A Little Musical VD Help!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of the dear, sweet, gentle readers, I hope this post finds you with the one you love or at least someone you like a little. In honor of the beloved and mass marketed one day year love fest, I’m dropping a Mixed Tape Monday Special Edition VD List.

Click on the link below!

VD Mixed Tape

So, if you are one of those procrastinating types, take this list, hop on iTunes and download these fine tunes; run to your local grocery store, sift through the remaining sappy, mass produced cards and while you’re there pick up some not so fresh roses or other flowers conveniently available for this special day. To top it all off, grab a box of heart shaped chocolates and make your reservations at your local Applebee’s or Macaroni Grill, show that special someone how much you really care.

Great music awaits!

2011 DFW Concert Calendar: Music You Should Go Listen To!

Hello sweet blog readers. I had some trouble formating this list and grew impatient and frustrated so I just PDF’ed it. CLick below for the actual content.

2011 DFW Concert list2

Super Bowl Musical Hype

Let’s take a few minutes and talk about Super Bowl hype.  Fear not Steelers Nation, we will be back!  Not the hype of the game, or the rivalries that pit storied franchise against each, but the musical hype that surrounds the game.  With such a high profile venue, I mean come on, it is the Super Bowl, and the expectations are high.  In some years, the game is a distant second or third to the music and commercials.  Love the Darth Vader commercial and the finger licking Dorrito dude! 

The Half Time Show has become a separate entity within the game.  In recent years, we have had a range of talent that skewered towards the top of the musical stratosphere with such notables as Paul McCartney, Prince, The Rolling Stones,U2, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, and last year, The Who.   

Historically, the half time performance was a college marching band and maybe a single special musical guest who sang a song.  This all changed in 1993 when Michael Jackson, in all his uniqueness, turned the half time performance into the Half Time Show.  Since 1993 some of the performances have included the following artists:

Clint Black The Judds Travis Tritt Teddy Pendergrass Tony Bennett Dianna Ross Boyz II Men Mary J Blige U2 Shania Twain Janet Jackson (I’m pretty sure we all remember that one) Paul McCartney Prince Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Stevie Wonder Phil Collins Christina Aguilera Aerosmith N Sync Britney Spears Nelly Miami Sound Machine No Doubt Sting Justin Timberlake Kid Rock The Rolling Stones Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers The Who

Perusing this fine list, you can see that there have been some hit and miss performances.  Some of the performances such as The Boss, U2, and Tom Petty were deserving of a solo show that covered a few of their big hits and maybe a mash up medley or two.  Other lesser known or listened to artists shared the bill with other spares. 

Last night, I was decidedly underwhelmed at the prospect of The Black Eyed Peas taking the stage for even the briefest of moments.  So, much to my surprise, they sucked so much more than my lowest of expectations.  While I try, albeit not very hard, to appreciate their take on music and their apparent enthusiasm for a good time, I just think everyone would have had a better time if their music and their performance did not suck quite so much.  I realize that their brand of music is hard to recreate live.  I would imagine it is excruciatingly difficult when the entire band consists of talentless hacks that look like they should be in another remake of Lost in Space and your lead singer is vocally challenged. 

A quick side note: As if Axl Rose does not have enough anger issues, Slash, what they hell were you thinking?  I suggest you shave your head, lose the hat and go in to hiding.  Your playing guitar while Fergie brayed out what I think were the lyrics to Sweet Child O Mine makes you complicit and just as guilty in the crime that was The Half Time Show.  Clean living has clearly altered your ability to make good musical decisions.  Someone get that man a fifth of Jack, some black tar heroin, any G n R groupies that might be left, and a new agent.

Oh, and I think Usher was on the stage as well.  Well, I think his musical relevancy at this point is the fact that he is partly responsible for exposing the entire world to Beiber Fever. With that being said, he is definitely deserving of the front row on the Hell Express.

I would be remiss if I did not discuss the National Anthem debacle with Christina Aguilera.  I can only imagine the pressure of singing that song in front a hundred thousand live people and also being viewed by millions.  I give her a partial pass on the words.  However, I do not give her a pass on the bluesy, sultry, diva type delivery that she tricked up last night.  I’m just spit balling here but I bet the words would be a little easier to remember if you just sang them straight!  We all know it is a difficult song to sing and we have seen it screwed up countless times by far less talented people.  We all know you have an amazing voice with great range.  We also know that by your quickly released statement, you have a great management team.  Here is a hint fellas, big, theatrical award show let the pipes blow, nationally televised, time honored traditional song, stick to the damn script!

As for the game, I’m more than a little disappointed in the outcome.  I’m a huge Steelers fan and really held on until the last fatal mistake of the game.  Hats off to The Pack and their fans, they did the Super Bowl proud.  This is more than I can say for the music.

Great music hopefully awaits!

My Top 40 at 40!

Recently, and by recently I mean yesterday February 2^nd, which just happens to be my day of birth, a buddy of mine threw down the musical gauntlet.  I have briefly and succinctly paraphrased the challenge below:

Top 40 Artists of your life. Not simply a list of 40, but a ranking from 40 to 1. You have to do it. It must be done. It’s your personal Hall of Fame. This is your preference, your jukebox, regardless of genre or generation. This isn’t educational or time relevant. It’s YOUR Top 40 of all time.

This did indeed get the blood rushing and made my musical pants go a little crazy.  I started to brainstorm a list (and by brainstorm I mean immediately sat down and pounded out 40 names, clarified his initial challenge, perused my list again, and started typing the first sentence you read. 

The initial list was not a difficult as I thought.  The ranking of 1-40 took a little bit of time as did my annotations (those are in my tiny, little head) as to why the band/musician made the list.  The list that lies before you is organic in nature and I believe it to be fairly finite to the time that it was written.  The list is not to be likened to a doctoral thesis, packed with statistics that verify the respective placement, resourced with renowned critical fawning, or any type of research other than my ears and their time on earth. 

Be mindful of the fact that there are only 40 spots on this list.  I can tell you that there are probably some glaring omissions on this list.  Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, Waylon, Willie, and the boys, did not make the list as well as a litany of other great, well deserving artists.  This list is completely subjective and the omission of anyone is not meant to be a form of disparagement.  It is quite simply a list of bands/musicians that I have loved over the years and also value their contributions to the musical world. 

The final piece of the musical puzzle for this list was really a late night revelation.  I realize it has only been a moment or two since you began reading this but I actually have been running the various scenarios of greatness in my head all night.  And then it hit me, the true measure of an artist’s greatness is my personal commitment to that particular artist. 

•  How much of myself have I invested in the artists? 
• What percentage of their catalog do I own? 
• Would I take the time to see them live if the following were aligned:
  • They are still alive
  • They band is still together
  • The venue was geographically conducive to seeing them live
  • The cost of the ticket did not require me selling my 1^st born child.  Although at 15 years of age and being really good at being 15 I would be willing to barter for a really good show right now.

Oddly enough, this revelation did not greatly alter my original list, there were a few additions and subtractions of artists and then the harrowing process of ranking them, with reason, was underway. 

No musicians were harmed in this list.  Of course, egos might be slightly bruised if they ever happen to stumble upon this little read blog and realize their spot on or omission to the list.

So, I give to you my Top 40 at 40!

1. The Beatles
2. Bob Dylan
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. The Rolling Stones
5. Led Zeppelin
6. The Who
7. Pink Floyd
8. Tom Petty
9. The Eagles
10. Eric Clapton
11. Elton John
12. Jimi Hendrix
13. The Doors
14. U2
15. Metallica
16. Pearl Jam
17. Van Morrison
18. Billy Joel
19. R.E.M.
20. Rush
21. Lynryd Skynyrd
22. Simon & Garfunkel
23. John Mellencamp
24. Stevie Ray Vaughan
25. Prince
26. Nirvana
27. Uncle Tupelo
28. Eminem
29. Nine Inch Nails
30. Beck
31. The Dave Matthews Band
32. Rage Against the Machine
33. Robert Earl Keen
34. N.W.A
35. The Black Crowes
36. The Beastie Boys
37. The White Stripes
38. Ryan Adams
39. Ben Harper
40. Joe Purdy

 

Great music awaits!

A Bloggers Musical Look at 40!

Well, my dear, sweet, gentle blog readers, today is a milestone day for me.  Or, so I’m told.  Yep, it is my 40^th birthday.  Feel free to comment on how old I am or must feel.  Candle jokes are always funny, and yes, I am actually typing this attired in black and with one foot in the grave.

I like to think that I have made my musical feelings abundantly clear over the last year or so in this blog.  Songs are snapshots along our continuum that allow us to recall special times, people, and places. Music shades us in many ways, some so beautifully moving that we are overcome by emotion, others etched in our fabric like a familiar scent that recalls the halcyon days of our youth, while others are just simply attached to a moment in time.

In my forty years, I have lived and experienced more life than I probably deserve.  I know I certainly lived more than my parents deserved.  Through it all, music is the one constant that I have turned to regardless of the situation.  Adolescent love, loss, birth of children, marriage, divorce, and death, and yes, much living in between, music has been my salvation. Music resonates within me at many different levels. The basic premise behind music is notes, keys, chords, rhythm, etc….   It is analogous to food in the fact that there is music for all occasions.

So today, is my musical look at 40!  Below are 40 songs that have colored me indelibly. I will offer no explanation as to why these songs resonate with me nor will I debate their worthiness of inclusion.  After all it is my birthday, my blog and my computer at which I type. 

Below is this Bloggers Musical look at 40:

Song	Artist
Blinded By the Light *note* Cause Mama that’s where the fun is!	Bruce Springsteen
Everybody Hurts	R.E.M.
Simple Man	Lynyrd Skynyrd
Tiny Dancer	Elton John
With or Without You	U2
Louisiana Rain	Tom Petty
Dyer’s Eve	Metallica
Touch From Your Lust	Ben Harper
Fire Lake	Bob Segar
Masters of War	Bob Dylan
See What Tomorrow Brings	Arc Angels
There Is So Much More	Brett Dennen
Mystic Rhythms	Rush
Jimi Thing	The Dave Matthews Band
It’s In the Way That You Use It	Eric Clapton
Rearview Mirror	Pearl Jam
Sweet Child O’ Mine	Guns N’ Roses
The Sea and the Rhythm	Iron & Wine
Waiting for the Sun	The Jayhawks
Little Wing	Jimi Hendrix
Highwayman	The Highwaymen
Gimme Shelter	The Rolling Stones
Chloe Dance/Crown of Thorns	Mother Love Bone
When You Come Back Down	Nickel Creek
I’m Trying To Find It	Pat Green
Wish You Were Here	Pink Floyd
Slip Sliding Away	Paul Simon
Sideways	Citizen Cope
Wheel In The Sky	Journey
Sign O’ The Times	Prince
What a Crying Shame	The Mavericks
Sweet Caroline	Neil Diamond
Minutes To Memories	John Mellencamp
Band on the Run	Paul McCartney
Killing In the Name	Rage Against the Machine
Shades of Gray	Robert Earl Keen
Life Without You	Stevie Ray Vaughan
Plush	Stone Temple Pilots
Badfish	Sublime
Into the Mystic	Van Morrison

When I hear any of these songs, I vividly remember the moments, feelings, situations, and the friends I shared the moments with.  I contend that these artists and their songs do or will stand the test of time and are just as relevant today as they were in the past or will be in the future.  At least for me!

So there you go, me sharing a little of my birthday with you.  Enjoy and come over later for some cake and ice cream.

Great music awaits!

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals is the smoking hot Vermont band led by musical wunderkind and band namesake Grace Potter.  She is a multi instrumentalist/vocalist with some serious skills.  She plays both electric and acoustic guitar, Hammond B3 organ, Fender Rhodes piano, and Wurlitzer electrical piano.  Did I also mention that she sings?  Her expressive, genre changing voice is the hook that drags you into the music.

The band was loosely formed in 2002 when Potter was spotted by, soon to be band mate, Matthew Burr as she was singing folk songs in a student hot spot on the St. Lawrence University campus.  In 2005 the band received two nominations at the Boston Music Awards and independently released “Nothing But the Water”.  The band eventually signed with Hollywood Records and the album was rereleased in 2006 and received two more nominations from the Boston Music Awards.

Their second album “This Is Somewhere” was released in 2007 and they toured with Gov’t Mule.  The same year they made TV appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.  In addition to those appearances, their song “Apologies” made the rounds on several shows such as:

All My Children One Tree Hill Grey’s Anatomy ER

2008 found them touring with The Black Crowes and Dave Matthews and they played a full set at the Mile High Music Festival.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Discography:

• Nothing But the Water
• Live Oh Five
• This Is Somewhere
• Live In Skowhegan
• Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
• Live at the Fillmore

The 2010 release of their self titled album finds Grace and Co. melding the myriad parts of their band; the raw live vibe, the sultry, bluesy vocal prowess of Grace, the deft musical abilities of the band, and the classic rock sound.  While they have spent many years wowing the crowds on the live circuit and have toured with some of the jammiest of bands, this album and the TV spots are the bridge to a broader audience. 

Check out Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at www.gracepotter.com

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vy1OoBAL-E

www.youtube.com/watch?v=paeNnR33i5Q

Great music awaits!

2011 Sneak Peak of Music You Should Be Listening To!

Another year has come and gone and we are in the early stages of a new year.  Out with the old and in with the new!  Today, I give you a sneak peak at some of the highly anticipated releases of 2011.  So sit back and let your music pants go crazy as you peruse this fine list of music to come.

My Morning Jacket

Currently Untitled (Unscheduled 2011)

Let the love and reverb flow as Jim James and gang do their thing.  Producing the set themselves the band used a converted gym as their recording space.  The Louisville, Kentucky, rockers are keeping it real on their sixth record.  I’m going out on a limb and stating that this album will be one of the best albums of 2011.

Beastie Boys

‘Hot Sauce Committee Part 2’ (Unscheduled 2011)

Now that Adam Yauch is on the road to recovery from throat cancer, the New York trio will release their first album in four years. I for one am glad to see the boys back in the studio mixing and mingling their distinctive sound. 

Drive-By Truckers

Go-Go Boots (February 15)

The boys are back and I could not be happier.  Cooley and Hood continue their southern styled rock with their topical lyrics and swagger.  Expect plenty of guitars, stories steeped in deep southern experiences and the vocal contrast of Cooley’s drawl and Hoods howl.

 R.E.M.

Collapse Into Now (March 8 ) 

Rumor has it that the 12-tracks are some of their strongest rock songs in years. It also finds front man Michael Stipe rocking old school R.E.M machine gun like phrases with the frantic cadence of classic tunes like “It’s The End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”. The boys have teamed with producer Garrett “Jacknife” Lee (U2, Weezer,) and laid down the tracks for their 15th album in locations within the contiguous 48 states and Europe. And as is the latest craze, the album has guest vocals from none other than Mr. Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam fame.

Kanye West & Jay-Z

Watch the Throne (Unscheduled 2011)

In keeping with the bigger than life style of hip/hop royalty these two juggernauts the laid down tracks all over the world, including the South of France and Australia. Their first single “H.A.M.,” hit the airwaves this month.  Even before he released, his 2010 masterpiece, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye was already working on this collaboration with Jay-Z, The record was initially set as an EP but morphed into a full-length album.

 The Kills

Blood Pressures (April 5)

 For the duo’s fourth studio album, both Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart wrote separately, more out of necessity brought on by Mosshart’s involvement with Jack White’s musical love child The Dead Weather.  In other Weather news, Jack Lawrence’s band The Greenhornes also recently released an album!  Incidentally, Lawrence is also in White’s other musical venture The Raconteurs.  Allow another side note: Jack White is musical genius!

U2

Songs of Ascent (Unscheduled 2011)

The veteran rockers are busy working on three albums, (talk about over achieving), and the first to arrive will be their collaboration with super producer Danger Mouse. So, how does the Broadway production of Spiderman fit into the mix?  Danger Mouse has been on fire as of late.  He contributed production value to the Black Keys major breakthrough Attack & Release and last year he teamed up with The Shins front man James Mercer and gave us Broken Bells. 

Foo Fighters

Currently Untitled (Unscheduled 2011)

After the side project of Them Crooked Vultures, I am looking forward to this little rock’n’roll revival for the Foo Fighters’ first disc in five years. There are 11 songs on the album and the word on the street is that from start to finish, there’s not one ballad.  This album finds Dave Grohl reuniting with Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic and Butch Vig, who produced 1991’s Nevermind.

Lady Gaga

Born This Way (May 23)

Some might believe this to be the most anticipated pop record of the year. As for Lady Gaga, she won’t let you forget it. For months, she’s been teasing bits of info via the time suck of Twitter and at her shows about the 2011 release. The wait is almost up: Gaga will drop album’s first single, “Born This Way,” on February 13.

Fleet Foxes

Currently Untitled (Unscheduled 2011)

Washington State’s hirsute folk style band was close to wrapping the follow-up to their self-titled debut last fall. Ever the perfectionist, Robin Pecknold scrapped much of the material to “return to the cave,” as he called it, and start over. The record has since been mastered and is prepped for release. No new territory explored on the follow up; Folksy, sweetly layered vocals and harmonies that call to mind the early harmonious groups such as The Eagles and Crosby Stills, and Nash and sometimes Young!

Radiohead

Currently Untitled (Unscheduled 2011)

Their first album since 2007’s In Rainbows with the record, which will be produced by Nigel Godrich. Still, a rep for the band confirms a new record is due out sometime this year.

Jane’s Addiction

 (Unscheduled 2011)

With the abrupt departure of, Perry and crew went way out on a limb and hired TV on the Radio guru/producer-instrumentalist Dave Sitek to handle the bass lines and possibly contribute ideas as well as a cool infusion of new life for their new LP, tentatively titled The Great Escape Artist

 Red Hot Chili Peppers

Currently Untitled (Unscheduled 2011)

With the loss of guitarist John Frusciante, The Peppers have recruited touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer for their latest LP.   Some of the disc will include songs that were written by Flea on piano, as well as material inspired by Afro-beat music from Lagos, Nigeria.  

Wilco

Currently Untitled (Unscheduled 2011)

After splitting from their longtime home Nonesuch last year Jeff Tweedy and the Wilco boys will release their latest effort on their own label. The band has been quiet about details of the new album but there has been confirmation, by a band rep, that the album is due out sometime in 2011.

Lil Wayne

Currently Untitled (Unscheduled 2011)

Since his release from the joint Weezy has been on lockdown in his Miami studio working on Tha Carter IV, his sequel to 2008’s Tha Carter III. Its first single, “6 Foot 7 Foot,” featuring Cory Gunz, was released on last month. The word is that Wayne, who started working on the album before his state sanctioned vacation, started over and will use rhymes from his time spent reflecting in the pokey.  How many funny jail references can you work in one paragraph?

Outkast

Currently Untitled (Unscheduled 2011)

It’s been four years since the Atlanta duo dropped and we quickly forgot Idelwild, but there has been confirmation that they’re working on their long overdue follow-up, which is expected this year. Both Andre 3000 and Big Boi have been busy working on solo projects.  Boi dropped his solo release (Sir Lucious Left Foot:  in 2010 with much hype and was on several year best of lists, including mine.  Dre’s efforts have yet to come to fruition but might also appear in 2011.

Dr. Dre

Detox (Unscheduled 2011)

Though there’s no official release date, and appears that this release might be Hip Hops version of “Chinese Democracy” but given Dre’s musical genius and many collaborations it just might be worth the wait. 

Here is a cursory view of what is expected in 2011.

 Monthly Breakdown of Releases

January 11

• Cage the Elephant, ‘Thank You, Happy Birthday’
• Cake, ‘Showroom of Compassion’
• Edie Brickell, ‘Edie Brickell‘

January 18

• Decemberists, ‘The King is Dead’
• Gregg Allman, ‘Low Country Blues’
• James Blunt, ‘Some Kind of Trouble’
• Social Distortion, ‘Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes’

January 25

• Amos Lee, ‘Mission Bell’
• Cold War Kids, ‘Mine is Yours’
• Corinne Bailey Rae, ‘Love‘
• Deerhoof, ‘Deerhoof vs. Evil’
• Iron & Wine, ‘Kiss Each Other Clean’
• Talib Kweli, ‘Gutter Rainbows’
• Wanda Jackson, ‘The Party Ain’t Over’

February 1

• The Go! Team, ‘Rolling Blackouts’
• Matisyahu, ‘Live at Stubb’s Vol II“

February 8

• …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, ‘Tao of the Dead’
• Alison Krauss, TBA

February 15

• Bright Eyes, ‘The People’s Key’
• The Dears, ‘Degeneration Street’
• Drive-By Truckers, ‘Go-Go Boots’
• Mogwai, ‘Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will’
• PJ Harvey, ‘Let England Shake’

February 22

• Harry Connick Jr., ‘Harry Connick Jr. in Concert on Broadway’
• INXS, ‘Original Sin’
• Jeff Beck, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Party: Honoring Les Paul’
• John Waite, ‘Rough & Tumble’
• The Low Anthem, ‘Smart Flesh’

March 1

• Blessed Union of Souls, ‘The Mission Field’
• Dropkick Murphys, ‘Going out of Style’
• John Popper & the Duskray Troubadours, ‘John Popper & the Duskray Troubadours’
• Lucinda Williams, ‘Blessed‘

March 8

• Avril Lavigne, ‘Good Bye Lullaby’
• Lupe Fiasco, ‘Lasers‘
• R.E.M., ‘Collapse Into Now’
• Sara Evans, ‘Stronger‘

March 15

• Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi, ‘Rome’
• Green Day, ‘Awesome as F**k’
• New York Dolls, ‘Dancing Backward in High Heels’

March 22

• Edwyn Collins, ‘Losing Sleep’
• Pitbull, ‘Planet Pit’
• Raphael Saadiq, ‘Stone Rollin’
• Ray Davies, ‘See My Friends’

March 29

• Mountain Goats, ‘All Eternals Deck’
• Peter Bjorn and John, TBA

April 12

• Paul Simon, ‘So Beautiful or So What’

April 26

• Dirty Vegas, ‘Electric Love’

 2011 Releases With No Date Etched In Granite:

• Aerosmith, TBA
• Andre 3000, TBA
• Fiona Apple, TBA
• Busta Rhymes, ‘The Chemo’
• Chingy, ‘1st Quarter’
• Coldplay, TBA
• Common, ‘The Believer’
• Death Cab for Cutie, TBA
• Eve, ‘Lip Lock’
• Wyclef Jean, ‘If I Were President: My Haitian Experience’
• Nickelback, TBA
• Britney Spears, TBA
• Justin Timberlake, TBA
• Ting Tings, TBA

2010 Year In Review Part Deaux: Texas Music You Should Be Listening To!

As the saying goes, there must be something in the water!  There is something about the Texas music scene that defies typical musical conventions.  This, of course, comes as no surprise to the millions of Texas music fans.  The variety of music that hails from the great state is as expansive as the West Texas plains.  While Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital” of the world, there are plenty of fertile musical breeding grounds in Texas. 

 Today, I will WOW you with some of the musical greatness that came from or had ties to Texas in 2010. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, it is just a few of the albums that I have had in heavy rotation over the course of the last year. 

Artist	Album	Observations
Old 97’s	The Grand Theatre Vol. 1	Dallas band gets back to their roots and write good music without trying to be anything more than they are.  After 17 years it is good to see them comfortable in their own skin.
Spoon	Transference	Not as much of gloss and a lot more rock is what make this album great.  Not shying away from the darker textures, Spoon creates a less poppy album and the laxity of Transference is the strength of the album.
Reckless Kelly	Somewhere In Time	A fine album of cover songs to their one time mentor Pinto Bennett.
Roky Erickson & Okkervil River	True Love Cast Out All Evil	Concise production shapes the sorrow of the Austin icon Roky Erickson’s life and ultimately the optimism of his return.
Court Yard Hounds	Court Yard Hounds	2/3 of the Dixie Chicks show that sometimes less is more.  Jakob Dylan adds his dusky dulcet tone for a quick duet.
Alejandro Escovedo	Street Songs of Love	The fierceness of the guitar and the bombastic instrumentation belie the emotional elements of the lyrics.
Arcade Fire	The Suburbs	Currently Canadian, Butler boys do hail from the sterile Houston suburb known as the Woodlands.  This is a great album and also made my 2010 Year in review.
Ryan Bingham	Junky Star	Former rodeo star hits the big time with Golden Globe and Oscar win and a current Grammy Nomination for his work on the “Crazy Heart’ soundtrack.  His 3rd album is no fluke either.  His whisky and cigarette vocals are the perfect vehicle for his forlorn tales.
Randy Rogers Band	Burning the Day	One of the hardest working bands in the state.  Over 200 dates over the past years.  Still time to record and release their 5th album.
Norah Jones	…Featuring Norah Jones	The list of collaborators is what makes this album genius.  You have the rap community represented with Talib Kweli Q Tip, and Outkast, the rock genre is fortified by Foo Fighters, and Ryan Adams is a genre chameleon so several are covered with his efforts.  Also, Willie Nelson adds his own brand of greatness.
Walt Wilkins	Agave	A true Texas troubadour.  No one does it better then Walt.  The words of a poet delivered honey sweet with a calm, familiar feel.  Need to see him live if you ever have the chance.
Tommy Alverson	Texas One More Time	With a twinkle in his eye, and a beer in his hand, Tommy makes music that makes you feel fine.  When Tommy sings, it feels like a warm summer night and for that moment you are carefree.  Highly recommend you see him live, you won’t regret it.
Six Market Boulevard	Running On Seven	I caught these boys live one Sunday afternoon at a local barbeque joint.  Nice, strong debut album.
Mike Ryan	The First One	Great voice, laid back attitude, and interacts with his fans.  Ballsy covers of Lenny Kravitz and Conway Twitty.  Need to see him live to fully appreciate his brand of greatness.
Bruce Robison	From the Top	Amazing songwriting that has made many country artists famous.  This album finds him paired with Rodney Crowell and it is an effort steeped in simplicity.  When you write as well as Bruce, you don’t need to add a lot of fluff.

 Great music awaits!

Joe Pug: Musical Gem of 2010

Joe Pug is a singer/songwriter who originally hails from Maryland but began his unique musical career in Chicago.  He has toured at length since 2008, has opened for Steve Earle, M. Ward, and Josh Ritter and has also played the New Port Folk Festival and Lollapalooza.  Nothing in the short career of Joe Pug has followed the normal trajectory of a musician. 

His path to music was not as direct as other artists; he began playing guitar in grade school and formed a band in the 6^th grade.   Firmly believing the mark of a band was original writing, he began writing songs. This was coupled with early ambitions of being a playwright. He left home and attended the University of North Carolina for several years and abruptly left to continue his pursuit of music.  His ideas for a play ultimately were flushed out in his first EP “Nation of Heat”.  The songs were surreptitiously recorded in a Chicago studio with the aid of a friend who permitted him late night access to the cancelled studio sessions of other musicians.

His first headlining show in Chicago’s hallowed venue, Schuba’s Tavern, was sold out which further established the praise that was surrounding the EP “Nation of Heat” and the artist. 

Early on, he struck upon the idea of giving his music to his fans free of charge.  In his mind, his fans already dig him and they have friends who would likely dig him too.  They just needed the chance to hear him.  The offer is posted on his web site www.joepugmusic.com. To date, he has sent out over 15,000 copies of his poignant tunes to all 50 states and 14 countries.  He covers all of the cost associated with this magnanimous offer. 

Joe Pug Discography:

• Nation of Heat (EP)
• In the Meantime (EP)
• The Messenger

In 2010 he released his full length debut “The Messenger” which consists of ten tracks of guitar driven tunes with the occasional backing of harmonica.  This is one of those albums that can be enjoyed from start to finish and leaves you wanting more.  His modest approach allows you to breath in the beauty of his lyrics and the connectivity of his voice.

His amazingly beautiful lyrics are wrapped in poetry and grace that confound the listener and belie his age.  Oh, and did I mention that Joe is in his early twenties?  How does someone so young find the muse of years and experiences he has not lived?  Is it possible to have lived the wearied tales of love and loss, the eternal quest of belonging, and channel the emotional depth of the musical greats before him like Dylan and Guthrie at such a young age? 

I don’t know the answer to the questions asked but if you listen to him for any length, you too will hear the detailed stories being told.  You too will be struck by how well they connect.  You too will become a fan of Joe Pug.  More importantly, you have nothing to lose by trying.  Joe has taken out the roadblocks to becoming a fan.  He is giving you the window of opportunity, at his cost, to listen, learn, and love his music.

Check out Joe Pug at www.joepugmusic.com

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhAwD_DSgZQ&feature=related

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0hArN7ngtk&feature=related

Great music awaits!

2010 Year In Review: Music You Should Have Been Listening To!

Well, 2010 was quite the year!  Everyone got a little older but ladies, you don’t look it!  In spite of continued political divide, the yet to rebound economy, and little oil spill in the Gulf, 2010 was a pretty great year in music.  Not for the industry as a whole (canceled tours, decline in both digital and CD sales, etc…), but in terms of the output from various artists it was a pretty fine year.  Hell, the Beatles finally capitulated to the masses and released their catalog on iTunes!  Back the Brinks truck up boys, we are cashing in!

Here is my annual review of what I thought, and thereby, was good in the world of music in 2010.  If it did not make the list, it means I did not get a chance to listen to it, or it sucked.  It is entirely possible that some music got by me this year.  It is more likely that the music I did not listen to was not listenable and therefore sucked.

In all seriousness, this is a compilation of 50 albums that were released in 2010 that got a lot of play in the many places where I listen to music.  All of these albums I own and were in heavy rotation throughout the year.  These are by no means the only albums released or that I purchased in 2010 but the ones I found myself digging a little more than some of the others.

The albums listed below are in no particular order of greatness but are all great in their own unique musical way!  See, look at that, I’m being mindful of the feelings of the artists that will never read this blog and perpetuating the “everyone is a winner”, feel good schlock that has helped raise and create a whole generation of entitled whiners and, I digress.

So sit back and peruse the gentle musing of what made my musical pants go crazy this year.

Artist	Album	My Annotations
The Black Keys	Brother	This album and all of their other albums rock.  This band consists of 2 white dudes from Ohio who sound like a symphony of veteran bluesman that caught wind of some funk.  Pure greatness!
Arcade Fire	The Suburbs	Nice way to come back from a 3 year break!  This album and this band is what is right with music today. Sprawling music, musicians that actually play instruments, and have something meaningful to say!
Jamey Johnson	The Guitar Songs	Jamey tried the clean cut “new” country way and realized that it was not going to work for him.  So, he followed the Johnny Cash 101 course and gave in to vice and temptation, grew a crazy beard and wrote about his life.  This double disc is pretty aggressive for this relative newcomer but he pulls it off and we are better for it.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers	Mojo	Great new disc from the Heartbreakers and another great album from start –finish for Tommy Boy.  After 30 years I am amazed that he can still bring it like he does.  Petty has a way of always taking me back to the halcyon days of high school.  Props to the folks from 75115!
Drive-By Truckers	The Big To-Do	I love DBT and this album is no exception.  While Jason Isbell is missed, they are able to carry one and make some damn fine music.  The stories that they create are usually good for a laugh or two until you realize that most of them come from real life events.
Fistful of Mercy	Fistful of Mercy	The musical triumvirate of Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur, and Dhani Harrison.  Great harmonies and acoustic instrumentation.
Bruce Springsteen	The Promise	This 2 disc set is the lost tracks to the Darkness on the Edge of Town session.  That period was pretty prolific for the Boss and it is funny how 30+ years later the music is still relevant.  Hats off to you Bruce and the E Street Boys.
Eminem	Recovery	Dropped off the face of musical earth and did a death spiral and realized that he had more music to make.  While not as aggressive and misogynistic as his earlier work, Recovery shows that he still has skills.
The Dead Weather	Sea of Cowards	Jack White is pure greatness and this sophomore effort from one of his many side projects does not disappoint.
The National	High Violet	Not exactly a “pick me up” kind of band but the drama and melancholy is balanced by the somber vocals and tight instrumentation.
Band of Horses	Infinite Arms	Indie music darlings come back with a full group for their third album.  Their sound is familiar but they do explore some new lyrical territory.
Neil Young	Le Noise	Neil Young and his eclectic ways paired + Daniel Lanois production expertise = genius.
Kings of Leon	Come Around Sundown	These guys make consistently good music.  It is unfortunate that their previous release was embraced by the masses and oversaturated the airwaves.
Kid Rock	Born Free	Say what you will about the Kid, but when he stays close to the classic rock of our youth, he makes entertaining music.
Joe Purdy	4th of July	The best indie act out there today.  Releases all of his material on his own with no major label support, gets little or no radio play, and tours in places that hold 200-300 people.  He is amazing.
Joe Purdy	This American	See above
The Gaslight Anthem	American Slang	New Jersey band channeling the musical spirit of Springsteen with a little punk rock spin.  Further proof that good things come from the Garden State!
Spoon	Transference	Spoon continues to make moody not quite pop music.  This is their 7th album and is a great showcase of their formidable musical chops.
Gorillaz	Plastic Beach	Cartoon characters that get the likes of DeLa Soul, Snoop Dogg, and Lou Reed to guest on their album.  What more can I say?
MGMT	Congratulations	The sophomore album from the trippy, somewhat psychedelic duo.  As good as their stellar debut and clearly shows that these boys have some skills.
Kanye West	My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy	Despite the petulant attitude, knack for opening mouth and inserting foot, Kanye knows how to mix and mingle the tracks, samples and artists.   Not sure I like liking him but hard to ignore.
Robert Plant	Band of Joy	Golden Rock god pays go pre-Zeppelin days and does some pretty sweet covers of American music such as Townes Van Zandt, Low, and Los Lobos.
John Mellencamp	No Better Than This	This live mono recording of his latest was done in various parts of the country such as a Georgia church, San Antonio hotel room, and a Memphis recording studio.  Mr. Happy Go Lucky strikes again!
Broken Bells	Broken Bells	James Mercer (The Shins) and super producer Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley) team up for an awesome debut album.  Hopefully they will find time to make more music.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club	Beat the Devil’s Tattoo	Cool, scary band name with cool scary album name.  I’ve been a fan for years and like how they have evolved.
Marc Cohn	Listening Booth:1970	Great covers of 70’s song.  Nice to see him back in the booth.
Josh Ritter	So Runs The World Away	Quite the word smith.  Sparse musical compositions are the foundation for the subterranean concepts of the album.
Flobots	Survival Story	Rock-Rap with the instrumentation of a viola!  Politically charged lyrics with deft delivery and did I mention the viola?
The Rescues	Let Loose The Horses	Four part harmonies that flawlessly flow throughout the album.  Lingering, soothing lyrics that are both exploratory and meaningful.  Great debut album.
Jack Johnson	To The Sea	Feel good music in the laid back Jack Johnson style.  Not breaking new ground which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs	God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise	4th studio album for the whiskey soaked and smoky voiced troubadour and this time he is backed by a true, professional band.  This album, like all the rest is best when his dulcet tone has room to breathe.
Mumford & Sons	Sigh No More	Further proof that harmonies were all the rage in 2010.  This London quartet’s debut album is closer to folk than just about anything on this list.  Not sure how the English captured Americana but more power to them.
The New Pornographers	Together	The large Canadian bands 5th album is a nice blend of vocals and instrumentation.  Will Sheff of Okervil River, Zach Condon of Beirut, and some Dap Kings (the horn players) all make appearances on the album.
The Black Crowes	Croweology	The Crowes version of “Best of” with 2 discs worth of tracks.  Nice acoustic versions of their catalog.  This is the last release before their next breakup/hiatus.  Damn sibling rivalries!
LCD Soundsystem	This Is Happening	The 3rd and reportedly final album from the dance/rock kings.
Of Montreal	False Priests	An eclectic blend of funk, synth, and sing along chorus.  Lyrically odd at times, the songs seem to be better crafted then some of their other work.
Sleigh Bells	Treats	Drums, guitars, and a little hip hop are hard to beat.  This band is not easy to define but certainly fun.
Big Boi	Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Song of Chico Dusty	One half of the rap duo OutKast, Big Boi shows his considerable skills on his solo album.  Solo album is a loose term considering that T.I., Gucci Mane, George Clinton, Jamie Foxx, B.o.B, and Too Short are just a few of the folks that appear on the album.
The Hold Steady	Heaven Is Whenever	Not as commercially known as some of the other bands on this list but just as good, if not better than some.  Think heartland rock with Brooklyn attitude.
Eels	Tomorrow Morning	The 2nd of their albums to be released in 2010, this one is a little more upbeat.  The addition of keyboards and strings is a nice touch.  It seems that E might have just a glimmer of happiness in his life.
Weezer	Hurley	With co-writers like Ryan Adams, Mac Davis, and Linda Perry, this album twists and turns in many musical directions.  All of them good!
Vampire Weekend	Contra	Sophomore album for the Paul Simon channeling group is not a drastic departure from their first.  The formula works.
Ozomatli	Fire Away	As diverse as band as there is, these LA boys mix in the rap, Spanish horns, and a bit of Ska to completely blow you away.
Street Sweeper Social Club	The Ghetto Blaster EP	Tom Morello of Rage fame and Boot Riley release this angry, politically driven EP.  Not so angry that they can’t cover LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out and MIA’s Paper Planes.
The Avett Brothers	Live Volume 3	This album was recorded in 2009 shortly after the major label debut.  It covers several great tracks from their previous indie label albums.  This is a band best served live.  Might make my Top 10 Live Album List.
Joe Pug	The Messenger	Great acoustic folk music.  Lyrically sound and great from start to finish.  He is one of the great finds of 2010 for me.
Jakob Dylan	Woman + Country	The still Wallflowerless Dylan’s 2nd solo album is as solid as anything he has ever done.  Neko Case also appears on the album.
Matt Costa	Mobile Chateau	Jack Johnson’s protégé’s third release is a mixed bag of upbeat tempos and California pop with a helping of soulful piano and surprising depth.
Elton John and Leon Russell	The Union	Clash of the aging titans!  Hard to believe that after 40 years of divergent paths, these two make an album that leaves you wondering why it did not happen sooner.
Reckless Kelly	Somewhere In Time	This album is a 12 track homage to the band’s early mentor and Americana singer/songwriter Pinto Bennett.