• Folk,  Rock

    Bob Dylan’s New Bootlegs, “Dreamin’ of You” mpfree

    Dylan fans, mark October 7th on your music calendar. The latest installment of Dylan’s Bootleg series will be released on that Tuesday. This one (the 8th in the series) is full of unreleased and alternate tracks from some of his greatest albums over the last couple of decades: Time Out of Mind , “Love and Theft”, Modern Times, and Oh Mercy.

    A revamped Dylan web site also launches today, and they’re offering up a full mp3 of one of the unreleased songs: “Dreamin’ of You”. It was produced by the great Daniel Lanois for 1997’s Time Out of Mind (a personal favorite).

    Be sure to check out the Dylan Geo section, a super groovy interactive tool that lets you click around the globe to see where and when Dylan has played throughout the years. 

    Bob DylanDreamin’ of You (30 seconds of streamin’)

    → Go to BobDylan.com to download the full mp3.

    See the track listing for the 3-cd Tell Tale Signs after the jump…

  • Folk,  Video

    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]

  • Folk

    Oval Room, by Blaze Foley

    Written about Ronald Reagan in the early 80’s by the late Blaze Foley, “Oval Room” sure is just as fitting today as it was 25 years ago, isn’t it?

    Blaze FoleyOval Room (mp3) from Oval Room [buy it]

    → 265 days left.

    Oval Room

    In his oval room, in his rockin’ chair
    He’s the president, but I don’t care
    He’s a business man, he got business ties
    He got dollar signs in both his eyes
    Got a big airplane, take him everywhere
    Got his limousine, when he get there
    Everywhere he goes, make the people mad
    Makes the poor man beg, and the rich man glad

    He’s the president, but I don’t care
    Ooh, Ooooooh, Ooh

    At the factory, never been so slow
    Got a big fourth down, ninety nine to go
    And down on the farm, nothing growing there
    But the debts they owe and their gray hair
    In the desert sand, and the jungle deep
    He thinks everything is his to keep
    He’s a real cowboy, with his makeup on
    Talks to kings and queens on the telephone

    He’s the president, but I don’t care
    Ooh, Oooooh, Ooh

    He’s a movie star, if you stay up late
    And he’ll search your car, if you don’t look straight
    In his Oval Room, in his rockin’ chair
    He’s the president, but I don’t care

    He’s the president, but I don’t care
    Ooh, Oooooh, Ooh

    He’s the president, but I don’t care
    Ooh, Oooooh, Ooh

    Blaze Foley.com

  • Country,  Folk,  Video

    Townes Van Zandt in Heartworn Highways

    I just watched Heartworn Highways last night. It’s a great music film, a snapshot of the mid-70’s Nashville and Austin outlaw music scene. It features Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, David Allan Coe, Steve Young, a very young Steve Earle, and Townes Van Zandt (among a lot of others). In this clip, Townes has just got done listening to Seymour Washington talk about his life. Seymour is an old timer, 79 years old at the time this was filmed in 1975. He talks about his life on the farm, of shoeing horses, of the importance of good whiskey. This clip picks up right before Townes plays “Waiting Around to Die”. You’ll see Seymour in the background – an emotional moment, as you’ll see…

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTGKzWDakK8]

  • BritPop,  Folk

    New Tunes: Newton Faulkner

    Dreds UK

    Here’s a cool cover of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop”, courtesy of 23-year old Brit-folk-popster Newton Faulkner. Good ol’ Newt will see the release of his U.S. debut album, Hand Built by Robots, on April 29th. But a 3-song iTunes exclusive EP is available right now, featuring the first single, “Dream Catch Me”.

    Faulkner has a cool hand-tap percussion / bass / strumming technique on his guitar. You can see it in action in the video below. Pretty sweet.

    Check out “Teardrop” and show the Newt some state-side looove…

    Newton Faulkner – Teardrop (mp3)

    Check out his official site at NewtonFaulknerMusic.com.

    [youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=droZGvBt5DY 300 248]

  • Folk

    New Patty Larkin: Watch the Sky

    patty larkin

    Patty Larkin has been one of the consistent, high quality mainstays of the contemporary folk-singer-songwriter scene since she emerged in the mid-80’s. Her latest, Watch the Sky, was released on Vanguard Records in January. Patty shows her guitar prowess on this record – playing all sorts of gee-tars: acoustic, electric, lap steel, National, baritone, and bass! If you’re a gearhead, be sure to check out the Guitarbox area of her web site for all the techy guitar details.

    Here’s one of my favorites off the record. Be sure also to check out the mesmerizing lap steel on the instrumental, “Bound Brook”. Really a great album all the way through…

    Patty Larkin – Phone Message mp3)

    Buy Watch the Sky

    PattyLarkin.com | Patty’s MySpace

  • Folk

    Beneath Dodger Stadium

    There are two albums I’ve been immersing myself in lately: Los Lobos’ ‘The Town and the City‘ and Ry Cooder’s ‘Chávez Ravine‘. The Los Lobos album hasn’t left my truck’s CD player in weeks. It’s great to have one of those albums that you can keep repeating over and over, and find something new and fresh with every listen.

    But ‘Chávez Ravine‘ has been muscling its way into my listening time lately. It’s been out for a few years now (it was released all the way back in June 2005). It’s a concept album, I guess you’d call it, based on the story behind Chávez Ravine – the current site of Dodger Stadium a few miles north of downtown Los Angeles. Before Dodger Stadium was built, Chávez Ravine was home to a poor but tightly knit Latino community. You can find out more about the details behind it here, but suffice it to say that in the end, the city of Los Angeles forced the community out, either in the name of eminent domain or condemnation. The sheriff’s department physically moved the last holdouts of Chávez Ravine – in a standoff that would come to be known as “The Battle of Chávez Ravine”. Once the community was razed, the city filled in the ravine with dirt from the top of a nearby hill, and Dodger Stadium was born.

    The second to last song on the album is “3rd Base, Dodger Stadium”. Sung from the perspective of a man who grew up in the neighborhood that is now the interior of Dodger Stadium, the song will rip your heart out. Just a taste of the lyrics

    Back around the 76 ball, Johnny Greeneyes had his shoeshine stall.
    In the middle of the 1st base line, got my first kiss, Florencia was kind.
    Now, if the dozer hadn’t taken my yard, you’d see the tree with our initials carved.
    So many moments in my memory. Sure was fun, ‘cause the game was free.
    It was free.

    The wonderful, unique voice you’ll hear is Bla Pahinui, a Hawaiian singer that Cooder brought in for this song. Call me impressionable or sensitive or whatever, but this song really affects me. I’m one of those history buffs who has a keen interest in the people and places that came before. It’s hard to gauge how many others feel the same way. As the thousands of fans watch the baseball games from the stands of Dodger Stadium, how many of them are even aware of the people of Chávez Ravine – the lives, the childhoods, the first kisses that took place beneath the grass and parking lots?

    Ry Cooder (w/ Bla Pahinui) – 3rd Base, Dodger Stadium (mp3)

    Buy Chavez Ravine

  • Folk,  Roots Rock

    Hittin’ the Speed of the Sound of Loneliness

    As I sit to type this, I’m watching American Idol contestant Kristy Lee Cook absolutely BUTCHER the Beatles song “8 Days a Week”. An uptempo, countrified version. Buhhh-leck. “Dolly Parton on helium,” says Simon. Lucky for me I don’t watch American Idol. Oh sh – -, caught!

    So anyway, here’s Alabama 3 with a version of John Prine’s “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness” – one of my favorites in his catalog. A3, as the popular country group Alabama insists they call themselves stateside, is a British acid house band that mixes in genres like country, gospel, and blues. Their claim to fame so far is “Woke Up This Morning”, the theme song to The Sopranos (RIP). I heard this on Sirius a few weeks ago, and promised to share it with you fine folks sometime soon.

    From Last Train to Mashville, Vol. 2 (2003)

    It’s a fun version – hee-hawed up a bit and turned into a first person perspective. I don’t think they’re being irreverent, and I don’t think the point of the song is lost on them (Prine’s lyrics imply a more somber tone) – but they do alter the atmosphere of tune – one of sadness and – well – loneliness.



    photo by Senor McGuire

    And who captures the atmosphere of the song the best? My favorite version (I have to honestly say I like it better than Prine’s original) is Nanci Griffith‘s, from her great album of covers, Other Voices, Other Rooms. With a little help from Mr. Prine himself on backing vocals, Nanci sets the tone perfectly – wistful and bittersweet. Every time I hear it though, I wish Prine would take that second verse!

    From Other Voices, Other Rooms (1993):


    And that isn’t to say that Prine’s version is lacking in any way. Here’s the original from Prine’s 1986 album German Afternoons.

    John Prine – Speed of the Sound of Loneliness (mp3)

    From German Afternoons (1986)

    Links:
    Alabama 3’s Official Site
    Nanci Griffith’s Official Site
    John Prine’s Official Site

  • Acoustic,  Folk

    Thinking of You

    Canadian Cam is back with a look at Toronto singer-songwriter Kim Jarrett… – Pete

    Kim Jarrett writes excellent songs that showcase her outstanding voice. There’s nothing fancy or pretentious about the songs, or the voice, or Kim herself.

    Kim received critical acclaim for her self-titled debut album. She still receives accolades for many of the tracks, in particular the opening number, “How Long”, as it comes pre-loaded on an mp3 player sold worldwide. This is an indication of Kim’s great universal appeal.

    Kim is almost always busy performing live and hosting various open mic nights for singer-songwriters, road-testing her next batch of originals and revising old favourites with bassist, backup vocalist, partner and, now, producer Mike Costantino.

    Thinking of You (2007) primarily features Kim on guitar/vocals and Mike on bass and backing vocals. The sound has been stripped down in comparison to the debut album, and I think it works extremely well with the songs that have been chosen. Guest appearances have been limited to a couple of ace guitarists: Tim Bovaconti (Ron Sexmith) contributes stellar electric guitar and pedal steel on many tracks, and Eric St-Laurent’s electric sounds great on two others.

    Kim (and Mike) can reliably be found hosting an open mic night every Tuesday at the Liberty Bistro in Toronto. You never know who will show up to perform and listen to the varied performers!

    Kim Jarrett – Everybody Pays (mp3)

    Buy Thinking of You and check in at Kim’s web site (http://www.kimjarrett.com/). If you want to hear more, a few more new tunes (including Hypnotizing, possibly the catchiest on the album) are on her MySpace page.

  • Folk

    On the Town this Weekend with Todd Snider

    Well, crap in a basket and call me Pappy, it’s almost Friday! And hey, Todd Snider is coming to town! If you’re in the Phoenix area, and you’re free on Sunday night (a long weekend for MLK Day), join me, the wife and some friends down at the Last Exit Bar & Grill in Tempe. $15 to see Todd Snider? I’ll take it….

    I’m looking forward to seeing him. He’s a singer/songwriter from Nashville (originally from Portland, Oregon) with a sharp, witty sense of humor – a performer sort of in the same vein as John Prine. His debut was on MCA way back in 1994 – Songs for the Daily Planet. Seven other studio albums have followed, all the way up to his latest, 2006’s The Devil You Know.

    Quality entertainment, folks. Check out a few tunes.

    Todd Snider – Combover Blues (mp3) – priceless lyrics about getting older… [from Peace, Love and Anarchy (Rarities, B-Sides and Demos, Vol. 1)]

    Todd Snider – All My Life (mp3) – a nice love song – [from Happy to Be Here]

    Todd Snider – Enough (mp3) – one of my favorite rockin’ harmonica solos along with Bruce’s “Promised Land” and Steve Earle’s “More Than I Can Do” – [from Step Right Up]