The Fingerhut Invitational

2009-12-24T12:20:00.000-08:00

According to The New Yorker, "All I want for Christmas is You" is "one of the few worthy modern additions to the holiday canon", and I rightly agree, especially after hearing Quickdraw knock it out of the park at the annual St. Nick Markos Holiday show last night. The Track's sweet Phil Spector Girl Group groove led to the common misconception that Carey covered this song,butthe track is actually an original written by Carey and Walter Afanasieff.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

All I WANT

2009-12-23T06:49:00.000-08:00

My two year boycott of Permanent Records finally ended last week, when I broke down and stopped in reluctantly in the midst of a vinyl fix while holiday shopping on Chicago Avenue. I had sworn off patronizing the store when they refused to carry David Singer's last album, indicating their lack of support for the local music community. I was amused to find that the fools had priced this Classic Jackson 5 album vinyl at 99 cents, and made it my only purchase, so feel vindicated for my transgression.

The 1970 album itself is a gem. Opening with I'll Be There, side one also includes a version of "Bridge Over Troubles Water" sung by Jermaine. I've chosen to post "The Love I Saw in you was Just a Mirage" from side two, which was penned by Smoky Robinson.

The Love I Saw in You was Just a Mirage-Jackson 5

2009-12-20T09:09:00.001-08:00

I took a chance on this one at my visit to Amoeba Records last week, and it paid off.
This 1978 double studio LP from Marvin Gaye turns out to be soul's entry in the "greatest break-up albums of all time" category alongside Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Springsteen's Tunnel of Love, Beck's Sea Change, and El Perro Del Mar's Love is Not Pop.

The album is the sound of divorce on record, with titles like "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I stop Loving You" (3 versions!), "Anger", and today's post "You Can Leave, but its Going to Cost You". It's quite literal and direct...its long grooves peppered with lines like "Somebody tell me please/Why do I have to pay attorney fees?"

At the time of its release the album was poorly received, accused of being bizarre and uncommercial by fans and critics alike. In retrospect, though, its considered by many to be landmark in Gaye's career, one of the most intimate and personal artistic statements on record.

You Can Leave,but its Going to Cost You

2009-11-30T06:50:00.001-08:00

I finally got to see the Musical "Hair" this past weekend in its Broadway revival.
I've known every word to every song on the soundtrack(8-track!) since well before I was old enough to understand what the lyrics meant. To my young mind, it was all just a rythmic and tuneful laundry list of vaguely forbidden and mysterious apsects of an irrestiabley seductive era-the 60's. Without a production to see in all of these years, I had to make do with the movie, a mediocre effort starring Treat Williams in a vastly plot-changed version. The broadway revival is true to the original, and worth the wait for me. It was extra cool when we were ushered up onto to the stage at the end during "Let The Sunshine In" facing a full house of waving arms and blinding orange light. Pretty light on plot, this show is all about the music, and its songs have been covered by everyone from Liza Minelli to The Lemonheads.

For your listening enjoyment today, I've included a mix of 5 cover versions including "Frank Mills" by both of the aforemnentioned artists.

In addition, here's Sesame Street's version of " Good Morning Starshine" the sappiest of the show's tunes, but perfect when sung by/to a muppet.

Hair Covers

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-25T09:01:00.000-08:00

The soundtrack for this film is one my favorite Sunday Morning records. The movie itself is a must, with Sam Peckinpah directing James Coburn as Pat Garrett, Kris Kristofferson as Billy The Kid, and Dylan himself as Alias.

Bob Dylan-Turkey Chase

2009-11-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

Any Chicagoan with an interest in music owes it to themselves to go check out The Kinsey Report at Rosa's or one of the other blues clubs. The Chicago Blues has never been my thing, but watching Donald Kinsey perform is a revelation for lots of reasons; his charisma, his vocals, and especially his guitar playing- which alternates between butter smooth rhythm and electrifying lead. Besided, the Kinseys play much more soul, funk, even reggae than they do Chicago Blues. The band plays Chicago frequently, and a word of caution that DK's performance can vary wildly from show to show depending on various external and internal factors. This past Saturday's was inspired.

Hailing from Gary, Indiana, young Donald moved to Jamaica in the mid-seventies and became a member of The Wailers, playing on seminal albums for both Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. After their deaths, he returned to Chicago, where he and his brothers Ralph and Ken formed the Kinsey Report to back their father, blues star Big Daddy Kinsey. They've been at it ever since.

The Kinsey Report is best experienced in a live setting as the recorded output just doesn't cut it. So instead of a KP track, I'll go back and post this one from Peter Tosh's Equal Rights Album, on which Donald plays guitar

Stepping Razor

2009-11-20T05:32:00.000-08:00

David Berthy Posts

I don’t know how I made it so long without hearing the original
version of the touchstone song “Fever.” Less famous than Peggy Lee’s
1968 version, Little Willie John’s original is, in my opinion, far
superior. I also recently found this obscure Ray Peterson version on
the excellent blog Diddy Wah. Peterson’s version is an excellent B
side here, but John’s original is one no music fan should be without--
a true classic.

Fever

Great band with a terrible name

2009-11-17T06:19:00.001-08:00

The debut album from Girls lives up to the hype, with a sound mixing GBV's low fi production, a nasally exuberant vocal reminiscent of Bob Geldoff or a young Tom Petty, T-Rex swagger, and impressive stylistic variance. Smart money says this band shows up on the fork's festival stage this year f'sho.

Girls-Summertime

New Music Monday-El Perro Del Mar +Girls

2009-11-16T05:39:00.000-08:00

I stopped by Reckless last week and found these two albums on display side by side. I grabbed both and headed home and soon discovered that both artists were playing shows in town the following night. Sadly, I missed them both, but have been enjoying the records since. Love is Not Pop is a straight up break-up record, and like the tewo albums prior, is much more about creating a mood than song-craft. I happen to revel in that mood of doo wop melancholy, though, so this one's another home run for me. Plus, her sound has evolved and expanded to include some great new elements-some acoustic, some electronic. Though its not the best song on the album, I include for you today, her cover version of Lou Reed's "Heavenly Arms" (The Blue Mask 1980)

Heavenly Arms

2009-11-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

David Berthy Posts

Having been reintroduced this last week to the harrowing experience of shuttling back and forth between the west and east sides of Los Angeles, I’ve had plenty of time to listen to music in the car. Santo and Johnny’s music is perfect for such a drive. When I put it on, my borrowed blue Camry becomes a beautiful lounge where banalities take on the qualities of dreams. Brothers Santo and Johnny Farina are best known for their iconic song “Sleep Walk,” but the prolific lounge masters have a considerable output worth checking out. Included here are versions of the Gershwin song “Summertime” and Juan Tizol’s jazz standard “Caravan.” Because “Sleep Walk” is always worth a listen, I threw that in too.

https://download.yousendit.com/ZW9DU2VnaFJ0TWwzZUE9PQ

2009-11-11T05:33:00.001-08:00

The Hitmaker sent this one along while we were brainstorming new jams for Que Rico!
I remember some business a while back about the chanted vocal refrain "Mama-ko, mama-sa, ma-ka-ma-ko-ssa" from Michael Jackson's 1982 "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" coming from an African hit and forgot to look it up. Here it is!

"Soul Makossa" is a 1972 single by Cameroonian makossa saxophonist Manu Dibango and It is often cited as one of the first disco records. Wiki reports that In 1972 David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and often played it at his Loft parties.The response was so positive that the few copies of "Soul Makossa" in New York City were quickly bought up and the song was subsequently played heavily by Frankie Crocker, who DJed at WBLS, then New York's most popular black radio station. Since the original was now unfindable, at least 23 groups quickly released cover versions to capitalize on the demand for the record, and Atlantic eventually licensed the song ands their release of it peaked at #35 on the Billboard chart in 1973. At one point there were nine different versions of the song in the Billboard chart.

Soul Makossa

2009-11-10T06:15:00.001-08:00

Happy 40th Birthday Sesame Street!

2009-11-09T05:16:00.001-08:00

Having just returned from some errands on a recent Sunday afternoon, I was lamenting that I hadn't made time for a record-shopping stop when I noticed a pile of LP records sitting on top of my neighbor's garbage can. He had just put them there, and I saw him exit the alley into his garage just as I went over to investigate. Here's what I found-all in perfect condition:

CSNY- 4 Way Street
Dire Straits-Making Movies
Rod Stewart-Never a Dull Moment
The Cure- Standing on a Beach
Tears For Fears-Songs from the Big Chair
Gerry Rafferty-City to City (with both "Baker Street" and "Right Down the Line"
Phil Collins- No Jacket required
Howard Jones- Dream into Action (crap! though No One is to Blame is a guilty pleasure)
Peter Townsend-Chinese Eyes
Squeeze- Argy Bargy (1980)

The treasure here is the Squeeze record, which I put on immediately. Though I love this band and know their greatest hits collection "Single 45's and Under" note for note and word for word, I never had a proper album of theirs in my collection. I was interested to hear what their album cuts were like. I've chosen "Wrong Side of the Moon" from side 2, the only track co-penned by Jools Holland and Chris Difford. Holland wopuld leave the band after the album's release.

Wrong Side of the Moon

2009-11-06T05:41:00.000-08:00

David Berthy Posts

This Galaxie 500 cover of the Joy Division song "Ceremony," has to be
one of my favorite cover songs of all time. The wistful "can't-go-on-
must-go-on" quality of the song reminded me of this eighties number
from the Scottish indie pop band Close Lobsters, which is available on
the excellent album Foxheads Stalk This Land.

Favorite Cover

2009-11-04T06:13:00.000-08:00

H. and I were watching the Double P last week when an ad for Sting's new album "If on a Winter's Night" came on. When we heard the song accompanying the ad, we looked at each other with jaws dropped. I mean, I've been disdainful of Sting since well before "Desert Rose", but "Soul Cake" sounds like a true Poncy Lads original. If he'd hired Sean Connery to sing it ala William Shatner, he'd a been on to something. Turns out he's off the hook for the writng (but doubly on the hook for taste), as its his version of a traditional song from Cheshire, recorded also by Peter Paul & Mary.

Consider the lyrics:

A soul cake, a soul cake,
Please, good missus, a soul cake,
An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry,
Any good things to make us all merry.

Consider also that this is the song he picked to advertise the album.

Its Akin to "Egg Cream" by Lou Reed in its food themed sing songy ridiculousness.

Sting-Soul Cake

2009-11-02T05:19:00.000-08:00

Mr. Shankly's stellar set as XTC on halloween reminded me of just how much I love that band and their perfectly crafted pop confections. Take "Mayor of Simpleton" from Oranges and Lemons, a clever and catchy tune that takes "If I only had a Brain" and makes a love story out of it, with a terrific bass line to boot.

Check out Mr. Shankly's version here:

Mayor of Simpleton

2009-10-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow at Silvies My Pretties

This is Halloween

2009-10-29T09:01:00.001-07:00

David Berthy Posts

There’s an elderly, hunched-over woman who emerges daily from the building across the street and sweeps the sidewalk for hours--even when it appears devoid of debris. I’ve often felt sorry for her, especially on days like today, when I see the leaves dropping in wet clumps. For the sake of symmetry, it’s pleasing to think the woman occasionally wonders what I do in my office all day, but in truth I’ve never once seen her look up. My preference is usually for older music, but for the last week or so I’ve been listening to this hastily assembled mini-mix of mostly downbeat newish songs over and over. Playing beneath it, my neighbor’s broom scrapes sound like drum brushes.

mini-mix

2009-10-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

I had a few minutes to kill between appointments downtown and wandered into the cultural center to see what I could see. I happened upon a photo exhibit about Hurricane Katrina, and this song was playing on a loop to accompany the images. I had heard this song before, in the film Young at Heart
, the one about the elderly choir who sings pop songs to stay young. Now, hearing the original, it strikes me as a perfect song for IMW bands to play-simple, positive, groovy.

Lee Dorsey-Yes We Can Pt. 1

2009-10-23T05:24:00.000-07:00

Brian Black had this record on when we came over to watch the premiere of Benjamin's terrific film, Breaking and Entering. My interest was peaked, so I went out and bought it. Its total ear candy, a record you can throw on just about any time, and please everyone in the room. After a lovely opening track "Dear God Sincerely MOF", the album jumps right into Traveling Wilbury's territory-not just with the theme of folk hero supergroup (M. Ward, Jim James, Conor Oberst, and Mike Mogis), but in the tossed off writing and overall sound, which apes Jeff Lynne's production to a tee. While there are some definite stinkers here, all four members make great contributions and the album overall is a joy to listen to.

Here's one of those Wilbury's sounding tracks for ya..

Say Please

2009-10-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I've recently gotten into the solo work of singer David Ruffin. He's perhaps best known as the lead singer of Temptations during the group's sixties golden years-- it's Ruffin who sings "My Girl"--but despite his considerable talents, the singer was voted out of the band in 1968 due to increasingly erratic behavior. In 1969, Ruffin came back with his first solo album, "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)," which the tracks below are from. Both showcase the visceral, distinctive qualities of Ruffin at his best.

David Ruffin

BONUS POST

2009-10-22T05:38:00.000-07:00

As you all know by now, I love Bob Dylan and am willing to go a long way in giving him the benefit of the doubt....but his new Christmas album is downright hilarious...playing like an SCTV skit of yore. A classic example of bad as good (ie comedy)

Click here for highlights

2009-10-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

Despite the hyperbolic "return to their roots" ranting surrounding the new Flaming Lips album Embryonic, it really is a unique and sonically engaging record, and more interesting than anything I've heard from the band in years. If the last few albums were all blinding light and larger than life technicolor fantasies,this album lives on the dark side of psychedelia, turning inward to ponder and explore existential questions in relation to space and time. The sound is Krautrock meets Prog meets early Pink Floyd...the vocals often pushed back in the mix. Its not very accessible, sometimes impenetrable, but somewhat rewarding upon repeated listening.

I would love to see a rapid succession montage of facial reactions from people whose favorite Lips song was "Do You Realize" listening to this album for the first time.

I've included "Silver Trembling Hands" here, which was best described by a BBC reviewer as "Pink Floyd’s One of These Days performed by Bitches Brew-era Miles, conducted by Burt Bacharach, with Bill Bruford on drums and the Six Million Dollar Man on bass."

Silver Trembling Hands

2009-10-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

Jon Singer Posts

My nanny's husband (and former Bloodshoot road manager) Paul M. Davis
dropped this gem in my public folder before a recent trip to Tulum.
Figuring I would have my share of Mariachi music while in the Riviera
Maya I didn't give it much thought. When I finally got around to
listening to it (and looking at the unique cover art) I knew I had
stumbled upon something special. Turns out Mariachi El Bronx is
actually the Los Angeles punk band El Bronx who have put their
hardcore career on hold to record an entire album full of Mariachi
smokers. Lead singer Matt Caughtran sites influences from Black Flag
to Los Lobos and it's easy to imagine how these two types of music can
coexist so harmoniously in Southern California. Whether you're on a
sun drenched beach, ipod covered in cocoa butter fingerprints, or
sipping English tea on a cold and rainy fall morning you will easily
fall under the spell of this hypnotic music.

Mariachi El Bronx

2009-10-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

This song by British soul singer Timi Yuro is like a torch song for the heartbroken. It's a rare thing indeed to have a song about heartbreak come across so strident. "It'll Never Be Over For Me" is probably too obscure to show up as a boozy karaoke number, but I imagine it would be just about perfect in that context.

Timi Yuro Torch Song

2009-10-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

After 10 years of semi-monthly this-is-my-livelihood-not-my-hobby garage sales at my neighbor's place to the east, I finally found something neither overpriced nor useless to take home with me. Nestled in the back of a crate of vinyl albums consisting mostly of The Fixx (who knew they had so many records?), I found a bevy of Laurel Canyon gems including Linda Rondstadt's first album, some very early Boz Scaggs, two albums I'd never seen from the Byrds, and this rare and seminal contry rock LP from Dillard and Clark, the duo of former Byrd Gene Clark and Bluegrass banjo virtuoso Doug Dillard along with Chris Hillman, Sneaky Pete and others helping out. Released soon after Clark left the Byrds in 1978, Through The Morning, Through The Night contains a set of originals plus great versions of tunes by The Everly Brothers (So Sad), Bill Monroe (Roll in my Sweet baby's Arms), and even the Beatles (Don't Let me Down)

Kansas City Southern

2009-10-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

While working on a Sasparilla Sling well into an evening with old friends at The Violet Hour, the "straight out of deadwood" bartender threw on this disk. Heather and I both thought it was Red Red Meat at first listen, its sound stuck as it is in Stones Exile on Main Street territory. Turns out that its The Deadstring Brothers, who hail from the motor city, along with our bartender. This track, "Some Kind Of User" is from the third album, Silver Mountain, released in 2007 on Bloodshot records.

Some Kind of User-Deadstring Brothers

2009-10-02T05:07:00.000-07:00

Another band I turn to each year as Autumn arrives is Yo La Tengo, with their moody organ drones, hushed vocals, and bursts of guitar skronk. The timing is perfect this year, as they've just released a new album, Popular Songs. Here'e the album opener "Here to Fall" which adds Gainsbourgian strings to the mix.

Here to Fall

2009-10-01T06:02:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

My associations with Mel Torme have heretofore been restricted to
Seinfeld and goofy scatting, but this R&B track is making me want to
do some exploring. A leftfield hit in 1962, the song was arranged by
Claus Ogerman and later covered by Quincy Jones.

Mel Torme

Atumnal

2009-09-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

And just like that, Autumn has arrived, which for me means its time to break out the Tom Waits records again. His rumble and growl has always fit the season to my ears. Here's one that I'd never heard before last week, when Marianne brought it in for the Sure Bet Quartet to play at this coming Saturday's Uke Cabaret.

A Little Drop of Poison

Atonement

2009-09-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

Great debuts-First Song First Album.....Repent!

Pixies-Caribou

Unlikely Collaborations Pt. 2

2009-09-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jon Singer for this one:

Daryl Hall With Chromeo

2009-09-21T21:27:00.001-07:00

Here's a rare soul classic brought in by IMW Guitar teacher Randy, who thought a tune one from Chicago Girl Group Lovelites would make a nice addition to all-girl teen band Fatal Attraction's repertoire. Lovelites were a 1960's high-school trio composed of sisters Patti Hamilton, Rozena Petty and friend, Barbara Peterman.

This track,"How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad" boldly addressed the then taboo subject of teen pregnancy and went on to sell 55,000 copies locally and 400,000 nationally, peaking at number 15 on Billboard's Soul chart and landing the group a deal with MCA-owned, Uni Records.

How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad

Poster's Paradise

2009-09-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Fingerhut Invitational is looking for music bloggers for weekly or bi-weekly posts!

Take your own day of the week for a spell and share your musical likes, dislikes, quirks, and personal stories with the FI community. All we ask is a blurb, photo, and mp3 for each post. Interested parties should post in the comments and we'll send you admin instructions.

To celebrate a wider posting community for FI, please enjoy "You Can All Join In By Traffic"

You Can All Join In

2009-09-18T05:53:00.000-07:00

As I ponder the idea of producing a city-wide youth battle of the bands in 2010, I harken back to The North Side Battle of the Bands in 2007, when one of the teen groups brought the house down with a full blown, uncensored version of Pink Floyd's "In The Flesh". I'm still kicking myself for being in the restroom for their performance,which blew minds by all accounts. The band lost the competition on a content technicality (facism, racism, homophobia), which I'm sure they had taken into account and blown off.

Do any of you fingrehutters who were present remember the band name?

In The Flesh

2009-09-17T05:26:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

Seeing the excellent Hayward show at the Hideout the other night
reminded me of how much I love field recordings of traditional music.
I first got into field recordings via an interest in the legendary
Alan Lomax. Included here is a version of "Joe Turner" he recorded by
Ed Young and Hobart Smith I've always loved. It's followed by "Lost
Indian" by Dallas Henderson, and "Tom Watson Tune" by Mabel Hawthorne,
both of which can be found on Art of Field Recording, Volume 1. As a
bonus, I've thrown in "O Day" by Bessie Jones and the Sea Island
Singers, which can be found on the box set Goodbye, Babylon.

Field Recordings

2009-09-15T05:01:00.000-07:00

Join Hayward for Country Music Tuesday at The Hideout 9:30 tonight and you're likely to hear this Gem by Del McCoury.

Highway of Pain

2009-09-11T05:57:00.000-07:00

Browsing the dollar bins at Rasputin records in Berkley over Labor Day weekend, I couldn't pass up this curiosity by Frank Sinatra. It was the cover that grabbed me, with its monochromatic air of desolation (it brings to mind Neil Young's Greendale)-so utterly unlike anything I've seen before from Old Blue Eyes. It turns out that Watertown is a 1970 easy listening concept album, with Sinatra narrating the story of a middle aged man down and out in Watertown, NY after being left by his wife with two sons to tend to. Its a complete song cycle, detailing the break-up of a marriage and its impact on the narrator. Easily the most interesting thing I've heard from Sinatra, the album is a mix of folk rock, easy listening, and swirling baroque pop coupled with an atmosphere of loneliness.

I've chosen to post the title track, which sets the scene as Sinatra tours the lonely town and finds himself at the train station in the rain, as his wife leaves him behind. The last sound we hear is the train pulling out of the station and heading away.

The album was a commercial flop, not even entering the top 100, but is hailed today by many as a lost gem in Sinatra's canon.

Watertown

2009-09-10T05:24:00.001-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I was responsible for the music at a wedding over the holiday weekend,
a task to which I devoted no small amount of obsession. There was the
likes and dislikes of the bride and groom to consider, the diverse
nature of the crowd, and the eternal challenge of navigating the line
between the familiar and the trite without losing momentum. I’ve also
started planning the music for my own wedding sometime in 2011. While
it’s true that you really can’t play enough Michael Jackson at a
wedding, here are four songs that, at various points in the night,
were also perfect. Included is a Kenny Dope remix of the Sharon Jones
song “Keep On Looking,” a disco edit of the Jean Carn song “What’s On
Your Mind,” the Tiedye mic of the DJ Kaos song “Love the Nite Away,”
and the one that no mortal could resist, Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison.”

Michael Jackson Wedding Jams

2009-09-03T05:11:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

While watching the Nicolas Roeg film Performance the other night, I
came across the Mick Jagger song "Memo From Turner," which is featured
throughout the film. This is the rare Jagger solo number that stands
up to his work with the Stones. The song, featuring Ry Cooder on slide
guitar, is the perfect compliment to a very strange, but highly
recommended film. Nicolas Roeg also directed The Man Who Fell to
Earth, starring David Bowie.

Memo From Turner

Strange Collaborations

2009-09-02T05:35:00.000-07:00

Michael McDonald with Grizzly Bear-released this week ...enough said!

While you Wait for The Others

2009-08-31T05:33:00.001-07:00

Here's a winner in the "perfect dinner music" category I found in a thrift store in Duluth, Minnesota last week. Its from Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge, who got hitched back in 1973, the same year they released their first album Full Moon which was not surprisingly, a set of love songs. Listening to the first side, Heather asked if it was a KD Lang record, as the two singers have nearly identical voices and styles at times.

Though quite familiar with Kristofferson's work, I knew very little about Rita Coolidge, other than her "Summer Jamz" style hit "Your Love is Lifting me Higher".
Before her marriage to Kristofferson, Coolidge had romantic liaisons with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash; her leaving Stills for Nash has been cited as a contributing factor behind Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's initial breakup in 1970. She began her career as a backing vocalist for artists such as Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, and Leon Russell before becoming a successful solo artist.

The album became a number one country hit. Today's track was The album’s second single, a cover of Tom Jans’ “Loving Arms,” and it made the pop, country, and easy listening charts, while earning the couple a grammy nomination.

Loving Arms

2009-08-27T05:50:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I’ve really fallen in love with these songs by French singer Dominique A from the album L’horizon. I find them especially moving while I’m working, though I suppose they’d be just as good at the end of the day or riding a train at night. Still, the leanness of the songs generates a spectral beauty I find particularly appealing while I’m writing.

Dominique A

2009-08-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

Jon Singer Posts

My kids are huge fans of the Swiss claymation cartoon Pingu. The program, about Penguins, is set in Antarctica where the Penguin families all live in igloos. What has made this show such an International success is the absence of human language. The dialogue between characters is a honking high-pitched penguin squawk that allows children of different linguistic backgrounds to follow the story, laughing outrageously along the way.

I've been listening to Heroic Doses' self titled debut quite a bit as of late and I can't help but notice the similarities between Bill Dolan's utterly unique, jaw dropping guitar shredding and the call and response banter between Pingu and his cohorts. On this Heroic Doses track I always imagine a claymation music video with Pingu cavorting away in his frozen tundra while an impish little Bill Dolan teeters out if his igloo blasting away on a Gibson SG.

Heroic Doses

2009-08-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

The stage at the Thirsty Pagan, Superior, WI

It was raining sideways as Heather and I rolled into the mini-twin cities of Superior, WI, and Duluth, MN. Looking for a respite from the rain, we turned off the main road to see what we could find. We soon happened upon the Thirsty Pagan Brewery, a promising name on a promising looking building with vintage signs and historic warehouse architecture. We made ourselves at home, ordered a couple of pints of Gitchigummi Gold and played a few hands of Rummy. As the afternoon became evening a band came in to set up and with the rain persisting, we decided to give them a listen. We felt instantly at home when the opening strums and harmonica wails of "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" reached our ears, here just a few miles from Bob Dylan's home town of Hibbing Minnesota. It didn't hurt that the harmonica/guitar player vocalist had a voice like Townes Van Zandt either. We stuck around and were later befriended by the drummer, a Chicago Native (45th and Western), who soon insisted that we join them for a couple of numbers, which we were happy to do. The evening was one of those rare stream-of-consciousness moments that make road trips such a joy.

After returning home, I took out Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited, and have been listening to it all weekend. From the opening snare hit of "Like A rolling Stone" the album hits you like a blast of fresh North Woods air. Its astounding that this album, Bringing it All Back Home, and the double LP Blonde on Blonde were all released in an 18 month period.

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry

2009-08-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

I'm off to the great North Woods for a spell, so I leave you with Wisconsin son and legendary guitar man Les Paul, who passed away today at the age of 94. Mary Ford joins him here on the track "That Old Feeling". See you back here on August 24.

That Old Feeling

2009-08-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

Today I thought I'd share the sweet soul sounds of Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose. Like a lot of soul classics, I recognized these songs from a childhood spent in cars with dials glued to oldies stations, but I haven't really listened to them with any attention until recently. This sound strikes me as conspicuously glorious, particularly the lavish, but never overwhelming production and the interplay between lead and backing vocals.

Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose

2009-08-11T04:20:00.001-07:00

I've been exploring The Band's catalog courtesy of mp3panda as of late, and come back again and again to the track "Look Out Cleveland", the 9th cut on their self-titled 2nd album, released in 1969. I'm hooked by its timeless organic sound, boogie woogie piano, descending progression in the chorus, vocal harmonies, and especially Robbie Robertson's guitar licks in the breaks.

Lookout Houston

Win-Win Proposition

2009-08-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

A friend came through yesterday with passes for Lollapalooza and I was excited until I took a close look at the line-up. Perhaps its a sign of losing touch due to age (so many names I've never seen before), but of the 150 bands listed, I can find only one that I'm truly excited about seeing; my clown prince hero Lou Reed. For me there is no downside to seeing Lou. I like him as much when he's bad as when he's good. If he comes out and plays a stellar set including some Berlin era songs I'll be thrilled. If he comes out and reads from The Raven while his Tai Chi guys "interprets" on the side, I'll shake with laughter at his ridiculousness.

Today's post includes both good and good-bad Lou. I've included "Sad Song", one his greatest songs ever from his incredibly ambitious, depressing and claustrophobic 1972 Rock opera Berlin. On the other end of the spectrum is "Turn To Me" from 1984's New Sensations, a great example of an album of bad Lou gone good when he tries to go upbeat for a set. You may remember that this was from the era when he was doing TV scooter ads with Grace Jones. Two years later, he would release what I believe to be the worst record of all time by any artist, Mistrial , featuring Lou trying to rap on "The Original Wrapper". Hilarious stuff.

Sad Song

Turn To Me

2009-08-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

Miike Snow is comprised of Swedish producers Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg. Pitchfork gave their album a decidedly lukewarm rating, but I'm quite taken with this single "Black & Blue." It isn't the most articulate endorsement, but when I play it loud up at the cabin it sounds amazing and everyone loves it, so I'll go with that. I'm also involved with the forthcoming video for the song, which is about an agoraphobic character inspired by Harry Nilsson as pictured on the Nilsson Schmilsson album cover. At this date, it's all going to take place outside Stockholm.

Black and Blue

2009-08-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

The Heavy Boxes' stellar set at the Uke Cabaret this Saturday was made up of several mini-themes, such as state songs, originals, Obscure 60's non-hits and the comings and goings of people named Johnny. From the latter two came a pair of songs I felt compelled to track down and present to you here. The first, "My Johnny Doesn't Come Around Anymore" is a B standard girl group ode to loneliness and abandonment from Flip and The Dateliners, one of the many recording projects from Joe Meek, a legendary UK record producer...like a British Phil Spector, guns and all (he shot himself to death at age 37. The second is "Think of Rain" by Margo Guryan, from her 1968 debut album Take a Picture, a break-up song that would later be covered by Astrud Gilberto among others.

Obscure 60"s non-hits

2009-07-30T08:08:00.001-07:00

David Berthy Posts

Every so often, I come across music that portrays space as a sleezy european disco where no one smiles. I find this sort of event more exciting than I should, and I thought I’d share three songs that epitomize this seldom-celebrated genre. Included is an epic, spaced-out cover of “On The Road Again,” by Tom & Jerry’s Rockets (pictured above), “Tout Petite la Planete,” by Plastic Bertrand, and “Space Woman,” by Herman’s Rocket.

Space Disco

2009-07-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

Listening to Ween on a roadtrip with QD a while back, the band's one quasi hit, the Van Morrison-on-crack "Push The Little Daisies" came on. Heather became quickly convinced that the lead vocal was performed by Cartman from South Park. Listening again, she has a good point...it sounds EXACTLY like Cartman. Its not possible though, as Ween's Pure Guava came out in 1992, five years before South Park debuted in 1997. What is possible, and even probable according to several bloggers out there, is that the Ween track provided the inspiration for Cartman's voice.

WEEN PUSH THE LITTLE DAISIES

Here's The Video:

2009-07-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

Special Weekend Post from Tony Bianchi:

DFK introduced me to the music of Elvis Perkins, via a friend of hers John ... who in turn grew up with Elvis in LA, and would occasionally sleep over at his parents house, the late actor Tony Perkins.

Famous and tragic family story aside, I really liked the recent Elvis Perkins in Dearland record, and caught a pretty good show of his in april, where I recorded them playing "Doomsday".

Now he's back in town, closing the Wicker Park street fest today. This is your big chance to see him while eating fried dough."

"Shampoo"

2009-07-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

With all the great soul and bluegrass that's been occupying my ear lately,
I've been craving some good old fashioned fuzzed out guitar based indie rock. I was a big fan of Dinasour Jr.'s first two albums back in the 80's, and having heard good things about thier recent re-union albums, I thought I would give a listen. I'm really impressed with both albums, especially the guitar work and the overall organic sound which brings to mind a modern day version of Neil Young's Crazy Horse, whiny vocals and all. Great Friday afternoon music! Here's the opening track from Beyond , the first recorded output from the band's original line-up in nearly 20 years, with Lou Barlow back in the fold after his years with Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion

Almost Ready

2009-07-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I had this version of the Thin Lizzy song "Dancing in the Moonlight
(It's Caught Me In Its Spotlight) for a while and then lost it when my
computer was stolen. Of all the songs I lost, it was this one I'd
missed the most. I still had the studio version from Bad Reputation,
but there's something about this recording for John Peel that I've
always thought was more than a little special. It's hard to pin down
what makes it so good. Somehow, It swings a little more, the vocals
are more convincing, and when Lynott sings "I'm walking home..." I
always fall in love with the song all over again. A few weeks ago, I
emailed Jon Meyers from the blog The Vinyl District (where I'd
originally found the song) and he graciously sent me a replacement
version. You can grab it below.

Dancing in the Moonlight

2009-07-21T05:12:00.000-07:00

You may know him from slick Top 40 soul hits like "Give Me The Night and "On Broadway", but jazz guitarist George Benson made one of the ballsiest moves in musical history by releasing an entire album cover version of selections from The Beatles Abbey Road just three weeks after the original came out(!). After a schmaltzy start with Golden Slumbers/You Never Give Me Your Money, things really get cooking when Ron Carter and Idris Muhammed kick in on "Come Together". The rest of the album follows suit,alternating schmaltz with great solos from Benson, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, and Sonny Fortune. This curiosity belongs in any record collection-filed under Sunday Morning Music.

Because/Come Together

Tamborine

2009-07-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

While working tambourine into Teen Band Trace's version of "I'll Be There", Randy mentioned that Motown House band "The Funk Brothers"actually had a tambourine guy.
Jack "Blackjack" Ashford played the tambourine on hundreds of Motown hits. His definitive performance is on "War" by Edwin Starr; but he also played on "Nowhere to Run" by Martha & the Vandellas, "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston, and countless others. He also played vibes, shakers, and the marimba on the label's recordings, such as The Miracles' "Ooh Baby Baby".

Today's download is"You Can't Hurry Love", plus a bonus track "Tamborine" by Prince, the best (and only) "Tambo as a metaphor for masturbation" song out there, from his very own Sgt Peppers Around The World in a Day. Funfact-Prince plays every instrument himself on the track.

Tamborine

2009-07-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

Cass McCombs plays next Monday (7/20) at the Hideout, and I’m
definitely looking forward to the show. The tour is in support of his
new album, Catacombs, which is the first album I've listened to end-to-
end, over-and-over, for some time. My two favorite songs are “Dreams
Come True Girl” and “Don’t Vote." Who knew that legendary scream
queen Karen Black, who sings on the former, sounds like Roy Orbison?

Cass McCombs

2009-07-15T04:06:00.001-07:00

IMW Guitar Teacher Randy is a wealth of information when it comes to soul session men, coming up as he did on Chicago's southside during the 60's and 70's. Just the other day we were discussing Michael, and how Randy used to go see the Jackson 5 when he was young. The shows were frequent,as the band lived just over the state line in Gary, and they were always matinees due to the band's age. Just imagine wandering into a matinee at Noon on a weekday to see the Jackson 5 on stage!

We got to talking about the Jackson 5 session musicians and Randy brought up guitarist David T. Walker, who played on many of the early singles, including 'I Want You Back".
He also played on Stevie Wonder's Innervisions, Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On and countless others. He released 12 albums under his own name, available now only on japanese import.

Here's funky jazz instrumental "doo doo" from the 1970 album Plum Happy.

Doo Doo

2009-07-13T20:06:00.001-07:00

This was the first dance at Tim & Jane's wedding up on Grindstone Island this past weekend. "This is the First Day of my Life" is a sweet, vulnerable, and honest love song from the Bright Eyes masterpiece-I'm Wide Awake Its Morning.

Yours is the first face that I saw
I think I was blind before I met you
Now I don’t know where I am
I don’t know where I’ve been
But I know where I want to go

Bright Eyes

2009-07-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I once bought six Ramsey Lewis albums from the seventies at the
Salvation Army on Grand. Buried within this stack were some great
cover songs. Here are two of my favorites: "If Loving You is Wrong I
Don't Want to Be Right" from the album Funky Serenity and "Cry Baby
Cry" from Mother Nature's Son, an album of Beatles covers.

Ramsey Lewis

2009-07-07T05:02:00.001-07:00

DJ David Berthy got things rolling with Phoenix at the July 4th Indiana Dunes Cabin Dance Party

Fences

2009-07-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

New Fuller Park Teen Band member Dakari waltzed into the classroom on day 1 of the Summer program, sat down at the piano, and effortlessly pounded out the openeing chords to "Saturday in the Park" by Chicago, a hit from their 1972 album Chicago V. The band fell in behind him and quite a little jam ensued.

Its the perfect 4th of July soundtrack, enjoy!

Saturday in the Park

2009-07-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

Every so often while I’m in a record store I’ll swallow my pride, walk up to the guy or girl working, and risk subjecting myself to a contemptuous sneer by asking, “What is this?” Such was the case in Dave’s a few years ago when I learned about krautrock stalwarts Faust,who can get pretty out there. For one record, The Faust Tapes, they took Virgin’s money, holed up in a house in the countryside, did a lot of acid, and pieced together a sound collage consisting of, among other things, the sound of rattled forks, lyrics about naked germans, and squawking horns. You sort of get this vibe from the above photo. There's the thousand yard stare of the guy on the left, two band members are sheepishly drinking tea, the guy in the middle is utterly confounded that he should be holding a lute, and the gentleman on the right is standing on a box with a sinister-looking remote control. Such eccentricity can also produce genius, as evidenced by the more melodic songs I've included here. I’ve long loved the contrast bewteen noice and melody on “It’s a Bit of a Pain,” and “Jennifer" has a meandering, psychedelic quality that reminds me of “Green is the Colour,” the Pink Floyd song I posted a little while ago. Both are from Faust IV, the record playing in Dave's that prompted my brave foray to the counter. The guy working, by the way, was gracious and eager to share--another reason Dave's is my favorite record store in Chicago.

Faust

2009-07-01T04:16:00.001-07:00

Tony Bianchi Posts

"I really don't know too much about the indie band The White Rabbits, but I did fell for the 4 tracks on their Daytrotter session from back in 2007. Energetic, enthusiastic but still urgent and ominous (plus a Randy Newman cover thrown in!) The song "untitled" is the standout by far.

Fast forward to 2009 and they have a new album, produced by Britt Daniels from spoon - which is great, right? Except I'm not yet convinced he didn't exert too much influence on them ... even perhaps extending to the record cover.

That said, it's still a solid, sometimes excellent, record. They're headlining Wednesday night at Empty Bottle.

Here's the link to the first track off "It's Frightening."

2009-06-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

At the rehearsal dinner for Billy and Ariel's wedding this past weekend, two of Billy's nephews got out their guitars and played an exceptionally well chosen set of songs in Everly Brothers style. They included this sweet ditty from Yo La Tengo's 1995 "Painful", one of the band's finest efforts.

The Whole of the Law

2009-06-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

I was reclined with my head in the sink readying for my pre-wedding (Billy & Ariel) haircut, when I heard from across the room "omg, Michael Jackson is dead". I sat bolt upright in the chair, water flying everywhere, and loudly exclaimed by disbelief, nearly demanding details and verification from the receptionist. I was sure it was a prank, coming as it was from TMZ. Over the next few minutes, with the news confirmed, I sank into a wordless gloom as Nina snipped, trying to engage me in small talk.

I was surprised at the depth of my reaction to the news, and can't remember another celebrity death since Princess Di that's had this effect on me. Exploring my reaction with friends over drinks last night, I realized that Michael Jackson's is a case where I've always just naturally separated the man from the music. Never once has the sad bizarre circus surrounding his life affected the way I feel about his immense and irrefutable contribution to the popular music pantheon. As for the man and his actions, my sympathy has always outweighed my anger for reasons I cannot justify. Despite all of the allegations, at heart I still view him as a man-child who was horribly wronged at a very young age and then grew into a very sick and lost man. There is solace in knowing that both his suffering and the suffering he causes others are over.

Oh, and a couple of other things:
1. Anyone who equates Farah's icon status with that of Michael is out of their effing mind
2. I nominate Johnny Depp to play Jacko in the inevitable biopic. He's essentially already played him in both Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

You Are Not Alone

2009-06-25T05:10:00.001-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I never get tired of reggae treatments of soul songs, especially in
the summer. I’ve heard a few duds, but most of these covers seem to
work out exceptionally well, especially those from the period before
roots reggae took hold, when soul music had a strong influence on
reggae. I’ve bought a bunch of reggae soul compilations over the
years, and here are four of my favorite examples of the genre.

Reggae Soul

2009-06-22T05:17:00.000-07:00

Summer is officially here, and finally, the weather is starting to accept it. To celebrate, check out this 1974 version of Seals and Croft's "Summer Breeze" by the Isley Brothers.

Summer Breeze

Father's Day AM Gold

2009-06-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dan Fogelberg

Need a last minute gift for your pops on Father's Day? I've got you covered! Taking a cue from Alvy's Summer Jamz Series, I've created a Sunday morning easy listening mix of AM Gold especially for Fathers. You'll get "leader of the Band" from Dan Fogelberg, "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens, "Cats in The Cradle" by Harry Chapin, and many more!

Father's Day AM Gold

2009-06-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I just got back from working on the video for this song by MSTRKRFT
featuring John Legend. I've listened to this song hundreds of times
over the last two weeks, and I'm surprised how well its held up. The
lyrics have an innocence that reminds me of sixties girl groups, but
the electronic backing and the deadpan delivery make it feel fresh. I
don't want to spend another night in a pinata store listening to it on
repeat at any point in the near future, but I think it's definitely
deserving of a listen.

MSTRKRFT-Heartbreaker

2009-06-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Take one part Neko Case, one part Jens Lekman, and one part El Perro del Mar, and you'll wind up with the retro pop stylings of Glasgow's Camera Obscura. I presume that I often hear mention of Belle & Sebastian in the same sentence as Camera Obscura because they share a hometown, but I much prefer the latter band's sound to the twee renderings of B&S.

The Sweetest Thing

2009-06-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

I wandered into Reckless last night to kill some time before picking up the QD from her stats class and was reminded how much I love the dirty, organic, hard rocking sound of Crazy Horse, Neil Young's on-and-off backing band since the early Seventies. The track I heard over the store speakers was "Country Home", the opening number from 1990's Ragged Glory, a real sleeper of an album which sounds a whole lot fresher to my ears today than it did when I bought it back in senior year of college,

Next time you're in the convertible up to the Summer cabin (or pretending to be)in Michigan, Indiana, or Wisconsin, turn this one up and enjoy the ride.

Country Home

2009-06-15T07:53:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to David and Eva, who welcomed their daughter into the world yesterday!

Ellery Lark Singer
7 lbs, 8oz.
20 inches long
Born June 14, 2009

We are creatures, creatures of love
We are creatures, creatures of love
From the sleep
of reason, a life is born
We are creatures, creatures of love

2009-06-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Tony Bianchi Posts

A couple weeks ago, I was driving from Portland, Oregon, to the town of Astoria (see above), and naturally forgot to charge the ipod, so was left with the complimentary cd from my room in the really hip Ace Hotel (nice place, actually.)

And that was good, because it forced me to listen to a record of the Headless Heroes about ten times over the 180 miles, which turned out to be pretty good fit for the winding road along the Columbia River.

And it turns out they aren't a band, exactly, but some sort of NYC art collaborative / music project, with a (I think) portland-based folk vocalist named Alela Diane singing all the songs. They are all covers, but besides Daniel Johnston, Jesus & Mary Chain and someone named "Nicholas Cave" I didn't realize that, they not the most well known tunes, which I believe is the point.

So here's one very atmospheric track "To You" and a much more traditional sounding "Blues Run The Game" by someone named Jackson C. Frank (covered by Simon & Garfunkel, which won't be a surprise when you hear it.)"

Headless Heroes

2009-06-11T05:32:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I love some of the slower-paced early Michael Jackson numbers. Because
the smiling, “ABC” Michael dominates the collective memory of the
young star, it’s easy to forget that he could bring a preturnatural
soulfulness to slower numbers. Included here are “Maria (You Were The
Only One)” and a cover of “Ain’t No Sunshine.” It’s tempting to point
out Jackson’s despair is a little out of scale for a thirteen-year-
old, especially when he goes into a Barry White-style address in Maria
(“...sweet little sunflower.”) Or how disturbing these expressions of
anguish are given what we no know about Jackson’s life. But ultimately
I prefer to throw all that out the window and enjoy the sheer
craziness of the performances

Michael Jackson Numbers

2009-06-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

Benjamin Fingerhut Posts

Although it’s still a work-in-progress we submitted Breaking and Entering to our first film festival the other day. The score is being created by Andrew Duncan, but there are a few songs by other artists scattered throughout. One of the bands providing additional music is the Chicago band, Hayward. Without giving too much of the movie away, their amazing original song, “High Lonesome” provides a perfect backdrop to one of the more dramatic and beautiful scenes in the movie. To my knowledge this is the one and only original Hayward song. Give “High Lonesome” a listen and I think you’ll agree that it’s high time that they made another one!

High Lonesome

2009-06-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

Listening to Patty Griffin's "Long Ride Home" I was reminded of another song, "On The Road to Find Out", from Cat Stevens 1970 album , Tea for The Tillerman. I remember the track about Self discovery also as a central soundtrack item from the terrific film "Harold & Maude". Listening to the song repeatedly, I was struck by how much of an early blueprint it is for the artist's future devotion to the faith of Islam and eventual withdrawal from the music industry. Like Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith after him, there are abundant early lyrical cues in Stevens'early work as to the path his future life will take

"Yes the answer lies within, so why not take a look now?
Kick out the devils sin, pick up, pick up the good book now"

On the Road To Find Out

2009-06-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

The Fever Ray record is definitely my favorite of the year so far.
Fever Ray is the solo project of Swedish musician Karen Dreijer, who
is also one half of the brother-sister duo The Knife. Fever Ray shares
some similarities with The Knife’s sound, particularly on their last
album Silent Shout, but the Fever Ray record manages to be stranger,
darker, and more organic. Dreijer herself has described the sound as
“...a deep sleep spreading over fields and endless oceans.” Which I
can see. She’s also sited as inspiration a love of the long, wordless
musical interludes in Miami Vice (where Crockett and Tubbs zoom
through the night in a car or on a boat while staring moodily into the
distance, seemingly contemplating the likely possibility of their own
imminent demise). I can see that too, I guess, and am certainly for
anything that celebrates the virtues of Miami Vice. But what draws me
most to this music most is its ability to encode strange, disturbing,
heartfelt messages in a pop context. Included is The Knife song “Pass
This On,” and two Fever Ray songs: “Seven,” and “When I Grow Up
(Lissvik version).”

The Knife and Fever Ray

2009-06-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest addition to Hayward's repertoire, a lovely tune from Patty Griffin's 2002 album A Thousand Kisses, "Long Ride Home".

Long Ride Home

2009-06-02T06:06:00.001-07:00

Forgive the extended posting theme, but in discussing Steve Albini and Cheap Trick I'd be remiss in not posting Albini fronted post-hardcore band Big Black's cover version of Cheap Trick's "He's a Whore", originally release as a 7" and these days available on the CD version of the band's 1987 album Songs aAbout Fucking. The b-side of the single was a Kraftwerk cover and both sides of the single jacket imitate the original bands' artwork.

Big Balck- He's A Whore

2009-06-01T06:11:00.000-07:00

As Quickdraw mentioned in Friday's post, the band was not too happy with Tom Werman's treatment of their songs for the album In Color. Drummer Bun E. Carlos explains: "He made it safe for radio, but the album sounds like it was done in a cardboard box." Over a decade later in the 90's, the band was in the studio hanging out with producer Steve Albini with nothing to do for a few days, and decided to re-record the album for kicks. They never completed it, but got pretty far in. I recently found the entire album on the internet (props to Rock Town Hall Blog) and present it here in its entirety for your downloading pleasure. It includes two versions each of "I Want You to Want Me" and "Oh Caroline" as well as a cover of John Lennon's "I'm Losing You."

In my opinion, In Color was a perfect record the first time around. The pop treatment of the set makes the songs shine, setting them apart from other hard rock albums. Its ithe very reason I love it so much. I've listened to the Albini versions a bunch, and while there are moments of brilliance overall I find it bit bland and uneven, with the songs getting lost in the mix. Listening to the vocals, you can really hear how much Billy Corgan was influenced by Robin Zander. Still, its a rare chance to hear a band reclaim its vision.

In Color with Steve Albini

Baby Needs Some Brand New Shoes

2009-05-29T05:35:00.000-07:00

Quickdraw Posts

Rockford, Illinois is not the first place (nor the second, or third, for that matter) that comes to mind when thinking of places that have produced iconic pieces of American history. Hailing from a town near Rockford that is even less exciting and a fraction of its size, it's surreal even for me to think that Rockford gave us such offerings as the original sock monkey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sock_monkey, the Rockford Peaches http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockford_Peaches featured in "A League of Their Own", and various parts that propel the airplanes we fly every day. However, Rockford's greatest gift to the world is without a doubt, Cheap Trick. The band was officially formed in 1974 by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, and Bun E. Carlos. To this day, I can't get enough of the 1977 album In Color. Rumor has it the band wasn't all that happy with the production of the album, saying that producer Tom Werman wanted to highlight the band's lighter, more pop-influenced side (exactly why I love it). While the album was only slightly more successful in the U.S. than their debut album Cheap Trick released earlier the same year, it gave them mega-star status in Japan. The Japanese media deemed them "The American Beatles", and after their 3rd record went gold there (though not here in the U.S.) the band was inspired to record Cheap Trick at Budokan (only intended for release in Japan, but eventually released in the U.S. by popular demand). Today I'm posting my all-time favorite Cheap Trick track, "Southern Girls" from In Color. The toe-tapping drum intro, the beautifully ringing power chords of the verse, and the hook-laden chorus never fail to keep me moving every time I hear it. It's a 70's power pop gem, but something about the simplicity of it takes me back to a simpler era of rock and roll. Enjoy!

Cheap Trick-Southern Girls

2009-05-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

While yesterday's excellent mix is going a long way to cheer me up,
the gloom of recent days has had me drinking too much tea and reaching
for a certain strain of melancholy British pop. "Beachwood Park" by
The Zombies and "She Smiled Sweetly" by the Rolling Stones are both
classics of the genre. If you're familiar with them, they're well
worth revisiting whether or not the gloom persists. Listened to on a
sunny summer day, they very well might make me nostalgic for the
experience of drinking tea on a rainy afternoon while listening to a
certain strain of melancholy British pop. "Sam," is from the third
album by Bill Fay, a singer who never quite caught on, but has had
something of a rebirth in the last ten years thanks to reissues of his
three studio albums.

Melancholy Mix

2009-05-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

back in the late 90's, the Lake Effect crew would rent a house together for a week each year up in Saugatuck, Mi. The area had one of the greatest resort radio stations of all time, blending inane Dj Patter with obscure AM radio hits that you
you knew all the words to, but had no idea who the artist was and hadn't heard since you were five years old, riding in the back of the family station wagon on the way to the supermarket or TGI Fridays.

The radio station went country, but Alvy has kept the tradition alive with a series of annual mixes to keep our Summer soundtrack rolling. This years is a real doozy, highlighted by an incredibly Steve Windwood-esque Santana hit "I'm Winning", Leo Sayers incomparable jam "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", and a pair of hits from the Little River Band, plus 20 or so others.

Here, courtesy of Alvy, is the complete mix. Do yourself a favor and download it, your Summer will thank you, if it ever gets here.

Summer Jamz 09

2009-05-26T05:40:00.001-07:00

RIP Jay Bennett

One of the driving forces and creative minds behind my favorite era of Wilco's music (Being There, Summer Teeth, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot), Jay Bennett, died of undisclosed causes at the age of 45 this past weekend. Known as a pioneer in putting the alt into alt-country, Bennett split with the band in 2001 amidst unpleasant circumstances laid out unflatteringly by the band in the film I Am Trying To Break Your Heart:A Film About Wilco. Disputes continued and just weeks ago Bennett filed suit against his former bandmate Jeff Tweedy for breach of contract relating to his work in Wilco.

Here's a beautiful track from his latest solo album, 2006's Magnificent Defeat.

Survey The Damage

2009-05-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

QD and I caught The artist formerly known as Cat Stevens on the Colbert Report recently. Now going by the moniker Yusuf, (I suppose the name "Islam" isn't a great boost for record sales), the artist has just released his first album in nearly three decades. Watvhing him perform we were surprised at how much he sounds like, well, Cat Stevens! Colbert's brass balled questioning was priceless. Heres the title track from the new album Roadsinger .

Roadsinger

2009-05-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

David Berthy Posts

Muskegon, Michigan’s Betty LaVette recorded “You’ll Never Change” in
1963 and “Let Me Down Easy” in 1965. Though both songs are about
heartbreak and even share some similar lyrics, it would be a shame to post
one without the other. “You’ll Never Change” features a poppier sound,
some memorable backing vocals, and the defiant tone of a one-sided
argument. “Let Me Down Easy” is the other side of that argument--a
solitary lament--and evokes genuine vulnerability with a raw vocal
performance backed by haunting strings.

Betty Lavette

2009-05-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

Tony B Posts

As Simo posted a week or two back, i did pick up a couple records from the chicago-based reissue label Numero recently (new to me) ... including a double LP set called "Good God! The Gospel Funk Hymnal".

And when I mentioned that to someone they responded: "There's such a thing?" To which Numero responds:

"A collection of this nature can only exist in hindsight. ... There aren't any labels, artists, or producers that focused strictly on funky gospel music; rather, there were a couple hundred groups that had a funkier number in their repertoire"

In this case here's a disco, very Curtis Mayfield-inspired version of the spiritual standard "Wayfaring Stranger" ... which is a song usually associated with country or bluegrass (and apparently, Burl Ives).

Also included is a live Neko Case version with a great banjo solo ... compare and contrast if you will.

WAYFARING STRANGERS

2009-05-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

Perennial Uke caberet player C. Everett Uke opened the last show with a dead-on rendition of Manu Chao's "Bongo Bong", a song I myself had tried to prepare but gave up on due to the lyrical delivery demands. The next week, I brought the song in to the kids at The Intonation Music Workshop at Taylor Park to find all three classes giggling uncontrollably at the playful boasting of the song's narrator. They wanted to learn the song and did so in no time.

The track is the first solo single from Manu Chao's debut album Clandestino, released in 2000. Its a remake of Mano Negra's song, "King of Bongo" (1991), which has its roots from a 1939 recording of "King of the Bongo Bong" by the trumpeter, Roy Eldridge.

Play this one for your kids!

Bongo Bong

2009-05-14T05:21:00.001-07:00

David Berthy Posts

I'm going to go ahead and kick off the summer songs season with two
songs from Africa and hope the weather will eventually cooperate.
First is Armee Guineenne, by Guinea's Bembeya Jazz National. Famed
guitarist Sekou "Diamond Fingers" Diabete achieves a depth of tone
here that pairs especially well to the slowness of a hot day, and this
song has been at the top of my most played itunes list the last two
summers. Next up is "Sunday Morning" by Zambian supergroup Amanaz.
The first line, "Sunday morning, and we're sitting outside..." is
followed by five gloriously unhurried minutes that are the perfect
soundtrack for lazy weekend mornings in the shade.

Summer Songs

2009-05-12T05:42:00.001-07:00

Quickdraw Posts!

This past weekend Simo, Tony B. and I attempted an enthusiastic cover of the song Barracuda by Heart at the incredibly fun animal-themed uke cabaret "Uke Zoologica". As I was preparing for the considerable vocal challenge, I became a bit obsessed with the band. I have long been a fan of their pioneer status in the arena of female rockers as well as their infectious Zeppelin-influenced sound. I was struck, however, when I rediscovered the title track to their 1976 debut album Dreamboat Annie which I hadn't heard in years. In contrast to their more gritty singles, this one has a remarkable Carpenters-esque folky vibe, especially in the lead and backing vocals. Perhaps my favorite part of the song is the banjo roll in the second verse, giving it the feel of a dreamy yet slightly sad travelin' song.

Heart-Dreamboat Annie

2009-05-11T05:34:00.000-07:00

Another birthday gift, this one from Alvy, hasn't left my turntable in the last few days. Histoire de Melody Nelson is a 1971 concept album by controversial French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. The Lolita-esque pseudo-autobiographical plot involves the middle-aged Gainsbourg unintentionally colliding his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost into teenage nymphet Melody Nelson's bicycle, and the subsequent seduction and romance that ensues. Histoire de Melody Nelson is considered by many critics and fans to be Gainsbourg's most influential and accomplished album. Beck obviously loved it, as he pillaged this track for "Paper Tiger" from Sea Change.

Melody

2009-05-08T06:24:00.001-07:00

Join us this Saturday 9:00 PM at Silvies for Uke Zoologica, a four-string celbration of the animal kingdom. With 14 acts already signed up, this promises to be the best Ukulele Cabaret yet. We Hope to see you there! Thanks to Tony B for sending this track in.

The Kinks -Animal Farm

2009-05-07T06:34:00.001-07:00

David Berthy Posts

In continuing with Leonard Cohen, here are some of my favorite covers
of his songs. Part of what was emotional about seeing the show last
night was listening to songs I’ve experienced as very personal in a
communal space. For me, it brought home how universal Cohen's subject
matter is. The two performers I’ve picked, Jeff Buckley and Antony,
understand that Cohen's songs at their best are about nothing less
than the human condition, and perform them with appropriate reverance.
As a bonus, I’ll throw in “Suzanne” as performed by French chanteuse
Francoise Hardy.

Cover Songs

2009-05-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the long anticipated Leonard Cohen show at The Chicago theatre. The 74 year old bard has been on the road for nearly a year now, with another one yet to go. It will be interesting to compare tonight's show to the one Heather and I saw last year in Toronto, which was the first of the tour. Perhaps he will again open the second set with
Tower of Song, accompanied by himself on the Casio.

Tower of Song

2009-05-04T08:36:00.001-07:00

Tony B hooked me up with this Double Vinyl LP from the terrific Numero Group label.
Home Schooled, The ABCs of Kid Soul, a collection of tracks from 1970's kid soul bands is an inspired gift for someone who runs a youth pop band workshop! The album caught my attention right out of the gate with this Kids Rights Anthem "Trust Your Child" from Patrizia & Jimmy

Trust Your Child

2009-05-01T05:29:00.001-07:00

Join us tonight, dear listeners, for an Intonation Music Worskhop benefit at The Hideout featuring local indie stalwarts David Singer & The Sweet Science and Horse in the Sea, both of whom count IMW instructors among their members. Stick around afterwards for a dance party with DJ Solucien and witness yours truly upgrading to 4.0 at midnight.

Today's track is "Mosquito King" from Horse in the Sea's 2007 album I Order The Sun To Shine on Everyone

Mosquito King

2009-04-30T06:39:00.001-07:00

David Berthy Posts

Like a lot of T. Rex fans, for a long time I overlooked the album Tanx
(despite its amazing cover), assuming that The Slider was the last
album worth spending time with. Granted, Tanx did mark the beginning
of the end of T. Rex. Made in 1973, the very height of the “T.
Rextasy” phenomenon, it was the last album recorded with the classic
T. Rex lineup, and Bolan’s legendary ego--fueled by brandy, money, and
cocaine--was stratospheric by this point. One would assume this would
all make for a disaster of an album, but in actuality the louche
decadence of the record’s sound is its greatest virtue, perfectly
suited for Bolan’s spaced-out lyrical non sequiturs.

TREX