Jesse Malin and the Boss – Broken Radio
I just picked up Jesse Malin‘s latest album, ‘Glitter in the Gutter‘. I haven’t spent a lot of time listening to Jesse in the past, but I’ve heard good things about him, and he’s played gigs with Marah, a Philly band I really like. And the kicker is that Bruce Springsteen makes an appearance on the record, singing along with Jesse on a tune called “Broken Radio.”
So to start off, I’ll admit that for me, Jesse Malin will be an acquired taste. I listened to “Broken Radio” for the first time a few days ago. My first impression of Malin’s voice was that I was listening to Ryan Adams try to sing while someone was plugging his nose and squeezing his nuts. As I said, it may be an acquired taste. It got a bit better over the next few listens, though.
Jesse Malin showed up at the Tribute to Bruce a few weeks ago in New York City. I had caught the YouTube performance of him singing “Hungry Heart” with Ronnie Spector. And, um, wow. You can judge for yourself.
In Bruce news, he showed up over the weekend at a Brian Wilson show in Red Bank, NJ. He joined Brian in singing a great tune: “Love and Mercy” (and some guitar on “Barbara Ann”). Thanks Thierry for the heads up.
SoI ‘ll check in again here on this album when I digest it a little more. I have a feeling it’ll grow on me. But check out “Broken Radio”, see whatcha think…
Jesse Malin w/ Bruce Springsteen – Broken Radio
Jesse’s Official Site | MySpace
Switchin to Glide
The song playing on the clock radio when it goes off at 6:15 every morning can make or break the day for me. This morning, Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls” was playing.
I don’t enjoy “Fat Bottomed Girls”.
So it was imperative for me to throw on another tune very quickly, and de-program the “song in my head”.
What better weekend song than “This Beat Goes On / Switchin’ to Glide?” Released on the Kings’ 1980 debut album ‘The Kings Are Here‘, the tune hit it big on rock radio, but the Kings ended up being put out to pasture in one hit wonder land.
The Kings – This Beat Goes On / Switchin’ to Glide
New Music: Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts
Who’s into Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts? I just flipped on to one of their tunes on Sirius the other day, and liked what I heard. Originally from Akron, Ohio, Arthur moved down to Atlanta to hone his chops. He was actually “discovered” by Peter Gabriel, who signed Arthur to his label, Real World, back in 1997. Much like Keller Williams, who I posted about a few days ago, Arthur started out as a one man band, incorporating looping techniques in his performances. But in 2006, he formed a backup band, the Lonely Astronauts.
Well, this past Tuesday, their new album, Let’s Just Be was released. Check out this one – a catchy, roots-rocky number, with some great guitar riffs, maracas, and great vocals from Arthur that range from low and dirty to a punky falsetto.
Joseph Arthur & the Astronauts: Diamond Ring
Joseph Arthur’s Official Site
He just embarked on quite an extensive US tour, so check him out if he comes to your town. As is usually the case with acts I’d like to see live, he’s not making a stop in the Phoenix area. I need to start booking bands.
The Future is Now
Hey, it’s my first post from my sweet new iMac! I tell you, there’s a lot of different little habits I need to break and re-acquire. Right clicking, for example. You don’t get the ol’ right click menu in Mac. But this thing is awesome. My poor family…
Starting off the Mac era, we go into the future. I was sitting in a Flagstaff, AZ bar several years ago (the Flagstaff Brewing Company, to be exact), and they were playing this cool David Byrne show. On came a familiar tune, and lo and behold, Byrne was covering Prince’s “The Future”, the opening track on his 1989 soundtrack to Batman. I’ve been trying to track it down since, and thanks to Zack on my Prince forum, I found it!
So take a listen. Then, take a listen to a pretty decent remix of Prince’s version.
David Byrne:
The Future(mp3)Prince:
The Future(mp3) – remixIntervention
I’ll need an intervention soon to stop me from listening to this tune.
Arcade Fire’s “Intervention” is blowing my mind! I’d heard live versions of it before (on their KCRW appearance, for example), but never like this version on their brand new release, Neon Bible. I think the church organ does it. And the incredible lyrics which I never paid close enough attention to in the past. And the crescendo building.
I listened to this while I was running today. The hair was standing on my arms, and I muttered “WwwOW” before playing it again. To me, this song is of EPIC proportions… goose bumpage proportions.
Arcade Fire: Intervention
Buy: Neon Bible
Carbon/Silicon’s Crackup Suite
Mick Jones (formerly of the Clash and Big Audio Dynamite) and Tony James (formerly of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik), are old friends from the Brit punk scene of the mid 70’s. They are alive and well these days, churning out new music as Carbon/Silicon.
Free new music.
Every now and then, new albums pop up on their web site with free mp3’s and artwork. Today was one of those days. 4 out of the 6 songs that make up their new album, The Crackup Suite, appeared this morning. You can read the rationale behind this project here on their web site bio.
Here’s one of the new tunes. I picked the strangest one.
You can download all four here. How does this one grab you?
Carbon/Silicon:
T.F. Madness(mp3)The Past and the Present: the Pogues in Boston
With St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, and the Pogues set to play two sold out shows at the Avalon in Boston this weekend, what better way to celebrate than with a Pogues show from the very same venue twenty years earlier? It was called the Metro back then, and this was the period when Joe Strummer played guitar for the band on tour (87-88). In the early 90’s when Shane MacGowan left the band, Joe would take lead vocal duties for a couple of years.
While the lucky folks in Boston get to enjoy the 2007 Pogues this weekend, the rest of us can live vicariously through them and the 1987 Pogues. If the crowd at this weekend’s show is anything like this crowd, one hell of a good time is in store.
Lucky bastards.
The Pogues (featuring Joe Strummer on guitar)
The Metro, Boston, Mass.
December 1st, 198701. Streams Of Whiskey
02. The Irish Rover
03. Medley
04. The Body Of An American
05. If I Should Fall From Grace With God
06. The Repeal Of The Licensing Laws
07. Lullaby Of London
08. South Australia
09. Bottle Of Smoke
10. Metropolis
11. The Broad Majestic Shannon
12. Dark Streets Of London
13. I Fought The Law (Joe on Vox.)
14. London Calling (Joe on Vox)
15. Fiesta
16. Turkish Song Of The Damned
17. Dirty Old Town
18. Sally Maclennane
19. The Sick Bed Of CuchulainnPOGUES/STRUMMER VIDEO ACTION: But that’s not all, folks. How ’bout St. Patrick’s Day, 1988? From a DVD? Some kind soul has the whole show up on YouTube. With guests Joe Strummer, David Byrne, and Kirsty McColl. It’s broken into 15 parts but well worth it. Here’s part 3, “If I Should Fall From Grace With God“, with a Joe Strummer interview leading it off. Check all of ’em out here.
Jerry and Merl in San Anselmo, 1972
So what we have here is a vintage recording of Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders and friends (pre-Jerry Garcia Band). This is a soundboard recording zeroed right in on Jerry’s guitar. For those people who associate Garcia only with the Grateful Dead, they’re missing a whole lot of what made him the musician he was. Jerry was an amazing soloist in the Dead’s improv-jam milieu (damn, it’s been a while since I’ve pulled that word out – hello old friend). But with his work outside of the Dead, Jerry dove into bluegrass (his very first band was a jug band), R&B, Motown, early rock & roll, and others.
This is the first set from this night. The second set isn’t in circulation. But even these six songs take a trip through musical genres… Bob Dylan’s “It Takes a Lot to Laugh…”; Gamble & Huff’s “Expressway (To Your Heart)”- a hit by the Soul Survivors; the gorgeous instrumental version of “Imagine” (only two months after John Lennon’s album had been released); “Big Boy” Crudup’s “That’s Alright Mama”- Elvis Presley’s breakout single; a Merl Saunders original, “Save Mother Earth”; and Stevie Wonder’s “I Was Made to Love Her”.
All the while, Merl Saunders’ Hammond B3 churns away warmly in the background. Both “Imagine” and “Save Mother Earth” showed up on Saunders’ album ‘Heavy Turbulence’ later that year (an album that featured Garcia on guitar). John Kahn, the bass player in this show, also played on the album, and was the bass player in the Jerry Garcia Band from beginning (1975) until end (1995).
As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Paul Butterfield, late master of the Chicago Blues harp, joins in on the last couple of songs.
But it’s Jerry’s guitar skills that take over this show. Prepare to be blown away…
Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, and Friends
Jannuary 19th, 1972
The Lion’s Share
San Anselmo, CAIt Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry
Expressway To Your Heart
Imagine
That’s Alright Mama
Save Mother Earth*
I Was Made To Love Her** with Paul Butterfield on harmonica
Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
Merl Saunders – keyboards, vocals
John Kahn – bass
Bill Vitt – drums
Sarah Fulcher – vocals
Paul Butterfield – harmonica (Guest on tracks 5 & 6)BUY Rhino’s The Very Best of Jerry Garcia or preview it Rhino’s Listening Party.
I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
Certain albums can draw you to them simply based on the title.
‘I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass’.
Magic, isn’t it? I just picked this latest Yo La Tengo album up from eMusic (screaming deal). I still make the utmost effort to listen to albums all the way through, like a lot of you I’m sure. Even in the download age, where it’s easy to cherry pick songs from iTunes and eMusic, I think it’s still important to buy the artist’s full release of work, like they intend you to hear it. All tracks, in sequence. Many times, it’s not so easy, whether due to time constraints, just not being “into it”, or if it’s quickly reached a magnitude of major suckitude. Well, long story short, this is one of those albums that carries you along on a journey, from beginning to end. I found it impossible to stop listening.
And it’s this song, the 10 minute opener with another classic Yo La Tengo title, that draws you in with it’s infectious and alluring groove.
Yo La Tengo:
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind(mp3) – from I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your AssThe only other Yo La album I have is 1997’s I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One, which I also really enjoy. If anyone out there has recommendations for other good Yo La albums, speak up below.
Pleasant Dreams
I guess it’s because ‘Pleasant Dreams’ had just been released about the time I discovered them, that it still ranks up there as one of my favorite Ramones albums. I was all of 11 years old when I heard my older brother listening to the Ramones, and soon enough, there I was in front of my mirror with a tennis racket singing “The KKK Took My Baby Away”.
‘Pleasant Dreams’ was produced by Graham Gouldman, a former member of 10cc. It was the Ramones’ 6th album, and probably the most pop oriented up to that point. I’m not sure how it’s judged by the early Ramones purists, but being a fan of good melodic pop / rock, this one remains one of my faves, and I always return to it more frequently than other records.
The Ramones: Don’t Go (mp3) – from Pleasant Dreams
And little did I know that Joey Ramone shared the same tastes in female TV personalities.I used to have a job where CNBC played throughout the day. Maria Bartiromo was a highlight of the workday. Brains & beauty, gotta love her!
I read that in the late 90’s when the dot com startup boom was on, Joey got into day trading. Joey, you had good taste…. RIP.
Joey Ramone: Maria Bartiromo (mp3) – from Don’t Worry About Me
