Benji Hughes = Magnetic Baby Cakes
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Somewhere between the high-browness of Stephin Merritt’s Magnetic Fields and the endearing inanity of Brad Neely’s Baby Cakes, there’s a brilliant songwriter named Benji Hughes. Hughes’ 2008 album A Love Extreme is some true, cool stuff.
Can You Feel It? Can’t You Hear It?
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Apples in Stereo’s New Magnetic Wonder from 2007 is an amazing collection of hooks and fuzz and pure energy oozing from almost every one of the 24 tracks. One of my favorite parts of the album is found at the end of the lead track, Can You Feel It?, which was recorded live in Scotland. After some appaulse, you can hear a few different voices from the crowd begging for the band to “Turn it down! TURN IT DOWN!” The most amusing plea can be clearly heard (in a thick Scottish brogue), “Everything’s feedbacking! Can’t you hear it?” Sounds good to me. And New Magnetic Wonder never sounds better than in early spring.
Fallin’ & Flyin’ by Jeff Bridges and Colin Ferrell (from Crazy Heart)
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In the movie Crazy Heart, actor Jeff Bridges does an impressive job of singing country. Fallin’ & Flyin’ is arguably the best example. There are two versions of the song on the OST, and this one features the harmonies of Colin Ferrell. Fallin’ & Flyin’ was written by Stephen Bruton (RIP) and Gary Nicholson.
I’ve Been Lonely for So Long (B’Ham Rhythm Section v. Lambchop)
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The original I’ve Been Lonely for So Long, performed by the B’Ham Rhythm Section, can be found on a compilation called The Burmingham Sound: the Soul of Neal Hemphill Vol. I. Lambchop’s version appears on What Another Man Spills from 1998, arguably the band’s most soulful and beautiful recording. Got Lamchop?
Let It Snow: a Christmas memory from NYC
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The images of New York’s recent snow storm make me miss the City at this time of year. Thinking about my Christmastime-in-New York memories, one night from 2006 stands out. I had the privilege of seeing one of my favorite songwriters, Alejandro Escovedo, play with a string quartet at Carnegie Hall. I recorded the show with my new recorder and that audio is featured in the podcast portion of this post. The short podcast intro recounts the December night when, after seeing one of the top 5 concerts of my life, my date and I walked up to the majestic bar of the Pierre Hotel, just off the park. A song from Alejandro’s performance called Slow Down precedes the audio you’ll here from the Pierre, which is in the last minute of the podcast. My recordings of cabaret singer Kathleen Maddox playing and singing Christmas carols that night in her perfectly loungey style make for some of my favorite personal recordings. Absolutely holiday time in New York. Merry Christmas from EP.
Damien Dempsey’s Kilburn Stroll
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Damien Dempsey’s Kilburn Stroll is taken from the Irish singer/songwriter’s 2007 release, To Hell or Barbados.
Ken Lee tulibu dibu douchoo
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Ken Lee (“Can’t Live”) is a phonetic interpretation of Mariah Carey’s 1993 cover single and Badfinger’s classic love song “Without You” performed by Valentina Hasan, a contestant who auditioned for the Bulgarian TV show Music Idol in February 2008. Watch the famous video at KnowYourMeme.
Gettin’ Ready For Christmas Day
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In February 1999 a college radio disc jockey named Lance Ledbetter set out on a mission to compile rare and essential recordings of vintage religious music. Four and a half years later the result of this journey was released as a box set called Goodbye, Babylon.
Backwards Down the Number Line
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It’s come to our attention that some people still have no respect for the rock band Phish. Pray for those haters and do your best to convince them to come to Indio, CA next year. They’ll see the light yet.
Lake’s Christmas Island: a perfect song
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Christmas Island: the perfect golden oldie circa 2009. LAKE are an Olympia, WA band that’s built to spill. The rotating cast of characters has been around since 2005, but 12 albums later, they’ve hit the nail on the head with Let’s Build a Roof. Buy it at the K Records website.
David “Fathead” Newman’s Hard Times
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The talented David Newman, who alternates on this album between tenor and alto, made his debut as a leader at this session. Since he was in Ray Charles’ band at the time, Newman was able to use Charles on piano along with Hank Crawford on baritone, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, bassist Edgar Willis, and drummer Milt Turner.
Hans Reichel’s daxophone
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“The daxophone, invented by Hans Reichel, is a experimental musical instrument of the friction idiophones category. It consists of a thin wooden blade fixed in a wooden block (often attached to a tripod), which holds one or more contact microphones. Normally, it is played by bowing the free end…
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