Monday Music Roundup

Happy Monday. After taking one Monday off from the weekly Fuel music roundup, I am back in full effect. Unh.

As usual, some varied tracks for your enjoyment and for expanding your ears (I hope). Let me know what you think.

“Somebody Ease My Troublin’ Mind”
Les Paul (w/ Eric Clapton & Sam Cooke)
Les Paul is best known for creating the first solid-body electric guitar for Gibson. Les Paul is a demigod, and is now almost 90 years old. This track is from his first new recording in 27 years. American Made, World Playedwas released August 2005 and is more or less a celebration of the electric guitar sound. This cut pairs Les Paul with Eric Clapton on guitars, and Sam Cooke on vocals. Although Cooke died in 1967, they’ve revived some old vocal tracks of his, stripped out the backing instrumentation, and laid down new material here. Sam Cooke always makes me want to slow dance barefoot in the kitchen.

“Grey Away” (right click, save target as)
David Schultz
Songs:Illinois describes David Schulz as an artist who “pairs some of Jeff Buckley’s vocal range with a bit of Nick Drake fingerpicking melancholy.” This description instantly intrigued me and I was pleased to listen to this track off of his eponymous 2005 album on Triple Stamp Records. For some reason the lyric “You were music personified when everyone else was just sound” makes my heart ache.

“I Want You Back (Z-Trip Remix)”
Jackson 5
I absolutely love this remix because it simplifies out all the glitter and noise and starts just with a lovely guitar part and then, one by one, introduces all the funky elements, the bass, the drums, then the vocals. Deconstructed and fabulous. I think it is even better than the original, which is pretty dang good. From the 2005 collection Motown Remixed.

“Since U Been Gone/Maps”
Ted Leo
Okay, so I got a few readers disgruntled for mildly ripping on Kelly Clarkson in my New Year’s resolution post. So I thought I’d appease the masses by with something that maybe we can agree on. Here is a somewhat snarky, possibly heartfelt cover of her big hit by Mr. Ted Leo, courtesy of Underground Online. Leo even throws in a little bit of “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. As one Stereogum reader put it, this cover is slightly guiltilicious.

“Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft”
Robert Pollard
So, after having a conversation about Guided by Voices this a few weeks ago, I come home to read about the new forthcoming solo effort from Robert Pollard, releasing this month from Merge Records. From A Compound Eye is due out January 24, and in true Pollard/GBV style (why release 12 songs when you can release 26?) it is a double disc. This track is a nice jangly piece with an echo-back (not to be confused with hollaback) chorus that is quite catchy. The new album has been called “smart, accessible, and experimental,” and also “luminous.” Pollard is also doing a solo tour in 2006. Details can be found on his website.

BONUS NEWS BIT – Ryan Adams in Newsweek: Look, he’s all grown up with Depression-era quilts and tapestry rugs. Article contains the excellent quote from Ryan, in talking about why he released 3 albums in 2005: “I love [records], and that’s why I like to make them so much. I mean, I really, really, really love music. I love playing it. I love listening to it, and it feels good to be included in that process, having that be my gig, too.” Amen, brother.

Adams on New Year’s Eve in San Francisco with Phil Lesh (surprise!)

Live: Songs From Black Mountain

The problem with being a fan of a band called “Live” is in finding information and rare material. How effective is a web search going to be using the term “live”? You get like a thousand unrelated results. Kind of like looking for information on Cake and getting baking results, but that is another story. (Someday when I am in a band, we are going to have a very unique name. Mark my words!).

So, back to Live. I was thrilled today to get email from Franz in Dorf, Austria, pointing me in the direction of some excellent Live mp3s, and I’d like to share them with you.

• The River, highly recommended new single from the upcoming release Songs From Black Mountain (April 11, 2006). This is a complete studio version (sourced from an online stream by Epic Records).

If “The River” is any indication, I am looking forward to the new album. Two of my favorite Live albums are The Distance To Here (1999) and Throwing Copper (1994) and “The River” reminds me of their more melodic fare of those days. They kind of lost me a bit with 2001′s V, which was a little too hardcore, falling in with that rap-rock craze, and totally turned me off.

Live is doing a Canadian tour, so all my Canadian readers should consider checking them out. (The only problem with Canadian tour is that they are playing with Nickelback, and I truly cannot condone that. My apologies). I saw them at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley with Counting Crows back in ’99 or 2000, and they were excellent, even though Ed Kowalczyk reminded me a bit of Kid Rock or someone in his badass posturing of that era. Whatever. Hopefully there will be less crotch-gesturing in the current tour because the music was really excellent.

Thanks to The Live Lounge for these tracks, and again danke to Franz for pointing me in the right direction. And here’s one more bonus track:

• Running to Stand Still, Live from Metro City in Perth, Australia on December 7th, 2004 (U2 cover)

Happy birthday Elvis Aaron Presley

Anyone else feel like a peanut-butter-nana sandwich?

Hard to believe, but today Elvis would have been 71. I know this because he is listed as my friend on facebook (oddly enough, Elvis Aaron Presley is Staff at Texas Arlington), and his birthday popped up on my reminder screen.

To celebrate the special day, I dove into an enormous number of Elvis covers from which to make my blog selection (you know I love covers, come on). When I started examining my musical collection and trolling for new covers, it was amazing, really, how basically everyone feels that it is necessary to cover an Elvis tune. Here are a few of my favorites.

“Can’t Help Falling In Love,” Pearl Jam (takes an old standard and throws in a little rockin’ punk good time. From their 8/15/00 show in Memphis.)

“Suspicious Minds,” Pete Yorn (Still makes me smile because it was the first song I got to publicly sing in front of a lovely bunch of people. Thanks Otters!)

“Can’t Help Falling in Love,” Eels (simple, elegant, heartfelt. Amazing)

“Love Me Tender,” Bruce Springsteen (ok, Bruce, if you insist)

BONUS:
“Stranger In My Own Hometown,” Elvis himself
This is just plain rockin’. One of my favorite fat Elvis tunes ever.

Sorry About Dresden

So, if you were Conor Oberst’s brother and had your own band, would it be hard to escape claims of nepotism? Especially if you were both on Saddle Creek? Yeah, I am glad neither of my siblings blogs so I don’t have that shadow to stand in. Ha!

Anyway, familial relations notwithstanding, I am very much enjoying the laid-back front porch opening and driving build of this track from Sorry About Dresden. Matt Oberst and Matt Tomich have relocated from scenic Nebraska and now call Chapel Hills home. Joined by Eric Roehrig and James Hepler, they seem to have a nice little band goin. They have actually been making music since 1997 and have quite a name for themselves on the North Carolina college indie rock scene. They kind of remind me of early Pavement.

“Sick and Sore“ from Let It Rest

Other mp3s available from the band section of the Saddle Creek website (frames won’t let me link you directly).

Sometimes I feel I’ve got to (duh duh) run away

I still hold that this is one of the greatest commercials of all time.

Stars tour

Well, I know what I am doing for Valentine’s Day. Yippee-ki-yay, Stars are on tour all throughout February, crisscrossing these great lands of ours, which is an excellent thing in my book. Stars was a top recommendation to me of 2005, “finely-crafted melodic indie pop” out of Canada (on the Arts & Crafts label), with intelligent, witty, and oft-scathing lyrics, great harmonies, and really rich instrumentation with a lot of strings.

If you haven’t heard ‘em yet, here are two sample tracks for you to enjoy:

“My Radio (AM Mix)“
from A Lot Of Little Lies For The Sake Of One Big Truth EP

“The First Five Times“
from Set Yourself on Fire

Also on Set Yourself On Fire, I especially enjoy the creepy stalker-esque feel of “One More Night,” the clever lyrics of “Your Ex-Lover is Dead” (talking about an ex-fling, ‘And all of the time you thought I was sad, I was trying to remember your name…‘), and the simple & pure piano melody of “Calendar Girl.” Do check them out if you haven’t heard them, and it looks like they are playing some nice and intimate venues on this tour:

2/1/06 – Winnipeg, MB. Ramada Conference Center
2/2/06 – Saskatoon, SK. Louis Pub
2/3/06 – Regina, SK. The Distrikt
2/4/06 – Calgary, AB. MacEwan Hall
2/5/06 – Edmonton, AB. Dinwoodie Lounge
2/7/06 – Vancouver, BC. Croatian Cultural Centre
2/8/06 – Seattle, WA. The Showbox
2/9/06 – Portland, OR. Aladdin Theater
2/10/06 – San Francisco, CA. The Fillmore
2/11/06 – Los Angeles, CA. Avalon
2/12/06 – San Diego, CA. The Casbah (little bro, you better go!)
2/14/06 – Boulder, CO. The Fox Theatre
2/16/06 – St. Louis, MO. The Gargoyle
2/17/06 – Chicago, IL. Metro
2/18/06 – Ottawa, ON. Winterlude
2/22/06 – Boston, MA. Paradise Rock Club
2/23/06 – Philadelphia, PA. Beyond
2/24/06 – Washington, DC. Black Cat
2/25/06 – New York, NY. Webster Hall

Off for a beautiful day of skiing with the girls.

We could live beside the ocean, leave the fire behind

Let’s all move to Santa Monica. In addition to the sand and sea, they also have KCRW, which, for being a community college radio station, gets some huge talent and amazing performances on their live weekday AM show, Morning Becomes Eclectic. I added the podcast to my iPod and have been very pleased with the consistent quality and variety of the show.

Here is a sampling of my favorite performances over the years from the KCRW studios.

• Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight, Whiskeytown
• Never Is A Promise, Fiona Apple (man alive, her voice is gorgeous)
• Folk Singer, The White Stripes (Brendan Benson cover)
• The District Sleeps Alone Tonight, The Postal Service
• Eight Days a Week, Dandy Warhols (dreamy acoustic Beatles cover)
• Devil Got My Woman, Beck (honky tonk harmonica from America’s favorite tiny hipster)

You can stream a number of live performances on their website, including stuff by Nada Surf, Broken Social Scene, Neil Young, My Morning Jacket, Ben Harper, Arctic Monkeys, Jackie Greene, Supergrass, Teenage Fanclub, Keane, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Paul Weller, David Gray, and Sigur Ros. And I had to stop myself there. I could add about 50 more artists I like, just from looking at their list.

Sheck it out. You’ll be on your computer for days. Don’t blame me for any cricks.

Turn the radio up, for that sweet sound (but for the love of God turn the iPod down)

Pete Townshend Warns iPod Users About Hearing Loss
By The Associated Press, Jan 4, 2006 06:44 PM

LONDON – Guitarist Pete Townshend has warned iPod users that they could end up with hearing problems as bad as his own if they don’t turn down the volume of the music they are listening to on earphones.

Townshend, 60, guitarist in the 60s band The Who, said his hearing was irreversibly damaged by years of using studio headphones and that he now is forced to take 36-hour breaks between recording sessions to allow his ears to recover.

“I have unwittingly helped to invent and refine a type of music that makes its principal components deaf,” he said on his Web site.
_____________________________________________________

I’m not sayin’ Townshend is not right and wise, but all the great rebels are, well . . . getting old. Seen the new Kaiser healthcare commercial with Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’”? For some reason it is a little depressing.

Someday, decades from here, I am going to hear Nirvana’s “Lithium” in a retirement-home commercial, or Ed Vedder’s scream selling denture cream. And then I will go in the bathroom and cry (well, not really, but come on). It seems like the odd and slightly melancholy thing about being young and rebellious is that eventually you become old and safe.

“The only question I ever ask any woman is ‘What time is your husband coming home?’”

Here is where I reveal my true colors – I harbor a *serious* crush on the Paul Newman of 40 years hence. Have you SEEN Hud or Cool Hand Luke? If not, you must. I think he smolders better than any actor today (quote in the subject line is from Hud – what a cad. Um, I love it).

So it just made my day (no, week) when Said The Gramophone posted the mp3 of Paul Newman singing “Plastic Jesus” from Cool Hand Luke (sittin’ on the porch).

“Plastic Jesus” – Paul Newman

BONUS (just because it fits):
“Plastic Jesus/Fall Line” – Jack Johnson from KFOG Radio 2/13/02

Someone also compiled a nice mix of little retro gems entitled “This One’s For Paul Newman” on Art of the Mix. Some excellent tracks on the list, thematically based around all his movies.

I love the fact that I just got to post a Paul Newman song on my blog.

Warchild Music, for a good cause

So. Your resolutions for 2006 are varied. You want to cuss less when driving. You vow to eat more whole grains, be less (embarassingly) talkative when you are intoxicated, and STOP singing along to Kelly Clarkson when she “happens” to come on the radio. Right?

How about helping children affected by war? Now there’s a resolution I can help you keep. Warchild Music’s mission is simple:

“One child dies every three minutes because of armed conflict. War Child believes children should never be affected by war. Full stop. Our campaigning seeks to address this gross injustice. Sanction action with us now.”

Back in September, I came across their compilation/benefit album Help: A Day In The Life, which is stuffed to the gills with great tracks to raise money for their organization. Includes brand new songs by Coldplay, Razorlight, Keane & Faultline, Emmanuel Jal, Gorillaz, Manic Street Preachers, The Kaiser Chiefs, Damien Rice, The Magic Numbers, Tinariwen, The Coral, Mylo, Maximo Park, Elbow, Bloc Party, Hard-FI, The Go! Team, Babyshambles, Belle & Sebastian, and George & Antony, plus these two sample tracks below:

I Want None Of This – Radiohead
From the Warchild Music website: A circular piano riff with Thom accompanied by what could well be a choir of angels, ‘I Want None Of It’ is a thing of awe and wonder. In short, it’s quite, quite lovely. The lyrics deal with a parting of the ways that hasn’t gone too well: ‘You can keep what you want, I want none of it/They’re just bad memories I don’t want’. Very beautiful, very wonderful, very Radiohead.

Hello Conscience – The Zutons
From the Warchild Music website: We are looking here at a brand-new, never-before-heard Zutons track in which singer Dave McCabe wrestles with his conscience over the rights and wrongs of going out drinking until you don’t know who you are or which way up you should be. By the sound of the rollicking chorus, his conscience doesn’t get a look in. With fuzzy guitars, rasping sax and a sly wink to The Smiths, you’ll be dancing to this right through the Indian summer.

You can buy it from Warchild Music online, or download it from iTunes. You can also get it on Amazon. Twenty-two varied and excellent tracks for about $12, depending on your method of purchase. Help do something good in the world to kick off the new year!

And since you asked, I made two resolutions: Take my vitamins every day, and diligently continue on my path to becoming a kick-ass drummer.