A St. Paddy’s Whiskey in the Jar
I’ve always fancied Metallica’s version of “Whiskey In The Jar”. The rage and angst behind Mr. Hetfield’s voice just makes me flex my muscles and put the pedal to the metal. Powerful!
Happy St. Paddy’s Day…
I first produced my pistol
And then produced my rapier
I said “Stand and deliver
Or the devil he may take you”[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/9128706 w=549&h=309]
Metallica – Whiskey in the Jar (Official Music Video) [HD] from MetallicaHD on Vimeo.
The Friday Five: March 11, 2011
Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
“Wings and Feathers” by The Guggenheim Grotto (from The Universe Is Laughing, 2010)
A bit ironic that this week’s Friday Five would begin with my favorite Irish singer/songwriter duo, as I’m headed to NYC to see them later this evening. While not my favorite track from their most recent release, it’s one I could see coming to love, in the live setting.
“Hot for Teacher” by Van Halen (from The Best of Both Worlds, 2004)
As Jeff Giles’ (y’all) has pointed out, there simply is no better Friday record than Van Halen’s seminal, 1984. For me, “Hot for Teacher” was every bit the hit single as “Jump” or “Panama.” I mean, come on … that intro? I remember spending hours upon hours trying—in vain—to master the two-hand tapped figure.
“Babylon” by David Gray (from Draw the Line, 2009)
This is a live version of Gray’s big hit single. It’s a xerox performance, save for the crowd’s insistence to sing the tune themselves. As much as I love the original, I can’t sit through 6 and a half minutes of it.
“The Way Young Lovers Do” by Van Morrison (from Astral Weeks, 1968)
Sorry Mr. Gray … I’d much rather listen to the real deal.
“Airplanes, Part 2 (feat. Hayley Williams & Eminem)” by B.o.B. (from B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray, 2010)
I can honestly say that I haven’t cared for much of Eminem’s output of the last few years, save for a verse here and there. His appearance on “Airplanes” is one of those exceptions.
What’s on your shuffle today?
The Railroad Revival Tour [with a stop in Chandler, AZ]
I haven’t been this unabashedly giddy about an upcoming show in quite some time. News of the Railroad Revival Tour swept across the web Monday morning like a Japanese bullet train (train reference, pow!). It’s a short, exclusive train tour featuring three great bands: Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and Old Crow Medicine Show.
And for once, an exclusive tour that includes the Phoenix area as one of its few stops – and it’s Chandler, for cryin’ out loud, right in my own back yard…
For a week in late April, the three bands will travel in vintage rail cars pulled by two locomotives across the southwest U.S.A. – from Oakland to New Orleans. Chandler Arizona’s big day is Saturday, April 23rd, as the train pulls into the Arizona Railway Museum for a show. Thanks to some pre-sale luck this morning, I was able to grab my tickets. I am pumped!
Can’t wait to finally see Old Crow Medicine Show…
Looking forward to checking out Mumford & Sons (need to dig into their album a little more).
And this’ll be my third time seeing Edward and his Magnetic Zeros (I’ll also see them a week after at the McDowell Mountain Music Festival).Tickets for all stops go on sale Wednesday, March 9th at 11am CT / 9am PT. According to Railroad Revival Tour’s Facebook page, the Chandler museum stop will have a show capacity of 8,000 people.
For me, it’s a can’t miss experience.Railroad Revival Tour: Web Site | Facebook | Twitter
Old Crow Medicine Show – “I Hear Them All”
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – “Home”
Mumford & Sons – “Timshel”
Mardi Gras Music: New Rebirth Brass Band
Happy Fat Tuesday! It’s a day off for me and I’m heading to the new Spring Training ballpark shared by the Diamondbacks and the Rockies. I’ll be taking in the Cubs and Rockies game at Salt River Fields with an old college buddy, basking in the sunshine, quaffing a brew or two…
So speaking of Mardi Gras, there’s a new release on the horizon for New Orleans’ own Rebirth Brass Band. Basin Street Records will release Rebirth of New Orleans on April 12th, and they’re spreading the word with a free & clear taste of the record – a full-on brass band stomper called “Do It Again”.
Enjoy the day!
Rebirth Brass Band – Do It Again (mp3)
[audio:Do_It_Again.mp3]
Rebirth Brass Band Upcoming Tour Dates:
03/05: New Orleans, LA @ Howlin’ Wolf
03/13: Perth, Western Australia @ Perth Concert Hall
03/14: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia @ Dallas Brooks Centre
03/16: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia @ The Barton Theatre
03/19: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia @ QPAC Concert Hall
03/21: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia @ State Theatre
04/01: Baton Rouge, LA @ Chelsea’s Cafe
04/02: Lafayette, LA @ Grant Street Dance Hall
04/06: Wilmington, DE @ World Café Live at the Queen
04/07: Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
04/08: Portsmouth, NH @ Portsmouth Music Hall
04/09: Providence, RI @ Spot Underground
04/10: Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
04/13: Austin, TX @ Antone’s
04/14: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
04/15: Dallas, TX @ Kessler Theater
04/23: Lake Charles, LA @ Luna Bar
05/27: Chicago, IL @ Space
05/28: Chilicothe, IL @ Summer Camp
06/10: San Francisco, CA @ San Francisco Jazz Festival
06/11: Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
06/12: Chicago, IL @ Chicago Orchestra Hall
06/13: Washington, DC @ DC JazzfestThe Friday Five: March 4, 2011
Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
“New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel (from Turnstiles, 1976)
I was going to wax poetic about Billy, but I just read this brilliant review of his upcoming Last Play at Shea and would rather you take the moment to go read Jeff Giles’ thoughts. It’s okay, I’ll wait.
Okay, you’re back? On with the five!
“Push” by Matchbox Twenty (from Yourself or Someone Like You, 1996)
You know what? I still kind of like this tune.
“Real Vacation” by Caleb Hawley (from Steps, 2009)
No truer words have been spoken.
So, for those of you that partake in the American Idol, you might recognize the name Caleb Hawley. He managed to make it all the way to the Las Vegas stage, before being given his walking papers. It’s a damn shame, really. Rather than wallow, get over to iTunes or Amazon and pick up Steps, and his latest We’ve All Got Problems, and celebrate a great singer/songwriter.
“Cold Truth” by The Guggenheim Grotto (from …Waltzing Alone, 2006)
“Hey Maria, I’ve been thinking, been thinking bout moving … far away, cross the sea, maybe, somewhere cold and magnificent.” From Caleb to the duo that introduced me to him! Over the course of the last year I’ve had the pleasure of seeing The Guggenheim Grotto perform five or six times, and this song specifically at least three or four times. Like most tunes by the duo, it is beautifully simple, with soaring vocal harmonies.
“Down By the Water” by The Decemberists (from The King Is Dead, 2011)
Until hearing The Damnwells’ No One Listens to the Band Anymore I was pretty certain that I was going to crown The King Is Dead my favorite record of the first quarter of 2011. The funny thing is, I wouldn’t categorize myself as a fan of the band. I listened to Hazards of Love a few times, and while I liked what I heard, nothing stuck. Flash forward to the band’s latest, which managed to grab me by the ears with its none too subtle nod to a certain little band from Athens, GA. If you haven’t given this a listen for fear of shanty songs and prog-rock leanings, fear not! This is one of the best records of 2011.
What’s on your shuffle today?
Ick’s Pick: Lucinda Williams’ ‘Blessed’
March 1st is not only day one of my favorite month (I’m in Arizona, so that means Spring Training games, a beer festival, and ideal weather), but it’s also release day for Blessed, the great new album from Lucinda Williams.
Lucinda’s 10th studio album has many folks likening it to a return to form of her stellar ’98 album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. I’ve had a few runs through it, and – as always, it seems – I’ve gravitated to the slower burning, wistful tracks. “I Don’t Know How You’re Living”, “Born to be Loved”, “Convince Me”…
But the true stunner of a tune that stops me in my tracks is the album finale: “Kiss Like Your Kiss”. This love’s done and gone, Jack, and nothing will ever be the same…
There’ll never be a spring so perfect again
We’ll never see a yellow so rich
The grass will never be quite as green
And there’ll never be a kiss like your kissThat’s only the first verse. It’s a thing of beauty and may be one of the best songs I’ve ever heard Lucinda sing (right there with “Blue” for me). This song alone is worth the price of admission.
A version of the song actually appears on an episode of True Blood, and includes Elvis Costello on vocals. You can find this version on True Blood: Music From The HBO® Original Series Volume 2.
The Blessed version doesn’t include Costello’s co-vocals, and as much as I admire and respect Elvis, the song rises even higher without him. This is Lucinda’s moment, and Costello only dilutes the exquisiteness of it, in my opinion. Just wait till you hear the Blessed version, that’s all I gotta say.
Blessed is another strong collection from a tried and true original still at the top of her game. Top to bottom, it can’t top Car Wheels, but moments like “Kiss Like Your Kiss” elevate it to a level that’s damn close.
- Buy Blessed on Amazon.
- Listen to “Buttercup” and “Blessed” on Lucinda’s web site.
Los Lobos returning to Arizona on May 5th
Last summer, thanks to the passing of Arizona’s anti-immigration bill SB1070, many artists made the decision to boycott the state. One of my very favorite bands, Los Lobos, was one of those who decided to say no to Arizona. They were scheduled to perform June 10th, 2010 at the Talking Stick Resort & Casino (located just east of Scottsdale on the Salt River Pima – Maricopa Indian Community), but cancelled the gig about a week before, releasing the following statement:
“We support the boycott of Arizona. The new law will inevitably lead to unfair racial profiling and possible abuse of people who just happen to look Latino. As a result, in good conscience, we could not see ourselves performing in Arizona. We regret the inconvenience this may have caused the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, Casino Arizona, Talking Stick Resort and our fans, but we feel strongly that it is the right thing to do.”
Not much has changed since last summer, although the most controversial portion of the bill (requiring law enforcement to check the immigration status of anyone they stop or arrest) is currently tied up in federal courts. But lo and behold, I discovered this morning that there is a Los Lobos gig scheduled for Cinco de Mayo (um, that’s May 5th, gringos), once again at the Talking Stick Resort.
So as a rabid Los Lobos fan, I’m thrilled that they’ve decided to return to Arizona. But why the change of heart? I’m fixin’ to find out.
Could it be because the Salt River Pima – Maricopa reservation is considered Indian territory, not technically part of Arizona? Or did they realize that maybe the most effective way to show their disdain for the law is to come to Arizona and speak out directly? I’m interested to find out. But regardless, my thirst for live Lobos will soon be quenched…
So Arizona Lobos fans – May 5th – Talking Stick! See you there…
The Friday Five: February 25, 2011
Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
It’s another busy Friday at the office. I’ve got the iTunes shuffling away in the background, here’s the first five tunes that popped up …
“Daylight Fading” by Counting Crows (from Recovering the Satellites, 1996)
“French Navy” by Camera Obscura (from My Maudlin Career, 2009)
“Follow You Down” by The Twilight Singers (from Blackberry Belle, 2003)
“Ship Shape” by Modern Skirts (from Gramahawk, 2011)
“Heaven” by Bryan Adams (from Reckless, 1984)What’s on your shuffle today?
The Airborne Toxic Event
A Facebook friend recently recommended taking a listen to the Airborne Toxic Event. So I dialed up their only full-length studio album (self-titled) and took a run around the ‘hood. I was seriously impressed. It’s a little bit hard-edged in some places, some 80’s alternative influences in other areas. At points, I was hearing sounds that wouldn’t sound out of place done by the Gaslight Anthem or The Hold Steady.
It’s simply a very enjoyable record front to back. Singer Mikel Jollett has a wide-ranging vocal ability that makes you question if you’re hearing the same person from song to song. And you are.
Here’s a live version of the the album opener, the explosive “Wishing Well”. They had me right out of the gate with this tune.
MP3: The Airborne Toxic Event – Wishing Well
Check out this album if you get a chance. I’m embedding the Rdio album here. You Rdio subscribers can kick back and enjoy the whole thing. Non-subscribers can hear the 30 second snippets (you should really just subscribe to Rdio though, just sayin’. At least check out the free trial and see how awesome it is.).
Photo note: I’ll be damned if that drummer isn’t Ben Stiller’s character in Dodgeball.
- The Airborne Toxic Event on Amazon.
- Their Official Web Site.
The Makings of Rain
If I had to point to one performance that sums up everything I like about Prince, it would be his August 3rd, 1983 benefit show at First Avenue in Minneapolis (the day I turned 13!). It was not only the debut of new guitarist Wendy Melvoin (just 19 years old at the time), but the debut of many of the tunes from Purple Rain, which wouldn’t be released until the summer of 1984. In fact, some of the recordings you hear on the Purple Rain album come from this show (“Purple Rain” and “Baby I’m a Star” to name a couple). The circulating video bootleg is called The Makings of Rain, and it is essential viewing for Prince fans. It’s out there. I recommend you track it down.
This is classic Prince in every sense for me: young, vibrant, sensual, sexual, urgent, commanding…here is an artist coming off a very successful album and tour (1999), and about to unleash (what I consider) his masterpiece upon the world.
So every once in a while, part of the performance pops up on Youtube. Here’s the unreleased classic “Electric Intercourse”.
