"I’m a drug you don’t want to give up."

6-3-07
By request, all the links in this post have been updated...Enjoy!

2004 might have been the year of the monkey in China but for me it was the year of Yamagata. Rachael Yamagata. I received a copy of Happenstance and I put it on for 8 months straight. Ok, that might be exaggerating a tad bit but trust me it’s JUST a tad. I was hypnotized by that album. Rachael’s voice was a fierce and penetrating force soaked in gentle vulnerability that resonated with me for I feel that as women we are all an amalgam of both strength and tenderness to varied degrees. Moving past her amazing vocals it was the songwriting, the lyrics, the arrangements, the melodies…all of it that got me. Every last bit of that album was pure perfection to me. So imagine my excitement when I had the opportunity to see her open for Ray LaMontagne (who I also clearly adore) with two of my favorite people on the entire planet (Shanna AND Casey…SWOON!) at the Gypsy Tea Room. That show remains to this day one of my favorite concert experiences of all time despite the rude crowd that had to be regulated at the start and despite my over imbibing…or perhaps because of it. Nothing and I do mean NOTHING could have spoiled that night for me. The aforementioned company was fabulous and the music was so completely superb…it was everything I needed it to be. If you get a chance to see her live, please, please, please do yourself a favor and go. She does NOT disappoint…I promise.

I consider Rachael’s music very solitary in that I find I can’t share space with anyone else while I’m listening to it…there’s only room for me and the music. Her songs are soul bearing private tours into the most delicate and confidential recesses of her heart and mind. She completely exposes herself which is something most people are ashamed or afraid to do out of fear. She’s capable of expressing the highest of her highs and the lowest of her lows with equal passion and intensity. I love that she’s broken at times and yet still strong enough to sing about it so that someone, somewhere can listen and know that they are not alone. What a gift she gives every time she opens her mouth, places hands on instrument and puts pen to paper. So, so good.

I could go on and on about her but that’s enough for now lest you all start heaving from the love overdose. What I really wanted to talk about is her self titled EP that I FINALLY got my hands on a few weeks ago. It’s FABULOUS! There are what I consider rough drafts of “Worn Me Down” and “The Reason Why” that appeared on Happenstance but the true gems are the remaining songs that include a hidden track at the end of “Would You Please” titled “These Girls” that you must, must, must download below. I was really upset when the spring came and went with no sign of the promised album from her. I waited patiently to hear something about it and then last week I checked her blog and there it was…the 4-1-1 I’d been waiting on:

“What else.. Oh yes! The record. Ok. So I'm a liar.. Well, not really – we were on a schedule/ schedule people we are on a schedule! And I was certain and assured and defiant that this record would see the light of day by spring. Well, it's spring and you don't have a record in your hands so I can just go @#!& myself and all that. If my last name were apple I'd have you sending some fruit by now.

Take heart, it is coming. And it will be worth the wait. (shameless, I know). The industry is a mess I say and I've been doing trapeze moves to make this happen amidst personnel change, strategic games, late trains and all that. Hang with me till fall and you will have record in your hand or else I'll be off a bridge and you can have a great story to tell your friends about that profanity loving drunk crazy wild animal lady/Clooney- Pitt stalker that finally lost it and ohhh didn't you see it coming..”

Complete with this “album appetizer” short video that if you ask me is pure genius:

Not recognizing the lyrics to the tune “Elephants” from the video, I set about to track it down and succeeded per usual. With the help of Brett (an integral part of the incredible “frienmily” that I’m blessed to have) I was able to snag it and have posted it below for your listening pleasure. It’s exquisite. I thank him for you in advance because you’ll want to.

She hasn’t been sitting around doing nothing all this time though. In fact, she’s gettin’ around quite a bit…lending her spotless vocals to Jason Mraz, Ray LaMontagne, Ryan Adams and most recently she sang back up for Bright Eyes on six songs from his latest release, Cassadaga. At present you can find Rachael opening for Citizen Cope in Cali this weekend. If you live there and you’re lucky, there are tickets left...GO. PURCHASE. SOME!

Tunes I Can’t Refuse…

From the EP:

Rachael Yamagata – “Worn Me Down”

Rachael Yamagata – “Known For Years”

Rachael Yamagata – “Collide”

Rachael Yamagata – “Would You Please” (Hidden Track, “These Girls”)

From the KCRW sessions:

Rachael Yamagata – “Woman”

"Sunday Afternoon"

And soon to be released on her upcoming studio effort...

Rachael Yamagata – “Elephants”

"Don't tell me the sky's the limit...there are footprints on the moon!"

An interesting phenomenon will take place in North America tonight…around 10:04 pm CST the full moon will be blue. Sort of. Given that tonight’s full moon is the second we’ve seen in May, it is classified as a “blue moon”…a rare and special astrological event. As interesting as the occurrence is to me, I realize that it probably isn’t to most but should you find yourself interested in finding out more, go here. Hopefully you won’t miss tonight’s full moon as to me there’s nothing quite as beautiful in all of nature but if you do happen to be fast asleep when the moon rises then you’ll get another chance soon...in May 2008, December 2009 and November of 2010.

Thinking about the blue moon to come tonight reminded me that many a wonderful song has been penned about the mysterious, mystical, magnificent moon…blue and otherwise. And so…I offer up just a few songs that I had on hand here today with fitting and appropriate titles.

Matt Costa – "Behind the Moon"

Feist – "My Moon, My Man"

Bob Dylan – "Blue Moon"

Nickel Creek – "Jealous of the Moon"

Neko Case – "I Wish I Was The Moon"

The Dresden Dolls – "Modern Moonlight"

Dean Fields – "Pale Moon"

Sia - "Moon"

The Swell Season – "The Moon"

Gomez – "Blue Moon Rising"

Patsy Cline – "Blue Moon of Kentucky"

The Traveling Wilburys – "New Blue Moon"

The Be Good Tanyas – "Midnight Moonlight"

Cat Power – "The Moon"

Van Morrison – "Moondance"

Ditty Bops – "Moon Over the Freeway"

Bap – "Moonlight Kiss"

"Maybe you'll get a replacement...there's plenty like me to be found."

6-3-07
By request, all the links in this post have been updated...Enjoy!

I’m not a huge Keane fan by any stretch. I've never seen what all the fuss was about. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy their music and I own Hopes & Fears and last year’s Under the Iron Sea but they aren’t my favorites. If I’m to be honest with you I’ll have to confess that the only time I really listen to their music is when they’re shuffled up on one of my many mp3 players or if I’m putting together a mix for someone else. What I’m saying is that while I don’t set about to put them on intentionally, once they’re playing I’m cool with it. Since I don’t consider myself to be a “fan” what does that make me? Am I an ambivalent audiophile? There’s gotta be a word for it. Maybe one day I’ll come up with the perfect term to describe how I feel about a band or artist that I’m not in love with but that I wouldn’t necessarily kick out of bed for eating crackers either. But until I do I’ll just keep listening.

Having said all that, I want to share three cover tunes from the band I hate to not love that I just can’t stop listening to this week. I adore the original versions of these songs and was fully prepared to slam the cover versions as cheap and unnecessary imitations but they’ve done a great job I want to share. So whether you’re a fan of the band or not…have a listen to these tracks and enjoy their interpretations.

Keane – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John Cover)

Keane – What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong Cover)

Keane – With or Without You (U2 Cover)

"Must I dream and always see your face?"

“I don’t really need to be remembered. I hope the music is remembered.”
~Jeff Buckley

When you review music you start to notice the patterns in influences of the artists you’re reviewing and over the years I’ve seen Jeff Buckley listed as an influence to artists as often as I’ve seen men who lived lives twice as long as his…Dylan, Taylor, Costello, Lennon, Springsteen…so often in fact that one would think he had a slew of hit records when in reality Grace was his only studio effort and there wasn’t a conventional “hit” to be found anywhere on the ten track release. Don’t misread that and take it to mean that it’s not phenomenal. It is that and so much more; it’s beautiful and brilliant and deserving of every accolade it has ever received. I love it. Now, anyway.

This is where I tell you that initially I was not a Buckley fan. This is where I explain that I was still basking in the glow of In Utero and Unplugged in New York and was very Ill Communication, The Downward Spiral, Swamp Ophelia, Vitalogy and Doggystyle during this time and so the goodness that is Grace somehow escaped my radar then. This is where I relay that my love affair with Jeff Buckley came too late…that not until the news of his passing destroyed his loyal fans everywhere did I seek his music out…not until then did I dive in and try to learn more about who he was and what he thought and believed. I realized that if that many people, fans and contemporaries alike, were that grief stricken about losing him I surely must have missed the boat. The beautiful thing about music is that it’s never too late to buy your ticket to the show.

The two words that always spring to mind first when someone mentions Jeff Buckley to me are talent and tragedy. I’m a firm believer that when it is your time to leave this place and move forward on your soul’s path that it’s your time…nothing can stop that. We leave when we’re meant to leave. But every time I listen to Jeff Buckley’s rendition of “Hallelujah” I can’t help but waiver in that belief. I can’t help but feel he had more left to do here…that the powers that be were somehow mistaken to have swallowed him in the Mississippi the way they did. They pulled him away from this world far too soon. I think I’ll always feel that way about his life and death but I take comfort in seeing him listed so often as an influence to people because it’s then that I realize he never really left. It’s then that I’m reminded that his is an inextinguishable flame that burns strong even today.

I also find solace in the posthumous releases we’ve been given…the latest being last week’s So Real: Songs From Jeff Buckley. His mother co-produced this collection that spans his all too short career letting us revisit the gems of Grace as well as giving us the previously unreleased cover of The Smith’s classic “I Know It’s Over” and the rare live acoustic version of “So Real”. This is the perfect beginner’s album for anyone who might be unfamiliar to Jeff’s work and a must have for those of us who are collectors. Word has it that the critically acclaimed and multi award winning documentary film Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley is slated for DVD release sometime this fall after the original release date was pushed back for unspecified reasons. I think releasing it today would have been a nice tribute to Jeff and something great for fans but perhaps they are waiting to release it in November to commemorate what would have been his 41st birthday on the 17th. I’m anxious to finally own a copy and I highly recommend it.

Bono of U2 is quoted as saying that “Jeff Buckley was a pure drop in an ocean of noise.” And I can’t really imagine a better way of describing him. Jeff was not only a gifted musician; he was an extremely enlightened soul walking among the throngs of mediocre people who choose to live life in a head down, heart clogged, mind closed manner until the expire. You know the people I’m referring to…those who exist yet never truly live. Ever the brilliant and profound word smith, he shared not only his music but also his profound outlook on everything…ordinary and extraordinary…candidly and without apology or explanation. I desperately admire that in a person. Here are a few examples of that…some of my favorite quotes from him:

“The most audacious thing I could possibly state in this day and age is that life is worth living. It's worth being bashed against. It's worth getting scarred by. It's worth pouring yourself over every one of its hot coals.”

“Music is my mother...and my father...it is my work and my rest...my blood...my compass...my love.”

“Fear is an exit sign. Fear is just a door—either to transformation, or enlightenment to a tragic illusion you have.”

“Relentless, endless joy peaking into tears, resting in calmness, a simmering beauty. If you let yourself listen with the whole of yourself, you will have the pure feeling of flight while firmly rooted to the ground. Your soul can fly outward, stringed to your ribcage like a shimmering kite in the shape of an open hand. Be still and listen to the evidence of your own holiness.”

“Our suffering is peeling off and revealing a brand new skin, a new power. Love heals all wounds and not just time alone.”


A few interview snippets that I find both interesting and heartbreaking at the same time:

On belief…




On favorite venues, playing gigs, songwriting and what he wanted people to take away from his music…











And last but not least his legacy...his life, the music.

Jeff Buckley – “Forget Her”

“Don't fool yourself, she was heartache from the moment that you met her.”


Jeff Buckley – “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over”

“It's never over…my kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder.” "It's never over...she's a tear that hangs inside my soul forever."


Jeff Buckley – “Last Goodbye”

“Kiss me. Please kiss me. But kiss me out of desire, babe, and not consolation.”


Jeff Buckley – “Despite the Tears”

“And in his mind he knew he'd love her always…despite the tears.”


Jeff Buckley with Elizabeth Fraser - “All Flowers in Time Bend Towards the Sun”

“All flowers in time bend towards the sun. I know you say that there's no one for you but here is one, here is one... here is one.”



There have been many a tribute to the late, great Jeff Buckley but this is probably my favorite…

Duncan Sheik – “A Body Goes Down”

“Maybe he sang what he came here to sing.”

Guilt Free Friday

Since the season of Grey's has past and that was sort of my weekly thing I decided I needed something else to replace it. I’m toying with the idea of posting up all the Grey’s Anatomy tunes I’ve collected over the years but that will take some time and I’m not sure that’s something I want to commit to so for now it’s just a thought. If I get the feedback that people want that, I’ll think about it more. Anyway…while I was driving into work this morning thoroughly enjoying the rendition of Snow’s one and only hit (if you can call it that) “Informer”, I thought it might be fun to have a “Guilt Free Friday”.

Guilt Free Friday will be me publicly divulging to anyone who happens to be reading some of my favorite “guilty pleasure” tunes. The songs that I should be ashamed to say I love…the songs that are too cheesy for words…the songs that everyone secretly adores even though it’s not hip. You know the songs I’m talking about…everyone has them. I will unapologetically divvy up some of the most craptastic tunes from my collection every Friday and if it makes even one person feel better about loving really good BAD music too then I’ll have done a good thing.

So...without further adieu I give you my guilty pleasures from the days of the boy bands.

Soul Decision - "Faded"

"Kind of faded, but I'm feeling alright...thinkin' about making my move tonight. I can't pretend that you're only my friend when you're holdin' my body tight. 'Cause I like the way you're making your move, I like the way you're making me wait. At the end of the night, when I make up your mind you'll be coming on home with me. Yeah, yeah, yeah."






Backstreet Boys - "As Long As You Love Me"


"I don't care who you are , where you're from , what you did as long as you love me . Who you are . Where you're from . Don't care what you did...as long as you love me ."





Color Me Badd - "All 4 Love"

"I will never leave you sugar...this I guarantee. I look in to the future, I see you and me. Knight in shining armor, I will be your fairy tale. I wanna take care of you. Girl, I'll serve you well."





LFO - "Summer Girls"

"New Kids On The Block had a bunch of hits...chinese food makes me sick. And I think it's fly when girls stop by for the summer, for the summer. I like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch. I'd take her if I had one wish. But she's been gone since that summer...since that summer."










Wham! - "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"

"You take the gray skies out of my way. You make the sun shine brighter than Doris Day. Turned a bright spark into a flame...my beats per minute never been the same."

Wham! - "Everything She Wants"

"Some people work for a living, some people work for fun...girl
I just work for you."



And just in case anyone forgot the gloriousness that is the "Wake Me Up..." video, here's a refresher:









New Kids On The Block - "Step By Step"

"Step one...we can have lots of fun! Step two...there's so much we can do. Step three...it's just you and me. Step four...I can give you more. Step five...don't you know the time has arrived?"

New Kids On The Block - "You Got It (The Right Stuff)"

"Your first kiss was a sweet kiss, second kiss had a twist. Third and your fourth kiss...I don’t want to miss. I can see it in your walk, tell ’em when you talk. See it in everything you do...even in your thoughts."




*NSync - "Bye Bye Bye"

"Don't wanna be a fool for you...just another player in your game for two. You may hate me but it ain't no lie, baby Bye, bye, bye."


*NSync - "Pop"

"Do you ever wonder why this music gets you high? It takes you on a ride. Feel it when your body starts to rock...your body starts to rock. Baby you can't stop...you can't stop. And the music's all you got. Come on now...This. Must. Be. POP!"






New Edition - "Candy Girl"

"She walks so fast, she looks so sweet. She makes my heart just skip a beat. My girl's the best and that's no lie. She tells me that I'm her only guy. That might be true but my girl's a joy...she don't play around, she's right to the point. My girls like candy a candy treat She knocks me hot up off my feet."



Bell Biv Devoe - "Poison"

"Poison, deadly, movin' it slow. Lookin' for a mellow fellow like DeVoe. Gettin' paid, laid, so better lay low. Schemin' on house, money, and the whole show. The low pro hoe she'll be cut like an afro. See what you're sayin', huh, she's weighin' you but I know she's a loser (How do you know?) Me and the crew used to do her!"


Bell Biv Devoe - "Do Me"

"Backstage, under age, adolescent. How ya doin', “Fine,” she replied. I sighed, “I like to do the wild thing.” Action took place...kinda wet, don't forget. The J, the I, the M, the M, the Y, y'all I need a body bag."

Take That - "Back For Good"

"Whatever I said, whatever I did...I didn't mean it. I just want you back for good. Whenever I'm wrong just tell me the song and I'll sing it. You'll be right and understood...I guess now it's time that you came back for good."






Hanson - "Penny & Me"

"Cause Penny and me like to roll the windows down, turn the radio up, push the pedal to the ground. And Penny and me like to gaze at starry skies, close our eyes...pretend to fly, close our eyes pretend to fly. It's always Penny and me tonight."

"May your heart always be joyful..."

"may your song always be sung. May you stay forever young, forever young, forever young. May you stay forever young."

Robert Zimmerman is turning 66 today, ladies and gents! And the collective crowd asks "Who the hell is Robert Zimmerman?" Robert Zimmerman is one of the most influential and enduring artists of all time and arguably the greatest songwriter in history. Robert Zimmerman has one of the most recognizable voices ever recorded and is both loved and hated for it. I will admit that his vocals were certainly an acquired taste for me to be sure. Robert Zimmerman is a talented writer and a gifted poet; an actor and a musician who has been writing, recording and performing music for 45 years and counting. Robert Zimmerman is none other than the Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.

I could go into a long winded thesis about Bob Dylan...his life, his music, his mark on the world at large...but I won't. Anyone reading this can find more information than they ever wanted to know about Bob Dylan with a click of their mouse by going here, here, here or about a million other sites dedicated to his life and ongoing legacy. I'm good with the words but it would take me ages to appropriately explain Bob Dylan and what his songs have meant to me and I just don't have that kinda time today. Bob Dylan isn't for everyone but I've found there are two types of music lovers...those who adore Dylan and those who think he's grossly overrated. I fall into the first category.

In lieu of a wordy dissertation, I decided that since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I'll let the music do the talking today and post up some of my favorite songs of his covered by some of my favorite artists. My love letter to Mr. Dylan, if you will. We'll call it the "Happy Birthday, Bob!" mix.

Enjoy!

Jimi Hendrix - "All Along The Watchtower"

Luka Bloom - "Make You Feel My Love"

Magnet with Gemma Hayes - "Lay Lady Lay"

Guns N' Roses - "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"

Tracy Chapman - "The Times They Are A Changin'"

Stevie Wonder - "Blowin' In The Wind"

Cerys Matthews - "I Believe In You"

Jason Mraz - "A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall"

As Tall As Lions - "Girl of the North Country"

The Format - "Simple Twist of Fate"

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - "Isis"

The Roots - "Masters of War"

Jane's Addiction - "Like A Rolling Stone"

Van Morrison - "Just Like A Woman"
Limbeck - "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You"

O introduced me to Super Deluxe not long ago and I find I check it far more often than I should. If you find yourself bored at work, killing time stuck in an airport or just generally huntin' a laugh, give the site a spin. This is one of my favorite videos...The Post Show punkin' on Dylan with their short, No Direction, Period. It's HILARIOUS...enjoy!

"I had to lose myself so I could love you better."

You see the photo so you know I’m going to write about the incomparable Lauryn Hill so I’ll get right to it…

Who among us wasn’t a fan of one of the biggest hits of 1996, “Killing Me Softly” by The Fugees? Huh? Who? Nobody, that’s who. It was all over the radio; everyone loved it. They loved the album it was spawned from too; The Score was #1 on the Billboard 200 at the time and has since gone on to sell over 18 million copies worldwide. An impressive feat for a sophomore release, don’t ya think? Why is it so beloved both then and now? I’ll tell you why…because it was innovative. It was the rap without the crap. It had everything I loved about rap and hip hop without all the bullshit about bitches, hoes and thuggin’. It truly was one of the most brilliant collaborative efforts of that decade by far. It’s one of those “take you back” albums for me because I can remember playing it over and over in my car until my cassette player (oh yes, I said cassette, folks) crapped out in my ’84 Camaro. Good times, good times.

However, as much as I enjoyed The Score, I didn’t fall head over heels for The Fugees. It was Lauryn Hill who stood out like a shiny diamond on a dirt road. She was instantly captivating…an immediate star in my eyes. I’d never heard anyone sing as well as they rapped and vice versa. She was intelligent and talented…strong and clearly independent. I’m not ashamed to say that I was a bit smitten with my overall perception of her. In fact, I think she may have even been my first celebrity girl crush.

If that was my crush moment then it’s fair to say that my true love affair with L Boogie (who prefers to be addressed as Ms. Hill these days) began the moment I pressed play two years later and heard Lauryn’s soul pour from the speakers on the tracks of her solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I was literally knocked out by what I heard from start to finish on that album. There are tracks on it that remain classified to this day as some of my personal “ingrained refrains”…that is to say that they are among the songs of my lifetime that help define who I am, help remind me who I was, where I’ve been and how far I’ve come and the tunes that teach me who I want to be. I was in awe of the unashamed honesty and candor in her music. The integrity and courage of her spirit was apparent and astounding throughout. I’m still in awe just thinking about it now.

This is the part where I tell you that after sweeping the Grammy’s with her debut, Lauryn Hill took a bit of a mental health holiday. This is where I relay that even at the height of her career she opted not to sacrifice her integrity for fortune and fame. This is where I tell you that she had an epiphany of sorts and decided to wave the white flag in the direction of the recording industry and be true to herself and focus on her family. This is where I explain that but for a few appearances (notable as they were) scattered throughout the past 4 years, Ms. Hill has been a virtual recluse. This is where I share that all these things make me both selfishly sad and enormously relieved…sad that there has essentially been no music from her since Miseducation and relieved that I’m not the only one who has ever experienced moments of requiring monumental change in my life and unapologetically taking the time to do it.

At this point in the post, I’m certain it’s clear that Lauryn Hill ranks at the tippy-tip top of my list of favorite, fearless females of all time. So imagine with me if you will the degree of giddiness I experienced when I found out that after much stalking on the part of Joss, she’d agreed to lend her signature sound to a track called “Music” on Introducing Joss Stone. Now go ahead and fast forward three months and conjure in your mind the vision of me elated to learn that the Fugees’ first lady contributed an original song to the soundtrack of the new animated feature “Surf’s Up” that will be draining the wallets of parents everywhere all summer long beginning June 8^th.

From Columbia Records:

“We are thrilled to be a part of the return of Ms. Lauryn Hill!," exclaimed Liza Richardson, an avid surfer, DJ, and music supervisor for "Surf's Up." "Apparently, she related to Big Z's story -- reaching the top, checking out for a while, doing some soul searching and re-emerging with joy -- and wrote and recorded a real celebratory summer jam session for 'Surf' Up.' We're glad to have Lauryn back where she belongs!"

I absolutely LOVE this song and I don’t give one iota what anyone else has to say about it. I’m tuning out anyone who is bitching that it took 10 years for her to put anything out and this is what she’s come up with. I don’t hear you…la, la, la, la, la. Considering that she’s now a mother to four young children who will undoubtedly be super stoked to hear their mom perform a song in a movie and given the nature and lyrical content of the song, I think it’s a masterpiece and it has become my addiction for the week.

Lauryn has also announced some tour dates but to be safe, don’t call it a comeback. I won’t be fortunate enough to attend any of these shows but for those of you who live where she’ll be performing, for the sake of goodness go see the woman play! Check below to see if Lauryn will be coming to a venue near you.

Lauryn Hill – “Lose Myself”

Joss Stone with Lauryn Hill – “Music”

And Talib Kweli’s 2005 ode to the one and only Ms. Hill with a little help from Ben Kweller’s “In Other Words” to boot. How’s that for some six degrees of separation shit, huh?

Talib Kweli – “Ms. Hill”

"Leave me be...I've got everything I could ever possibly need."

Woodpigeon may be one of the worst band names I’ve ever heard and in fact is the sole reason it took me so long to listen to the album when I received it. I’m not gonna lie…it’s been in the “to listen” pile for a few months so when I came across it again I finally decided to suck it up and take a look. As I perused the track names, the title of the first lured me in…“Home as a Romanticized Concept Where Everyone Loves You Always and Forever”…what an amazing title! It totally made up for the shitty band name but I couldn’t help thinking that they were probably trying too hard to be hip and overcompensating for something that must be lacking after I saw the second track was titled “A Sad Country Ballad for a Tired Superhero”. I was wrong…way wrong.

The group with the hideous name hails from Canada and you all know how I love all things Canadian. I love Joni Mitchell, Anne Murray, Nelly Furtado, Ryan Gosling, Alanis Morissette, Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Oh, Gordon Lightfoot, Peter Jennings and above all...Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Oh yes…go ahead and make fun all you want but I adore him. Always have, always will.

And per usual, I digress. Back to the music…

Like fellow Canucks Broken Social Scene before them, Woodpigeon (OUCH!...that name!) boasts an inordinate amount of members in the group…7 main members and 18 contributors in all. Often times this can make for a confused sound…messy and scattered…but here, it works remarkably well. The members seem to be very focused on exploiting the talents of each individual member to benefit the whole in an incredible way. At times they sound a bit alt-country folk but overall the group utilizes interesting instrument combinations to achieve their unique sound and to me it never seems overproduced. I’ve heard them touted as Canada’s answer to Sufjan Stevens and while I understand the comparisons I don’t necessarily agree…Sufjan hasn’t ever been my cup of tea and these guys could have me drinking all day. Sufjan fans will assuredly find much to love on this record but I don’t dare count out all those people who haven’t been bitten by the Sufjan bug either…there’s something here for everyone if you just listen long enough.

Songbook is indeed a book of sorts…full of stories in song form. There are stories of lost love and friendships, epic journeys and even a few laughs thrown in to balance it all out. And because it is essentially a book of stories, I prefer to listen to it in its entirety from start to finish so that the effect and vision is fully realized. However, here are a few of my stand alone favorites. To purchase the album in its entirety, which I HIGHLY suggest you do, visit Rectangle Record's website and download a free copy of their EP Houndstooth while you’re there! Enjoy the band with the terrible name…

Woodpigeon – “Home as a Romanticized Concept Where Everyone Loves You Always and Forever”

Woodpigeon – “If Only I Were A Painter, I’d Paint For You The Moon”

Woodpigeon – “That Was Good But You Can Do Better”

“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.”

That Oscar Wilde knew what he was talking about...I love excess! Wow...what an influx of readers! There have been hundreds of views of this blog today and thousands more over the weekend that have consequently led to my bandwidth being exceeded. How'd that happen?! Oops!

My only solution will be to upload the files I post to another source for your downloading pleasure which will do away with the listening feature but oh well...it'll do for now until a more suitable solution is found. If there are files that have been posted recently that you've come here seeking and have not been able to obtain thanks to this exceeded bandwidth, leave a comment and I'll happily re-up them as time permits.

Share the music you find here and if you enjoy the artists please, please, please, please, please, please purchase their releases, go see their shows and above all encourage others to do the same.


Tweet featuring Missy Elliott - Oops! (Oh My!)

It's not easy bein' green...

We took Miss E to see Shrek the Third over the weekend and while the story seemed a bit flat, the music more than made up for it. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of awesome classic rock songs they featured in the soundtrack and how they played into the comedy of each particular scene. I was especially pleased when Emma knew that Led Zeppelin was the artist playing when Snow White summoned her forest creatures to declare war upon Prince Charming's evil army of fairytale bad guys. We had a good laugh at her enthusiasm at having known who it was post show. It's nice to know she's been paying attention to my incessant ramblings on the history of classic rock whilst listening to KMOD.

While the film was chock full of plenty of adult jokes to keep the grown ups laughing (and I'm happy to report that all the laughs were in good taste and I found none to be over the top tacky) overall the movie was a bit of a disappointment to me as the first and second films were absolutely brilliant and in retrospect I think perhaps we entered the theater with high expectations and set the bar too high. The kids could have cared less though...they all loved it. They especially loved the ogre offspring that I must admit were unbelievably adorable on screen.

A few of my favorite tracks from the film are below and are featured on the soundtrack that is available online and in stores now. The one exception is that "9 Crimes", one of my favorite tunes from one of my favorite albums of last year, is understandably absent from the Disney soundtrack but does make a surprising appearance in the film at just the right time so I tossed it into this post for good measure.

Macy Gray - "What I Gotta Do"

Trevor Hall - "Other Ways"

Fergie - "Barracuda"

Led Zeppelin - "Immigrant Song"

Damien Rice - "9 Crimes"

Anatomy In Song

So many projects, so little time today! Grrrrrr! I'm still not certain how I feel about last night's season finale of Grey's Anatomy. I'm mixed and torn. The only thing I am certain of is that Sandra Oh is one of the finest actresses of her generation...she was OUTSTANDING! I don't have time to appropriately delve into each song the way I like to do so you'll all be spared my rambling (save a few exceptions) today. Don't act like you don't know who you are...we see you reading, we get the IP stats. ;-)

There were some great tunes last night...a long time favorite of mine and a few I hadn't heard so enjoy them all with me and have a GLORIOUS weekend wherever you are!



Coburn - "Closer"

Coburn are the producer/DJ duo of Pete Martin and Tim Healey. Together, they represent that space between rock'n'roll and dance where pretty much anything goes. They have single-handedly pioneered the "crossover" indie/dance sound and all but given birth to the dance-style currently hailed as: electro-house.

Check them out on Myspace to hear new studio tracks and keep up to date on their latest information.





Grace Potter - "Falling Or Flying"

If you, like me, are a fan of Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi then chances are pretty good you're gonna enjoy Grace Potter & The Nocturnals.

Grace is gorgeous and funky fresh and she and her band put on an awesome live show. They are constantly on tour it seems and they will be working the festival circuit this year with their most notable stops being in Lawrence, Kansas at Wakarusa on June 9th & 10th and ACL in Austin, Texas on September 16th.



Ingrid Michaelson - "Keep Breathing"

And here it is, folks...the song I mentioned a few days ago. It's every bit as lovely as I thought it would be. Another musical triumph for the masterful Ms. Michaelson. And as far as triumphs go, she scored another one this morning when she appeared on GMA with my very, very, very, very favorite news anchor of all time and she who I adore, the sensational Diane Sawyer. I DVR'd it. No lie. I fully intend to watch it at some point this weekend. And to make matters even more fantastic, she was featured in the Wall Street Journal this week as they explored the phenomenon of Indie artists receiving massive exposure thanks to major network outlets. Will wonders never cease?!?!

It's so great to see her finally receiving some recognition outside of the online music community that has embraced her. She deserves some kudos and congratulations for all her hard work and what better way to do that then in person while she's still accessible? If you live in Oregon, Washington or California, go see her while she's touring in your area next month with fellow Grey's alum and yet another artist I have a draft post about that I've yet to complete, Mr. William Fitzsimmons. I would be in heaven seeing the two of them so I'm uber jealous of you left coasters. Get out to the shows and tell 'em I said Howdy!




Ray LaMontagne - "Hold You In My Arms"

Ray LaMontagne - "Within You"

Ahhhh, Mr. LaMontagne...oh how I love thee. Ray is an eccentric riddle of a man to be sure but his music has the ability to inspire and soothe me in a way that is inexplicable. I've written or mentioned Ray a lot. Yeah...an awful lot it seems. But that's ok because it's my blog and I can do that. I've loved him in sunshine and rain...during both his pre & post Rayish eras...and his voice moves me as much today as it did the first time I heard it. "Hold You In My Arms" is a LONG time favorite and "Within You" is one that took a long time for me to grasp, embrace and love. Ray is AMAZING...truly. If you're fortunate enough to grab tickets to a show he doesn't cancel, for the love of all things holy, please go and please regulate the crowd. It's totally worth it, I swear.



The Hereafter - "Eulogy"

the hereafter = "simon and garfunkel for the 21st century" and/or "post-seinfeld, post-9/11 eyebrow rock."

I would say more but I think that sums it up pretty well, folks. For more information about John Elliot and to hear more of his music, visit his site or Myspace and check him out. The song "Back Where I Was" was featured on Grey's during the 2nd season (God I have so much useless information stored in my brain!) and I'd expect we'll hear more from John & Co. (whoever co. consists of at that time) in the future as the music is fairly fantastic.




The Mary Onettes - "Explosions"

It's like déjà vu or something, right? They just played The Mary Onettes last week during the craptastic 2 hour "help the spinoff get noticed" episode. I wrote a bit about them then so in an effort to not be redundant I'll just post a link to that entry. Oh wait...that'd be redundant.

Screw it...I rule at redundancy...ask anyone who's been lectured by me and they'll tell you it's true.







The Jealous Girlfriends - "Roboxula"

One look at this photo and I realized that The Jealous Girlfriends was probably a VERY fitting name for the group. I mean c'mon...how many girls would revel in the fact that their significant other would be keeping close quarters with someone who bears a striking resemblance to Nelly Furtado? She looks so much like Nelly that for a split second I thought she was moonlighting with another band but she's not...this chick's just adorable too.

I like this song MUCH better than the one that played during the episode when all the men fled the estrogen drama filled walls of Seattle Grace and went on a fishing expedition. Yeah...this appeals to me far more than "Something In The Water" did but overall I find I really like their sound a lot. Check out their Myspace to decide for yourself which song you prefer.

"Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice..."

I'm fairly certain that I've never expressed publicly how much I love The Frames, The Swell Season...hell, Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, et. al actually. But...I do. The Frames' eighth album, The Cost, very nearly made my list of 2006 contenders but was overshadowed by some amazing new music that really spoke louder to me at the time. However...it was their best effort to date and if you aren't familiar, pick it up. Assuming you know nothing of The Frames I suppose you'd know nothing of The Swell Season and so in order for me to delve further into the film I'm going to talk about, I'll have to break it down for you.

I received a message from my buddy Shley...oh yes, she is amazing...early last year with a link to check out The Swell Season. I've never been a huge fan of The Frames and admittedly outside of really loving a few tracks from their '04 album Burn The Maps that I'd heard via a mix CD that was made for me, I didn't REALLY get into their work until Ashley got me into The Swell Season and I went digging backward but once I made the connection between the two groups I fell head over heels for both. (Holy run on, Batman!) The Swell Season is actually a side project for Frames' lead singer, Glen Hansard and his Czech export gal pal, Marketa Irglova. Born out of a request from director Jan Hřebejk to contribute music for his 2006 Beauty in Trouble (Kráska v nesnázích), Glen & Marketa created The Swell Season and released their self titled debut after realizing that the music they made together was spectacular and should be shared. I'm so glad they did.

The Swell Season was very much a "right tunes/right time" album for me. It was introduced to me at a point when I really needed the type of raw, forlorn, emotional and soul breaking music Glen & Marketa composed. It's not a good time disc at all...I'd put it in my "Songs To Cry & Curl Into The Fetal Position By...In A Good Way" playlist for sure. That's my disclaimer for the album; my parental advisory if you will. It's still amazing and worth a listen and I'm going to venture to say that their latest collaboration, the film Once, is worth your time as well. The 4-1-1:

A Dublin busker, who ekes out a living playing guitar and repairing vacuum cleaners for his dad's shop, meets a young Czech immigrant who sells roses on the same street. She likes his song, and what's more…she has a broken vacuum cleaner! They soon find themselves playing music together in a nearby music store (since she can't afford a piano, the owner lets her play his floor models). Over the course of a week, they form a musical rapport and, newly inspired, decide to record an album.

Once may loosely be classified as a musical, but it has a refreshing vérité inflection. Conceived by director John Carney as a "video album," it sports a scrappy, unembellished naturalism. Carney took a risk in choosing professional musicians over professional actors, but Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are not only remarkably charming together but they're equally adept with the more melancholy shades (Hansard's lonely soul, stuck on an old flame; Irglova struggling to support a mother and daughter). Burdened and brokenhearted, their musical bond is the heart of the film and of their love.

Great music aside, what makes this film special is how little effort it seems to exert. If it's possible to be blindsided by simplicity--a light touch, Once does it.

— John Nein

Even though it was only released to limited theaters yesterday, It's gotten rave reviews from critics and movie goers alike and was one of the fan favorites of the Sundance Film Festival in January. I'll be putting it in my Netflix queue...will you?

Official Trailer:

A few of my favorite tracks from Glen & Marketa from The Swell Season are below. See if you can tell which track was written with fellow Irishman Damien Rice...it should be fairly obvious if you're a fan of his at all.

The Swell Season - "Sleeping"

The Swell Season - "Falling Slowly"

The Swell Season - "Leave"

The Swell Season - "Alone Apart"