Friday, October 21, 2011

October Feel Bad For You: Instrumentals


Your monthly comp from your favorite musical delinquents, only this time, with a theme! Most people submitted instrumentals, but some people can't follow directions (I'll leave you to figure that one out). It's a pretty interesting comp this month - everything from country to hip-hop to metal to stoner rock. And I forgot the link to the stream, so if you want to stream the entire comp, go here. Otherwise, download here.

1. Chelsea Crowell - For Stormy.mp3
Buy (mp3): Crystal City (2011)
Submitted By: Mando_lines
Comments: "For Stormy" is an instrumental track off of Chelsea Crowell’s record, Crystal City. The song originally had lyrics, but Ms. Crowell made the decision to jettison the lyrics and had her producer, Loney Hutchins, play lap steel in place of her vocal track. A Tennessee thunder storm (and tornado siren) are in the background, if you listen closely. Conveniently, the siren was in the same key as the song.

2. Lil’ Cap’n Travis - Twilight On Sometimes Island (SoulQuest 17)
Twilight On Sometimes Island (2007)
Submitted By: Erschen
Comment: Love me some Pedal Steel

3. Los Straitjackets - Fortune Cookie
The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets (2009)
Submitted By: popa2unes
Comments: Everyone’s favorite Mexican wrestling mask-wearing, Chuck Taylor-clad, surf and garage instrumental rock band, we had these guys play at a traditional Hot Rod Show I was involved with a couple summers ago, they know how to have a good time and get everyone dancing.

4. The Royal Court of China - Townsend, TN
The Royal Court of China (1989)
Submitted by: toomuchcountry
Comments: The Royal Court of China was a Nashville-based, Elliston Place/Rock Block staple band in the late 1980s who later took a shot at the big time with a relo to LA. Bands such as The Questionnaires (featuring great songwriter Tom Littlefield), Government Cheese, Will & The Bushmen (fronted by Will Kimbrough), and RCC were among the second and larger wave of memorable bands that followed the original Nashville rockers, Jason & The Scorchers. The band got its name from a magazine interview with Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers. In the interview, the two of them mentioned that they had rejected RCC as a name for their name and instead chose The Firm. RCC’s second album, Geared & Primed, was hard-edged and included their only hit – "Half The Truth" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4JNLthoQRU). But their first and self-titled release included a wider range of guitar playing, a mandolin, some slide to give it a distinctly-Nashville touch, a few more harmonies, and this instrumental named for one of the most beautiful, tranquil parts of East Tennessee.

5. Paul Simon & Stéphane Grappelli - Hobo’s Blues
Paul Simon (1972)
Submitted By: Phil Norman
Comments: I’ve been on a Paul Simon binge lately, and I was already thinking of submitting a gypsy jazz track when I remembered this little ditty with the master himself, Stéphane Grappelli.

6. Japancakes – Only Shallow
Loveless (2007)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel
Comments: featuring pedal steel God John Neff of DBT before he was John Neff of DBT…always a badass.

7. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Drivin’ South
Radio One (1989)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: What else is there to say?

8. The Volebeats - Maggot Brain
Bloodshot Records: Making Singles, Drinking Doubles (2002)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: in the pantheon of great rock instrumentals, Funkadelic’s "Maggot Brain" is certainly near the top. This is a killer version with some absolutely necessary steel guitar.

9. Willy Vlautin & Paul Brainard - A New Life
Northline (Soundtrack To The Book) (2008)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: Love Willie Vlautin’s writing for Richmond Fontaine and his books are equally fantastic – the book and soundtrack idea works wonderfully well.

10. Megadeth - Into the Lungs of Hell.mp3
Buy: So Far, So Good...So What! (1988, reissued 2004)
Submitted By: Gorrck
Comment: Having sent instrumentals the last 2 months, this actually was a challenge this month. Pulled up Glenn Miller’s “Goin’ Home” — way too mellow and sad. Fired up some Xavier Cugat and remembered I had a cover of Ray Charles doing “One Mint Julep”. Then I realized I submitted the Cugat in 2008. Dammit. So here’s some Megadeth. Enjoy!

11. Slithering Beast - Ghost Song
Werewolf Ballads (2006)
Submitted By: bootlegend
Comments: One of my favorites from a criminally underexposed band out of Louisville.

12. Norman Blake - Arkansas Traveler
Live at McCabes (1976)
Submitted By: Bowood
Comments: This could be why I play guitar, or it could be why I don’t.

13. Rodrigo y Gabriela - Stairway to Heaven
Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz

14. Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
Stainonia (2000)
Submitted By: Autopsy IV
Comments: Bob your head. Rag top.

15. The Queers - Squid Omelet.mp3
Buy: Grow Up (1990)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: Ok, so when I think instrumental I automatically think surf music. And I LOVE surf music. Dick Dale and the Dale Tones, The Ventures, Frogmen, Sentinals, The Rumblers, Beach Boys (although honestly I don’t listen to them as much as the others I’ve mentioned). I could go on and on about surf music. BUT I wouldn’t have ever gotten started listening to surf music if it weren’t thru a weird backdoor way of getting exposed to it, thru punk. So, I decided to put up the song that got me started really listening to surf instead of one of the other surf bands I mentioned. The Queers are a great band that are pretty heavily influenced by surf music, and you can really hear it in their songs, I love them. Although I had heard surf before I didn’t really appreciate it until after getting into punk. Confused now? Me too. By the way, this song ends kind of abruptly, because it’s supposed to lead right into the next track…so this might not really be the greatest pick for a random mixtape….but I’m telling a story with this song, so, suck it.

16. Mark III Trio - Good Grease
Single (Unknown)
Submitted By: mikeorren
Comments: Off a great bootleg instrumental soul compilation that sadly seems to be unavailable on now. The comp disc was called “Bucket o’ Grease”

17. Sun Kil Moon - Si Paloma.mp3
Buy: Ghosts of the Great Highway (2003)
Submitted By: Trailer
Comments: I’m not a big fan of instrumentals, but that’s the theme…so here’s a submission from one of my favorite albums of all time.

18. Ray Charles - Moanin’
Genius + Soul = Jazz (1961)
Submitted By: Adam Sheets

19. Butch Cassidy Sound System - Cissy Strut
Butches Brew (2004)
Submitted By: noteethleroy

20. Earth - Peace in Mississippi (Jimi Hendrix cover)
Pentastar: In the Style of Demons (1996)
Submitted by: TheSecondSingle
Comment: Stoner rock at its best. This may not be most people’s cup o’ tea, but you have to admit: it’s pretty badass.

21. Booker T. & the M.G.s - Green Onions.mp3
Buy: Green Onions (1962, reissued 1991)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: Thanks to TheSecondSingle for the inspiration via Spotify!

No comments: