Music Recommendations
Those of you who know me well know I tend to get a little melancholy as the seasons change. Winter brings time for introspection, slower thoughtful songs, even an occasional foray into the common "Classic Rock" of Pink Floyd, Bob Seger, Springsteen and songs that remind me of other times.
Those of you who know me VERY well know I think women can sing better than men. I have a soft spot [read: not a fetish or desire to have every picture disc and single and B-side like the Tori Amos and Madonna people] for expressive female singers like Tanya Donnelly [Belly], Johnette Napolitano / Concrete Blonde [well, Bloodletting anyway], Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders first three, a smattering of Joni Mitchell, Heather Nova, Roseanne Cash, Marie McKee and Lone Justice, a little Stevie Nicks [Sara and Storm from Tusk, Gypsy]... anyway, I have a couple more to add...
I have found two things to help me drift into this season's introspection: Martha Wainwright's self titled disc [2005] and Cat Power's The Greatest [2006]. Nate played me Cat Power this summer, but I found it at Borders for 9.99 on Sunday and I had to grab it. Cat Power [Chan Marshall] reminds me of Johnette doing Grant Lee Buffalo's Mighty Joe Moon. I have been reading that The Greatest is not Cat Power's best, though I find it hard to believe. Will have to be checking out this You Are Free next.
Martha Wainwright [daughter of Louden Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle (I have never heard any of Kate and Anna McGarrigle as far as I know) and sister of Rufus] sounds like a cross between Maria McKee and Tanya Donnelly with a touch of Emmylou Harris and PJ Harvey thrown in. The songs veer from the Harvey-ish G.P.T and Ball and Chain to the Man Out of Time era Dylanish Factory to the circular These Flowers to the folky Don't Forget to the almost laconic This Life and When the Day Is Short to the defiance of Bloody Motherfucking Asshole ["I will not pretend / I will not put on a smile / I will not say I am all right for you..."] to the sparse beauty of Who Was I Kidding. It has a power in simplicity and straightforwardness that reminds me somewhat of Patti Smith's Gone Again.
Stream them! Buy them!
Sunday, November 19, 2006
It's been a long week, fighting off a cold last weekend, staying up WAAYYY too late [to the point of literally not being able to see straight] converting all my 45s to my hard drive and not sleeping enough...
The 45 conversion was interesting. Putting the songs of my youth [and extended youth] onto my hard drive to be able to burn them to CD. Only one really required any computer doctoring to fix the sound. I didn't realize how off center my Stones Dandelion / We Love You 45 is. Some of them are such great songs, back when a 3 minute burst with a good hook was all you needed. Some of my favorites: Kiss' Sure know Something - yes, it's from the disco flavored Dynasty Lp, but god damn it's a great song. Great bass line, interesting guitar line, very few power chords until the chorus... the single of Joe Cocker's The Letter, the studio version with Leon Russell on piano and arranging the horns smokes the live version you always hear on the radio [because it's available on 'hits' and the Mad Dogs and Englishmen album. Simple pleasures like Nick Gilder's Hot Child in the City. I found interesting things on B sides like Blondie's Just Go Away [One Way or Another] or Gilder's Backstreet Noise. A few B side only things like the Stones' Everything's Turning to Gold, Led Zeppelin's Hey Hey What Can I Do and the fantastic Robert Plant B side Far Post.
Now I'm trying to pump out some Christmas CDs. Yeah, I said it, those of you who know me and my loathing of holidays put your tongues back in your mouth. My grandparents had some old 78s of Jimmy Boyd that I remember from way way back. My uncle Chris taped them for everyone a few years ago and I want to get them on CD for my Mom's family.
I'm all ready so beaten down by the Crass Commercialist Experience known as Christmas all ready. I saw some ad during the Star Trek marathon on TV Land that said "Only five days until the Holiday shopping season begins." HA HA. I've been pelted with the commercials for two weeks all ready. One of the ladies at work is all ready planning her shopping for 'Black Friday.' Why one would want to subject one's self to that, I do not understand. Deal or no deal.
On a happy note, we did Thanksgiving here today since I will be working Thursday. I have all the leftovers to prove it. And we still watched football, talked about how stuffed we were and ate pie anyway. The plum wine is gone, but they left me the beer.
Cheers, everyone!
Chaz
The 45 conversion was interesting. Putting the songs of my youth [and extended youth] onto my hard drive to be able to burn them to CD. Only one really required any computer doctoring to fix the sound. I didn't realize how off center my Stones Dandelion / We Love You 45 is. Some of them are such great songs, back when a 3 minute burst with a good hook was all you needed. Some of my favorites: Kiss' Sure know Something - yes, it's from the disco flavored Dynasty Lp, but god damn it's a great song. Great bass line, interesting guitar line, very few power chords until the chorus... the single of Joe Cocker's The Letter, the studio version with Leon Russell on piano and arranging the horns smokes the live version you always hear on the radio [because it's available on 'hits' and the Mad Dogs and Englishmen album. Simple pleasures like Nick Gilder's Hot Child in the City. I found interesting things on B sides like Blondie's Just Go Away [One Way or Another] or Gilder's Backstreet Noise. A few B side only things like the Stones' Everything's Turning to Gold, Led Zeppelin's Hey Hey What Can I Do and the fantastic Robert Plant B side Far Post.
Now I'm trying to pump out some Christmas CDs. Yeah, I said it, those of you who know me and my loathing of holidays put your tongues back in your mouth. My grandparents had some old 78s of Jimmy Boyd that I remember from way way back. My uncle Chris taped them for everyone a few years ago and I want to get them on CD for my Mom's family.
I'm all ready so beaten down by the Crass Commercialist Experience known as Christmas all ready. I saw some ad during the Star Trek marathon on TV Land that said "Only five days until the Holiday shopping season begins." HA HA. I've been pelted with the commercials for two weeks all ready. One of the ladies at work is all ready planning her shopping for 'Black Friday.' Why one would want to subject one's self to that, I do not understand. Deal or no deal.
On a happy note, we did Thanksgiving here today since I will be working Thursday. I have all the leftovers to prove it. And we still watched football, talked about how stuffed we were and ate pie anyway. The plum wine is gone, but they left me the beer.
Cheers, everyone!
Chaz
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
It's Worse Than I Thought
What? No, not the mid-term elections! We're going to be looking at the biggest "Do Nothing" Congress since 1946. I'm talking about "Sports" on ESPN.
You've seen me rail about the National Spelling Bee and Poker on the big E. I've seen Darts tournaments. Monday [Monday?] I saw DOMINOES. That's right, Dominoes.
I'll give you Bowling as a "Sport." It has some physical activity. Those STUPID X-Games are some sort of "Sport." Those weird Lumberjack and World's Strongest Man competitions are some sort of "Sport." Horse racing is not a sport. Poker, Darts, Dominoes, Billiards / Nine Ball and Chess [I see it coming soon!] are not 'sports,' they are skills. They involve strategy and a little luck, but they're not "sports." If you can play it sitting in a chair, it's not a sport! If you can drink beer and /or smoke cigarettes [if you are so inclined] at the table while playing it, it's DEFINITELY not a sport!
I worry out loud again at what we are telling the youths of our society when we show them things like this. How are you going to react when your kid comes to you and says "Dad / Mom, I'm going out on the U.S. Pro Chess / Billiards/ Darts/ Checkers/ Backgammon/ Monopoly Tour to make my fortune and you can't stop me!"
I know, I am not the best example for a kid with my Jabba the Hut body, which probably means I could kick ass at some Skill. But I know what a sport is! And I know ESPN has hours and hours of programming to fill and God knows I'd rather watch Poker than Basketball [hey, that's just me!] or anything with Jabba the Hut Junior [a/k/a Chris Berman] or the hours and hours and HOURS of analysis of the upcoming and previous week's NFL action [though I do watch the old NFL Films shows once in a while]. The commercial where the player is getting some juice out of his fridge and slips and then it's on ESPN News? That's what they analize every week!
Anyway, I just had to get that off my chest. Show more hockey highlights! God bless Barry Melrose's mullet!
It IS Worse Than I Thought
Oh brother did W. cave in. The Dems aren't even in their seat yet and he jettisons Rumsfeld. Way to stand by your guy, Mr. President! 'The spirit of bi-partisanship' means giving Congress everything they want, eh?
Gates will be good - just read a great article on him in the new Texas Monthly. Too bad he won't get to finish reforming A&M.
What? No, not the mid-term elections! We're going to be looking at the biggest "Do Nothing" Congress since 1946. I'm talking about "Sports" on ESPN.
You've seen me rail about the National Spelling Bee and Poker on the big E. I've seen Darts tournaments. Monday [Monday?] I saw DOMINOES. That's right, Dominoes.
I'll give you Bowling as a "Sport." It has some physical activity. Those STUPID X-Games are some sort of "Sport." Those weird Lumberjack and World's Strongest Man competitions are some sort of "Sport." Horse racing is not a sport. Poker, Darts, Dominoes, Billiards / Nine Ball and Chess [I see it coming soon!] are not 'sports,' they are skills. They involve strategy and a little luck, but they're not "sports." If you can play it sitting in a chair, it's not a sport! If you can drink beer and /or smoke cigarettes [if you are so inclined] at the table while playing it, it's DEFINITELY not a sport!
I worry out loud again at what we are telling the youths of our society when we show them things like this. How are you going to react when your kid comes to you and says "Dad / Mom, I'm going out on the U.S. Pro Chess / Billiards/ Darts/ Checkers/ Backgammon/ Monopoly Tour to make my fortune and you can't stop me!"
I know, I am not the best example for a kid with my Jabba the Hut body, which probably means I could kick ass at some Skill. But I know what a sport is! And I know ESPN has hours and hours of programming to fill and God knows I'd rather watch Poker than Basketball [hey, that's just me!] or anything with Jabba the Hut Junior [a/k/a Chris Berman] or the hours and hours and HOURS of analysis of the upcoming and previous week's NFL action [though I do watch the old NFL Films shows once in a while]. The commercial where the player is getting some juice out of his fridge and slips and then it's on ESPN News? That's what they analize every week!
Anyway, I just had to get that off my chest. Show more hockey highlights! God bless Barry Melrose's mullet!
It IS Worse Than I Thought
Oh brother did W. cave in. The Dems aren't even in their seat yet and he jettisons Rumsfeld. Way to stand by your guy, Mr. President! 'The spirit of bi-partisanship' means giving Congress everything they want, eh?
Gates will be good - just read a great article on him in the new Texas Monthly. Too bad he won't get to finish reforming A&M.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Cast Your Ballots!
I don't know WHY I thought early voting would be a cinch. I don't know why waiting until the last day of early voting seemed so... well, I waited because I am lazy. So I stood in line for 45 minutes to get my ballot /log in/ ID # in Euless [as I have not changed my driver's license], I thought to myself "Democracy sure moves slowly." But I was in line and I wasn't getting out in spite of the wait and I was getting my ballot/ log in ID # when I was supposed to be clocking in at work. Work can wait, Democracy, though slow, couldn't.
Most of you think I am a pretty hard core Republican. Republican = eh [makes 'so-so' noise]. I call myself a moderate conservative. I am for smaller government and lower taxes and I think school vouchers are a pretty good idea. But I also believe in a person's right to choose, be it abortion or gay partnerships. [I do believe men have rights when it comes to abortion, too - it takes TWO to make a baby. And if gay couples want to have partnerships or unions, hey, welcome to the world of divorce lawyers, custody battles and alimony, but the word 'marriage'... another time perhaps.] Nothing turns me off faster than someone saying "God wants you to..." anything, but especially 'vote Republican to put the Bible back in charge of America.' P-U! Anyway, that makes me a fiscal conservative and a social moderate in my fuzzy math.
Anyway, I was pretty prepared to go in there [the polling place] and tick of Rick 'Mr Goodhair' Perry, though I seriously considered Richard 'Kinky' Friedman. But what if Kinky was/is elected? He has no power base and no way to deal with anybody and the legislature would just run right over him anyway. The governor in Texas is mostly a figurehead position, the real power lies in Speaker of the house and Lt. Gov.
But Mr.Goodhair last week turned me off in a major way. See, we're having a bit of a boom in Texas and the state, instead of running in the red is going to experience a surplus of somewhere between $ 4 and 15 Billion [with a 'B']. So Governor Rick says "well, since we're running in the black, let's not implement the 1% business tax that's supposed to kick in next year," while still implementing the spending cuts he's called for!
We've been through this surplus bullshit before - weren't we looking at a billion dollar surplus just before Mr Bush took off for Washington, D.C.? We saw how quick that dried up too, huh? And wasn't that 1% [one Abraham Lincoln, costs more to make than it is worth penny to the George Washington American greenback dollar] was Perry's property tax relief solution? That's supposed to be your tax cut. Not that you're seeing relief anyway - the tax RATE is frozen, but the APPRAISALS are going through the roof, aren't they?
Anyway, I would up NOT voting for governor at all. Bell didn't appeal to me [sorry Mom] and Strayhorn left her party for what? Shades of John Anderson! So my protest was not to vote Kinky, but not to vote at all on that one. If Perry loses by one vote, then you can come yell at me.
I was surprised at the number of Republicans in Tarrant County running unopposed or only opposed by Libertarians, especially for judgeship! How do Democrats plan on keeping any base if they're not building it at the city and county level? I know Texas is a pretty conservative state, but to just concede?
I also voted against a tax freeze for seasoned citizens in Tarrant County [sorry Dad]. I guess my idea of smaller government doesn't include shifting the burden to ... well, me! I would have voted for the Ft Worth police meet and confer because they only need ONE union to negotiate for them. Do you know the cops have the Fraternal Order, then they have sub unions for Latino and African American officers? Is there a separate "left handed pipe fitters' wing of the Teamsters? Is there a AFL-CIO Latino?
Anyway, don't forget to vote. I did and now I can't wait for these name calling, he said-she said ads to get off the damn airwaves.
I don't know WHY I thought early voting would be a cinch. I don't know why waiting until the last day of early voting seemed so... well, I waited because I am lazy. So I stood in line for 45 minutes to get my ballot /log in/ ID # in Euless [as I have not changed my driver's license], I thought to myself "Democracy sure moves slowly." But I was in line and I wasn't getting out in spite of the wait and I was getting my ballot/ log in ID # when I was supposed to be clocking in at work. Work can wait, Democracy, though slow, couldn't.
Most of you think I am a pretty hard core Republican. Republican = eh [makes 'so-so' noise]. I call myself a moderate conservative. I am for smaller government and lower taxes and I think school vouchers are a pretty good idea. But I also believe in a person's right to choose, be it abortion or gay partnerships. [I do believe men have rights when it comes to abortion, too - it takes TWO to make a baby. And if gay couples want to have partnerships or unions, hey, welcome to the world of divorce lawyers, custody battles and alimony, but the word 'marriage'... another time perhaps.] Nothing turns me off faster than someone saying "God wants you to..." anything, but especially 'vote Republican to put the Bible back in charge of America.' P-U! Anyway, that makes me a fiscal conservative and a social moderate in my fuzzy math.
Anyway, I was pretty prepared to go in there [the polling place] and tick of Rick 'Mr Goodhair' Perry, though I seriously considered Richard 'Kinky' Friedman. But what if Kinky was/is elected? He has no power base and no way to deal with anybody and the legislature would just run right over him anyway. The governor in Texas is mostly a figurehead position, the real power lies in Speaker of the house and Lt. Gov.
But Mr.Goodhair last week turned me off in a major way. See, we're having a bit of a boom in Texas and the state, instead of running in the red is going to experience a surplus of somewhere between $ 4 and 15 Billion [with a 'B']. So Governor Rick says "well, since we're running in the black, let's not implement the 1% business tax that's supposed to kick in next year," while still implementing the spending cuts he's called for!
We've been through this surplus bullshit before - weren't we looking at a billion dollar surplus just before Mr Bush took off for Washington, D.C.? We saw how quick that dried up too, huh? And wasn't that 1% [one Abraham Lincoln, costs more to make than it is worth penny to the George Washington American greenback dollar] was Perry's property tax relief solution? That's supposed to be your tax cut. Not that you're seeing relief anyway - the tax RATE is frozen, but the APPRAISALS are going through the roof, aren't they?
Anyway, I would up NOT voting for governor at all. Bell didn't appeal to me [sorry Mom] and Strayhorn left her party for what? Shades of John Anderson! So my protest was not to vote Kinky, but not to vote at all on that one. If Perry loses by one vote, then you can come yell at me.
I was surprised at the number of Republicans in Tarrant County running unopposed or only opposed by Libertarians, especially for judgeship! How do Democrats plan on keeping any base if they're not building it at the city and county level? I know Texas is a pretty conservative state, but to just concede?
I also voted against a tax freeze for seasoned citizens in Tarrant County [sorry Dad]. I guess my idea of smaller government doesn't include shifting the burden to ... well, me! I would have voted for the Ft Worth police meet and confer because they only need ONE union to negotiate for them. Do you know the cops have the Fraternal Order, then they have sub unions for Latino and African American officers? Is there a separate "left handed pipe fitters' wing of the Teamsters? Is there a AFL-CIO Latino?
Anyway, don't forget to vote. I did and now I can't wait for these name calling, he said-she said ads to get off the damn airwaves.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Guilty Pleasures - Hall and Oates
Okay, so I went into Best Buy the other day for a Y cord and the new Lindsey Buckingham and I saw Rock and Soul [Hits] on sale. And I've been blasting it for the last three days. And I am not ashamed.
Sure some of the keyboard parts sound dated, but for vocal harmony Hall and Oates [and band! What an under-rated band! G.E.Smith and T-Bone Wolk would lead the Saturday Night Live band for a few years in the late 80s - early 90s...] are untouchable! Okay, John Oates' moustache is cheesy deluxe and makes one wonder what he's doing in those videos... but Oates is probably the one who comes up with the hook in the song or the clever vocal turn that makes the song go. I Can't Go for That [No Can Do] just came up - the 'No Nos' counterpoints in the background seem cheesy, but can you imagine the song without them?
These guys were a hit machine in the early 80s, but don't forget the mid 70s classics like Sara Smile, Rich Girl and especially the wonderful She's Gone. There have been times I'd throw on the vinyl just to hear She's Gone about six times in a row - it's such a great piece of blue eyed Philly soul, great drums and bass line and those famous harmonies. Takes me back to a time when AM radio ruled me life, before I knew what the songs were about.
Okay, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and Adult Education I CAN do without [yeah. yeah] but the reissue finally erases a bad mistake and puts Family Man in with their other great hits. Hey, I like it! But if that's all I have to put up with to hear great things like One on One and Say It Isn't So, that's okay.
Okay, so I went into Best Buy the other day for a Y cord and the new Lindsey Buckingham and I saw Rock and Soul [Hits] on sale. And I've been blasting it for the last three days. And I am not ashamed.
Sure some of the keyboard parts sound dated, but for vocal harmony Hall and Oates [and band! What an under-rated band! G.E.Smith and T-Bone Wolk would lead the Saturday Night Live band for a few years in the late 80s - early 90s...] are untouchable! Okay, John Oates' moustache is cheesy deluxe and makes one wonder what he's doing in those videos... but Oates is probably the one who comes up with the hook in the song or the clever vocal turn that makes the song go. I Can't Go for That [No Can Do] just came up - the 'No Nos' counterpoints in the background seem cheesy, but can you imagine the song without them?
These guys were a hit machine in the early 80s, but don't forget the mid 70s classics like Sara Smile, Rich Girl and especially the wonderful She's Gone. There have been times I'd throw on the vinyl just to hear She's Gone about six times in a row - it's such a great piece of blue eyed Philly soul, great drums and bass line and those famous harmonies. Takes me back to a time when AM radio ruled me life, before I knew what the songs were about.
Okay, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and Adult Education I CAN do without [yeah. yeah] but the reissue finally erases a bad mistake and puts Family Man in with their other great hits. Hey, I like it! But if that's all I have to put up with to hear great things like One on One and Say It Isn't So, that's okay.