Turkey Day Edition

1. Freedom (Live from KCRW)- Amos Lee

• "Don't wanna be a martyr in this war, don't wanna hear the same excuses anymore." "Freedom is seldom found by beating someone to the ground, telling them how everything is gonna be now." Philadelphia singer songwriter Amos Lee blends folk, soul, jazz and blues into an amazing blend. In some ways it is difficult to categorize his music. Philadelphia Eagles back up quarterback Kelvin Kolb (who listens to Lee prior to each game) compared Lee's music to Bob Marley despite the fact he doesnt have a reggae sound. Some voices are simply filled with soul. Singers like Sam Cooke, Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass. Amos Lee is in that class. Freedom comes from the superb "Supply and Demand" (2006) album. "Supply and Demand' is perhaps best known for the song "Sweet Pea" thanks to it's inclusion in an AT&T commercial. I'm not sure if "Freedom" is a reaction to the Iraq War but given the lyrics and timing it certainly could be. This particular version is from a live iTunes EP that finds Lee and his band in great form.

2. Hey! Baby (Single Version)- Bruce Channel

• "Hey, hey baby (uhh ahh), I wanna know if you'll be my girl." "When I saw you walking down the street, I said that's the kind of gal I'd like to meet, she's so pretty, Lord she's fine, I'm gonna make her mine, all mine." There are fun songs and then there are fun songs. I'm putting this in the fun song category. If you are a Penn State football fan and you hear this song you know it is the end of the 3rd quarter...it also means you are in Beaver Stadium. Pick up the beat and clap along to "Hey! Baby". If you are an 80s movie fan then you may associate this song with Dirty Dancing. I haven't seen the whole film but I hear people like it. If we are talking 80's Swayze movies, I'm probably more partial to the Roadhouse soundtrack and the music of Jeff Healey. "Hey! Baby" has a 60's feel- the production is reminiscent of early Beatles records, but at the end of the day the song is timeless.

3. Hummingbird- Wilco

• "His goal in life was to be an echo, the type of sound that floats around and then back down like a feather, but in the deep chrome canyons of the loudest Manhattans no one could hear him, or anything." " Remember to remember me standing still in your past floating fast like a hummingbird." Some bands have a hard time following up an album that was a critical/commercial success. "A Ghost is Born" (2004) proved that Wilco would have no such problem, in this case following the sucess of "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" (2002). "A Ghost is Born" is a great collection of songs including "Hummingbird". The album serves as the basis for their first live recording "Kicking Television: Live in Chicago" (2005). The sing song-y nature of "Hummingbird" makes it a great song to hear live; when the crowd sings along with the chorus you feel like there is something going on...if you are one of the people singing you may feel like you are a part of that something. There is an interesting alternate/demo version of "Hummingbird" on the "The Wilco Book CD" which comes with the Wilco Book. If you are leery of books, this one has a lot of pictures and there is a CD included.

1. Ghost Town- Cat Stevens

• "Come on lets go down, everybody's waiting for us down at the ghost town." "Lovely Queen Anne Boleyn learning new tricks from the Great Houdini, woah woah, now thats the way shes gonna make it woah woah." In 1974 Cat Stevens dropped "Buddha and the Chocolate Box", an album best known for the hit "Oh Very Young". As a Cat Stevens fan it is hard not to buy this album. This Buddha you mention sounds intriguing and a chocolate box only sweetens the deal. "Ghost Town" is a fun upbeat number based on acoustic guitar and piano (staples for Cat Stevens) and is augmented with harmonica and slide guitar. The singer songwriter would go on to convert to Islam, change his name to Yusef Islam and dismiss his work as Cat Stevens. In the past few years he has loosened his stance and taken to performing his old material including a marvelous rendition of "Peace Train" during the 2007 Live Earth concerts.

2. You Say You Don't Love Me- Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs

• "You say you don't love me, well that's alright with me 'cos I'm in love with you, and I wouldn't want you doing things you don't want to do, oh you know I've always wanted you to be in love with me." A few years ago 90's power pop icon Matthew Sweet and 80s pop star Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles) teamed up for "Under The Covers, Vol. 1", an album of 60's covers. This past year the duo teamed up again on "Under The Covers, Vol. 2" to tackle the 70s. "You Say You Don't Love Me" is a Buzzcocks cover, the Buzzcocks being a seminal 70s punk band from the UK. Sweet and Hoffs also pay tribute to the Ramones on this album. Neither of these punk covers find the duo at their best. On a personal note one of my 1st crushes growing up (aside from the one on my older sister's best friend) was on Susanna Hoffs.. I've aslo asked a friend of mine to sing "Eternal Flame" at my funeral.

3. At The Party- The Treacherous Three

• "(Kool Moe Dee) Remember me to the rhythm I'm Kool Moe Dee, (Special K) remember me Special K at the t-o-p, (L.A. Sunshine) remember me Sunshine and you will agree (All) nobody rocks (huh!) like the Treacherous Three." "(All) We'll rock the house without a doubt, and young ladies say we're guaranteed to turn it out, and if you don't believe it's true just check out how we rock for you." The Treacherous Three became one of the 1st hip hop acts to record in 1980 with a number of singles for the Enjoy! label including songs like "At The Party", "Feel The Heartbeat" and "Body Rock". The group would later move to the Sugar Hill label and MC Kool Moe Dee would go on to have a successful solo career. "At the Party" is 7 and a half minutes of old school hip hop pleasure. The synth hook which drives the song was used later in the decade by MC Shan in the song "Down By Law". Mariah Carey (who is "kinda scary") would use the bass line from "Body Rock" for her 1997 hit "Honey". If you need further proof of the group's impact, The Beastie Boys cite The Treacherous Three as an important influence- Moe Dee, Special K and L.A. Sunshine provided a template for how three MCs can work in unison.

1. Burning Bridges- Jason Mraz

• "You know exactly what I want so I don't have to be so damn upfront." "Oh desire can cause heart attacks, oh desire can cause heart attacks, oh desire can cause heart attacks, oh desire it won't bring you back." In 2005 to supplement the release of his sophomore release "Mr. A-Z" Jason Mraz offered an exclusive iTunes EP with a few gems including "Burning Bridges" and the original version of "I'm Yours". "I'm Yours" would resurface years later and set the record as the longest running song on the Billboard "Hot 100" list with 70 weeks on the chart. "Burning Bridges" finds Mraz at his mellow acoustic best. Mraz's live shows (well documented in the new "Jason Mraz's Beautiful Mess- Live on Earth" CD/DVD) mainly give us the singer songwriter surrounded by horns, percussion, keyboards, et all. The soul/funk/reggae sound of the full band is great but some of Mraz's best moments are with nothing more than an acoustic guitar. "Burning Bridges" is a rare song that showcases the singer in great form.

2. Creep- Radiohead

• "I don't care if it hurts, I wanna have control, I want a perfect body, I want a perfect soul, I want you to notice when I'm not around." Radiohead burst on the scene in the early 90s with the album Pablo Honey and the debut single "Creep". I don't think I possess the perspicacity to quantify this bands importance or their influence on modern rock music. I'll leave that to actual music critics. At a minimum it is fair to say that Radiohead is an "albums" band- their work (often conceptual) is meant to be consumed as a whole, versus a single here and there. That being said I'm guilty of having downloaded a single here and there from the band. I think it goes without saying that "Creep" is a 4 minute masterpiece. If you take away the feel of the song (which is remarkable) the lyrics alone are other worldly. If this song hasn't spoken to you at some point, I'm not sure what to tell you. Ask around- I'm sure someone thinks you are a creep.

3. Stupid- Toad The Wet Sprocket

• "And it's frightening, Ooooh I didn't expect that from you, it's blinding, serious are you seriously, I am feeling really stupid now." A few months into this blog and it is probably obvious that former/somteimes Toad front man Glen Phillips is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. "Stupid" comes to us from the 1994 Toad album "Dulcinea" perhaps most notable for the hits "Fall Down" and "Something's Always Wrong". For me the highlight of "Dulcinea" is "Windmills", a Toad crown jewel that I'll salivate over when it comes up on the blog. I'll try to focus in the meantime. "Stupid" is a fun mid tempo number featuring strong vocal harmonies and references to a "carpenter's belt" and "sanding down the ceiling". Even if you lack construction experience this is a song you should be able to relate to. Ask around- I'm sure someone thinks you are stupid.

4 Days Rest Edition

1. Told You So- BareNaked Ladies

• "I never jumped in and rescued you, but I wanted to, I didn't tell you which way to go, 'cause I thought you'd know." "I never told you I told you so, but I told you so." In 1998 BareNaked Ladies climbed the charts with their LP "Stunt" featuring hits like "One Week" and "It's All Been Done". "Told You So" is an acoustic number from this set sung by guitarist Ed Robertson. While not a stand out song it is decent in it's own right. This is an "album track"- it was never a single and won't find it's way onto any greatest hits collections. Of course in 1998 people were still purchasing full length albums so there was a need for such songs. The "Stunt"album is great from start to finish surpassed only by the band's debut "Gordon". The Ladies are set to release a new album in early 2010 without co-founding front man/singer Steve Page. I'm quite curious to hear the results.

2. Mint Car- The Cure

• "I really don't think it gets any better than this, vanilla smile and a gorgeous strawberry kiss!, birds sing we swing, clouds drift by and everything is like a dream, it's everything I wished." I don't have a lot of The Cure in my collection and when I was in middle school I probably thought anyone that listened to and dressed like the band were strange. It turns out the music is good and I'm far more strange than anyone I went to middle school with. "Mint Car" is an ultra upbeat with colorful lead guitar work, an easy companion in tone to the band's hit "Friday I'm in Love". The song is available on the band's 2001 Greatest Hits collection but comes originally from the album "Wild Mood Swings". That title alone suggests I should dig deeper into The Cure's catalogue.

3. Son Of Byford- Run D.M.C.

• "I was born son of Byford, brother of Al, bad as my mamma and Run's my pal, it's McDaniels, not McDonald's, these rhymes are Darryl's, those burgers are RONALD'S." It took a long time for hip hop to go from the streets of the south Bronx to the suburbs. Run D.M.C. helped pave the way in 1986 with their groundbreaking album "Raising Hell". Songs like "It's Tricky", "Peter Piper" and the built to crossover "Walk This Way" made Run D.M.C. household names beyond the rap community. In the song "Bring the Noise" Public Enemy's Chuck D asserted that "Run D.M.C. first said a DJ could be a band." While Run D.M.C. will readily admit that they built their structure around the Cold Crush Brothers, the point is not lost. Run D.M.C. provided the template for hip hop success- validation that hip hop artists could compete with rock acts. "Son of Byford" is a short acapella song featuring D.M.C. on vocals and some human beat boxing thrown in for good measure. I never caught Run D.M.C. in their prime, but I did catch them live in the early 2000s before the passing of legendary Jam Master Jay.

1. Louder Than a Bomb- Public Enemy

• "'Cause the D is for dangerous you can come and get some of this." " CIA, FBI all they tell us is lies, and when I say it they get alarmed 'cause I'm louder than a bomb." Public Enemy took hip hop to new heights in 1988 with their groundbreaking LP "It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back". "Louder Than a Bomb" like a number of songs on the album ("Bring the Noise, Rebel Without A Pause") is a musical call to arms. Chuck D speaks truth to power with every verse. I'm proud to say that my 1st concert was Public Enemy at the Philadelphia Spectrum in 1990. "Louder Than a Bomb" features amazing production from P.E.'s bomb squad and samples/references "It's Yours" by T La Rock. "It's Yours" is credited as the 1st single on Rick Rubin's Def Jam label and was also used years later by NaS on his debut "Illmatic". There is a great Jam Master Jay remix of "Louder Than a Bomb" on P.E.'s "Greatest Misses" album (R.I.P. JMJ).

2. Just In Time- Marvin Gaye

• "I was lost, the losing dice were tossed, my bridges all were crossed, no where to go, now you're here, now I know just where I'm going, no more doubt or fears I've found my way, for love came just in time." It may surprise some to know that R&B star Marvin Gaye wanted to make a career out of singing jazz standards. He wanted to be a crooner. Before his untimely death he told his biographer- "I never wanted to shake my ass... I wanted to sit on a stool and sing soft love songs." "Just In Time" is a Dean Martin standard from "Marvin Gaye at the Copa", a live album recorded in the 60s but made available for the 1st time in 2005. Marvin sounds perfectly at home belting out "Just in Time" with a big band horn section swinging behind him. "Marvin Gaye at the Copa" shows Marvin's versatility as a singer. He's able to pull off the jazz big band sound. Can we imagine Perry Como trying to sing "Sexual Healing" or "Let's Get it On"?

3. Simple Twist Of Fate- Bob Dylan

• "A saxophone someplace far off played, as she was walkin' by the arcade, as the light bust through a beat-up shade where he was wakin' up, she dropped a coin into the cup of a blind man at the gate, and forgot about a simple twist of fate." In 1975 Bob Dylan released "Blood On The Tracks" which stands up as one of his best collection of songs. Songs like "Shelter From The Storm", "Tangled Up In Blue", "If You See Her Say Hello" (to name a few) are as good as anything Dylan ever recorded. "Simple Twist of Fate" is classic Dylan- a great acoustic number with harmonica, great vocals and minimal production. It is hard to imagine a more successful/influential songwriter than Dylan ever coming along. Speaking of great songwriters, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy recorded a great version of "Simple Twist of Fate" on the "I'm Not There" soundtrack. This song belongs on your iPod.

1. Chain Gang- Sam Cooke

• "All day long they work so hard till the sun is goin' down, working on the highways and byways and wearing, wearing a frown, you hear them moanin' their lives away then you hear somebody say..." Rolling Stone magazine recently came out with a list of the 100 greatest singers of all time with Sam Cooke ranking 4th. Sam is probably my 2nd favorite singer of all time (behind only Marvin Gaye) so that ranking sounds about right. His voice is soul music. "Chain Gang" with it's "oohs" and "ahs" paints the brutal story of forced labor. Some critics feel that Cooke's sweet voice undercuts the intended tone of the song but I've always felt that his voice held a distinct sad quality. Even in upbeat songs like "Having a Party" the sadness is audible. Sam Cooke was taken from us too soon- I guess it only takes one crazy hooker to shoot you. If you are looking for a great read-"You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke" is one of my favorite books of all time.

2. Strokin'- Clarence Carter

• "Let me ask you somethin'...What time of the day do you like to make love? Have you ever made love just before breakfast? Have you ever made love while you watched the late, late show?" Clarence Carter asks a good question, although I'm not sure there is a bad time of day for knocking boots. "Strokin'" is by far one of the funniest songs in my music collection. Any review I give won't do it justice- it must be heard. The song was released in the mid 80s and while the production doesn't hide that one bit, the song is timeless. "Strokin'" became a word of mouth novelty hit for the good doctor. On a side note, does "word of mouth" even exist anymore in our technology driven culture? "I stroke it to the east and I stroke it to the west, and I stroke it to the woman that I love the best, huh I be strokin'". Classic.

3. Foxy Lady- The Jimi Hendrix Experience

• "I wanna take you home, I wont do you no harm, no you've got to be all mine, all mine. Ooh, foxy lady." In the mid/late 1960s a Seattle guitarist named James Marshall Hendrix went across the pond to the UK in order to get discovered in the US. In 1967 his trio debuted with the album "Are You Experienced". It was the 1st album issued on the Track Records label, a label founded by the managers of The Who. The fact that The Who weren't the first group with a release on the new label didn't sit well with Who guitarist Pete Townshend and helped lead to his rivalry with Jimi Hendrix. "Foxy Lady" is the 1st song on the UK version of the "Are You Experienced" album and was rumored to be written about American model Heather Taylor (who would go on to marry The Who front man Roger Daltrey). Songs from "Are You Experienced" like "Foxy Lady" and "Manic Depression" would help define/redefine the 60s rock era. My favorite song on the album is the incomparable blues masterpiece "Red House".

1. Save Yourself- Rocco DeLuca & The Burden

• "Like a name you soon forget, ashes from your cigarette, like the nights that come and go, they go slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, slow." When this song 1st starts it could be confused with "My Sharona" by the Knack or "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar based on the drum/bass parts. By the time the chorus kicks in with slide guitars and wailing vocals you realize you have something quite different then the aforementioned songs. "Save Yourself" is featured on 2008's "Mercy" album. Ticketmaster provided this mp3 download and another Rocco DeLuca song to me for free-perhaps in hopes that I'd buy a ticket for one of their upcoming shows. That's not a bad marketing strategy given my love for live music. In this case I just wound up with a couple of free songs. I don't know much about Rocco DeLuca but anyone with an album named "I Trust You to Kill Me" is coming from a good place.

2. Rule of Three- The Lemonheads

• "The way it's supposed to be, when you're climbing up a tree, what is it that you see? And don't forget the rule of three, rule of three." In 2006 "The Lemonheads" released "The Lemonheads", their 1st release in 10 years. I put the band name in quotes given the fact that Evan Dando (guitar, lead vocals) is the only member on the album from any of the varied incarnations of the late 80s/90s rock band. "Rule of Three" is a straight forward rock number as is much of the material on "The Lemonheads" album. Though 10 years had passed since 1996's "Car Button Cloth" the album sounds and feels as though almost no time had passed. For me that is the strength of the album. There are competing definitions for the meaning of The Rule of Three, from an English literary device to Wiccan super karma (getting back what you give times 3). I'm more of a regular karma guy- you reap what you sow. The "Rule of Three" song lyrics don't hint towards either definition.

3. Stable Song- Death Cab For Cutie

• "Give us our measly sum, getting the air inside my lungs is heavenly, starting out with nothing but crippling doubt." Throughout the 2000's Death Cab For Cutie (or DCFC to some) have cornered the market on what I'd call "mope-rock". For some this would be music to slit your wrists to. The band's more recent material (2008's "Narrow Stairs") has been more upbeat (in tempo if not in tone). "Stable Song" closes out 2005's "Plans" which was a bit of a breakthrough for the band. "Plans" is most notable to me for the song "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" which is as beautiful a song as I've ever heard recorded. "Stable Song" is slow and would be plodding if it picked up the pace. It almost has a lullaby quality to it minus the occasional clanging guitar. Death Cab For Cutie's latest single "Meet Me On the Equinox" is the lead single from the "New Moon" (Twilight sequel) soundtrack. I imagine the new single will introduce the band to a wider/younger audience which is sure to annoy a segment of the band's long time fans.