Desmond Dekker - Israelites

Let's pay some tribute to one of the first international reggae singers, Desmond Dekker. He crossed the pond and topped the UK charts with "Israelites" in 1968. His influence is not only seen on other reggae artists, but a wide range of music from punk to pop. Often his lyrics get lost in the somewhat catchy nature of the music, but he was definitely addressing some important social issues.

Beth Orton - Shopping Trolley

Good waking up song. Enjoy.

Descendants - "Coolidge" (live)

I was fortunate to have an older brother that was in to music at a fairly early age. He is two years older than me, so when he was in Sophomore in high school, he was passing along some great music to me while I was in intermediate school. Probably the most influential were The Clash and Bob Marley, but he also turned me on to some lesser known acts. Descendants is one such band. They came out of the California punk scene and for better or worse influenced a fair amount of the punk/pop from that area in the 1990s. "Coolidge" is from the 1987 album, All, often cited as their most successful.

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash - Girl From the North Country

I guess you should go with a classic for Thanksgiving, so I picked one of my favorite duets of all time. This performance is from the short-lived Johnny Cash Show. The original and better studio recording appears on Dylan's Nashville Skyline and various collections. It proves that Dylan could croon with the best of them when he wanted to. This song immediately came to mind as I'm sitting here looking out at the snow in upstate New York...

Josh Ritter - To the Dogs or Whoever (live)

You learn a lot about performers when you see them live. Beyond the obvious of realizing who can really play and sing, you learn a little about the persona projected on stage. For me, this can impact how I listen to an artist's recordings. This is the case with Josh Ritter. I have seen live twice and both times he put together exuberant, joyful performances. I have never seen anyone happier to be on stage than Ritter. The vibe becomes infectious and spills over the audience making it an altogether fun experience. Watching him on stage, I was able to see a smile sneak onto his face in the middle of singing certain lyrics. It gives a new dimension to the songs. This performance offers a glimpse of that. The style of the song is not entirely indicative of Ritter's music, it does show a solid live performance.

The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset

Do songs have the ability to transport us somewhere else? Listen to this song and you will be able to answer that question. The narrative structure of the song helps listeners peer in on an intimate scene in London. The achingly beautiful melancholy of this song reminds us all too well what it is to be human. Let's thank Ray Davies for this masterpiece.

South San Gabriel - Emma Jane

Whether he’s fronting South San Gabriel or the more rockin’ Centro-matic, Will Johnson consistently writes really good songs. The weight of this one becomes apparent a couple minutes in when his gravelly baritone starts bringing the goods. This song is off their latest release, Dual Hawks. It’s a double album, with both Centro-matic and South San Gabriel claiming halves. Patterson Hood of Drive by Truckers has some really nice things to say about them and their new album in this interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzqb8KMJBcM

They opened with Emma Jane when I saw them this past Thursday in Chapel Hill. They were great as always…

Gillian Welch - Throw me a Rope

Like so many of the artists on this site, it is hard to select just one song from their catalog. So, I selected an unreleased song in order to not have to choose from her (their) official discography. Hopefully this will be on their next album, which we have been waiting for for quite a while. This song has the hallmark haunting sound and lyrics that have made Welch (and Rawlings) a part of a long tradition of distinctly American music. Enjoy.

The Proclaimers - Over and Done With

Not sure why I like this song or why it makes me happy, but it does. Perhaps the association with the movie Bottle Rocket? Either way, these Scottish lads know what's up.

Yo La Tengo - Today is the Day

I heard reports of snow in Greensboro today. Makes one nostalgic for summer, even though it was not too long ago. In honor of that feeling, I give you "Today is the Day."

Magnolia Electric Co - Farewell Transmission

With the starkness of their songs, I always feel a perpetual sense of late fall, industrial melancholia from Magnolia Electric Co. It seems the right time of the year in the States to be listening to this. Drive down to your favorite closed factory and give this a listen.

TV On The Radio - Dancing Choose

I can't get this song out of my head. It's definitely one for the '08 time capsule. Check out some of the hilarious lyrics dealing with the haves and have-nots, for example: "The decisions underwritten by the cash in his hand, bought a sweater for his weimariner too."

More evidence that you don't have to look back too far to find exciting and original music...

A Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation

Kickin' it a little old school today. Enjoy

Nina Simone - Sinnerman

"Let Nina Simone rule the world" - so sayeth Joe Strummer while introducing one of her songs on his BBC World Service program. I'm with you Joe. This particular selection was suggested by Belinda who commented on the tension and intensity in the song which finally cultminates and breaks at about 8:25. So sit back and get blown away by 10 minutes of the unapologetic Nina Simone.

Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender

Two points of clarification. Point 1 - just because I am from the United States does not mean that I know every song in English. Point 2 - when singing karaoke, it is helpful to know the song well. Let's just say that the King rolled over in his grave last night when this song was sung by none other than yours truly. The circumstances surrounding said event are sketchy at best and will never be revealed to the public, unless there is a behind the music on it.

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

This is a pretty cool video for an infectious song. Their debut album, which came out this past June, goes good with a cooler and a campfire...

november 15th, 1990

no, they didn't sing on the album sayeth their producers:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwrL9MV6jSk

Drive-by Truckers - Never Gonna Change

The mythology of the South is something that is unique in the US. It permeates American literature from the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O'Connor to modern non-fiction narratives like Tony Horwitz's Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War or Warren St. John's Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer: A Journey into the Heart of Fan Mania (Have not read this yet. It is about Alabama football fans but it has been recommended by people I trust and those who know). Whether you choose to believe these gothic images and archetypes from the South as true is a discussion for another time. I want to single out a band which carries the southern mystique along with its duality into the present day. The Drive-by Truckers carry the mantle of Southern Rock, and they do it with attitude and swagger. A song which epitomizes this is today's selection - "Never Gonna Change."

Billy Preston - That's the Way God Planned It (Concert for Bangladesh)

Tully's blog post for "Traveling Man" referenced Billy Preston as one of the contributing musicians to the Exile sessions and it got me thinking of a quintessential Preston moment. Preston had a close relationship with the Beatles, especially George Harrison, so it is no surprise that when Harrison was collecting musicians for his Concert for Bangladesh, Preston would be among the selected group. If you have not seen the concert film for this, please do, it is a great concert full of memorable performance. The one that stands out to me though is Preston's "That's the Way God Planned It." I especially like when he starts feeling it about 3:23 into the song. One of the more inspiring performances. Unfortunately Preston is no longer with us, he passed away in 2006,but listening to this song, we know Billy is somewhere still feelin' it.

In The New Year (live from Juan's Basement) - The Walkmen

I figured I'd post a new song in the wake of a couple of classics. The Walkmen's latest, You and Me, is probably my favorite 2008 release. It's hard not to relate this song's lyrics to current circumstances, whether it's "waiting on the weather that I know will pass" or "we won by a landslide!" Another notable line descibes a weird utopia where "my sisters are married to all of my friends!" The lyrics and music convey unbridled optimism, something that's pretty hard to pull off. "See you in the new year..."

Wed. Nov. 12

Today's selection is forthcoming from Marty M. It is hard being in Hong Kong as Wednesday as halfway over.

today's song

Swapping emails with Sandy late last night about this blog, the first song that came to mind was Travellin' Man; I've been listening to the hells out of it lately. It didn't occur to me at the late hour that a song probably shoulda honored Veteran's Day. Today I looked for the Clash's English Civil War with their rendition of When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again, but I didn't think it quite fit. More later ...

The Rolling Stones - Traveling Man

Courtesy of Tully Beatty. Tully, any comments?

Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road (live)

This is Bruce at his absolute best, stripped down and honest, circa 1975 at the Hammersmith Odeon. This was recently released on DVD as a part of the entire concert. It is now also available on CD.