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Battle Royale

I don't have much time but this is a classic. Just re-obtained this great CD and by far the best track is the first one. For you audiophiles out there, the entire Count Basie Orchestra is in one ear and the entire Duke Ellington Orchestra is in the other. Recorded 7/6/61 in New York City. Enjoy

Battle Royale

Gone Down

My access to this here blog has been pretty much shut down. New posts are going to be at a trickle at best. Not going to get into specifics right now; I just want to inform all one of you that check this blog.

Moon Gone Down

Maybe it's the ether...

I have been spending so much space going back in time and I have forgotten how much I want to talk about some of the great new acts that I am checking out. First up, the Kamikaze Hearts from Albany, NY. These guys have fantastic instrumentation and some amazing four part harmonies (esp. this day and age). They have two singer/songwriters (at least) which I believe is a good sign and an innovative mandolin player that I would love to be able to emulate. I do want to post some tracks from their albums in the near future but I am going to introduce them with my favorite track from WOXY 05/01/06.

Pavement or the Guardrail

One of the Best

It was a crazy day yesterday here in real life. I am going to cop out and post a pre-prepared post. (Does that make sense?) Well, what does make sense is this mini set. This has to be one of my favorite mini sets of all time. So vital. Bobby D and the Band from The Last Waltz:

Baby Let Me Follow You Down

Hazel

I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)

Forever Young

Baby Let Me Follow You Down

Hard Core

This is a amazing album from 1999. I have always felt that Steve Earle is one of those hardcore, to the bone, no messing around, kind of singer songwriters; up there with Neil Young and Bob Dylan. Then he choose to collaborate with arguably the best band in bluegrass right now. They are certainly very tight and old school but also progressive enough to let everyone in. You put this combo together and look out. The first seven songs on this CD are unparalleled with anything else I am listening to. Check out how he opens the record:

Texas Eagle

On this one Steve and Ronnie switch; Steve on mandolin and Ronnie on guitar.

Harlan Man

Solid Air

This is a tremendous album that tends not to be immediately accessible. But through repeated listens, the darker, muddier textures come out and are excellent aurally. John is a very good guitar player and kind of spooky singer. He is very deftly backed by the incomparable Danny Thompson on bass. There are a variety of other musicians as well. I am not going to post my absolute favorite track; I'll save that for later. Nor am I going to post the track Eric Clapton covered. I am going to post this trio in order; consider it "meat off the bone". Wait til you see all the places the second track goes.

Don't Want To Know

I'd Rather be the Devil

Go Down Easy

for what it's worth

This track isn't really Jethro Tull as Ian Anderson performs all instruments: voice, flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin and whistles. Not the best tune not the worst just a piece.

Jack-In-The-Green

I am offering up two tracks that are not usually juxtaposed (at least not on the LP) from this seminal work in country-rock. If you have not heard this album or heard of this album, it is past time you did. Go do your homework. As my entries are starting to sound the same, I am going to use the liner notes from Johnny Rogan in 1997.

The last song on Side A, with Chris Hillman on mandolin:

Pretty Boy Floyd

"McGuinn returns to his folk days to resurrect Woody Gutherie's portrayal of the people's outlaw Pretty Boy Floyd. The result is one of the best arranged songs on the album, with fiddle, banjo, mandolin and stand-up bass each contributing to the effects."

As that isn't what the album sounds like, check out the first song on Side B:

Hickory Wind

"Gram Parson's' greatest moment on record was his second lead vocal contribution to this album. Co-written with former Submarine Band member Bob Buchanan, the composition was completed during early 1968 on a train ride from Florida to Los Angeles. The alluring hickory wind serves as a powerful image for Parsons' bittersweet nostalgia, as he imagines as Edenic childhood of simple pleasures like climbing trees. During successive verses, he reflects on the pursuit of fame, the curse of wealth without spiritual satisfaction and the perils of city life. What really makes the song, however, is Parsons' aching vocal, set against a superb steel guitar backing, whose whining combines with his yearning voice to create a mood of unbearable poignancy."

Dueling Mandos

This is a great acoustic album; just about every track features two mandolins. (Mike does play mandola and guitar.) These guys are extremely talented in a Bill Monroe style mandolin playing and this album has a great southern front porch vibe to it. Again, way too many tracks to feature but this one is catching my ear of late.

How You Want It Done?

Nathan

I am realizing I never gave this band a fair shake. This is truly a shame. This band is extremely fun to listen to. Great instrumentation; great voices; and really good song writing. Their newest Key Principles even made Gibson guitars best of 2007 list. There are so many good songs and good vibes. I'll give you two more:

Scarecrow

Daffodils

Classic

I have also recently hooked up with the reissued 4 CD set from the Last Waltz. The new mastering is fantasatic but what it is more exciting is all the unreleased goodies. I am not going to get to those right now but I do want to include this awesome track from Emmylou Harris and the Band.

Robbie Robertson wrote the tune and sings and plays guitar. Levon Helm plays mandolin and sings. Garth is playing accordion. Emmylou sings and plays guitar.

Evangeline

Long Time

I lost a my copy of this album 3 1/2 years ago and hadn't heard it since. I just got another copy of it and it is fun revisiting it. There are a bunch of good songs on which I will get to later on another post.

I really like her voice and her lyrics are kind of stinging which is good too. She is definitely country or alt-country. She has a bunch of guests on the album, too. She is an Australian singing Americana.

This track is softer than most but has Kym Warner on mandolin

Not Pretty Enough

In case someone was offended...

...by the previous post, here is a tune from the same holiday album.

Gordon Stone Trio: Gordon Stone on banjo, Andy Cotton on bass, and Doug Perkins on guitar.

Catching the VT theme? Thanks Magic Hat!

Carol of the Bells

HA ... meant to get this up last week ...

Just exactly a week late...

One of my favorite holiday songs. From 1997, Jon Fishman on Vocals and Vacuum and Dan Archer with additional vocals.

Classic.

Oh Dreidel

Sooo Much More...

I used to go see the Cherry Poppin' Daddies in the early nineties up and down the Northwest coast. These guys are a phenomenal band. It is way too bad that they got labeled a swing band because that was really just part of their shtick. When we used to see them in the small clubs, they were basically a punk band with the sickest horn arrangements. I swear I have never had as sweaty a dance night at a club as I did when these guys were full speed ahead. And with Steve Perry at the wheel, they never had an off night. They could mix punk, ska, rock, funk, swing, anything into a set or even into one song. MC Large Drink was a kamikaze Cab Calloway. Dana on trumpet was just amazing and Dang on bass was ...

Equus

That song is sooo funky. That bassline is so low its dragging through the gutter. The fuzzed up lyrics are classic. Many some good memories. Here is some more versatility from the same album sans swing.

Johanna Of The Spirits

Jimi Thing

This is an often overlooked album in Ricki Lee Jones discography. There are no real hits on it; it is more of an acoustic jazz album. And it is this fact, the reason why I enjoy it. Plus, she has , in my opinion, a great cover of Jimi Hendrix's Up From The Skies. This track has Robben Ford on acoustic Steel String guitar (rhythm), John Leftwich on Bass, and Michael O'Neill on acoustic Nylon String guitar (lead). Check out the guitar runs towards the end of the song. For me, this is a classic.

Up From The Skies

As it is called Pop Pop, I will throw one more gem up. This track has the same bass player, Walfredo Reyes on brushes, and the great Joe Henderson on saxophone. Cool jazz vibe.

Bye Bye Blackbird

Apples and Potatoes

This is a British folk album from one of the queens of British folk voice released in the mid nineties. Not much to say here but I thought I would share this cool medley of gypsy numbers she recorded with an Andy Cutting on Diatonic accordion. Keeps you on your toes.

Apples and Potatoes

the Bluegrass Sessions

It pretty much doesn't get any better than this for a progressive bluegrass lineup. The tunes are great too. Of course, Bela Fleck (banjo) got it all together. He's got Jerry Douglas (dobro), Sam Bush (mandolin), Mark Schatz (bass), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), and Tony Rice (guitar). There are a special guests on all tracks, like John Hartford and Vassar Clemens. This 1999 release has a great recording of solid progressive bluegrass picking.

Spanish Point

Valley Of The Rogue

Dark Circles