Best of '09

First off, on an unrelated-to-anything-musical note, there comes a time when the phrase "cold and flu season" goes from being a distant concept to an upper respiratory/dripping nose/scrambled head reality. Now is that time. So in a cold medicine haze, I'm going to plunge right into the humble task at hand: telling you the 10 best albums, 10 best songs, a few good movies, and 5 important music news stories of 2009. Oh and it'll be good, maybe because of the meds (or in spite of them...this fact remains to be seen!)!

2009's 10 Best Albums

Before I give you this list, I'll say this about the "album". Supposedly it's dying and/or dead, depending who you talk to. One of the top music news stories of '09, might just be Radiohead's Thom Yorke announcing that the band would no longer be focusing on making albums, but rather stick to singles. But now, so I hear, Radiohead IS working on an album, so what are you gonna do? Frankly I'm happy to hear this because a Radiohead album release creates as much buzz and usually delivers with more consistency than any big budget Hollywood blockbuster (although I hear Avatar is actually good, even though some of the previews make it look like it could have gone the way of Costner's epic failure, "Waterworld"). Albums are still relevant, maybe less so, but until I'm told otherwise, they're still around and still a huge marker of just how good a band is. There were lots of good ones this year, definitely.

My process isn't scientific. Basically, with the help of a scan through of my iTunes collection, I came up with a list of 17 albums that I consistently listened to this past year. I narrowed the list to 10 (with a couple of honorable mentions) and arranged them in a way that I felt makes sense. That is, sense in my mind. Lists as we all know, no matter how hard someone might try to convince you otherwise, are doomed to subjectivity. And, this will be a limited list as well. I haven't heard all of the albums of '09, so I may very well be missing one that I WOULD have made #1. I'll start with the following sub-heading under "Best albums of '09":

Bands/artists who released albums this year that I've heard great things ABOUT, but haven't actually heard:

Silversun Pickups
Passion Pit
Kid Sister
Ida Maria
Neko Case

Maybe the albums from the aforementioned artists would have made the list, maybe they wouldn't have--who the hell knows? I'd thought I'd at least give them a mention because I'd still like to hear them before long. I also haven't heard many that will undoubtedly make the pop charts top 10: Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, etc (although you tend to hear the songs off of these albums EVERYWHERE anyway, so you kind of get the idea what they're like). Not to be dismissive of pop music, I'm just probably not the best judge of it.

Top 10 Albums of 2009

10. David Bazan, "Curse Your Branches"

Previous to this outstanding collection of songs of a man in the midst of transition, David Bazan was known for being: A.) the main dude in the band Pedro the Lion and B.) a devout Christian. "Curse Your Branches" deals with the pain, struggle, and anger Bazan faced and continues to face as realized, "Hey, this whole religion thing just isn't workin' out for me." As a friend of mine describes it, it's the perfect companion music to the Bill Maher documentary, "Religilous". His former brothers and sisters in Christ aren't so happy with him, let's just say. The album is quite a statement and the songs are both lyrically thoughtful and enjoyable from a musical sense as well.

9. Vizqueen, "Message to Garcia"

There isn't much mystery behind the sound of Seattle's Vizqueen. It's punk influenced, straight plain ol' rock and roll influenced, up tempo, good music. I posted a link to an article on front woman Rachel Flotard on The Hidden Chord's Facebook page. I strongly recommend reading this. It's a touching story, which makes you appreciate the spirit behind the music.

8. Mos Def, "The Ecstatic"

For awhile there, Mos Def was turning into purely an actor. Not an uncommon transition for hip-hop/rap stars, but still, this is one talented guy musically as well, and he proves it with "The Ecstatic". I said earlier I'm probably not the best judge of pop music. The same probably goes for rap/hip-hop. Why do I like this album? I just kinda do. Mos Def is a great MC and the beats are...see I don't know how to describe them. I just like it, ok!!!!

7. Dirty Projectors, "Bitte Orca"

Hypnotic, at times ambient, a bit experimental--not quite to Animal Collective lengths, but enough to use the label. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself here, but one of the best songs of the year is on this album. Will it be #1? Possibly. What else can I say about this album? It's got that many layered thing that a lot of good indie rock goes for these days. It can be quiet and calming, but then they pull out something that sounds Led Zeppelin-esque. Comfort food for the ears.

6. The Xx, "Xx"

Uh oh, another contender for #1 song of the year is on this album...who will it be??? These kids...well they're just kids for one!!!...are pretty damned amazing with a fairly basic sound. Not a whole lot of layers going on here. Interesting vocals...which is kind of strangse to say because the delivery of the vocals are almost done in a disinterested sort of way. I'll use the term I used above with Dirty Projectors--hypnotic. You can't help but get pulled in. Lots of good beats, simple effects, guitar, drums...and there you have it.

5. Phoenix, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"

This album is beyond catchy. So catchy in fact, Cadillac had to swipe the song 1901 for itself and kill it for the rest of us! Reminded me of what happened with Santogold (or is it Santigold?) last year. Well, at the very least, I hope they got a nice paycheck for it. This is a fun, dance-able, almost disco-ish album at times, that goes by quickly--too quickly in fact.

4. Bob Dylan, "Together Through Life"

This was one weird, yet productive year for the nearly 70 year old Dylan. Early in the year, he releases "Together Through Life", which was co-written with Robert Hunter, who co-wrote much of The Grateful Dead's material. And it's a gem, that is for those who appreciate Dylan's vocal "style", filled with Mexican border-town sounding songs helped along by his amazing backing band. During the summer, he was questioned by police in New Jersey for hanging out in the rain in somebody's front yard (apparently he was looking for Springsteen's childhood home). And most recently, he released a Christmas album. He's a tad creepy and weird, but he's not slowing down, and I hope he can keep going for years to come.

3. Animal Collective, "Merriweather Post Pavillion"

Where do you even start with Animal Collective? Nobody, but NOBODY is doing what these guys are doing. I recently read someone say it would have been the type of thing Brian Wilson would have been doing if he would have been in his "Pet Sounds" prime in 2009. It's experimental, to be gentle, so much so in fact, I understand that they have a hard time recreating their sound live. But, here I go again, it's hypnotic (cold meds are apparently limiting my ability to come up with other adjectives!). Time after time, here has been my experience with Animal Collective, "What the hell is this?! I don't know if I can get into it...I'll stay with it for maybe one more song...", yet suddenly I'm six or seven songs in and I can't tear myself away! Animal Collective is as unique as it gets these days!

2. Grizzly Bear, "Veckatimest"

I'm going to do my best not to use the term "hypnotic" here (even though it is!). I feel like this album comes closest in feel to my favorite from last year, "Ragged Wood" by Fleet Foxes, although that's not a completely accurate comparison. It's rich, airy sounding music, filled with great harmonies that I'm sure would sound even better on vinyl, much like with Fleet Foxes. It's epic-sounding indie rock that pulls you into a different state of mind (a very pleasant one, I must say). I think some commercial has gotten a hold of some Grizzly Bear too, but please corporate America, PLEASE, leave them alone!!! It's too good for you!!!

1. The Avett Brothers, "I and Love and You"

If my friend Phillip Groves is reading this, I'm sure he's chalking this selection up to my "folksy" taste in music. Call it what you will, this album is sooo good, though. These guys started out as kind of a bluegrass fusion sort of band (fused with punk, grunge, country, folk, indie rock), but though they've strayed away from their original sound a bit, they're amazing instrumentalists with tons and tons of energy and quite a few thoughts on love and pain and longing. There are quite a few ballads on here, which normally, I'm not a complete fan of, but the vocals are so strong, harmonies so astounding, and songwriting so complete, that I can't help but forgive their sappy side. There's plenty of banjo still around to satisfy early fans, too, I'm sure. And even though it's ballad-heavy, there are a couple of rockers on here that prove that this band can do a little bit of everything.

Honorable Mention:
Girls, "Album"
Dignan, "Cheaters and Thieves"

Top 10 songs of '09

You'll notice a bit of overlap here with artist's albums and their songs, but I suppose that shouldn't come as a surprise. Great songs tend to make the best albums what they are. Without much explanation (sometimes music just needs to speak for itself), here they are:


10. Poker Face, Lady Gaga (It's fun...so sue me!)
9. I Feel A Change Comin' On, Bob Dylan
8. Supermagic, Mos Def
7. Lisztomania, Phoenix
6. While You Wait For The Others, Grizzly Bear (the version with Michael McDonald is surprisingly good too)
5. Basic Space, The Xx
4. My Girls, Animal Collective
3. Wilco (The Song), Wilco
2. Stillness is the Move, Dirty Projectors
1. I and Love and You, The Avett Brothers

Honorable Mention:
Must Be Santa, Bob Dylan
Lovesick Teenagers, Bear in Heaven

Movies of '09

I haven't really seen a lot of movies this year, to be honest with you. Ye Olde recession has made this blogger cut out certain things. I definitely saw a lot more last year and felt I could therefore rank them better. I have seen a few really good ones, which I'll list in no particular order. I still want to see Invictus and Up in the Air, as well (maybe Avatar too). And Inglorious Basterds when it comes out on DVD. Then maybe I'll change this list:

The Hangover (probably my #1...I know I said I wouldn't rank, but I can't think of a better one this year!)
Star Trek
This Is It
(500) Days of Summer
Funny People

Five (plus one honorable mention...so I guess 6 if my basic addition is correct) music stories that impacted 2009 (not top stories because I'm sure there are probably others, but these are up there for me)

Honorable Mention (or #6 as some would choose to say)--Amy Winehouse is Still Alive

I mean, who would have thought...that's all

5. Kanye Goes Crazy At The VMAs

How do you effectively kill your career? Jump on stage during America's sweetheart's acceptance speech and say Beyonce's video was better. Maybe someone should have watched how many bottles Kanye was downing? Maybe? Who knew alcohol could cause such problems? Dramatic career reinvention is pretty trendy these days, though, so maybe it's a good thing in the long run, Kanye.

4. CD Sales Continue to Drop--Digital Has Yet To Make Up the Difference

No surprise here. Call it a the continuing saga of the record industry. I'm sure the business will eventually settle into some sort of groove (kind of a pun?), but right now companies are still making moves and coming up with strategies on how to make money in the industry. Google, Apple, MySpace, Rhapsody...everyone's been jockeying to get in on the latest attempts to redefine the 21st Century face of music. Will they work? Check back with me at this time, not just next year, but the next several years to come.

3. UK Piracy Wars

They're still a little behind the times in the UK when it comes to piracy. Lily Allen was in the middle of a war of words between those who basically said piracy was bad, but it's a necessary evil, and those who said, "Let's crack down on pirates"...followed by an "Arrr!" I'm sure. No one's too thrilled with music piracy, but unfortunately it's here. US companies are looking at ways to give away and/or make music cheap, but still make it somewhat financially viable for all involved...The UK, I'm sure will take that approach soon as well...whether that makes Lily "Smile" or not (Lily Allen had this song called "Smile" and,... oh forget it!).

2. Live Nation and TicketMaster Merge

Pending government approval that is...because, well, to me, and the folks who check on this sort of thing, this seems like a potential monopoly. I think the government has rules against that. It'll probably get worked out eventually, though, which would ultimately unite the largest concert vendor with the largest ticket agency. They say that, together they're going to be able to better serve the concert going public, but something about this relationship makes me a bit squeemish. We'll see.

1. Michael Jackson Dies

Well...yeah. What else was it going to be? The story isn't complete, of course. I wonder if it ever really will be. If Michael Jackson's life wasn't the epitome of tragedy, it certainly was the epitome of the word "bizarre". And now that he's gone, people are once again appreciating his music. I think we all forgot or took for granted just how much amazing work the man put out. Just another strange, sad twist in the man's career, which is now bigger than ever. I'm sure the saga is going to continue to unfold for a long time, with Joe Jackson never too far from it all, trying to cash in.

That's an extremely condensed version of 2009 according to The Hidden Chord. I'm sure 2010 will be filled with more great music, big names and otherwise. Happy Holidays to one and all.

Oh Right...The decade's ending too...More Lists!!!

If you are interested, click on the title of this post and it'll lead you to NPR's list of the 50 most important recordings of the '00s or noughties or whatever we're supposed to call this decade that's wrapping up. A strange, fascinating decade it was, from which ever lens you choose to view it through: politics, technology, culture, sports, and of course music.

The decade has seen the decline of what was supposed to be the be-all-end-all format for music: the CD. I remember when CD's first came out. They were supposed to be indestructable--if you took care of them of course. The sound was supposed to be crystal clear--but then people started to realize that when things become crystal clear, a certain richness is lost. Oh yes, they were expensive. How I remember going into Musicland in the Carl Sandburg Mall in Galesburg, IL and having to lay down $20 for a CD. I think I payed around $24 for the White Album, back in the days when buying a CD meant getting a whole lot of extra cardboard packaging. I ended up having to return it because the package contained two Disc Ones and no Disc Two. Oddly enough, I have since lost one of the discs of the White Album. I wonder if it was Disc One, because I sure could use one of those two copies I once had!

But thing changed, as things have a tendency of doing. There is no Musicland anymore, to my knowledge. Not many record stores, period. Fewer and fewer people buy CD's and the industry is struggling for it. Digital sales aren't yet making up for the difference and piracy continues to be an issue. What will the '10s (what are we supposed to call this decade!) look like for the music industry? Streaming seems to be the future, but who the hell knows? Nobody really saw the total collapse of the CD. I'm still convinced the industry will be okay and maybe even better in the long run for indie artists.

It seems like more music than ever came out during this past decade. Bands are everywhere! The rise of Pro Tools has made it easier for bands to take the crappy music they previously played exclusively in their garages and put it down in recorded form, whether anyone asked them or not! So there's plenty to choose from, some good within the loads and loads of crap. Most of it now comes to us via word of mouth rather than traditional ways, who are some of the other victims of the first decade of the 2000s: major record labels, music mags, mainstream radio (RIP, oh you relics of the 20th Century!!!).

And it just seems like there's more variety than ever before. I haven't done this, but I'd venture a guess that if you put up the most important music of the '90s up next to the most important music of the '00s, you'd see a stark contrast. I read somewhere that as time goes on, music just keeps splintering further and further. Is it the result of the decline of the industry? Is it because people are looking for niche music rather than mainstream fluff? Not that mainstream fluff has gone, nor should necessarily, go away--even it has its purpose. Has hipster culture grown so much that there has to be a constant supply of music that so-and-so only knows about, but is sooo much better than what we, the normals, listen to? My answer to every single one of these questions is: I don't know!

But nonetheless, there was a whole lot of great music released this past decade. I've heard and own many of the albums on the various lists, and some are just so ingrained in us that we may not realize that we know these albums, but we actually can't help but know them! I'm not going to make a list of the decade. I'm having a hard enough time with my best of '09 list. Take on the decade? Nope. But I will give you a few of the albums that were with me quite a lot and/or impacted me greatly during this opening decade of the 21st Century. In no particular order:

Radiohead, Kid A
Wasn't this actually released in '99? I feel like I was still in college when it came out, but I could be wrong. And maybe it's counted as being a part of the '00s because of carry over from '99 to '00? Regardless, it was and remains a classic. It's the album that got me into Radiohead. I had been a fan of The Bends, and of course OK Computer, but something with Kid A just clicked. It was the perfect mixing of electronic and rock music. Thom Yorke in ethereal, emotional top form--backed by sonic richness and just amazing SOUND! I can't tell you how many times I played this one when it first came out.

Bob Dylan, Love and Theft
It's weird how your view of an artist changes as you yourself age and/or the artist him/herself ages. Dylan's music had been all around ever since I remember being aware of music, but it was almost a cliche. Nasally Bob could write a great song, but man he was one awful singer! I couldn't get into it. I loved '60s rock, from a very young age, but I would have gladly taken the versions of Dylan's songs by The Byrds, Hendrix, and the many others, over Bob's. As I got a little older though, I began to appreciate it. I bought all three Greatest Hits records and then '01 rolls around and croaking ol' Bob releases Love and Theft--and I really get it. The songs are somehow just right for his worn out voice. They are songs of an aging troubadour. They are songs of a traveller who's got more travelling to do before his day is done. If Woody Guthrie would have made it to old age, I have a feeling his music would have sounded something like this. The songwriting is still amazing, the band is incredible, and I actually enjoy Bob's voice. Personally I think it's purposeful and just right for the songs.

Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
This is the album that got me into Wilco and I haven't looked back since. This is an album of texture, experimentation, brilliant songwriting. The album is one their record company, Reprise, famously saw as a failure and thus refused to release, but now is near universally lauded as a must-have of the decade (It was released by Nonesuch Records after Wilco left Reprise). The four song sequence of "Jesus Etc", "Ashes of American Flags", "Heavy Metal Drummer", and "I'm the Man Who Loves You", may very well be among the top few best sequences of songs of any album I've heard. The album was the last with master experimenter, the late Jay Bennett (who died this past year), who was quite often at odds with front man, Jeff Tweedy. Great album cover as well: Chicago's Marina City towers, the corn cob-esque structures that sit on the Chicago River. I know I'm not the only one that refers to them now as: The Wilco Buildings.

Gillian Welch, Time (The Revelator)
This is one of the few albums that I've bought twice. I had it downloaded on a different computer, but that computer crashed, taking with it, most of my downloaded music, including Time (The Revelator). I guess you'd qualify this as country music, but it doesn't fit into the Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts vision of country that is predominant today. It's more in the vein of classic country: Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, etc. But then again, it's not a relic at all. And it doesn't quite fit into any of the sub-genres of country music. Folk? Maybe. Whatever it is, Welch's voice is captivating with every brilliant note and lyric. Her voice is at once heartbreaking, rich with life, other-worldly, part of the past, fore-runner of the future, and the thing of pleasant dreams. It's one of those albums I'd probably buy again if I had to!

Those are probably my main favorites of the past decade--at least the one's that had the greatest impact on my CD player/computer--however the songs may have reached my ears. Here's a few more that were in heavy rotation for me in the noughties. Don't consider this a comprehensive list by any means. Just a few of my personal favorites:

Arcade Fire, Funeral
MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
Spoon, Kill the Moonlight/Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga
O Brother Where Art Thou Soundtrack
OutKast, Stankonia
Sufjan Stevens, Come on Feel the Illinoise!
White Stripes--any and all!
Bright Eyes--also pretty much any and all!
Flaming Lips--Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Fleet Foxes--Ragged Wood

Like I said, not even close to being a comprehensive list. I'll probably remember quite a few more that I forgot to put on the list. What did you have blaring out of your headphones, car radio, stereo/computer speakers during the past decade?

Next up for The Hidden Chord--a look back at the best albums and songs of 2009. Also I'll mention a couple movies and top music news stories of the year. Sigh! It's a project, let me tell you!

Love's Fall-Out: Mornin' Old Sport--Mourning Sickness

I really don't know a whole lot about the band Mornin' Old Sport. I know the following for sure: they are from Boston, they built a high quality recording studio in a basement, and apparently they sometimes communicate with some sort of sound that is similar to a mating call. To each their own, I guess. The following, I don't know for sure, but can fairly confidently assume, that whoever wrote these songs went through an awfully rough bout with love. Break-ups and break-up songs are just one of those things that are timeless, whether we like it or not.

Before I get into the meat of this review, I'll need to let you know the following: I get a little nervous when someone I know says, "Take a listen to these guys and tell me what you think". As I've said before, there are SO many bands out there. And everyone knows someone whose band is "The next big thing", or "underappreciated geniuses", or blah, blah, blah. But sometimes, there are diamonds in the rough, and I love music enough to really hope the next recommendation I get is one of those.
I won't say that this is one of those diamonds, but there is definitely plenty of shimmering going on within Mornin' Old Sport's seven song EP, "Mourning Sickness".

Now as I said, I can't be 100% sure that this is a "break-up album" a la Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks", but if it's not, there's still plenty here about the mystery that is the "relationship". And let's just say for a moment it is a break-up album and all of these songs refer to one woman, well...let's just say the songs wouldn't paint the prettiest of pictures of this person. From everything I've gathered, she'd basically be a cold, ill-communicative, materialistic, manipulator who always needs to be right. Doesn't exactly make you want to track this girl down on Facebook. But then again, this is all conjecture. It would make for an interesting story, though.

To the music...The EP starts out with the song "You're Right", which opens with a bouncy jazz-like piano intro. If you had to look for a "single" on this EP, this would be one of my choices. It's catchy, up tempo and lyrically clever. The singer is trying to explain himself to, apparently, his ex, yet realizes that whatever he says is going to fall on deaf ears. And it doesn't help that, said ex, has plenty of overly agreeable friends who are willing to tell her that she's in the right, no matter if she was or wasn't. There's some barb throwing going on here, and it certainly won't be the last time in the EP.

The second song is my favorite of "Mourning Sickness". "Sucker" sounds like something straight out of ELO's catalog. It's a spirited bit of pop rock, complete with strings and an infectious tempo. I love it when bands can create a contrast of what the music says, versus what the lyrics say. For example, The Beatles created the peppiest song about a seriel killer that one could ever imagine, with "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". "Sucker" is not really a happy song despite the cheery tempo. It's song about being discarded by someone, but still wanting to come back for more because there are certain things that drive us all wild. It may be against our better judgment, but sometimes we can't help ourselves. It's all too confusing sometimes and I think that's summed up with this line from the song:

"I'm no better 'cause I can't explain the hurt and anger of being tossed away"

So far, so good with "Mourning Sickness". Quite an impressive one-two punch to start the album.

The next song slows things down a bit and introduces song 1 of 3 that predominantly feature the banjo. There are a lot of instruments featured on this EP. In fact, before I go any futher, I will say that these are well-orchestrated pieces. Knowing very little about the band, as I said earlier, I can only guess this, but it seems like whoever put these songs, and the EP together, knows what they are doing musically speaking. Who knows? Maybe it's all of the band memebers as a whole. Yet, I digress...The name of the next song is "The Most Dramatic Queen in Town" and the banjo and tempo remind me of The Avett Brothers, which are currently up there as one of my favorite current bands. Lyrically, the song seems to be dealing with someone (an ex-girlfriend maybe? a random acquaintance? a fictional character?) who is so completely obsessed with materialism that she misses the big picture and only sees herself, despite the people in her life that have their own struggles right in front of her face. This fact only seems to be a downer to HER image and HER wants and needs, rather than a wake up call to how life really can be to adults. "You're 18 and still just a child," says the repeated lyric at the end, in an accusatory tone. In reality, though, 18 is still a child, even if the rest of the world tells you otherwise. Cool slide guitar at the end, as well.

I'm with what the band's doing up until this point. At first, I saw this next song, "Out Matched" as my least favorite of "Mourning Sickness". I find the vocalist to be a bit crooner-sounding, which distracts from the lyrics (more on that in a moment, though). I also feel like the song goes on for a bit too long. Once again, there are some surprises in the arrangement, but on first and second listen, I just didn't get it. My third time through, though, was primarily to check out the lyrics of the EP and I've got to say, I was pleasantly surprised that "Out Matched" is probably the strongest lyrically. The song seems to be about trying to figure out why a break-up happened. Who was to blame? Why did we have to play the games that we played? What should have been said but wasn't, but now comes out through second and third hand accounts? Does it matter? There are some really cool lines in here about night, including this one which might be my favorite line of the whole album:

"The night she's a passerby, a runaway"

I really did have some difficulty with the vocals, but this one definitely grew on me.

Next comes a short instrumental piece entitled, "Intermezzo", which basically contains some choral sounding voices, some strings, and the last of the banjo picking. Seemed like a nice way to wrap up that little section of music--almost a bookend, or at the very least, I feel like it was an interesting idea, and maybe even away to continue the musical continuity of the EP.

I said, at first "Out Matched" was my least favorite of "Mourning Sickness", but I actually think it's the next song, which is called, "Broken Lip Service". I guess I was kind of hoping for another bouncy little rocker after the previous three slower tempo songs. And once again, I guess I don't get the vocal style. The crooner style reminds me a little of Antony and the Johnsons, which maybe just means it takes a bit of time getting used to, because I tend to like some of their material. However, I feel like it takes a little something away from the song on the whole. I was a bit confused here with the lyrics as well. It would seem that the singer is having some sort of internal crisis concerning his ex. She speaks what seems like truth, then takes his hand, which feels right, but something about the kiss makes him wants to believe everything she says, but that in turn reminds him that he doesn't beilieve. And I think there might be some reference to fatherly physical abuse as well, but I guess I miss the connection. It is still well arranged, and structurally sound, but I have a hard time with this one.

The last song on "Mourning Sickness" is perfectly placed and redeems any criticism I might have with the prior two songs. "When the Bomb" is a straight to the point, almost Ben Folds sounding, account of what will happen to the singer when "the bomb" drops. "Im ready for the nuclear war," he sings. And I'm pretty sure it's the metaphorical nuclear war, but maybe it's the real deal. Maybe it's just the realization that all of our pain and suffering when it comes to sour relationships don't really mean a whole lot after all:

"But right before it hits, oh God
My heart will be unbroken
'Cause after the explosion
This will all be unimportant
And I won't give a damn
That you never loved me back"

Metaphorical bomb or not, that's another solid barb thrown in the name of love gone bad. The song ends with an epic sounding build and culminates with some nice fuzzy, nuclear fall out-esque distortion, and there you have it. After the bomb drops, all of this "Mourning Sickness" regarding lost or pained love, can be wiped away and forgotten. Time to start fresh, because there's little choice but to move on after everything's been obliterated.

On the whole, I really like this EP, despite the couple weak points. The music is solid and, as I said, the arrangements are engaging. There are a lot of interesting surprises throughout. I do wish there were more songs along the lines of the first two, though. But overall, it's good pop rock, with some sharp, biting lyrics, some brilliant in fact, concerning the crazy, fragile, unstable, yearning thing that is the human heart.

Grade: B

myspace.com/morninoldsport

Thoughts on Live Performances

Those who know me or have ever read anything I've written, probably know about my Steve Goodman obsession. For those who don't know, Steve Goodman was a Chicago-born singer-songwriter, best known today for penning the tune played after every Chicago Cubs home victory, "Go, Cubs, Go". He also wrote classic songs such as "City of New Orleans", "Banana Republics", and "You Never Even Call Me By My Name". He died of leukemia in 1984.

Why am I bringing up Steve Goodman in my blog today (considering that I have spoke of him so much...yeah you probably get it, I love the guy's music)? Because I happened over this:

http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/steve-goodman/concerts/bottom-line-march-30-1977-early-show.html

First off, Wolfgang's Vault is an incredible website that allows you to stream, free I might add, many a classic concert, by many a classic artist. It's a pretty incredible site (giving away free stuff is the way to go these days, I've said it once, I'll say it again). Two Steve Goodman concerts, recorded on the same day in New York in March of 1977, when I was just 2 months old, are featured here. Being a Goodman fan, I lept at the opportunity to hear one of his live performances.

The thing about Steve Goodman, is he was for all intents and purposes, a commercial failure. He was INCREDIBLY talented, but poorly marketed and really his albums were way over-produced. But live...wow! I'd heard a couple of live performances and own the one live concert dvd that is available for purchase, which is really what hooked me on his music. The man was a true performer in every sense of the word. His voice had such amazing range, being able to handle gentle ballads, the soulful and bluesy, folk sing-a-long tunes, and just about anything else. His guitar playing was astounding. I've really never, ever heard a style like his--one which covers the rhtythm and lead parts all in one, while also providing at times, a distinctly percussive element. And his stage presence was electric. He was a master storyteller with a quick wit. Listen to the concert and you'll hear it all.

There are a couple of things that you hear in Goodman's performance that you just don't hear with anyone around these days. First of all, incredible phrasing. Phrasing isn't really something you hear a lot of people talk about, and really when it comes to most pop and rock, it's not an issue. The lyrics of most popular songs tend to be fairly basic and are thus set to the, usually pretty standard 4/4 time signature, in a fairly comfortable, easily digestable way. But to me, a master at phrasing can make an enormous difference. Phrasing is often times a term reserved for jazz, which makes sense, I suppose, because generally speaking the rhtyhms are more varied and arrangements are more complex, so naturally this lends better for either interesting vocal or instrumental phrasing. People like Ella Fitzgerald were masters at taking lyrics and making them float and dance in ways you never thought possible. For pop/rock purposes, Bob Dylan is quite adept at phrasing. You sort of have to know what you're doing phrasing-wise when you have lyrics like this:

"While preachers preach of evil fates
Teachers teach that knowledge waits
Can lead to hundred-dollar plates
Goodness hides behind its gates
But even the president of the United States
Sometimes must have
To stand naked. "--from It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

Alright, so I'm a Dylan fan, too and don't mind extolling my love for his music every chance I get either. But lyrics like that don't necessary flow easily into a pop song structure. A little creative phrasing is needed and Dylan, along with Steve Goodman if you take a listen, are masters of this.

Another quality of Steve Goodman, which once again fits with Dylan (surprise, surprise), is his ability to take a song and make it into something completely different from the version you hear on the record. I know some people are more than content to hear a band play a song exactly like they're used to, but what's the point? Artists who have the ability to make a live performance into a true unique experience, are few and far between. We live in times where so many artists lip synch to an auto tune version of themselves to make them sound perfect at every performance. But why, I ask? Why am I going to pay ridiculously high prices to see you live, when I could hear the same thing sitting at home away from sweaty drunk dudes who are constantly bumping into me who are shouting along to every lyric, making it difficult to even hear your oh-so-perfect performance? To be in your presence? That's cool for a minute or two, but gets old real fast when I know how this whole show is going to go down by the time you lauch into your third song.

I think the beauty of live music is its unpredictability, its "in-the-moment" quality, it's potential to both fall apart and to transcend at the same time. I saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers around '94 or '95, and Petty, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer that he is, accidentally repeated a verse in the song "Into the Great Wide Open", which wasn't supposed to be repeated. Oh well. It happens. It didn't take anything away from the show, which stands as one of the best concerts I've ever been to. It almost enhanced it in a strange way. Now to know this about the Goodman concert, you'd have to be familiar with his albums, but trust me, he takes what's on there and makes it into something right for the moment in time. And Goodman has a cold during this performance, but he keeps right with it and makes it into a one-of-a-kind experience that was most certainly different from his previous show and the one he would do after this one. That's what artists and performers do (right?).

And okay, maybe some of Goodman's material sounds a little cheesy for our "oh-so-serious" sensibilities. He sung folk songs, yes, but he sung a lot more too. Can I ever see someone being taken seriously these days opening a show with "Red, Red Robin" or having a song called "Chicken Cordon Blues"? Maybe on the folk circuit, yes, but not on a mainstream level. You may now be shaking your head in embarrassment, but stay with me if you will. I don't care who you are or how deep and/or serious your music tastes are, listen to this concert and you will find something that you enjoy within it. Not only was Goodman one hell of a musician, he played with joy, to make people laugh, smile, have a good time. I like a ton of indie rock, but I sometimes feel like so much of it is stripped of pure joy. And yes, there's something maybe a little old-fashioned (the title of one of Goodman's songs, by the way) or corny about a lot of his music, but I don't see one thing wrong with that. Aren't we allowed to like the artsy along with the plain ol' fun?

Sure, music tastes are subjective, no doubt about it. Maybe you'll listen and just won't like it. And that's fine, even though you're obviously wrong. But at the same time, you have to respect what the man did within a live setting. He was a genuine, all-around showman. He could engage a live audience like none other. I can think of no one around these days who can lay such a claim. Not even the aforementioned Mr. Dylan. My advice to artists these days would be to consider what it means for someone to buy a ticket to see you live. Someone is taking their hard earned money, which is even harder to come by in times like these, and paying you for a memorable, enjoyable performance. Even with a local band, who you pay less for, you still are forking over some cash with hopes of an EXPERIENCE. I never got the chance to see Steve Goodman play live as he died when I was just seven years old, but from hearing from others who did see him, I've only heard rave things about being witness to one of his incredible shows. Imagine that for a minute. Twenty-five years after the man left this earth, people still talk about the greatness of his shows! Some of that was raw talent, of course, but some of that was learning the craft of not only being a musician, but an all around performer who takes risks night in and night out. Give me an imperfect, yet energized performance any day! Today's performers, take heed!

3 Songs on Shuffle

Here's how this works. Make sure iTunes is on shuffle and see what three songs end up playing. Write about said three songs. Nothin' too bewildering about the process of this particular entry. I'm starting out this morning with The Beach Boys and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and seeing where things lead me. Almost scrapped the idea entirely, though, to listen to all of "Pet Sounds". Such a great album! But no, this is an excercise in discovery and re-discovery, so here goes:

Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam, Nirvana, Unplugged in New York
Wow! Haven't heard this track in so long. Probably played this album 800 + times when it first came out. It was actually the album that made me REALLY get Nirvana. This was a talented band and this was the album that captured the sentiment that this was not just some loud rock and roll band. This song is not a Nirvana original and many of the songs are more reflective of Kurt and the band's diverse music tastes, rather than the actual catalog. Kurt's sounding great and the band sounds tight. A lot's being said about Nirvana once again, with two major recent releases ("Bleach" 20 year anniversary re-release and a new concert DVD). And I'm sure there will be plenty more being said within the next couple years since soon it will have been 20 years (!) since the release of "Nevermind", which still stands as THE classic album of the last 20 years. A band like Nirvana hasn't been seen since, nor probably ever will be.

Smiles (Single Version), Spiritualized, The Complete Works Vol. 1.
I came to this band late as well. Much less known of a band to come to late, though, but certainly not a minor act. I really liked their most recent release, "Songs in A & E", which was more reflective than much of their earlier work, which is understandable considering co-frontman Jason Pierce's near fatal illness, which heavily influenced the tone of the record. This is largely an instrumental song, that kind of has a "Satisfaction" riff going on. There's plenty of distortion and guitar effects in this tune that starts slow and builds to a blood vessel rupturing burn right around the 3:45 mark. The word for this is, "cacophony" (just like using that word)--horns, manic drums, strings?. Smiles all around, indeed.

Oceans & Streams, The Black Keys, Attack and Release
I mentioned these guys in my last blog entry. This is soul music meets grungy, dirty rock and roll music. The Black Keys could have been a late '60s psychedelic garage band. Their music's got that raw, jangly (one of the more overused rock descriptors, but hey, it works) sound to it. There isn't too much to say about this track. It's straight ahead rock and roll. I like the new stuff that's filled with layer upon layer, but sometimes it's also nice to curl up with a nice, stripped down, rock song. I'll take it!

Those songs go together really well, actually. My iTunes collection on shuffle is a better program director than most on modern rock radio! Probably isn't an accident that the songs go together so well. Technology is scary smart sometimes. I'd like to see it write reactions to each of the songs it plays, though! Ha! Gotcha, computer! I better not antagonize it.

How about a link to something Nirvana. From the aforementioned concert DVD "Live at Reading/1992", here's a song from the aforementioned album, "Bleach". I'll also put it up on The Hidden Chord FB page. Become a fan today!

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

Cliched Songs for Bad Weather and Other Stuff About Good Music

Just so you know, it's a gloomy, rainy, generally nasty day outside here in Chicago. It's getting to be the time of year that the weather officially gives us midwesterners its annual beat-down. Not fun, but it gives one plenty of extra time to curl up under a blanket, get a steaming cup of coffee (Irish or not...but the Irish version is a whole lot more fun) or cocoa or hot cider or tap water, and read your favorite blog. Today's post is rather disjointed, so prepare for a little bit of this and that without much direction!

I fired up the ol iTunes this morning with "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors. Kind of a predictable choice for a stormy day, I know, but I hadn't heard the song in awhile and it brings back plenty of memories--Wisconsin wilderness camp counseling for one, driving down the highway in the midst of a storm when the song comes on and helps punctuate the night with a little extra creepiness and potential for sinister happenings, etc. Jim's voice was/is the night. The song has the extra effect of the "whisper track", as after The Doors recorded the song, they had Jim whisper the song for overdub purposes, and the effect is pretty brilliant if you ask me. Does anyone listen to The Doors anymore? I feel like they've faded from our collective music consciousness to a certain degree. I'm not The Doors fan I once was, but I think there's still plenty of brilliance to be found amidst the cliches, at times weak lyrics, and Morrison drunkenness.

Just downloaded tracks from Them Crooked Vultures and Bear in Heaven. Them Crooked Vultures is the supergroup consisting of John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age). It's good when the music lives up to the hype. The last supergroup that I was excited to hear was Audioslave, but honestly, apart from one or two songs, I was pretty disappointed. So of course, being burned before, I came at this one with interest, but a touch of skepticism. It's actually good, though. It's what you would hope from two guys who were part of two of the most amazing bands of all time--good rock & roll music. My advice for supergroups is this (since I'm sure they care about my opinion): don't get cute, just play the damn music. Dave Grohl's been doing the extra poppy Foo Fighters thing for a long time now and JPJ, well I'm not sure what he's been doing besides the one Zeppelin reunion show, which came after Page/Plant had been snubbing the dude for years. But together with Homme, the result (at least the three tracks I've heard) is pretty engaging. The song I just had on, "Scumbag Blues" is a great rock song, complete with a funky organ riff. I'm interested to hear the rest of the album.

Bear in Heaven came to me as a recommendation from a friend. Most of my music comes from friend recommendations, these days actually. Pitchfork, everyone's favorite snobbish music site, also gave the album high marks. I guess you'd call it "indie pop"? Maybe "indie rock"? The description is so vague that you might as well just say it's music with guitars, drums and a singer and effects and "is that a synthesizer?", and you'd be just as, if not more descriptive than you would be by using those weak labels. Regardless of what you call it, pretty good stuff, indeed! As is "in" these days, the band's sound is packed with many a layer. Elements of electronic music, "alternative" rock, atmospheric Animal Collective type stuff...a blog I read compares them to A Place to Bury Strangers without the darkness (I'm really not too familiar with A Place to Bury Strangers, so I don't know if that's accurate or not). I can imagine hipsters dancing badly, trying to look oh-so-much-better-than-the-rest-of-the-world to this music. Despite that, I'm gonna go with a recommendation with this one.

Ramona Falls, "Intuit" is also an excellent album that I've got in heavy rotation right now. I guess you could put them in a similar category as Bear in Heaven, but more on the indie rock side and less electronic and effects heavy (although there is some of that). It still has that atmospheric feel to it, but it's more echoey and almost orchestral at times. On one or two tracks, the lead singer starts sounding a little like Antony of Antony and the Johnsons. Check out the video for their song "I Say Fever". Highly recommended.

The Black Keys are getting ready to release a rap-rock album. The term rap-rock makes me squeemish, yet from what I hear, it's the jangly guitar/psychadelia of The Black Keys, mixed with rap from MC's the calliber of Mos Def and Raekwon. So good rap-rock? Release date is November 27 and it's called Blackroc. Hoping for good things from this one.

That's it for now. Just a little randomness for a rainy day. To sum things up, still, no one is making money in the music industry, ticket prices are too high for big name acts, but there's still a lot of great music to be discovered.

Check out this little piece from Bear In Heaven and La Blogotheque from 2006...Once again this isn't linked, so just copy and paste into your browser. Trust me, it's worth it...It's arty and fabulous:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3a9rlg19IQ

"One Fast Move or I'm Gone"-- Jay Farrar and Benjamin Gibbard's take on Kerouac's "Big Sur"

"'One Fast Move or I'm Gone' so I blow $8 on a cab to drive me down that coast, it's a foggy night tho sometimes you can see stars in the sky to the right where the sea is, tho you cant see the sea you can only hear about it from the cabdriver--'What kinda country is it around here? I've never seen it." from "Big Sur", Jack Kerouac 1962.

I'm a bit obsessed with the Jay Farrar/Benjamin Gibbard collaboration, "One Fast Move or I'm Gone." It could very well be due to the fact that I'm a Kerouac fan and a fan of the novel which it is based on, "Big Sur". It could be that I'm a fan of Jay Farrar and all of his projects (Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt). Maybe I'm pleasantly surprised with Benjamin Gibbard, he of Death Cab for Cutie fame, a band that I don't really hold in too high regard. Maybe it really is a good album.

It's a Jay Farrar album, really. He "wrote" the songs. I put "wrote" as a quotation because many of the lyrics are direct quotes from Kerouac's novel. I guess you could say Farrar developed the musical score. It is actually the score to the film, "One Fast Move or I'm Gone", which is a fascinating look into how the novel came about and what Kerouac was going through at the time.

For those that don't know Kerouac's works, first of all, I'm sorry. Second of all, they are less works of fiction, than literary expositions on actual events that happened in Kerouac's life. It was his thought that all of his novels were just chapters in his overall life story, which he entitled, "The Duluoz Legend". This particular chapter, is probably one of the darkest, grittiest, horribly truthful chapters in that "Legend".

It is three years after the publication of "On the Road" and Kerouac has been constantly barraged by all that comes with being crowned "King of the Beats". Women want him. Men want to be him. Everyone wants to have a drink with him and Jack NEVER turns down a drink. In fact, he uses alcohol more than ever during this period. He very well may have been the first celebrity in our modern celebrity obsessed culture.

In an attempt to dry out and escape from the pressures of his new found fame, he takes the California Zephyr (a train I've taken many a time from Chicago all the way west to Galesburg, IL) west to San Francisco to spend some solitary time at Lawrence Ferlinghetti's cabin in Big Sur (Ferlinghetti is still alive and well and very much a part of City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, which he founded. His first hand accounts add a ton to the film).

But upon reaching San Francisco, Jack goes on a drinking binge and all is not well. He eventually does make it to the cabin, and for a moment or two, enjoys the solitutde, but then finds himself bored, lonely, and surrounded by death and all that can be sinister and terrifying about nature. The story will bounce back between San Francisco and the cabin, which Kerouac returns to, this time with others, for more drinking. His old road buddy, Neal Cassady joins the cast of characters as well, though, Kerouac speaks with regret of all the time that has gone by between them.

The book is about alcoholism, madness, lonliness, the nature of human relationships, with a touch of optimism, as well, though. Where many of Kerouac's novels move quickly, filled with bop rhythm, bounding along like a Charlie Parker solo, this one plods a little more. I don't say that in a negative way. It just has to, considering the subject matter. There is plenty of trademark Kerouac free-flowing style, yes, but rather than being about the high of Saturday night, "Big Sur" is largely about the morning after.

In fact, before downloading this album, I listened to some samples and read some customer reviews. One of the main criticisms seemed to be that Kerouac is known as a jazz author. How can one take a mid-tempo, at times alt-country-ish album, to seriously be a reflection of any Kerouac writing?

I think the people who made those comments probably have yet to pick up "Big Sur". And I'm not saying you have to know the novel to appreciate the album, but it certainly wouldn't hurt.

The album, like the book itself, is a mixture of hope and despair. Appropriately enough, most of the despair fueled songs (Breathe Our Iodine, San Francisco) are sung by Jay Farrar, who has the deeper, slightly gravelly voice, suited to lonesome country. While the more upbeat songs (California Zephyr, These Roads Don't Move) are sung by the more melodic voice of Ben Gibbard. There are exceptions to the rule, but this formula works very nicely to reflect the mood of the book. I'm definitely a Jay Farrar fan, but the one criticism that I've had of him is that his voice can sound a little monotonous after awhile. Having someone to break that up, lends well to the overall feel and pacing of the album.

A couple of the songs fall flat, "Final Horrors" and "The Void" are okay, but I could do without them. The first track and last track are probably my favorites. "California Zephyr" with its cross-country rail journey optimism and "San Francisco" with it's dark, dingy feel and mournful harmonica. "These Roads Don't Move" and "One Fast Move or I'm Gone" are also favorites.

Maybe I can't be objective about this album. The combination of Kerouac and Farrar speaks right to my tastes. At the same time, though, I did have heightened expectations, which I will say were mostly fulfilled. The acoustic songs are fairly simple in form, but they allow Kerouac's words and textures to sit front and center, which I think was the point. If you don't know "Big Sur" you should at the very least be a fan of Jay Farrar's work to appreciate this album, I think I can safely say that. Some Death Cab for Cutie fans may be disappointed, actually.

It's been forty years to the month since Jack Kerouac died as the result of his alcoholism. With this knowledge, the book can at times be a very hard read. The ironic thing, though, is that without his fast living, hard drinking, and need to live life with a voracious appetite for all things, his books would not have happened. And those works have inspired so many, from Farrar and Gibbard, to Jim Morrison, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, and myself (not that I dare try to include myself with the likes of those great artists!). It's a strange world we live in, but I'd say a much better one for Jack Kerouac having been in it. I'll leave the last words to him:

"Something good will come out of all things yet--And it will be golden and eternal just like that--There's no need to say another word."

Concert Review: Dignan, The Rocketboys, So Long Forgotten, Warehouse City

Martyr's--Chicago, IL, 10-15-09

Let me set the scene for you for a moment. It is October in Chicago, but at the time of the concert feels like November/December with the cold bite in the air. The rain is light, but of late, it's felt like what I imagine London feels like (never been there, but I've seen movies): rainy, blustery, kind of dark most of the time. Here it is a week and a day later and we'd been visited by temps in the 60s and 70s and actually a sunny day or two. Rainy again now, though. This weather'll mess with you. That's Chicago for you, a giver of generous little moments, yet unafraid to smack you in the face with cold, cold reality.

But going to see live music on a Thursday night at Martyr's has a way to make one forget about the weather conditions. It's particularly exciting when several bands are on the bill, and I'm only familiar with one. The potential for discovery is as prevalent in the air as the chance for all sorts of precipitation and/or weather calamities. Nothing surprises me anymore in these parts.

The show actually starts nearly on time, which is a rarity for rock shows of any size. The first band that comes on is So Long Forgotten from Champaign, IL. I'm sure it must be weird to be first on a four band bill. I'm one of a handful of people in the club, which is a decent place to see a show. It's basically one large rectangle of a room. A pillar partially obscures my view, but that's because I'm at a table by the window. The tables on the floor and the bar have unobscured views, unlike some places where no matter where you're at, you have something blocking you. At past shows I've seen here, the sound hasn't been great, and I think that tends to be true if the band playing is generally loud. So Long Forgotten is pretty loud. Screaming hard rock type of band. Has the feel of a band that could have fit in with the late '90s hard rock scene: Korn, Tool, Deftones, etc. Not bad, but not really my type of music anymore. They have a couple of good songs, but once again, the volume thing is an issue. It was strangely quiet between songs and I could tell the lead singer was a little nervous with "between songs banter". Part of that probably had to do with the fact that there was probably no more than 15 people in the club at the time, 10 of whom were probably in the other bands.

A strange scene has also been building at the window directly behind me. A crowd of probably about eight younger looking people bundled in blankets are pressed up against the window watching. They clap at the end of songs and seem to be trying to enjoy the show despite being stuck in the elements. At first I thought they were smokers (oh how I'm grateful of the city wide smoking ban!), but it becomes clear, and this was confirmed to me later, that they are underage fans of one of the bands. I feel slightly guilty sitting probably no more than four feet in front of them, in the warmth of the building, drinking a beer. But I will say, that's dedication. Hopefully whatever band they were there to see rewards them well for their loyalty. In the end, extreme loyalty like this is what the 21st century rock act needs more than anything.

So Long Forgotten ends and as Dignan (who is the band I specifically came to see) sets up, a friendly young guy starts chatting me up. I probably should have known from his indie rock haircut and clothes that he was in one of the bands, but it wasn't until he revealed he was from Austin that it became clear. Sure enough, Justin is in the band The Rocketboys, who would be playing after Dignan. And either he knows instinctively or through being in a touring band for awhile, that making connections with people is what music is all about. Friendliness to new faces is what every band should strive for, second in importance in my opinion, only to making sure you put forth quality music. We chatted about Austin, one of my favorite topics, and South By Southwest (or South-by as insiders like to call it), about Dignan, who happens to be their tourmates.

Justin reminded me of the guys from the band The Shackeltons, who are a band from Pennsylvania who I met at SXSW one year and had the chance to feature on a podcast. Friendly, enthusiastic, unpretentious, and just seeming to enjoy the life of a touring musician. Guys like this get a kick out of talking to fans and talking about what they do. For a minute they can kind of feel like big shots, which is mostly pretty uncommon considering the amount of bands out there now that they have to compete for attention with. So it was nice to meet the guy and at the very least, whether he knew it or not, it achieved the goal of piquing my curiosity about his band. I have considered leaving after Dignan, but now I wanted to see what The Rocketboys were about too. Personal connections go a long way.

Dignan came on, and from the beginning of their set, it was clear that this is the type of band that fits this venue: one that uses dynamics rather than playing one very loud volume. Dignan is a band that creates a mood with its music. It is filled with texture and layers. Definitely elements of Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear at work, but to leave it at that would be doing an injustice to them. There's a certain originality I can't quite put my finger on, as well. They have a guy who plays accordian for god's sake! He also picked up a trumpet and played some xylophone as well. It's "landscape" type music--painting a rich pastoral scene, rather than right to the point music, which has its place and purpose, but looks to thrash you directly in the head. Also got a chance to talk to a couple of members of this band, who seemed really tired, but also very humble and appreciative that I'm a fan of their music. In fact, they genuinely seemed surprised that I came for them. "How did you hear about us again?" is what one of the members asked be, in a state of genuine puzzlement.

The Rocketboys were up next and they turn out to be of a similar vein as Dignan. Working dynamics, xylophone usage, hell a couple of their members even LOOK like they could be in Fleet Foxes. With six members, there are a lot of these Rocketboys, but they use their numbers well. The only criticism I really have for them and for Dignan is that the lyrics aren't quite on par with the music. And maybe that's just something that will develop, as both of these bands seem REALLY young. But this is the type of music that one doesn't have to know a single lyric to appreciate. I've always thought that Radiohead is much the same. In fact it is quite difficult to understand Mr. Yorke at times. Difference is, though, that when you do get around to hearing Radiohead's lyrics, you realize, "Wow! These are good too!" Radiohead's been around for slightly longer than these guys, though. I'm not saying either will ever be on par, but with time, who knows.

I do like the general direction that indie rock has been going in during the past couple of years. As I said before, there is definitely a time and place for loud rock and roll, but the richness and texture of Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, and those in the same vein, such as the two aforementioned bands that played at Martyr's, makes for an interesting, multiple times listenable experience.

The last band of the night was a band called Warehouse City. I guess they're local to Chicago, but the other bands on the bill hadn't heard of them. Pretty much straight ahead rock and roll, with a touch of blues and Jack White sounding guitar solos. It was good, but didn't really fit with the other bands of the night. They said it was their last show ever, but who knows, maybe it was and maybe it wasn't. Rock bands are known to say things that aren't exactly true. The high point of their set was a cover of Sam Cooke's Your Love Keeps Liftin' Me Higher. Energetic, bar band rock and roll at its finest. But still, the bookends of this evening were a little out of place compared to the middle two.

There you go! That review took me over a week to complete. Life kind of piles up and you put things on the backburner and, oh well! It's my blog, I don't have to explain anything! If you're still with me here at the end here's what's (hopefully) in store for this blog:

Excited to take a listen to the Jay Farrar/Ben Gibbard collaboration, "One Fast Move or I'm Gone." which is a musical interpretation of Jack Kerouac's darkest novel, "Big Sur". I'm a big Jay Farrar fan and Kerouac is my favorite writer, so I'm intrigued by this. Especially intriguing is the collaboration with Death Cab's Ben Gibbard. I am no fan of Death Cab for Cutie, let me just say that right here. but I've previewed a little of this album and I've liked what I've heard thus far. Next blog will probably be a review.

Also, podcast collaborator Joao Morlett has expressed eagerness to get to work on a new podcast. He apparently has a lot to say about a dear departed musical icon who apparently made a tape while talking to his rabbi (what???). Anyway, I'll see if I can coordinate the schedules of Joao and the supremely popular Phillip Groves, whose talents far surpass this humble blog/podcast, but hopefully he'll grace us with his presence. Maybe we'll add a couple more to the mix too. And maybe a second microphone to the mix. And a mixer to the mix. Look for, conservatively speaking, a December release date for that.

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3 Songs on Shuffle (Live Sufjan Stevens by Clicking Here!!!)

October is almost here and I feel like I sense Autumn before I actually feel it. Maybe the date on the calendar just triggers some switch in my brain that recalls fallen leaves, apple cider, and brisk days of Autumn's past. Who knows?

Currently listening to a band called Girls. The song album, which is called "Album" (catchy title), is very good. A lot of old influences at work--'60s rock and soul definitely. Will probably be giving this another listen soon.

Song 1: Come On! Feel the Illinoise!, Sufjan Stevens
Title track from Sufjan Stevens' great 2007 album. This is the guy who of course claimed he wanted to make an album for each of the 50 states. He's done one for Illinois and for Michigan, so if he was being truthful, he's got some work to do. Sufjan's music is filled with a lot of interesting stuff--polyrhythms, horns, bells, layering of textures, mood shifts. It's kind of like an indie rock symphonic piece. Being from Illinois, the album is extra fun (current part of the song is talking about being approached by the ghost of Carl Sandburg), but this was pretty well-loved outside of my homeland, so I hear. Apparently Sufjan is getting ready to release an all instrumental album soon. Can't wait!

Song 2: Possum, Phish
Ok, I'm not a huge Phish fan. I liked their album "Farmhouse", but jam bands occasionally get on my nerves. Maybe you need to be on 'shrooms and at their concert to "get" a 25 minute all out jam. Can't you accomplish it a little quicker? I mean, these are rock chords they are jamming on, not complex jazz chords. There's only so much you can do. All right, I'm sounding a bit elitist. On the other hand I do like improvised music and a lot of their songs are fun. They're pretty good musicians, even though Trey Anastasio's voice is kind of hit or miss. I downloaded this for a couple of their covers, which they provide ample amounts of. I'm always intrigued by cover songs. I like to see what direction a band takes with the work on a artist that may be completely different. This tune I think is a Phish original that clocks in at a mere 8:25. It's all right. Good fun rock and roll. I still prefer The Dead, though.

Song 3: Strange Condition, Pete Yorn
I guess the iTunes is giving me some live stuff to work with. This was somewhat of a radio hit. It's got a lot of pop sensibility to it. I like this version. Pete's voice isn't as polished as the album version. Little bit more gravel and drawl in it, which I enjoy a lot more than hearing someone hitting every note spot on. He gets his point across a lot quicker than Phish. Not to say that I'm particularly bowled over by this performance. I think I've heard this song too many times to have a lot of opinion on it.

There's three songs for you to ponder, as you ponder the advent of Autumn, as well. Nothing particularly Autumny about the above three, but I think songs have a way of taking on a different life in different parts of the year. Are summer hits as powerful during the winter? If the song "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley would have been released during autumn rather than summer, would it still have been such a big hit?

The songs playing right now are actually a lot more interesting than 2/3 of what I just wrote about. Oh well, shuffle'll help you and it'll let you down sometimes too. Enjoy your Sunday!

Click on today's blog title for a live performance of Sufjan Stevens performing the song "The Man From Metropolis Steals Our Hearts".

Anarchy in the UK: The Fight over File-sharing on Stage in Great Britain

If you're not up to speed on the Lily Allen's "controversial" stand on file-sharing, check this out:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/sep/24/behind-music-industry-war

If we're going to be honest with ourselves, we all know that file sharing is not good for musicians, at least the way it exists right now. At least from a short-term financial standpoint. And for those trying to break into the business, short-term is really all they have, as the majors have little tolerance for sitting around and watching to see if a band develops. Now, file-sharing may create a substantial buzz for a band, which is great publicity and all, but shouldn't said band be receiving some royalties for every time their song is downloaded?

I'm bringing up the old debate, though. The fact is, the music industry blew it and now they're backpedalling, trying to figure out a way to get out of this mess. Faulting the individual file-sharers isn't the answer. The technology exists, it's easy to use, people love music, so of course they are going to do it. Maybe it's illegal, but virtual illegality seems a lot less harmful than actually walking into a Virgin Megastore (when there were such things) and tucking a copy of Led Zeppelin IV under one's shirt and walking out the door. And is it really that different than making a mix tape for a friend and passing it on?

Well yes, because now you can make mix tapes for thousands and thousands of your "closest" internet buddies. Maybe the file-sharing sites themselves should be sending out checks to ASCAP, BMI, the RIAA, or directly to the bands that are downloaded the most. Send someone some money! But obviously they aren't making enough money beyond a trickle of ad revenue to make the checks amount to anything substantial.

I was actually reading up on Frank Zappa yesterday and read something very interesting. Apparently in the mid to late '80s, he had an idea of transferring music via phone or cable lines, directly to the music consumer, with built in software that would account for royalty collection. Zappa dismissed it as a bad idea, but who knew, he was 20 years ahead of his time.

That's where the music industry blew it. They sat on their pot of gold that they earned from ripping off consumers with overpriced cd's and they assumed that it would last forever. If they would have been forward thinking enough in the early to mid '90s, they would have developed the software that could have set the standard for the digital age of music. Instead they watched in horror as the Napsters, Kazaas, and Pirate Bays of the world took the lead. They whined and sued and panicked, but it didn't stop the natural progression of technology and the inevitable destruction of the old order, which continues to this very day.

All this clamouring over who's right and who's wrong seems a little silly to me. Yeah, it does kind of make it hard for new artists to make it when there is little income for them, yet it doesn't mean that it can't happen or that the solution is in somehow ending file-sharing, because that certainly isn't going to happen.

Really, the music industry is facing the same problem that the whole of America is facing: how do we get money flowing like it used to when we actually manufactured stuff? Technology and progress are wonderful things, but they create a lot of challenges and questions. There's no sense fighting it. The best thing to do is to embrace it and start thinking creatively.

I think beyond gimmicks, it's going to be about 1.) quality and 2.) creating an experience that people can't get on their own. I read a quote from Joel Madden of the group Good Charlotte that encapsulates the whole "experience" issue:

" my biggest frustration is that kids today won't get the same excitement I did running to sam goody or tower and buying the album I'd been waiting for, running home and opening it reading it the whole way thru while I listened. That's why we are here in the first place. The experience. Seems like its gone."

That particular "experience" may be gone, but that doesn't mean new, maybe even better experiences can't be formulated. Here's a novel idea: how about creating experiences that don't rip off the consumer like the Sam Goody's of the world were notorious for (almost $20 for a CD...come on guys!). Record labels and artists are going to have to create that experience through websites and through innovative approaches that connect them closer to their audience than bands in the past could ever dream of. It may not be the same as unpeeling the cellophane off of a vinyl record or cd jewel case, but I think there are unlimited directions one can go in with the internet when it comes to creating an "experience". Forget the old ways, guys and gals, it's time to embrace the 21st century and start creating new experiences. Just like they say in one of my favorite movies, the ever-so-cheesy, yet heartwarming, "Field of Dreams": People will come. I think it's going to take the right combination of giving away tons of music, creating a whole lot of interesting concert opportunities, maybe re-inventing the idea of the fan club, and creating website content that blows people away. Oh yeah, and it's gonna take a whole lot of serious legwork, too, but in the end, people will come. And if you give them something to be excited about, they'll even pay for it! Just watch.

Eventually the industry will find its footing. And I hope the ones who benefit in the long run are the hard-working, talented artists and the fans. Let the backward thinking big-time executives and major labels fall by the wayside!

The Working Musician and Fall Releases (part 1)

I just realized that over the past two and a half to three years, I've flown four times--twice to Austin, TX and twice to Orlando, FL. Upon return from my two Austin trips, I had a lot to say about music and I had a lot of new music to listen to. Upon my return from my Orlando trips, not so much. I just returned yesterday from my second Orlando trip in two years, and I guess it's well known that you don't go to Florida for the music scene necessarily--unless you REALLY like Disney music and/or High School Musical, which I guess still qualifies as Disney music, but instead of cartoons, one gets over-caffienated high schoolers singing about everything.

But if you are at Disney World and really want to hear music, the place to go is to Epcot Center and their World Showcase area. In addition to all the food and souveniers (I know, I was shocked too...Disney World is commercial!) from the countries represented, you usually get some regional musical flavor as well. I briefly listened to a decent sounding Celtic Rock band in "Canada". Oh, they had to cheese it up a bit for the Disney crowd, but the music was actually good.

There was also the requisite mariachi band in Mexico, oompah band in Germany, and Japanese drumming group in, where else, Japan. I didn't get to see the British Invasion group in the UK, which would have been interesting at the very least.

I wonder about these groups. Do they enjoy their jobs? Do they like having to play the same songs over and over and over, and do the same act over and over and over? Does the tourist crowd ever get to them?

But then again, they have steady gigs, which few working musicians can lay claim to. Many people questioned The Roots when it was announced that they would be the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, but their response was that it's a steady working gig and there is something reassuring about that.

This wasn't an unknown band saying this, it was one of the most well-known/respected hip-hop groups of recent memory. A solid gig is a solid gig these days. I'm sure for the most part, the theme park performers are probably grateful to be able to play music for a living, even if they do have to caricaturize themselves a little. If I know musicians, I'm sure they have their own side projects away from the parks as well, which is probably what keeps them sane. I mean, The Roots still tour and all. I doubt being second fiddle to Jimmy Fallon is their one and only ambition.

I think what we fail to comprehend sometimes is that there are, quite literally, thousands upon thousands of working musicians--most of whom the mainstream public has never heard of, nor will ever hear of. But they are scraping away to make a living because that's their calling and they can't imagine doing anything else. Even before the recession, these people were struggling. The recession only made things worse, like it did for most everyone. It's too bad there aren't more opportunities or grants for working musicians, but as I've said before on this blog, we are not an Arts friendly nation. We are a nation that loves The Arts, but one that struggles to support artists. It's a weird contradiction, but one that exists nonetheless. As I've also said before, too, the music industry is going through quite an identity crisis right now, and no one is getting paid all that well. The top tier guys'll be okay, but the ones to worry about are the unknowns, the sidemen/women, the behind-the-scenes songwriters, the performers that schlep around to shitty bar gigs night after night in hopes of a few more fans and maybe a couple of dollars.

Keep your theme park band job if you've got it!

Okay, so Fall is here and I feel like Summer's releases were a bit lackluster. Nothing jumps out at me really. Grizzly Bear and Wilco hold the title of my favorite releases so far this year, but beyond that, sure there are things I've liked (Empire of the Sun, The Xx), but where is the album that hijacks my speakers? Fall has some promising candidates (no Arcade Fire or Of Montreal/MGMT collaboration on the list--two of the ones I was looking forward to the most for '09. What happened guys???).

Here are some of the standouts on the Fall list. I'll post a link to the full list, as posted by Rolling Stone Magazine, on The Hidden Chord's Facebook page (tell your friends!):

Pearl Jam (9/20): From about 1992-2001, these guys were my favorite band. They still put on a good show apparently, but even though this album is getting some hype and I've heard a couple decent tracks from it, I just can't get excited about it. They've got one of the exclusivity deals too (Target I believe?), which makes me cringe a little bit. Grunge is dead. Long live the spirit of "Ten".

Monsters of Folk (9/22): Released today is a collaboration between Jim James, M. Ward, Conor Oberst, and another guy. Oh I could look it up, but the three aforementioned are amazing enough for me to not care who the forth one is (sigh! I couldn't stand being a shoddy journalist--fourth guy is Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst's bandmate from Bright Eyes). Supergroups can be extremely hyped, then extremely disappointing (thank you very much Audioslave). Othertimes, though, you get some interesting results (Temple of the Dog--should have stuck with that one, there Chris Cornell!). I've heard a track from these guys, and it sounds good. Interested to hear what else they've got!

The Avett Brothers (9/29): "Emotionalism", their 2007 album, is one that I can listen to over and over. The group is bluegrass at its core, but strays off into punk, grunge, rock, and does so without compromising their amazing musicianship. In a way, they are in a similar vein as My Morning Jacket, in that, they have their Southern roots, but definitely aren't afraid to stretch out a bit, either. Very much looking forward to "I and Love and You".

Ugh! Alice in Chains are releasing a new album. I understand the want and/or need to keep a band alive after the death of a member of your band, but Alice in Chains without Layne Staley seems pretty pointless to me.

One word: Creed.
One reaction: why?
One hope: this album bombs terribly and Scott Stapp goes away.

There's a lot more going on this fall, but I've rambled on quite a lot already, so I'll do a "Fall Releases, part 2" very soon.

Here's a link to the song, "The Fixer" from Pearl Jam's release, "Backspacer". Not a bad song not a great song either. It's solid. Video's directed by Cameron Crowe. Even so, why am I not that thrilled by it? Maybe "Ten" was just too good of a way to start for Pearl Jam. What do you think of this one? Sorry, once again, you've got to copy and paste!

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

3 songs on shuffle (Ezra Furman Video by clicking Here!)

Starting off today listening to Grizzly Bear. Veckatimist has got to be one of the best albums of '09 so far. Possibly the best. Harmonies that are crazy good, musicianship and arrangements that are stunning. Hell, they can even make Michael McDonald sound good (find the Grizzly Bear song, "While You Wait For the Others" feat. Michael McDonald...weird that it's so good). After this track ends, we'll go straight into the second edition of, "3 songs on shuffle" courtesy of the official iTunes library of The Hidden Chord!

Private Affair--The Virgins
A Daytrotter discovery. I've heard this one a few times actually. Really like it. Kind of has a Killers/Franz Ferdinand/Modest Mouse kind of feel to it. The guy's voice kind of sounds like Elvis Costello at times. Great little shuffle beat to it too. Dance-rock is always fine by me. It's a tricky thing to pull off, but I dig this one a lot. Sounds a little like "Shakedown Street" by The Grateful Dead at times too. "In the summertime, I'm gonna lose my mind". Line sticks out because I can understand it (the guy kind of mumble-sings) and because summer's ending (or ended I guess), but also because, what a better season than summer to lose your mind?

Moon Light Drive--The Doors
I believe this is a demo version of the song off The Doors box set that came out around '97 or '98. Moon Light Drive is apparantly the first song that Jim Morrison shared with his UCLA film school buddy Ray Manzarek on Venice Beach. The Oliver Stone biopic documents the fabled meeting. It's kind of weird Beach Boys sounding. It's a very simple song that ends up on their famous self-titled debut. "Let's swim to the moon, let's climb through the tide. Penetrate the evening that the city sleeps too high." Not sure exactly what it means, but The Doors had a way of combining the mystical, surreal, and dark with the magic of rock and roll. Didn't always matter if you understood it or not. "You reach your hand to hold me, but I can't be your guide." Like Jim and The Doors themselves, the song's rather allusive.

The Dishwasher--Ezra Furman and the Harpoons
Song starts off with familiar (too familiar) restaurant sounds. First person account of being a lowly dishwasher. "You won't catch me walkin' home from work cryin'". Maybe you want to cry when you're walking home from your thankless service job. Oh, I've felt it, but you don't cry. You make sure you don't let the people who are getting ready to party on a Friday night, while you're going home, notice your anguish. They most definitely have more money and better jobs, but you carry your head high and keep telling yourself that it'll get better one day and that at least you try to be a decent person. Your work is honest, someone's gotta do it, as the song says. Who wants to eat off dirty dishes. Ezra's voice is filled with anguish. He's really got a very expresive, high-pitched, un-traditional voice that is perfect for a song like this.

There you have it. First two are good end of summer songs, while the third is just a good song in general. I first learned of Ezra Furman back in Austin in 2008, when he played The Velvet Underground's "Heroin" at a Lou Reed tribute concert. Had to have been one of the single most amazing performances of any single song that I've seen. Found a video of it on You Tube, and it still seems pretty cool, but for many performances, you really have to be there to fully appreciate it. Click the title of this blog entry to take you there...I think you'll like it.

Actually that whole day was filled with a lot of "Wow!" moments. The great part about it too was it was all free. You didn't need a wrist band, badge, or cash. It irks me when big time acts charge so much. But the funny thing turns out to be, that the best moments usually don't happen at gigantic stadium shows that people have paid hundreds of dollars to see. They often times happen in little dive bars, free venues, and places you least suspect them to happen. That's the magic of music for you!

Only A Beatles Blog

So The Beatles are back. Rock Band game, remastered albums... Recently a friend asked via Facebook (where else?), "Have the Beatles sold out?" Well, they did have an album called, "Beatles For Sale". Maybe they sold out many years ago? My answer is this: Comparitively speaking, no. I think a band like The Beatles became bigger than its name long ago, so it's really hard to differentiate between what is selling out and what is just Beatlemania that has been going on since the early '60s. Keep in mind that this is one of the few band that turned down reunion gimmicks time after time after time, most recently in 2000, apparently, when Universal offered George, Ringo, and Paul a multi-million dollar offer to do one show. They quite obviously turned it down. I think that constitutes a very non-sell-out attitude toward your band.

But that's not what I want to write about today. Partly, I feel silly trying to contribute anything to the discussion about The Beatles. Anything and everything has already been written by people who are far better writers than me. But also, there's part of me that could probably write every single blog about The Beatles (or Bob Dylan) because I have been a life-long fan and really, though, my favorite songs and albums have changed over time, I've never tired of them. What I want to talk about is how one gets to that point of fandom. Can video games and remastered CD's carry on the legacy of The Beatles to future generations?

I really don't think they can. While I'd love to check out the Rock Band game and hear the remasters, I think that's mostly because I'm already a fan and am curious. Becoming a fan, I'm convinced, has everything to do with friends turning you on to a band and/or having magical experiences related to the songs of a particular band. It's a person by person, very individual process. You can't ram your music down someones throat and expect them to like you. I didn't get into grunge in the early to mid '90s because of media hype. I got into Pearl Jam because of my cousin, Mark. I later got into Nirvana because of conversations with my friend, Amy. Similarly, I can't imagine being a true, hardcore, life-long Beatles fan without experiences that are unique to my own life, not because of a particular reissue or hyped-up cross-marketing scheme.

I became a Beatles fan for a couple of reasons. First off, my dad was a dj on a local radio station, when I was a just a small town kid in Wataga, IL. By that time, The Beatles were already fodder for "oldies" stations. This was twenty plus years ago! My dad was (and still is) a huge Beatles fan. He would play them anytime he could and in fact spent one Thanksgiving Day (??? I think. I may have gotten the holiday wrong. Help me out here dad!) playing nothing but the Beatles for hours on end. But it was one particular time he played one song that sticks with me. I remember him asking me before he left for work one day, if there was anything I wanted to hear on the radio. And I said I wanted to hear, "Hey Jude". I must have been like 10 or 11 at the time. Man was I a cool kid! I sat by the radio, filled with anticipation, and waited for Paul McCartney's voice to ring out over the ancient speakers I listened to music through.

But before Paul's voice, came my dad's, and I'll never forget this, saying, "This one goes out to Wataga." Cue Mr. McCartney and the band. I loved that he put it that way. It wasn't, "This one goes out to my son, Andy", it was a more mysterious statement, but I was in on the secret. In fact, that moment may very well be one of the main reasons I went to broadcast school years later! It was magical, it was personal, it was The Beatles! And the song has remained extremely personal to me ever since.

One of my other early moments of Beatles indoctrination came from listening to them with my older brother. Particularly, we used to sit in his room and listen to my dad's scratchy LP of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Man, we must have listened to it thousands of times. We both, to this day, could probably tell you exactly where the record skipped. These days, I see very little of my brother, and quite honestly, we are far different people, but I always cut back to those days in my mind. Pre-cd (I know for a fact that when both of us eventually bought cd players, Sgt. Pepper was one of the first cd's we each bought) days of a kid sitting around with his older brother, who he idolized, digging music that came from a different universe--trippy, ethereal, melodic, fun, singable...it was all there.

Even though, those were the two big ones, I've had so many other moments that relate to the music of The Beatles. Countless times singing to a song on the car radio or on a dock of a lake on a summer day. Sitting around with music people talking about our favorite songs. When I still played open mics, one of my best performances came at a packed folk music-oriented open mic in the suburbs of Chicago. I kicked off my two song set with, "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away". I can't explain how it felt to have all of these people, many of whom were professionals, singing along with me to this song that I love. It gave me the confidence to deliver a solid rendition of one of my own songs.

And I've got to imagine, that this is how most people became Beatles fans, or fans of any band for that matter. Music is a supremely personal experience and while I hope that the Rock Band game and the remasters create some new fans, I think it's more complicated than that. The future of music lies on creating experiences for people, not necessarily in the physical product. New bands should get wise to a couple of things. First of all, get good. The Beatles were so good because they played together for hours and hours on end (without their stint in Germany, they may have been just another British Invasion band). Second of all, make personal connections with your fans. Don't push the issue, but meet your fans, talk to them, be accessible, make songs from your heart and soul. Say what you will about Twitter and Facebook and 21st century technology, but one of the positives about it, is that fans of an artist have a unique way of connecting to their favorite bands or singers, in a way that was never possible in the past. And artists have a unique way of marketing their music and creating one-of-a-kind experiences--secret shows, specially autographed merchandice--because of these social networking sites.

With music, first and foremost, it's about the MUSIC. But also, it's about creating personal experiences that people will remember for the rest of their lives. And I don't know if The Beatles did that purposefully, but their music has had the power and timelessness to be able to create those moments for myself as well as millions of others. Maybe you can't recreate that. Maybe it just has to happen. So while new Beatles "stuff" is great, it's not what makes them amazing or what will keep them alive for generations.

It's scratchy records, older brothers or sisters, moms & dads, summer sing-a-longs, the late night bar juke box on a night out with friends, FM radio on a roadtrip. It's moments that stick with us for a lifetime.

Random Thoughts for a Saturday Morning

Happy Labor Day weekend to one and all. I'll be celebrating by working tonight. I'm curious, what are the best songs about working? What are your thoughts?

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial last weekend of the summer, so I hope you all have some spectacular festivities planned. If you don't, might I suggest one to those in the Chicago area: the Chicago Jazz Fest in Grant Park, which goes on today and tomorrow.

I've often wondered how this fest can be so packed with people every year, but then you never hear anyone talking much about going to jazz venues or concerts. I suppose part of the charm of Jazz or Blues Fest is that you can sit around the lawn in Grant Park, enjoy some expensive food and beer, and spend time with your friends on a beautiful Chicago day--which as most know, we only get a handful of all year. The music almost becomes an after-thought. In fact if you walk around, you'll see a great number who definitely have no interest in the music itself and are merely using it like a soundtrack playing in the background, which is fine I suppose, but personally I don't get it.

Jazz is America's one true artform. It is spontaneous, at times energetic, at times thoughtful, at times a canvas of aural color, tone, and nuance. But to be truly appreciated, it needs to be LISTENED to. It takes work, but once you develop an ear for it, jazz will reward you time and time again. It's hard to shift between pop music and jazz music, as pop can be listened to very passively, and while you might even miss things with pop if you're not careful, you can still appreciate it on a certain level while doing about ten different things at once, as we Americans, the Kings and Queens of Multi-tasking tend to do. I encourage you to go to Jazz Fest and just listen. If you can't get there, get yourself some Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Billie Holliday albums and do the same. "Kind of Blue" by Miles and "Blue Train" by Coltrane are good starting points. Give them a couple of real, fully devoted listens and I think you'll get something out of them. Then if you're feeling really adventurous, check out "A Love Supreme" by Coltrane and "Bitches Brew" by Miles. Any thing by Charlie Parker is amazing. I recommend "The Quintet at Massey Hall", though, which also features Dizzy Gillespe, Bud Powell, and Charles Mingus (who may very well be one of the greatest American composers of all time).

That's my jazz rant of the day. I wanted to talk a little bit about Dylan playing 3 shows at the end of October, which coincides with the release of his Christmas album, but I'll save that for later.

Oh and did you know that the Sony Walkman outsells the iPod in Japan? I know it's the modern version of the Walkman, but in my mind I have visions of hip Japanese youth carrying around the big 'ol '80s style tape deck Walkman! Hey, I made some great mix tapes in my day! In a way, I kind of miss it.

And also, I'm thinking of the Dylan song, "Idiot Wind". Just wanted to let you know. Long story. Might have to do with politics, might not.

Oh, and here's some Bird and Diz, once again I'm technology stupid, so you might have to copy and paste this into your browser since I can't figure out how to create a link!!!

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

3 Songs on Shuffle and more (Click here for Vivian Girls Video! Yay!)

I'm working on reinventing this blog. For no good reason other than I like music and writing and like writing about music probably more than any other type of writing. So I want to have regular features, rather than just random occasional rants. Maybe I'll keep doing the random occasional rants too, but I found myself ranting less and less, so time would go by and suddenly it's been nearly 4 months since I wrote an entry. So for today, I'm doing a "3 songs on shuffle" experiment. Fire up the 'ol iTunes library and let it shuffle to 3 songs and see what happens. I like seeing if songs link to each other in any peculiar way. I also just like the discovery process of listening to my library on shuffle. I have a whole lot on here that I've never heard or haven't heard much, so I wanted to mostly do a stream of consciousness approach to writing about it--attempt to capture the moment of listening to music. And then maybe go back and add on some further impressions. So here is todays "3 Songs on Shuffle". Sometime soon, I'll have a new feature as well. Would like to reprise the podcast very soon as well. If you are reading this, PLEASE, let me know and spread the word if you like what you read. I have an ego that needs to be inflated!!

You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As Your Told)--The White Stripes
The infectious hooks of the White Stripes open up this song which is in the vein of the classic type of "I'm gonna tell it like it is because I don't really care anymore" song. There's a few good ones in this vein. Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" possibly being the best. This one is pretty good, though. A couple of really good lines here, the title itself being one, the opening line being another (In some respects I suspect you've got a respectable side), and a line in the chorus as well (Just as a child of ten might act but you're far too old). I like a good "tell it like it is" song. And everyone knows the type of person who can't tell the difference between infatuation and love, who goes along with whatever the other person says, just because they say it and are supposedly in love with that person. Usually pretty unhealthy stuff happens here. One person dominates and manipulates, why the other is blindly pulled around in the name of "love". Good one Jack White! Love the typical Jack White high register guitar solo at the end of this White Stripes classic!

Don't Ya Tell Henry--Bob Dylan and the Band
Levon Helm of The Band takes vocals on this up tempo shuffle off of the classic, "The Basement Tapes". I definitely hear a little New Orleans influence on here. I could listen to The Band all the time. They had the unique ability to draw upon almost every type of American popular music of the last century and meld it into something fresh and alive. And to me, much of it sounds fresh and alive forty years plus after the fact. I'm not too familiar with the song, but there's nothing on "The Basement Tapes" I don't like. So big ups to this one as well. Why isn't music like this made anymore? Maybe it is and the landscape is just too crowded with crap to realize it. I don't really know. Oh and a connection to the previous song: Jack White was frequently playing with Dylan there for awhile, I think it was last summer, during Dylan concerts. There's a couple of weird dudes, but man, they both can play some music!

Where Do You Run To--Vivian Girls
I don't know a whole lot about Vivian Girls, which is one of the fun parts about listening to music on shuffle. I do know they are on Chicago's Bloodshot Records label, which is a plus for me already, as I love a lot of what Bloodshot puts out and also Bloodshot has some of the best SXSW parties. Back to the song. Pretty good. Kind of your basic straight ahead rock song. I don't know how to describe the beat other than kind of '60s pop rockisk (think "That Thing You Do!" and you've got it). The verses are hard to understand and but the chorus, which repeats the title of the song is clear and it's cool how they build upon it with harmonies. Vocals kind of seem Veruca Salt-ish (If you try to sing "Seether" with the opening strains of this song, it actually works pretty well...pretty sure it's in the same key) or Ravonettes-ish. Emotionless in a way, at least until the chorus, which it should be apparent, is my favorite part of this one. I think this might be a little bit of an accusatory song as well. "Where do you run to baby, why do you leave me all alone?" Maybe in a similar family to the White Stripes song. Not exactly siblings, but possibly cousins. They're both kind of angry, but this one actually asks for an answer rather than just ranting at someone. Although, I think maybe it's a rhetorical question. Either way, good dance-able pop rock. Would have fit right in on the "Pulp Fiction" soundtrack.

I included a link to a fun little Vivian Girls vid for ya too. Click on the title of the post. I'm not tech savvy so I didn't know how to embed it on here. But still...Enjoy!