Eat, drink and be scary!

Most people say that Christmas or Thanksgiving are their favorite holidays. Not me…no sir. Halloween is far and away my favorite holiday of the year. Christmas has been so commercially bastardized that it’s lost it’s meaning and Thanksgiving is truly just the celebration of the white man encroaching on the Native American people and raping their land and culture and I think people should be thankful every day of the year…not just the fourth Thursday of November.

Halloween is different around the world and originally it was celebrated in Ireland and Great Britain as the Pagan festival Samhain. It is now celebrated all over the world and while not every culture participates, it depends on which society you are in how you will celebrate. You can read up on the history and evolution of Halloween here. It's quite interesting, really.

So, in honor of my favorite holiday, I give you some Halloween-esque tunes from my library to get you in the mood to trick or treat tonight. Not all of them are truly appropriate content wise but they've all got some pretty rad titles regardless. Whether you're going to a party in a slutty or scary costume to drink yourself sick and puke on the porch, out to see the latest scary flick (Saw IV and 30 Days of Night are my recommendations) or like me are taking the wee ones house to house begging for food and threatening retaliation if none is given be safe out there and enjoy yourselves!



The Eagles - "Witchy Woman"

Wolfmother - "Witchcraft"

Indigo Girls - "Ghost"

Jethro Tull - "The Witch's Promise"

Katie Melua - "Scary Films"

Rob Zombie - "Dragula"

Warren Zevon - "Werewolves of London"

Roy Orbison - "Running Scared"

Smashing Pumpkins - "The Killer in Me"

Spoon - "The Ghost of You Lingers"

The Automatics - "Monster"

The Doors - "The Ghost Song"

The Doors - "People Are Strange"

B.C. Camplight - "Blood & Peanut Butter"

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Bad Moon Rising"

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Tombstone Shadow"

The Go! Team – “Phantom Broadcast”

Nina Simone – “I Put A Spell on You”

Sting - "Ghost Story"

Chrisopher Blue – “Scarecrow”

Sparklehorse – “Ghost in the Sky”

The National Lights – “The Dead Will Walk”

Jon Auer - "Cemetery Song"

The Fashion – “Dead Boys”

Lovedrug - "Ghost by Your Side"

The Rolling Stones – “Paint it Black”

The Rolling Stones - "Sympathy for the Devil"

Margot & The Nuclear So & So's - "Skeleton Key"

Margot & The Nuclear So & So's - "Vampires in Blue Dresses"

Ray Parker Jr. – “Ghostbusters”

White Zombie – “I’m Your Boogie Man”

Stevie Wonder - "Superstition"

Jeff Buckley - "Witches' Rave"

Ill Lit - "The Ghost of Presston Brown"

Edgar Winter Group – “Frankenstein”

DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – “Nightmare on My Street”

Self Against City – “Becoming a Monster”

Blue Oyster Cult – “Don’t Fear the Reaper”

Santana – “Black Magic Woman”

Atlanta Rhythm Section - "Spooky"

Bon Iver - "Creature Fear"

Alice Cooper – “Welcome to my Nightmare”

Cloud Cult – “Dance for the Dead”

Kevin Devine - "Go Haunt Someone Else"

Kiss - "Creatures of the Night"

The Beatles - "Helter Skelter"

The Push Stars - "Drunk is Better than Dead"

The Faders - "Better Off Dead"

Charlie Daniels Band - "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"

Ryan Adams – “Halloween Head”

Devotchka - "This Place is Haunted"

Ministry – “Everyday is Halloween”

Radical Face – “Haunted”

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"

Milosh - "Creepy"

The Smiths - "Pretty Girls Make Graves"

Tom McRae - "Human Remains"

Umbrellas - "Vampires"

Chris Garneau – “Halloween”

Dustin Kensrue – “Blanket of Ghosts”

Dave Matthews - "Gravedigger"

Counting Crows - "Friend of the Devil"

Albert Hammond, Jr. - "Scared"

Donovan - "Season of the Witch"


And no Halloween post would be complete without mentioning MJ's pre-scandal masterpiece...

Michael Jackson - "Thriller"

"Bittersweet memories...that's all I have and all I'm taking with me."

The original rhinestone cowboy and undisputed king of the Grand Ole Opry, Mr. Porter Wagoner, passed from this life yesterday at the age of 80 after losing his battle with lung cancer.

Born to a farming family in southwestern Missouri, Wagoner was driven by his love of bluegrass music and formed his first band, The Blue Ridge Boys, while he worked in a butcher shop in the late 40's. After being discovered by Springfield radio station KWTO in 1951, Porter was offered a recording contract by RCA and the rest is history. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1957 after many years of trying to produce hit tunes and in 1960 landed the opportunity of a lifetime as the host of his own show...the nationally syndicated Porter Wagoner Show where he would in 1967 discover the talents of who would later become one of the most beloved and legendary ladies of country music, Dolly Parton.

Dolly and Porter achieved huge success as a duo on the show for several years but in 1973 it became evident that Parton's star could shine far brighter were she to venture off on her own and one of the greatest songs of all time, "I Will Always Love You", was born of the pain of her having to leave Porter behind. Many have covered the song over the years and Whitney Houston made it the most commercially successful after recording it for the soundtrack to her 1992 movie with Kevin Costner, The Bodyguard, but for me and so many others it is Dolly's heart wrenching, tear evoking original that is the quintessential version of the tune.

Ever the consummate performer, Porter Wagoner has spent the better part of his life adorned in his nudie suits on the Grand Ole Opry stage and on television screens everywhere as his show was on the air a staggering 21 years. In fact, even after suffering a near fatal stomach aneurysm last year he recorded what would be his final and most critically acclaimed album, Wagonmaster. He made several appearances in support of the effort showing up on Letterman with Marty Stuart and even opening for Neko Case in Hollywood and The White Stripes at MSG in New York City this year. His last performance on the Grand Ole Opry stage was one month ago today on September 29th.

As any country music fan can attest, Porter's contributions to the genre are immeasurable and his showmanship incomparable. Fans, contemporaries, family and friends of Porter Wagoner are surely in mourning today after such a terrible loss but I've always felt that in death we should celebrate life and so today I celebrate the life and work of Porter here by taking a look back at some of his performances and listening to his music.






Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton - "Run That by Me One More Time"




Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton - "Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark"




Performing Albert Erving on Letterman:




Porter Wagoner - "Julie"




Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner - "If Teardrops Were Pennies"

Porter Wagoner - "I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name"

Porter Wagoner - "A Satisfied Mind"

Porter Wagoner - "I Wonder Where You Are Tonight"

Porter Wagoner - "I'll Go Down Swinging"

Porter Wagoner - "My Dad"

Porter Wagoner - "Sorrow on the Rocks"

Porter Wagoner - "Take Good Care of Her"

Porter Wagoner - "Where the Roses Never Fade"

Porter Wagoner - "Your Old Love Letters"

Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton - "Please Don't Stop Loving Me"


And because a post about Porter Wagoner wouldn't be complete without the aforementioned song penned by Dolly...

Dolly Parton - "I Will Always Love You"

Dolly Parton singing "I Will Always Love You" to Porter Wagoner at the Grand Ole Opry in honor of his 50th anniversary as a member:



And a fitting farewell from some other country music legends...

Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris & Johnny Paycheck - "Amazing Grace"

Haunt You Everyday

I find myself yet again at the end of a very hectic week that hasn't allowed me the time to post the way I would like or the way people request. I hear ya, folks...I hear ya. And, if this weren't just a hobby, I might even apologize. Anywho...there were some fantastic songs that played last night from some of my very, very favorite artists so please check them out and enjoy them in the manner in which they were intended.



The Bird & The Bee - "Polite Dance Song"

Oh how I adore Inara George! I've written about her work in The Bird & The Bee before but I feel I should reiterate again how awesome she is solo. Check her out!








The Gossip - "Listen Up!"

Beth Ditto is no stranger to this blog. I've expressed my love for The Gossip on more than one occasion and this song is a personal favorite. If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard last year's Standing in the Way of Control for the love of all things holy go out and get yourself a copy now.





The Perishers - "Get Well Soon"

The Perishers - "Come Out of the Shade"

It looks like someone over at ABC got themselves a copy of The Perishers latest album Victorious and fell head over heels like I did when I first heard it. Good for them, I say! With three songs hitting Grey's in two weeks, something tells me these guys are on the verge of a HUGE breakthrough. Get the album...it's good stuff.



These next two ladies both own a piece of my heart and have for quite some time. Katie Herzig and Kendall Payne are some of my very favorite female singer songwriters and if you're not familiar with their work, you should be. They're both just adorable and fantastic. I can't say enough good things about them so I'll just stop but definitely look into getting yourself some of their music.




Katie Herzig - "Fools Gold"

Weightless & Watch Them Fall are both two of my favorite albums in the world. Her voice and sound are completely infectious. Get them both for $25 here.





Kendall Payne - "I Will Show You Love"

If you haven't heard Kendall's song "Scratch", go listen to it. Right now! Her latest album, Paper Skin, is FANTASTIC!

For your convenience and by request, a .zip file of all the tunes from last night's episode. Enjoy!

Haunt You Everyday - Grey's Tunes - Season 4, Episode 5

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."

Call me lazy if you like but the truth is I'm just too exhausted to compose anything really worthwhile today. I had a fantastic long weekend that ended far too soon and so since I still have that on the brain and can think of absolutely nothing else, here is my cop out post for the day.

Get off the internet and go love somebody today.


Sara Bareilles - "Love Song"

Tesla - "Love Song"

The Cure - "Lovesong"

Kahlil Gibran on Love

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

The Heart of the Matter

"Don't you dare come to me for forgiveness you traitorous bitch."

I hope Sara Ramirez gets an Emmy nod for her portrayal of the jilted wife this season because she is SUPERB. I wanted to post a still from that particular scene but couldn't find one and since to me that's THE defining moment in last night's episode I just decided not to post a photo at all this time.

On to the tunes...




Kim Richey - "The Absence of Your Company"

Some of you may remember that in my August post about the fantabulous Kim Richey I said that "The Absence of Your Company" was my favorite track on her recent release Chinese Boxes. It still is. It's heartbreaking and healing all at once...have a listen.





Meiko - "Hawaii"

There's not a lot I can say about Meiko and her music that I didn't already say the last time one of her songs appeared on Grey's. She's amazing, amazing, amazing and currently on tour with fellow Grey's alum Mat Kearney so hit up a show and check them out!






John Legend - "Sun Comes Up"

It just occurred to me that as much as I love John Legend I've never posted about his music. For shame! I first heard the name John Legend while pouring over the liner notes of Lauryn Hill's extraordinary solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. He played piano on "Everything is Everything" and did an amazing job. I, like millions of other people, really took notice when he released his debut Get Lifted and was instantly in love. "Ordinary People" (which was originally to have been a track for Black Eyed Peas) was a staple during my commute for the better part of 2005. It never gets old. What does a star do after achieving success with their first two albums? They start a philanthropic foundation and get involved with other charitable organizations! John Legend has put his talents to good use by creating the Show Me Campaign a grassroots movement to end economic and spiritual poverty throughout the world. He also appeared with the rest of the socially responsible musicians of the world for a Live Earth performance and he's partnered with Tide to join their Loads of Hope initiative to assist those in St. Bernard Parish who are still living with the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. With all his charitable work it's hard to imagine he'd have time to hit the studio but his third album is slated for release sometime in the summer of 2008. I can't wait. You can find this track on the third installment of the Grey's soundtrack and another version can be found on John's 2004 release Solo Sessions, Vol. 1: Live at the Knitting Factory.





Northern State - "Better Already"

Aside from what I read a few months ago in Entertainment Weekly I don't know much about these Long Island ladies. I did get the album on the recommendation of the magazine but sadly, haven't listened to any of it yet save this song which I do quite enjoy. They've got a really fun website
and they're touring all over the place with Tegan & Sara through the end of the year so something tells me we'll be hearing more about them soon or maybe they're just new to me. Rest assured I'll be taking a long listen to Can I Keep This Pen? over the weekend as I travel out of town as I'm officially intrigued.




Prince Fatty - "Milk and Honey"

I know zero about these guys and didn't even find a photo but here's what I did learn from their label and a few other sources:

"The group was put together by producer and engineer Mike Pelanconi, who produced Lilly Allen’s Alright Still and Little Barrie’s Stand Your Ground, and features an exciting guest line-up. The Roots Radics drummer Style Scott, Ruff Cut Band hammond organ player Bubblers, afrobeat star and saxophonist Bucky Leo and the Nostalgia 77 Horn Section have all played their part. Guest vocals have been provided by Little Roy, Winston Francis and Hollie Cook; its Cook’s smoky vocals that are showcased on Milk & Honey."

I'm sure someone out there can enlighten me more and please feel free but that's all I have time to seek out today.





Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Rockers to Swallow"

People were crazy for Yeah Yeah Yeahs' sophomore album Show Your Bones last year and even with all the hype, I wasn't that crazy for it. I liked it but I didn't love it. I have however enjoyed this year's Is Is EP very much and this song is the first track from that effort. The songs were written in 2004 during an especially tumultuous time for the group and I think that's more than evident when you listen. Check it out...it's good stuff.


For your convenience, a .zip file of all the tunes from last night's episode. Enjoy!

The Heart of the Matter - Grey's Tunes - Season 4, Episode 4

"Give a little bit...give a little bit of your love to me."

I went on and on about Garth Brooks last week so why am I posting about him again? To prove that everything I said was true. Garth's latest effort, Ultimate Hits, is scheduled to drop November 6th and I think everyone should own a copy. BUT, I think you should get the "Pink Edition" via Susan G. Komen for the Cure and let me tell you why...

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the sad reality is that an estimated 178,480 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women this year. That's 178,480 mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, aunts and grandmothers, people. That means that your co-worker, your neighbor, your best friend and maybe even your family could be effected by this disease. And men are not immune to breast cancer either...1.5 per 100,000 men are diagnosed each year as well. Young or old, male or female, rich or poor...this disease truly does not discriminate.

Garth has teamed up with Susan G. Komen For The Cure to offer his 3 Disc Ultimate Hits package for $15.00. For every album sold, $10.00 will go toward finding a cure for breast cancer. The 3-disc set contains 30 classics, three new songs and a bonus track on two audio CDs. It also includes a DVD with 33 videos including new and never-before-seen footage. Additionally, the album will feature important breast health and breast cancer information along with an instructional card on breast self-examination. I cannot think of a better way to spend a Hamilton & a Lincoln.

Visit the Promise Shop to order yours now. I just did. And, while you're there, take a look around the site and do yourself a HUGE favor and download the self exam cards that are available here. Early detection and treatment is key to beating breast cancer and no matter how young you are or how much you think it can't happen to you because it doesn't run in your family, I'm here to tell you it can. I hope it never does but it absolutely can. Get yourself educated and then share the information you learn with your family and friends. The life you save could be your own.

And just for shits and grins, here is a random mish-mosh of aptly titled or otherwise relevant songs to get you in the mood to give or if you are fighting the battle against cancer some songs to get you in the mood to live.

Supertramp - "Give a Little Bit"

Eric Clapton - "Change the World"

Bread - "Everything I Own"

Al Green & Annie Lennox - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

Joan Osbourne - "What if God was One of Us"

Natalie Merchant - "Kind & Generous"

John Lennon - "Imagine"

New Radicals - "You Get What You Give"

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Give it Away"

James Taylor - "Shower the People"

The Fray - "How to Save a Life"

The Judds - "Love Can Build a Bridge"

The Pretenders - "I'll Stand by You"

A Fine Frenzy - "Hope for the Hopeless"

Bill Withers - "Lovely Day"

Christina Aguilera - "Fighter"

George Michael - "Faith"

Joe Cocker - "With a Little Help from My Friends"

Elton John - "I'm Still Standing"

Robbie Neville - "C'est la Vie"

Simon & Garfunkel - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

Sam Cooke - "A Change is Gonna Come"

Regina Spektor - "Better"

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"

Reba McEntire - "I'm a Survivor"

KT Tunstall - "Heal Over"

Jimmy Cliff - "I Can See Clearly Now"

John Hiatt - "Have a Little Faith in Me"

Natalie Merchant - "Wonder"

Kanye West - "Stronger"

Jack Johnson - "Better Together"

Destiny's Child - "Survivor"

Gary Allan - "Life Ain't Always Beautiful"

India.Arie - "There's Hope"

Frank Sinatra - "That's Life"

Dixie Chicks - "I Hope"

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - "Somewhere over the Rainbow/Wonderful World"

Don Williams - "Lord I Hope This Day is Good"

Diana Ross & The Supremes - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

The Beatles - "Here Comes the Sun"

James Taylor - "You've Got a Friend"

Cake - "I Will Survive"

Ben Harper - "Diamonds on the Inside"

Sade - "By Your Side"

Tanya Tucker - "Strong Enough to Bend"

Jack Johnson - "Better Together"

Celine Dion - "Love Can Move Mountains"

Don Williams - "I Believe in You"

Joe Cocker - "With a Little Help from My Friends"

Sarah McLachlan - "Hold On"

Van Morrison - "Bright Side of the Road"




I cannot stress early detection enough. It is the key to survival. Learn how to perform a self exam and visit here to help give free mammograms.

Who sings that?!?!

Given the fact that music is my passion, I serve as the musical database for many of my friends and family as I'm sure many other music aficionados do. When they hear a song in a movie trailer, television commercial or over a department store PA that they like, I'm always the first to get the call. I either have to strain to hear the tune over the phone or I'm subjected to their butchering of the lyrics that are never anywhere near right against a backdrop of their "la-la-la's" and thumb thumping for the right beat. It's hard sometimes to be the "jukebox hero" as my friend Davis calls me. There's a lot of pressure involved being expected to know a song right on the spot with extremely limited (and often brutally incorrect) information. My reputation is at stake every single time.

Fortunately, I've yet to not know a song or at least be able to determine what it was in a reasonable amount of time. Lately, I'm getting these types of calls more and more frequently though and I suppose that means that the marketing masters behind Hilton Hotels, Old Navy, Volkswagen, Apple and JCPenney deserve lots of kudos. So, since it's a lazy, dreary day I thought why not share some of the most asked about tunes here.

You all know how much I do so love Regina Spektor. Here is her song, "Music Box", from the bonus disc of last year's Begin to Hope featured in JCPenney's "Magic" commercial:



Regina Spektor - "Music Box"


One of my favorite "crank up the radio and sing it loud" tunes ever! Jeep is celebrating 66 years in the industry this year and they made a great commercial featuring Jonathan Edwards' 1971 classic "Sunshine". If you don't have this self titled debut, you don't love 70's folk music. Get it.



Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"


Another really great Jeep commercial features a song called "You Remind Me" by Steve Poltz (who NEVER gets enough love!). He's a friend of a friend and makes some really great music so check him out and show some love. You can check him out in Before The Music Dies which I touched on in an earlier post here. If you haven't seen this film, I can't urge you strongly enough to do so. In the meantime, enjoy thinking about how fun it would be to actually do this:



Steve Poltz - "You Remind Me"



I've talked about Grey's Anatomy sensation Ingrid Michaelson before and here she is again in Old Navy's sweater commercial with "The Way I Am" from Girls & Boys:



Ingrid Michaelson - "The Way I Am"


I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've been asked about Feist's iPod commercial recently. The Reminder will definitely be on my year end list and this song is one of the reasons why. Here's the ad that has everyone asking me about the song "1234":



Feist - "1234"


Another one I was asked about constantly after it began airing years ago was Volkswagen's commercial featuring the legendary Nick Drake song "Pink Moon" from his 1972 masterpiece of the same name. It catapulted him to posthumous stardom for awhile and hopefully introduced tons of people to his music who might not otherwise have known him. I've mentioned Nick a lot on the blog because I adore his music so much. If you're not familiar, check him out. Here's the spot:



Nick Drake - "Pink Moon"


I pretty much loathe the Geico cavemen commercials. I also equally loathe ABC's blunder series "Cavemen" as well. However, Geico played a Röyksopp song titled "Remind Me" from their 2001 album Melody A.M. that people fell in love with and have asked me about continuously since it began airing. So, here it is:



Röyksopp - "Remind Me"


Sprint has a commercial that I really enjoy a lot. I think it's a great concept and it's wicked fun to watch. Sprint calls it "Dreams" and it features a song from Architecture in Helsinki's 2004 effort Fingers Crossed titled "Souvenirs"...



Architecture in Helsinki - "Souvenirs"


One of the songs that I'm asked about the most is Cat Power's cover of The Nerve's "Hangin' on the Telephone" featured in this Cingular commercial:



Unfortunately, it's been stated that Cat Power has no plans to release this cover (although I bet eventually it'll turn up on another of her cover albums) so I don't have a copy of it. I do however thanks to my Dad have the best known version of the song by Blondie from their 1978 album Parallel Lines. Should I happen to stumble across Chan's version at any point in the future, I'll put it up.

Blondie - "Hanging on the Telephone"



And this isn't one I've been asked about but it's definitely my favorite commercial playing these days. It's a commercial that if I fast forward through it I have to go back and watch. It's so utterly adorable and endearing...how can you not love these three? Being with people who understand you truly is priceless.



Parliament - "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)"


And the mother of all music ad campaigns these days seems to be from Hilton Hotels. Ya know...Paris' people. It's become such a phenomenon that the company has dedicated an entire site to it. Featuring performances from and interviews with the artists as well as the ads that started it all, it's pretty entertaining. I've started sending everyone who asks about the music from those ads to the site and it's saved me a lot of time. Check it out here.

My very favorite ad from them is this one featuring my beloved Joshua Radin singing "Today". I adore everything he does. Everything.



Joshua Radin - "Today"


My boy Paolo doing "New Shoes":



Paolo Nutini - "New Shoes"

The fabulous Brett Dennen song "Blessed":



Brett Dennen - "Blessed"


And I don't have a clip of the ad but this is one of my favorite Ben Folds songs ever and they used it so I'm putting it here.

Ben Folds - "Landed"

Let The Truth Sting

Awww! "Really Old Guy" Charlie snapped out of his coma just in time to give newcomers a synopsis of who was screwing who, who was in denial and who needed to move on before he himself moved on to the next life. I kinda liked the old codger myself...I was sad to see him die. I think he had a lot more wisdom to share. The actor who played him had a voice that was so familiar it about made me nuts. He sounds just like the voice of the gentleman who read Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas and Forever Odd on tape. It's been years since I listened to those books while on a cross country trip but I swear it was him. If anyone knows, let me know or it will ding me to death.

Anywho, I don't have time for breakdowns of the songs and artists and ABC doesn't even have a song list up so that I can see if what I think I heard are actually the tunes I heard but rest assured if they aren't I'll be sure and correct the posting at a later date. I typically try to jot down what I hear and check to see if I have them the night before as I watch and then confer with the website to see if I was right but I got sidetracked by a long distance call that could not wait last night so I could be horribly wrong. Don't hate, just appreciate the new non-Grey's tunes if they so happen to not be related. There was a song I hadn't heard before so I'll have to add that at a later time when I get confirmation of just exactly what it was.

In the meantime, enjoy these songs and have a great weekend!



The Bravery - "The Ocean"

Feist - "My Moon, My Man"

The Perishers - "Best Friends"

More Than A Memory

As a hometown boy, Garth Brooks has never really been a memory to those of us who are fortunate enough to live and work near him. He’s an extremely generous man who loves his home and who’s always willing to open his wallet or lend his voice for a good cause. To know him is to know that he’s just like the rest of us Okies; he just has a bigger house and more land. He and Trisha can be found shopping with the girls at Bass Pro or dining at Olive Garden any given day of the week. (At least that’s where I’ve seen the two most recently.) A big emotional teddy bear, he’s just as friendly and down to Earth now as he was twenty years ago when I first met him at a family BBQ. And the fact that he’s so completely accessible and unaffected is why I love him so much. After a seven year recording hiatus save a few tracks that surfaced here and there, Garth is back on country radio in a big, big way these days with “More Than a Memory”, the single from his forth coming compilation of hits plus a cover of "Workin' for a Livin'" with none other than Mr. Huey Lewis himself and few new tunes The Ultimate Hits set to drop November 6th.

Returning to the studio means returning to the stage and Garth will be doing just that next month in Kansas City when he plays 9 shows at the new Sprint Center November 5th-14th. Garth will also be busy at home that week as he's being honored with the Spirit Award during the Will Rogers "Good Ride, Cowboy" gala in Tulsa on November 4th. I was pleasantly surprised by a former flame with tickets this morning and was thrilled when I received the call. It’s quite fitting given the fact that from first dance to last kiss Garth’s music has played such a vital role in our relationship over the years. I can’t think of a more deserving honoree or two people more stoked to be in attendance so YAY! It’s a celebration not to be missed so if you’re a fan of Garth get your own set of tickets and come on down. We’ll be glad to have ya!

I’m sure it’s no surprise that I own more albums than I probably should. And even in this, the digital age of music, I’m still an audiophile who adores nothing more than fighting with the shrink wrap to unlock the squeaky plastic case of a new release so that I can pour over the liner notes and inhale that new CD smell. This being the case, I have a lot of discographies of artists I love. It’s taken a long time and there are more pieces I’d like to have but at this point in time, Garth Brooks’ body of work is complete in my collection. It’s not an exaggeration for me to say that he’s never recorded a song that I don’t love. Not one. From his days with my boys the Skinner Brothers at OSU in the band Santa Fe to the commercial bomb of his portrayal of Chris Gaines, I’ve loved them every one. I even love his covers as he always seems to make them his own regardless of how timeless the originals were or who performed them. He’s a wiz with good old fashioned country love songs and nobody sings a feel good anthem quite like Garth so it’s hard for me to narrow down his catalog but these are the songs that have meant the most to me, that hold special places in my heart for various reasons and that bring to mind some incredible people I’ve been blessed to have in my life as well as the new single that’s quickly moving up on my list of Brooks beauties.

The new single that I’ve been addicted to for weeks:

Garth Brooks – “More Than a Memory”


From the tearjerker 2000 flick Frequency:

Garth Brooks – “When You Come Back to Me Again”

From one of my all time favorite movie soundtracks, Hope Floats, this cover of Dylan’s classic is perfection.

Garth Brooks – “To Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan Cover)”

Other covers I love:

Garth Brooks – “American Pie (Don McLean Cover)”

Garth Brooks – “Shameless (Billy Joel Cover)”

Garth Brooks – “Dixie Chicken (Little Feat Cover)”

Garth Brooks – “Walking After Midnight (Patsy Cline Cover)”

Garth Brooks - "Hard Luck Woman (KISS Cover)"



One of my all time favorite songs by him that’s just about the most beautiful dream I can imagine…

Garth Brooks – “We Shall Be Free”

And a few more uplifting ditties for good measure:

Garth Brooks – “The River”

A song that’s been my personal anthem for years…

“And I hear them saying you’ll never change things and no matter what you do it’s still the same thing. But it’s not the world that I am changing; I do this so this world will know that it will not change me.”

Garth Brooks – “The Change”


Garth Brooks – “Standing Outside the Fire”

And on the personal tip…

For Tab who in my 29 years on the planet has never forsaken me, has never doubted me and who has sang my own song back to me during the dark times when I’ve forgotten the words…

Garth Brooks – “A Friend to Me”

For Donald who in 19 short years here taught me what it means to be courageous, that to truly be alive means you have to LIVE and not just EXIST, that love is eternal and that friendship sometimes means letting go…

Garth Brooks – “The Dance”

And a song that I wish more people knew and loved because it forever remains one of my very favorites:

Garth Brooks – “You Move Me”

Which leads me to the ill fated Chris Gaines fiasco (that I to this day think just wasn’t properly promoted)…

Garth Brooks – “Lost in You”

Garth Brooks – “It Don’t Matter to the Sun”


A few I learned to boot scoot to…

Garth Brooks – “Mr. Right”

Garth Brooks – “The Fever”

Garth Brooks – “Ain’t Goin’ Down (Til the Sun Comes Up)”

Garth Brooks – “Papa Loved Mama”

Garth Brooks - "Callin' Baton Rouge"


The song that’s been played as many if not more times than Hank Williams Jr.’s “Rowdy Friends” in every hole in the wall Oklahoma bar I’ve ever been in…

Garth Brooks – “Friends in Low Places”

And two quintessential Garth tunes that everyone must have…

Garth Brooks – “If Tomorrow Never Comes”

Garth Brooks – “Rodeo”

"Another silly love song could make me sick."

With a graceful simplicity reminiscent of Nick Drake and a voice that’s eerily similar to that of recent tour mate Brett Dennen, Joshua James makes a lasting impression on those of us with a soft spot for the male singer songwriter with The Sun is Always Brighter. The 24 year old Cornhusker puts his heart and soul into crafting a dozen songs of love, grief (funny how the two so often go hand in hand), introspection, nature and not surprisingly given our turbulent political environment, war on his debut effort.

This contemporary folk romp is filled with acoustic guitar and laced with feel good piano and organ accompaniment throughout and kicks off with “The New Love Song”, a whimsical sounding song with a big message. At the request of someone who wants a song to “trick his girlfriend with” James turns the tables and comes up with something quite different by making a social statement about desensitization when in reality just because we refuse to see the ugliness in our world doesn't mean it's not there. In the end, we are all more alike than different. It’s a real Bob Marley “One Love” moment as he slows down the tempo and sings “open your souls, open your minds…there’s a lot of wonderful people in the world outside”. Though lyrically heavy, I view it as hopeful on the whole and the true beauty of it is that it's contagious and sets the tone for the rest of the album perfectly.

Even though he now calls Utah home, James appears to be proud of his Nebraska roots as he demonstrates a smooth country vibe throughout The Sun is Always Brighter but he’s most successful in using his influences on “Soul & the Sea”, “Geese” and the heartbreaking stand out “FM Radio”. My favorite track on the album is “You’re the Cocaine”. It’s an unconventional title for a love song but it’s an elegant love song nonetheless. It has an intimate, breathless quality to it…as if it were meant to be whispered in a lover’s ear in bed just before drifting off to sleep. Taking a dramatic turn at the end of the album, James takes aim at the insincerity of politicians who protect their own children as they deliver disingenuous apologies to the mothers of fallen soldiers:

"Apologies never sounded insincerer
Than when calling up a mother,
Her bloody child on the battle field of war,
While the pretty politicians
lay their babies down to sleep.
Not a chance in hell
will that boy taste the blood."

and at W and his WMD’s:

"Well president I hope you found
What you went over looking for.
Or is your plan to send us all
Until we’re dead?"

on the no holds barred “Our Brother’s Blood” which ends with a series of God Bless the U.S.A.’s.

The music of Joshua James is at times weary and worn affected by far more life experience than his short near quarter century on the planet would suggest. The themes are universal and the sound familiar…this is a record that could have been made decades ago and yet it’s relevant enough to strike a chord today. All told this is a fantastic achievement for the young man who’s obviously traveled far on his life’s journey but who also still has many miles left to go. Joshua just wrapped up dates with two of my favorite artists the phenomenal aforementioned Brett Dennen and the lovely songstress Meiko. He's hitting the road this month with one Miss Erin McKeown whose praises I sang much earlier this year and I'll go ahead and say right now that I'm jealous as hell of anyone who sees them. For more information on his live shows, check his Myspace page and for a more in depth look into the ramblings of this interesting poet with a guitar, check his blog.

Here’s a little taste from The Sun is Always Brighter in the form of my three favorite tracks…

Joshua James – “You’re the Cocaine”

Joshua James – “FM Radio”

Joshua James – “Our Brother’s Blood”

Love/Addiction

Last night's Grey's Anatomy found Cristina hiding from Mama Burke as Meredith tried in vain to dodge getting to know her sister. Derek struggled with knowing when to walk away from a less than fulfilling relationship, Alex got knocked the fuck out and Izzie & George dealt with whether or not to tell Callie about their infidelity as she tried her best to cope with her new duties as Chief. The scenes with the meth exposed baby are the ones that hit me hardest as that's a growing epidemic in our society that I was glad to see addressed on the small screen and the closing quotes from Meredith regarding the pain of addiction and the even more significant pain of letting it go got me good. I won't lie though...I'm still glad to see Derek fighting the good fight. For now.

On to the tunes!



Laura Izibor - "From My Heart to Yours"

Though she may not look it, Laura Izibor is 100% Irish soul. At 20 years old she's established herself as a force to be reckoned with garnering comparisons to Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack and my girl Lauryn Hill. Think Joss Stone...only more evolved musically. Her songs are blowing up on both the silver and small screens with tracks making appearances in The Nanny Diaries, P.S. I Love You, Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married, MTV's The Hills and now on Grey's Anatomy. The thing I love most about her is that she writes and performs ALL her own music which seems to be so very rare these days. She recently signed with Atlantic and her debut album, Let the Truth be Told is slated for release some time next year. Her EP Live from Crawdaddy Dublin in currently available on iTunes. Keep a watch for new music from her in the months ahead...this girl definitely has what it takes to be a major player if she continues on this path.




Chris Garneau - "Castle Time" This Brooklyn native has had me wowed all year. His first album Music for Tourists made a significant splash in January getting comparisons to everyone's favorite indie stars Sufjan Stevens and Rufus Wainwright. Those comparisons aren't without merit...Garneau too creates down tempo piano tunes full of sadness and woe. He's scheduled to hit Canada in the spring as a follow up to his live dates in New York City and Seattle and is presently working on a follow up album to drop at a later date. If you're not into melancholy music then Chris probably isn't the guy for you but if you like me enjoy a little heartbreak in your songs, pick up a copy of this effort via his label's website.




Amy Obenski - Carousel

Big on the Burning Man circuit, Amy Obenski has been described as having a "firm, but feminine voice that sometimes sings in the spirit of Natalie Merchant or Tori Amos. She refines every sound that seeps from her soul, only utilizing just the right amount to get across her musical drift." After listening to her music this morning, I couldn't have said it better myself. "Carousel" is the first track from her 2006 album Kite which can be purchased online via CDBaby. Her 2003 debut, What We Tell, is also available for purchase. And both albums can be downloaded at your convenience via iTunes and I highly recommend both...if you like one, you'll love the other.





Gomez - Moon And Sun

Geez! Grey's is almost as ga-ga over Gomez as I was (and still am) last year! And the feeling is mutual because the band created this track specifically for release on the third installment of the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack sensation. It's another beautiful song from them...focusing on the loss of a relationship and the moving forward that must come afterward. It was tailor made for Grey's so it's no surprise that once they heard it they asked to use it. If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard Gomez yet what the HELL are you waiting for?!?! You can catch Ian Ball, the voice of Gomez, on the road through November and I highly suggest it.




The Rentals - "Little Bit of You in Everything"

While perusing Spin a few months ago I came across a feature on The Rentals and was hooked. Fronted by former Weezer bassist Matt Sharp this band of six makes infectious and charming upbeat new wave influenced music you just want to bounce along to. They've been around for over a decade but broke and reformed in 2005 after a six year hiatus. Their latest release, an EP titled The Last Little Life is where you'll find this track but I highly suggest their other albums make it to your playlist soon.



Trolle Siebenhaar - "The Yard"

The Denmark duo Trolle Siebenhaar is vocalist Ane Trolle and aritst/producer Pato (Martin) Siebenhaar. Their first single "Sweet Dogs" is described as "a magical mix of urban grooves and vocals filled with sweetness" and the same could be said for the song that played last night on Grey's. With a sound that reminds me of something Erykah Badu would create, their music has an interesting and smoky vibe that's hard to pin down to just one genre. I'm hoping to hear more from these two in the very near future. Their music is the perfect chill soundtrack to a mellow day.




For your convenience, a .zip file of all the tunes from last night's episode. Enjoy!

Love/Addiction - Grey's Tunes - Season 4, Episode 2

"If there's a flood then there's gonna be mudslides...we all have to pay for our sin."

I watched Knocked Up again last night and it's still just as hysterical as the first time I saw it in the theater. It's no big secret that I adore Katherine Heigl. In fact, I think she walks on water. She's gorgeous, hilarious, glorious and above all REAL. She's the kind of girl you wish you could be friends with just so you can hang out and be dorks together. And...because I have life experience with this exact situation I can say that her portrayal of an unwed mother realizing she's pregnant with her first child was spot on. From the frantic purchasing of a billion pregnancy tests to the hormonal freak out that followed she NAILED it. Her adorable co-star Seth Rogan played the bumbling, confused and panicked father-to-be to perfection as well. Their chemistry certainly wasn't sexual but it was there on the screen nonetheless. The entire cast was great and everyone from the crazy stoned friends to the needed to be stoned sister went all out to make this one of the best movies of the year.

The real star of the film though (for me) was the music. Rufus and Martha's dad Loudon Wainwright III was commissioned to create the soundtrack for the film (and appear in a cameo role as an obstetrician) and did a fantastic job. The songs he contributed can be heard on Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired By the Film Knocked Up. But Loudon's tracks weren't the only songs played during the two plus hour long comedy extravaganza...oh no. There was a fabulous array of music from artists ranging from The Wiggles to Lil' Kim and I wish they'd have put out a true soundtrack of those songs that capture the feel of the movie so perfectly and perhaps they will in the future. But...if they don't, I'll survive.

If, like me, you were jonesing for a true soundtrack to the film, you're in luck. I perused my library of music and found some of my favorites to share with you here.

Ambrosia - "Biggest Part of Me"

Beck - "Girl"

Bright Eyes - "We Are Nowhere and It's Now"

Lily Allen - "Smile"

Little River Band - "Reminiscing"

Matisyahu - "King Without a Crown"

Scorpions - "Rock You Like a Hurricane"

Sublime - "Santeria"

Terence Trent D'Arby - "Wishing Well"



And my two true favorites from the film actually did come from Loudon's efforts...

Loudon Wainwright III - "Daughter"

Loudon Wainwright III - "Grey in L.A."