Whats playing on your system today?
Moondog Matinee, "Bourbon Street ", "Sweet Heroin " and "Gold". https://youtu.be/hsCkeJamgxk https://youtu.be/XaG5Pu9Y83Y https://youtu.be/ThEYRjkTam8 N |
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I started today with a collection by Chris Hillman & The Desert Rose Band. Chris was the bassist in The Byrds of course, and then went on to have a solo career, putting out a number of great Bluegrass (what he was playing before being recruited into The Byrds) albums on Sugar Hill Records (in excellent recorded sound quality, by the way). The members of The Desert Rose Band, a Country Super Group, are Chris’ now-current partner singer/songwriter/acoustic guitarist Herb Pedersen (who has made many fine albums on his own), Telecaster master John Jorgenson (later in The Hellecasters), and pedal steel guitarist Jay Dee Maness, the best in the business. Not a bad line-up! Chris & the boys were a very successful 90’s Country Group, back when there was still some Country that was actually Country, not Eagles flavored Rock! The album (MCA 10018) is great from start to finish, but let me highlight three tracks: "Hello Trouble": Very Buck Owens influenced, with Chris employing Buck’s phrasing to great effect. And John’s guitar playing is just dazzling, with an incredible solo. Steel guitarist Jay Dee Maness also plays up to his usual ridiculously high standards. "Will This Be The Day": Very Byrds-ish, with electric 12-string playing the signature D-chord motif from The Byrds "Feel A Whole Lot Better" throughout the song. I absolutely adore how bassist Bill Bryson plays inversions starting on the second section of the second chorus. Bass inversions, my absolutely favorite thing in music, employed by many of the greats, from J.S. Bach to Brian Wilson. "Price I Pay": Ridiculous guitar playing by John (who quotes George Harrison’s signature "I Feel Fine" guitar part in this song!) and Jay, with harmony vocals by the sublime EmmyLou Harris, one of the best singers in the world. What’s not to like?! I can’t imagine being without the music on this, and all Desert Rose Band, album(s). Buy it! |
Meddle, what wonderful album, my first Floyd record I purchased unheard with little money at Music City in Kenmore Sq, Boston in 1972 at the age of fifteen. Bought it for the cover alone, just had to take a chance. So happy I did. This sunny morning in Eugene I am listening to Sailin' Shoes by Little Feat. Lately been playing lots of Big Star, Chris Bell and Alex Chilton records |
Todd is great. I have admired his originality, humor, and craftmanship for a long time. Although sometimes I( don't know what to)feel (had to say that) that he could use a good editor, he plays what he wants, how he wants- and that is probably his strongest attribute. I also think that he is often overlooked as a guitar player. Enjoy the show. |
Todd Rungren is playing a club just down the road from me tonight, so I've been streaming a bunch of his stuff over the last few days in anticipation of the show. It would be hard to find as many beautifully crafted songs from one artist as I've enjoyed during this run. It might also be hard to find as many bad recordings. |
Forty Duce- Nothing to lose. Featuring Ritchie Kotzen. I particularly like the song, "Stand up". Sick Puppies, the song, "My world". Ronnie James Dio- Lock up the wolves. Song, "Between two hearts". Las but not least, California Breed, S/T. Featuring Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Andrew Watt. Entire CD however " Sweet tea " rocks! N |
A buddy of mine gave me a CD of an album called Re-Inventions: Best of the Vanguard Years by Sandy Bull. My friend said it was he was one of the first 'World Music' artists. Just amazing music. I listened to the first track, "Blend" and immediately thought of The Doors "The End." There was a track on it called Carmina Burana Fantasy that had a familiar melody. That led to a whole afternoon listening to Carl Orff's Carmine Burana by the LSO, among others. So Sandy Bull stays on the rotation for awhile. |
I happened across this today and wanted to share it with the Rory Gallagher fans. https://www.instagram.com/p/BBSoyfOOC3I/ N |
In the never ending pursuit of off the radar new music, here are a couple of fun additions to recommend: Britta Phillips- "Luck or Magic" Britta was bass player for one of my favorite 90's bands- Luna. She is also married to the frontman Dean Wareham. She has a sultry voice and this solo effort sounds like the soundtrack to a James Bond movie. I actually like the originals better than the covers. She also has a solo album with her husband called Dean & Britta- "L'Avventura" that is tasty. The Record Company- "Give it Back to You" Kind of a blues/rock vibe with the bass player using a slide like Mark Sandman from Morphine. This is one of the most enjoyable debuts I have heard in a long time. |
@bdp24 - I did not know you held The Band in that high regard. I think we are on the same page as far as what makes them "special"...e.g., "technical execution that illuminates the composition" = "playing in a manner so as to benefit the song itself". Exactly. Not taking anything away from their individual talents but as with a certain other highly regarded group from England, I think a lot must be credited to the producer of their first two albums, John Simon. Based on the Wikipedia entry for him, he is very impressive. If you happen to know of a good read about the recording sessions for "Pink"and "Brown", do please advise - I'd be very interested. By the way, it is post-Robertson but still great music (sound quality is a little uneven): The Band - Live in Tokyo 1983. Talk about three great singers, check out Rick Danko's performance of "It Makes No Difference". One of my favorites. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHzODm-Ik8 In addition to Richard Manuel's talent as a vocalist, he was capable of writing magical songs that were precious (in a good way) and ephemeral. Whispering Pines and In A Station are two fine examples of this. I wish he had lived longer and written more. The Band deserves its own thread, I suppose. |
You are so right, ghosthouse. The Band imo (and I'm not alone) are the finest self-contained (writing the songs, playing the music, singing the lyrics) Rock 'n' Roll ensemble the genre has produced. Three great singers (especially Richard Manuel), world-class musicianship (playing in a manner so as to benefit the song itself, a concept in advance of most R & R bands. To play thusly requires maturity and taste, a rarity in the field ;-), and excellent material. I've said it before and I'll say it again---The Band revolutionized Rock 'n' Roll when Music From Big Pink was released in early 1968, and that album and it's follow-up (S/T, aka the brown album) set the bar so high that it has yet to be equaled. Those two albums are a Master Class in how to play the music, and how to be a band. |
Thanks for the history lesson, bdp. Whatever their motivation for making it, MDM is an enjoyable recording. The Band on track after track in this recording and others displays excellent "musicality"...wonderful arrangements, soulful vocals, technical execution that illuminates the composition and, with the exception of the occasional "over the top" quirkiness of Garth's keyboards/organ registrations, restraint and good taste. No wonder that going on 50 years now, their music still communicates. |
The Band’s Moondog Matinee was their reaction and response to the 50’s revival that was going on in the early 70’s. As The Hawks (both backing Ronnie Hawkins and on their own) from 1960 until Dylan hired them as his (heh) band for his 1966 European tour (Bob hired them away from their then-current employer, John Hammond Jr.), they were a working band playing in Canada, up and down the Eastern Seaboard, the Midwest and South in bars, lounges, dancehalls (including the one in Dallas owned by the man who shot JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby!)---dives of all types, performing hits and misses from the 50’s and first half of the 60’s. It’s the same material that what are now referred to by Rock ’n’ Roll historians as Frat Bands were playing on the West Coast (I was in one named The Squyres. Classic Frat Band name!). Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and other original Southern R & R, Rhythm & Blues, Country & Western, Pop classics, Brill Building Soul, instrumentals from movie soundtracks, novelty songs---you name it. What The Band heard coming from Sha Na Na and the other nostalgia acts of the early 70’s was such an insult to the music they decided to do it themselves, correctly. Moondog Matinee is comprised of songs they actually performed on stage as The Hawks in their bar band days. Damn would I like to have seen them then! I have two friends who saw them live with Dylan in ’66, at The San Jose Civic Auditorium. I had yet to "get" Dylan, and passed :-(. |
YAW :-) jafant. Mapman - "Ain’t Got No Home"...I take it you are talking Moondog Matinee? Don’t know the version you are familiar with but the re-issue (black cover) includes a great Chuck Berry tune as a bonus track, "Back to Memphis". I really enjoy the lyrics. "You can walk down Beale Street, honey, wearing' your pajamas." Ain't Got No Home is a good 'un too. In fact thanks to you, listening to the whole thing right now. |
