I love "Group Hug 1.0." I mean, every song was a winner. The Overlanders, Just Desserts and the Hacienda Brothers were three personal faves. And I have to admit that Bill Callahan's voice did not grow on me, but "Jim Cain" is a wonderful piece of music. Seriously, there wasn't a stinker in the bunch.
Ready for Round Two?
TRACKLIST
Intro/Sweet Jane- Lou Reed
Man Kind (Live)- Misty In Roots
People Got To Be Free- The Rascals
Lover's Deligh- Funktion
Slow, Hot, & Sweaty- JJ Grey & Mofro
You Got Me Singing- Eddie Hinton
One More Time- The Clash
One More Dub- The Clash
E = MC2- Big Audio Dynamite
Art In America- Art In America
Long Flowing Robe- Todd Rundgren
Laredo Rose- The Texas Tornados
Sign Language- Eric Clapton & Bob Dylan
Race For The Prize - The Flaming Lips
Nobody Knows- The Feelies
Don't Let The Devil Ride- Neal Roberson
THE ZIP
INTRO/SWEET JANE- LOU REED
(Eric S.)
This offer got me thinking to songs that came into my life at pivotal moments and carried me through rough times, or hearing an artist for the first time and recognizing genius at the get-go. My list is too long...but I'm on a Rock and Roll Animal binge recently with the double guitars of Wagner/Hunter behind Princess Lou.
MAN KIND (LIVE)-
MISTY IN ROOTS
(Dave L.,
Berlin)
PEOPLE GOT TO BE
FREE- THE RASCALS
(Jeff K.)
LOVER’S DELIGHT-
FUNKTION
(Les)
Here's a track
from the Kalamazoo based Funktion's latest release, Step Into It. Described as
"jazzy hip-hop based funk", the 8 member band is best when it leans
heavy on the funk and jazz. I'm sharing this one, Lover's Delight,
because it's a fun song - bright and chipper and great for Summer.
ONE MORE TIME & ONE MORE DUB- THE CLASH
DON’T LET THE
DEVIL RIDE- NEAL ROBERSON
SLOW, HOT, &
SWEATY- JJ GREY & MOFRO
(Soundsource)
Here's two not
one. One is godly and one is dirty, but what they have in common is a down and
dirty stone cold groove. Should get you up and moving for the weekend. (one for
Saturday night one for Sunday morning).
YOU GOT ME
SINGING- EDDIE HINTON
(Gene Oberto)
I
was a merchandiser for CBS Records in the late 70's and one of the duties was
doing inventories for the sales reps. One of my stores was the Tower on Mercer
Avenue in Seattle.
I
was in the store one day counting and listening to the in-store play. In those
days, Tower employees liked to out-do each other in playing the most obscure
discs, not only to keep up their cred as record junkies but also to see if
anyone would buy the LP playing. On this day, a voice came over the speakers
that stopped me in my counting and made me go up to the counter to find out who
it was.
The
comparison to Otis is immediate, but when you discover that the Very Extremely
Dangerous Eddie Hinton was a session guitarist in the Muscle Shoals band, the
production a natural extension of Hinton's work with Wilson Pickett, Arthur
Conley, Aretha Franklin, Joe Tex, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge, The Staple
Singers, The Dells, Paul Kelly, Johnny Taylor, Elvis Presley, The Box Tops,
R.B. Greaves, Boz Scaggs, Evie Sands, Looking Glass, Toots Hibbert and, of
course, Otis Redding.
The
sumptious, soulful build of "You Got Me Singing" is typical - an easy
soulful groove that reminds me of humid summers in the Southeast, a relaxed
rhythm guitar then backs it up and is sided by the legendary Muscle Shoals
brass - all the while Eddie is testifying like Otis is in the room and he has
to impress his mentor. It's also the song that made me put down my pen and buy
this Capricorn release.
ONE MORE TIME & ONE MORE DUB- THE CLASH
(Mark S.)
Have not
listened to the 'only band that matters' in a long time. This song, One More
Time, showed up via shuffle recently and it drew me right in again. Always
loved the weirdness of it, the contrast of Mikey Dread's vocals and Joe's and
now I am loving the whole Sandinista project again.
E= MC2- BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE
(Jared J.)
Mick Jones is
underrated.
I was in junior high
at the time and music means so much at that age.
Summer calls for 80’s
dance rock.
Cool
samples/references.
To celebrate the Big
Audio Dynamite reunion tour.
ART IN AMERICA- ART IN
AMERICA
(Shriner)
This came on
through shuffle recently (well, not *this* track, but another track off the
album). It reminded me of when it came out (early 80s - they were a
local Michigan band) and a bunch of friends of mine were in punk-ish bands and
the video was played on one of the local UHF stations (this was pre-MTV).
We had a long argument about the lyrics of the chorus. My friend -- who was the primary singer/guitarist of his band -- thought they were excedlingly pretentious and hated everything about the song. But I thought -- hey, they have a harp (!) and it was pretty power-poppy, so I dug it. We didn't see eye to eye on the song or the band (or a lot of other music for that matter...)
The band never released another album and I was stunned to see it released on CD in early 2000-something or so with the promise in the liner notes of a "rareties" collection that never came to light.
Anyway it's got the trifecta: "Art In America" by the band Art In America -- off the album "Art In America".
You can't beat that.
LONG FLOWING ROBE- TODD RUNDGREN
We had a long argument about the lyrics of the chorus. My friend -- who was the primary singer/guitarist of his band -- thought they were excedlingly pretentious and hated everything about the song. But I thought -- hey, they have a harp (!) and it was pretty power-poppy, so I dug it. We didn't see eye to eye on the song or the band (or a lot of other music for that matter...)
The band never released another album and I was stunned to see it released on CD in early 2000-something or so with the promise in the liner notes of a "rareties" collection that never came to light.
Anyway it's got the trifecta: "Art In America" by the band Art In America -- off the album "Art In America".
You can't beat that.
LONG FLOWING ROBE- TODD RUNDGREN
(Nathan S.)
"Long Flowing Robe" by Todd Rundgren from "Runt:
The Ballad of Todd Rundgren.
Enjoy, and thanks for all the music, Pal.
Laredo Rose- Texas Tornados
(Sal Nunziato)
It came on iPod shuffle at
just the right time. It worked for me, so I hope it works for you.
SIGN LANGUAGE- ERIC CLAPTON & BOB DYLAN
(Steve S.)
Sign Language
Sure, Dylan probably spit out this song after his morning coffee, but who really cares? I've always heard it as a great, (and truly funny) observation about the price of fame. But more importantly, you've got Dylan, Clapton, and (most of) the Band playing together here...and, from the sound of it, everyone's having a great time. Some have complained that Robbie Robertson goes a bit overboard, but I think his playing just adds to the song's charm. (BTW, although this is the same track as the one on "No Reason to Cry," it's a totally different mix and lacks the heavy-handed reverb that practically smothers the album version.)
Sure, Dylan probably spit out this song after his morning coffee, but who really cares? I've always heard it as a great, (and truly funny) observation about the price of fame. But more importantly, you've got Dylan, Clapton, and (most of) the Band playing together here...and, from the sound of it, everyone's having a great time. Some have complained that Robbie Robertson goes a bit overboard, but I think his playing just adds to the song's charm. (BTW, although this is the same track as the one on "No Reason to Cry," it's a totally different mix and lacks the heavy-handed reverb that practically smothers the album version.)
RACE FOR THE PRICE- FLAMING
LIPS
(A Walk In The Woods)
This is the first song from
their epic album "The Soft Bulletin," which I recently saw them
perform in its entirety. Having had a few relatives who have had cancer in
recent years, this is the song that motivates me to think maybe someone will find
a cure. That's what I get out of this song... don't know if they intended it
that way.
NOBODY KNOWS- THE FEELIES
(Ken D.)
Here's the first
song off the new Feelies album... I picked it simply because its the latest
album I've bought and when I first played it a couple of days ago, it instantly
brought a smile to my face. After about 10 seconds I thought, "Yes,
I'm going to like this album a lot." (Probably not a good way to review
albums—could lead to a lot of disappointment. But not in this case.)
12 comments:
I like my selections but i'm sorry I forgot about eddie hinton probably one of the all time if not the all time (maybe rt's first) lost albums. great pull.
oh yeah and great two part mix i've waited til today to get both parts for my listening pleasures to begin.
Very cool idea. Sorry I missed it but I'm getting ready for the next go round. Thanks to everyone for sharing.
Hey Sal,
Even if you don't like Bill Callahan's voice*, I'm glad you liked the song - I think that's something really impressive about the album is that the songs are better put-together than you expect.
* Voices. What a subject. There's really nothing you can do when someone doesn't like a voice. It's totally personal. I'm intrigued by my own likes and dislikes. For instance, I love the album by Neutral Milk Hotel "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." A friend heard that and thought I would like The Decemberists. I see the similarities, but I tried and tried, and each time the singer put in all these extra vowels, I just cringed. That happens a little bit with NMH, but only when the singer is really pushing his voice - not so with The Decemberists. Everything I read about that band tells me I should dig them. I don't. One person's awesome, cutting edge voice is another person's nails-down-a-chalkboard. What can you do.
Oh, I listened to the whole playlist today, and agree - it's great! If you wanna do this a couple times a year, just let us know. (God, I could've wasted all day trying to pick one song to send in. Once I picked one, I had to say, just go with it!)
Oh, my comment should've been for part 1. You used the same picture, man - it threw me off (and it's late here, I didn't read carefully)!
This was fun. My thanks in particular to Jeff K. for bringing Louie & the Lovers to my attention. I snagged a copy of "Rise" & I think it's a real gem.
Gotta listen to "Rising Sons" again, too.
Looks good. Thanks to the contributors
Good stuff all around in both mixes -- good sequencing, too, which I know from experience, takes more time than people think. But I guess this is what happens when you get a bunch of music fanatics together and invite them to pitch in. Particularly liked the Hacienda Bros and Jim Boggia tracks -- but, really, every track was a keeper in some sense.
Part 2 looks like great. Looking forward to giving it a spin.
I am familiar with more of these tracks than those on Part 1, and discovering new music is a nice side benefit. This part looks like it's got the energy level I'm going to need to get moving today.
That Hunter-Wagner guitar duo on the Lou Reed tracks reminds me, recently I got to introduce a friend to the version of "Rock and Roll" on Mitch Ryder's Detroit album, which also features Steve Hunter's sizzling guitar. There's one for my Ultimate Covers mix.
Nice project, Sal, thank you.
Fave tracks here for me (of the ones I hadn't heard before, and except the one I sent in, the Flaming Lips song):
Lover's Delight - Funktion
(shades of Jamiroquai)
You Got Me Singing- Eddie Hinton
(man, his voice sounds wrecked, but I can't get the song out of my head - I need to buy more of his stuff)
Nobody Knows- The Feelies
One of my new favorite songs!
Don't Let The Devil Ride- Neal Roberson - real nice segue to end those last few songs, Sal... the order of songs there "makes sense"
I still haven't listened to all of these yet.
Walk in the Woods - I think of Jamiroquai when I hear Funktion as well. When I hear Jamiroquai, I think Stevie Wonder. Funktion's lead singer cites Stevie Wonder as an influence.
Why do I not think Stevie Wonder when I hear Funktion?
BTW, walking in the woods is one of my most favorite things to do.
Re: Lou Reed/Wagner/Hunter Rock & Roll Animal. The dual lead guitars are great but the rhythm section of Whitey Glan & Prakash John are brilliant but always underated.
Listen to White Light/ White Heat to appreciate Prakash John's bass brilliance!
Chris Flynn from the band "Art in America" here... the lyrics were indeed very pretentious in that song, and I can only claim the ego of youth as an excuse. I grew to even hate our name, it almost seemed as though we thought we were "the lords of Rock" or some such silliness. I'm still composing and the band is still putting music out there, and hopefully it doen't reach the pretention of that song.
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