Citizen Cope: More than it Seems
This tune is kicking me in the pants right now. Citizen Cope has that satisfying blend of soul and a rootsy acoustic vibe that I’m enjoying more and more with each listen. “More Than It Seems” just plain grooves, in a slow, pleading sort of way.
Memphis born, and reared in Texas and Washington DC, Cope now calls Brooklyn home. His third official release, Every Waking Moment, was just released on September 12th. Like many folks, “Sideways”, a Cope tune that Carlos Santana chose for his Shaman album a few years ago, first turned me on to the man. But whether you’ve heard of Citizen Cope or not, listen to this tune, and watch the video below. Like me, you may itch to hear more…
Citizen Cope: More Than It Seems (mp3) – from his Sept. 12th release, Every Waking Moment
Nice little vignette of Cope tunes and interview clips (in WMP high bandwidth)…..
Lovin Him Was Easier – Rosanne sings Kris
‘Tis a good thing to hear a well written, beautifully sung song. The words of Kris Kristofferson and the voice of Rosanne Cash come together quite nicely in “Lovin’ Him Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)”. The song (“Lovin’ HER” was the original) first appeared on Kristofferson’s 1971 album The Silver Tongued Devil & I, and has since been covered by the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare, and even Tina Turner.
Just a nice song that’s prompted me to pick up this tribute to Kristofferson.
Rosanne Cash: Lovin’ Him Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again) [mp3]
Buy The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson
Buy Rosanne Cash’s new album:
Pete Droge, Part 2
I like it when this happens. You know when you hear a great song for the first time, a tune that just connects with you? Where you have the innate ability to know that you’ll be listening to the song 5-10-15 years down the road? And for me, in this digital world, the kind of song that goes straight to the CD burner so you can carry it around with you, listen in the car, etc?
I found that song of the moment yesterday. “Things Will Change and Go My Way”. Pete Droge. Song 6 on 2003’s Skywatching. Great tune, and a great album, and I can tell you this after owning the album for just over 24 hours.
I’ll be reviewing Pete’s new album, Under the Waves, very soon. For now, travel back 3 years in time and put your ears to this gem.
Pete Droge: Things Will Change and Go My Way (mp3) – buy Skywatching on eMusic, the United Musicians store, or from his web site.
Check out Pete Droge
Thanks in part to a friendship with Mike McReady of Pearl Jam, Pete Droge secured a contract with American Records in the early 90’s, and released a fantastic album called ‘Necktie Second’ in 1994. The single that really caught my attention back then was “Sunspot Stopwatch”. With clever lyrics, and obviously influenced by Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, the tune sucked me in to Mr. Droge’s world, and led me to the debut album, which is great from start to finish.
The song that made the biggest impact, “If You Don’t Love Me (I’ll Kill Myself)”, was featured on the soundtrack to Dumb and Dumber (YouTube clip). It’s pretty much the most electric and uptempo song of the album. But it’s the more relaxed, acoustically oriented tracks that are my favorites: “Faith in You”, “Fourth of July”, “Hardest Thing to Do”. The album is produced by Pearl Jam buddy and producer extraordinaire Brendan O’Brien, who also produced Springsteen’s ‘The Rising’ (always a Boss connection!), and Soundgarden and Neil Young and Stone Temple Pilots and on and on.
Droge just released his fifth album, Under the Waves, last Tuesday. You can hear the album streaming on his web site or his Myspace page. I just picked up his fourth album, Skywatching, on eMusic, and am listening to it right now, and digging it immensely.
So take a listen to this great tune from Droge’s debut, and show the fella some love by checking out his links below.
Pete Droge: Sunspot Stopwatch (mp3) – from Necktie Second.
Pete Droge Links: His Very Well Done Official Site | and everyone has to have their MySpace (except me! I will not succumb!)The Sweet Voice of Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Man, after my recent spate of posting entire shows, it feels funny to focus on one song again. This has to be posted though. You all know how it is having a song stuck in your head. You fathers and mothers out there know what it’s like to wake up in the middle of the night with “Wags the Dog, He Likes to Tango” from the Wiggles, or the Blues Clues Theme song, or “I’m Hungry, I’m Hungry” from Breakfast with Bear. So it’s always welcome relief when it’s a good song that you actually like that’s stuck in your head. For the last couple days, it’s been this Jimmie Dale Gilmore song rolling around in my head.
I would consider Jimmie Dale Gilmore an acquired taste. His singing voice can best be described as a tremolo-filled Texas warble. He can take some getting used to. But hearing this song drew me in the first time. It’s a bittersweet acoustic masterpiece with a tale of love lost.
I have my old friend Mark to thank for putting this on a mix tape long ago (along with my first taste of Townes Van Zandt and Uncle Tupelo). These days, Mark runs a great cafe near Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he hosts some great jazz musicians and roasts his own coffee. I would recommend checking out Luna Cafe, and buying some of his coffee online. Just try it once, and you’ll come back for more, I guarantee you.
Jimmie Dale Gilmore:Tonight I Thing I’m Gonna Go Downtown(mp3) – from After AwhileBook em Danno
Here is an absolutely bizarre post I found on Boing Boing… wow, wonderful use of the University of Colorado’s law enforcement agency…. damn pot smokers!
Doug says: “Every year on 4/20, students and residents gather on Farrand Field at CU Boulder to defy the authorities and smoke marijuana publicly. This year, the University of Boulder Police Department fought back by taking pictures of as many participants as possible. They have a website with photos up, offering an $50 reward to anyone who positively identifies someone who was photographed. Nothing about what the authorities plan to do with the information is posted. Scary.”
Scary and downright mystifying indeed…..
Link to the CU Boulder Police web site
This song has nothing to do with the subject matter at hand, but it sounded awfully good this morning when it randomly materialized…….
Kings of Convenience:Gold for the Price of Silver(mp3) – from VersusWelcome to my World
Well, it’s been a good week. My second daughter was born into this world yesterday morning, right into my waiting hands. Words can’t describe it, my friends. The miracle of birth makes skeptics like me into believers. I only wish the world I’ve brought my daughters into was a very different place.
The music that is a natural accompaniment to great moments like these is the music of Bruce Cockburn. Since I discovered his vast catalog of music in the early 90’s, I have turned to Bruce’s music when I want peace, calm, inspiration, and gentle reason.
Here are a couple from my favorite Bruce album, 1979’s Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws.
Bruce Cockburn: Creation Dream (mp3) | Hills of Morning (mp3)
And it goes without saying that one of the first recorded human voices my daughter will hear is Elvis Presley’s.
Elvis Presley: Welcome to my World (mp3) – from Aloha from Hawaii
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Other Bruce News: For you Sirius Satellite Radio subscribers, check out an exclusive interview with the Boss this Sunday. Details are here. An interesting note in this press release regarding the upcoming tour:
Each night, an all new evening of gospel, folk, and blues will be presented by Springsteen with the 17-member Seeger Sessions Band.
Marvin’s Temple and Shrine
If you listened to AAA radio in the mid 90’s here in the U.S., you probably heard this tune by Marvin Etzioni.
Etzioni released three solo albums under the name ‘Marvin’ after leaving Lone Justice. He was one of the founding members and the bass player. Since then, he’s produced albums by Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sam Philips, and Peter Case (among others), and done a lot of session work (his All Music bio is here).
I’ve always liked this tune. It’s a simple, sweet love song: “If you were mine, I would treat you like a temple and shrine.”
Marvin:
Temple & Shrine(mp3) – from Weapons of the Spirit (1994)I wish I could quit this song
One more on the mellow side before I launch into some newly converted cassette tapes (yes, cassettes!) from my past. So who’s seen Brokeback Mountain? I probably won’t until I run across it on HBO or Cinemax, but if this song is any indication, the soundtrack is worth a listen.
My knowledge of Rufus Wainwright’s work is pretty much limited to that great version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” that I first heard while sitting down to some popcorn and the movie Shrek. Beautifully done. And so is this one.
Rufus Wainwright:
The Maker Makes(mp3) from the Soundtrack to Brokeback MountainState of Independence, I have a dream
Former Pretenders drummer James Hood and Grant Showbiz (who later produced the Smiths and Billy Bragg) formed Moodswings in 1989. Moodswings is electronic, chill, semi-ambient, kick back and relax music. All the songs on their albums basically blend together and make for a very satisfying listen. Their first release, Moodfood, was released in 1992. Tracks 8, 9 and 10 are the “Spiritual High” trio (parts 1, 2 and 3). Chrissie Hynde was recruited to sing Part 2 (State of Independence). Part 3 features an excerpt from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. I’ve always found the King excerpt quite poignant and powerful. It really fits well into the song.
Moodswings w/ Chrissie Hynde:
Spiritual High (Pts. 1, 2, 3)(mp3) | from Moodfood (1992)Spiritual High, Part 1
Spiritual High (State of Independence), Part 2
Spiritual High, Part 3- Head over to Moistworks to download an mp3 of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech from August 28, 1963.
- I found video of the speech here at Brad Blog.
