5 On A Friday : Going To The Dogs

December 29, 2006 by · Leave a Comment
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So In honor of taking my crazy dog to the vet today to get her annual shots, today for 5 On A Friday we have one all about the dogs. Bow Wow Yippee Yi Yay.

1: Damien Rice – Dogs (from 9)
2:
Tom Waits – Puttin’ On The Dog (from orphans)
3:
The Pretenders – Jealous Dogs (from Pretenders II)
4:
Los Lobos – Two Dogs And A Bone (from The Town And The City)
5:
Divide & Kreate – I Wanna Be Christina’s Dog (from http://www.divideandkreate.com/)

So Bad, It’s Good (well maybe)

December 28, 2006 by · Leave a Comment
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So for all you folks that are tired of all the “best of” lists floating around this time of year, I thought I’d give you a bit of a respite from hearing about Joanna Newsom, TV On The Radio, or The Decemberists one more time. I’ve selected a few songs for you from this gem of an album I recently came across. It’s on a label called Madacy Records which form what I can tell is very similar to the infamous K-Tel records in its output. At first glance it looks like a decent compilation of all those 70’s AM radio classics everyone loves to hate, or loves to love, depending on your preference. But, what makes this beauty extra special, although you can barely read it in the lower left hand corner on the cover art above, is the phrase “New stereo recordings by the original artists”. This baby was put together in 2004, almost 30 years after many of these songs were originally released. Let’s just say not all of the artists have weathered the years so well. So take your mind off of all the countdowns and spend the next few days trying to get these unstuck from your mind, by then it will be 2007, a new year, with plenty of new music to look forward to. Enjoy.

MP3: Andrew Gold – Lonely Boy
MP3:
Sammy Johns – Chevy Van
MP3:
Paul Revere and The Raiders – Indian Reservation
MP3:
Starbuck – Moonlight Feels Right
MP3:
Vanity Fare – Hitchin A Ride

Record Cellar : The Little Record Label That Almost Could

December 26, 2006 by · 1 Comment
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December 12, 2006 marks the 22nd and final release for Philadelphia’s Record Cellar Records with the 3 disc label retrospective, Record Cellar:Town and Country 1989-2006. Despite working with some of Philadelphia’s finest musicians and strong critical acclaim for almost all of their releases, they never scored that one big hit record that would’ve pushed them to the next level. So what started out as a project born of pure love for the music, ends the same way.This 50 s0ng finale is a fine overview of where they started and where they travelled along the way, and includes 10 new songs by some of the label’s best artists.

Neil Drucker from the Record Cellar CD Baby page:

I started a record label in 1989 called Record Cellar in order to support a band called ‘Flight of Mavis’.I believed in the artist. I believed in the songs. There was no formal plan for the label, just a passion to champion something that was becoming too difficult to ignore and walk away from.The pull was strong.I was never out there looking, but over time a number of similar
senarios developed, always triggered by great songs from talented “Philadephia Area” artists.I have had the good fortune to be able to be part of the music of Frank Brown with ‘Flight of Mavis’ and ‘Buzz Zeemer’, Richard Kaufmann and Kevin Karg with the’ Rolling Hayseeds’, Gerry McGoldrick with ‘Napalm Sunday’,’Emily Valentine’,and ‘Solid for Sixty’, Darren Schlappich with ‘Frog Holler’, Jonathan Houlon with ‘John Train’ ,Mike Brenner with ‘The Low Road ‘and ‘John Train’, and Chris Madl who is ‘Chet Delcampo’.Together,we were able to build a national profile for the artist, the label, and the city as we would become a well respected, critically acclaimed “Americana-Roots Rock” record label.

Our catologue lists 22 CDS including this 3 CD-50 song compilation which features 40 catologue songs and 10 new ones. As of the date of release, December 12,2006, the new ones have never been available before. Noteworthy of the new is the reuniting of ‘Napalm Sunday’ for their trip to the “Candy Store” and the reunion of ‘Buzz Zeemer’ if only for “One Shot”. ‘Foxycontin’, Richard Kaufmann’s current band rocks the leadoff track with “Next Time You’re On Your Own” , and local hero’
Mike Slo-Mo Brenner’ gives up the radio friendly “Child of the Sunset” featuring ‘Lauren Hart ‘ on vocals.The one and only
‘Frog Holler’ finds yet another nerve to touch with “Pushin My Silence”, ‘Chet Delcampo’s’ “Water Flows” with his adept production skills, and ‘John Train’ gets political with “Mulloy” while warming up for their forthcoming CD which will be called ‘Mesopotamia Blues’.I’m especially proud to issue a CD with new songs from ‘Paul Edelman and the Jangling Sparrows’, ‘Gas
Money’, and ‘Steve Yutzy- Burkey(of ‘One Star Hotel’ and ‘The Swimmers’).Those are three artists that I love and three that have eluded the label over the years.

This will be our last release.Thanks for the support along the way.

Disc 1:
1.Buzz Zeemer-This Town
2.Frog Holler-Couldn’t Get Along
3.John Train-Broke TV
4.Richard Kaufmann-You Never Listen
5.Emily Valentine-Understand
6.
Flight of Mavis-The First Step
7.Frog Holler-Virginia
8.The Low Road-So Anyway
9.Buzz Zeemer-I Live Next Door
10.Rolling Hayseeds-Dead of Night
11.Chet Delcampo-Aglow
12.Flight of Mavis-Top of the Pops
13.Frog Holler-Stray
14.John Train-Cracked and Crumbled
15.Rolling Hayseeds-It’s Starting to Show
16.Buzz Zeemer-Break My Heart
17.Napalm Sunday-Paralyzed
18.Frank Brown-Don’t Say You Never
19.Rolling Hayseeds-If I Were More Like You
20.John Train-How Am I Ever Gonna Get Home

Disc 2:
1.Frog Holler-Least Most Wanted
2.Buzz Zeemer-Mystery
3.Rolling Hayseeds-A Man of Few Words
4.John Train-Take You Home Tonight
5.Emily Valentine-Try Try Try
6.Chet Delcampo-Coffee With Tom T. Hall
7.Rolling Hayseeds-Woolly Thinking
8.Flight of Mavis-On My Mind
9.
Frog Holler-Pennsyvania
10.Buzz Zeemer-Crush
11.Mike ‘Slo-Mo’ Brenner-One True Love
12.John Train-500 Miles
13.Frank Brown-She Just Wants To Be Loved
14.The Low Road-The Irish Queen
15.Solid For Sixty-Where You Are
16.Frog Holler-The Sweetest Sound
17.John Train-The Sugar Ditch
18.Napalm Sunday-In My Yard
19.Flight of Mavis-Through It All
20.Richard Kaufmann-Shooting Stars and A Full Moon

Disc3:
1.Foxycontin-Next Time You’re On Your Own
2.Mike ‘Slo-Mo’ Brenner-Child of the Sunset
3.Paul Edelman and the Jangling Sparrows-Take Home Your Coat
4.Napalm Sunday-Candy Store
5.Steve Yutzy-Burkey-Emily,I Know You Can’t Hang On
6.John Train-Mulloy
7.Frog Holler-Pushin My Silence
8.Chet Delcampo-Water Flows Around A Stone
9.Gas Money-Comin’ Around
10.Buzz Zeemer-One Shot

Town and Country and other Record Cellar Releases at CD Baby
BUY IT:
www.cdbaby.com/cd/recordcellar

James Brown, "The Godfather of Soul" 1933-2006

December 25, 2006 by · 6 Comments
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James Brown Died early this morning at age 73 after having been recently hospitalized with pneumonia. With a recording career that spanned over 50 years, his influence on rock,funk and R&B music is monumental. The Rolling Stones,David Bowie, Prince, George Clinton,and just about all rap and hip hop music owe a debt to the man known as “The Godfather of Soul”.
He was one of the true innovators of funk and his unrelenting live shows earned him the title of “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business”. Today we pay tribute to a true one of a kind legend.

Rest in Peace, James Brown, 1933 – 2006.

MP3: Please, Please, Please
MP3:
Tell Me What I Did Wrong
MP3:
I’ll Go Crazy
MP3:
Think
MP3:
Night Train
MP3:
Out Of Sight
MP3:
It’s A Man’s World
MP3:
I Got You
MP3:
Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag Pts 1,2,3
MP3:
Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose
MP3:
Licking Stick-Licking Stick
MP3:
Say It Loud, I’m Black And I’m Proud Pt 1
MP3:
There Was A Time
MP3:
Cold Sweat
MP3:
I Got The Feelin’
MP3:
I Can’t Stand Myself(When You Touch Me)
MP3:
Hot Pants
MP3:
King Heroin
MP3:
Make It Funky
MP3:
Super Bad
MP3:
Get Up, Get Into It And Get Involved
MP3:
Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine
MP3:
Mother Popcorn
MP3:
Funky Drummer
MP3:
Get Up Offa That Thing
MP3:
Get On The Good Foot
MP3:
Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved)
MP3:
Doing It To Death
MP3:
Stone To The Bone
MP3:
There It Is

UPDATE : Due to the incredible love for James Brown and the enormous response received on this post, we’ve currently exceeded our bandwidth and the files are unavailable for now.

Please try James Brown at The Hype Machine for more music.

BUY IT: james brown at amazon

Christmas

December 25, 2006 by · Leave a Comment
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MP3 : The Who – Christmas
Did you ever see the faces of the children, they get so excited ?
Waking up on Christmas morning, hours before the winter sun’s ignited…

A Tribute to Joni Mitchell

December 22, 2006 by · Leave a Comment
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photo by Jack Robinson


via billboard.com

Bjork, Prince Lead Joni Mitchell Tribute Disc
Joni Mitchell

December 21, 2006, 3:30 PM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Bjork, Prince, James Taylor and Elvis Costello are among the artists
who have recorded covers for “A Tribute to Joni Mitchell,” due in the
spring via Nonesuch. The 11-track set also boasts contributions from
Sarah McLachlan, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Sufjan Stevens.

In related news, Billboard.com has learned that Mitchell has been
recording original material at a Los Angeles studio in recent weeks.
It is unknown in what form she plans to release the music; she
angrily announced she was quitting the music business in 2002 after
her last album, “Travelogue.”

“A Tribute to Joni Mitchell” comes concurrently with 429
Records’ “Endless Highway: A Tribute to the Band,” due Jan. 30. That
projects boasts covers from Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket,
Jack Johnson and Widespread Panic, among others.

Here is the track list for “A Tribute to Joni Mitchell”:

“Free Man in Paris,” Sufjan Stevens
“Boho Dance,” Bjork
“Dreamland,” Caetano Veloso
“Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow,” Brad Mehldau
“For the Roses,” Cassandra Wilson
“A Case of U,” Prince
“Blue,” Sarah McLachlan
“Ladies of the Canyon,” Annie Lennox
“Magdalena Laundries,” Emmylou Harris
“Edith and the Kingpin,” Elvis Costello
“Help Me,” k.d. lang
“River,” James Taylor

Looks like some strange artist and song choices for sure. Here’s one of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs, A Case Of You. A version by Prince(not the tribute version) , a rare Tori Amos B-Side version, and the original Joni version.

MP3: Prince A Case Of U
MP3:
Tori Amos – A Case Of You
MP3:
Joni Mitchell – A Case Of You

So, while I was surfing the web in search of a Joni Mitchell picture for this post I happened across these lovely songs by a girl named Morgan Ryan. I thought I’d share them here with you all. Enjoy. Stop by her myspace page to hear some more.

MP3: Morgan Ryan – Hallelu
MP3:
Morgan Ryan – Phone Lines

myspace : www.myspace.com/missmorganryan

Top 25 Album of 2006 1 to 10

December 18, 2006 by · 4 Comments
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Here it is, the top ten of our countdown. Sure to inspire comments like “What, top 25 and no Dylan ?” or “Hey, where’s Beck and TV On The Radio” to which I’d have to respond “Those are all great, maybe even classic, but they weren’t the one’s I spent time listening to and enjoying the most.”
At the bottom, after the number one choice, I’ve listed a bunch of runners up, which, who knows, on a different day may have made the cut. It’s all good, rock on.

Clicking a link on an artists’s name will take you to more music by them at The Hype Machine

10 The Slip Eisenhower
A masterful blend of beatlesque pop songs and indie rock psychedelia, think Death Cab for Cutie meets Pink Floyd and you’ll start to get the idea.

MP3: The Slip – Children of December
MP3:
The Slip – If One of Us Should Fall

9 The Decemberists The Crane Wife
Never expected to like this at all, especially after the intense prerelease buzz that had me pretty skeptical of whether it would even be any good at all. Other than the one low point that is Shankill Butcher this one’s near perfect. Plus it’s fun to play spot the influences – O Valencia is pure REM, while When The War Comes sounds like the sequel to Led Zeppelin’s No Quarter


MP3: The Decemberists – Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
MP3:
The Decemberists – When The War Came

8 Tom Waits Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards
54 songs, 30 of which are brand new,all great, this one release has more songs than most of the artists on this top 25 have in their entire catalog. The man has affirmed himself as one of the truly great songwriters of our time. An instant classic. One disc of the noisy blues romps, one disc of ballads, and one disc of the experimental songs, it’s all there.


MP3: Tom Waits – Lowdown ( Brawler )
MP3: Tom Waits – Never Let Go ( Bawler )
MP3: Tom Waits – First Kiss ( Bastard)

7 Dixie Chicks Taking The Long Way
The Dixie Chicks confronted controversy head on, shook off just a bit of their country edge and made an incredible and lasting pop disc.

MP3: Dixie Chicks – The Long Way Around
MP3:
Dixie Chicks – Lullaby

6 Johnny Cash American v: A Hundred Highways
The soundtrack of a man confronting death and reconciling the impending end of his life in song. As pure and emotional sounding of an album as I’ve ever heard.

MP3: Johnny Cash – Gods Gonna Cut You Down
MP3:
Johnny Cash – Like the 309

5 The Roots Game Theory
The best hip hop / rap disc of the year, and the most consistent disc The Roots have ever done. Musical, political and engaging it is music that confronts you to listen in the best possible way.

MP3: The Roots False Media
MP3:
The Roots – Don’t Feel Right

4 Yo La Tengo I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
I’ve been waiting 20 years to say this but Yo La Tengo has finally made their masterpiece. Their live show has always been stellar, but for me at least, they’ve never delivered on album. Well now they have, the best of everything they do, from swirling guitar workouts to short 60’s style pop songs woven together perfectly on one disc.

MP3: Yo La Tengo – Pass The Hatchet I’m Goodkind
MP3:
Yo La Tengo – Song For Mahila

3 The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America
The Hold Steady are making big guitar rock music with storytelling lyrics matter again. If this disc doesn’t convince you, go seem them live. They reminded me why I like live music so much in the first place pure exhilaration.

MP3: The Hold Steady – Same Kooks
MP3:
The Hold Steady – First Night

2 Snow Patrol Eyes Open
Don’t disregard this disc just because you don’t like the overplayed single Chasing Cars, it’s easily the worst song on the album. This album spent more time in my cd player than just about any other cd that came out this year. Lyrically it may be a bit simplistic but its one damn good album to just to kick back and listen to. Almost made my number one spot.

MP3: Snow Patrol – You’re All I Have
MP3: Snow Patrol – Set The Fire To The Third Bar

1 The Format Dog Problems
Dog Problems is an amazing album full of smart,incredibly catchy pop songs. I’ve turned more people on to this disc with just one quick listen than any other disc this year. It’s instantly memorable hooks stick in your head for weeks leaving you hopelessly addicted. Chiming guitars,snappy drumming,soaring harmony vocal parts, with just the right keyboard and horn flourishes to top it all off, pop perfection.

MP3: The Format – Time Bomb
MP3:
The Format – Dog Problems

The Runners Up (in alphabetical order)
Albert Hammond Jr Yours To Keep
Beck The Information
Bob Dylan Modern Times
Cat Power The Greatest
Cheap Trick Rockford
DeJesus From The Subconscious
Drive By Truckers A Blessing And A Curse
Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere
Grizzly Bear Yellow House
Guster Ganging Up on the Sun
James Hunter People Gonna Talk
Jay Z Kingdom Come
Joan Osborne Pretty Little Stranger
Joanna Newsom Ys
M Ward Post War
Mastodon Blood Mountain
Prince 3121
Ray Davies Other Peoples Lives
Roseanne Cash Black Cadillac
Sonic Youth Rather Ripped
Matthew Sweet & Susannah Hoffs Under The Covers Volume 1
The Killers Sam’s Town
The Lemonheads The Lemonheads
The Who Endless Wire
Tom Petty Highway Companion
Tv On The Radio Return To Cookie Mountain

Top 25 Albums of 2006 11 to 25

December 18, 2006 by · Leave a Comment
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Well it’s finally here, after much debating and changing and rearranging my top 25 albums of 2006. Most likely it should be called favorite 25 as it’s all subjective anyway, and if I did it again next week it would most likely change. I’m sure everyone will find something to agree or disgree with here, but these are the ones that spent the most time in my cd player.iPod,etc. They are the ones I enjoyed listening to the most. All in all it was a pretty good year for music. So, kick back and enjoy, add a comment if you feel moved and stay tuned for the top 10 tomorrow.

Clicking a link on an artists’s name will take you to more music by them at The Hype Machine

25 Jerry Lee Lewis Last Man standing
The original “Killer” both confirms and reaffirms his legacy here. Twenty one duets with everyone ranging from from Little Richard to Keith Richards to Kid Rock, his contempararies as well as those he influenced, all lend a hand. Strongly showcasing both Jerry Lee’s rock and country side, with lots of star power thrown in, it’s a classic Jerry Lee Lewis disc.
MP3: Jerry Lee Lewis – Lost Highway (w/Delaney_Bramlett)


24 Lloyd Cole Antidepressant
Lloyd Cole releases his first new album in 3 years and one of his strongest. He’s outgrown the youthful longing of his Rattlesnakes era work for a disc full of mature and insightful songs without losing his poetic sting. Bonus points for name checking Scarlett Johanssen.


MP3: Lloyd Cole – New York City Sunshine

23 Lindsey Buckingham Under the Skin
A quiet subtle disc that puts his Fleetwood Mac days behind him, fans of people like M.Ward,Ray Lamontagne,Elliot Smith,etc should be all over this Alas, it will most likely pass into music history largely unnoticed as just one more footnote in Lindsey’s long career.

MP3: Lindsey Buckingham – Show You How

22 Nellie McKay Pretty Little Head
Nellie McKay has a Tin Pan Alley flair for songwriting and her new one Pretty Little Head is no exception. Literate, funny and sharp her 2nd release and her 2nd double disc collection she’s also highly prolific. Guest turns by none other than K.D Lang and Cyndi Lauper. Initially bounced by her record label for being too long at 23 songs, she held to her principles and got it released on her terms.
MP3: Nellie McKay – Mama and Me

21 The Pernice Brothers Live A Little
Joe Pernice is a master of pop songcraft and this new one is no exception. The production is a little more stripped down this time allowing the songs to really shine.



MP3: The Pernice Brothers – Lightheaded

20 Cold War Kids Robbers & Cowards
A dark quirky sound that finds the middle ground between the surrealism of TV On the Radio and raw rootsy sound of The White Stripes.



MP3: Cold War Kids – We Used To Vacation

19 Golden Smog Another Fine Day
Golden Smog takes a more rock based approach this time around and comes up with record that sounds less like the side project supergroup that it is and more like a full time band with something to prove.


MP3: Golden Smog – 5-22-02

18 Soul Asylum The Silver Lining
Bassist Karl Mueller’s swan song disc due to his untimely death from cancer sets out to prove that Soul Asylum is still a vital musical force. Their most focused effort since Grave Dancer’s Union is filled with huge sounding guitars and classic Soul Asylum hooks.


MP3: Soul Asylum – Crazy Mixed Up World

17 The Shrinking Islands In The Black Carpet
The Shrinking Isalnds prove tht you don’t need noises and gimmicks to make a great record much like the bands that launched college radio back in the eighties. Great songs and pristine prodcution values make up a brilliant pop record that takes their influences and molds them into their own distinct sound.
MP3: The Shrinking Islands – State Fair


16 The Blow Paper Televison
A New Wave snyth pop meets 60’s Girls groups vision of boys and girls in America. A completely different approach to this group of insanely catchy, danceable relationship songs.


MP3: The Blow – Parentheses

15 Clipse Hell Hath No Fury
Street level rap at it’s finest, full of the stacatto beats and raw grit that get back to the roots of the music.



MP3: Clipse – Mr Me Too

14 Pearl Jam Pearl Jam
Easily their best and most accessible disc since VS. They also reaffirmed their place this year as one of the best live bands going.



MP3: Pearl Jam – Army Reserve

13 Wolfmother Wolfmother
The best of 70’s style guitar rock excess dragged screaming right into the 00’s. This disc never claims to be anything more than it is and succeeds grandly. Three guys making a glorius racket.


MP3: Wolfmother – Woman

12 Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium
Almost too much of a good thing and sure maybe some of it sounded a bit familiar, but its the Chili Peppers at their funk rock best and there really is a genuinely bad song in the bunch.


MP3: Red Hot Chili Peppers – C’mon Girl

11 Primal Scream Riot City Blues
Stonesy sounding country blues rock guitar crunch.




MP3: Primal Scream – Dolls

Viva Las Christmas

December 13, 2006 by · 2 Comments
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In honor of this week’s Elvis Presley themed episode of the NBC show Las Vegas, TV Guide is including a special Elvis Presley holiday CD with this week’s issue. It includes a video of Blue Christmas, assorted Elvis pictures and a special unreleased song entitled It Won’t Seem Like Christmas Without You. There are 4 different versions of the CD artwork to collect. Get ’em while you can.

MP3: Elvis Presley – It Won’t Seem Like Christmas Without You

Memphis In The Meantime

December 11, 2006 by · Leave a Comment
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While I put the finishing touches on my top 25 albums of 2006 post, here’s a taste of great band I just discovered recently.

Memphis is the duo of Stars singer Torquil Campbell and his long time friend Chris Dumont. Their new disc A Little Place In The Wilderness was released in Canada a little earlier this year but has US release coming in early 2007. It features guest appearances from James Shaw of Metric (bass, trumpet, drums, mix) and Josh Trager of the Sam Roberts Band (drums).

Softly strummy guitars, ethereal keyboards and occasional horn flourishes all topped by smoothly flowing vocals evoke an essence of peacefulness and relaxing calm. As perfect for laying in a summer meadow watching clouds flow by as it is for sitting by a warm winter fire with snow slowly falling outside the window.

Official Website : www.memphis.ca
Myspace: www.myspace.com/memphiscanada

MP3: Memphis – In The Cinema Alone
MP3:
Memphis – A Ghost Story


Buy It at Amazon : Memphis – A Place In The Wilderness(import version)

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