Delta Magic

By 1960, leagues of mop-haired Brits and American garage-rockers had latched onto the music of the Mississippi Delta. The timeless, emotive, sometimes haunting and painful, religious-tinged blues, jazz and gospel of impoverished black men and women is one of the most enduring parts of the American musical canon.

This incredible music and the incredible musicians that wrote and performed it are unparalleled in musical history. They have been revered, imitated, copied and adored by countless millions. But, they have also been overlooked by recent generations.

As the magical musical explosion of the 1960s and 1970s came to an end, rock n' roll began to be thought of as a white contribution to American music. As most of us should know, this couldn't be further from the truth. There were many things and many people that brought us what we needed to make rock n' roll.

There are dozens and dozens of people who should be noted here. Each with a story to tell. Each responsible for seminal works that will stand the test of time.

To highlight a few: Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Bill Broonzy, Jimmy Rushing, Big Joe Turner, Willie Dixon, Josh White, John Lee Hooker, Mississippi John Hurt, Elmore James and Muddy Waters. So far, I have not encountered a bad record by any of these cats. Nary a bad song, in fact! (With the exception of some of John Lee Hooker's late collaborations with rock icons in the late 70s and early 80s).

In other words, if you're interested in the music of bands like: Led Zeppelin, Cream, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steve Miller Band, The Grateful Dead, or The Beatles then you should know that those bands essentially started playing music because of their love of American blues music. In many cases, they covered blues songs and just added distortion or fuzz to make it a bit different. I guess you could say that they actually "covered" the songs in extra sound to differentiate. There were and still are hundreds of other bands that grew up listening to black American music and then decided to form a band to make music that mimicked it.

I am not saying that these bands are not good bands or that they cheated their way through music, just that their influences are essential knowledge for the casual listener as well as the rabid fan!

Rewind: What galaxy is this?

As often happens in our narrow corporate music landscape, incredible bands get overlooked. The 90s saw the merging of two worlds: the defiant underground and the corporate music machine. This happened in the 80s too, but to music with no staying power. Suddenly, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and countless other would-be underground sensations signed to majors and we had "alternative" music.

Somewhere in all the confusion, below the radio waves, a handful of yet still defiant bands languished in self-imposed obscurity recording for DIY labels. Often, these bands made seminal albums that influenced their fellow DIY compatriots as well as their cousins that had made the leap to a major.

One band that I have been listening to again lately is Galaxie 500. Despite the easy-to-forget name, these guys made careful, enduring classics with the patience and vision of a big time band. Sounding almost like a cross between Magnetic Fields and the San Francisco psychedelic era. Their debut, Today, is a shimmering, display of thoughtful, yet childlike, dream pop. The album sucks you in and takes you on a calm, yet inspired journey through foggy, dreamlike soundscapes that, once it ends and you emerge from the fog will leave you yearning for more.

The focal point of the album is the angsty love song 'Tugboat'. This song could have easily been a college smash. It has just enough pop sensibilities to grab your attention, but also it has enough whirling, swirling, glittering guitar layers to keep the average shoegazer busy. It's hypnotic and accessible at the same time.

I spent the latter half of the 90s digging up these types of bands that no one ever heard of and wouldn't have had the patience to get into anyway. There are countless gems that I could have highlighted, but this one is what's comin' out of my speakers. If, like countless millions, you've never heard of these guys give this one a try.

I got that Cissy Strut

I've been hittin' re-wind again lately and revisiting all the things that paved the way to hip-hop. The Meters laid down one of the funkiest tracks ever produced with their 1969 classic instrumental 'Cissy Strut' from the debut album!

This thing comes sliding in with a gentle 'yea' before completely 'funkifying' you and then just keeps the groove rolling for three tight minutes. These guys set the stage for New Orleans R&B and Funk and were followed by notable acts like The Wild Tchoupitoulas and others.

I bet you know this groove even if the name doesn't ring a bell. Dig it up regardless, because funk never felt so good!

The Return of the Walkman?

I got rid of my Walkman years ago and have never looked back. It was a crude device and antithetical to dedicated music listeners. In fact, I haven't even thought of my old Sony Walkman whose hinges had broken and buttons were stuck or missing. I hadn't thought of it until last summer when I found a band called The Walkmen.

I picked up their third album A Hundred Miles Off and have been reliving some of my favorite bands ever since. The Walkmen create a sonic landscape that evokes images of bands as disparate as Pavement and Joy Division.

This album, from Warner offshoot Record Collection Music, is a thoroughly enjoyable listen with bracing stops and starts as well as lingering, spine-tingling, droning, shards of atmospheric feedback. At times, the singer, Walter Martin, recalls fellow New Yorker Paul Banks of Interpol. No deeper comparison of the bands should be made as their styles differ drastically. Where Interpol's songs all have radio potential, The Walkmen take the extra sonic step to avoid airplay.

I said it before and I'm sayin' it again...

I spent half of my life telling anyone who'd listen that country music was the worst form of musical expression known to man. Today, I stand not only corrected but converted.

Recently, I've been sitting cross-legged on the floor of my favorite record shop sifting through shelves of old, forgotten LP's. Yesterday, I had an epic day of foraging. I couldn't afford them all, but I did go home with several classics.

I should clarify by saying that I don't look for or listen to anything called country that came out after the early 80s. In other words, if it's about chicken, pick-up trucks, tractors or the flag you can bet I won't have it!

There is this ambiguous genre called country-rock that has dozens of great artists spanning the past four and a half decades. This stuff, Honky-Tonk, the Outlaws and 50s Nashville and Bakersfield are my latest musical interests.

So, digging through the gold mine of LP's in my favorite cluttered shop the other day, I found Willie Nelson's classic 1973 Atlantic Records release Shotgun Willie, JD Souther's 1972 eponymous debut and Kris Kristofferson's second and third albums. None were over $4!

The time before that I found Gram Parsons' two country-rock classics (G.P. and Grievous Angel), John Prine's 1971 eponymous debut and Waylon's 1975 release Dreaming My Dreams. Again, none were over $4! I also found a Hank Williams collection for $2!

Sitting up in my music room (that's the picture on the blog) in the wee hours of the night listening to sad, introspective country-ish music is fast becoming my favorite pastime!

Not Lebanon, just Beirut

Wow!

Where do I start? Beirut, the recent folky band influenced by eastern European folk and Gypsy music, is essentially one man - Zach Condon. Originally from Albuquerque, he now lives in Brooklyn and the 23-year-old is, simply put... amazing!

On his debut album he plays over 10 instruments himself! Basically he makes every sound on the album but the drums and cello! His music is quite sophisticated given his age. For most of us, it takes decades (or classes) to understand the complexity of music enough to approach it with dexterity. This kid recorded his first album when he was still 19!

Apparently, he got some help from former Neutral Milk Hotel

member Jeremy Barnes on his first album, but the ideas are

largely his. His songs sound like they're coming straight from a dingy, smoky pub down a dark, dirty street in Bratislava. But, they also sound like they're the newest songs by the indie-darlings of the month. Not to suggest that they're trite, they are not. Just that many bands seem to be aiming for this unique sound and he does it effortlessly. Of course, his level of effort is immeasurable considering he writes the music and the words and helps design the covers.

Long story short, Condon has a very bright future ahead of him and should be part of everyone's music collection! I started with the EP Lon Gisland, but all of his other records are great too: Gulag Orkestar, The Flying Club Cup, and March of the Zapotec. I highly recommend Beirut to anyone who appreciates good music and has the patience to wait for it!

Oh, hello Mr. Soul

Has Neil Young ever made bad music? The obvious answer (to this Neil Young fan) is NO! A couple weeks ago I bought Buffalo Springfield's 2nd album Again from 1967. It kicks off with a less-than-3-minute early Neil Young rocker called "Mr. Soul". This song not only showcases Neil's talent on the guitar it also foreshadows the future of his fantastic facility. In other words, the man can write!

The song essentially tells of his disgust with stardom and star-struck fans, which is amazing since he had literally just become a star! I think the story is that he had an epileptic fit on stage and then sat in the hospital for a few days and penned this song while reflecting on being 'a rock star'.

Everything about this song - from the way he sings to what he sings and the way he plays to what he plays is staggering. Both his voice and his guitar are full of angst and drive straight to the brain.

The driving song fades out with these words repeating: "Is it strange I should change? I don't know, why don't you ask her!" If you know it, you know it. If you don't, find it!

Good Things in LA?

Often, I speak disparagingly about Los Angeles. Usually my rants are centered on the smog, the traffic or the seemingly plastic feel of the place. However, every few years a truly groundbreaking band creeps out of the smog and causes me to take another look at the City of Angels. Of course, I generally don't change my opinion of the place... but, I do wonder where these bands come from.

These guys have been around for a few years now and I have heard their music. But, I recently picked up their initial 2005 EP Pikul (for $3) and have hardly been able to turn it off! Beginning with the opening track, "Kissing Families", this little gem grabs your attention and doesn't loosen it's grip until the very last distorted chord grinds through the amp. Then, if you wait about 90 seconds, the secret song kicks in and slowly schleps your mind along a dreamy sonic landscape.

LA's Silversun Pickups put on a great show at SXSW in Austin in 2006, which was the first time I heard them. Unfortunately, I wasn't there I just heard the recording of it. But, they were very engaging in a live setting and I began looking for their records immediately.

Live, they are able to recreate what they do in the studio with surprising detail. At times, the sound of Silversun Pickups hearkens back to mid-90s British 'shoegazing' bands like My Bloody Valentine or Ride, but ultimately, their sound is theirs. Their follow-up album, Carnavas, is also quite good, but anybody interested in checking these guys out really ought to start with Pikul.

They move in and out of a droning fuzzy wall of sound to wild, shrieking jabs with perfect balance. Each song tells two stories - obviously the lyrics, but the music itself is telling a story. Though Brian Aubert's voice is hypnotic, it was the music that initially caught my ear. Again, the lyrics do tell a story and that story is worth listening to. I just get caught up in the music itself. Either way, Silversun Pickups' EP and the full-length are both very solid albums from a very promising band.

Good Times

Yesterday, I went to my local music shop and made my weekly perusal. Every few weeks they stash a handful of old records by the front door and give them away for free. I found one of the most classic 70s soul albums of all time just sitting there between some random Neil Diamond and an old Cowsills greatest hits record.

At first, I didn't notice it as I flipped through the stash. Then, I went back and checked again. Bam! Earth, Wind & Fire's 1975 live double-album - Gratitude. Not only was it complete with all four albums, it had the artwork and was in great shape!

There I was with a classic in my paws! I was sitting there wondering how long it had been there. The album was as classic as the shop! Long live independent music shops?

Bringin' It All Back Home

Sorry, this is not about Bob Dylan's 1st electric record. This is about my latest mind-blowing musical experience.

I recently discovered a dusty, forgotten section of a seldom-visited music shop downtown. Generally, I only go here if I need something new or rare and can't find it at my preferred music shop. In fact, I dislike it so much that I usually walk in and head straight to the artist I'm looking for, then quickly check the recent arrivals and my trip is over in under ten minutes.

But, this time I dove into the dusty vinyl section. I  had always figured it was all unnecessarily overpriced just as everything else in the shop. What caught my eye was a $.50 sticker on a classic John Denver record right in the front of the bargain section. Directly behind that was a copy of Carole King's "Tapestry" also priced at half a dollar.

Though, these were not rare finds or even exciting finds... it was a signal to me that there were at least good titles in there. That said, there were also countless long-haired, open-shirted, earring-clad, boot-wearin' 80s bands. Somehow, I would have been upset if there wasn't!

Anyway, I began digging through the 45's in the bin next to the LP's and discovered a handful of forgotten Tamla singles (which was essentially Motown) including classic Stevie Wonder rarities. I also dug up some Earth, Wind & Fire as well as Ray Charles and others. After about five minutes, I had a pretty big handful. I hadn't even thought to check the price though!

For a second I got nervous as I thought about which ones I would have to put back. I checked out Stevie's records first as I figured they'd be the big ones... $.25! What?! The rest were only five cents each!

Long story short... I have a new obsession. I got fifteen new records for $2.50!

On my return trip (yesterday), I found an absolute classic! Buffy Sainte-Marie's 1964 LP It's My Way on Vanguard Records. This album is by far one of the most powerful, topical folk albums of the 60s! I would have paid real money for it! Instead, at $.50, I just cackled with glee like a child who has just been promised ice cream!

Get A Grip!

Judy may be a punk, but The Ramones are not! They are boring. Plain and simple.

Of all the acts that terrorized NYC's CBGB in the 70s (Television, Patti Smith's Group, New York Dolls, Suicide, Talking Heads, Richard Hell and even Blondie!) and all the underground proto-punk bands that had recently made waves (the Stooges, MC5, Velvet Underground) The Ramones rank among the least interesting. Sonic Youth and their contemporaries that followed were also much more engaging and groundbreaking. They are certainly not the worst, but they really are boring.

Did they influence leagues of power-pop bands? Probably. They also probably influenced countless other catchy, kitschy pop bands. But, when it comes down to it... they did not shake the foundations of rock like many would have you believe.

Simplistic, silly and inane. Those are the words www.allmusic.com uses to describe The Ramones. They also describe the stupidity of their first record. I ask this question: How can these guys be so revered if they are simple, silly and inane? None of these words are words I expect to be ascribed to 'legendary' bands.

Some say that it is exactly these quirky, playful tendencies that make them legendary. Sorry, I don't dig those attributes. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I like silly groups like They Might Be Giants, Ween or even Das EFX. But, under no circumstances would I ever go so far as to say that they deserve to be regarded as legends. Remembered as weirdos that got lucky by being in the right place at the right time, maybe. But, not on the books as trendsetting musical pioneers.

Sheena may be a punk rocker, but The Ramones are not!

O.C.M.S.

Recently, my mentor teacher and I have been teaching high-schoolers about the roots of country music in the History of American Popular Music class... that's why this is relevant:

Last winter, I had several new experiences. I went skiing for the first time and I heard Old Crow Medicine Show for the first time. I was in the bar at the Alta Peruvian Ski Lodge drinking one of my favorite Czech beers (my wife & I lived there the year before) spending time with my family. The pot-head ski bums behind the bar were playing various tunes over the speakers through their iPod's.

After listening to a few songs, making random guesses about who it may be, I approached the bartenders. "Who is this?" I had never heard of Old Crow Medicine Show, but it was a hell of a name and I was immediately intrigued.

Upon returning home, I sought out their albums and was surprised to find that these guys were young and that the music was current. Somehow, despite production and other elements, it seemed older. Anyone who digs American folk music and traditional Appalachian music should really check them out. They tackle plenty of old standards as well as lesser-known gems, but they also add a few of their own songs in. Their self-penned songs are usually well worth

listening to and fit in quite nice with the others.

On a side note... these guys also have a rowdy, rock n' roll side that keeps you at a distance. Here are their first two albums from '04 and '06 respectively.

 

Needle In The Hay

Recently, I found a copy of a very classic, very rare EP that captured a transition period of a seminal band in the history of American underground rock. This album, which marked the end of an obscure chapter for the band and the beginning of a bright one, contains four great songs from one of America's greatest Lo-Fi Indie bands.

Based in Stockton, California, Pavement was one of the supreme highlights of the early 90s. Dozens of bands came to life as a result of their initial albums. This EP on Matador Records, Watery Domestic, is classic. It is immediate. It is rare. It is primitive. It is essential!

In the early 90s Pavement sounded like no one else around. They sounded, to me, like something that was meant to be listened to. Often, it took time to decipher the noise, but somehow that was the whole point! As soon as the droning feedback of "Texas Never Whispers" begins clawing at your eardrums you are aware that something big is coming. By the time Watery Domestic fades out you've been worked into such a frenzy that you have to start it over and listen again.

The two full-length albums from this era, Slanted & Enchanted and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain still stand as Indie landmarks and should not be missed under any circumstances. That said, if you can find Watery Domestic... find it! It's the missing chapter from that era.

Rewind:

REWIND: To Toronto in the mid-80s. In 1986, Alan Anton and a group of siblings named Timmins got together and formed a group called Cowboy Junkies and released an album called Whites Off Earth Now!!

This was their first album and what a surreal feeling it gives the listener! It has a dreamlike quality that is absolutely captivating. Though eight of the nine songs are covers, they are covered on the Cowboy Junkies' terms. When I first heard it I wondered if Mazzy Star's first album may have been looking toward this when it was conceived. The second half gets a bit bluesier, but still maintains that faint floating touch.

Margo Timmins, the singer, has a wonderful voice. Her voice goes from delicate to haunting to sparkling to bluesy to slightly rockin'! A handful of the songs belong to the blues giants John Lee Hooker and Robert Johnson. There is one original, "Take Me" and one from Lightnin' Hopkins, "Shining Moon".

There is also a cover of Springsteen's song "State Trooper" from his 1982 album Nebraska. The original song is slow and always feels like it's gonna explode but never does. The Cowboy Junkies' version feels like half a bottle of pain killers creeping through your brain, stopping every once in a while to stab you. It's mostly bass and high-hat with a sweeping guitar in the background. Brilliant cover!

Generally, I prefer bands to do their own songs, however, when a band takes absolute standards and turns them into a creation that is completely theirs, I cannot argue.

The final song on the album is a cover of "Crossroads" by Robert Johnson. The first band I ever heard cover this song, that I remember, was Cream. That version is about as breakneck as a song can be with each of the three members essentially destroying their instruments in the process of laying the song down (though I think that version was edited in the studio as it was recorded live and originally around seven minutes). The Junkies' draw this simple song out past six minutes and by the time it's over you're just about asleep. In a good way!

Check this one out if you missed it!

Great interpretations of classic American blues!