...you're still wrong (and also comping apples to oranges) - trust me: I was studying up on white folks music while you were still swearing to Van Sertima and trust me, YYY's, meh, Mos Def, awesome. "Priority" kills anything on that YYY album, Casa Bey and Quiet Dog have more compressed energy and intelligence and musical risk-taking than any of the YYY's white-girl lullabyes. And the lyrics are really not even worth getting into a comparison because it would be so crazily unfair. YYY's = snooze. I rock Jasper to sleep w/it! Seriously. If you want white-girl lullabye music, try Cat Power, at least she's weird and occasionally complex and unpredictable. If you want Brooklyn-style rough-edged post-everything dance-yr-ass-off music, check for Santogold. And Mos kills 'em all --That is All.
Hah!
All jokes aside, this is good time to hear what everyone's listening to. That Passion Pit album had some bangers, but it was all highs. I would have liked some variety. Also, we were talking about Sam Cooke's Live At The Harlem Square Club album a few posts down. Here's a sample. Everyone should own it. I love the live versions of the old soul joints. This and Wilson Pickett's "Live And Burnin" version of Midnight Hour are great.
The part at the end where Sam's talking about how he has to go, is really stirring, giving how young he died. I hope Ben Bradlee is listening...
Having A Party - Sam Cooke
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
2009 Albums I'm Feelin'
Honey I'm Home-Al B Sure-surprisingly good
Spandx,Rhymes & Soul-Amanda Diva
4:15-Ayah
Epiphany-Chrisette Michelle
So Far Gone-Drake
It's My Heart Cookie-Jade
Let The Truth Be Told-Laura Izibor
Life N'Love-Lisa Lisa
Blacksummer's Night-Maxwell
The Bridge-Melanie Fiona
Chapter 4:Labor Pains-Syleena Johnson
Young Lioness Vol.3-Teedra Moses
Congo Square-Teena Marie
Try out Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear. It's made by four white hipster boys in Brooklyn. I didn't think I'd like it; thought it would just be some kind of over-synthesized Williamsburg drivel--and you can't really dance to it. But this album haunts me. I haven't felt that in a long while.
I think it stuck cause it's so trippy.
See, I thought that I would really, really like it, but it's just okay for me. I know what you mean by the haunting feeling, though. I think I need to go back to it. Everyone I know loves it, and I know there must be something crucial I'm missing. Most likely the setting in which I'm listening to it.
I don't really listen to anything made after 2000ish with few exceptions (mostly Alternative and Latin music). Right now I'm on a jazz kick and these three are in heavy rotation in the iPod and Car. The 5 yr old can't get enough, the pre-teen twins wanna kill me and make me listen to the Jonas Bros. :P
-The Soundtrack from Calle 54
-Coltrane's Giant Steps
-Monk's Brilliant Corners
Also getting into some Hector Lavoe- El Cantante The Originals and The Fania All-Stars- Salsa Essentials for this weekend lamenting I'm in Georgia and not in NYC this weekend. TNC, youre in Harlem, the Old Timers Block Party is this weekend (111th and 5th).
Also, Bobbito Garcia is DJing the second annual Fania tribute party Sunday night at either SOB's or Le Poisson Rouge, I think - one of those.
New albums I've been enjoying:
DOOM - Born Like This
Future of the Left - Travels with myself and another
Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers do
The Juan MacLean - The Future Will Come
CFCF - Panesian Nights
Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem
Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself
Fever Ray - Fever Ray
Mastadon - Crack The Skye
Ok, so maybe the Dutch aren't only good for their wooden shoes. I've been listening to this album on repeat for a while, and no, it's not THAT Dio.
Dio - Rock & Roll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmVDr93UJQQ&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT6tpUbWOms&feature=related
Tons of Latin music, particularly recent Cuban music (timba), Tejano, and Cumbia.
Babmboleo - Yo No Me Parezco A Nadie
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYqKfoG3O2w
And as previously mentioned, The Smiths
Also, the Clark Sisters have been on heavy rotation. The live version of Jesus Is A Love Song from the mid-90's gets me choked up every time.
As always, lots of Louis Armstrong. Even though this clip is from within the last year fo his life, and he could no longer play the trumpet, I still find the performance moving.
www.dailymotion.com/video/x4k1h7_louis-armstrongpennies-from-heaven1_music
Oh, also, R.L. Burnside. I'd highly recommend Mississippi Hill Country Blues or Acoustic Stories
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjGf4AkgM4Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIipLehco8M&feature=related
They have a yearly festival/picnic in the Mississippi Hill Country (Holly Spings) that I've been trying to make it to for the last 2 years. Between him, the Kimbroughs, and Otha Turner's Fife and Drum music, that was a great area for a slightly different type of Mississippi Blues and Black music.
TNC,
Have you head the latest Raphael Saadiq album? It's not white people music, but it's really good. It's a bit of a throwback without seeming too contrived. It's called 'The Way I See It."
As far as white people music, I've just started getting into The Avett Brothers. I would say it's Alt-Country, but it's nearly JUST country. Really good lyrics. Really good sad songs. Check it.
As an East Oaklander like Saadiq I LOVED his album. I actually love him just in general and have seen him live 9 times. He is amazing and I think it is time for a Tony Tone Toni reunion.
David Byrne's 'Everything That Happens Will Happen Today' has been getting regular play around the kitchen lately, especially after we saw him in Prospect Park.
I also think that I like the new St. Vincent album 'Actor'. Her first album took a while to grow on me, and I'm giving this the same benefit of the doubt.
My wife is a huge 'X' fan, and has always had a crush on John Doe. She's been playing the John Doe/Sadies ablum 'Country Club' nonstop.
And, strangely enough, I've been digging some early Elton John, especially 'Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters' and 'Levon'.
End of dispatch from the planet of white music. Carry on.
I had to register just for this. That Harlem Square Club record is in my top five of all time. Just stunning from beginning to end - maybe the best live album ever. Good to see it getting some shine.
I said yesterday that the first half of the Medley is my favorite part of the whole album. Gives me chills.
I don't know if you've mentioned them, but the Dirty Projectors' album, Bitte Orca is phenomenal, the most remarkable album I've heard in years (that's not hyperbole). Like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and a ton of other interesting bands emerging now, they're from Brooklyn, but the sound is totally different. The lead guitarist/ singer is a Yale music comp dropout, and he's balanced by two angelic female backups. Their sound is original but has influences of West African high life, r&b and chamber music. Here's the video for the breakthrough single, "Stillness is the Move:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMPF6lpM0XM
In addition: YYYs previous two albums are superior to It's Blitz! IMO, so def check those out. I've also been loving female British singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Bat for Lashes. She makes beautiful and inventive synth pop that's good for dancing and daydreaming alike. Her album, Two Suns came out earlier this year. Here's the video for the single, Daniel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00ZHah-c0hQ
Bat for Lashes is touring with Charlotte Hatherley, who used to be with Ash. They cancelled the Boston show, so unfortunately I missed them, but you might want to check out Charlotte. Her 2nd album in particular is amazing. Really great video for the first single:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVin_npzHgU
I have to use this as an excuse to blather on about how much I love Those Darlins. Their album is the kind of album that, if you love country music (or hell, if you hate country music but like girls who smoke and drink and cuss), makes you glad to be alive to hear it.
There's a train song, and a song about Momma, and a couple of old country covers that are just so good. It's a treat to listen to a group that clearly loves country music and knows their history, but thinks it can be improved by punk.
I'm just sad that I can't turn on WSM and hear them on the Opry.
Yes. Gotta second the Bitte Orca, Fever Ray, Veckatimest and Raphael Saadiq suggestions.
These days Madlib's Beat Konducta 5/6 and Speto Da Rua Mix , Quantic and His Combo Barbaro, the latest from Sonic Youth, classics from Bobby Hutcherson and Fela Kuti, are on heavy rotation.
Real White People music.....
Stan Rogers - especially the live "Between the Breaks" album
Steeleye Span - "Below the Salt" and "Parcel of Rogues"
Yes
Procol Harum
Renaissance
I recently re-discovered the classic Eric Clapton "Derek and the Dominos - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs" album which is in heavy rotation in the car.
Yes, I'm an old white guy who can't dance and mostly listens to NPR on the radio. ;-)
And I've been doing a project at home, ripping all my old vinyl albums from my youth and burning them to CD. Fun!
It's really a shame that Layla is the only song that get's any play from that album, probably one of my top 5 ever. Putting together Allman and Clapton seems too good to be true, and the fact that they gel as well as they do; I mean, when have two geniuses of guitar ever played that well together?
I still hold that since BoBS (with track exceptions; Modern Marvel kills it any day of the week), Mos Def has just turned himself towards acting. There's lots of folks out there clamoring for him to make new albums because of Black Star and Black on Both Sides, but I think it's worth remembering that Mos got into the MC game because he was frustrated his rapping peeps were making a boatload more money than he was with his acting gig. The new one is real heavily influenced by the Stones Throw label and their producers... I think you either love em or hate em... Recently too, they've moved into more ambient/eastern influenced beats and I think for those of us who are used to the boom snap 4/4 sound (my favorite), it's pretty depressing to hear your favorite MC skating over something without that impact. Different strokes...
Current rotation:
Bootsy's Rubber Band - Ahh... The Name is Bootsy Baby
Miles - Bitches Brew
Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club
Buju Banton - Rasta Got Soul
The Mars Volta - Bedlam in Goliath and Octahedron
Tortoise and Bonnie Prince Billy - The Brave and the Bold
Waajeed - The War LP
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Dap Dippin' With...
RZA - Digisnacks
Bruca Manigua, on the Ibrahim Ferrer Buena Vista album (I'm assuming you're familiar with it) might have some of the most powerful, chilling, oh em gee lyrics I've ever heard for any song, ever.
I always want to play it for people, but then I remember that the lyrics don't kick in for about 1:30 into the song *AND* the lyrics are written in neo-Bozal, a language only recent Congolese slaves to Cuba, and their chidlren/grand-children, would have understood, about 130 years ago.
Oh you bet, I know EXACTLY the song; first track. I almost added the Ibrahim Ferrer and the Ruben Gonzalez to my list (the Gonzalez is more easy listening than anything else) but I figured BVSC got it all across ;). The lady's pop is a jazz/cuban/world music critic, so he exposed me to them a while back and I've been hooked since.
I love Harlem Square Club, but as I've been been reearching, writing about and listening to Sam Cooke for the past year, I love this bluesiness the best--especially these gems from Night Beat, my personal fave:
Troublin' Mind
Pleae Don't Drive Me Away
Laughin and Clwnin
Lost and Lookin
There is a 4-CD set called the Man Who Invented Soul that has a taste of everything Sam Cooke --gospel, blues, pop hits...
Feel It-Don't fight It
That's Where Its At
("Lights turned way down low,
The clock on the wall says its time to go,
But your girl is sayin' just one minute more,
That's where it's at...")
I have very catholic taste in music, I can listen to Coldplay, Bruce, The Fray, U2, Tom Petty ("Quit Jammin Me"--) Bob Marley, Slamdaddies, ("Only Capone Kills Like That"), or go jazzy with Coltrane, Jarrett, Turrentine, Hancock, and then go oldies--Lloyd Price, Drifters, Marvin, James Brown, Dionne Warwick, Dinah Washington, ( I can listen to Prisoner of Love forever), Roy Orbison, Everly Brothers, (amazing harmony--once sang Lucille with Sam), even Rick Nelson or Gene Pitney. Elvis singing gospel.
I love Luther, Warren G, anything soulful--Otis, Wilson, Aretha, Etta,, the works.
New Dirty Projectors is great.
I also like the new Bob Log III album my Shit is Perfect (love that guy)
The new Phoenix album
oh and the J Dilla odds and sods collection Jay Stay Paid is pretty rad.
Also this is an almost unprecedented period for mind blowing African reissues that collect some flat out outrageous tracks that were previously rarer than hen's teeth
The two best labels are
Analog Africa http://analogafrica.blogspot.com/
and
Soundway http://www.soundwayrecords.com/
Serously, the Asiko rock group off the Disco Underground comp has the funkiest synths I've ever heard....
One of the weirder music moments for me today. I was listening to Pandora on my computer and T.A.T.U, the pseudo-lesbian Russian singing duo came on, and "All the Things She Said" is actually kind of a good song, its better than Fergie anyway.
TNC, have you have ever explored Brazilian music?
Gilberto Gil, who until recently served as the Brazilian Minister of Culture, has had a pop music career spanning about 50 years. My 2 favorite records by Gil are:
Refavela (great Afro-Brazil pop CD made in the 70's)
MTV Acoustica (nice live performance from the 90's)
I'm also listening a lot to a great Brazilian guitarist named 'Raphael Rabello'; particularly his CD "Cry, My Guitar". He's one of the few instrumentalists anywhere that can hold my attention.
I'd also recommend Vinicius de Moraes, especially a couple of great albums he recorded with the guitarist Toquinho in the early 70s.
Cartola '76 is good, too. Also, Jair Rodrigues' and Elis Regina never disappoint.
I love Brazilian Music
My favorites:
Milton Nascimento
Gilberto Gil
Joao Gilberto
Tom Ze
Bola Sete
Lula Cortes
Great list, Hosono!
João Gilberto was the first one who turned me on to Brazilian music in a big way(he seems to have had that effect on a lot of people, though). I started to learned how to play brazilian rhythms on guitar by listening repeatedly to his songs; he also inspired me to learn Portuguese. The wistful, romantic lyrics of the bossa nova era, along with the incredible Jobim/Ary Barroso/etc. melodies made it easier to retain the language. I was fortunate enough to see him perform in San Francisco several years ago; there's something very trance-like in his performance, the pin-dropping level of quiet intensity, the old man just sitting there with his guitar, barely whispering, is so opposite to what our normal expectations of a performance are, that it seems just as radical in its own way as it was when Gilberto first burst upon the scene in Brazil.
Milton Nascimento is another hero of mine; those mid-late 70s albums like "Clube Esquina I & II" and "Minas" and "Gerais" are like something from a different planet. And the lyrics are so profound, so poetic, so soulful(e.g. Maria, Maria: "Uma mulher que merece viver e amar como o outra qualquer do planeta" "A woman who deserves to live and love like any other on the planet").
exitr and Teknontheou,
Those are great suggestions, too. From Vinicius/Toquinho I love 'Tarde Em Itapoã'...one of the prettiest bossa tunes ever
penned(especially as sung by Maria Bethania and Joyce).
As for Elis, you just can't go wrong with any of her music.
Most people tend to favor her bossa era stuff, like her album
with Jobim, but I actually prefer her late 70s forays into more
baroque pop and rock(e.g. "Comos Nossos Pais").
For those not familiar with this incredible singer who suffered
a way too early death, there are several great compilation CDs out
there, but I'd start with one called "Fascinação".
Joao live, amazing! I would kill to see any of those dudes, especially Milton who has one of my five favorite voices of the 20th century (the other four--Sam Cooke, Horace Andy, Sandy Denny, and Harry Nilsson.) Os Mutantes is coming to Seattle this year, but apparently they kind of suck live....
I love Jobim of course, but I especially love his stuff with arrangements by Claus Ogerman.
Also I don't know how much you've explored other South American stuff from that same era, but I highly recommend
Almendra (from South America)
and
Congrecacion (from Chile)
Hosono,
You may be in luck. If you can make your way to San
Francisco, it seems Milton Nascimento will be performing Nov. 7th at the Nob Hill Masonic Center. Here's a website w/ more info: www.sfjazz.org I can't access the site right now because I'm at
work!
I'm not sure if he will still be playing with the Jobim trio or
whether he will return to his own repetoire. As much as I love
bossa nova, I'd still rather see Milton performing all of his
own classic songs. I just hope I get the chance to do so someday.
And I really hope it's just him and a small combo or just him
and his guitar! No orchestra required with a voice like that.
No, I hadn't heard of 'Almendra' nor 'Congrecacion'. I'll have
to check them out. Thanks for the suggestions.
I just discovered the great Abner Jay, a one man band who recorded a bunch of self-released albums, mostly in the 60s and 70s. Billed himself as "the last great Southern black minstrel show." Yeah, weird. But also insanely brilliant, going from raunchy one-liners and songs about cocaine to reverent versions of Stephen Foster (!) tunes. There's a new comp of his stuff called True Story of Abner Jay.
Also, via Global Groove, a bunch of early 80s albums from Congolese legend Fantastic Tchico.
Some newer stuff that floats my boat: folks have already mentioned Fever Ray (you want white folks music, go to Sweden!), then there's The Duke Spirit (a guilty pleasure, but so catchy), and the new Sleepy Sun's not bad.
Latest three purchases:
Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
Q-Tip - The Renaissance
Robert Glasper - In My Element
All three are total money.
I checked out the new Mos and didn't really like it, nor do I have much interest in YYY.
Chris Jackson sure has some terrible reasons for why you should like the new Mos over YYY's cd. Jackson's reasons are just assumptions of what you look for in music, like the complexity and unpredictability of the lyrics and the level of risk-taking involved. Where is it prohibited to think of the lyrics as just another instrument putting out a sound thats harmonious with the rest of the instruments?
Maybe I jumped at this because I'm biased against Mos after seeing him on Bill Maher. What really got me about his argument was that he was being skeptical for the sake of being skeptical, not because it made sense in the situation. I feel I see this in his music as well. Being weird and crowding sounds in just for the sake of the crowded weirdness, not because it makes good sounds.
You mentioned Sam Cooke's "Live At The Harlem Square Club" album; another excellent live album is James Brown's "Love Power Peace". It's from a show he did in Paris in 1970 and the album absolutely smokes from front to back. Whenever I get a new sound system that is always the first album I play on it.
Damn. I gotta go listen to it now.
As far as new (white people) music goes I just got an album on iTunes by Apostle Of Hustle called "Eats Darkness" that I'm liking a lot. Unfortunately it has sound collages between some songs that I find distracting and not particulary compelling. However, the songs are awesome.
fastandsloppy
Thank God for James Brown, because in that era of Laura Nyro, Led Zeppelin, and CSN&Y--who were okay, but not killing me at the time--as Motown was being suffocated, that LOVE POWER PEACE slayed me. Saved up for a pair of JBLs and destroyed the woofers on that.
I wonder if you'd be interested in David Bazan? Achilles' Heel from his old band Pedro the Lion would be a good place to start. He's got a full length solo on the way too.
Otherwise I've been listening to Man Man, Why?, and Michael Nyman soundtracks. The latter makes my life seem way more dramatic than it is.
My fav moment has always been the "You Send Me" tease into "Bring It On Home." Such a raw, passionate version of that tune.
Meant to reply to @Stacy. Still getting the hang of this. Also I second the vote for Love Power Peace.
Sorry TNC totally have to agree with your book editor chris, YYY (although i loved Maps and a couple of other songs) are not as good in general when compred to Mos Def and especially not with regards to both group's latest output.
Totally have to agree with Hosono re: all his suggested Brazilian musicians.
Also, re; good hiphop. Have you heard the new (i think it came out last year) Black Milk that shit is dope. Plus, love IllaJ's (J Dilla's little bro) new one.
i love mos, but he can't compete with the YYY live show. Karen O kills it.
I've been riding a serious Stax/Volt fixation for awhile now - for the stories behind the label nearly as much as the music itself - and feel like William Bell (among others) deserves more attention than he gets these days.
Here's I Forgot to be Your Lover
Have recently been obsessed with Sam Cooke and Soul Stirrers singing "It Won't Be Very Long." Nothing can prepare you for when Sam's voice comes in midway through
Also, there's a great relatively new album out called Inspiration Information 3. It's a collaboration between a British Group (the heliocentrics) and an ethiopian bandleader named Mulatu Astatke. More info at http://www.strut-records.com/content/inspiration-information-3
Sadly, I am feeling as if the album is dying for me. Sort of like blogs have reduced my interest in reading long articles... I-tunes and Youtube have kind of killed off going end to end on an album.
Even on the occassions where I purchase a complete album I rarely listen to it outside of shuffle or mixes... its sad really.
Any recommendations specifically for albums that flow well from beginning to end?
Here are two of my favorite singles lately
Plugs - All Them Witches
http://www.vimeo.com/4058013
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Wind Phoenix
http://www.vimeo.com/5306584
Co-sign on Cymbals Eat Guitars. Favorite new rock band, and they're great live, too. That new song is good, but the album is better. As for other guitar music, the new Dinosaur Jr. is obviously fantastic, and I like the new Phoenix album, though not as much as "It's Never Been Like That." Most recent Thermals album, which is not really new anymore, I still haven't listened to enough but I'm sure it's great. I actually bought the Dirty Projectors album, but only listened to it once. I'm sure it's great if you like that kind of stuff. I also haven't heard the new Grizzly Bear album yet, which is sort of unforgivable even though I don't like them all that much.
Otherwise, been listening to lots of nerdy rap. Jay Stay Paid, BlaQKout, the new Busdriver album. The new Mos album just sort of drifted by; I don't have much of an opinion, and I say this as someone whose first rap album was Black Star. I also love this crazy jerkin' music that kids in LA and Oakland are making right now. Teenagers in Brooklyn have the tight pants down, but don't seem to be making absurdly unselfconscious party music like the west coast kids. I guess this has always been the case? I'm waiting for the Slaughterhouse album to get me back into hardbody New York rap; the Slaughterhouse track on the Royce da 5'9" EP that came out this week is vicious.
Actually the Phoenix album is one where I can get about 6 songs in without wanting a switch... which is pretty good considering my attention span lately.
While Blackstar wasn't my first hip-hop album it was the first one that played a ton. I went through a phase where all I listened to was Blackstar, Behind the Front, Dilated Peoples and The Roots Come Alive.... now I think the closest I come to rap is the NASA and MIA
I hadn't heard of Thermals before but they do have a cute bassist going for them.
I like that BlaQKout too. How is it nerdy rap though?
"Jupiter's Critic and the Mind of Mars"? Though I guess "innovative" or "from outer space" would a better way to put it than "nerdy" in this case. I would never call Quik or Kurupt nerdy to their face, of course, though Quik has always been a bit odd. Love the album, regardless, and really wish they'd put it out on vinyl.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE!!!! Best Rap Supergroup Ever. Yes, already. Joe Budden killed it with that BCS punchline. Each member of the group is releasing an EP before the album drops. I mean, just wow.
I like the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fever Ray (though it's better-suited to cold weather), The Juan Maclean, Grizzly Bear, and Sunset Rubdown albums. The new White Rabbits is pretty good too. Not that sold on Phoenix or Dirty Projectors though. I need to get around to listening to Akron/Family.
For older stuff I've been listening to some Meat Puppets 80s albums, and Boards of Canada because they're easy to study to.
Haven't been listening to too much new stuff recently, but here's a basic list:
Bloc Party--A Weekend in the City
Air--Moon Safari
Garbage--Version 2.0
Jaydiohead (mash of Jay-Z and Radiohead)
Travis--The Invisible Band
Beck--Guero
Dan W - Moon Safari FTW!! Beautiful album end to end. Probably one of my top five fave albums ever.
Their LateNightTales compliation is good too.
I've also been showing some love to another old album, Rokia Traore's Bowmboi. Will just throw this out there as containing some of the loveliest melodies I've ever heard.
i must third Moon Safari....heading to the shelf to put this in right. now.
I had to do the same. I can't say enough for this album.
Have you heard the special edition? A couple of great live songs-- "Trente Millones D'Amis" live is amazing. I dig Talkie Walkie too, but not quite as much. Also the demo edition of "Bossa," just great stuff
I have NOT heard the special ed. I'm gonna hop on that asap - as well as Bossa, haven't even heard of it.
And I agree about Talkie Walkie. It's amazing musically, but it just doesn't have the feeling. it's too anthemish for me.
Two weeks ago saw Rise Against at Summerfest in Milwaukee. They were awesome. Wasn't able to see VNV Nation earlier this week, though. Try listening to Neurotic Fish next time you are on Pamdora. Mind.in.a.box is always good. Can never go wrong with Trent Reznor.
JCJ
I was at the very first Summerfest in 1970. Sly and the Famuily Stone, BB King, J Geils Band, Johnny and Edgar Winter Band, and I think Chuck Mangione. Sly arrived an hour late, everyone was po-ed stepping all over each other to get to the first row, long full, and then he finally shows up--sings Different Strokes and passes right out. Passes out. On stage. Man.
Last week I saw a 4th of July reprisal of 19959 "Winter Dance Party"--a guy named John Mueller who does an amazing Buddy Holly; JP Richardson Jr., son of The Big Bopper--chip off the ol block--and Ritchie Valens' brother Mario whose Backyard Blues Band is awesome. His cousin Ernie sings Ritchie's songs but a guy named Ray Anthony did La Bamba like nothing I've heard before--and I've been to Quenceneras and Fiestas before. The Eddie Cochran band didn't cook at all,and the guy who did Sam Cooke--well, no one can do Sam.
I forgot to mention two of my absolute loves right now--Sons of Leon and Death Cab for Cutie. Really fresh. Gives me hope rock still lives, though corporate America has done everything in its power to kill it.
I just bought the last copy of Michael Jackson #1s and was wowed by Smooth Criminal. We won't hear perfection in production like that for a long time.
If you haven't heard K'naan's "America" (featuring Mos) you must check it out--such an ill beat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiXFfLjFlxU
K'naan, Cesaria Evora, Omara Portuondo, Sloan, Chopin's nocturnes, m-flo.
If you like electronic music -- I am Robot and Proud makes some music that sounds to me like 'happy Nintendo dreams'. It really puts me in a good mood.
I also have a soft spot for Japanese pop/rock music. The songs they write are generally more melodic than the usual produced in North America these days (which are more 'hook-y' than melodic). One of my favourite bands of all time is L'arc~en~Ciel.
If you're at all interested in what's going on in Canadian music, CBC's radio 3 website is definitely the place to go.
http://radio3.cbc.ca/
Ya boy is dead right on Mos. But I'm gonna immediately give away all my cool points by admitting that the new Al B. Sure is dope! It's exactly what I expected to hear from a guy who ain't recorded in a generation, except he also knows he ain't recorded in a generation.
Also - the new Meth and Red is dope (minus the Bun B collabo).
And, of course, Maxwell. Don't sleep.
Eff that, the new Mos is good but the new YYYs trumps it anyday of the week. (Although I think "Auditorium" is one of the best tracks Mos has EVER put out.) If you like It's Blitz you'll definitely like Metric's new joint: Fantasies.
The Dirty Projectors and Grizzly Bears albums are ridiculously overrated, though both "No Intentions" and "Two Weeks" ARE terrific songs.
TNC, I'll second some of the comments on the Raphael Saadiq album of last year. I'd also highly recommend Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, which is like a hip contemporary throwback of Howlin' Wolf and James Brown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y_CxFnRP2k
My list:
1. YYY - It's Blitz
2. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
3. Wilco - The Album
4. Metric - Fantasies
5. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
6. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
7. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - self-titled
8. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9. Black Joe Lewis - Tell'em What Your Name Is!
10. St. Vincent - Actor
11. Steve Earle - Townes
12. Passion Pit - Manners
I love hearing what everyone else is listening to! I have been hearing a lot about Passion Pit and Animal Collective, guess I need to check them out. And yes, Moon Safari is a fantastic album.
Actually right now I've been doing some crate digging and listening to a lot of vintage Jackson 5/The Jacksons, Smokey Robinson, The O'Jays, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye. The Gloved One's untimely passing has me wanting to go back to the music I grew up listening to, which was mostly Motown/Stax-era soul music, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Fela Kuti, that kind of deal. Which I guess is weird because I was born in '85, but whatevs.
Before the death of The Gloved One, however, I was listening to The Ecstatic, which I still think is uneven but it gets better the more you listen to it. I was also playing a lot of J*Davey, Santogold, the new YYY album (LOVE Karen O), Tanya Morgan, Prefuse 73, The Laughing Man (a local D.C. band) and The Roots' last two albums, Game Theory and Rising Down.
Yes, I know I have schizoid listening tendencies...
Recent releases on rotation have been Japandroids - Post-Nothing and Legowelt - Dark Days 2. Been getting back into the old detroit vibe and had Galaxy 2 Galaxy on megarepeat for the last few months, along with the newer balaeric thing off the Permanent Vacation comp. What can I say, white people and techno/loud garage rock...
Definitely gotta agree with Hosono's recs, Analog Africa's whole damn catalog is mindblowing. Asiko Rock Group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9-JUQkEJcc
I'm late to the game, but here's my list:
White Denim (please bump their cut, "shake shake shake")
Janelle Monae (She channels MJ with her single "Letting Go")
Thunderheist (look up "Nothing 2 Step 2" and try not to dance)
Animal Collective ('nuff said)
Mapei (who says that hip hop is dead?)
So Cow (love me some "Casablanca")
Veronica Maggio ("inget kan angret pa det" is lovely)
Oh, and this brilliant artist has been around for awhile, but you really need to check him out. SUFJAN STEVENS will change your life. I saw him live twice, and he's magnificent. There is always at least one song that will make you cry.
Seriously, find Sufjan Stevens.
Sufjan Stevens is incredible - Seven Swans is a genuine transformative experience, well beyond the biblical content if that doesn't hang you up... And if you're gonna mention Sufjan, might as well get Iron and Wine out there. Our Endless Numbered Days and the Woman King EP. Par for the course when it comes to that kind of white people music:)
The transfiguration gets me every time. I definitely dig Iron and Wine, but I can't wait for Sufjeezy to crank out another state.
LOL @ the Sufjeezy. That's gonna stick.
And I hear you on the next state!! Only I'm a little mad at him cause he pretty much rejected ever doing one on Texas. Texas-haters never know what they're missing... but I'll admit they're a little low on the pathos down there. Wouldn't work so well for his type of music.
I've been listening to the following:
Street Sweeper Social Club by Street Sweeper Social Club
Can I Keep This Pen? by Northern State
People Who Can Eat People Are The Luckiest People In The World by Andrew Jackson Jihad
None Shall Pass by Aesop Rock
The Fury of The Aquabats by The Aquabats
Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
The Loneliest Punk by Fatlip
and
They Make Beer Commercials Like This by Minus The Bear
Janelle Monae - Metropolis Suite I of IV. A fascinating direction for soul, and a lovely young artist to tread it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHgbzNHVg0c
i thought that was luther's song. i had no idea sam cooke sung it originally.
Geo-
Which Sam Cooke song are you referring to?
having a party.
Luther wasn't a household name until the 80s. Sam wrote it in '62, and he used to love to watch his nieces and kids dance at family get-togethers. Yet, you're listening to it and you visualize a teenage party from that era, almost like a magazine ad:
"The cokes are in the icebox,
Popcorn's on the table.
Me and my baby
Are out here
On the floor..."
Then the requests!
"Play that one called 'Soul Twist,'
Play that one called 'I Know'..."
That was really unique to prop up other artists in a song, but that was the unselfishness of Sam Cooke. As a producer of young talent he wanted everyone to do well. Dick Clark once asked him on Bandstand what would make him most happy and he replied "If all the artists I'm producing are successful."
Geo-
Which Sam Cooke song are you referring to?
Thanks for all the great suggestions. I've got me some iTunes perusin' to do.
Last few albums that I've really dug include:
Neko Case- Middle Cyclone
Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes
Wilco (The Album)
Beirut- The Flying Cup Club
And yep, I'm pretty sure you can classify this as la musica blanca.
Brazilian Girls should get more play. I love Talk to La Bomb, but all three albums are good.
LCD Soundsystem just fascinates me. It's like they have all the ingredients to make hot dogs, and then they serve you steak. I don't know how they do that.
MIA gets many spins. I think she's really gonna have some longevity, as the development between the first and second album shows she has a unique talent. Can't wait to see what's next.
Hold Steady is the best post-millenial rock and roll act, if one is a rock and roll purist.
The Killers are my favorite band in my least favorite sub-genre of rock. I hate Coldplay.
I'm a closet Phishhead, and though I'm really proud of what they've done, and love a lion's share of what they've produced, and have my ass kicked at their live shows, it's still really hard to convey to the uninitiated what is worthwhile about this combo. I'm really happy that they're back together.
I feel sorta the same way about Ween. Seeing them tonight in Burlington.
I've decided I don't care for the Decemberists, but it took some time to figure out. I like Elbow better.
Last, the Paul McCartney project "The Fireman-Electric Arguments" was really intriguing, it wasn't at all a typical composition for him. Nothing cloying, nothing to suggest any of his past efforts, really. Modern alt-rock with some blues influence. It really felt like you could listen to it completely on its own merits, as a band you never heard before. And from that perspective, it was a good album. The name 'McCartney' is therefore a bit of luggage for this work.
This was a great thread, I'm bookmarking it and digging for fire.
"LCD Soundsystem just fascinates me. It's like they have all the ingredients to make hot dogs, and then they serve you steak. I don't know how they do that."
Wow, that's a great way to put it. I always really liked them, and then I had the chance to see them live twice a few summers ago. I was absolutely blown away. 'Sound of Silver' is still on a very heavy rotation on my IPod.
The Hold Steady has the best name, and lyrics in rock as well, and they sound perfect live.
Hold Steady a better name than Death Cab for Cutie? How about Violent Femmes?
LCD's live show keeps getting better and better. I'll buy any album that James Murphy has touched.
I haven't quite figured out how to feel about it, but I've been listening to this remix of MLK's "I Have a Dream" from The Gregory Brothers multiple times per day. Thought you might like to hear it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0F4iXEzOqY
Anyone else digging the Horehound record?
One last thought on Harlem Square LP:
Somebody Have Mercy--this is by far the best, the tightest version ever. Sam not only has the crowd going, but the band is cooking and groovin on his singing, as well. He wasn't goin gfor soft and sexy, he was throaty, howlin, screaming for it sexy. That is the difference in the vwnue--he could be himself here, unlike the stuffy Copa.
That sax solo! Sam always surrounded himself with great musicians--Rene Hall, Earl Palmer, Clifford White, Billy Preston--man. Kudos to you and Erik for linking it here.