Band of Horses: Laredo on Letterman
They made the record, now it’s time to sell!
Band of Horses showed up last night on Letterman to perform “Laredo”. Of note: Tyler Ramsey’s finger pickin’ electric guitar work, Ben Bridwell’s determined delivery, and Bill Reynolds’ get-up. Looks like Bill could have walked out of the Ed Sullivan Theater and straight onto the set of Boogie Knights. Slick, man!
The Friday Five: May 21, 2010
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:
“Lenny” by Stevie Ray Vaughn (from Texas Flood, 1983)
The story behind “Lenny,” the guitar and a song, is nothing short of beautiful. I’m not sure that I’ve told it before – and if I have, humor me – but it goes like this: Vaughn finds a ’65 Strat in an Austin pawnshop that, despite being refinished and looking every bit its age, he was smitten with. The problem was the $350 price tag was out of reach for the struggling blues man and his wife. With his birthday coming up, Lenora reached out to local friends and gathered the cash for the guitar and presented him with it at a birthday gig. That night he sat down and wrote the instrumental tribute to his wife Lenny on that same guitar, the rest is history.
“Got to Be Real” by Cheryl Lynn (from The Disco Years, Vol. 2: On the Beat, 1990)
I’m a sucker for a great disco tune. Knock it all you like; but there was some solid musicians driving those tunes that still don’t get the respect they deserve. Take Cheryl Lynn’s brilliant “Got to Be Real,” for example; a peek under the covers reveals Toto’s David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, and Ray Parker Jr. performing the Paich/David Foster penned track. Okay, maybe this was a bad example. Either way, I love this tune.
“I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5 (from Greatest Hits, 1971)
“Aw baby, give me one more chance,” an impassioned far beyond his age Michael Jackson pleads. How the hell he was able to muster up the cojones to sing like that is a mystery.
“Just not Just” by The Guggenheim Grotto (from Happy the Man, 2008)
I’m not going to mince words here, The Guggenheim Grotto just released their new record The Universe is Laughing and you can should purchase it here.
“Almost Paradise” – Mike Reno & Ann Wilson (from Footloose, 1981)
Most of you are aware of my friend and Popdose colleague Jason Hare. If you pay close enough attention you are also aware of his plethora of musical projects, but you may not be aware of his altruistic nature and huge heart. Those two worlds came together last Saturday night, when he played a benefit show to “KICK CANCER’S A**!” to raise money to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Jason, along with his wife Jessica, is running the 2010 NYC Triathlon and raising money in the process – you can learn more, and help here. At any rate, one of the highlights of the show was the Acoustic ‘80s performance of the love theme from Footloose by Jason, along with guest vocalist Jennifer Gembs. The tune has always been a favorite of mine, and I swear I squealed like a tween girl at a Justin Bieber concert when they started playing it.
What’s on your shuffle today?
Another Gem From Kelly and the Lads
It took seven months but the fine folks at Island/Mercury finally released the new Stereophonics album here in the US. Being the absolute geek for the lads from Cwmaman, Wales, I naturally sprung for the import, released last November in the UK, and have been dazzled by it for the last six months. Now that it’s stateside, I highly recommend snagging it. Every track is fantastic and the eternally mythical Kelly Jones has outdone himself yet again on their latest effort. In all the ways that matter, it is a perfect summation of their career and an excellent starting point for people who have never heard the band.
The album opens with “She’s Alright”, another tale of an alcohol soaked encounter with a crazed member of the opposite sex. Coming from Kelly, these are always entertaining and, for me, quite serendipitous. Then we have the single, “Innocent”, a track reminiscent of the Language Sex Violence Other era. “Beer Bottle” is the third track and one of my faves. Kelly tells stories about working people that get to the very heart of the human condition and this track is a perfect example of melancholy triumph. “Trouble” is a straight on rocker that really sparkles and “Could You Be The One” is a crush-my-heart wonderful ballad. Every single thing you do is magic baby…every little thing that you do is cool, Kelly sings and we all think of that person that warmly clothes us with this feeling.
“I Got Your Number” is a nice, angry one to be played LOUD. “Uppercut” reminds me of early ‘phonics and could easily be on Word Gets Around. In fact, each track could easily fit on one of the previous six albums style-wise, which is why I say that this record is a nice summation. “Live N Love”, with its “Helter Skelter”-ish opening, has that 70s soaked feel of “You Gotta Go There To Come Back”, as does “100MPH”, which could easily be a thematic and stylistic sequel to “Maybe Tomorrow”.
“Wonder”, a sister song to “Dakota”, is just fucking cool and gorgeous…instantly creating nostalgia for times that never were, and regretful introspection for times long forgotten. “Beer Bottle” and this one are the best on the disc. “Stuck In A Rut” has cool soul feel and “Show Me How”, another instant classic ballad from Kelly, closes out the album with a hopeful tone.
I always laugh when NME releases their requisite ass-reaming of each new Stereophonics release (they will never forgive Kelly for Mr. Writer). I love and worship that magazine but they are way wrong about the lads from Cwmaman. Kelly’s voice is the very essence of rock and roll…whiskey, smoke, sex, and love…all wrapped up in stories you’d hear in a workingman’s pub.
That’s just how it fookin’ should be!
- Check out Keep Calm and Carry On on Amazon.
- Official Site
Super Tuesday: Band of Horses, Stones, ACL lineup
May 18th – a date I’ve have had marked on my calendar most of this year, since learning that…
a) Infinite Arms, the third album by Band of Horses, is released (check out the CD or the Deluxe Box Set on Amazon).
b) The remastered edition of the Stones classic Exile on Main Street is released (check out the deluxe version or thr Super Deluxe Edition on Amazon).
c) The Austin City Limits Music Festival – which I will be attending for the third time – releases its lineup (check out the ACL Festival site). Pre-announcement rumors are pointing to Phish, the Eagles, Muse, and the Flaming Lips, among others. In fact, USA Today posted this on Monday night.
The Friday Five: May 14, 2010
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:
“Get It Together” by Beastie Boys (from Anthology: The Sounds of Science, 1999)
One-Two, One-Two, Keep it on!
“Valerie (feat. Amy Winehouse)” by Mark Ronson (from Version, 2007)
Realizing this came out in 2007 stings a little. Hopefully we will hear from Amy again.
“Eruption” by Van Halen (from Best of Both Worlds, 2004)
Perhaps the most recognizable guitar cadenza known to man.
“Anotherloverholenyohead” by Prince & The Revolution (from Parade, 1986)
A classic, 4 sure! I much prefer the guitar heavy version he was playing in the late ’00s.
“Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow” by Frank Zappa (from Apostrophe (‘), 1974)
Sage advice.
What’s on your shuffle today?
Video: Dave Rawlings Machine at Amoeba Records
Another killer live in-store video from Amoeba Records. Dave Rawlings Machine stopped by for a few songs. In this case, DRM consists of Dave Rawlings, Gillian Welch, and a few friends from the great Old Crow Medicine Show.
You wanna go back to basics for some stripped down vintage American music? Look no further.
If you like what you hear, I recommend his record, A Friend Of A Friend
Enjoy: Dave Rawlings Machine at Amoeba Records – Feb 4, 2010
Keith Urban + “Tumbling Dice” on Fallon
Hats off to Keith Urban for offering up a killer version of “Tumbling Dice” on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’s Rolling Stones week. You’ve undoubtedly noticed through some media outlet that the classic 1973 Stones album Exile on Main Street will be reissued this coming Tuesday (May 18th). I’ll be in line for the Deluxe Version.
This week on Jimmy Fallon has been a treat for Stones fans. Monday, Green Day performed “Rip This Joint”. Tuesday was Urban. Wednesday was Sheryl Crow’s version of “All Down the Line” (with Doyle Bramhall, Chuck Leavell and the Roots), which I thought she dulled down a bit. No animation. I mean come on, this is ALL DOWN THE LINE you’re performing Sheryl! Shake it a little…
Tonight, to wrap it up, Phish will take the stage – likely for “Loving Cup”, which they’ve played regularly through the years.
But I really want to highlight this Keith Urban version (also with Chuck Leavell on keys). I’ve only seen Keith here and there on TV, awards shows, etc., and I’ve never been unimpressed. But he just moved up a few notches in my book for taking on this great song – and doing it serious justice.
“I Should Have Known It” – Petty, Campbell and the boys unleash
Rock. And. Roll.
Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers do not appear to be f–king around people. Their new album, Mojo (out June 15th) is said to be a more bluesy, harder affair – with the band jamming together in the studio – instead of laying down separate tracks. “I Should Have Known It” shows us we have a lot to look forward to with this record. Mike Campbell is a soul possessed…
Marah’s New Tune: “Valley Farm Song”
There are certain bands out there that have made such a profound impression on me at some point in my life that I will be following (and supporting) anything they do for the rest of their career – or my life – whichever comes first. Marah is one of those bands.
Ten years ago, when I first watched front man David Bielanko strap on a banjo and launch into “Faraway You” (opening for Steve Earle at Hollywood’s House of Blues), I was drawn in by his sheer intensity – his fire, his sweat and his spit. This is someone who is a conduit for music. It’s not so much Dave playing music as it is the music playing Dave.
Well, somehow the calendar has flipped to 2010, and although the band has cycled through a few lineup changes here and there over the years – including the departure (or paternity leave?) of Dave’s brother Serge – Marah is on the verge of releasing their seventh studio album, Life Is A Problem, on June 22nd.
Still fronted by Dave, and now featuring keyboardist/vocalist Christine Smith (Dave’s girlfriend I think), Johnny Pisano (bass) and Martin Lynds (drums), the band debuted a track from the record on Stereogum last week. The song, “Valley Farm Song”, has a great feel – sort of a Magical Mystery Tour psychedelia feel, rooted in a folksy place. It feels like a return to form, in a sense, to the great first two Marah albums – Let’s Cut the Crap and Hook Up Later on Tonight and Kids in Philly.
As long as Dave Bielanko is fronting the band, Marah will always be worth staying tuned to, and certainly seeing live. Check out the track here. If you want it for keeps, Stereogum has it available for download.
Marah – “Valley Farm Song”
Check out Marah’s web site. Pre-order info for the album will be coming soon.
The Friday Five: May 7, 2010
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:
What’s on your shuffle today?