RIP Davy Jones (The Monkees): 12 Reasons I'll Miss Davy Jones

Davy Jones of sixties pop band The Monkees has passed away at the age of 66. Everyone remembers him as the biggest heartthrob of the band and a teenage idol in the late 60's and early 70's. I spent a summer when I was nine or ten watching every Monkees episode before I went outside to play for the day. The songs Davy Jones, and the rest of the band for that matter, sang have left an imprint on my mind ever since.

Below are 12 reasons I'll personally miss about Davy Jones.

12. Because he had more game than the other three Monkees put together.
11. His take on Harry Nillson's "Cuddly Toy".
10. Even if he seemed to be looking for underage girls in a lot of the songs he sang, it didn't seem that the listener minded. Best example: "How old you say your sister was?" on "She Hangs Out"
9. He inspired many to take up his dancing style. Most notable, Axl Rose.
8. Because "It's a little bit me....and it's a little bit you. Two."
7. Because Marcia Brady loved him. And a song called "Girl".
6. Because he had to pick between girls on Neil Diamond's "Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow."
5. Because of the Monkees episode where he took up boxing.
4. Because he brought down the house on "Valleri".
3. Because he made you believe he wanted to be free on "I Wanna Be Free".
2. No one played a meaner tambourine or maracas. No one.
1. "Daydream Believer", from beginning to end.

Tuesday's Top Ten: Fat Songs

By request, here's ten songs with "Fat" in the title. The Violent Femmes takes the spot because it's perhaps the biggest "wishful" revenge" song packed in under two minutes time. And I'm just as happy to put Weird Al at number 2, because, well, it's always been hilarious. he Queen and Archers Of Loaf songs are choice as well. Here's the full ten.

1. Violent Femmes-Fat
2. Weird Al Yankovic-Fat
3. Queen-Fat Bottomed Girls
4. Archers Of Loaf-Fat
5. Guided By Voices-The Unsinkable Fats Domino
6. Tricky-Abbaon Fat Track
7. Jethro Tull-Fat Man
8. Sum 41-Fat Lip
9. John Spencer Blues Explosion-Fat
10. The Fat Boys-The Fat Boys

New and Noteworthy: Plants & Animals, Jack White, Memoryhouse, Van Halen, Wild Nothing

Plants & Animals-Lightshow

Just talking with Troy tonight at work about upcoming albums to look forward to, Plants & Animals came up. We both agreed their last album, 2010's "La La Land" was pretty fine. We were also reminded how much we enjoyed 2008's "Parc Avenue". Something about a good mix of laid back tunes with just enough rock smarts keeps these guys solid. We'll see if they can keep up the trend with "End Of That" due out on February 28th. Here's a song called "Lightshow" to get us all ready.


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Jack White-Love Interruption

As we all know, Jack White can only sit idle for so long. And it's been about a year since The White Stripes dissolved. Seems like the listening public  is ready for White's solo debut "Blunderbuss" due out on April 23rd, so that's two more months of a wait. Fortunately, White picked a great debut single with "Love Interruption" to get ceremonies started for whatever blunderbuss is....Something tells me to look it up in the dictionary to find out...


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Memoryhouse-The Kids Were Wrong

Well, if you liked Beach House's "Teen Dream", why not try residing in a different house for the time being until Beach House follows up that ethereal beauty. Canadian dream pop band Memoryhouse will be releaseing their debut album on February 28th entitled "The Slideshow Effect". Just like Beach House, it's another two piece gal/guy outfit (It seems to be the trend lately...guys, if you know a girl with a good voice and you like to write music, maybe you should start a band. Girls, vive versa). "The Kids Were Wrong" is an offering from "The Slideshow Effect"


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Van Halen-You And Your Blues

Two text messages from friends and a tweet from another has me just downright curious...Is the new Van Halen that good? Or is it expectations have to be so low that that they've put out a competent album. My first listen to a song is happening right now (Oh, a Sammy reference, sorry guys). It's been since Mr. Belvedere was on the air since I purchased a Van Halen album and I doubt that will change. But I'm gonna pay attention. Diamond Dave deserves that respect, right? Well, here's a little bit of "You and Your Blues".


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Wild Nothing-Nowhere

Quite simply, I really love Wild Nothing. Their 2010 debut was an honorable mention for album of the year for me and their EP "Golden Haze" released a little later in the year had quite a few good songs on it for an EP. It's Jack Tatum's outfit and if the shimmering guitars and dissonant vocals continue to shine the way they did before, I'm all ears! Here's Tatum and Wild Nothing's latest single "Nowhere". No date yet for a new, proper release.

Cover This: Pete Yorn-Surfer Girl (Beach Boys Cover)

Pete Yorn covers the Beach Boys' "Surfer Girl". On paper it doesn't make sense to me. Yorn isn't the man to pull off sun drenched harmonies, or is he? Yorn pulls it off wonderfully, all sun-drenched and full of yearning passion. The instrumentation makes you feel warm inside and ready to break out of your winter doldrums. Pete drew inspiration from the Grammy's Sunday night:

From Pete Yorn:
“Watching last nights Grammy’s made me wanna share this with you….I recorded this (one of my all time favorite songs) a few months ago as part of a record of cover songs I’m putting together….perhaps you have seen me sing this song during past live shows…..this is SURFER GIRL….” (courtesy: thatericalper.com)

"Musicforthemorningafter" has always had a special place in my heart and I've followed Yorn closely in the years that have followed. I'm looking forward to a covers album from Yorn if he can pull off covers like this. Enjoy! We're halfway through February and winter. Dream of the surf.....

New Music Review: Field Music-Plumb

Field Music-Plumb

Memphis Industries

Grade: 7.93 (B-)

Available At: NPR, eMusic, Amazon MP3 & CD

Official Site: field-music.co.uk

After 2010's double album "Measure" which was a handful of well thought out songs that took a while to sift through but was an absolute joy once you found the songs you enjoyed the most, I was looking forward to the latest album from Field Music. The opening single "(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing" had the same charm that songs like "Them That Do Nothing", "Measure", and "Effortlessly" had from their last release. A lot of the elements that made those songs special are spread throughout "Plumb" but it's not an easily digestible album. The Brewis brothers still bring a lot of The British charm and XTC/early Genesis like melodies, but at 36 minutes and 15 songs, it comes off as a bunch of ideas instead of conventional songs. Things shift within songs, into other songs...all the prog stuff that makes it really difficult for me to sink my teeth into. And that, at least to me, is mildly disappointing.

Take the opening suite for instance. "Start The Day Right" completely glows in the warmth of its orchestra like keys and smart construction of a perfect opener, but it cuts off right when you get the feeling that "this is going to be something special" into the second song "It's Okay To Change" which also performs the same trick into the third song "Sorry Again Mate" (Just looking at those three titles, is there an inside joke here?) I'm not totally dismissing "Plumb" but the situation that arises with songs quickly going onto other ideas before they are fully realized is my biggest bone to pick. And it's a shame, really. There are a ton of hooks, great swirling instrumentation, and a lot of quirky and wistful moments fly by if you can catch them by their tails. The strengths happen to show up the best on the last two songs. "Just Like Everyone Else" is a pure pop sensation and "(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing" is purely catchy jangle guitars with big keyboards all wrapped into a brilliant bite. These two songs leave a good feeling to end a quick affair.

But unfortunately, the prog moments (and I've never been a huge fan of prog which could be my problem here) are more abundant than the pure pop moments. And that's why I'm sure in some quarters, "Plumb" will be some people's favorite album of the year. But I'm not 100% in.There's much here to laud over and only bits and pieces to cherish.

JHO Picks: (I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing, Just Like Everyone Else, Who'll Pay The Bills?, Is This The Picture?

The Year Was...1993

Random Playlist For 1993:
1. Beck-Loser
1993, the year to get crazy with the cheese whiz...
2. Cypress Hill-Insane In The Brain
I still love the break with the organ in the last chorus and playing that trumpet.
3. Liz Phair-Divorce Song
It could be the best divorce song ever. And a lighter is stolen...
4. Urge Overkill-Sister Havana
Urge Overkill..now I remember 1993.
5. Nirvana-All Apologies
The bittersweet goodbye from Cobain
6. Sheryl Crow-All I Wanna Do
Where it all started for Sheryl Crow. Lighthearted and a tad bit cheesy now.
7. The Flaming Lips-She Don't Use Jelly
Never forget: The Flaming Lips made it big with a song about self pleasure.
8. The Breeders-Cannonball
Just a great bass line, and a second song in this playlist involving a bong.
9. Wu Tang Clan-C.R.E.A.M.
Does cash really move everything around you? Dollar dollar billz y'all.
10. Lenny Kravitz-Are You Gonna Go My Way
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest rock songs of the year and the decade for that matter.
11. Elastica-Stutter
A song about impotence was the lead up to Elastica's huge hit Connection. And it still rocks.
12. Smashing Pumpkins-Cherub Rock
The intro to Siamese Dream is still, to me, their finest moment. It's all in the first 30 seconds of that song.

7 Albums Worth Revisiting From 1993:
1. Smashing Pumpkins-Siamese Dream
2. Liz Phair-Exile In Guyville
3. Pearl Jam-Vs.
4. Nirvana-In Utero
5. The Afghan Whigs-Gentlemen
6. Dinosaur Jr.-Where You Been
7. Depeche Mode-Sogs Of Faith And Devotion

Random Quote From A Song From 1993:
"Oh, I thought the world of you/I Thought Nothing Could Go Wrong, But I Was Wrong...I Was Wrong."
"The Do You Have To" Song

Random Thoughts On A Song From 1993:

Maybe I've forgotten the name and the address
Of everyone I've ever known, It's nothing I regret

New Order had a bit of anticipated "comeback" album in 1993 with Republic. It was their first full length album since 1989's "Technique". In the face of full out grunge, harder gangster rap and U2 flying off to Zooropa, New Order's first single "Regret" still managed to find it's own address when it was released in the spring of 1993. It became a staple for me through the summer of 1993 and still sounds fresh today. The guitar line is punchy, the drums moving, and Peter Hook's bassline, like many New Order Songs, is simply punishing. Plus the sentiment hits home. The chorus: "I would like a plcae I could call my own, have a conversation on the telephone....You were a complete stranger...now you are mine." Bernard Sumner looks at life from a nomad's point. He wonders if he can finally find a home, true love..and if the decisions he's made have put him in the right place. He may also be fooling himself thinking there's nothing he regrets. 19 years later, I feel a lot of "Regret", sometimes I feel I've taken the part of the character Sumner bitter-sweetly portrays himself as. Who doesn't want comfort, home, love you can count on. It's one of my favorite songs of all time because of these reasons. Just wait til tomorrow...I guess that's what they all say...Right?
...a shallow fuse burning out of time....

Cover This: Bradford Cox-Seems So Long Ago, Nancy (Leonard Cohen Cover)

Meant to get in a cover a week. I'm already slipping in 2012!

This installment we've got Atlas Sound and Deerhunter front man Bradford Cox covering Leonard Cohen's "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy". With Cohen just releasing a new album a week back called "New Ideas", everybody is lending a cover just about everywhere in the last two weeks in honor of Leonard. Below the Cox video is a link that will take you to even more Cohen covers from the likes of The Low Anthem, Field Music, Bill Callahan, Cass McCombs and more. Also, there's another link on Vimeo of "old ideas" with covers from Greg Dulli, The Cults and Cold War Kids. Oh there's Cohen covers everywhere! It's absurdly wonderful and bizarre....That's no way to say goodbye....


Bradford Cox "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" from Columbia Records on Vimeo.


For More New Leonard Cohen Covers:
Mojo Magazine Set On Soundcloud
"Old Ideas", Cohen covers on Vimeo.

Tuesday's Top Ten: Midnight Songs

Ten songs with midnight in the title. And the best scenario to be in when hearing these songs at midnight.

1. DJ Shadow-Midnight In A Perfect World
Listen To This At Midnight Here: Downtown or anywhere near neon lights.
Drinks Consumed: 12+, your surroundings should be nice and blurred in DJ Shadow's perfect world...

2.Gladys Knight & The Pips-Midnight Train To Georgia
Listen To This At Midnight Here: Pulling into a Georgia train station, I presume...
Drinks Consumed: 2 cocktails or less, the southern way of keeping your dignity.

3. M83-Midnight City
Listen To This At Midnight Here: Driving into the city. If you live in Pittsburgh, play at the top of Green Tree Hill. By the time you go through the Fort Pitt tunnels, the saxophone solo will be that much cooler.
Drinks Consumed: 3. It's your warm-up to a night out. The city is your church...

4. Allman Brothers Band-Midnight Rider
Listen To This At Midnight Here: In a dusty bar outside Tuscon
Drinks Consumed: 10+, it's a weary journey and you've only got one more silver dollar, probably because you've drank so much prior to midnight.

5. Lou Graham-Midnight Blue
Listen To This At Midnight Here: Trying to get some action in the back of your car.
Drinks Consumed: 4, enough liquid confidence to convince your lover we can make it one more time if we try...

6. Rolling Stones-Midnight Rambler
Listen To This At Midnight Here: In a Honky Tonk in Tupelo sipping on bourbon.
Drinks Consumed: Quite a few bourbons...Makes the harmonica solo that much better.

7. Wilson Pickett-In The Midnight Hour
Listen To This At Midnight Here: Under a clear sky to "See that twinkle in your eyes".
Drinks Consumed: Depends on the plans for 1:00am.

8. Patsy Cline-Walkin' After Midnight
Listen To This At Midnight Here: On a desolate highway, with a packed suitcase in your hand.
Drinks Consumed: 3+, Enough to make hitchhiking with a creepy stranger a viable option at 12:19AM.

9. Eric Clapton-After Midnight
Listen To This At Midnight Here: Somewhere vintage....like a drive in movie theater or bowling alley bar.
Drinks Consumed: 9, You are about to "let it all hang out", be prepared for the worst.

10. The Jam-Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
Where You Should Be At Midnight: Obviously, in the London tubes at midnight. Somewhere between the Vauxhaull and Baker St. stops.
Drinks Consumed: 6+, getting on the train or subway is always more eventful with a good amount of drinks downed. Proceed with caution.

New Music Review: Sharon Van Etten-Tramp

Sharon Van Etten-Tramp

Jagjaguwar

Grade: 8.6 (B)

Available At: NPR, Amazon MP3 & CD, eMusic

Official Site: sharonvanetten.com

Singing in an octave that reminds me of Lucinda Williams (minus any twang) and delivering her vocals in a way that reminds me of Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner (though much more personal in content), Indie folk rocker Sharon Van Etten delivers a dozen confessionals in a croon that permeates with lush undertones. That the new album is called "Tramp", it may lull you into thinking that Van Etten has a bit of a self confidence issue...that is if she is looking at it from a mirrored image point of view. But through these songs, it becomes apparent with each listen, that lyrically, Van Etten is pouring her soul to the masses with a lot of fight. An "I'm here, this is how I'm dealing with this" comes out. And because of that fight, "Tramp" turns out to be an intriguing listen at best.

Produced by Aaron Dressner, guitarist from the National, and recorded in his own studio, Van Etten's lyrics gets a benefit from a very lush sound surrounding her fight thanks in part to Dressner's treatment of these songs. Take "I'm Wrong" for instance. The horn swells that build near the end wreak of The National's "High Violet" from 2010 ("England" comes to mind from that album). And the guest list of musicians that stop by is a mish mash of who is hot in Indie east coast music. Aaron's brother Bryce (from the National), Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner, Julianna Barwick, The Walkmen's drummer Matt Barrick, Thomas Bartlett and Beirut's Zach Condon (on the wonderful duet of a couple fooling themselves to thinking their relationship is hunky dory on "We Are Fine"). Each of these artists lends their strengths to the sound to make it almost feel like a super band, collaborative effort. But after repeated listens through the murky haze of sound, it becomes apparent that Van Etten's croon is the major star.

Whether it's the big, dark jangle of the opener "Warsaw", the sinisterly creepy opening single "Serpents" or the legendary build that almost reminds of "Hey Jude" without the na-na-na's on "All I Can", Van Etten's songwriting makes these standout tracks on "Tramp." The only peeve I have is since these songs don't rely on hooks or big melodies, everything can tend to blend and have no definition as a whole of an album. Also, for an album that has Van Etten fighting through uncomfortable odes to isolation, the closing hushed "Joke Or Lie" feels like a bit of a letdown or a whimper. But there is enough strong material on "Tamp" to let those things go.

"Tramp" is an album that is hard to admire and with a good amount of patience, an easy album to love. But you've got to dive into the muddy water that Van Etten's brought to the table. She scowls, "I had a thought you'd take me seriously" on the snarling "Serpents". With thoughtful crooners like this, you're going to have to eventually take this upcoming star for her words. It just might take some time to let that sink in.


JHO Picks: Warsaw. Serpents, All I Can, We Are Fine

Super Bowl XLVI: New England Patriots/New York Giants Super Bowl Playlist

Living in Indianapolis, it's been an exciting week with all the Super Bowl festivites taking place downtown at the Super Bowl village. A hats of to the city of Indianapolis for pulling this together so far. After living here 7 years I can proudly say I love this town, I really do.

Oh and there's a football game Sunday which means we need a playlist to match up for your Super Bowl party. While Green Bay and Pittsburgh had a TON of parody songs, I'm surprisingly finding very little in the way of parody songs about players on the teams. But still there's a plethora of some good stuff here.. Hey, where else are you going to get a playlist with Sponge, Barry Manilow and John Coltrane??? Right here.

Prediction: On paper, the Giants actually look better. But it feels like it's Brady's time to be king of the mountain with Montana and Bradshaw with 4 Super Bowl wins. The Line is Patriots giving 2.5. I like the Patriots giving points in a pretty big win for some reason. But I'm no Jimmy The Greek. And I'll be rooting for the Giants.

Final Score:
Patriots: 31
Giants: 17

Enjoy you Weekend:

1. Barry Manilow-Weekend In New England (Patriots)
2. The Real New York Giants Theme Song (Giants) 
3. Tom Brady-The Best Ever (Patriots)
4. Three Dog Night-Eli's Coming (Giants)
5. The Brady Bunch Theme Song (Patriots)
6. Ryan Adams-New York, New York (Giants)
7. Moves Like Welker Song (Patriots)
8. John Coltrane-Giant Steps (Giants)
9.  New England Patriots Fight Song (Patriots)
10. Monkees-Take A Giant Step (Giants)
11. We Are The Patriots (Patriots)
12. Sponge-Giants (Giants)
13. Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers-New England (Patriots)
14. The New York Sports Band-Tom Coughlin (Giants)
15. Billy Bragg-A New England (Patriots)
16. New York Giants Fight Song (Giants)

And just because it is awesomely terrible, this is what the Patriots theme song was in 86 against the Bears...just don't make them like this much anymore....