It's All Been Done Before - Scissor Sister's Night Work album

When I was a kid learning computer programming I used to toy with the idea of infinity and music. My thoughts ran along the line of writing a program that combined every note and time signature combination with every combination of instruments and the outcome would be every song possible to write. Then along came synthesizers and more varied recording techniques and I realized how infinite music can be.

But infinity doesn't seem so far away anymore, well, at least not after listening to the preview of the new Scissor Sister's album, Night Work. See, I have this method I use to filter the unremarkable from the purchase-worthy, it consists of going to iTunes, picking an album, and hitting "preview all". Once the music starts I open a game of solitaire and start playing. If something grabs my attention, then I give it another listen. If it passes this muster it usually just gets added to the wish list. On rare occasions I purchase it right away.

Tonight I was slogging through a game of solitaire, mostly not noticing any thing exciting in the previews, then suddenly I hear what sounds like an interpolation of Twilight Zone, by Golden Earring, in a preview of the Sister's Invisible Light. Then I hear a little George Michael, ala I Want Your Sex in their song, Whole New Way. Coincidence? Maybe. Then I hear the Bee Gees in Any Which Way, then it's David Bowie meets Hedwig's Wig In A Box on the track Running Out, then it's Sophie B. Hawkins on Skin This Cat.

Out of 13 thirty second previews, I recognize the sounds of 5 different artists. There is flattery and then there is blatant rip-off. Pull up iTunes or your preferred web music site and preview the album. Maybe you will find more familiar artists than I noticed. Feel free to share if when you do.

Animal Tracks by Mountain Man

Note to self: Delve further into this trio of women when their music is released stateside late summer.
Note to others: Animal Tracks is on soundcloud.com in case curiosity gets the best of you. Very syrup-y sweet harmonies on what sounds like it could be some Appalachian folk song brought to digital age. Haunting. Can't wait to hear if the rest is a swing and a miss or a homerun.

4 Chord Pop - Funny Video

I found this hilarious. I remember being a kid and astonished at my cousin's ability to play any song we wanted on his keyboard. What I didn't realize at the time was that every song I knew was either pop or country (we had two radio stations where I grew up) and that most of the songs were written using 4 chords.

Truth of the Pop Song

The truth is hilarious!

Stop, please!

I really, really can't stand Craig Finn's voice. It's right up there with Marianne Faithfull in the "How Fast Can I Switch Stations" category. It's too bad because I sort of like the music of The Hold Steady.
Which band or singer gets on your nerves?

First Music Memories

1. Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head by BJ Thomas, age 3
2. Amanda by Waylon Jennings, age 4
3. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain - Willie Nelson, age 4
4. Good Ol Boys - Waylon Jennings, age 5
5. Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees, age 5
6. Convoy - C.W. McCall, age 5
7. Teddy Bear - Red Sovine, age 5
8. North To Alaska - Johnny Horton, age 5
9. The Missouri Waltz, age 6, the local radio station played this at midnight before they signed off the air (yes, even then the music fueled my insomnia)
10. Peter And The Wolf, age 5
11. Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills, age 6

Wake Up Jack - There's Southern Soul In The Air

It's been a while kids, since something has moved me, but tonight, in a moment of boredom, I turned on the TV and sat back in the recliner. Of course I hadn't had any high hopes for the programming on broadcast TV, but it was too early to go to bed for this young man. Flipping through the channels I caught an interview with Michael Grimm and then his smashing 90 seconds on America's Got Talent.
I was blown away. Every one who loves music has a soft spot for Southern Soul, but how often do you hear someone who can really sing soul? Michael Grimm can.
So, if Sharon Osbourne hasn't locked him in a deal with the devil's mistress (that's a wink, Sharon) then I sure hope he makes his way to Minnesota and The Current picks up on him and invites him to the studio.
Note to the ladies at The Current: Not only can he sing, but he is fine to look at, too.
Let the heart-melting commence.
A little sampler courtesy of youtube: Michael Grimm live at the Green Valley Ranch

Indelible Truth

Sunday evenings, after the daily living tasks are wrapped up and I’ve surfed to the end of the internet, I like nothing more than to lay in the floor with the lights down low and listen to a CD. Donning headphones in the dark is a sure way to get one focused on the music. Too often the music is background noise in our busy lives. It often takes a very striking song to make us take note, or more likely, we stopped moving and our inner monologue paused long enough for a good song to register as striking in its beauty, simplicity, or relevance to our lives or to the moment. So I try to make time for the music.

Tonight I am listening to the Winter Morning Wake-Up List. I had never been exposed to Tom Wait’s music and hadn’t much interest in the experimental sounds recordings, but I do like a lot of his songs from the albums, Mule Variations, Rain Dogs, and Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards. It happened one October day in the parking lot of Toys R’ Us. My toddler nephew and I had our fill of following Grandma around as she looked for birthday gifts. We headed to the car, piled in, fired up the radio and set our eyes on the setting sun. “Long Way Home” came on and it fit our mood, stillness, and the sinking sun perfectly.

Sitting still was the key to noticing beauty – the beauty of the sunset, the song, and sharing the moment with someone you love.

Well...Since I'm Officially Your Muse...

It's not every day a girl gets called someone's muse. Just for clarification (I prefer this version of Webster's Definition) 2 : a source of inspiration; especially : a guiding genius. But if you all want to label me your object of relentless affection that's okay too.

On to music. Well, I still have yet to get to Jack's listings and am debating whether the $4.00 for Mumford & Sons' songs on Little Lion Man is well spent. However as I write, I'm taking in the Grammy's.

Total takeaway:

Sugarland is somewhat tolerable, barely, when Bon Jovi joins them.

Pink is incredibly graceful and classy

Lady Gaga and Elton Jon rocked the stage

Rhianna is just weird

and Michael Jackson will probably live on forever

So this winter. Yes, in true Minnesota fashion, is long, really long. Fortunately, Lady Gaga has been singing up the charts and yes, into my heart. I am in love with her, really. Not only is she incredibly musically talented (yes she an actually sing and look good at the same time), she is the first musician to add original artistry to performance. I'm holding out for Album of the Year to be yes, you guessed it: Lady Gaga don't let me down.

But even if she doesn't win, I'll definitely be investing in a couple (okay a lot) of her music!

Four Dollars Well Spent

Apologies for the hiatus, 'tis winter and between illness and the general malaise of January, writing has been a low priority. But alas, I am back, and to help me along, I have invited my friend and muse, Maria, to be a guest blogger. (The pressure is on dearest Maria! LOL!)

Living in Minnesota I am blessed to have a public radio station that introduces me to music I may not have heard otherwise. Today's post will be one of many posts, I am certain, influenced by The Current's staff. And now, without further delay, I bring you Mumford & Sons.

I have heard Mumford & Sons' song, Little Lion Man, play a couple times on The Current while driving. Far be it for me to remember the name of the band long enough to get home and research it, but tonight I heard Little Lion Man while at home. I pulled up itunes and then lala.com and dug in. For only having one studio album and a couple live songs available on itunes, I was impressed and bought 4 of the 8 available songs on itunes:
The Cave
Awake My Soul
Thistle & Weeds
Little Lion Man

I will probably purchase the rest of their album and live songs later, but I can only be expected to process so much emotion in one sitting. These songs are rife with emotion, very heartfelt and dramatic emotion. Thistle & Weeds is enough to move me to dance in agony while crying with despair. It is an extremely intense song and, as much as a song can be, cinematic. It evokes memories of a recent loss and pounds out the emotions and grief I still haven't come to terms with. It is beautiful, but you have been warned.

Countering the pain evoked by Thistle & Weeds, The Cave is a rip-roaring romp of positivity, but it doesn't let you forget that others suffer pain that you can never heal. There is some truth in the Johnny Cash lyric "get a rhythm when you get the blues" and this song delivers a blues-busting rhythm complete with banjo. Yes, banjo! I can't think of many sad songs that have a banjo in the arrangement, but if you don't think a modern band can rock a banjo, then you really should give this a listen. My neighbors will surely be happy when I quit pounding along with this song.

I will save the other two songs for another post as now I plan to turn the lights down and listen to some Mumford & Sons on the hi-fi with the lights down low.

Go forth and enjoy!

Single Serving Jack

Hello World!

Welcome to my little space on the interwebs. I hope to make this space a place for thoughts, ramblings, and musings about my favorite past-times, but expect it will be mostly about music.

Enjoy!

Jack

Yeah The Moon's Too Bright

Many a man could write a treatise on the poetry and lyrical genius of Leonard Cohen, but one lyric is circling in my head on this blue/full moon:
Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
- from I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen
What is your favorite Leonard Cohen lyric or song?

Winter Morning Wake Up Playlist

Ever had a sleepy Saturday morning in the cold throws of winter? I have a lot of those where I live. Tonight I put together a play list to help me slowly wake up tomorrow morning. Enjoy!

1. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

2. Sea of Love - Cat Power

3. Pale Blue Eyes - Velvet Underground

4. Beach In Hawaii - Ziggy Marley

5. Long Way Home - Tom Waits

6. Let It Be Me - Ray LaMontagne

7. No Child of My Own - Roma di Luna

8. Russian Lullaby - Jerry Garcia

9. I Will Follow You Through The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie

10. Poison Cup - M. Ward

11. Furr - Blitzen Trapper

12. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes

13. Say Please - Monsters of Folk

14. Magic Trick - M. Ward

15. I'll Fight - Wilco