Learning To Dance

My introduction to Jack Tempchin was way back in the early 1970's. The songwriter of the song that The Eagles made famous, "Peaceful Easy Feeling." The song that I personally identify with discovering FM radio. Forty-plus years later and he has a new album. (I'm assuming that there were a few in between but he never became a huge name.)

Causes me to wonder how many singer/songwriters over the years, never had the big break that put them out there for greater exposure and more listeners? How many songs worthy of an ear, never were heard beyond a small circle of friends? I suppose that's why I keep looking for more music. Why I keep flipping through those racks of records and compact discs. The seemingly insatiable hope that I'll find something new or older .... but still enjoyable to give a listen to.

Weekend Record Store Finds

Found yesterday in the record store. Working on filling out my Tom Waits collection.

Read a review calling this album "the great lost Waits masterpiece."

Found on vinyl. Elliott Smith's, "Either/Or" album.

He's not from my generation but there's a local Portland connection. His songs have some quirky turns in them .... to my ears anyway, but still someone that I enjoy listening to.

First Weekend of Autumn Playlist

Saturday evening. First weekend of Autumn. We made it through the hot Summer. Brisk evening air outside. Though I don't think it recognizes the change in seasons the iPod is offering up .....

• A.A. Bondy - American Hearts ..... Acoustic guitar and harmonica. 1960's Dylanesque.
• John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers - I'm Your Witchdoctor
• James McMurtry - 60 Acres
• Richard Shindell - Merritt Parkway 2 AM .... Rare Shindell instrumental. No vocals. Maybe the only one.
• Steve Earle - Sara's Angel ..... Another instrumental. I didn't know that the iPod could detect no vocals. Or else it's an incredible coincidence.
• Jeff Black - These Days .... NOT a cover of the Jackson Browne song. 
• Nick Drake - From the Morning ..... I was looking at some Elliott Smith records this afternoon in the record store. Two singer/songwriter types who ended their lives. 
• Jackson Browne - Ready Or Not .... Bootleg version from 2004. Accompanied by piano only. "Take a look in my eyes and tell me brother if I look like I'm ready." One of my favorite lines. 
• Big Country - Fields of Fire & We're Not in Kansas
• Peter Mulvey - Bright Idea
• James Keelaghan - River Run
• Peter Gabriel - Family Snapshot
• Josh Joplin Group - Fire .... A hint within the music and lyrics of something from long ago. Possibly a place. Not sure though.
• JJ Grey & Mofro - On Palastine
• Wendy Waldman - When I Rode Next to You .... Memories of a Winter night long ago in the College Inn at OSU, listening to "The Wind In New York City." 
• Tim Buckley - Morning Glory .... That 1960's folk song feel that I love. Phil Ochs, Steve Noonan to name a few others.
• The Subdudes - Brightest Star
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Southern Accents

Monday Evening Playlist

As if I ever needed a reason to fire up my iPod, slip on my headphones and manufacture a random playlist, the fact that it's a Monday evening seems entirely appropriate.

• Todd Rundgren - I Saw The Light .... One of my college roommates for a short while was a huge fan. I got to listen to all kinds of sounds from Todd Rundgren while he was subjected to my Jackson Browne and Neil Young records.
• Vega4 - Life Is Beautiful .... From one of those Paste Magazine sampler discs.
• Depeche Mode - Precious .... There was a time not all that long ago when I would have never admitted to listening to Depeche Mode. I've broadened my horizons since then. You can't deny the beat in this song. Had to play it twice!!
• Rodney Crowell - Beautiful Despair .... There's some small element of this song that's reminding me of Strawberry Fields era Beatles. Maybe the cello?
• Damien Jurado - Bad Dreams
• Little Feat - Roll Um Easy .... For my old friend, Mitch. Rest in peace.
• Freedy Johnston - No Violins
• The Kinks - Tired Of Waiting For You .... For some odd reason, I never associate this song with The Kinks.
• Brownie McGhee - My Baby's Leavin' .... Feels like sitting on your front porch while the friends and neighbors gather around. Guitar, harmonica, singing, hooting and foot stomping. 
• Bob Dylan - Shelter From The Storm .... I was a Freshman in college when the album, Blood On The Tracks came out. Guy across the hallway in Sackett Hall dormitory playing it with the volume way up. That's always my first memory of this album. 
• The Mynabirds - Numbers Don't Lie
• John Hiatt - Hold On For Your Love

Stuff Like That There

A new Yo La Tengo album. Always welcome sounds. Some cover versions, re-workings of past songs and a few new tunes.

Yo La Tengo can sound alternatingly hip, cool and modern Indie Rock and also as if they are from the 1960's. Or all-of-the-above at the same time.

They can take well known songs and if you failed to recognize the lyrics, you would never know that it was a cover version.

Formerly a trio, they've added a fourth member on this recording ..... an additional guitarist.

NPR Album Review

Massachusetts Daily Collegian Review

Friday Night Playlist

Celebrating two actual days away from work with an iPod playlist. Scrolling through many songs, stopping on some for a moment, playing a few seconds and quickly moving on. These are the ones where I chose to stay and listen a little longer.

• The Outsiders - Time Won't Let Me .... Flashing back to the 60's. It's cliche but it almost seems like yesterday. Staying up late at night, listening to the radio. 
• The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - If You Want to Get to Heaven .... Flashing back to the 70's. Playing a little air harmonica!
• Pat Metheny Group - Slip Away
• Patty Griffin - Tony .... Powerful message about teen suicide. Causes me to wonder who I may have crossed paths with in the past who may have been silently struggling with suicidal thoughts and if unknowingly did or said anything that contributed in any small way to a decision made that either helped or worsened with what the person might have been struggling with?
• Pierce Pettis - Envelopes of Light .... "When he's down so dark, she mails him little envelopes of light."
• R.E.M. - The Outsiders & All The Way to Reno
• Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze .... Amazing the faces that flash by when playing something from your teenage years and for a few nostalgic and heartaching moments, you are 18 again. And I've probably forgotten more than I'll ever remember about those years. It would be nice if for just a few hours a year, you could go back.
• Steve Noonan - Leaning Back and Laughing .... Either Steve Noonan reminds me of Phil Ochs or vice versa. 
• Teddy Thompson - I Should Get Up
• Terry Tufts - Dirty Little War

Random Late Night Playlist

Because late night is the best time to listen to music ..... though occasionally I'd argue for early morning. Oh and there are days now and then when it's definitely afternoon. And the other day it was early evening. Oh what the hell! Anytime is the best time!

• The Feelies - Invitation
• Tom Freund - October Girl
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Something Big
• Anthony John Clarke - But Then I'm Irish
• Bon Iver - Skinny Love .... Reminding me of something or someplace that I can't quite identify.

• Van Morrison - Wonderful Remark .... Seems like one of those songs that should be playing at the end of a movie while the credits roll across the screen. Turns out it is. It's on, The King of Comedy.
• Wheat - Slow Fade
• Van Morrison - Cleaning Windows .... Guess the iPod wanted one more from Van. A favorite song with the ex-wife, wherever she is tonight.
• Peter Gabriel - Listening Wind
• Pete Townshend - Crashing by Design
• Golden Smog - V

The Joshua Tree

It's difficult to realize that this album is almost thirty years old.

How did U2 come up with the ideas for this collection of songs? There's not a single song that could be thought of as just existing in order to fill space on the record. When finished, did they pause and wonder how they could ever match this effort?

As recalled, there was a huge build up leading up to its release in 1987. It seemed to be considered a masterpiece before it was released. You don't see that any more where the release of a record was a major event. A significant moment or landmark in cultural history. That's how I remember this record. It's differfent today and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's what I used to wonder about .... that you would reach a point in time where with a finite number of musical notes available to be used in the writing of songs, that eventually songwriters would run out of combinations of those notes to leep music truly evolving and original

I intially fell in love with side one of the record and rarely listened to side two. Maybe it was due to it being the height of the music video age on television and the anointed radio hits of the day were all on side one. It was years later before I truly listened to and discovered the beauty of side two. It's just as strong as the first side if not moreso.

Heart of the Heartland

I've laid in bed over several late evenings, with the Ken Burns, Lewis & Clark documentary in the DVD player, playing the portion of the film containing this song over and over until eventually drifting off to sleep. Not one that I can just play one time and move on to the next song. It stays with me!!

Another great one from that film, the song; "Done for Prosperity."

Playlist

Just another random playlist inspired by another crazy evening at work .... well maybe not inspired by but just what I've ended up listening to upon returning home.

• Martin Sexton - Give It Up
• World Party - What Does It Mean Now?
• Karen Matheson - Waiting For The World to Turn .... Nothing quite like getting your extremly sore toe set free from the restraints of the shoe and sock and into the TLC of your comfy plush slippers. 
• Dry Branch Fire Squad - Red Rocking Chair .... About now I could greatly use a red rocking chair and a little banjo accompanyment to help unwind from the loud and hectic pace of work. 
• Roy Rogers - Feel My Care
• Jackopierce - Finest Hour .... The finest hour of the day has always been that first hour after leaving work.
• Derek and the Dominos - Layla
• Neil Young - Journey Through the Past
• Jackson Browne - Sky Blue and Black ..... "And I'd have fought the world for you, if I thought that you wanted me to ..... "
• Lyle Lovett - I've Had Enough
• Willard Grant Conspiracy - Lady Of the Snowline

Hiss Golden Messenger

The latest in my continuing and lifelong journey of discovery and music listening evolution. Gotta find something fresh and new consitently. I tend to get caught thinking that there is no new original music of quality being made these days. Always exciting to be proven wrong and discover new sounds for my old ears!!

I've Got Those, Don't Want To Go To Work Today Blues ..... Playlist

Random iPod playlist:

• Sonny Terry - She's So Sweet
• The Rounders - How Can You Love Me When My Skin is Rough
• Dive Index - Agatha
• Rosanne Cash - Last Stop Before Home
• The Soggy Bottom Boys - I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow
• Yo La Tengo - Song For Mahila
• Modest Mouse - Missed the Boat
• John Gorka - When You Sing
• Thrillbilly - Bonita
• Shawn Mullins - Shimmer 
• Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Badlands
• Pete Townshend - Secondhand Love
• Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown - Shackles