I Made a Record
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In case you missed the announcement last week on FB and Twitter - I made a record called Caroline. I hereby invite you to listen to and purchase it (Click on Caroline . Hooray!!
Songs We Wish We’d Written: I Wish It Would Rain
I Wish it Would Rain by The Temptations - very nearly the best pop music track ever recorded. The incomparable David Ruffin on lead vocals with the classic Temptations lineup behind him (Eddie Kendrick, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin and Otis Williams). One of Ruffin's last tracks wit the group. The story behind the song is far more tragic than the song itself. It is a masterpiece.
Favorites by Favorites
here's a favorite song (Black Star by Radiohead) performed by another favorite artist (Gillian Welch)
and here's a bonus Gillian Welch track just because
What Happened to the Album
Every week dozens of new albums are released in stores and online. More and more often I'm seeing options for purchasing the "deluxe version" of said record featuring between one and ten additional tracks. Now, as a music collector, of course I want the additional tracks. But as a purist, I hate the fact that additional songs are tacked onto the end of the album which should be a singular thought.
The fact is that most records are not a singular thought. They are just the best ten tracks out of the forty that were written between the last album and the new one. At that point, the message of the album isn't being watered down by the additional "bonus" tracks.
I want a record to make a statement. I want it to have a theme. I want there to be some unifying principle beyond, "hey, we're a band and we record songs, so here's some songs that are hopefully decent." Sure, I want to hear your cover version of Justin Bieber, but if you tack it onto the end of a rousing journey that we've just gone on, you kind of shoot yourself in the foot.
The other possibility/fear is that if I don't buy the deluxe version, I'm not getting the entire story.
At the end of the day, I know it's all about money. What can we do to get people to spend more for relatively little cost to us? I don't like that. Make a record that says something. Let it stand on it's own two legs. Release some bonus tracks (that can be purchased individually) separately. Don't take advantage of your fans. It's not nice for one, but it also makes me think that you lack faith in your own product.
What I’m Listening To: August 2011
Sometimes you find music in your archives that you just don't listen to. Sometimes it's because you don't like it. Other times it's because you just have so much that you overlook it. This month I've decided to commit to listening to some things that I wouldn't normally pick out.
David Gray: Foundling - I was so much a fan of David Gray when I discovered him and his amazing album Draw the Line. This is just a sub-par followup. It lumbers along like a Sunday afternoon drive through the country.
Tinted Windows - This indulgent-pop vehicle for such less-than-well-known superstars as Taylor Hanson (Hanson), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schelsinger (Fountains of Wayne) and Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) is just too bubble gum for me. There's a part of me that wants to believe that there's something deeply artistic and relevant about it. I just can't find it.
Graham Colton: Pacific Coast Eyes - I absolutely love the Drive album by Graham Colton Band. His solo follow up Here Right Now was a colossal let down. This album brings it back a bit, yet still lacks the urgency of the debut. He's the official winner of my "Augustana Bait and Switch of the Month" award. I guess when Kelly Clarkson writes an album about how she hates you, that's a hard thing to bounce back from.
Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - This album features some of John's most beloved and recognized songs. Those tracks, however, account for less than 1/4 of the record. I've found that he has some great album tracks and I want to get to know them.
Elton John: Madman Across the Water - Two weeks ago, I wrote about my love for the song "Levon." While this album lacks the "hit quotient" of Yellow Brick Road, I prefer it's tone and style.
Songs We Wish We’d Written – Levon
Levon by Elton John - I have no real idea what this song is really about. I do know, however, that I've been captivated by this song since the first time that I heard it. It is just musically captivating. People may hate on Elton John, but the guy can write a song - well he can write the music to a song.
Quality
Dia Frampton covers "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons
(if only the audio were as good as the video).
Aside: I think that her "shy girl" persona on The Voice was totally fake. Girl has 4 records she put out independently and several dozen YouTube videos. Don't buy the hype. But she's still great.
Songs We Wish We’d Written – Never Did No Wanderin’
Never Did No Wanderin' by The New Main Street Singers - Sometimes a movie can yield a great song. Such is the case with the seminal film A Mighty Wind. Personally, I prefer the Folksmen version of the track, but beggars can't be choosers. All kidding aside, I really do like this song.
Making You a Little Bit Cooler
Discovered this over the weekend.
This one starts slow, but is worth it.
