J’adore this modern pop tune from French singer Cheraze, “Promets pas la lune” (“Don’t promise the moon”). As far as I’m concerned, she IS the new Edith Piaf, the modern focus of sartorial elegance and a lady who knows hats. The tune is both boldly global and gamely gallic. The lithe hands of Cheraze float …
These “Aching” woods are lovely, moody, dark and deep, And I have moody promises to keep, And moody miles to go before I sleep… Just leave all your preconceptions behind and listen…
This tune is only 90 seconds or so in duration. It’s a shorty but a goodie. I’m getting into the White Buffalo in a big way. The dude’s written some instant classics.
The Joseph of the Nativity story is a cipher: one of those New Testament characters whose very blankness seems to invite us to step into their sandals and ask what we would do if we were witness to such strange events. It wasn’t until I became an adoptive father that I suddenly (if narcissistically) saw …
An amazing act which I’ve just discovered, The White Buffalo (aka Jake Smith), will be co-headlining a Wonder Ballroom show in Portland on April 8 with the equally amazing Chuck Ragan, unleashing the local manifestation of what their publicist promises will be the manliest tour on Earth. Both the White Buffalo and Ragan rock out …
This is my personal fave Supremes number because it is a sweet, soothing, detumescent lullabye with lyrics hinting at big city summertimes and forbidden roof-born romances struck with both hoody squalor and electroluminescent skylines in view. Coming towards the end of the Supremes run, this tune was the first single to feature Jean Terrell on …
In some ways, this video for “Amigos” reminds me of the classic old short film, Baptism: Sacrament of Belonging. Sure, there’s more tequila in the new version, more heaving bosoms and squirming thighs, but the message of acceptance is essentially the same.
I had no idea that “The Wave Speech” from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas had been given a name and taken on a life of it’s own amongst Thompson mavens and literary academics. I had wrongly assumed that I was the only one to find beauty in these six paragraphs and to excerpt them …
This guy is fantastic. He’ll be at Sasquatch at the end of May. That’s the closest he’s coming to Portland or Seattle. He is introduced by Taraji P. Henson, who plays a detective on Person of Interest and looks much younger here than on the show:
Scene: A London club, summer of 1974 PRODUCER: Thank you boys for chatting with me this morning. ANDREW LLOYD WEBER: We’re only too happy to oblige. TIM RICE: Indeed. PRODUCER: Tim, as you know, Andrew has been kind enough to score our film, The Odessa File. You may know the book, written by the fellow …
Some thoughts from the Youtube comments: “Really notable at the end with the “Sweet sweet love of mine,” and “Come on, come on,” and “Ooooooh yeah.” This lead singer frankly is the song in this case, totally immersed and expressing herself. All three are wonderful. The high notes the other two singers hold at 1:55 …
Thought you’d enjoy this latest YouTube find, from a Grin reunion show ca. 2004 in Rockville, MD. Always my fave Nils Lofgren song and solo, live he takes it to another level, and makes it look like a casual stroll in the park! Another D.C. Area “Master of the Stratocaster (and/or Telecaster)”, for …
The No Depression blog has a nifty, proud, duly diligent entry about the rising popularity of covers of Old Crow Medicine Show’s Wagon Wheel. Covers of Wagon Wheel are becoming so common that the song is described as the new “Brown Eyed Girl” after Van Morrison’s oft-covered 1967 hit: Against Me’s version of Wagon Wheel …
Hunter S. Thompson said it best. This “is what the whole hep world would be doing Saturday nights if the Nazis had won the war.” He was demeaning Las Vegas‘s Circus Circus, but his pejoration sticks like skunk spray even more aptly to this surreal, Hasselhoff in black leathers, vid schmear. “Danke schoen” indeed. Hasselhoff …
It’s time for the annual posting of “Summer’s Almost Gone,” East Portland Blog‘s guilty pleasure Doors song. And this year there are two bonuses. First, for your consideration, is Juan and Guido’s guileless jungle cover. It’s not perfect by any means, but quite comfortable overall, and almost lifelike in several important spots. And here’s the …
Above is Tom Jones and Wilson Pickett performing a Medley of “Barefootin,” “Midnight Hour,” and “Hey Jude” on This is Tom Jones television show in 1970. Below is Wilson Pickett‘s legendary studio version of “Hey Jude,” which included energetic session guitar work from a then-unknown Duane Allman. Allman’s biting, emotional, guitar work at the end …
“The Weight” off The Band‘s 1968 album, Music From Big Pink has become the favored cover tune for every flavor and sector of Americana rock. Something in the loping, star-spangled bounce of the tune gives voice, meter and harmony to subtle, reassuring myths of rural America and has found appeal, not just in the land …
The latest from Seattle‘s Unnatural Helpers is a video expressive of club rock’s gut level punch and fevered intensity, featuring anger, barbecue and vomiting (in a good way). To go straight to the vomiting, click here:
A few things. Grynch‘s new tune is lovely, hook-laden and sweetly touching. Song is about a car and not remotely obscene, but uses connection word obscenities to denote generational authenticity. Be warned, if suchlike bothers you. AND, for those of you who don’t live in Seattle, this video shows exactly what Seattle looks and feels …