The "Now Playing" blog started out as nothing more than me writing down what I listen to everyday. I enjoyed doing it and it was another way to start a conversation. It took some time to take off but now has been getting a good number of hits and comments.
To be clear, Now Playing is NOT me grading records. It's me grading the listening experience.
I created a Pete Townshend playlist that consisted of 15 songs that I love, so why did it get three and a half stars instead of four? Maybe the sequencing. Maybe I wasn't in the mood. Who knows? Robert Palmer's "Drive" recently came out on vinyl for the first time and man, did it sound great! Four & a half stars! I still like five Robert Palmer albums more. Got it?
I am bringing this up again because Now Playing is now Now Playing 4.0. It seems like I am more inspired to write when I don't feel the pressure of coming up with new music to share on Burning Wood. So while we wait for the winter doldrums to disappear, and new records from bands we love start to appear, I'm going to be adding more content over at Now Playing 4.0.
There will be more videos, playlist suggestions, maybe a zip file or two.
I love talking music. I just don't love forcing myself to find some new artist out of Weehawken who might be the new Dawes just so it appears that I have the finger on the pulse of entertainment.
Burning Wood will remain the same. But Now Playing 4.0, I hope, will be just as interactive.
Just click on the pic along the right sidebar of The Wood.
15 comments:
Unlike Apple, all the Now Playing updates get better and better. A favorite feature on the blog
In all the year I've been coming to this site I've never clicked on the Now Playing button. Guess that will change now.
I love checking it out. You listen to a ton of music. I suppose you do other stuff while listening or you'd be in a chair all day. I listen less, but when I do that's usually all I'm doing. As much as I love music, I don't want to listen all day, I get fatigued. But since streaming and now that I can Bluetooth directly to my hearing aids, my listening time has increased. By the way, I Am Shelby Lynne got released on vinyl in 2024 and they did a killer job. I thought the CD was one of the better sounding CDs, and the vinyl managed to maintain the dynamics of the CD. Great record.
When I listen to something new, a new release by a favorite artist, or something I haven't heard before, I listen with focus. Otherwise, most of my listening is done while I am simultaneously cleaning records, looking for records, trying to sell records, writing, etc. I rarely listen after 6:30PM. It's mostly during the day as I work, run errands, blah blah.
I listen mostly while I drive somewhere or I'm walking somewhere. Just FYI. So now has Sal has TWO successful websites. That's **checks notes** two more than me! Congrats on finding it rewarding and drawing an audience.
Cool! I will check it out.
On the note of raving about not-new music:
I'm making a playlist of Bee Gees songs and was knocked out by "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" from Trafalgar - long before their disco apogee.
Check out the harmonies - and the arrangement in general. I figure this blog is about the only place I can place a link for this - this is the place where folks really appreciate classic pop record traits like arrangements and harmony.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpQa4wRlMf4
So much pressure!
I for one, appreciate your efforts.
Cheers
Nice song Noel M
I actually went on a mini Bee Gees binge over the last two weeks and "Trafalgar" was one of the five records I hit. Overall, that album is a tad melodramatic, but "Don't Wanna Live" is a highlight. The surprise was "To Who It May Concern," which is a much better record than I remembered.
Looking forward to 2026 and this adds to my reasons to be optimistic. Your insights on music are an enormous positive for me. Thanks so much.
Cool! Keep going.
That's cool, Sal - I knew you'd get it. And thanks, Cleveland Jeff. Man, those brothers knew how to do it. Andy too.
i check the what's playing every day. love getting gentle reminders to check something out.. new format is cool. thanks
Maybe it's the time of the year, but I pulled out the Bee Gees "Odessa" during the holidays. I hadn't listened to it in decades. It was a nice reconnection.
BTW-Happy New Year.
I've been reading, and occasionally commenting, in that section for a while, and really enjoy discovering stuff there.
Please don't feel like your main blog has to be primarily focused on new artists or releases. I love your writing excerpts, lists, New Orleans memories, and things like your Rundgren guides, etc.
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