I Love Good Covers of Great Songs: The Wind

I love covers of songs, and I especially love covers of songs that I love. I thought I'd introduce this new feature with one of my favourite songs: The Wind - Cat Stevens.

Monday Links

FBI withholds evidence; keeps innocent men in prison for 30+ years (CNN)

iPod Pollution

J.K. Rowling Working On Crime Novel

IGIF wrote a great article on the feud between John Lennon and Paul McCartney

YANP posted a great video of Beck's "Clap Hands"

Bear Force One

I have no words to describe this.

Live Showterdays

I leave for school on Monday, and I'm not going to get into Ohio until Friday night, so I have a long trip ahead of me. I'm flying up to Seattle to stay with a friend of mine, and then I'm going to drive across the country with him. Right now, I'm packing all my clothes into two suitcases, and then I have to make a 36 hour play list to keep us entertained while we're driving. As such, posts might be few and far between, between now and then, but I'll try keep the updates rolling along.

I thought I would try to concentrate on one of my favourite bands: the Kinks. Check it out.

[mp3] The Honeydogs - Picture Book (01-03-1997)

[mp3] The Big Wu - Picture Book (10-07-2005)

[mp3] The Radiators - You Really Got Me (12-17-2005)

[mp3] moe - You Really Got Me (05-22-1999)

[mp3] Marbles & Piracies - Lola (2006-03-10)

[mp3] Elliott Smith - Waterloo Sunset (04-14-1997)

[mp3] Robyn Hitchcock - Waterloo Sunset (07-01-2007)

In Memoriam: Max Roach

I grew up living and breathing jazz. To see Max Roach pass away is another one of those sad days for the jazz world. A lot of the greats are gone, and of the few who remain, their old and withering. The young jazz players of today are few and far between, but they're out there (Brad Mehldau). The sad thing is to hear people talk about jazz, and think about Kenny G. For those that knew of Max Roach, well, kudos!

Others can write better obituaries than I can:

Max Roach - via Reuters

Max Roach - via AP

Max Roach - via New York Times


[mp3] Max Roach & Clifford Brown - Variation

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The Cave Singers

Imagine if Bob Dylan and Nick Drake, vocally, were smashed together. Maybe throw in a sprinkle of Johnny Cash. They play basic folk music, but, with some obvious punk influences. However, if this album had been released in 1962, you might not know any better.

According to Matador Records, their label, the Cave Singers, "never listened to much folk music, they never intended to play folk music, and more importantly, their guitarist never picked up the instrument until recently." Despite all of this, they're playing folk music that is complex and intriguing, and fun to listen to. Sure, it sounds like Bob Dylan, or a mosquito buzzing in your ear. "Seeds of Night", has this rolling rhythm that maintains the songs tempo, all while Bob Dylan+Nick Drake+Johnny Cash+Mosquito is singing. The singer is actually Pete Quirk. The drummer, who keeps the shuffle/stomp rhythm is Marty Lund, and it sounds more like a car driver beating his thighs with his hands. The guitarist who plays melodies instead of chords, reminiscent of Nick Drake or Tim Seely, is Derek Fudesco. Together, Lund, Quirk and Fudesco form The Cave Singers, who cite their major influences as The Pixies, Fleetwood Mac, and the Replacements, but sound nothing like any of them. All the while, writing their own music that's hypnotizing and easy to listen to.

Their debut album is called Invitation Songs and is going to be released September 25th, 2007. I've only heard Seeds of Night, but, I'm excited for the rest of the album, because if it follows the trend of the first song, it will be amazing. Along with the release of their album, they'll be touring the US throughout September and October. Check out their tour dates on their myspace.


[mp3] The Cave Singers - Seeds of Nights

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< - - - The Cave Singers - - - >
Matador Records | Myspace

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Brightblack Morning Light

Brightblack Morning Light is a band out of New Mexico. They've toured with Will Oldham, aka, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. It's sort of a mix between psychedelic music and folk rolk, featuring bluesy guitar chords, and drugged-up atmospherics, all while being played in slow motion. The featured song sounds like an opening to a movie, full of black and white landscape shots.

Blackbright Morning Light is the project of Rachel Hughes and Nathan Shineywater. (who has one of the best last names) One of their albums was created entirely under the moon and stars, when both Hughes and Shineywater lived in a tent. They contemplated the idea that people spend half their lives underneath light bulbs, and spent some time living underneath the stars.

[mp3] Blackbright Morning Light - Everybody Daylight

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<- - -Black Bright Morning Light - - - >
Band Website | Matador Records | Buy LP

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Monday Links

R. Kelly has finally started to release the next section of Trapped In The Closet. IFC has teamed up with Kelly to release Chapters 13-22. The 10 new chapters are released over the next 10 days. Chapter 13 came out today. It's not nearly as epic as Chapters 1-12, but perhaps we won't get into the real "oh shits" until Wednesday or Thursday.

The Rawking Refuses to Stop! posted a great article about the Beatles Rooftop Concert.

Aquarium Drunkard posted the videos and pictures from John Vanderslice's LA River Basin concert. It was a concert I really tried to get to, but didn't have time, unfortunately.

Potential Vaccine (not really a vaccine as it doesn't cure, but does treat the condition) for Multiple Sclerosis in the works (via MSNBC)

O.J. Simpson's "If I Did It" is getting published (via AP)

The Next Babe Ruth? (MSNBC)

It Gives You Wings, Bitch!

A funny spoof commercial for Red Bull:

Live Showterdays

[mp3] Ryan Adams - Like A Virgin (11/20/2002)
Ryan Adam's cover of Like A Virgin is simply hilarious. He makes up most of his own lyrics, but keeps the chorus. The verses about mostly nonsense, and have nothing to do with Madonna's original lyrics.

[mp3] The Band Cover Band Band - King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (05/20/06)
The Band Cover Band Band has a great name. They also only cover one of my favourite bands ever: The Band. Although there's no Robbie Robertson, it's still a band playing The Band.

[mp3] And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (03/28/06)
I'm not sure that this could have a longer title. More importantly, if you can't tell already, I love The Band. ...Trail Of Dead does a great job of covering The Band combining the Southern Rock with their own Indie Rock roots.