Autumn Music Series: Laura Veirs

It's been pretty hot up here in the North Woods but that didn't stop the calendar turning into my favorite season of the year...AUTUMN!! Of course, that means it's time to return to my favorite songs of this season which fit perfectly with a nice glass of Pinot Noir and a loved one with which to snuggle.

First up is Laura Veirs, who hails from Portland, Oregon by way of Carleton College in my home state of Minnesota. Her 2010 release, July Flame, has an amazing track on it called "Wild Eyed, Legless." The strings are gorgeous and lilting...her voice is nice and echo-y...the bird call guitars shimmer in the background...so good for Fall....

Paul Weller First Solo Release 25th Anniversary

Just over 25 years ago, Paul Weller released his first solo album, leaving behind his two enormously successful bands, The Jam and The Style Council, forever. Thankfully, he's never looked back and has threatened anyone and everyone (verbally and physically) who suggests any sort of nostalgic reunions with former bands. His solo career has seen 13 studio albums, 5 live albums, 39 singles and 3 EPs-each magnificent in their own way.

But back in 1992 things didn't look so good for the Modfather. He had no record deal and wondered just what the fuck he was going to do with his life, especially having just had kids with Style Council band mate, DC Lee. The last Council album, Modernism: A New Decade, was refused in 1989 by Polydor, his record label at the time, for being shite. Odd, because it was just a year or two later when this exact type of music became all the rage in England and around the world. Record company execs...seriously, what the fuck do they know?!?

The Style Council broke up shortly after their last album couldn't see the light of day and Weller went radio silent. He played a gig on December 5, 1990 in which he played some new songs as well as old Style Council and Jam tracks. The new songs sounded very heavily influenced by the burgeoning Acid Jazz scene that was taking the world by storm. 1991 saw the release of the first new material from Weller in nearly three years. The single, "Into Tomorrow" by the Paul Weller Movement was received to near universal acclaim. I think I actually wore out my CD copy, playing it over and over again and never growing tired of each of the four tracks. But the question remained...when would a full length come out?

1992 was nearly half way done before I heard that Pony Canyon in Japan had agreed to release Paul Weller, the self titled and first solo album from our hero. On 29 April, 1992 I picked up my copy from The Electric Fetus, world famous record store in my hometown of Minneapolis. I rushed home to my apartment in Uptown to give it a listen.

What spilled out of my speakers was nothing short of stunning. It was all of those wonderful things about Weller that I loved with the addition of this very soulful and funky style of music that sounded almost hippy as well.The first track that stood out for me was the tres romantique "Remember How We Started." That track ended up being a huge part of my soundtrack for the summer of 1992. I had just broken up with my girlfriend of 2+ years and was in awful shape. This track, along with the rest of the album, emotionally supported me in a multitude of ways. "Above the Clouds" lifted me up spiritually. "Bull Rush" was a great rocker to unleash to. "I Didn't Mean To Hurt You" hit right to my soul.

The standout track and the song of the summer (hands down) was "Round and Round." The origins of this track go back to the Weller produced Slam Slam LP, Free Your Feelings. Weller's wife at the time, DC Lee, was the front person for this group and she does a great job with the track. But it didn't really achieve full blossom until Weller re-recorded it for this album. Check it out.


Talk about the perfect summer song...blissful, sweet, mystical...every time I listen to it, I feel like I'm transported to some European beach or possibly South America. My mind just floats away with this track and I always feel healed after listening to it.

This record is easily in my top ten albums of all time. It's certainly my favorite of his entire career. I only have a few quibbles with it. The UK release, which didn't come until September 1, 1992, omitted "Here's A New Thing" and added a weaker (but still good) track, "Strange Museum." Actually, the original version of "Here's A New Thing" from the Into Tomorrow EP is far superior to the one on the album and should have been included. They also shifted the running around from the Japanese release which I didn't like. It works and sounds best if you get the Japanese version which I have linked above.

As a postscript, I had the good fortune of seeing Mr. Weller for the first time in my musical life that same summer. My friend Matt and I trekked down to the Vic Theater in Chicago and got to see him in support of this record. He also previewed many tracks from his next record, Wild Wood, at this show. It was amazing. He played for so long that they started shutting the place down on him during the middle of his second encore!

So fucking mod...

Coldplay's Kaleidoscope EP

I miss the British EP and/or single. It was a glorious format for several decades. You'd get a track that was maybe from an album, forthcoming or current release. Maybe not. And then you'd get anywhere from 2-4 tracks that weren't available anywhere else. It was like a secret treasure between you and the band. But the advent of digital downloading more or less did away with this format. Now it's just a single track to download and rarely an EP or single.

Thankfully, London's Coldplay has resurrected this format with their fab new EP, Kaleidoscope. Containing only 5 tracks, Kaleidoscope represents several points in Coldplay's career. The first track, "All I Can Think About Is You," reminds a me a lot of X & Y era Coldplay. I haven't been as excited about their newer staff so it's nice to seem the return to form. The second track is a cousin to the song "Miracles" from 2015's A Head Full of Dreams. It's more reminiscent of their newer stuff, complete with guest rap artist. It's a strong track but not as good as the first. "ALIENS" is up next and we dive back to early 2000s Coldplay. This is without a doubt my favorite track on the EP.  It glides effortlessly.

The EP finishes up with a live track, "Something Just Like This" (classic Coldplay anthem...sinalong and lighted smart phones aloft) and "Hypnotised" (Brian Eno produced lushness). I downloaded a digital copy but I plan on buying this amazing EP when it comes out as a physical copy on 4 August. Check it out!

2017 Song of the Summer

There aren't enough positive adjectives to describe BNQT's debut album, Volume 1. A supergroup of sorts, BNQT contains members of Midlake, Franz Ferdinand, Band of Horses, Granddaddy, and Travis. All of the tracks are stellar but "Unlikely Force" reminds me of many summers past with its 1970s dripped vocals and L.A. sound. This is one of two Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses) offerings that are totally mega.

Put this track at the top of  your 2017 summer playlist!

From A Liar To A Knight: Todd Rundgren, White Knight

I've been a fan of Todd Rundgren since I was 10 years old. My dad came home from work one day in the late spring of 1978 with a copy of Hermit of Mink Hollow and took my downstairs to his hippie man cave to play it. He had been a fan for a while and I remembered hearing bits and pieces of Todd in my early childhood but this was the first record that I ever really fell in love with. We played it over and over again for weeks and every time it sounded better. I then went back and devoured all of Todd's earlier albums.

After that day, I bought every one of his records the day they came out. I have seen Todd 20 times live, more than any of my other favorite artists, and every show has been amazing and wonderful.

Todd's latest gift to the world is White Knight and it's the album I thought he would make after 2004's Liars. In looking at Todd's 21st century work, I enjoyed Arena (GOR), didn't think much of Johnson (over produced blues), thought State fell a little short but was still cyber punk cool, and generally dug Global Nation. These five albums that came out between Liars and White Knight sated my Todd needs but weren't on the level of either of these records. Liars is still one of my favorite Todd records, reminding me of all the reason why the Runt rules. White Knight matches it note for note.

Calling on a cavalcade of guest stars, Todd has turned out a strong contender for Album of the Year 2017. We have all the requisite keyboard driven pop songs ("Come," "Fiction"), the goofy song ("Buy My T") and a great Utopia-esque song ("Let's Do This") that reminds me of late 70s/early 80s Todd.

"Sleep" sounds an awful lot like Todd wrote it for XTC. Joe Walsh has never sounded better on guitar. "Deaf Ears" features Trent Reznor and sounds like, well, Trent Reznor. It also reminds me a great deal of 1994's No World Order. "Chance For Us" features the man who Todd taught how to sing-Daryl Hall.

But the best track is clearly "Tin Foil Hat" featuring Donald Fagen on lead vox. Being a huge Steely Dan fan, I was over the moon about two of my heroes collaborating for the first time. It sounds like a long last Dan track from the Royal Scam era yet still retains inherent Todd-ness. Of course, the topic of the song is fucking hilarious! Check it out below and go buy this record!!

Taking the Sword From The Lady in the Lake

I've always viewed great British bands in an Arthurian fashion. Like the knights who accepted the sword from the Lady in the Lake, each new group seizes the mythical energy that emanates from the Holy Land of music and makes it their own.

The latest lads to take up the adventure are Hampshire's own, Blaenavon. Their online bio states that they are merely "three lads with a story to tell."

Mega...

Their first offering to the world is called "That's Your Lot" and it's magnificent. I hear all the great British bands that have gone before them plus their own unique sound. I also can make out hints of Viola Beach which makes my heart all warm and fuzzy. Here's their first single...

First Top Album of 2017: Drunk by Thundercat

The first great new album of 2017 is here and it's Thundercat's magnificent offering, "Drunk." This album is a massive breath of fresh air and will no doubt be in my top ten for the year.

Combing influences that range from Todd Rundgren, R & B, Brian Wilson and hip hop, Thundercat's third album has completely enthralled me since it's release last month.

Here's a track which illustrates the style of the record.

16 Days!

Let's go back to those glory days of the late 1990s and revisit Ryan Adams' first band, Whiskeytown. I've had this track on my mind all day today as this is exactly how long I've had the worst cold I've ever had in my life. I think I'm finally over it so...thank God!

The Return of Temples

I've been a huge fan of Kettering's own Temples since they burst on the scene in 2012 with a series of singles and their first album, Sun Structures. Their playbook is straight up psychedelic pop and it works fabulously.

They have a new album dropping on March 3rd called Volcano. Here is a track from it.

Bringing It In With Bruno

I can't think of a better way to slide into the first few weeks of 2017 than with Bruno Mars' latest offering, 24K Magic. I have been thoroughly enjoying this record over the last few weeks. It's just plain fun! My fave track brings me back to those early Prince and The Time days when the funk was thick as the barbecue sauce. Chunky!

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Top 20 Albums of 2016

What were the best albums of the year? Here is my top 20.

20. Malibu by Anderson.Paak

It's been more an R&B year for me, no doubt...R&B, rap, hip hop...all of the above. This great record from Californian Anderson Paak has been with me all year. Amazing!



19. Never Enough by Public Access TV

This NYC band makes me feel like it's 1979 all over again and I'm 12 years old listening to my crappy AM radio.



18. Nonagon Infinity by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

This Australian band has always been a lot of fun but their new record is dragon level awesome. It's unrelenting...loud...and just plain great.



17. Stay Together by The Kaiser Chiefs

I've been a fan of this Leeds band from Day One. They have a sound, I like it, and they usually stick to it. This record they decided to try something different and it really works. It's soft and ethereal...done right!!



16. Is The Is Are by DIIV

This NYC band shimmery pop is good for just about any mood. Not a bad track on the entire record



15. Midwest Farmer's Daughter by Margo Price

Guess what? I like country again and it's thanks to Nashville's Margo Price. Americana at it's finest!



14. In The Now by Barry Gibb

I can't believe that Gibb is even in my Top 20 but what a stunner of a record. Ah, nostalgia...



13. Ash and Ice by The Kills

Alison is from the US and Jamie is from the UK. Together they make great fucking music and have for the last 16 years. This one is their best. Hands down.



12. Curve of the Earth by The Mystery Jets

You know what this London band knows how to do? Make great records. And they keep getting better. One of the greatest British bands from the last ten years that no one really has ever heard of.



11. Bloom Forever by Thomas Cohen

Holy crap have I been obsessed with this album this year. Very David Bowie-ish but also a really great record to shag to...



10. The Ride by Catfish and the Bottlemen

Another corker from this Wales band. These lads have a very bright future ahead of themselves. Van is a star!



9. Everything You've Come To Expect by The Last Shadow Puppets

Alex and Miles are back with another volume of your father's music. Or is it grandfather's? Either way, it's mega ultra lounge psychedelic cool.



8. Love and Hate by Michael Kiwanuka

This North London gem is another great example of why 2016 will be remembered as the year of great R&B. Paging Marvin Gaye...(thank god, it's been way too long!)



7. Trick by Jamie T

What can we say about Jamie T? He's irreverent...talented...poetic...blue collar...romantic...and he tells great stories of the UK. Oh, he's from South London. This latest effort sees him going for a more pop sound and it's a massive success.



6. These People by Richard Ashcroft

Fist of god returns after a long hiatus with an absolute marvel of an album. Combining both his Verve sound and his solo sound, RA turns in a 10 song gem. Here's the title track...


5. Hills End by DMA's

I probably played this album too much this year but since it came out in February, it's been in constant rotation. These lads from Sydney, Australia know their Brit rock and capture a nice melange of the La's, Oasis and the Stone Roses.



4. Paging Mr. Proust by The Jayhawks

I was certain that this local Minneapolis gem would fade away and just do nostalgia gigs. Instead, they made the finest album of their career and blew my socks right off my ass! Every track is amazing and if you don't own this record, go buy it now!



3. Blackstar by David Bowie

I thought 2016 was going to be great when David Bowie released this fab record in January. Then he died and so did nearly everyone else. His final work ranks right up there with the rest of his classics and, at the very least, leaves the world with a shining example of his depth as an artist.



2. Viola Beach by Viola Beach

For more information on this record, please click here.




and the best album of the year....(drum roll please)....


1. Blonde by Frank Ocean.

We refer to Frank Ocean in our house as Mr. Ocean because he deserves that much respect. I don't know where to begin with this record. Its stream of consciousness drips over the listener in a melange of trippy wonder. It's unlike anything I have EVER heard and that's saying a lot considering my 40+ years of listening to music. Musicologists will look back on this album as a "Year Zero" type of effort similar to the likes of Sgt Peppers by the Beatles or Is This It? by the Strokes. It's that fucking good.

Mr. Ocean is very good about keeping his music off of YouTube so you have to download it via iTunes if you want to hear it. Trust me. It's worth it.

Top Twenty Five Tracks of 2016

It's that time of the year again, folks...my top tracks of the year. I decided to go with 25 this year because there was just so much darn good music.

25 is Nottingham's own Jake Bugg with a super funky number from his latest release, On My One.

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24 is Blacksburg, Virginia's own dream pop band, Wild Nothing, with a gorgeous number entitled "Adore" from their LP, Life of Pause. Reminds me of laying in the sun on the beach!



23 is  Llandudno, Wales' Catfish and the Bottlemen with "Soundcheck." This one is from their their second LP, The Ride and is real corker.

 

22 is a corker of a track from Uckfield's own Rag N Bone Man. "Human" is a great number that hearkens back to those classic days of soul....



21 is "Who Knows" from Jamaican singer Proteje. It's always nice to hear good reggae and this song reminds me of summer...


20 is...I can't believe it's really happening but yes, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees makes it on my list this year. "In The Now" has that classic Bee Gees sound and even though I have derided them over the years, I can't ignore their contributions to the pop zeitgeist. Gibb's latest effort is a stunner! BTW, those "Negan" looking fellows in his band are his sons!!



19 is Michael Kiwanuka's gorgeous track, "Place I Belong." I've been waiting for a couple of decades for a proper successor to Marvin Gaye and this guy is it! And he's a Brit....North Londoner...



18 is.Sacramento, California's own Deftones, with their crushingly beautiful track, "Prayers/Triangles." It starts off like an air-y U2 type and then suddenly we are into Stone Temple Pilots! Highly recommended for workouts...very triumphant...



17 is North London's own Hunck with the psychedelic pop track, "All Dressed Up."




16 is "Bombay Blue" by the Mystery Jets. I've been a huge fan of this London band going back to 2006. Their latest effort, Curve of the Earth, is a corker and this track is most exemplary of its awesomeness.



15 is"2013" by Sunflower Bean. This melancholy, yet upbeat track from the New York trio is the best on their LP. I like her shimmery voice...



14 is "Hurtin' (On the Bottle)" by Nashville's own Margo Price. I've never been huge into straight up country but Margo does this right. Complete with pedal steel!



13 is "Lazarus" by David Bowie which started off the year quite nicely. Then, he died and it really sucked. I remember watching this video with my wife the day the album came out. We both thought he looked every bit of his 69 years. Little did we know how sick he was...

It's classic Bowie, though, and it reminds of those days so long ago when music videos were all we watched...



12 is "Honeymoon" by East Londoner Thomas Cohen and it is simply magnificent. This ethereal and spaced out track from his LP, Bloom Forever, is most reminiscent of late 70s/early 80s Bowie. Good autumn music as well!



11 is "They Don't Own Me" by his Lordship Richard Ashcroft (aka Fist of god). RA returns with a great solo effort entitled These People. It's been a while since we heard from this giant in Brit Rock but the wait was well worth it!



10 is "Miracle Aligner" by the Last Shadow Puppets. Arctic Monkey Alex Turner and Miles Kane return with a second offering entitled Everything You've Come To Expect. Rooted once again in Burt Bacharach, Italian spy music, psychedelia and Ultra Lounge, Turner and Kane spin more tales of love, lust and intrigue.



8 is "Final Song" by MØ. I caught this Danish singer on Jools Holland a few months back and was completely blown away (that performance is available here). Triumphant...upbeat...anthemic...and just a giant pop song...perfect! Here's their performance of this track at Glasto last summer...



7 is "Charlemagne" by Manchester's own Blossoms. Bursting on the scene last year with their bril mix of pop and synth based beats, Blossoms first full length is yet another example of why all the holiest music comes from the UK



6 is "Beautiful Blue" by Tom Petty's first band, Mudcrutch. When Petty first started in the music business it was with this band. But the record execs wanted him, not the band, thus Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were born. Petty promised his bandmates from Mudcrutch that they would eventually do something and they finally released their first record in 2008. This track is from their second LP released this year and it's simply gorgeous.



5 is "Two" by Heart. I've been a huge fan of this Seattle band since I was a kid. The Wilson sisters have written their fire in the rock and roll sky for the last 40 years. This latest track, from this year's Beautiful Broken, reminds me of a classic power ballad from the 80s. Here's a live performance from earlier in the year...



4 is "Lovers of the Sun" by local Mpls band The Jayhawks. Taken from this year's amazing LP, Paging Mr. Proust, this beautiful and most summery track is honestly the best track I think they have ever done.



3 is "Heathens" by Columbus, Ohio's own Twenty One Pilots. Great thanks to my daughter, Grace Campbell, for getting me into this band. This track is taken from the "Suicide Squad" soundtrack and is most indicative of their unique and addicting sound.



2 is Manchester's own Stone Roses with "Beautiful Thing." If you are a Brit rock obsessive like I am, The Stone Roses are pretty much at the center of the fucking universe. Sure, they only made 2 albums and a handful of singles back in the late 80s and early 90s but their impact on bands like Oasis, Blur, The Verve and even Catfish and the Bottlemen was massive. It's so mega that they are back making new music again!



1 is ....(drum roll please)..."Call You Up" by Viola Beach. The Cheshire band who all lost their lives in a automobile accident last February get my nod for Best Song of 2016. Would I have picked it if they were all alive? Yes, I would have because the song is just that fucking good. Viola Beach was on the cusp of being the next big Brit band before their trajectory was tragically cut short. In so many ways, this track epitomizes everything I love about music. It's a love song...it's melancholy...it's pleading...it makes me feel nostalgia for a time that never was...in all, a perfect song!

Best Christmas Song of All Time

It's hard to pick the best Christmas song of all time. There are so many good ones from which to choose! My fave is "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole from 1961. The original King recorded many versions of this 1945 classic penned by Bob Wells and Mel Torme but this stereophonic version is the best.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

Dripping Nostalgia With A Dash of Melancholy

The holidays always bring me to a nostalgic place. I remember Christmases past with my grandparents when I would sit in their front room and listen to them tell me stories from what life was like in the 1940s. I must admit that for all of the faults of that era, that's the one I have romanticized the most. Sometimes I think I was alive during that era somehow...past life maybe...I don't know...

Hearing the music of that era makes the melancholy drip even more and I feel like I'm right back to the sights and smells of my grandparents house. They were the ones that turned me on to Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey...Benny Goodman...Lionel Hampton...Bobby Mercer...and, of course, the Andrews Sisters with "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."

Thankfully, Rhino Records collected many of these ol' chestnuts on two great discs, Songs that Got Us Through World War II, Volumes I and II. Both of these discs are a must for every holiday season. They may not have any seasonal tracks but they just fit anyway. I've been playing them for the past week or so and have honestly welled up a bit as I lost my last grandparent last year. Those memories all come back as soon as I hear that wonderful music.

And I am right back there...

Autumn Music Series: Bon Iver

Driving between my place in Minneapolis and my mom's house in Racine, Wisconsin, good music has always been a fantastic way to pass the time. The autumn months demand a good play list and what's better than the song "Minnesota Wisconsin" by Bon Iver.

Taken from their self titled 2011 album, it's almost as if these indie darlings followed by prescription for a good autumn track. Right from the start we hear the echo-y guitar and mellow sounding vocals so we know it's time to gaze wistfully at the leaves as the fall from the tree.

I'd recommend the whole record as it's a world wide tour of a variety of cities. Each track manages to capture the feel of the city for which they are showcasing.

 

Autumn Music Series: Beaumont

It's an Indian summer here in the North Woods with temperatures topping out in the 70s. This happens pretty much every year now in the first week of November and it's truly magnificent.

A great tune to listen to as you are strolling through the leaves and enjoying a a later afternoon stroll would be "Heartfelt" by UK indie band Beaumont. This track, from the mid noughties, has a nice banjo and the requisite echo on the guitars and vocals that are necessary for a good fall song.

I can't find a YouTube video so if you want to check out the track click here on iTunes to preview and then download.

Barry Gibb? Really?

When the 1970s ended, I was very happy. I loved punk, glam rock and some of the classic rock but I loathed, with all of my heart and soul, the disco era which dominated the decade. I thought all of it sucked and the focus of my disdain was the zeitgeist of the era, the film Saturday Night Fever.

The Bee Gees handled the majority of the cuts on the soundtrack to the film. Pretty much every single human being I knew owned this album and played it constantly. The radio played many of the songs over and over again until my friends and I were sick to death of them. So, I got burned out on the Bee Gees really fast.

A couple of weeks ago, I flipped on Later with Jools Holland to check out some new music. This is what I saw.


I was stunned. Not only was the track completely awesome but I realized that the much younger me had probably been too harsh on the Bee Gees. After all, they certainly were representative of their place in music history. As a music ultra fan, I have to admit that they helped to define an era.

So, I highly recommend picking up Barry Gibb's new record, In The Now. The entire album is fantastic, especially if you are still a Bee Gees fan or even soul music devotee. Hearing his voice brings me back to that time in the late 70s when everyone just had to be dancing!

Autumn Music Series: Snow Patrol and Tired Pony

Dundee, Scotland's Snow Patrol is close to perfection in terms of being an autumn band. Heck, they are just about the perfect band without that qualifier! Their songs radiate romance by the fire with a nice Pinot Noir and a snuggly, loved one nestled in your arms.

Their entire catalog is a must as is front man Gary Lightbody's side project, Tired Pony. If you are putting together a fall play list for a long walk on a leaf swept trail, here are some essential tracks, in no particular order, from this artist.

1. "Crack the Shutters" (taken from A Hundred Million Suns)

A track that manages to be both romantic and stadium sing along at the same time. The lyrics are amazing and, honestly, the whole track is shovel to the head stunning.



2. "Northwestern Skies" (taken from The Place We Ran From)

Gary Lightbody got lost in 2010 in the northwest part of the United States and somehow found Peter Buck and Zooey Deschanel, of all folks, and made this incredible record under the name Tired Pony. This is the opening track and the echo...the lyrics...just the whole mood...is harvest time...



3. "If There's A Rocket, Tie Me To It" (taken from A Hundred Million Suns)

This one reminds me a lot of U2. I've played it many times while driving through Wisconsin in October and November.



4. "Batten Down The Hatch" (taken from When It's All Over, We Still Have To Clear Up)

This quiet little number showcases Lighbody's soft and mega romantic voice. Perfect for a fire at home or at the cabin.



5. "All Things At Once" (taken from The Ghost of the Mountain)

This track is from Tired Pony's second release and it's a fucking corker. We have the requisite echo-y voices, of course, but we also have...pedal steel! That instrument really makes a good autumn track.



6. "I Am A Landslide" (taken from The Place We Ran From)

This song just makes me cry...it's so fucking good. I can't decide if I'd want this track or "Fiesta" by the Pogues played at my funeral. Most people that know me well, consider me a landslide:) Iain Archer demolishes the lead vocal.



7. "Get On The Road"  (taken from The Place We Ran From).

A duet between Gary and Zooey...simply gorgeous. This has possibly the greatest verse of all time....

Kiss like a fight that neither wins 
One tender payment for our sins 
You are the drug that I can't quit 
Your perfect chaos is a perfect fit

Reminds me of someone...:)



8. "Grazed Knees" (taken from Final Straw)

A lilting, soft number that reminds of the very end of autumn...late November perhaps...



9. "Lifeboats" (taken from A Hundred Million Suns)

This track has a nice and very echo-y acoustic guitar. Great build to the chorus. I like the message as well.



10. "Make This Go On Forever" (taken from Eyes Open)

Both anthemic and pleading at the same time. I had someone apologize to me once singing this song. It was quite humbling...

Calling All Dylan Fans

Fresh off the heels of his Nobel Prize for Literature, Bob Dylan is experiencing a renewed resurgence of interest. This recent piece in the Times discusses the early years of his time in New York City. As I read it, I felt as though I was right back there with him and Suze Rotolo as they took their famous stroll down the snow covered Jones Street in Manhattan's lower west side.

Perhaps a listen to the Freewheelin' Bob Dylan is in order today!

Nothing Revolutionary At All

Every few years, Green Day releases a new record and it's really great. Revolution Radio, released last week, follows this pattern. It's 12 outstanding tracks, once again, from the very well aged trio of former punk rockers. There really isn't anything revolutionary about it because they made another fucking awesome record just like they always do.

Green Day makes albums like people used to make them back in the 70s and 80s. In fact, listening to this new record, even from the first few chords and lyrics, makes me feel like I'm a teenager again in those decades. Like American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Revolution Radio is a thematic album that touches on themes of old age, rebellion, war, and, of course, love. Our current political state is ever present as well.

My favorite track is the title number. It's vintage Green Day that makes you want to jump around, do a keg stand, and party with your pals. Check it out!