Songs Of The Week, 2026: 1/17-1/23

That's What Life Is All About- The Beat
Irene- Guitar Gable w/King Karl
Brand New Second Hand- The Wailers
Same Time Same Place- Mable John
Little Martha- Allman Brothers Band
Anyway- Genesis
No Sir- The Both

This week's mix covers a lot ground, from perfect power pop, to perfect reggae, to perfect R&B from the swamps of Louisiana. And the miracle of music is, Mable John into the ABB into Genesis into Aimee Mann and Ted Leo, sounds perfect, too!

Enjoy!

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One more thing before you go--

I am running a SNOWMAGGEDON record sale over at my Discogs page. Lots of great records for ridiculous prices. There are plenty of solid titles left, as it seems all of my customers are saving their money for snow blowers.

HERE IS THE LINK! 

Load up your cart and I will ship these out later this week, assuming my heart doesn't explode digging myself out.

 

 

Look! Another Van Morrison Record!

 

 

Well I wasn't expecting a new Van Morrison record, were you? I read nothing about this. It just appeared, 20 blues covers on a record called "Someone Tried To Sell Me A Bridge." If I didn't love his last, "Remembering Now" as much as I did, I might have just laughed this one off. But I'm glad I didn't

It's not great, by any stretch of the imagination. The problem is, it feels like very little thought went into making it. It's mostly cookie-cutter arrangements with little variation from tempo and style. But, when it does change things up a bit, it's solid Van, like slowing down Fats Domino's "Ain't That A Shame," for example. That's pretty damn good. 

Elvin Bishop guests on a number of tracks, but really doesn't make any of them better, though I could listen to "(I'm Gonna) Play The Honky Tonks" by anybody, and this version is solid.

Taj Mahal is featured on a few tracks, as well as Buddy Guy, and most of those work, as well. I think the album would play much better if it was half the length, something I seem to be saying a lot these days.

"Someone Tried To Sell Me A Bridge" isn't essential. It's harmless and it has its moments. But it also swings and misses a bunch, and I blame that on the production. Ten less songs and some balls, and this album might have been a winner. 

 

 

 

   

World's Gone Wrong

 

I finished Lucinda Williams' terrific memoir "Don't Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You" just as her new album "World's Gone Wrong" is about to be released. I had been listening to Lu records while reading and that really put me in the mood for new music.

This is the title cut. Mark Ford, once a Black Crow, starts things off with the Crowes "Twice As Hard" riff and Lucinda takes it from there. She's angry and I love it.

 

For Your Love

 

You're welcome.

 

Sold On "Selling A Vibe": The Cribs Are Back

 

During the Kaiser Chiefs craze of 2004, I also became smitten with The Cribs, a band who I thought sounded like the Kaiser Chiefs and ended up as the Chiefs opening act at NYC's Webster Hall. This was fine by me. It was one big, fresh Brit Pop party. I was so into the sound, I was looking for more. Give me more bands with crunchy guitars and killer choruses and hey, if I can dance to it, even better. So, I went all in with The Libertines, Maximo Park, The Hives, The Futureheads and the Arctic Monkeys, as well.

But like all love affairs, something always gets messed up, and as quickly as I fell in love with it all, I fell out. I moved on and stopped tracking. So, imagine my shock to see a new Cribs album released. I hadn't realized they released six records since I got off that indie Brit Pop, kinda punk bus. Now, on "Selling A Vibe," the Brothers Jarman are back after a six year hiatus and it is 2004 all over again.

There isn't a weak moment on this record.

 

 

Now here is where Cribs fans from across the world tell me how great all of those records after 2005's "The New Fellas" are. Please tell me. Because if there are any as good as "Selling A Vibe," I'll have a lot to catch up on. 

 

 

Songs Of The Week, 2026: 1/10-1/16

 

Pretty Soon There'll Be Nothing Left...-Nilsson
She's Leaving- Ronnie Lane
Woo Se Mama- Paul Weller
Workingman's Blues #2- Bob Dylan
Revolution Rock- Danny Ray
Relax- The Who
Bad Year For Rock & Roll- Chuck Prophet

Pretty Soon There'll Be Nothing Left...-Nilsson
(Nilsson's 1976 release "Sandman" had a lot more good than bad, I think. This is one I love.)

She's Leaving- Ronnie Lane
(If I listen to Ronnie Lane, it's usually "Anymore For Anymore" and "Rough Mix," of course. But I pulled out "See Me" from 1979 last week, and I was pleasantly surprised. Hey, it's Ronnie!)

Woo Se Mama- Paul Weller
(From "A Kind Revolution," an album that left me cold on first listen, but after going back, I started going back again and again. It's a keeper.)

Workingman's Blues #2- Bob Dylan
("I'm tryin' to feed my soul with thought/Gonna sleep off the rest of the day/Sometimes no one wants what we've got/Sometimes you can't give it away." This kid Bob knows how to write'em.)

Revolution Rock- Danny Ray
(Many, myself included, first heard this on The Clash's "London Calling." Dig the original.)

Relax- The Who
(Have I mentioned how much I love "The Who Sell Out?")

Bad Year For Rock & Roll- Chuck Prophet 
(Ten years on...)

 

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P.S.
There's a pretty cool reggae mix over at the other place, for those interested.