Arizona (50 Songs For 50 States)

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Hotel Arizona - Wilco

Taking the tour to the southwest, my main memory of Arizona is traveling down I-17 south after going to the Grand Canyon and Sedona for a couple days with friends. The trip started in Vegas and its destination was Phoenix. It was April, it was freezing up at the canyon and the further south you went down the road, the more bugs hit the windshield and the warmer you could tell it was getting. Really surreal. So the best thing to do? Stop at the gas station for beer. It made the trip go by quicker and the storytelling was absolutley fantastic, courtesy Mel.

A few years later, me and Amy went hiking up the Phoenix Mountain Reserve. We got to the top, saw downtown Phoenix, and then we were ready for a chopper to take us back down (I believe this was an inspiration for getting a treadmill a couple months afterwards).

Song for AZ? I could put Glen Campbell "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" or Public Enemy's "By The Time I Get To Arizona" in. Off of "Being Here", Wilco's "Hotel Arizona" is the place that "made us all want to feel like stars." It's got a nice haze, some drunken off kilter doo doo doo's and lyrics, I think about making it big (Tweedy's two cents are probably on another website somewhere.) So there you go. Wilco, you now have Arizona covered. Gracias!

Stanley P. Kachowski and classic rock from the burgh

Moving from town to town like we have in the past dozen years, one of the first things you do when you get to a new city is get acquainted with what radio stations they have, a sort of fallback from your own collection to see what is on the ole radio. Ever since leaving home, I've never picked up on a classic rock station in any of the other cities we've lived in. Why? Because growing up outside Pittsburgh there was only one classic rock radio station that mattered, 102.5 WDVE.

Sure they had your normal mix of classic rock songs with a few new songs peppered in here or there. But there are some songs I swear I never hear unless I'm back in the burgh and DVE is on the radio. I'm sure if I had the patience I could find them on the local rock station now, but why bother. DVE's mix of songs with the occasionally hilarious skits from their morning shows, their best is when they deal with the local sports machines in town, are always a good mix when heading downtown for a game, a night out, or a samwhich down at Primanti's on the strip or South Side.

So today I pay tribute to a handful of songs I like to hear if, and usually only if, I'm back in the burgh. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll hear one this weekend when I'm in town.

.38 Speical-Rockin' Into The Night
"Waiting, anticipating..." Perfect after "Saturday Night Special" by Skynyrd.

Youtube Clip:
.38 Speical-Rockin' Into The Night

Billy Thorpe-Children Of The Sun
Was this a hit anywhere else? Not even a great song, but WDVE plays it like it was a chart topper for 12 weeks!



The Clarks-Cigarette
Could pick any Clarks song, Born Too Late, Trampoline, Better Off Without Yinz...Cigarette makes me feel like I'm home the most, especially the rough guitar intro.



Donnie Iris-Ah Leah
"Love Is Like A Rock" is another one, I just heard "Ah, Leah" so much when I was a child, I thought Mr. Iris was like the biggest thing ever, even if he wasn't.



Head East-Never Been Any Reason
I have always loved this song. The alternating vocals, the funky keyboard solo, the "Save my life I'm going down for the last time" harmonies. A glorious one hit wonder from the seventies.



James Gang-Funk #49
You'd think Joe Walsh was from Pittsburgh as much play as he gets on DVE, when he's actually from the evil Cleveland area. Great drum solo bit and guitar work from Mr. Walsh's first band.

Youtube Clip:
James Gang-Funk #49

Rush-Red Barchetta
Seriously, what's a listen to DVE without Rush. And while you may hear forgotten songs like "The Trees" or "Big Money" on occassion, nothing beats hearing "Red Barchetta".

Youtube Clip:
Rush-Red Barchetta

Tuesday's Top Ten: "Queens"

I'm not counting down ten songs from Queen, that would be ten I'd pass on trying. So I'm eliminating "Killer Queen" off the bat. Also gone is "Dancing Queen" (Sorry ABBA) and "Queen of Hearts" (Two Juice songs already on this young blog would be too much: "Angel Of The Morning" for angels.).

These are just ten of my favorites with "Queen" in the title. While most days I'd put the Sex Pistols, Mountain or Wilco at the top of the list, I'm going with the light, corny jazz of the Doors today. From the fantastic "Morrison Hotel," "Queen of the Highway" always makes me want to croon, and getting back from a nice weekender in Carolina, I feel like a little crooning. "She was a princess, queen of the highway..." take away the rest Jim.

1. The Doors-Queen Of The Highway
2. The Sex Pistols-God Save The Queen
3. Mountain-Mississippi Queen
4. Wilco-Casino Queen
5. The Smiths-The Queen Is Dead
6. Bob Dylan-Queen Jane Approximately
7. Sammy Kershaw-Queen Of My Double Wide Trailer
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers-Venice Queen
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs-Dragon Queen
10. David Bowie-Queen Bitch

New National album "High Violet"

I seriously doubt I'll have time to check this out tday, but if you're interested in a write up and free listen to from the National's album "High Violet", check out this sight from the New York Times where it is currently streaming. Proper release is May11th.

For article and stream click here:
The National-High Violet

Artist Spotlight: The Stone Roses...the Resurrection and the Second Coming

If time machines were available, there are a lot of different music eras people would love to travel back and be part of. I'm sure the summer of love-1967 would top or be close to the top of the list, CBGB's in 1978 would be a nice one, and 1992-Seattle would probably round out the top three. How about while everyone jumps to those eras, I take my a little trip of my own to Manchester, England, circa 1989-1990, where Madchester is exploding on the scene, kids are finding a new modern rock they can dance to with guitar work influenced from psychedelia to Zeppelin, and the kings of the movement are four guys known as the Stone Roses.

While the summer of love would be represented by maybe "Sgt. Pepper's" and Seattle would be represented by "Nevermind", here in the summer of 1989, the summer of love and lots of acid house beats and drugs in England, is represented by the Stone Roses self titled debut. And while they didn't make many waves in America except the occasional 120 minutes video or play on your local college radio station (They said that "America doesn't deserve us yet", they may have been arrogantly correct) they meant a boat load to the development of British music for the next 20 years. Because of them, their influence was felt with Oasis, with Radiohead, with Coldplay, with Blur, with Primal Scream, the list can go through today's bands.

The keys to success. Ian Brown had a way of effervescently singing songs with little effort whatsoever. He wouldn't try to force songs down your throat with his style, and his arrogant non-chalant attitude also helped deliver their early material to essential status. They had a great rhythm section with Mani and Reni. The two of them could lay down beats and grooves that were danceable but never meant to be dance music. They had a fantastic guitar player in John Squire. The man had a knack of washing songs over with flourishes of psychedelia and at the same time the know how to muscle up songs with Hendrix and Page like solos. Together they shone brightly, if only for a very short time.

After releasing some relatively good singles early in their career ("So Young", "Sally Cinnamon") they released their debut album in the spring of 1989. The album is full of some my favorite songs of this era. The creeping bass line into full out nirvana in "I Wanna Be Adored", the pretty guitar work in the 60's based "Waterfall", the great pulsating psychedelic pop of "She Bangs the Drums", the great line "I am the Resurrection and I am the light" followed by a five minute jam session of epic proportions with Mani and Squire bringing things perfectly together, "the cool reggae funk of "Fools Gold", the dreamy imagery of "Sometime I fantasize, where the streets are cold and lonely and the cars they burn below me" in "Made Of Stone, and the fantastic summer of 89 ecstasy laced anthem "This Is the One". All wonderful, all on one of the top 50 debut albums of all time, easily. And their success was followed headlining festivals throughout England in the couple years that followed and a predominat stay on the British charts.

So what happened next? Your run of the mill legal problems. A lengthy 5 year hiatus between albums and the disintegration of Madchester and the beginning of Britpop. When "Second Coming" was released in 1994, expectations were so huge that the album couldn't be amyhing but a disappointment. Squire's guitars were moved to the forefront, channeling a more bluesier sound, and a lot louder in places. But any album with songs like "Ten Storey Love Song, "Begging You" and especially the sinister "let me put you in a picture let me show you what I mean" of "Love Spreads" can't be a total waste.

Then drummer Reni then left the band, they couldn't get a tour out to support the album and the Stone Roses were officially over by 1996. Poof. Brown has gone on to do solo albums, Squire most notably formed the Seahorses, and Mani went to join Primal Scream.

Having the power of changing the scene, attitude and atmosphere is something most bands could only dream of accomplishing at any time in their career. The Stone Roses are lucky lads that had that feeling, it was just so short lived. What they did leave behind was an amazing album, a string of highly recommendable singles and a reminder that you can mix your dance with psychedelic rock music. It's one of my favorite recipes for music. Now to see if a reunion will ever happen in the "Reunion Fever" decade as I like to call the last ten years...

Essential:
The Stone Roses (1989)
Recommended:
The Complete Stone Roses (1992)

Best of:
1. Sally Cinnamon
2. Standing Here
3. Mersey Paradise
4. I Wanna Be Adored
5. This Is The One
6. Waterfall
7. Made Of Stone
8. Fools Gold
9. I Am The Resurrection
10. What The World Is Waiting For
11. Where Angels Play
12. Driving South
13. Ten Storey Love Song
14. Begging You
15. Love Spreads

New and Noteworthy: Train, Papa Roach, The Avett Brothers

Wednesday was a day I gave to the radio of Indianapolis, listening to find what new offerings local stations had to give up. A couple on the way to work, the Avett Brothers on the way back from Chatam Tap last night, which the Tap's jukebox remains one of my favorites in Indianapolis, someone decided to play a good portion of the latest live album from the White Stripes. Nothing like drinking a Hobgoblin with some live "Black Math" on a Wednesday evening. Back to the radio, I came across these three new tunes, none terrible and probably noteworthy to the beholder, I probably won't rush to find the rest of their new material and all from veteran bands who've been at it for awhile.

Train-"Save Me San Francisco"
Another solid hot AC song by these guys. A song for your west coast trip and to compliment Journey's "Lights" for their love of that city by the bay. Almost feels like a theme song to a bad CW show. But any song throwing in a calypso reference will fly. Recommended for mini van drivers.
Train-Save Me San Francisco

Papa Roach-"Lifeline"
Wow, a long way from "Last Resort". It's like these guys have grown up and their anger has gotten a lot more poppier. Not that that's all that bad, just a bit jarring. Nice guitar intro at beginning, chorus about looking for a lifeline a bit generic, wow this is the same band that sang about angels and insects and broken homes?
Papa Roach-Lifeline

Avett Brothers-"Head Full Of Doubt"
Probably the closest to something I could listen to more out of the three, the latest single from "I and Love and You" shuffles along nicely. With spoken word verses about "Darkness upon me flooded in light" and nice organ fills and piano work. From the handful of songs I've heard from these guys, I am not on board the Avett train yet, it seems to be the hip train all the thirty somethings are riding right now, so I'll give them a few more listens this year to see if there is anything or something I'm missing for a ticket to ride.
The Avett Brothers-Head Full Of Doubt

Alaska (50 Songs For 50 States)

Wharf In Seward

Mt. McKinley

Caribou Everywhere

 

50 Songs For 50 States: Alaska

Eyes Adrift-"Alaska

My brother and sister in law live in Anchorage and Amy and I were lucky to go visit up there in the summer of 2007. It is truly a scenic marvel driving around from town to town, even if those towns take hours to get from one to the other. Some of our most memorable parts were racing across the Seward peninsula for ice cream at 11:30 at night with the sun still in the sky (there was like 24 hours of daylight that time of year, if the sun went down, it was still pinkish in the sky), going whale watching in Seward, and getting to Denali park and going on a tour looking for caribou, bears, wolves and mountain goats. Would recommend going up to the way north to anyone at least once. We'd love to go back when we could snowmobile.

The great outdoors.

Downtown Anchorage

So I could pick a song from Caribou with all the caribou roaming the highways up there. I've decided to go instead with the band Eyes Adrift, which pops up on my ipod occasionally. A short lived project with Nirvana's Krist Novoselic, Meat Puppet's Curt Kirkwood and Sublime's Bud Gaugh. "Silver moon is close at hand/Satellite as it falls in Alaska." It's not the greatest song by any of these guys, but it'll fit the bill. So Alaska, your song is "Alaska" by Eyes Adrift.

Tuesday's Top Ten: Ten from They Might Be Giants

Once in awhile you get a They Might Be Giants song in your head and you can't get it out. For me, it was waking up the other morning going throught the D, world destruction, Over an overture, N do I need apostrophe T needs this torture from "Don't Let's Start". While all ten of these songs have popped in mind at times (making a bagel, in line at the ATM) for no apparent reason, (I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I sat down and listened to a whole "They Might Be Giants" album), the top three top are interchangable, with the blue canary in the attic by the light switch edging out the weak heart that doesn't get around like you get around and the worm who is not actually a doctor but he likes to play the drums. Here's ten for the two Johns with some goofy videos and some good live performances including playing James K Polk at a Borders in front of some toddlers.

1. Birdhouse In Your Soul
2. Don't Let's Start
3. Doctor Worm
4. Ana Ng
5. Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
6. The Statue Got Me High
7. Particle Man
8. Your Racist Friend
9. Boss Of Me (Malcom In The Middle Theme)
10. James K Polk

New Music Monday: Jonsi, Dum Dum Girls, Frightened Rabbit, Liars

Jonsi-Go

Sometimes band members have to go it alone and get that solo record. Sigur Ros's Jonsi has decided to do just that while the rest of the band is on hiatus. His first album "Go" is chalked full of the atmospherics that would go into a Sigur Ros record and your jaw can drop at the number of instruments you find in some of the songs on "Go". But two things working against this album. Those atmospheres don't always lead to a direct euphoric conclusion that you would get on a Sigur Ros album. Sometimes they are just in the air and then out of the atmosphere and your conscious. In other words, they become a bit unforgettable and fall a little flat. Secondly, I never thought I'd ask for an album to be sung in more Icelandic. But maybe I've grown accustomed to Jonsi singing in his waferish Icelandic tone for so long that when he's trying to sing in English, I wish it could work the other way instead. But there are two bona-fide gems here, the lead "Go Do" and even to a greater extent "Boy Lilikoi" are extremely fantastic songs, asking for you to take a few trips around the block with them. I'll stick to my true love "Ágætis Byrjun" and visit this one on a random day again in July.
Grade: B-

  Jonsi - Go Do by josiahmfilm 


Dum Dum Girls-I Will Be

Flip the Jesus and Marcy Chain's "Psychocandy"'s gender, take out the extra distortion, add in the lo-fi goodness of the Folk Implosion and you've got the recipe for the Dum Dum Girls full length debut "I Will Be". "Jail La La" has a knack of getting under your skin with it's nice chorus and "Blank Girl" actually turns the Mary Chain's "Just Like Honey" inside out with leader Dee Dee taking turns with a male vocalist. The whole thing whizzes by your ears in 28 minutes, and besides the aforementioned songs, there's no other real standouts here, unless you want to count the haziness of closer "Baby Don't Go", which of all bands to cover is a Sonny and Cher original. A couple repeated listens may leave you wanting to go back for more, but I can't see wanting to go back that often. A nice, if not totally satisfying debut.
Grade: B

  Dum Dum Girls - Jail La La by dwice 


Frightened Rabbit-Winter Of Mixed Drinks

Frightened Rabbit's third full length album "Winter Of Mixed Drinks" has song climaxes that Chris Martin would sell his left kidney for. There's a warmth to these tunes that make you want to keep going back to check out. Some songs start simply and let the music and vocals overtake you in waves of good feelings like the rumbling bass line leading into full out strings and acoustic guitars on "The Wrestle" and especially the gorgeous "Swim Until You Can't See Land" where the vocal arrangement picks up with leader Scott Hutchinson trying to swim somewhere in that North Sea he's saluting and ending with the question "Are you a man or a bag of sand?". And if a song starts off at full throttle like "Nothing Like You" or "Living In Colour", it never loses the energy it entered the room with. Hutchinson's vocal delivery hints a bit of his Scottish heritage and his bandmates throw in the correct amount of lush music to match his liberating tales, many dealing with the constant theme of the ocean or water. These guys are shooting for making a huge statement getting wrapped up in the swirling soundtrack they've whipped up and not getting wrapped up in themselves. It's an album with a healthy dose of optimistic anthems. "Winter Of Mixed Drinks" is very in tune with U2's eighties material, and I'm a sucker for that, so I'll be checking into this album and some stuff from their earlier releases more throughout the year.
Grade: A-

  Frightened Rabbit - Nothing Like You by inertiapromo


Liars-Sisterworld

"Sisterworld" is a very challenging listen. Starting with the moody "Scissor" at the beginning, the piano and voacls from Angus Andrew kind of lull you into a state of drowsiness until snapping into some straight up raging rock. The second tune, "No Barrier Fun" sounds like a distant cousin of Beck's "Derelict". The album for me begins to take shape completely and gets me on track with the great snarl of "Scarecrows On A Killer Slant" with the great question: "Why'd you pass the bum on the street?", answer "Cause he bothered you.". Also great is the revved up guitars on "The Overachievers" with the biting ironic lines "We settled down with cats/there wasn't much to do/so we just sat and watched TV/and smoked weed.." This isn't an album for someone to unwind and relax after a hard day at work or school. But if you have some patience and are looking for something very anxious, tense and a look at how these guys view society, "Sisterworld" may win you over extremely easily, especially you Thurston Moore fans out there.
Grade: B+


  Liars - 'Scissor' by Tim Chester NME

Hall Of Fame Album: Ramones-Rocket To Russia

If I'm going to give someone an overview of the best of the Ramones, I'd offer up Ramones "Mania". If someone wanted to know how they got their start and revolutionized New York and American punk rock music, I'd direct them to their self titled debut. But if there is an album that I enjoy thoroughly more than any other album from these guys, I'd tell you "Rocket To Russia" delivers in spades.

While "The Ramones", their debut, was a first of its kind, a cornerstone in American and New York City punk, it has a sort of menacing style to it, an almost tough and rumble from the streets mentality. It's fantastic. But it might be the spring weather that is getting "Rocket To Russia" in the JHO hall of fame first. I mean, it's disposition is so damn sunny and springlike. There are a ton of great hooks and the energy never seems forced. It could be one of the best albums to get out of the city and burbs and take a roadtrip.

Just look at the track listing. You get to start with the "1-2-3-4, cretins want to hop some more" on "Cretin Hop". You then get to take a carefree trip to "Rockaway Beach", which of course I had to look up on an atlas once to see it was in Queens. You'd expect a song about Queens, but never could picture Dee Dee or Joey at the beach. It's a put the top down song in the middle of the summer with Joey alluring you "We can hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach", to obviously get out of the city burbs for awhile to have some fun.

"Rocket To Russia" also gives you the fantastic surf rock meets late seventies punk of "Sheena is a Punk Rocker"and "Locket Love". On Sheena, Joey gives the great line of his beloved city "New York City realy has it all, oh yeah.." It's the song that marries the fifties with seventies punk together perfectly. Dee Dee's "Locket Love" has a shiny disposition on it's chorus of "Hang on, a little bit longer...". "We're A Happy Family" tells the story of a dysfunctional family, "Sitting in Queens, eating refried beans" and how "Daddy's telling lies/Baby's eating flies/Mommy's taking pills/Baby's got the chills." It's satire at full effect, but the song never gets bogged down on how screwed up this family really is with the music churning along like a train and Joey giving a snide, direct look at them. And the addition of the fantastic slacker punk of "I Don't Care" tops out the six main reasons this is in the JHO Hall Of Fame.

But even beyond that, on their third album, they actually add acoustic guitars on the great ballad "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" without really slowing down their branded style and pace. And the two cover songs they picked for this album "Do You Wanna Dance?" and "Surfin' Bird" match the atmosphere of a brighter Ramones to the T. To top it all you've also got a song about little "Ramona" and the one with that three part shout, La-Bot-Omy, "Teenage Labotomy." Just an abundance of great stuff here.

The band had bits and piesces that were really great on subsequent releases but never had an entirely satisfying complete album like this again. On "Rocket To Russia", they had a bigger budget, roughly $25,000, and they use it to their advantage. The songs as a whole are the best that they put to an album at one time. It's a look at a band in it's prime, throwing together great songs without ever leaving their reputable 1-2-3-4 song count. It definitely deserves a spot in the hall. Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, and Tommy wouldn't have it any other way.

Rocket To Russia - The Ramones

Personal Favorites: School Of Fish-Three Strange Days, Take Me Anywhere

It's amazing how a rock band could still break through in 1991 with the start up of grunge and hair metal both dominating the rock charts. Plus, "Three Strange Days" found a home on AOR radio, a testament to what a great song it is. Always loved the guitar line and the imagery (Johnny Cluelees was there, with his simulated wordgrain) from leader Josh Clayton-Felt on this song.

For youtube clip:
School Of Fish-Three Strange Days

Their follow up 1993 follow up "Human Cannonball" didn't fare as well on the charts since grunge had fully taken over the modern rock scene in America, but I still  enjoy some of the songs from it. "Take Me Anywhere" was a great single from the album with the chorus "I can't stop what I can't see/take me Anywhere". School Of Fish called it a day in 1994.

For youtube clip:
School Of Fish-Take Me Anywhere

I always thought of his compostions in comparison to the great Jeff Buckley. And like Buckley, Clayton-Felt went on to a short lived solo career until his early death in 2000, at the age of 32. During his battle with cancer, he put together "Spirit Touches Ground", his last stamp on this world. He always had the shades of a great singer-songwriter, even when he started on his three day sojurn, when he couldn't put a smile on his face.

Tuesday's Top Ten: Ten Birthday Songs

It's my brother's birthday today, here's 10 birthday wishes for the man many of us call Adzilla. I'd but the Sugarcubes on top, but we know Adzilla's allergic reactions to bananas and singers named Bjork. So the Beatles will top top things off, from one of his favorite albums of all time..."The White Album". Happy Birthday Bro!

1. The Beatles-Birthday
2. Sugarcubes-Birthday
3. The Killers-Happy Birthday Guadalupe
4. Concrete Blonde-Happy Birthday
5. Drive By Truckers-Birthday Boy
6. Junior Boys-Birthday
7. Andrew Bird-The Happy Birthday Song
8. The Fall-The Birthday Song
9. Luke-It's Your Birthday
10. Cibo Matto-Birthday Cake

New Music Monday: Drive By Truckers-The Big To-Do

Double Digit unemployment levels. Executives getting pats on their backs through bonus checks. Leave it to Patterson Hood to bring things into perspective in 2010 with a song about someone too proud to collect unemployment checks and working through the tough times. In "This Fucking Job", our main character is tired of working for a job that ain't getting him further than the dump he lives in, a job that these fast food wages can't support a family, a job that his daddy did before because there ain't no way to get outta of this place. The guy's moral storyline is that the the livin' and learnin' makes it all worthwhile. It's the most honest thing on "The Big To-Do", and hits you like a brick if you're paying attention, as the guitar chords come crashing in. These characters Hood paints a portrait of, are mysterious...and their main characteristic is they are stuck with what life has dealt them. There is no Hollywood ending out. Deal with it.

The Drive By Truckers have put their fingerprint with these characters on becoming America's most honest and perhaps best and unnoticed rock band in the past decade. People who aren't paying attention to that honesty of less than savory characters are seriously missing out. These people in the their songs don't have minor problems, I'm talking about folks who have gone wrong whether it be premeditated or not. Lyrically, "The Big To Do" continues in the same vein of past outputs from the band. Musically, it could be their most accessible album since "Decoration Day".

After hearing their 2004 "The Dirty South" and going back to hearing a couple more offerings from their back catalog, my expectations weren't fulfilled with 2006 "A Blessing And A Curse", an album too short on memorable songs and a band in a bit of a rut. I thought I'd picked up on a band that was now going past their prime. Plus, Jason Isbell, one of their three lead songwriter/vocalists was leaving the band, which I really liked his contributions. But the Truckers 2008 double album "Brighter Than Creation's Dark" put my faith back especially head honcho Hood's "The Righteous Path" a tale of middle class America in the new millennium, one of my favorite songs from last decade.

"The Big To-Do" starts out like gang busters. Three of the four songs are Hood's starting with "Daddy Learned to Fly" a straight forward rock song with a boy's view of life after his daddy left town, thinking he's "off to fly the friendly skies" when actually he just ditched his family. "On The Fourth Night Of My Drinking" the escapades of a bender comes to the conclusion of a man finding his car at the same bar in the fourth night with all his friends retired from his ragged escapades. And "Drag The Lake Charlie" has the swamp back beat to a tale of Lester....a man who the narrator and Charlie are hoping to finally drag out of the lake. That's a good thing? What did Lester do to end up there. Can we get a prequel? All these songs set a great tour de force, mysterious start to the album. But it's the Drive By Truckers...would we expect anything different?

Unfortunately, Mike Cooley has three contributions of 13. He's always been the rag-tag guy who couldn't hold a whole album to himself, but brings in a man from the street mentality to even out some of Hood's dramatic stories. "The Birthday Boy" is about a decadent night with an unsavory stripper, and "Go Downtown" is just plain old fashion honky-tonk rock 'n roll with nice country twang. Adding Mike Cooley's songs to the mix has always been like adding a little more syrup to the pancakes. We could use just a bit more syrup here.


Bassist Shonna Tucker who stepped in for Isbell's departure continues to add another dimension to the band with old school female country vocals on "You've Got Another" where she reminds you "it's gonna hurt" as you spill a tear in your beer. And the short "It's Gonna Be (I Told You So)" has the sound of a forgotten 80's country hit.

Like most Drive By Truckers albums, things can be hit or miss. "The Wig He Made Her Wear" tells a story of domestic homicide over uninteresting backing music. "Santa Fe" and "After The Scene Dies" are mildly interesting ditties. But when Hood strikes gold, is on a song like " The Flying Wallendas" where his story of trapeze artists rise to fame and fall to death and obscurity work perfectly.

My problem has always been it's tough to recommend the perfect Drive By Truckers album to anyone. They've yet to hit that masterpiece they strive for. But the characters they narrate, the unsavory ones with nowhere to go in life, match the fact that their not perfect either.

 
From where they stand now, "Brighter Than Creation's Dark" was their epic and sprawling return to from. ""The Big To-Do" tightens things up, and is an after party, that shows the truckers aspirations haven't given up any steam fourteen years since they started their journey.
 
Grade: A-
 
  Drive By Truckers - this fucking job by cafe_magro

  Drive-By Truckers - You Got Another by stucky

  Drive-By Truckers - Drag The Lake Charlie by PIASGermany

 
JHO Picks:
The Birthday Boy
Drag The Lake Charlie
This Fucking Job
It's Gonna Be (I Told You So)
The Flying Wallendas

Alabama (50 Songs For 50 States)

Alabama Getaway - Grateful Dea...

When I run outside, I rarely put on the ipod. I may borrow Amy's shuffle, but the 120GB, I have, is not something to lug around on a run. Ever since running the mini-marathon here in Indy a few years ago, I've gotten used to it. They said they didn't allow them since it was a sanctioned race or whatever (of course at the starting line half the people I saw had one on), so I just grew accustomed to not wearing one while running.

So what goes through my head to keep me occupied? Anything. Upcoming events and vacations I'm looking forward to, favorite places we've acquainted in the past. Sometimes I'll put a band in my head with an extensive category, a Doors, Led Zeppelin or the Cure, and every fire hydrant I pass I'll change to the next song and sing to myself (during the monumental halfie in November, I had the combination of a horrific sinus infection and M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" coursing though my head...somehow I had my best time, a minor miracle.)

I was running a couple weeks ago and had "Alabama" from Neil Young stuck on the brain. I pass a fire hydrant and I try to think of another Alabama song, of course "Sweet Home Alabama" pops into mind. Then I start thinking of how I could dedicate a song for every state. Shouldn't be that difficult, right. I start rolling in my head all the states and their complimentary song. It's weird how you wish you had a paper and pen to write stuff down when you are running, cuase I swear I had like 43 states covered. Next thing I know, my 9 mile jaunt is done and I've decided to roll out a song per state in the upcoming year or so.

We'll go alphabetically (you've got a wait Wisconisn). Criteria: A song with the state in the title, a song about a city in that state, a band from that state, or if all else fails, something mentioning the state or something from that state in the song (This is where you'll be heading Delaware).
 

Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" is a way to obvious choice (although some states may have to take the obvious choice later down the road.) "Alabama" by Neil Young, is a little to dour and scathing. I've got family in Alabama and been there a couple times, I want to represent them a little more positively. "Alabama Song" by the Doors is another consideration (for Drunken Mischief), as well as the Drive By Truckers "Boys From Alabama" (for Rough'n Tumble Rowdines).

 

But I keep coming back to the Grateful Dead. Don't know why, haven't heard this song in years. It's a middle ground folky road trip song to get the journey started. So Alabama, you're song is "Alabama Getaway" from the Grateful Dead. Somewhere in heaven, half of Lynyrd Skynyrd is raising their fists in disgust. And Mr. Garcia is smiling.
 

New and Noteworthy: LCD Soundsystem, Titus Andronicus

Two new winners for the year in my book.  Really, must hears.

LCD Soundsystem-Drunk Girls
Add this to the list of many upcoming albums in May I am eagerly waiting to hear. James Murphy's LCD Soundsystem is back with the first proper single, "Drunk Girls". Sounds like another party to me. Over a "White Light/White Heat" (Velvet Underground) like chant, Murphy spits out the stereotypes of drunk girls and drunk boys. ("Drunk Boys" we walk like pedestrians/"Drunk Girls" take an hour to pee). Just like "North American Scum" from their last album, I love when Murphy works his off the cuff humour like this. It makes me giddy. "This Is Happening", the third and possibly final album from LCD is due out May 18th.

Titus Andronicus-"A More Perfect Union"
Taken from their latest, second effort, "The Monitor", I hear Dinosaur Jr. like guitars, I hear angirer than usual Conor O'berst-like vocals with a Springsteen like charisma, and a great feeling of a euphorian chant near the end of the song. (I especially enjoy the bit about tramps like us, baby we were born to die.) "The Monitor" is a concept album loosely based on the American Civil War, and after a listen to this offering, I really think I can get into these guys....add it to albums I'll be checking into shortly.

Getting Your Bears Straight

Maybe Stephen Colbert is on to something, bears are taking over. At least the current scene is seeing it. Bands with Bear in their title have popped up in the indie music scene like dandelions in April.

It's a circumstance very much like the numbered band phenom in the late nineties (Stroke 9, Matchbox 20, Blink 182) and the late 80's hair bands with white in the title (White Lion, Whitesnake, Great White).

Here's a guide to get you through which bear is which.

Who: Minus The Bear
What: An indie rock band
Where: Seattle Washington
When: Formed 2001, New album "Omni" due out May 4th
Why: They incorporate ambient sounds and odd time signatures while maintaining their indie influences.
Sample: "Pachuca Sunrise"

Who: Grizzly Bear
What: Folk Rock band with touches of lo-fi
Where: Brooklyn, NY
When: Formed 2004, their last album "Veckatimest" was released in 2009
Why: Saw them open for Radiohead. Their use of harmonies, folk rock, and psychedelic pop have endless room to grow and grow on you.
Sample:  "Two Weeks"

Who: Paul William "Bear" Bryant
What: Beast Known for his success with Alabama Football program
Where: Tuscaloosa, AL
When: With Crimson Tide, 1958-1982. (Record: 232-46-9)
Why: He won 6 national championships while donning his famous checkered fedora.
Sample: "Alabama Fight Song"

Who: Polar Bear
What: British post-experimental jazz band
Where: London, England
When: Formed 2004, their latest album "Peepers" was released in March of this year.
Why: They were nominated for best jazz band  at the BBC Jazz Awards in 2004.
Sample: "Leafcup"

Who: Bear In Heaven
What: Indie and experimental rock band
Where: Brooklyn, NY
When: Formed in 2003, their last release was "Beast Rest Forth Mouth" in 2009.
Why: They continue to expand on their psychedelic leanings while adding more pop sensibilities...that's usually a good thing in my book.
Sample: "Lovesick Teenagers"

Who: Grizzly Adams
What: A man wrongfully accused of murder who flees town and takes in a cub...hi-jinx in the wilderness follows suit
Where: Somewhere in the mountains
When: Original movie-1974
Why: Because people love stories about long bearded men with bears in the wilderness.
Sample: "Grizzly Adams Theme Song"

Tuesday's Top Ten: Ten Years, Numerically, In Music

Here's ten songs with years in their titles. The nod goes to Prince for best top song. Plus I enjoyed seeing Prince show up in press boxes during the Minnesota Vikings season this year. Look, Prince is getting himself a cup of coffee.

1. Prince-1999

2. The Stooges-1969

3. Smashing Pumpkins-1979

4. The Four Seasons-December, 1963 (Oh What A Night!)
5. Jimi Hendrix-1983....(A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
6. White Zombie-Thunder Kiss '65
7. Phoenix-1901
8. John Cale-Paris 1919
9. Counting Crows-1492
10. Silverchair-Anthem For The Year 2000

The year was.....1980

Another installment of the year was....1980

12 random songs from 1980
1. Dexy's Midnight Runners-Burn It Down
Early Dexy's, it's no Eileen but still decent. Grade: B-
2. Bob Marley-Could You Be Loved?
Later Marley, in mood for some sort of colada. Grade: B
3. Bob Seger-Against The Wind
Chevy Trucks be damned. Grade: B+
4. Bruce Springsteen-The River
"And into the river we drowned....." Grade: A

5. Joy Division-Love Will Tear Us Apart
Again. Grade: A+
6. Blondie-The Tide Is High
Loved it as a kid, love it now. Grade: A
7. AC/DC-Have A Drink On Me
"Hell to pay" Grade: A-
8. The Pretenders-Tattooed Love Boys
Great tune, great album. Karen O's first generation Chrissie Hynde. Grade: A
9. Split Enz-One Step Ahead
Before Crowded House. Grade: B
10. Dead Kennedys-California Uber Alles
And what if Jerry Brown became president in '84? Grade: A
11. Elvis Costello And The Attractions-Beaten To The Punch
Nice track from Costello's "Get Happy!!!" Grade: B+
12. UB40-One In Ten
"A statistical reminder of a world that doesn't care." Grade: B

7 Albums worth revisiting:
1. AC/DC-Back In Black
2. The Pretenders-The Pretenders
3. Elvis Costello-Get Happy!!!
4. X-Los Angeles
5. Bruce Springsteen-The River
6. Talking Heads-Remain In Light
7. The Beat-I Just Can't Stop It

Random Quote From a 1980 Song:
Do you remember lying in bed/With your covers pulled up over your head/Radio playin' so no one can see
The song....

Random Thought On A Song From 1980:
A list of people who died before their time. Has a song before or since been so rollicking and celebratory as Carroll gives you the quick details of the demise of each friend? And the music paints a nice old time rock 'n roll backdrop with a pinch of punk energy. It's a great song, didn't know til recently it was released so early. Carroll passed away in 2009 to join his friends including Eddie, who he missed more than all the others....this song is for Jim Carroll, my brother.
"Eddie Got Slit In The Jugular Vein..."

Personal Favorite: Screaming Trees-All I Know

I heard this on my ipod on a flight from Hartford to Indianapolis on Wednesday evening and thought I'd give it a nod as a personal favorite. "Nearly Lost You" is the Screaming Trees most remembered song from being on the "Singles" soundtrack, this was on their follow up "Dusk". I still think these guys got a bum rap being lumped in with a lot of other grunge bands, didn't get the full respect they deserved back in the day. "Disconnect the telephone lines......"

Four Songs For Your 2010 Final Four

Final four fever this weekend in naptown. Here's a song for each of the final teams left. Of course I'm pulling for WVU, but would be pleasantly surprised if the the Butler Bulldogs can pull off the biggest cinderella story since Rollie Massimino and his Wildcats 1985 stunner. The songs themselves, off the top of my head, they'll have to do for each team.

Butler Bulldogs

Artist: Guided By Voices

Song: Bulldog Skin

Vegas Label: The Top Dog?

Team Mascot: Butler Blue II

Duke Blue Devils
Artist: Stevie Wonder
Song: Sir Duke
Vegas Label: The Decided Favorite
Team Mascot: The Blue Devil

Michigan State Spartans
Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Song: Say Yes To Michigan!
Vegas Label: The Team We Always Forget
Team Mascot: Sparty The Spartan

West Virginia Mountaineers
Artist: John Denver
Song: Take Me Home Country Roads
Vegas Label: Playing Second Fiddle
Team Mascot: The Mountaineer