Money at the Moon by Matt Hartin
A combination of job-related sleep deprivation, a stomach ailment of some sort, and post-holiday weekend laziness have conspired to keep me away from posting any new material for a few days. Apologies to those who notice.
I got a short & sweet email (just the way I like ’em) from Matt Hartin last week: “I’ve been checkin your blog lately and thought you might like this.” Spooky. I did like it. And I think you will too.
The song, “Money at the Moon”, has that alt-country, saloon duet feel that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Steve Earle album. I could picture Mark Knopfler rockin’ this tune too. Don’t know what it is… But this song belongs to Matt Hartin. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, right? This tune reached out and grabbed me, and I’ll be checking out more of Mr. Hartin.
Matt has a nice little site he’s put together. In one of the sections, he writes about what inspired him to write “Money at the Moon”…
While attending an art gallery opening, a painting caught my eye. The title was Throwing Our Money at the Moon. I spoke to the artist, Jamie Frankie, who told me that he and his wife like to take their coin jar down to the big tree in the field behind their house when the moon is full. They make a wish and throw their money at the moon. Mrs. Frankie’s first name is Penny. Seriously. Thus inspired, the words just spilled out and were put to a melody I had laying around for a long time.
Matt Hartin – Money at the Moon (mp3)
Buy the Let It Go EP for $5 (you can preview the EP here):
Visit: Matt Hartin.comBand of Horses at Amoeba Records (full performance)
Wow!
Looking forward to Austin City Limits Festival. The more I hear (and see), the more I like.Thanks Amoeba Records.
Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day weekend. Take a few moments, reflect, and think about all of those who have sacrificed their lives for this country. And think about all of those overseas, who put their lives on the line day after day – while we get to be with our family and friends, barbecue, and drink beer.
Here, John Prine is interviewed by Bobby Bare, talking about and singing “Sam Stone”. John was 38 at the time, which puts this at 1984.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=206XaNxQ5LQ]
Here’s Bruce singing “Shut Out the Light” in Paris, 1985.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAqbN9HO68A]
The Ramones in London: the spark that lit the fire
The British punk explosion of 1976-77 can pretty easily be traced to one night in London: July 4th, 1976. That was the night the Ramones came to town. It was their UK debut, opening for the Flamin’ Groovies at the Roundhouse in Camden.
In attendance were current and future members of the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Buzzcocks, and the Damned, among countless others I’m sure. The quality is pretty bad, but it’s still amazing to listen in on such an important night in music history. A 35 minute set that shaped the future of music. Pretty sweet.
The Ramones
Live at the Roundhouse, London
July 4th, 1976Intro / Sound Issues
Loudmouth
Beat On The Brat
Blitzkrieg Bop
I Remember You
Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue
Glad To See You Go
Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment
53rd & 3rd
I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
Havana Affair
Listen To My Heart
California Sun
Judy Is A Punk
I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You
Today Your Love Tomorrow The WorldGivin’ It Away: ScarJo’s New CD
Hmm, I must think of creative way to give away a brand-new copy of Scarlett Johansson’s new album, Anywhere I Lay My Head (looking at this picture, I have a very vivid idea of where I’d like to lay my head, but that’s neither here nor there). The album hit stores today (May 20). You scan still stream several of the tunes here.
We have a creative bunch hanging around here. We’ve done haikus, and we’ve done limericks. For this contest, I think we’ll open it up to some freestyle poetry slammin’. In the Comments section, hit us with a haiku, or hit us with a limerick, or impress us with some obscure poetic stylings. Keep it simple, or get into it, it’s up to you.
The topic? Why, Scarlett, of course. You can wax poetic about her films, her music career, her decision to dive into the Tom Waits song book, and/or, of course, her beauty. All I ask is that you keep it clean. If you’re going to bust a haiku about Scarlett’s elevator encounter with Benicio Del Toro, well, you’re just gonna have to keep it classy. Because we all know elevator sex is classy.
One submission per person. I’ll pick a winner later in the week.
Good luck!
Scarlett’s Official Web Site
Click to buy the album…
A Weekend with Ye Olde Style Council
We’re just over a month away from Paul Weller’s new album 22 Dreams (on Yep Roc), which I really look forward to hearing. I thought I’d take a trip back to his great blue-eyed British soul band of the 80’s, The Style Council. Wanting to incorporate R&B, soul, and jazz into his songwriting, Weller had walked away from his pioneering, mod-revival band The Jam in 1982 at their peak and formed the Style Council in 1983. The Style Council sort of fizzled out by the end of the decade, but Weller has continued on with a strong solo career as the Mod Godfather of the British music scene.
This is the kind of show that accompanies a nice sunny day, a cool breeze, and a nice lemonade (preferably spiked) on the front porch. No daytime front porch action for me, by the way. High of 102 on Sunday, and 106 on Monday. And heeere we go. Another summer in the Sonoran Desert.
JamBonus → Oh, also, a blog synergy bonus: Steve at Maybe We Ain’t That Young Anymore has a sweet Jam show from 1980.
Enjoy!
The Style Council
March 10th, 1984
Goldiggers, Chippenham, UKIntro – Pete Drummond (BBC)
Meeting Over Yonder
My Ever Changing Moods
Speak Like A Child
The Whole Point Of No Return
Le Depart
The Paris Match
Party Chambers
Money Go Round
Headstart For Happiness
Hanging On To A Memory
Dropping Bombs On The White House
Long Hot SummerNew Tunes: Jonny and Josh – Just Can’t Forget
I don’t cruise MySpace too much, but on one of my quick treks bouncing from page to page this week, catching up on some old friends, I came across a really great tune someone had streaming on their profile. It’s one of those songs that creeps up on you, and by a couple minutes in, you’re asking yourself, “Who is this?”
The song is “Just Can’t Forget” by Colorado duo Jonny and Josh. Based in Boulder, they spend their time playing for people up and down the Front Range. The song is a haunting, touching tune about that old standby, a love lost. The vocals have that rough edge I like – I hear Eddie Vedder and, may I say, Everlast – in a good way.
So take a listen, and check out their MySpace for some other quality tunes. These guys are unsigned, but if they keep churning out music like this, it won’t be for too much longer.
Jonny and Josh – Just Can’t Forget
Buy Stone Crack here on Amazon.
Website: Jonny and Josh’s MySpace page
This Land Is Your Land – Vintage Dead and Lobos
Jumpin’ back to 1989, here’s Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir singing “This Land is Your Land” with the boys from a band I get more and more obsessed with by the day: David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, and Steve Berlin from Los Lobos…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM18HENqNbk 336 278]
New Tunes: Junior Pantherz
My completely random dip into the Inbox tonight yielded a pretty catchy tune. The group is Junior Pantherz, and though the name elicits images of a junior varsity high school basketball team, or a football team of little kids – you know, the kind that Snoop Dogg coaches – you can’t deny a good pop song when you hear one.
The Pantherz hail from the great white north, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Their 6th album, Rejoice, Remain, will be released on May 27th (though it’s currently available on iTunes). The band is made up of Terry Mattson (guitars/vocals), S.J. Kardash (bass/vocals), Maygen Kardash (keys, trumpet, vocals) and last but definitely not least, Arnold Van Lambalgen II on drums. The best drummer name since Bun E. Carlos, if you ask me.
Junior Pantherz – On and Off (mp3)
Buy Rejoice, Remain on
Website: Junior Pantherz.com
