Episode #28: Bittersweet Vol. III

Here is the third installation of my Bittersweet Series. Hopefully without repeating myself, the songs featured on this mix are generally of an introspective, downtempo vibe. I did not set out to develop an overarching genre here, however looking back at it now I seemed to have been leaning towards a folk aesthetic on this one. Yet, there is music both old, such as The Beach Boys and Big Star, and new, with the likes of Sharon Van Etten, Beach House, and Midlake picking up where those pioneers left off.

Anyway, with the year (and decade) coming to a close, I thought that it was high time to have a mix that may help us to look inward and think about where we have been before focusing on where we are heading next. It’s simply a mix of some really pretty music that covers quite a bit of ground while still seeming to belong together.

Give it a listen and enjoy.

Track Listing
1) Watch The Sunrise (3:45) – Big Star
2) A Crime (3:14) – Sharon Van Etten
3) Curs of Weeds (3:31) – Horse Feathers
4) Postcards From Italy (4:18) – Beirut
5) The Distance (2:49) – Peasant
6) In The Ground (4:13) – Midlake
7) God Only Knows (2:52) – The Beach Boys
8) Haikuesque (When She Laughs) (3:33) – Bibio
9) Congratulations (3:57) – MGMT
10) Master of None (3:19) – Beach House
11) Far, Far Away (3:20) – Wilco
12) Fallin in Love With You Again (4:09) – Imelda May
13) With All My Heart (3:25) – Clem Snide
14) Carmelita (Live) (4:22) – Warren Zevon with Jackson Browne
15) At Least You Feel Something (5:56) – Small Sins
16) Walking On A Wire (5:28) – Richard & Linda Thompson

Cut of the Week 11/17/10

I have no idea how or why this song came to mind as I haven't heard it nor thought about it in perhaps 15 years. However, that is the beauty of the Cut of the Week feature - dusting off some old favorites to share for no specific reason.

Kid 'N Play were a successful hip hop duo that experienced the zenith of their relevance upon the release of their 1988 album 2 Hype coupled with their ability to parlay their fame into the House Party movie franchise (and don't forget the cult classic Class Act). Kid's eraserhead-flattop and the group's inexplicably infectious kick-step dance routine may be written off as schtick, yet Kid 'N Play knew how to emphasize feel-good party vibes with simple, direct lyrics and catchy choruses. Although the New Jack swing element in most of their tracks make the music sound very dated, it's nice to reminisce to way back when, when hip hop artists could be overtly positive and relatively clean without sacrificing the fun aesthetic to their music.

Give it a listen and enjoy.



Kid 'N Play - "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody"

Episode #27: Southern Fried Rock

All too often Southern music is dismissed as country music written about rowdy out-of-the-way bars, moonshine made in the backwoods, and fast women. While these elements do work their way into almost all Southern music, it does not encapsulate the energy, swagger, musicianship and sheer fun of Southern Rock, which experienced its heyday in the 1970s. Incorporating influences taken from the blues, boogie rock, folk, rootsy rock n’ roll, country and funk, Southern Rock is an amalgam of music that has its traditions firmly rooted in the good ol’ USA.

Although titans like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band are the most renowned examples of Southern Rock, there is a huge catalogue of unsung heroes of the genre who never managed to escape the large shadow cast by their big-name musical cousins.

Although ZZ Top may now be more associated with its more polished 1980s hits such as “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs,” they began as a trio in 1970 that played a riveting bloozy Texas-stomp. In fact, I have heard that Jimi Hendrix once commented that Billy Gibbons was the best guitarist he ever saw. Other bands such as Molly Hatchet and Blackfoot (both from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s hometown of Jacksonville, Florida), Black Oak Arkansas from (you guessed it) Arkansas, The Marshall Tucker Band from Spartanburg, South Carolina and Atlanta Rhythm Section from Doraville, Georgia all achieved considerable success, but nowhere near the level of Skynyrd or the Allman Brothers. Southern Rock being the unwieldy category it is, allowed for each of these bands to drift along the musical spectrum from Atlanta Rhythm Section’s softer and more pop-oriented vibe to Blackfoot’s more hard rock sound to Dixie Dregs’ funky, jazz fusion heard on “Refried Funky Chicken.” Finally, I couldn’t leave off the legendary Willie Nelson, who straddles the increasingly blurry line between country and rock on “Shotgun Willie.” Nor could I overlook the present-day embodiment and torch bearer of all these artists’ legacies – The Black Crowes.

Finally, you don’t necessarily need to be born in the South to play Southern-styled music. While hailing from California, Little Feat’s sound was quintessential Southern boogie rock. Even The Doobie Brothers, who are from San Jose, California, were able to craft a masterful fusion of Southern bluegrass (the fiddle plays a crucial component of the song’s Southern aesthetic) and more traditional rock with its 1974 classic, “Black Water.” I guess, like anything, Southern Rock is more a state of mind than anything else.

Give it a listen and enjoy.

Track Listing
1) Time Loves a Hero (4:20) – Little Feat
2) Dimples (Live)(5:02) – The Allman Brothers Band
3) Swimmin’ In Quicksand (3:21) – Black Oak Arkansas
4) The Ballad of Curtis Loew (4:55) – Lynyrd Skynyrd
5) Champagne Jam (4:36) – Atlanta Rhythm Section
6) Waitin’ For The Bus (2:59) – ZZ Top
7) In My Own Way (7:25) – The Marshall Tucker Band
8) Shotgun Willie (2:37) – Willie Nelson
9) Black Water (4:20) – The Doobie Brothers
10) Country Girl (3:14) – Ozark Mountain Daredevils
11) Train, Train (2:58) – Blackfoot
12) Refried Funky Chicken (3:18) – Dixie Dregs
13) Sweet Dixie (3:57) – Molly Hatchet
14) Remedy (5:23) – Black Crowes

R.I.P. Sony Walkman (1979 - 2010)

Sony announced yesterday that it will discontinue its former flagship product - the cassette tape based Walkman. This iconic music gadget will now take up space in your garage next to your 8-tracks and mini-disc player as obsolete devices you may take a look at every now and then to bask in the nostalgia.

I, for one, grew up with a Walkman constantly in my hands and foam headphones firmly perched atop my head. The Walkman changed my world for the better and I have been addicted to music ever since. Here, in tribute, is the title track to the very first piece of music I owned (on cassette, naturally) - RUN DMC's Raising Hell.

I will miss you, Walkman. Sleep well, sweet prince.


RUN DMC - "Raising Hell"

R.I.P. Eyedea (1981 - 2010)

This past Saturday Rhymesayers stalwart Micheal "Eyedea" Larsen was found dead just shy of his 29th birthday. A hip hop artist who was renown as a battle MC specialist (many consider him one of the best of all time and videoclips are all over YouTube if you're interested) is believed to have succumbed to an ongoing struggle with drugs.

Known simply as Mikey to those close to him, Eyedea will be remembered as a passionate artist whose songs were intelligent and heartfelt. A seriously respected and influential figure in the world of independent hip hop, Eyedea will be sorely missed.

Here's a track from the album, Eyedea & Abilities, in tribute.


Eyedea & Abilities - "Exhausted Love"

¡Viva Chile!

The recent successful rescue of the 33 miners trapped under the earth in Northern Chile is one of those rare stories nowadays. It's rare in the sense that a story covered in mainstream media focused on things like cooperation, hope, and the resilience of the human spirit. This is in direct opposition to the usual fare - fear, desperation and doom. It's just nice to have a story to feel positive about without any reservations. The good guys actually won this time. Let's enjoy this moment before the movie goes into production and the books are written...

This track by Chilean-folk legends Quilapayún is dedicated to those who survived this ordeal with dignity and strength and to my Chilean friends around the world who feel an enormous sense of pride.

The title of the song is quite fitting - it translates to "The People United Will Never Be Defeated." Enjoy.


Quilapayún - "El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido"