Its been awhile: How about some LIVE music?

It has been awhile since my last post and instead of a big theme I just want to post some songs that I have been listening to for the last month.  All of them are live versions of produced songs.  Furthermore, I believe that these versions are superior to the studio produced versions, which is why I think you should hear them!

Shovels & Rope "Lay Low"

What a great Husband and wife team.  The whole album is amazing but this song sticks with me and is favorite of my baby girl.

Bonnie Bishop "The Lucky Ones"

Bonnie is blessed with a Janis Joplin level of vocal talent.  I particularly enjoy this song even though it is a little "pop" for my taste.  I enjoy this acoustic performance more than the studio version.

Fun "We Are Young"

I know I am behind the world on this one and I usually avoid poppy musical type songs.  This performance however is just way too good to ignore.  Is it just me or is her smile uncanny?

Marques Toliver "White Sails"

Marques is killing me with that voice and that musicianship.  Soulful, classical, and heartfelt.

Paulo Nutini "Pencil Full of Lead"

I have been a big Paulo fan for years but I especially love this live rendition of this song.  When I heard the song on the album I wasn't a huge fan of it.  Since I have heard this live version I have definitely changed my mind...Enjoy!

Sons of Bill "Siren Song"

Sons of Bill continue to be one of my favorite bands, and I really feel like they hit their stride on the slowed down acoustic version of this song.  The harmonies are great, the sound is minimal, and the lyrics are pure-  "Your heart is screams to belong"

Please let me deconstruct: Alex Clare

Alex Claire is currently the voice of corporate entity Microsoft.  Alex Clare is much more than that.

Please let me show you why; Most of you know him from his chart topping hit "Too Close":

Great Video, great pop production, good job Alex for getting that MS sponsorship.  My fear is that you wont see past that to the amazing artist that exists beyond that.  When I first Alex I saw him performing that song on acoustic guitar in a completely different manner.  Give this a listen wont you?:

A little different no?  Then I went on to give this Gyptian international cover a listen:

Pretty AMAZING isn't it?

If you are not sold on AC, then let me provide the jury with one final argument- A Live Etta James Cover of "Damn Your Eyes"; I think that it speaks for itself:

My Picks for the Best of Austin City Limits Since 04

Austin City Limits is my favorite music show on television.  With a rich history, amazing location, and immense credibility, this program usually find the best music played on a guitar in the United States and holds it up for all to see.  Focusing mainly on Country & Americana historically, ACL has lately been branching out to bring a broader styles of music to its core audience.  Below are my favorite moments from the last 8 years:

Brandi Carlile has been one of my heroes for a long time.  I have managed to see her perform live twice (Once with the Indigo Girls) and she continues to release record after amazing record including her latest called "Bear Creek".  The performance below, an acapella rendition of "Oh Dear" melts my heart every time that I hear it.  It is also a favorite of my daughter Avery.

Ray Lamontagne performing a very early version of the song "Empty."  I will never forget hearing this for the first time in my little apartment in Los Angeles and thinking, damn this guy can write some lyrics!

Damien Rice performing "The Blowers Daughter" live on ACL.  I love this song so much that I picked it to be the song I played at my wedding when I danced with my mom.

The Avett Brothers performing "When I Drink."  I especially love the line "Cause we only get so many days...now I have one less"

This is the band The National performing a song called "About Today."  I love the simple yet profound lyrics and the musical build up.

Iron and Wine taking a good (In my opinion) studio track and making it special with an acoustic live performance of "Upward Over the Mountain."  

If you are still watching these you are in for a treat.  This last one is called "O'Brien" and is performed by M. Ward of the band She & Him and Conor Oberst of the band Bright Eyes.  The beginning involves some intentionally off-key discordant guitar work, but it comes together by the end.  I love the lyrics, the sound, and this song is one that my wife and I will sing randomly to each other when driving because it has gotten so stuck in our heads!  Enjoy:

There you have it!  My favorite ACL moments of the last 8 years.  Unfortunately, I was unable to locate a few songs that I wanted to include from ACL.  "Chances Are" by Hayes Carl should be included in the songs above, as should "Rivers and Roads" by The Head and The Heart.  Both artists made something special in their ACL performances.

Finally, there are a few bands that should be on ACL but have not yet been invited (and this is a Crime!). I am pretty sure that ACL will come around and recognize their greatness soon.
They are in no particular order:
Sons Of Bill
Alabama Shakes
Jason Isbell
The Steel Wheels
April Smith & The Great Picture Show
Michael Kiwanuka
Joshua James
Delta Rae
Ben Howard
Trampled By Turtles
Doug Paisley
Burlap to Cashmere
First Aid Kit
The Tallest Man on Earth
Jon Allen

The Head And The Heart

A lot of folks dismiss The Head And The Heart as just another hipster band from Seattle.  I agree that the hipster elements are there, but I also see something that transcends that.  The talent is undeniable.  The songwriting is beautiful.  The lyrics range from cunning to nonsensical.  The vocal harmonies are a mix wonderful, awkward, thrilling, and intentional.

Charity (The well dressed blonde woman) has the voice of an angel.  A fashionable, sometimes off key, Joe "Cockeresky" stage presence, diva with a unique sound akin to that of an sincere music teacher on acid.

Josiah strikes me as the glue that holds the band together.  Great songwriter, hard worker, nice tone, adaptable voice, and probably the engine that drives the band to continue on.

Jonathon Russell is the gravely voiced often bearded face of the band.  He wrote and performs my favorite song from this group, but also sings many of the intro lines to the band's songs to great effect.  

This is the band performing "Rivers and Roads" on KEXP Live.  This song is what I would consider to be "Epic".  Do you agree?

This is the band performing "Sounds Like Hallelujah" live on WNRN. Can you hear the Queen influence?  Do you agree?:

Finally, this is Jon performing a new and yet unknown and nameless song.  I love this so much that I will go out on a limb here and say that this song will either be a "Hit" or something that the best musicians look back on and remember fondly as the song that should have been.  Check out "Untitled"

 

Michael Kiwanuka

I randomly stumbled across Michael Kiwanuka while trying to find an old Joan Osborne performance on KCRW.  When I first heard this guy I imagined Bill Withers melting into Bon Iver surrounded by Nick Drake who in turn was hugging Fred Neil.  A Brit whose parents escaped the Yamin reign in Uganda, this gentleman knows how to captivate my 10 month old daughter in seconds of beginning a live performance.  I STRONGLY urge you to check out his other work, but thus far this song is the one that strikes me as imperative to listen to immediately.  "Lason" recorded live on KCRW:

Dawes

Dawes is a band that I have been following for a long time, starting with the spectacular video above "When My Time Comes".  Their brotherly harmonies, the beautiful lyrics, and the 1970's sound shine through every time that I listen to this amazing group.  I saw them live in Baton Rouge awhile back, and I got to meet most of the band after the show.  Unfortunately when I asked the singer, Taylor Goldsmith, about his Los Angeles Roots, we disagreed on the USC vs. UCLA battle.  That being said, they were very kind, friendly, and above all talented musicians. Recently I discovered two of their live performances made me stand up and listen.  I hope that you will too!  Pay special attention to the lyrics, performance  and  delivery:

"Million Dollar Bill" (Live at the Collect)

Best Lines:
"When it hits me that she's gone
I think I'll run for president
Get my face put on the million dollar bill
So these rich men that she wants
Show her the ways they can take care of her
I'll have found a way to be there with her still"

"Moon in the Water" (Live at the Collect)
This song is a solo effort from the singer Taylor Goldsmith.  Beautiful lyrics abound!

Best Lines:
"Love is for the fighter
Born to lose and never quit
Swinging for the moon
In the water"

Joshua James

I first saw Joshua James live at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles with a few hundred other people.   I had relatively high expectations for him based upon this performance of a Modest Mouse Cover:

Unfortunately, I came to the performance with reasonable expectations of talent, yet little to convince me that the man, and the band, had depth beyond picking good covers.  What I found was something much more than I had ever expected.  To be honest, I watched one of the most astounding performances that I have ever witnessed live.  Covers of other artists were missing, but amazing lyrics, genuine sincerity, spectacular musicianship, truly powerful almost Morrison like presence (Jim not Van although he has it too), and stand-out songwriting were all hitting me in the face like a ton of bricks.

Joshua James and his band SHOULD be one of the most famous musicians around today.  The fact that he is not more known is a bigger comment on the current state of the music industry than it is on his talent, or the will of those that adore him and his songs.  I began with a cover and I will leave you with one.  The great Tom Waits first sang "God took the stars and he tossed 'em" in 2004.  Joshua James a few years later, and I dare say more beautifully:

Do you know this song?

If you are reading this blog you probably don't know who Peter Murphy is.  You may have heard of Bauhaus and know them to be some sort of Goth founding fathers, but beyond that I am guessing that the great PM is not in your playbook.  I hope that they next song changes that.  The one thing that I love about this song more than almost anything else is that once I introduced my oldest friends to it, the song itself became a "sing along"  so many years ago.  It will never be erased from my fondest memories.  

Peter Murphy performing "I'll fall with your knife" Acoustic and live in Turkey.

Enjoy!

The Avett Post: One of my all time favorites!

The Avett Brothers are one of my favorite bands of all time.  I don't say that carelessly, and I also recognize the changes they have gone through since they began.  I love them for the lyrics first and foremost, followed by the harmonies, musicianship, and finally sincerity.  Below are some of my favorite songs that I can show you from Youtube.  It should be noted that there are MANY better songs that I cannot link to on you tube for you to enjoy, so this is only a PARTIAL list.

"The Ballad of Love and Hate"

Quite simply some of the most amazing lyrics I have heard in years.  Seth Avett at his best.

"Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise"

Great video, great lyrics, good concept, and exceptional musicianship.

"Talk on Indolence"

 My first question...If I asked you to mix blue grass, punk, hip hop, and make sure the lyrics are great, could you do it this well?  If you don't understand what they are saying in this clip just look it up by following the link prior.

"November Blue"

So sweet and beautiful!

"Salvation Song"

I love Salvation Song because it is the brothers describing why they make music.  One of the most sincere songs that I have ever listened to.

"Belladonna"

Beautiful harmonies swirl around truly great lyrics.

"Paranoia in B Flat Major"

The Lyrics do it to me every time.  We have been there people.

"Shame"

Boatloads of Shame, Day after Day, more of the same

"Just a Closer Walk With Thee"

The Scotty Avett has some cute kids.  The video above confirms for me that I like this band.  Anyone who treats their kids like this is OK in my book.

Sunlight in the darkness? Imagine Dragons!

Have you ever walked in to a negative space?  My life and work tests me all the time, and the video below shoots and arrow straight to my heart every time that I hear it.  Despite the lead singer's gestures during the performance, I still love this song for the sentiment, delivery, and presentation.  Are you a fan of Fallout? I am and think that this would be an amazing random encounter.  Thanks to Kurt for turning me on to this video and group.  Have a listen, won't you?

Let me introduce you to: The Carolina Chocolate Drops

A good friend of mine introduced me to the Carolina Chocolate Drops recently.  I was floored not only with the high level of talent, but also the authentic musicianship behind what they do.  I have always thought it a strange thing that country music is currently so culturally white, when there have been so many black people involved in its creation and maturation through the years.  Between this band, the Avett Brothers, and Delta Rae, the North Carolina Music Scene is exploding with talent.  Below is the band with Rhiannon Giddens taking the lead performing "Hit'Em up Style" live at WDVX's Blue Plate Special. Rhiannon deftly delivers a  a live classical country take on a modern hit from Blu Cantrell all the while showcasing her vocal talent:

The band also performs song songs with an older style as evidenced by the performance below called "Cornbread and Butterbeans"

The Talented and Beautiful Rhiannon Giddens

Finally, if you want to understand how the band came together and found each other though their love of music, I suggest watching the video below.  They discuss their roots, why they do what they do, and their time with Joe Thompson, the mentor that shaped who they are.

The Drops with Joe Thompson, black musician extraordinaire!

Luke Wilson & The Steel Wheels- Virginia Artists and WNRN: Another Perfect Combination

Last time I blogged about Alabama Artists and their Live performances on WNRN.  I would be remiss if I didn't give the great state of Virginia their due on their own radio station.  Below are some of my favorites from bands who hail from the land where "You got to scrape that shine right off your shoes".

Trent with the Steel Wheels

The first two are from the AMAZING Trent Wagler whose band the Steel Wheels not only has amazing talent but also rides their bikes from show to show.  The first song is called "Walk this way for awhile" and I absolutely adore the simple romantic vibe.  The best lyric is simply the title of the song, and I hope it melts your heart the way it does mine.  We have all been there!

The next song is called "Nothing You Can't Lose" and it too is live on WNRN.  A straight blues number that reminds me why I love straight blues.  It has a country flair to be sure, but I hear it and I hear the blues through and through.  You can tell from the tone and the clothes that both songs are from the same performance.  Enjoy!







Awhile ago I posted about one of my current favorite bands, The Sons Of Bill.  They were nice enough to comment about it on their Facebook page (even though I screwed up their names!)  They just released their new video for Sirens and you should check it out!  Anyway, I mentioned in that post that they had a truly undiscovered little brother (not part of the band) who has some great talent of his own.  Luke Wilson is also from Charlottesville, Virginia and comes with a beautiful voice of his own.  Below is his song "Caroline" and I hope you enjoy it:

Alabama Artists and WNRN: The Perfect Combination

Alabama has had some great music come out of the state in the last few years.  Recently, I posted a live performance by the Alabama Shakes and I thought I might treat you all to a few more performances from musicians who hail from there.  I will start off with the Alabama Shakes performing "I Found You" completely live and Acoustic on the wonderful Radio Station WNRN (Which you may remember from the Sons of Bill Performances I posted earlier).  I simply adore this performance!

If you have never heard Jason Isbell perform live you are missing out.  He is a singer from Greenhill, Alabama near Muscle Shoals.  Formerly a member of the Drive By Truckers, Isbell has been recording with his current group The 400 Unit for several years.  To be honest, I saw the DBT on Austin City Limits and immediately thought that having Jason and The 400 Unit would have been a better choice!  This is Jason solo, acoustic, and live performing the beautiful song "Alabama Pines" on WNRN:

A musician you don't know but you should: Jack Ladder

Jack Ladder

Jack Ladder in mostly unknown in the USA, but has some recognition in his native Australia.  His music will take a listener through 1950's American rock to 1980's sounding pop with a low growl with some modern elements.  His masterpiece is called "Barber's Son" and beside the killer guitar work and vocal performance, the lyrics are amazing.  I also appreciate the the drummer very much...nice touch! Being a barber's song who fell far from the tree myself, I have a special respect for what he is trying to say. Especially the part about the banana at the end!  Best Lyric "Cockroaches kids lay down and die"

Two Songs that are Catchy Catchy Catchy....

For this post I wanted to put forth some songs that I find catchy. When I say catchy I am talking about that groove that hits you, that sound that makes you go 'Damn".  The ones that get stuck in your head and you know why.

Brittany Howard

1) Alabama Shakes "Hold On" Released: 2012 Best Lyric: "Bless my heart, bless my mind, I got so much I wanna do but so little time" Why I love it:  Because I liked them when they were just called "The Shakes" :)  But seriously, because the band is great and singer Brittany Hopkins has Joplin level talent.  I love that they are from a small town in Alabama and now hove the success that they are having due to sheer talent.  They are the unstoppable force and while I can't confirm this, I am told that she has an illness that made her think she would die young.  Obviously, the lyrics take on much more meaning in this context so give it a listen:

2) Aloe Blacc "I Need A Dollar" Released: 2010 Best Lyric: "Boss man please, I need this job more than you know" Why I love it: AB is not only a University of Southern California Trojan like me, but he also lived on Somerville Place (A community I used to work with when I lived in Los Angeles and worked for USC).  Furthermore, the song is just the bomb!

Why do I like these songs?

Do you ever find yourself liking songs that you probably shouldn't/didn't want to/can't figure out why you do?  Recently a reader challenged me on a previous post and suggested that I find some songs that were "more than the sum of their parts" in terms of musicianship and talent.  Below is my current best effort to formulate my top 5 songs.  Why do I listen to these songs over and over without knowing why?

1) "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKdspWe-KdQ
Why I can't figure out why I love this song but probably know: It reminds me of the Talking Heads.

2) "Stop, I'm Already Dead" by Deadboy and the Elephantmen

Why I can't figure out why I love this song but probably know: It reminds me of The White Stripes at their best with a little more falsetto.

3) "My Baby's got Sauce" by G Love And Special Sauce

Why I can't figure out why I love this song but probably know: It reminds me of the Fall of 1994 at Florida State University and how old I feel right now.

4) "The Sound" by Human Highway: 

Why I can't figure out why I love this song but probably know: The drums help, but it is that hook that keeps me coming back

5) "Alesund" by Sun Kil Moon:

Why I can't figure out why I love this song but probably know: If I had the voice of this man, I would not be a star but I would be making a living off of making people feel something through music.

Hurricane Isaac

Thanks everyone for checking out my blog.  Hurricane Isaac has left me on emergency duty at LSU and then without power in my home as I clean up the damage.  I just got power back but I will begin posting again soon...

Delta Rae: Fantastic Vocals, Amazing Lyrics, Great Talent

Named after a mother's character from a story, Delta Rae are Simply Amazing!  So much talent in one band... Delta Rae hail from Durham, NC and they are giving the Avetts a run for their $ on being the most talented band from North Carolina in the modern era.  Below they are performing 4 of their best songs in a medley live in ONE take...impressive!

One of the things that I appreciate about them most is that they wrote a song about marriage equality that not only didn't sound cheesy, but has some AMAZING lyrics such as "Love doesn't know when its a sin".  It is called Chain On Love...supporting all LGBTQ peeps...check it out:

The group has a few videos as well.  "Bottom of the River" is one of the catchiest songs I have heard in ages.  Cool concept, great masks, and Brittany sings the HELL out of this song.  I fear a producer will tell her that she should go solo because of her beauty and talent, but when they sing I am reminded that they are among family and friends.

Finally, in case you thought it was just the females in the group that had all the talent, check this out "Morning Comes", a really cool video (As always with this band, filled with GREAT lyrics and vocals) that shows me something about his group of musicians: They would be fun to hang out with!

The beautiful and talented  Johanna & Klara Soderberg

If you have never heard of First Aid Kit you are missing out on the most talented sisters I have heard in years.  Johanna & Klara Soderberg began in their mid teenage years covering other artists songs and posting their harmonies to you tube.  They are definitely rooted in American Standards but have an alt. country flair.  Here you can see them when they were very young singing "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by The Fleet Foxes in a Swedish forest:

This performance garnered them enough fame to release an actual album called The Big the Black and the Blue.  I respect that they appear to be avowed atheists and you can see this come out in their song Hard Believer.  They attempt to tackle some big themes here in way that I have not seen before musically.  Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Penn Jillette would be proud......

I have a special place in my heart for these two and I think both are highly intelligent and extremely talented.  The last two performances I will post are live from the USA and Sweden Respectively.  The first song is them performing the first single of their new record "The Lion's Roar" called "Emmylou" on Conan.  They give shout out to some of favorite musical couples, specifically Emmylou Harris, Graham Parsons, Johnny Cash, and June Carter.

The last performance is of two famous American Country covers on a Swedish TV program.  I have gathered that the Swedes are fans of American country from watching some other Swedish artists such as the sublime artist the Tallest Man on Earth.  I love the fashion showcased on this clip by both the sisters and the audience.  If this were an American performance I would have guessed that it was not 2012 but instead 1973.  Enjoy!

You can purchase these shirts on their website :)

Oh Canada!

Ok so it is long past the time I paid homage to our surely neighbors in the great white north:

Below are 5 songs from Candian artists I think that you should hear right now.  Some are old, some are new "ish."  Did you know that the Government of Canada MANDATES that a certain % of songs played on the radio up there are Canadian?  Crazy Eh?  Eh?   Eehh?  Ok grab your Molson Ice and strangely shaped breakfast bacon and enjoy!

City and Colour is simple and beautiful.  "The Girl" is a timeless song that is as eloquent as it is benign.

Dallas Green, the lead singer, has a sweet voice that will make almost anyone pause and listen. So check out

#1) "The Girl" by City and Colour.  Best Lyric "I wish I could do better by you 'cause that's what you deserve"

#2) "At the End of the Day" by Doug Paisley. Best Lyric "See the sunlight combed on the shapes at the Fray"  Doug is a great singer that never has to force a note.  Check out the insanely good vocals at 2:37 of this:

#3)"A Case of You" by Joni Mitchell.  Best Lyric "Part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time"  My mom saw her on TV before she was famous and still tone deaf.  Now she is an Icon.

#4)"Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen.  Best Lyric "For you have touched her perfect body with your mind".  L. Cohen is bar none one of the best song creators of all time.  He wrote "Hallelujah" which is probably the most covered song ever.  A contemporary of Bob Dylan, I have always liked this guy more.

#5) "Little Boxes (Cover)"by Walk Off the Earth.  Best Lyric not included because they didn't write this one.
WOTE is a Canadian band who found great success covering "Somebody that I used to know" by Gotye.  I suspect the will burn out and break up soon trying to find their next big thing.  That being said, I truly enjoy this performance.  If it hasn't been on Weeds yet it should be!