for Two Cow Garage.
13. John Moreland - "One More Headache"
First Demos (2006)
14. Andrew Anderson - Once Met a Girl.mp3
Buy: As Long as This Thing's Flying (2009)
Comment: Hardcore troubadour from Idaho that I saw as an opener a while back. Like the cut of his jib.
15. Andrew Anderson - "The Hawk"
As Long as This Thing's Flying (2009)
16. Merle Haggard - "Take Him Fishing"
All Gone Fishin' compilation (2006)
Comment: ACT fathers - you know what to do.
17. The Del-Vikings - "Whispering Bells"
Come Go With Me (1959)
Comment: Love that 1950's doo-wop. The Del-Vikings were a multiracial vocal group, pretty rare at the time.
18. Smiley Hobbs - "Train 45"
Classic Bluegrass From The Smithsonian Folkways (1956)
Comment: Album title says it best.
19. Deadstring Brothers - "Jones Street"
Deadstring Brothers (2003)
Comment: Stones copyists get it right.
20. Skye Paige and the Original Recipe - "Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, Wrong"
Whole Lotta Woman (2010)
Comment: Skye Paige is a kick ass local musician here in Charleston….great rockabilly-punk attitude…doesn’t take any shit especially from douchebag guys.
21. Prison Book Club - Heart of Lead.mp3
Buy: Required Reading (2009)
Comment: Another brilliant tune from John R. Miller of The Fox Hunt fame…this band will rock your socks off…get a chance to see them live and make sure you get them to do their cover of "Rock Salt and Nails" from Utah Phillips.
22. Prison Book Club - "Everything’s Fine"
Required Reading (2009)
Comment: Nothing like the first song off an EP that kicks you in the teeth from the get go…and nothing more fucking annoying than an artist’s “side project” that is so fucking good it makes you want to sell your guitar and start working a “real job” again.
23. Glossary - The Sweet Forever.mp3
Buy: Feral Fire (2010)
24. Glossary - "Bend With The Breeze"
Feral Fire (2010)
Comment: Forget all the BS you may have heard about this band not being worth a damn from certain members of this board. Their 6th album Feral Fire is fucking great and these 2 selections should put all the haters in their place. You know who you are bitches.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Music and Misery #6 - 5
Let's get back to the old misery list. From our friends at Forbes magazine, the 20 most miserable cities in the US. Don't worry folks, in fairness I have come up with my own list of Canadian misery which I will post after the US countdown.
6. Miami, Florida
Finally! A warm weather city on this list. Population 362,470 with a metro area (Miami-Dade County) of 5,414,712. Unemployment rate of 11.8%, the highest since 1975. Despite a huge condo/housing boom that peaked in 2005, in 2007 the housing market crashed and more than 23,000 condos were for sale and/or foreclosed. Foreclosures hit 7.2% of homes in 2009, 10th worst in the U.S. And people live far away from their jobs, with Miami being in the bottom 10% of cities when it comes to commute times. Forbes vaguely states that Miami has problems with violent crime, but none of the statistics that I can find have Miami in the top 10 of anything. Local corruption seems to run rampant: a quick Google search shows an article from today's Miami Herald about city commissioners resigning and being fired for using federal grant money for personal gain (Another Miami Corruption Mess). But hey, at least Florida has no personal state income tax.
Interesting useless piece of trivia: In 2004, the United Nations Development Program ranked Miami first in terms of percentage of residents born outside of the country it is located in (59%), followed by Toronto (50%). And yes, I fall into that 50%.
About this time last year I partied my ass off in South Beach, and had an incredible time. Loved it! Danced my ass off to some great Latin beats. I am not usually into this type of music, but Miami may lead the world in Latin/Caribbean music. Miami also has a tremendous electronica/dance scene, not to mention a thriving rap/hip-hop community.
I don't have a lot of Miami-based musicians in my personal collection, but disco was hot in Miami in the 70s. "Do a little dance, make a little love...."
KC and the Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight.mp3
Buy: KC and the Sunshine Band (1975, reissued 2006)
No. 5 Flint, Michigan
Its gotta be rough being from a city where, when one does a Google search, the first thing that comes up is "hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz." Population 124,943, with a metro area of 443,883. A March 2010 unemployment rate of 16.9%, well above the national average of 9.7%. Flint used to thrive off of the automotive industry, with GM employing 80,000 workers at its peak in 1978, of which only 8,000 GM jobs remain. Flint native Michael Moore documented the fall of the auto industry in the 80s in the film Roger and Me, and by definition, anything associated with Michael Moore must be miserable. For 2008, the FBI reported that Flint was number one in the nation in total per capita violent crime for cities with a population between 100,000 and 250,000. The city of Flint is buying up and demolishing thousands of abandoned homes in order to curb crime and reduce city services to a level where the population can sustain it. The area received $25 million in stimulus funds from the federal government to help with the plan. There has been negative population growth since the 1970 census, with the city losing roughly 40% of its population in the last 40 years.
There are two bands from Flint that immediately jump out at me. One is new to me, and one is a classic.
Whitey Morgan and the 78s - Another Round.mp3
Buy: Honky Tonks and Cheap Motels (2008)
How many bad-ass country bands come out of Flint? This is a new one for me, and it kicks ass! They were recently signed to Bloodshot Records and will have a new album out in late summer 2010.
Grand Funk Railroad - Sin's a Good Man's Brother.mp3
Buy: Closer to Home (1970, reissued 2002)
The quintessential American Band!
Finally! A warm weather city on this list. Population 362,470 with a metro area (Miami-Dade County) of 5,414,712. Unemployment rate of 11.8%, the highest since 1975. Despite a huge condo/housing boom that peaked in 2005, in 2007 the housing market crashed and more than 23,000 condos were for sale and/or foreclosed. Foreclosures hit 7.2% of homes in 2009, 10th worst in the U.S. And people live far away from their jobs, with Miami being in the bottom 10% of cities when it comes to commute times. Forbes vaguely states that Miami has problems with violent crime, but none of the statistics that I can find have Miami in the top 10 of anything. Local corruption seems to run rampant: a quick Google search shows an article from today's Miami Herald about city commissioners resigning and being fired for using federal grant money for personal gain (Another Miami Corruption Mess). But hey, at least Florida has no personal state income tax.
Interesting useless piece of trivia: In 2004, the United Nations Development Program ranked Miami first in terms of percentage of residents born outside of the country it is located in (59%), followed by Toronto (50%). And yes, I fall into that 50%.
About this time last year I partied my ass off in South Beach, and had an incredible time. Loved it! Danced my ass off to some great Latin beats. I am not usually into this type of music, but Miami may lead the world in Latin/Caribbean music. Miami also has a tremendous electronica/dance scene, not to mention a thriving rap/hip-hop community.
I don't have a lot of Miami-based musicians in my personal collection, but disco was hot in Miami in the 70s. "Do a little dance, make a little love...."
KC and the Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight.mp3
Buy: KC and the Sunshine Band (1975, reissued 2006)
Its gotta be rough being from a city where, when one does a Google search, the first thing that comes up is "hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz." Population 124,943, with a metro area of 443,883. A March 2010 unemployment rate of 16.9%, well above the national average of 9.7%. Flint used to thrive off of the automotive industry, with GM employing 80,000 workers at its peak in 1978, of which only 8,000 GM jobs remain. Flint native Michael Moore documented the fall of the auto industry in the 80s in the film Roger and Me, and by definition, anything associated with Michael Moore must be miserable. For 2008, the FBI reported that Flint was number one in the nation in total per capita violent crime for cities with a population between 100,000 and 250,000. The city of Flint is buying up and demolishing thousands of abandoned homes in order to curb crime and reduce city services to a level where the population can sustain it. The area received $25 million in stimulus funds from the federal government to help with the plan. There has been negative population growth since the 1970 census, with the city losing roughly 40% of its population in the last 40 years.
There are two bands from Flint that immediately jump out at me. One is new to me, and one is a classic.
Whitey Morgan and the 78s - Another Round.mp3
Buy: Honky Tonks and Cheap Motels (2008)
How many bad-ass country bands come out of Flint? This is a new one for me, and it kicks ass! They were recently signed to Bloodshot Records and will have a new album out in late summer 2010.
Grand Funk Railroad - Sin's a Good Man's Brother.mp3
Buy: Closer to Home (1970, reissued 2002)
The quintessential American Band!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
New Video: The Sadies, Postcards
My favorite Canadian band The Sadies officially release their new album Darker Circles
today. I wrote a mini review of this album back on May 1. To briefly summarize, its fantastic, especially if you like The Byrds and dark lyrics. In addition, the band released a killer hippie trippie video to my favorite song on the album, "Postcards." The video was directed by Rick White. If you don't know Rick White, get off your ass and do some research!Buy (Canada, Outside Music): Darker Circles (2010)
(Everywhere else, Yep Roc)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The National: High Violet
A few weeks ago the New York Times ran a really interesting article on The National, "The National Agenda."
You can listen to High Violet in its entirety on NPR Music.
Buy: High Violet (2010)
Friday, May 7, 2010
Music and Misery #8 - 7
I've had a miserable week - got zero job offers after two job interviews! Won't be long until I am in the unemployment line. Let's get to the top eight of Forbes most miserable US cities index. Maybe it will make me feel better about having to move into my parent's basement.
8. Buffalo, New York
The second largest city in New York, despite the fact that the population has fallen by more that 50% over the last 50 years. Current population is about 300,000 with a metro area of about 1.2 million. Unemployment rate of 8.63% as of March 2010, which is below the national average of 9.7%. Despite the relatively low unemployment rate, an estimated 28.7% of the population lives below the poverty line, the third worst in the US (and those other two cities are in the misery list top 5). What really makes Buffalo miserable is their craptacular winters. Part of the Snowbelt, Buffalo gets pelted by 2-3 meters (6-9 feet) of snow each year. Buffalo is south of Lake Ontario, and west of Lake Erie, so it can get lake effect snow from either Great Lake. If the wind is right, Buffalo can get a foot of snow, while we in Toronto, 50 miles due north, will only get flurries. Buffalo's sports teams have been nothing to write home about either. The Buffalo Bills have not had a football championship since 1965, and lost four straight Super Bowls from 1990-93. The NHL team, the Buffalo Sabers, has never won a Stanley Cup, and were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round this year.
One great thing about Buffalo: the bars are open until 4:00 a.m. Whoo-Hooo! And their chicken wings rule. Yum! OK, that's two great things.
There are several famous and diverse musicians from Buffalo, notably funk singer Rick James, indie hippie singer Ani DeFranco, alternative singer Natalie Merchant and her former band 10,000 Maniacs, and the jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra. Probably the most famous band from Buffalo is the Goo Goo Dolls.
Goo Goo Dolls - We are the Normal.mp3
Buy: Superstar Car Wash (1993)
Gurf Morlix is also originally from Buffalo, although he now resides in Austin, TX. I wrote about his tremendous 2009 album Last Exit to Happyland a few months ago, but I am reposting this song because it is so good.
Gurf Morlix (with Patty Griffin) - She's a River.mp3
Buy: Last Exit To Happyland (2009)
7. St. Louis, Missouri
Gateway to the West. Now here is a city I know something about. I lived there from 1995-2001, before moving to Toronto. In that time period everyone I know got mugged or faced an attempted mugging, had their car stolen or broken into, and one friend was actually held up at gun point. Not good. Current population is about 300,000 with a metro area of about 2.9 million. St. Louis has a very weird downtown area in that there is none. After 5 pm the city shuts down, unless there is a baseball game. Apparently some of this has changed since I lived there as St. Louis received the World Leadership Award for urban renewal in 2006. Unemployment is around the national average of 10%. St. Louis ranks among the worst in violent crime, with Morgan Quitno ranking it the second most dangerous city in 2009, behind Camden, NJ (which did not make Forbes misery list due to its population of under 245,000, although it could be counted as part of metro Philadelphia). The FBI lists St. Louis as #1 in per capita total violent crime for 2008, #1 in aggravated assault, #2 in murder and non-negligent manslaughter, and #1 in total property crime. Great.
Here is all that Forbes says about St. Louis: "St. Louis is a baseball town, but what about those Rams? The NFL team has won only six games out of 48 the past three years, the fewest wins in football." Weak Forbes, and lazy. The St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 2006, and have been consistently one of the best national league baseball teams over the last 15 years. The St. Louis Blues hockey team made the playoffs every year from 1979-2006, an NHL record, although now they are in a rebuilding phase.
The weather in St. Louis has a whole range of misery. The spring and fall can be wonderful, but the humidity in the summer is pure torture. You cannot live in St. Louis without A/C. At LEAST two or three "extreme heat warnings" are issued every summer. Plus, huge thunderstorms often sprout tornadoes. I've been in Toronto eight years can only think of one massive St. Louis-style thunderstorm that has rolled through the area. And St. Louis is far enough north where it will still get significant snowfall in the winter, which causes another layer of misery due to the complete city's inability to remove the snow.
So much amazing music originates from St. Louis. Ragtime pianist Scott Joplin produced some of his most famous works while living in St. Louis in the early 1900s. Soul musicians Ike and Tine Turner and Fontella Bass got their start in East St. Louis, as did jazz innovator Miles Davis. Dozens of famous modern musicians hail from St. Louis, and the city still has a tremendous hip-hop and blues scene. One thing I loved about St. Louis when I lived there was the number of incredible local bands.
Arguably the inventor of rock and roll, Chuck Berry, at age 83, still performs live in St. Louis at Blueberry Hill. In fact, he is performing there on Wed., May 19. Sold out!
Chuck Berry - Too Much Monkey Business.mp3
Buy: The Definitive Collection (2006)
The seminal alt country band Uncle Tupelo was originally from Belleville, Illinois, just on the other side of the Mississippi River from St. Louis, and Uncle Tupelo had most of their early gigs in St. Louis. Upon the demise of Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy headed north to Chicago and formed Wilco, while Jay Farrar remained in St. Louis and formed Son Volt.
Son Volt - Windfall.mp3
From: Acoustic Radio Sessions '95-'96 (Bootleg)
And, since its Friday and I haven't done a Jay Farrar Friday in a while, here's a solo track from Mr. Farrar.
Jay Farrar - California.mp3
Buy: Terroir Blues (2003)
The second largest city in New York, despite the fact that the population has fallen by more that 50% over the last 50 years. Current population is about 300,000 with a metro area of about 1.2 million. Unemployment rate of 8.63% as of March 2010, which is below the national average of 9.7%. Despite the relatively low unemployment rate, an estimated 28.7% of the population lives below the poverty line, the third worst in the US (and those other two cities are in the misery list top 5). What really makes Buffalo miserable is their craptacular winters. Part of the Snowbelt, Buffalo gets pelted by 2-3 meters (6-9 feet) of snow each year. Buffalo is south of Lake Ontario, and west of Lake Erie, so it can get lake effect snow from either Great Lake. If the wind is right, Buffalo can get a foot of snow, while we in Toronto, 50 miles due north, will only get flurries. Buffalo's sports teams have been nothing to write home about either. The Buffalo Bills have not had a football championship since 1965, and lost four straight Super Bowls from 1990-93. The NHL team, the Buffalo Sabers, has never won a Stanley Cup, and were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round this year.
One great thing about Buffalo: the bars are open until 4:00 a.m. Whoo-Hooo! And their chicken wings rule. Yum! OK, that's two great things.
There are several famous and diverse musicians from Buffalo, notably funk singer Rick James, indie hippie singer Ani DeFranco, alternative singer Natalie Merchant and her former band 10,000 Maniacs, and the jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra. Probably the most famous band from Buffalo is the Goo Goo Dolls.
Goo Goo Dolls - We are the Normal.mp3
Buy: Superstar Car Wash (1993)
Gurf Morlix is also originally from Buffalo, although he now resides in Austin, TX. I wrote about his tremendous 2009 album Last Exit to Happyland a few months ago, but I am reposting this song because it is so good.
Gurf Morlix (with Patty Griffin) - She's a River.mp3
Buy: Last Exit To Happyland (2009)
Gateway to the West. Now here is a city I know something about. I lived there from 1995-2001, before moving to Toronto. In that time period everyone I know got mugged or faced an attempted mugging, had their car stolen or broken into, and one friend was actually held up at gun point. Not good. Current population is about 300,000 with a metro area of about 2.9 million. St. Louis has a very weird downtown area in that there is none. After 5 pm the city shuts down, unless there is a baseball game. Apparently some of this has changed since I lived there as St. Louis received the World Leadership Award for urban renewal in 2006. Unemployment is around the national average of 10%. St. Louis ranks among the worst in violent crime, with Morgan Quitno ranking it the second most dangerous city in 2009, behind Camden, NJ (which did not make Forbes misery list due to its population of under 245,000, although it could be counted as part of metro Philadelphia). The FBI lists St. Louis as #1 in per capita total violent crime for 2008, #1 in aggravated assault, #2 in murder and non-negligent manslaughter, and #1 in total property crime. Great.
Here is all that Forbes says about St. Louis: "St. Louis is a baseball town, but what about those Rams? The NFL team has won only six games out of 48 the past three years, the fewest wins in football." Weak Forbes, and lazy. The St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 2006, and have been consistently one of the best national league baseball teams over the last 15 years. The St. Louis Blues hockey team made the playoffs every year from 1979-2006, an NHL record, although now they are in a rebuilding phase.
The weather in St. Louis has a whole range of misery. The spring and fall can be wonderful, but the humidity in the summer is pure torture. You cannot live in St. Louis without A/C. At LEAST two or three "extreme heat warnings" are issued every summer. Plus, huge thunderstorms often sprout tornadoes. I've been in Toronto eight years can only think of one massive St. Louis-style thunderstorm that has rolled through the area. And St. Louis is far enough north where it will still get significant snowfall in the winter, which causes another layer of misery due to the complete city's inability to remove the snow.
So much amazing music originates from St. Louis. Ragtime pianist Scott Joplin produced some of his most famous works while living in St. Louis in the early 1900s. Soul musicians Ike and Tine Turner and Fontella Bass got their start in East St. Louis, as did jazz innovator Miles Davis. Dozens of famous modern musicians hail from St. Louis, and the city still has a tremendous hip-hop and blues scene. One thing I loved about St. Louis when I lived there was the number of incredible local bands.
Arguably the inventor of rock and roll, Chuck Berry, at age 83, still performs live in St. Louis at Blueberry Hill. In fact, he is performing there on Wed., May 19. Sold out!
Chuck Berry - Too Much Monkey Business.mp3
Buy: The Definitive Collection (2006)
The seminal alt country band Uncle Tupelo was originally from Belleville, Illinois, just on the other side of the Mississippi River from St. Louis, and Uncle Tupelo had most of their early gigs in St. Louis. Upon the demise of Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy headed north to Chicago and formed Wilco, while Jay Farrar remained in St. Louis and formed Son Volt.
Son Volt - Windfall.mp3
From: Acoustic Radio Sessions '95-'96 (Bootleg)
And, since its Friday and I haven't done a Jay Farrar Friday in a while, here's a solo track from Mr. Farrar.
Jay Farrar - California.mp3
Buy: Terroir Blues (2003)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
April Feel Bad For You
I forgot to post this last month, so here you go...from our friends at AltCountryTab.ca, the monthly Feel Bad For You comp. Download the zipped file here for one week only.
1. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Hit 'Em Up Style.mp3
Buy: Genuine Negro Jig (2010)
Comment: Rootsy 3 piece band out of Durham, NC
2. Jeffrey Foucault and Mark Erelli - "Tom Merritt"
Seven Curses (2010)
Comment: New from JF teamed up with Mark Erelli to record an album of murder ballads.
3. Camille Yarbrough - "Take Yo' Praise"
Iron Pot Cooker (1975)
Comment: Love discovering these old tunes that I know from the modern use of samples.
4. Otis Gibbs - "Joe Hill's Ashes"
Joe Hill's Ashes (2010)
5. Gram Rabbit - "Dirty Horse"
Albion Records compilation (2004)
Comment: Mojave Desert weirdness from Jessika Von Rabbitt and her gang.
6. Jean Shepard and Ferlin Huskey - "Forgive Me, John"
Single (1953)
Comment: Korean War love triangle melodrama, follow-up to "A Dear John Letter." No apologies I love this stuff. Shepard's husband, the splendidly named Hawkshaw Hawkins, died with Patsy Cline in that tragic plane crash.
7. The Shadows - F.B.I.mp3
Single (1961)
Comment: This is the sound of the first Fender Stratocaster ever imported into the UK by Hank Marvin in 1959. Before the Beatles, the Shadows ruled the UK charts as well as other Anglosphere ex-colonies like Canada, where Neil Young copied Hank Marvin's tremolo action for The Squires. Lennon also acknowledged Hank Marvin as an inspiration...an English four man lead/rythmn/bass/drums format that rocked and sold millions.
8. DeYarmond Edison - "As Long As I Can Go"
DeYarmond Edison (2004)
Comments: Justin Vernon of Bon Iver's prior band.
9. Romantica - Lonely Star.mp3
Buy: Control Alt Country Delete (2009)
10. Austin Collins - "Conventional Lust"
Wrong Control (2010)
11. Nightjar - Check Your Mirrors.mp3
Buy: Hometown Stranger (2010)
12. Dirty Sweet - "Isabel"
Of Monarchs and Beggars (2007)
13. Graham Parker - "Weather Report"
Imaginary Television (2010)
Comment: The rumour has it that one of these TV Shows will make to Prime Time in 2011.
14. Frank Turner - Sons of Liberty.mp3
Buy: Poetry of the Deed (2009)
Comment: This guy has grown on me big time...this song didn't need time to grow...best when played loud.
15. Miracle Fortress - "Have You Seen In Your Dreams"
Five Roses (2007)
Comment: I'm not familiar with the Beach Boys, but I've been told Miracle Fortress sound like them. My #5 album in the legendary music year of 2007.
16. Miracle Fortress - Hold Your Secrets To Your Heart.mp3
Buy: Five Roses (2007)
Comment: Warm, swirling, psychedelic-pop goodness.
17. Whitey Morgan and the 78s - "Another Round"
Honky Tonks and Cheap Motels (2008)
Comment: I heard this song on Autopsy IV's (ninebullets.net) March podcast and thought it was bad ass. How many country musicians come out of the Flint/Detroit area?
Monday, May 3, 2010
Music and Misery: #11-9
You can tell by my lack of blog posts that I had a miserable April. So, let's talk about more misery! More on my series discussing Forbes 20 most miserable U.S. cities list, and the musicians that these cities have spawned.
To review:
20. Philadelphia, PA
19. Gary, IN
18. Youngstown, OH
17. Sacramento, CA
16. New York, NY
15. Toledo, OH
14. Rockford, IL
13. Kansas City, MO
12. Akron, OH
11. Modesto, California
Another city for which finding a postcard is difficult. I believe this postcard to the right is of lovely Downey High School, Modesto, CA. Population of roughly 210,000. Second highest unemployment in all of California, expected to reach 18.5% this year. Foreclosures affected 8.5% of homes in 2009, sixth worst in the U.S. In 2008, had the highest rate of auto theft in America. Lots of complaints on the internet about the Tule fog in Modesto, which plagues most of California's central valley from November through March, making everything damp and cold. Burrr.
The now defunct indie rock band Grandaddy hails from Modesto. Modesto native and Grandaddy lead singer Jason Lytle released his first solo album last year entitled Yours Truly, The Commuter
.
Grandaddy - Summer Here Kids.mp3
Buy: Under the Western Freeway (1997)
Bonus! A song about misery in Modesto, from a band based out of Brooklyn.
The Hold Steady - Modesto is Not That Sweet.mp3
From: Extended Australian release of Almost Killed Me (2004)
10. Chicago, Illinois
The Windy City. I lived just north of Chicago from 1991-1995, and I loved it, but it appears that the city has become more miserable since I left. Population of 2.8 million with a metro area of 9.7 million, which includes the suburbs north to Wisconsin and southeast to Indiana. Unemployment of 11.6%. And you know violent crime in Chicago is bad when it has its own section in Wikipedia. Toronto has roughly the same city population as Chicago (2.5 million for Toronto) and has had 11 murders so far in 2010. Chicago has has 113 through April 30. Chicago has the nation's highest sales tax rate (10.25%, which is high even by Canadian standards) and very long, painful commutes. Chicago is the city that practically invented government corruption. Just read about the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, who's son Richard M. Daley is now in power. The wind whips off of Lake Michigan and freezes you solid in winter, and the hot, muggy summers can be even worse. I remember my last summer in Chicago in 1995 when a massive heat wave with the heat index of 119°F (48°C) recorded at O'Hare airport killed over 700 people. And speaking of O'Hare, the one and only time I spent a night at the airport was at this miserable set of terminals. Sports teams? One word: Cubs, who are now going on 102 years of futility.
All that being said, I still love Chicago, and I would move back there in a heartbeat.
So much good music comes out of Chicago! Chicago has a rich history of blues music, with masters like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Bo Didley, and Elmore James originating in Chicago, just to name a few. I saw Buddy Guy a few years ago when he was at the ripe old age of 70, and wow, did he put on a great show. Chicago was the birthplace of house music, and in the 80s was a center of punk and new wave. The rock music scene is always thriving, and Chicago hosts Lollapalooza and the Pitchfork Festival each summer.
The Blues Brothers - Sweet Home Chicago.mp3
Buy: Blues Brothers - The Definitive Collection (1992)
Wilco - Via Chicago.mp3
Buy: Summerteeth (1999)
Chicago (Yes, I'm ironical!) - Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is.mp3
Buy: The Best Of Chicago, 40th Anniversary (2007)
9. Canton, Ohio
Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Population of 78,362 (I thought the Forbes list cut off at 245,000?), with a metro area of about 400,000. Losing population rapidly with a net migration out of Canton in each of the past 15 years. Unemployment rate of 15.4%. About 15.4% of families and 19.2% of the population are below the poverty line. Only 18% of the adult population has a college degree. Violent crime in Canton is three times the Ohio state average.
I have to say that this Forbes list is rather suspect as every city in northwest Ohio is on the list, with all roughly the same problems (terrible unemployment, lots of crime, losing population, brutal spots teams, and bad weather). Why didn't Forbes lump all of these cities into one giant miserable metro area?
There are a surprising number of famous musicians and groups from Canton, including the 50s/60s soul group The O'Jays, R & B artist Macy Gray, alternative rockers Reliant K, and soft rocker Boz Skaggs.
The most famous rock star from Canton must be Brian Hugh Warner, also known as Marilyn Manson. Say what you will about Mr. Manson, and while I am not a huge fan of his music, I always find him to be incredibly articulate and well spoken when I see him on TV or read about him in interviews. For example, check out Spin's 2007 cover story on the antichrist superstar.
Marilyn Manson - I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me).mp3
Buy: Mechanical Animals (1998)
To review:
20. Philadelphia, PA
19. Gary, IN
18. Youngstown, OH
17. Sacramento, CA
16. New York, NY
15. Toledo, OH
14. Rockford, IL
13. Kansas City, MO
12. Akron, OH
Another city for which finding a postcard is difficult. I believe this postcard to the right is of lovely Downey High School, Modesto, CA. Population of roughly 210,000. Second highest unemployment in all of California, expected to reach 18.5% this year. Foreclosures affected 8.5% of homes in 2009, sixth worst in the U.S. In 2008, had the highest rate of auto theft in America. Lots of complaints on the internet about the Tule fog in Modesto, which plagues most of California's central valley from November through March, making everything damp and cold. Burrr.
The now defunct indie rock band Grandaddy hails from Modesto. Modesto native and Grandaddy lead singer Jason Lytle released his first solo album last year entitled Yours Truly, The Commuter
.Grandaddy - Summer Here Kids.mp3
Buy: Under the Western Freeway (1997)
Bonus! A song about misery in Modesto, from a band based out of Brooklyn.
The Hold Steady - Modesto is Not That Sweet.mp3
From: Extended Australian release of Almost Killed Me (2004)
The Windy City. I lived just north of Chicago from 1991-1995, and I loved it, but it appears that the city has become more miserable since I left. Population of 2.8 million with a metro area of 9.7 million, which includes the suburbs north to Wisconsin and southeast to Indiana. Unemployment of 11.6%. And you know violent crime in Chicago is bad when it has its own section in Wikipedia. Toronto has roughly the same city population as Chicago (2.5 million for Toronto) and has had 11 murders so far in 2010. Chicago has has 113 through April 30. Chicago has the nation's highest sales tax rate (10.25%, which is high even by Canadian standards) and very long, painful commutes. Chicago is the city that practically invented government corruption. Just read about the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, who's son Richard M. Daley is now in power. The wind whips off of Lake Michigan and freezes you solid in winter, and the hot, muggy summers can be even worse. I remember my last summer in Chicago in 1995 when a massive heat wave with the heat index of 119°F (48°C) recorded at O'Hare airport killed over 700 people. And speaking of O'Hare, the one and only time I spent a night at the airport was at this miserable set of terminals. Sports teams? One word: Cubs, who are now going on 102 years of futility.
All that being said, I still love Chicago, and I would move back there in a heartbeat.
So much good music comes out of Chicago! Chicago has a rich history of blues music, with masters like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Bo Didley, and Elmore James originating in Chicago, just to name a few. I saw Buddy Guy a few years ago when he was at the ripe old age of 70, and wow, did he put on a great show. Chicago was the birthplace of house music, and in the 80s was a center of punk and new wave. The rock music scene is always thriving, and Chicago hosts Lollapalooza and the Pitchfork Festival each summer.
The Blues Brothers - Sweet Home Chicago.mp3
Buy: Blues Brothers - The Definitive Collection (1992)
Wilco - Via Chicago.mp3
Buy: Summerteeth (1999)
Chicago (Yes, I'm ironical!) - Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is.mp3
Buy: The Best Of Chicago, 40th Anniversary (2007)
9. Canton, Ohio
Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Population of 78,362 (I thought the Forbes list cut off at 245,000?), with a metro area of about 400,000. Losing population rapidly with a net migration out of Canton in each of the past 15 years. Unemployment rate of 15.4%. About 15.4% of families and 19.2% of the population are below the poverty line. Only 18% of the adult population has a college degree. Violent crime in Canton is three times the Ohio state average.
I have to say that this Forbes list is rather suspect as every city in northwest Ohio is on the list, with all roughly the same problems (terrible unemployment, lots of crime, losing population, brutal spots teams, and bad weather). Why didn't Forbes lump all of these cities into one giant miserable metro area?
There are a surprising number of famous musicians and groups from Canton, including the 50s/60s soul group The O'Jays, R & B artist Macy Gray, alternative rockers Reliant K, and soft rocker Boz Skaggs.
The most famous rock star from Canton must be Brian Hugh Warner, also known as Marilyn Manson. Say what you will about Mr. Manson, and while I am not a huge fan of his music, I always find him to be incredibly articulate and well spoken when I see him on TV or read about him in interviews. For example, check out Spin's 2007 cover story on the antichrist superstar.
Marilyn Manson - I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me).mp3
Buy: Mechanical Animals (1998)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The Sadies: Darker Circles
The Sadies played a 30 minute mini-set featuring five new songs (the first five tracks from the album, I believe), followed by the crowd-pleaser, "Tiger Tiger," originally from their 2002 album Stories Often Told
. Here's the problem with The Sadies, and believe me, most bands wish that they had this problem: they are so good live that their albums are slightly underwhelming. That's not to say that Darker Circles isn't a good album. Its a very good album, a Top 5 for me so far this year. Its a very different album from their 2007 release New Seasons
, although both were produced by Jayhawks member Gary Louris. Darker Circles is, well, much darker than New Seasons, with lyrics like, "it won't be long 'til all your hopes and dreams are dead and gone," ("Another Year Again"), and "I turn to oblivion night after night," ("Tell Her What I Said"). The songs have themes of isolation, regret, remorse, and ponderances of "what could have been." There is even a country-rock killin' song (not quite a murder ballad). The entire album has a very psychedelic feel to it, like a 2010 version of The Byrds. Especially my favorite track "Postcards," (listen below) which sounds like it could be straight out of Roger McGuin's 1960s catalog. This is not an album that will cheer you up on a bad day, but it is a killer country-rock psychedelic folk bluegrass record (its damn impossible to categorize the Sadies). As my friend Whiskey Devil said, "Dark Sadies might just be the best Sadies."
And for the love of God, go out and see this band when they come to your town! I don't want to hear any of this "I have to work early tomorrow," or "It's raining" or "The venue is too far away" whiny crap. The Sadies are EASILY my favorite live Canadian act. I'll even help by typing out their tour schedule for you.
May 21 - Call the Office - London, ON
May 22 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, ON
May 25 - Pyramid Cabaret - Winnipeg, MB
May 26 - Louis' Pub - Saskatoon, SK
May 27 - Starlight Room - Edmonton, AB
May 29 - Dicken's Pub - Calgary, AB
May 30 - The Canmore Hotel - Canmore, AB
May 31 - The Canmore Hotel - Canmore, AB
June 1 - The Hume Hood - Nelson, BC
June 4 - The Biltmore - Vancouver, BC
June 5 - The High Dive - Seattle, WA
June 6 - Wild Buffalo - Bellingham, WA
June 7 - Doug Fir - Portland, OR
June 9 - Great American Hall - San Francisco, CA
June 10 - Echo - Los Angeles, CA
June 11 - The Casbah - San Diego
June 12 - Pappy and Harriet's - Joshua Tree, CA
June 13 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ
June 15 - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO
June 25 - Cedars Lounge - Youngstown, OH
June 26 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH
I'm serious people! Go see The Sadies live!!! Especially my fuckhead American friends. You know who you are.
Postcards.mp3
Pre-order: Darker Circles (2010)
Officially available May 18.
US: Yep Roc
Canada: Outside Music
About a year ago there was a rumor blurb in NOW Magazine speculating that The Sadies and Neil Young were recording a tribute to The Band. I don't know any details, but I have heard that The Sadies are recording a tribute to The Band with a "Canadian superstar." Who might that be? Hmmm?!?!?! I get excited just thinking about it.
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