New Releases

Listening to new albums by a couple old favorites: "In Between" by The Feelies and "Notes of Blue" by Son Volt. It's always a heightened period of discovery when one of my favorites releases a set of new music. As in the pre-internet days, I try to keep the new sounds a mystery going into the first listen. It feels more like a highly anticipated big occasion that way. A feeling that I had begun to miss in recent years with postings of early songs releases and album samples that are so common these days.

Best of 2016

My choices for the best new releases from 2016 ......

• Anders Osborne - Flower Box
• Avishai Cohen - Into the Silence
• Hiss Golden Messenger - Heart Like a Levee
• Tony Joe White - Rain Crow
• Richmond Fontaine - You Can't Go Back If There's Nothing To Go Back To
• Tim Buckley - Lady, Give Me Your Key: The Unissued 1967 Solo Acoustic Sessions
• The Subdudes - 4 On The Floor
• The Jayhawks - Paging Mr. Proust
• Grant-Lee Phillips - The Narrows
• Gillian Welch - Boots No. 1
• Pink Floyd - The Early Years 1967-1972

And my album of the year judging from the one that's received the most listening time here at home, in my car or on the media player at work ....  and that I often find myself singing along to (like they could use my assistance on the harmony vocals) would be The Jayhawks new record. A very close second place to Heart Like a Levee by Hiss Golden Messenger. On any given day, it might be my number one.

More Soul

It's kinda funny .... I came across an article/review online about this record, listened to some song samples and decided that I needed to seek it out. A couple days later I walked into an antiques shop and there it was, in vinyl format, at the front of the Jazz bins. Like it knew that I had come looking.

The recording is from 1960. A septet that sounds even larger at times. An introduction to an old classic jewel

"A" Playlist

The A's have it!!! Songs beginning with the letter, A. In alphabetical order direct from my iPod.

• Damien Jurado - Abilene
• Dave Alvin - Abilene
• Jackson Browne - About My Imagination .... So many great songs written in the previous century. His best song from the current century.
• The Tragically Hip - About This Map
• The National - About Today
• Pierce Pettis - Absalom, Absalom
• The Subdudes - Absolutely
• Richard Shindell - Abuelita
• The Band - Acadian Driftwood .... Also can be found on any of the Desert Island Disc lists that I've dreamed up.
• Warren Zevon - Accidently Like a Martyr .... "We made mad love, shadow love, random love and abandoned love." One of my favorite lines.
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Accused of Love

Mayflies

Recently came across a few songs by Benjamin Francis Leftwich. Now he has a new album and another batch of songs to discover.

The Bigger The Ocean .....

From 1979. On vinyl. Rock on the Virgin Record Label. Don't recall how I discovered this band. It's been so long since my last listen that it's like hearing the record for the first time.

1979 .... A time of discovery. Branching out into New Wave and edgier Rock sounds. Joe Jackson and The Boomtown Rats. Dire Straits just starting out. I hadn't lost interest in Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens and Neil Young but I was suddenly searching in different directions. I can likely blame that on college.

The record sounds very much dated now but is still of great historical value. It assists in recalling those long ago days of youth. You can browse through the bins of countless used record stores and see a lot of the same records from the 1970's and 80's but you're not likely to come across Big Oceans by Interview.

Wednesday Morning Coming Down, Playlist

Wednesday morning playlist inspired by suggestions from my Twitter feed ....

• Neil Young - Southern Man
• Royal Southern Brotherhood - I've Seen Enough To Know
• Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - Howling At Nothing
• Junior Kimbrough - Most Things Haven't Worked Out
• BJ Barham - Unfortunate Kind

Late For The Sky

"How long have I been dreaming? ...."

Late For the Sky ….. From 1974. A masterpiece!!! Freshman year in college. Finding my way. Feeling lost in this sudden new environment. Not sure of the memory but I recall walking from the OSU campus to Everybody’s Records in downtown Corvallis when it first came out. What’s still perfectly clear is that I played it daily back then. Often two or three times. The lyrics to each song became engraved inside. I can still recite them probably 95% accurately. Likely wore out my original vinyl copy. The new songs had such a unique feel ….. even for a Jackson Browne record. The two songs that were my least favorite back then (not that I disliked any of them), are my favorites from the record today.

For many years, I said that I wanted “For a Dancer” played at my funeral. I don’t think much about such things nowadays but I wouldn’t object (even if I could somehow) if it was played.

The record paralleled my first experience with heartbreak and the girl moving away.

"Don't know why I'm happy, I've got no reason to feel this good ...."

Walking back to the dorm from class one afternoon and on the sidewalk I could hear the record being played by the guy who lived across the hall from me. And being played loudly!! The song, “Walking Slow” as I recall. Taking a giant leap for a shy 18 year old, I knocked on his door and told him that I also had the record. He invited me in. Introduced me to his record collection and stereo system. If envy is a sin, then I sinned heavily that day.

Forty-plus years in time tends to muddle memories but I can still recall so clearly, the visual images and emotions associated with this record when it was new. Teenage yearning and chills. Contemplating each word of the record review in Rolling Stone magazine. So much emotion inside that I still can’t express. Anyone wanting to know what’s beneath my admittedly gruff and sometimes unwelcoming exterior should listen to the record daily, You might see me a little differently. Listen from start to finish, until you “get it.” Don’t skip a single song. Each is vital listening. While you should also read any available record reviews, it’s OK to assign your own emotions and personal meanings to the lyrics. I certainly did!!

"Just do the steps that you've been shown, by everyone you've ever known ...."

Late For The Sky is not my favorite Jackson Browne album but it is the one that had the greatest affect on my world!!

Wednesday Night Playlist

• Buffalo Ruckus – If It’s For Love
• Jeffrey Foucault – 4&20 Blues
• Son Volt – Dust of Daylight …. What country music should sound like.
• Richmond Fontaine – I Can’t Black It Out If I Wake Up and Remember
• Martin Sexton – Doin’ Something Right …. Sometimes it’s not the doin’ but instead knowing what is right that is the difficult thing.
• Griffin House – Live To Be Free
• The Jayhawks – Martin’s Song
• Josh Ritter – Getting Ready to Get Down
• Richard Buckner – Rainsquall
• Screaming at Motorists – Doors Are Closing
• The Allman Brothers Band – Double Cross …. An outtake from the “Brothers and Sisters” album.

Record Collecting 101 (Continued)

I keep thinking, "why don't I just buy everything remotely interesting? Vinyl recordings are a record of events right? They're history right?"

Everything has value!!

Of course those thoughts always enter my mind when I'm not actually standing in the aisles of the record store, looking at the price tags and worrying about the funding of my retirement days ahead.

And then I have this thing that when making a decision to purchase, I want every track on the record to be something I'll instantly love. No waiting for it to grow on me over time.

And as things currently stand, I most likely have more vinyl than 99.8% of the general population. So why do I crave more? I'm relatively positive that it's not just some freaky hoarding fetish.

But I do constantly feel the pull and temptation to add to the collection. It's my drug, my addiction. Where nearly every unknown title encountered is a temptation where I feel the need to find something unusual or something new. Or something to fill out my collection of a particular musician. or maybe it's just the artwork on the record cover luring me in.

Arches and Aisles or The Other Guy

The Spinanes – Arches and Aisles

Every decade has it’s discoveries. Looking back, the 1990’s seems a particularly interesting and fruitful time. There was a Saturday late night music video program on a local television channel called, “The Other Guy.” For a half hour (or maybe an hour) they would play an assortment of videos that you would likely see nowhere else. Often there would be live performances recorded in their studio by musicians passing through Portland. Sometimes there would be short comedy skits involving two or three regular characters (one being, “The Other Guy”) as they faded to or returned from commercials. Occasionally a local artist or band would be featured. It was the type of television programming that I wish we had today. Especially from the local channels.

Sadly these days, all that remains of the program in my music collection is a live studio video of Jonatha Brooke introducing and performing her song, "Inconsolable."

It was on one of these late night visual fests that I first saw The Spinanes. A Portland band (If memory serves) made up primarily of a female guitar player/lead vocalist, Rebecca Gates, and a drummer, Scott Plouf. Their songs likely would fit into the Indie Rock genre. Maybe similar to Yo La Tengo minus the fuzzy, distorted guitar sound they sometimes employ. A stripped down sound with the ringing guitar and minimal drumming ….. there was drumming but not excessive and overpowering. And then some great songs.

Wikipedia - The Spinanes
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And some words I found about ...... The Other Guy .......
"I loved watching "the Other Guy" with its skits and live music of new artists and Bohemia Afterdark with it's music and skits as well."

And a reply from The actual Other Guy .........
The Other Guy Lives!
by: Bobby Castaneda - The Other Guy

When I tell my work colleagues that I produced and hosted a music show in Portland for 10 years, they do not believe me. I worked at Fox and started The Other Guy as a labor of love in honor of local/regional artists who were most excellent but not getting any airplay. I figured "Heck, I work in television! I can put them on the air! There's MTV and VH1, so I will just be the alternative to top 40 - The Other Guy!" If I had any idea how much work it would become to do it well, I likely would not have done it at all. But that is the beauty and power of naivete. The show gained national attention and before long, record labels were vying to get their artists to perform live on the show - several of which were Grammy award winners (Sheryl Crow, Duncan Sheik, Taj Mahal, Soundgarden and more). I admit the host segments were goofy, but in the spirit of my original intent, my drive was to always air under-appreciated artists that were innovative and exceptional - no matter the genre. Producing that show kept me in the industry 10 years longer than I should have (broadcast television is not a spiritually/ethically healthy industry), but every time someone took the time to write to the show or approach me on the street to tell me how much they enjoyed the show, I knew it was all worth it. I am currently working in the energy efficiency industry, which I love and living in Kansas City, which is surprisingly hip and rife with an amazing music scene. I will be returning home to Portland this fall. Thank you for taking the time to mention the show. I have all the original shows and hope to someday slow down long enough to put some of them on YouTube, as often requested. Before I go, I want to take a moment to thank all those such as yourself who watched the show every week, and for taking the time to let me know that it mattered. Take care and I will see you on the streets of Puddletown. Hopefully some will recognize me. Even though my hair is silver and I no longer have the Kramer do, I still have the hipster sideburns...

Willard Grant Conspiracy

The song is titled: "Good Morning Wadlow." Beautiful!! Causes me to close my eyes and imagine that I'm telling all my stories to someone intent on listening. Thoughts long kept bottled up waiting for the person that I trust enough to share with ..... Someone who cares.