Indiana

So Much

He's been releasing all these singles and I've been resisting because I wanted to hear them for the first time all together on his new album, but with no known release date, one can only resist extreme temptation for so long. 

'So Much' by Peter Gabriel. Incredibly beautiful. 

A Slice of the South

Oxford American magazine put(s) out an annual music issue and would include compilation discs of various artists and songs with a southern related theme. 

Twenty-six songs on this sampler. Some gems within. Some of the more noteworthy offerings .... your opinion may vary ..... 'Little Bit of Rain' by Fred Neil, 'Killing Him' from Amy LaVere, and a cover of the old Tim Hardin classic, 'If I Were a Carpenter' by Eldridge Holmes. 

I'll also mention, 'G-Man Hoover' by Van Dyle Parks. It took years but I appreciate Van Dyke Parks now. 

..... and I still have at least half the songs on this collection, to listen to for the first time. More gems to discover.

All these various Oxford American compilations are well worth picking up .... if you can find them. Last time I looked they were pretty expensive. I have three on compact disc and would like to gather the entire collection. These to me, would qualify for, as the vinyl community folks like to say: "Holy Grails."

Safe

'Safe' by The Shook Twins. 

Listening on KLCC-fm radio to the festival concluding performance of the Oregon Country Fair this Sunday late afternoon into early evening, This was the opening song of their live set. A great way to grab ones attention. Wishing I had been there. 

First time hearing the group and the song which I thought from the echoing, repeated line of lyrics that it might be titled, 'All I Want' but when I typed those words into the YouTube search engine, several videos for their song, 'Safe' came up. 

There are still good things to be discovered these days on the radio. Especially local community radio stations who can broadcast performances from live and local festival events. 

A live performance of the song from 2019 in the Paste Studios.

Mimicking Birds

Mimicking Birds is a Portland, Oregon band that I follow. Indie Rock. 

I first became interested when hearing their song, 'Burning Stars' on a short lived Oregon Public Broadcasting series that focused on local music .... the Portland scene. It didn't take long to get hooked. 

They were a breath of fresh air. A little more artsy than the usual Indie band. Explorative in many of their song openings. I don't know if others would agree with my use of "explorative" but that's what comes to mind. 

Brothers and Sisters

'Brothers and Sisters' by The Allman Brothers.

From 1973 on beautiful deep black vinyl. 

If you are too young to have been there, this was huge. Powered by the song, 'Ramblin' Man.' It helped define that place and time. College students would stick their speakers in their dorm windows and you'd hear it blasting while walking back and forth between room and classes. I don't know who started that, but my generation sure continued it. (Maybe they still do that?)

Southern-Rock, Blues-Rock, Classic-Rock, 70's Music .... Whatever you want to call it, I've had this record in my possession for half a century and that thought boggles my little mind. Flashbacks and memories of youth rage out-of-control when this is played. In this moment, I feel like I'm 17 again. 

Bruno Raberg

A new name for me: Bruno Raberg and his recording, 'Chennai Reminiscence.'

Solo bowed bass.

New jazz directions.

And a sound I've come to love in the past year. The bass becomes a voice. 

Tell Her

Causing emotions and nostalgia for a place I've never been .....

Several years ago (2017) while on a ritualistic music search and buying trek to Everyday Records in Beaverton, Oregon, where I would always flip through these mini-crates of $.50-$1 priced compact discs, I came across this compilation disc of Vermont musicians from 2014. Just the kind of thing I love to discover. As the Vinyl Community folks like to say: "In the wild."

Imagine Vermont, crossing 3000 miles of rivers and mountains and suddenly in Oregon!! 

Home later, I popped it into the disc changer and was stunned by the lyrical power and beauty of the opening song on the disc. 'Tell Her' by Lisa Piccirillo. Years later and I still can't go for long without hearing it. 

Vinyl Records I Highly Treasure That Might Surprise People Who Know Me

 

The people I grew up with, the people I attended concerts with, they probably assume that my favorite records are the certain singer/songwriters and jazz artists that they've heard me talk about many times before. They might just be surprised at some of the other records that I've felt a connection with over the years.

Discovering new sounds has always been vital to me. These records were never spoken about between us. They may know of them and appreciate them as I do but we never shared that information. I tend to think that some of these records are my discovery only. 

Come and sit with me for an hour or two and I will play records for you. It would be a pleasure. I'll tell you a story that I've never shared with you before. I'll hope that you hear and feel what I hear and feel ..... or that you'll hear something that you find exciting in your own way. 

I find power in all these records. I feel the musicians pouring their emotions into the recordings. Even decades or half a century later. I try to recall what I heard of felt upon my first listen ..... and what I feel now. There's power and emotion behind all these recordings. 

Peter Gabriel Playlist

I don't usually do a musician specific playlist ..... Why? Because everyone else does that. But I suppose I could include one now and then ..... So for anyone interested, a Peter Gabriel playlist:

• Red Rain ..... Fascinating visual imagery in the lyrics.
• No Way Out
• This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)
• Games Without Frontiers .... Powerful use of images in the official video.
• Burn You Up, Burn You Down
• Digging In the Dirt .... "Digging in the dirt, to find the places we got hurt."
• Shock the Monkey
• I Have the Touch
• Here Comes the Flood
• Solsbury Hill .... I was trying to avoid what in my eyes is the most obvious choice but just couldn't hold out.
• That Voice Again
• Mercy Street .... "There in the midst of it, so alive and alone, words support like bone." 
• Kiss That Frog

I might as well include the entire "So" album. Depending on the day I'm asked, the greatest album of all-time. 

Sky Blue

There's perfect timing and a place for everything it seems. I've always enjoyed this song but now I'm finding myself obsessed with it, listening more closely than ever before. There's power in its notes, progression and ending. 

'Sky Blue' by Peter Gabriel 

Its beginning is reminiscent to my ears to two songs, 'Mercy Street' and 'Red Rain' from his classic 1986 album, 'So.' And the ending, when The Blind Boys of Alabama, held in reserve until the final moment, then entering and blending their voices for the powerful closing chorus, is perfection. I can't help but to join in.

 

Jason Isbell

As I've entered my senior years of life, there's a small group of musicians and bands releasing new music in recent years, that I've become a loyal follower of ..... Son Volt, The Jayhawks, The Feelies, The Bats, Yo La Tengo, Hiss Golden Messenger, (maybe one or two others that I'm forgetting) ..... and Jason Isbell!!

On my doorstep today, the new one titled 'Weathervanes' by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.

I've refrained from listening to song samples beforehand because I wanted to experience the record for the first time like it was done long ago. By sitting down and taking in each song in its entirety. I'll go out on a limb ahead of time and say it's going to be great. I've come to trust over the past decade(s), the quality and consistency of the songwriting. And I know that I'm going to be 'feeling' the vibe of each song.