The Devil's Right Hand - Steve Earle (1988)
This is the most rocking murder ballad ever released, with all apologies to The Lemonheads' scorching version of "Knoxville Girl". Steve Earle's career is littered with essential material, but you gotta go a long way to get better than his redneck concept album that is Copperhead Road. He has been more compassionate. He has been more poetic. He has been more controversial.He has never been more raw or visceral than right here! Townes would be proud.
Johnny, you really like being in the covers section of these posts, don't you?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
JDIZZY's 365 # 278: Mariano
Mariano - Robert Earl Keen (1989)
This song came to me because of a TDK promotional cd that showed you how to best tape your cds to the companies fine line of recordable audio cassettes! Thank God I was always eager to pick up something for free. Robert Earl Keen is one of the masters of the Texas Singer/Songwriter school. Somehow, he has always evaded fame. I can only think this is something he wants, because this is an artist tailor made for the big leagues. Listen to today's track about an illegal migrant worker in an American border town, then search out his album West Textures as a starting point for a career you will find yourself wanting to follow. This is country music for the ages.
This song came to me because of a TDK promotional cd that showed you how to best tape your cds to the companies fine line of recordable audio cassettes! Thank God I was always eager to pick up something for free. Robert Earl Keen is one of the masters of the Texas Singer/Songwriter school. Somehow, he has always evaded fame. I can only think this is something he wants, because this is an artist tailor made for the big leagues. Listen to today's track about an illegal migrant worker in an American border town, then search out his album West Textures as a starting point for a career you will find yourself wanting to follow. This is country music for the ages.
JDIZZY's 365 # 277: Phantom Limb
Phantom Limb - The Shins (2006)
The Shins broke big because of two things: The release of Chutes Too Narrow in 2003 and the Garden State soundtrack in 2004. Chutes Too Narrow was a critical smash, which the mainstream music press embraced just as much as the music blogs that were beginning to pop up at the time. Garden State exploded the band's status, with a hit soundtrack heavy on their work and dialogue references in the film.
Of course, the followup was going to experience a tad bit of backlash. It seemed though that Wincing The Night Away was backlash proof. it was hailed in the same breath as Chutes and, in a marginal way, as much as the hip critics did for their debut Oh Inverted World. The incredible first single probably helped a lot. While James Mercer describes it as a fantasia on a young lesbian couple dealing with prejudice, it rises above the earnestness of a message song because of the band's indelible knack for harnessing hooks.
Mercer now has side projects galore to deal with, but the hopeful still wait anxiously for what The Shins will deliver to us next.
The Shins broke big because of two things: The release of Chutes Too Narrow in 2003 and the Garden State soundtrack in 2004. Chutes Too Narrow was a critical smash, which the mainstream music press embraced just as much as the music blogs that were beginning to pop up at the time. Garden State exploded the band's status, with a hit soundtrack heavy on their work and dialogue references in the film.
Of course, the followup was going to experience a tad bit of backlash. It seemed though that Wincing The Night Away was backlash proof. it was hailed in the same breath as Chutes and, in a marginal way, as much as the hip critics did for their debut Oh Inverted World. The incredible first single probably helped a lot. While James Mercer describes it as a fantasia on a young lesbian couple dealing with prejudice, it rises above the earnestness of a message song because of the band's indelible knack for harnessing hooks.
Mercer now has side projects galore to deal with, but the hopeful still wait anxiously for what The Shins will deliver to us next.
Monday, February 14, 2011
JDIZZY's 365 # 276: My Body Is A Cage
My Body Is A Cage - The Arcade Fire (2007)
Well, it's only fitting that the night after The Arcade Fire shocked the music world, we come to them on the ol' 365. The Suburbs is undoubtedly one of the best albums in recent times but today we turn back to their previous release, Neon Bible, which is one of the best albums of all time. Wide open where The Suburbs is more insular, Neon Bible is indie rock's Boston. It is overblown in the best way, and nowhere better than on today's track, which happens to be the last one on the record. Dealing with personal struggles in the face of the world, Win Butler delivers his most impassioned performance to date, with the rest of the boys and girls building to a climax of proportions not seen since The Beatles' A Day In the Life. It also helped that the best fan made music video EVER accompanied it. Using Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West as its visual source, it's crafted in such a way to make you believe The Arcade Fire was the house band for the Spaghetti Westerns. If the genre ever comes back, I think they should be contacted immediately for this very purpose.
Peter Gabriel just might end up being Art rock's Johnny Cash when it comes to splendid covers.
Well, it's only fitting that the night after The Arcade Fire shocked the music world, we come to them on the ol' 365. The Suburbs is undoubtedly one of the best albums in recent times but today we turn back to their previous release, Neon Bible, which is one of the best albums of all time. Wide open where The Suburbs is more insular, Neon Bible is indie rock's Boston. It is overblown in the best way, and nowhere better than on today's track, which happens to be the last one on the record. Dealing with personal struggles in the face of the world, Win Butler delivers his most impassioned performance to date, with the rest of the boys and girls building to a climax of proportions not seen since The Beatles' A Day In the Life. It also helped that the best fan made music video EVER accompanied it. Using Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West as its visual source, it's crafted in such a way to make you believe The Arcade Fire was the house band for the Spaghetti Westerns. If the genre ever comes back, I think they should be contacted immediately for this very purpose.
Peter Gabriel just might end up being Art rock's Johnny Cash when it comes to splendid covers.
Friday, February 11, 2011
JDIZZY's 365 # 275: Coquet Coquette
Coquet Coquette - Of Montreal (2010)
Today we present one of the best modern examples of "progressive" music. Coming from the usual staid genre of indie rock, Kevin Barnes and Of Montreal have taken listeners on quite a journey since their debut album in 1997. What started as almost lo-fi toytown progressed in this order:
Acoustic "Smile" styled ditties, Basement psychedelia, Early 00's vaudeville revivalists, Kinksian whimsyists, Electronic playhouse progenitors, acid disco savants, The Talking Heads' grandchildren and glam rock's dancey sibling. Then , on their most current release, Mr. Barnes (Or is it Georgie Fruit by this point?) does with the band what he always threatened to do.......
make them RAWKERS!!!
Indie rock has become a breeding ground of late for the most exciting music being made today, encompassing any genre you can think of.
I truly believe, before they call it a day, Of Montreal will play them all!
Remix, it's nice to see you are no longer limited in your styles either!
Today we present one of the best modern examples of "progressive" music. Coming from the usual staid genre of indie rock, Kevin Barnes and Of Montreal have taken listeners on quite a journey since their debut album in 1997. What started as almost lo-fi toytown progressed in this order:
Acoustic "Smile" styled ditties, Basement psychedelia, Early 00's vaudeville revivalists, Kinksian whimsyists, Electronic playhouse progenitors, acid disco savants, The Talking Heads' grandchildren and glam rock's dancey sibling. Then , on their most current release, Mr. Barnes (Or is it Georgie Fruit by this point?) does with the band what he always threatened to do.......
make them RAWKERS!!!
Indie rock has become a breeding ground of late for the most exciting music being made today, encompassing any genre you can think of.
I truly believe, before they call it a day, Of Montreal will play them all!
Remix, it's nice to see you are no longer limited in your styles either!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
JDIZZY's 365 # 274: Just Like A Pill
JDIZZY's 365 # 273: Marat/Sade
Marat/Sade - Judy Collins (1966)
Judy Collins' 1966 classic In My Life is in someways the most "Progressive" folk album ever released. She goes from modern masters such as Leonard Cohen, The Beatles and Randy Newman to the pre-World War II German theatre world of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht. However, what will stop you in your tracks is her medley of songs from Peter Weiss' immortal work The Persecution & Assassination Of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed By The Inmates Of the Asylum Of Charenton Under the Direction Of The Marquis De Sade. Collins captures this landmark and controversial work and places it tightly into her singer/songwriter canon. If you are unfamiliar with the play, you can watch it with The Royal Shakespearean Company cast on youtube as we speak in its entirety. If you are unfamiliar with Collins' medley, sit back and listen for a little over five minutes. You'll really want to see it after the final strings are silenced.
maratsade
Uploaded by manticorelover98. - See the latest featured music videos.
Judy Collins' 1966 classic In My Life is in someways the most "Progressive" folk album ever released. She goes from modern masters such as Leonard Cohen, The Beatles and Randy Newman to the pre-World War II German theatre world of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht. However, what will stop you in your tracks is her medley of songs from Peter Weiss' immortal work The Persecution & Assassination Of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed By The Inmates Of the Asylum Of Charenton Under the Direction Of The Marquis De Sade. Collins captures this landmark and controversial work and places it tightly into her singer/songwriter canon. If you are unfamiliar with the play, you can watch it with The Royal Shakespearean Company cast on youtube as we speak in its entirety. If you are unfamiliar with Collins' medley, sit back and listen for a little over five minutes. You'll really want to see it after the final strings are silenced.
maratsade
Uploaded by manticorelover98. - See the latest featured music videos.
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