"Let Me Touch You For A While," Alison Krauss & Union Station

Song: "Let Me Touch You for Awhile"
Album: Live
Artist: Alison Krauss & Union Station

I love this song mainly for what it is not saying. It's not saying; "I'll Love You Forever and For Always."

Yes, love is infinite like a fresh water ocean. But the water that touches us most profoundly is the small handful we reach down and take a sip from.

Today I need the kind of love you can drink.

Not enough could ever be said about Alison Krauss' voice, or Jerry Douglass' slide.

"Destiny," Zero 7

Song: "Destiny"
Album: Simple Things
Artist: Zero 7

This video download is the best live video I can find and came originally from their web site. Here's an excerpt from a letter I wrote to a friend after seeing this video in 2004.

Part of it for me is just the honesty of the song. Alone and lonely, fine with it and yet in love. I guess I've been thinking a lot about loneliness lately... It's partly the human condition: we're all alone in some ways, making our way through the world. But, it's also partly not loving ourselves enough, not being our own best friends due to childhood trauma or whatever. The cure, I know, is intimacy... with ourselves, with each other. Real connections, our relationships. It's also hopeful. Many of their songs are hopeful. I love that. As bad as things may be, there's hope. I share that disposition to the world.

Part of it is watching this band put out something good and pure and honest. It just happens right there on the video. It's people understanding something together and doing what they can. It's two people with a vision, making it happen and shepherding it to creation. They're sending out this real thing and people (I, you, lot's of others) are responding to it. I just really feel that music has been kind of dead--- or rather that I've been dead to music (maybe both). For me, that is just like being really dead. Music is such an important part of my life. It always has been. It's in me, it's in my family and I lament having lost my way. Watching that video made me want to come home to music again-- and that's a journey that I've only recently started. Pop music in recent years, in my view, has been largely about manipulation, commercialism, ego etc. I get nothing from "Destiny" than pure artistic expression of human emotion and human experience. To me, that is what art is. It's about expressing our unique experience in the world, and expressing emotion in a way that moves, changes, heals, evokes.

Their song "This World" is just awesome. To me, it's like a single human voice doing three things at once-- protesting the state of the world, explaining that we've lost our way and expressing hope that we might find it again. I just have to believe that that's possible. They just nailed it so well.

Of course the technology that they've used to produce all this intrigues and interests me too.

Can music change people? This music changed me.

"Fern," Zoe Keating

Song: "Fern"
Album: One Cello x 16: Natoma
Artist: Zoe Keating

She plays the cello. She has a web site and a blog. She was on Good Day Sacramento. She is another new artist using looping. I'm a fan...

"There Is Nobody," Yoav

Song: "There Is Nobody"
Album: Adore - Single
Artist: Yoav

This new artist is currently touring with Tori Amos. This song reminds me of "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes. Probably because the percussion drives and has air. But if the Stripes impress for the sound they achieve with just two players, Yoav does the same... and he's solo.

Check out this youtube video of Yoav doing a cover of "Where Is My Mind" by the Pixies (a different song altogether). He uses looping in innovative ways to create a sound scape and then plays and sings over it. The loop he creates here by singing into the sound hole of his guitar, continues until the end of the song and provides a creepy mystery to what he is doing.



It's new, innovative, minimalist. Yoav makes the most out of the sounds he creates, and has an attractive confidence that those sounds are enough. And, they are.

"Rowing Song," Patty Griffin

Song: "Rowing Song"
Album: Impossible Dream
Artist: Patty Griffin

I used to row on the ocean off the coast of Maine. This song takes me instantly back to the peace, and meditative quality of rowing.

The ocean is a powerful force and putting yourself on the ocean in a small boat is an exercise in humility and surprise. While the ocean might be calm now, there's always the understanding that at any time it can rise up and swallow you like a grape. It's the song's recognition of that underlying, mysterious power that takes this to another level for me.

When I listen to this I see a fog drifting and swirling, revealing and obscuring the unknowns in my own life.

Patty Griffin's voice is very beautiful and clear and the music meanders in an ebbing and flowing waltz that supports the images in the lyrics.

"Koko," Charlie Parker

Song: "Koko"
Album: The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes
Artist: Charlie "Bird" Parker

In music, you have to be either cool or good. Bird was both the coolest and the goodest.

When I listen to most music, I follow in my mind, imagine and groove along. When I listen to this, I can't do any of that. I only hear it. It's moving too fast and too good. When I'm listening to my library on random and this song plays, I stop what I'm doing. Like a glimpse of a humming bird at the feeder, it's over before I can comprehend the intricate beauty. Then I'm left with only an impression.

I highly recommend the Bird Lives web site. Check out the film page. If you can get past the miming, you won't be disappointed. Let the clips load before you try to watch them.

"Beautiful," G. Love featuring Tristan Prettyman

Song: "Beautiful"
Album: Lemonade
Artist: G. Love featuring Tristan Prettyman

This song captures the feeling of a new relationship (a long time in the making), with all it's ambiguity, posturing, excitement, possibility and indecision. It's light, fun, sexy and playful.

In the tradition of "Baby It's Cold Outside," this is a duet between daters, each with an agenda. Fifty eight years ago, Ella Fitzgerald wouldn't have sung about Louis Jordan taking off her shirt. It was a time that required much more subtlety and a pretext. But the playful, free bluntness of this song is one of the qualities that makes it a winner. Play count = 101.

Official Video

"Alive With The Glory Of Love," Say Anything

Song: "Alive With The Glory Of Love"
Album: Say Anything Is A Real Boy
Artist: Say Anything

The Man learned long ago how to ruin a good rock & roll song... put it on TV. But, Scrubs makes me laugh and there's no denying the power of a good forbidden love story.

I love this song on so many levels...

First the lyrics. It tells a story from the perspective of a rebel on the loosing side of a war. Max Bemis the song writer and singer had grandparents who were in fact Holocaust survivors, which I learned about by reading the Wiki article. On closer read, the lyrics reference Treblinka, a German concentration camp in Poland where his grandparents survived.

"Now Treblinkah is alive with the glory of love"

And that is the the ultimate triumph of his grandparents and of the song-- love wins.

For me, the song transcends the cultural and generational differences between the 1940's WWII era and today. After all, love is universal no matter the circumstance, no matter the time. If his grandparents' love can survive Treblinka, any love can survive anything.

The music is also special; loud, fast and angry with punk and hardcore while the singer is describing the axis powers, tender, slower and airier (good jumpy rock) while describing his lover.

This song is very well made; war on one side, love on the other. What higher purpose could there be for a song than to express an unstoppable passion overcoming the violence and inanity of war? It goes so far (in the last stanza) to reveal that the love is so strong, it would survive the singer's death.

"Should they kill me, your love will fill me as warm as the bullets, yeah.
I'll know my purpose: this war was worth this. I won't let you down…"

Hopeful and fiercely defiant under the worst of circumstances, can you imagine a love so strong that fighting World War II, being imprisoned and dying were all worth it? It puts true love in perspective and in it's proper place, diminishing war and it's physical world trappings to an obstacle. No matter how daunting the obstacle it's still just that, an obstacle. Love, on the other hand, is the very purpose for living.

"Baroque and Blue," Claude Bolling

Song: "Baroque and Blue"
Album: Suite for Flute & Jazz Piano Trio
Artist: Claude Bolling

This is one of those albums my parents had when I was a kid. As soon as I figured out how to put a record on the turn table, I played this over and over. I loved the cover art and chuckled to see a flute and a piano literally in bed together having a smoke. This is sort of the theme music for the best of my childhood-- lively, creative, uninhibited and hopeful.

The original album is not on iTunes, but does appear on Amazon. The two songs from the album iTunes does have are on his greatest hits: "Baroque and Blue," and "Sentimentale." I can't imagine having only one or two songs from this album-- because the entire album is a complete work of art. I highly recommend buying the whole CD and listening to the songs in the order they appear.

Here's an audio sample from Amazon.

"Let It Be Sung," Jack Johnson & Matt Costa

Song: "Let It Be Sung"
Album: A Brokedown Melody
Artist: Jack Johnson & Matt Costa

I'm a huge Jack Johnson fan. I even did a cover of his song Rodeo Clowns on youtube. But, when I heard this song on the radio one day while driving home, it resonated strongly with me.

It's a collaboration with Matt Costa, and Zach Gill of ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra), both of whom I also enjoy and appreciate. There's something special about hearing a collaboration between artists in this age of isolation. It suggests a humility in the artists-- that they would rather create something beautiful together than insisting on owning every possible right to everything they produce. There are good collaborations and questionable ones, this is a good one.

The production is cool. The beginning of the song sounds far away-- like maybe you're walking down the beach to your friend's house where music is already being played, and you can hear it through the open door. Then, you enter the room and the music is clear and loud.

"Chicago (Acoustic Version)," Sufjan Stevens

Song: "Chicago (Acoustic Version)"
Album: The Avalanche - Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album
Artist: Sufjan Stevens

I was first introduced to Sufjan Stevens on the PBS show Austin City Limits. I was captivated by the sheer number of musicians on stage (15), their elaborate costumes, and the immensely creative song writing. I was not surprised to find that there are five versions of this song: Original, Acoustic, To String Remix, Adult Contemporary, Multiple Personality Disorder.

Watch Sufjan Stevens on Austin City Limits

"Blissfully Up," Bauer

Song: "Blissfully Up"
Album: The Bauer Melody of 2006
Artist: Bauer

I was introduced to Bauer on Fabchannel. I was mesmerized by their amazing concert in Amsterdam with the Metropole Orchestra. What a beautiful, creative event.



This group is the Dutch duo Bauer, easily confused with the Myspace Bauer which has an EP and a song called Connected. Sadly, U.S. iTunes doesn't carry "Blissfully Up," but the Dutch iTunes does. I can recommend Bouillabaise of Brilliance though.

"How Lucky We Are," Meiko

Song: "How Lucky We Are"
Album: Meiko
Artist: meiko

I'm a fan of this down-to-earth, girl-next-door style. When a song can stand on it's melody alone, it's a winner. She could do a Suzanne Vega style a capella version of this and it would sound great. Meiko has mastered the inflections of hotness, but this does not obscure the underlying beauty of her voice. This song conjures a vision of coffee in the kitchen and a voice so beautiful that I don't want to speak, just listen to her talk about how lucky we are.

"One day we'll turn on the TV and we won't see nothing 'bout war."

Amen.

"I've Got My Mojo Working," Muddy Waters

Song: "I've Got My Mojo Working"
Album: Muddy Waters At Newport 1960
Artist: Muddy Waters

There's nothing like Muddy Waters live. The man had wicked mojo on stage that comes through in this classic recording. There are two versions of this song on the album. I like the second one (song 8, 2:56). The band did two takes of the song back to back because the crowd loved it. Check out the scream at around 1:50 into the song. In the clip you can see what produced the scream-- Muddy starts dancing with a man on stage (5:43). This take is looser-- more the way I imagine Muddy would have done it on Maxwell Street in Chicago or in a delta juke joint.

Both takes are included in this priceless youtube clip. Check out how much fun the crowd is having, and how much fun Muddy is having performing.

Otis Span on piano, James Cotton on harmonica, Pat Hare on guitar, Francis Clay on drums, Andrew Stevenson on Bass.

The Real First Post

I've been back dating posts on this blog so that there's something to read when it launches. As of this post, I've recommended 8 songs. To accomplish the back dating, I sort my songs in iTunes according to "Date Added" and look for what I was into on a given date. It's been a very enjoyable experience going back and re-living my initial excitement for new music. The date and time of this post, and those after it, are real.

I've become an iTunes Affiliate, so many of the links to songs, artists and albums at the top of posts will open iTunes. I earn something like $.05 for each song you buy from linking through here. Woo Hoo, I'm going to be rich! Nah, if this pays for my coffee I'll be happy.

RIP Ray McGinnis

I like to keep this blog on the subject of music and so I'm noting the passing of one of my most profound musical influences, Ray McGinnis. Ray was a Breckenridge fixture for nearly 50 years and surveyed most of Summit County, including the ski areas in the area. But, he was also a Jazz drummer. He traveled with a band called the Eric Lawrence Trio in the 1960's, which brought him to Aspen and later to Breckenridge. Being around Ray as a young kid gave me an early exposure to Jazz and helped form my musical life. Ray will be missed.

"15 Step," Radiohead

Song: "15 Step"
Album: In Rainbows
Artist: Radiohead

Yes, I bought the Radiohead album In Rainbows from their web site. I love Radiohead and this album does not disappoint. I'm always willing to pay for good music. I paid 7 pounds (about $14) after reading a review from a guy who successfully downloaded it for $.02. I'm a fan of the honor system and I'm a fan of anything that helps bring about changes the music industry.

15 Step is my favorite song on the album. The production of Radiohead songs has been a fascination of mine. I love the contrast of the chant-like, sampled hand clap percussion which begins the song and then is consumed by the lazy guitar. I love the sampled yells of children too. For me, this is the height of popular creativity in music production now.

"No Surprises," Radiohead

Song: "No Surprises"
Artist: Radiohead
Album: OK Computer

I get an ironic sense from this song. It’s saying something like:

“Damn, look at the state of the world! Give me some ear plugs and a pretty garden and I’ll just live quietly. In the mean time, bring down the government cause they don't speak for us.”

As if a revolution is something you can order from room service. Yet this captures a prevailing attitude, at least in it's own time.

Sonicaly, the produced version of the song is beautiful and builds from relaxed to urgent with layers of fantastically crafted sound.


This is the acoustic version from youtube:

"Jolene," Cake

Song: "Jolene"
Album: Motorcade of Generocity
Artist: Cake

I love this band and I still listen to this album all the time, even though it came out in 1994. Greg Brown is one of my favorite guitar players. It's thoughtful, it's funky, it rocks; what not to love.

"Lights Fade (Live)," Cubworld

Song: "Lights Fade (Live)"
Album: The Sample
Artist: Cubworld

I was introduced to Cubworld on Fabchannel. If you've never checked out this awesome live music resource, I suggest you try it. Cubworld is the type of guy you just want to give a big hug to. As a vocalist, he has the rare ability to convey very personal themes in a way that is sensitive without being sappy.

Watching this clip is almost voyeuristic as Cubworld almost doesn't make it through the song. He breaks up when the lyrics touch on the people who've "walked through his life."