Wednesday 25 March 2009

Road Song #3

worldsgreatestmusicdad writes...

O.K., I'm aiming for ten. This Kris Kristofferson song is one that has probably inspired many others. Janis makes it her own and it seems to work just as well with Bobby being a man. Some deceptively simple yet very memorable lines: 'Freedom's just another word for nothin left to lose.' 'I'd trade all my tomorrows for a single yesterday/Holdin Bobby's body next to mine.'



If you don't have Kristofferson's own version:

Kris Kristofferson - Me and Bobby McGee (Amazon)

Tuesday 24 March 2009

Road Song #2

worldsgreatestmusicdad writes:

Every time I listen to this song, I notice some other subtlety. The story is a common one in this genre - a couple meet, they travel, she (usually she) leaves, he (usually he) mourns. I think the poignancy here comes from his clear approval of her philosophy even though it led her to move on. Musical and lyrical magic.



Richard Thompson - Beeswing (Amazon)

Friday 20 March 2009

re-post of old thread about Dan Black

Joe writes: This got a takedown notice so I've reposted it without the offending link.

Dan Black used to be the singer in The Servant who were big in Italy and France. He also sang vocals for the dance project Planet Funk. Now he has covered Hypnotize by Notorious BIG and it's a lot of fun. Try the excellent Pinglewood blog for more.

Dan Black - HYPNTZ (not on iTunes yet)

Monday 16 March 2009

Road Songs #1

Phil writes: The Guardian's '1000 songs everyone must hear' has already reminded me of a few I meant to post and hopefully will now get round to. Road songs is not one of their fairly arbitrarily chosen seven categories - understandably - but there are a good number of these songs and this is surely one of the most memorable, by a neglected artist who has written several outstanding songs.



Bob Seger - Roll Me Away (Amazon)

Friday 13 March 2009

from Shelby to Dusty to American Music Club to The Carpenters

World's Greatest Music writes...


Your Lies and Leavin' should have been huge hits for Shelby Lynne when she was first signed to Mercury. She was kind of Norah Jones meets Duffy.

Shelby's last record was a covers album of songs immortalised by Dusty Springfield, plus one new composition. You can hear tracks on Shelby's rather neglected MySpace site.

One Dusty classic Shelby doesn't cover is No Easy Way Down, perhaps because Norah Jones also covered it recently. If you don't own any Dusty albums then get Dusty In Memphis - it's as good as everyone says.

American Music Club also covered There Is No Easy Way Down, which gives me an excuse to post my favourite AMC track Johnny Mathis' Feet. In some ways AMC were a pre-cursor to the emo and Americana-tinged sound that is so prevalent in North American alternative music today (Arcade Fire etc).

Come to think of it, American Music Club have great taste in covers - they also covered my favourite Carpenters song Goodbye To Love.

Shelby Lynne - Your Lies (Amazon)

Shelby Lynne - Leavin' (Amazon)

Dusty Springfield - No Easy Way Down (Amazon)

American Music Club - Johnny Mathis' Feet (Amazon)

The Carpenters - Goodbye To Love (Amazon)

Tuesday 10 March 2009

epic indie prog

Joe writes: I rather like this band The Fine Arts Showcase from Malmö, and particularly their epic track Friday On My Knees. It reminds me of something Mark Radcliffe would have played in his Radio 1 days. In fact it reminds me of something specific he did play, Safesurfer, my favourite Julian Cope track. Read the Rolling Stone review of the album that contains Safesurfer.

The Fine Arts Showcase - Friday On My Knees (Amazon)




Julian Cope - Safesurfer (Amazon)

Friday 6 March 2009

Kiss Kiss

World's Greatest Music writes...

Excellent American band who fill the gap between System Of A Down and Scouting For Girls, which is quite an achievement I'm sure you'll agree.

Kiss Kiss - Satellite (Amazon)

Thursday 5 March 2009

Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley

Joe writes: I started on this thread because The Rockingbirds' eponymous 1992 debut album is being reissued on April 6th with a bonus disc. The Rockingbirds were a country rock band and so several years ahead of their time or twenty years behind it, depending which way you look at it. Restless is a great track and you can pre-order the album from Amazon.



The Rockingbirds were produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, arguably the great British production team of the eighties, which gives me an excuse to post a Langer Winstanley greatest hits of sorts. As well as being producers, they wrote the music to Shipbuilding, one of my all-time favourites (Elvis Costello wrote the brilliant lyric).

Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding (Amazon)



Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding (iTunes)



They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul (Amazon)



Hothouse Flowers - Don't Go (Amazon)



The Rockingbirds - Restless (not on Amazon yet)



The King Blues - The Schemers, The Scroungers & The Rats (iTunes) (Clive Langer was involved in this one)



Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen (Amazon)



Madness - My Girl (Amazon)



They also produced Bush. And I must get some music from Clive Langer's band Deaf School to post here.

Larkspur Falls

Joe writes: Larkspur Falls is a new artist being developed by producer David Kosten.

I think her song Final Round is a hit.

He voice reminds me somewhat of early Tracey Thorn (Everything But The Girl). I recommend their first album Eden.

Larkspur Falls - Final Round



Everything But The Girl - Each And Every One (Amazon)



Asher Roth - I Love College

Joe writes: Very big hit. I don't understand why people compare him to Eminem though. I can't quite think which rapper it is that he reminds me of the most, but he's closer to De La Soul or Skee-Lo than Eminem.

I Love College is or originally was based around a sample from Say It Ain't So, an excellent Weezer track that was new to me.

Asher Roth - I Love College (Amazon)



Skee-Lo - I Wish (Amazon)



Weezer - Say It Ain't So (Amazon)

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Dance Like A White Boy (remixed by a white man)

World's Greatest Music writes...



World's Greatest Music writes...

Master Shortie has the personality to be a big star. Musically and stylistically, there's no-else quite like him. His single Dance Like A White Boy has been remixed by Fast from the Fun Lovin' Criminals under the name Radio Riddler and I like this remix even more than the original.

Master Shortie - Dance Like A White Boy (Radio Riddler Remix)