Plant/Krause

As I leave on vacation, I post to you a wonderful take on one of my favorite songs. This was from London on Robert Plant and Allison Krause's current tour together. Great stuff! See you in a week...

Summer's Here and the Time is Right....

Ahh...Summer. Maybe it's because I live in the Mid-West, but I appreciate summer more and more each year. It's 85 and sunny outside today and I couldn't be happier. The Cubs are in first place, woman are wearing less clothes, and I get to ride my sweet new motorcycle! Life is good. Another facit of summer is that most music just sounds better when the air is warm and the sun is shining. As I leave for a week of vacation, I thought I would throw up 20 songs that should make your sunny day even brighter. So put on some sunscreen, crank up the speakers, and enjoy the tunes.

Go Cubs!!

Side A

Side B

My Morning Jacket Rock Bonnaroo!

If I was only 18 years younger, I'm pretty sure last weekend I would have been in Manchester, TN at the amazing Bonnaroo Festival. And one of the bands I would have rocked out to would have been the fantastic My Morning Jacket. By all accounts, the band totally owned the festival, playing a 4-hour show featuring covers by the likes of Sly and the Family Stone and Motley Crue. Listen to all the goodness below with a killer audience recording by Brian Hadella.

My Morning Jacket-Bonnaroo Festival, 2008
Set 1:
Evil Urges
Off the Record
Gideon
Hot Fun (Sly & the Family Stone)
Highly Suspicious
What a Wonderful Man
I'm Amazed
Thank You Too!
Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt.1
Sec Walkin
Golden
Two Halves
Lay Low
Hit It And Quit It
Tyrone
Steam Engine
Anytime
Aluminum Park
Easy Morning Rebel
Dancefloors
One Big Holiday

Set 2:
Cold Sweat
Get Down On It
Across 110th Street
Wordless Chorus
Phone Went West
Mahgeetah
Oh Sweet Nuthin
Librarian
Bermuda Highway
Dondante
Run Thru
Smokin from Shootin
Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt.2

Encore:
Home Sweet Home

Class Clown-R.I.P. George Carlin

Ok, so I'll be 1,000,001 blog to post about the passing of George Carlin. You know why? Because the guy did more to shape my worldview then any other public figure I can think of. I vividly remember my young, impressionable self sifting through my step-father's album collection and pulling out Carlin's-"Class Clown". After the final track on Side 2 ended ("Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television"), I was forever changed. (Carlin was arrested in 1972 at Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI for doing that exact bit.) After listening to some Carlin, I felt as if I was seeing the world in color instead of the black and white I was used to.

It is easy to take for granted now, but Carlin redefined what you could and couldn't talk about in public. Following in Lenny Bruce's footsteps, George Carlin had no desire to keep things safe and pleasant for his audience. While he was ALWAYS funny, his material usually had a serious tone to it. It wasn't always sweet and it wasn't always easy to hear. This is what made him so special for me. His disdain for materialism, group think, religious hypocrisy, politicians, etc, always fueled his fire. His complete social awareness made him the most fascinating comic of our time. Every comic onstage today railing against something owes everything to Carlin.

To quote my friend Jeff Davis, the world is a lot less funny today. And a lot less challenged. Rest in peace George.

Gloomy Wednesday

Here's some doom and gloom for your Wednesday. A killer 1979 two song blast from one of my favorite bands ever-Joy Division. If you ever wondered what all the fuss was about, put on some black clothes, light some candles, and check this clip out. Truly intense stuff....

Sonic Youth and Starbucks??

In the 22 years I have been a Sonic Youth fan, I don't think I've had a bad word to say about them....until now. It appears the rumors are true and Sonic Youth have allowed the Mc-Coffee chain Starbucks to sell a Sonic mix CD titled "Hits Are For Squares". Ever wondered what Diablo Cody and Michelle Williams' favorite Sonic Youth tracks are? Me either, but now you can find out while sipping your burnt, over roasted, and overpriced Venti.

Sonic Youth guitarist/vocalist Thurston Moore comments: “I kind of like the absurdity of it.” “I thought it would be interesting to have a CD available in a store like Starbucks, where the casual consumer can sort of have access to [our music] more readily.”

Um, yeah whatever. It's certainly absurd a band that has made a career out of making amazing anti-establishment art has allowed this crass sell out to occur. I guess if Bob Dylan can shill for Cadillac and Victoria's Secret than why not Sonic Youth? Every time I think nothing can surprise me anymore, something like this comes along and makes me rethink everything. Wasn't there a NEW "Rambo" movie released this year?! Yikes.

But fear not intrepid readers because all is not lost. The package comes with a rad Kim Gorden-on-acid vocal on a brand new Sonic Youth track called "Slow Revolution". Dig the CD track listing and new tune below while you're sipping your (hopefully) locally-owned brewed coffee!

“Bull In The Heather,” selected by Catherine Keener
“Sugar Kane,” selected by Beck
“100%,” selected by Mike D
“Kool Thing,” selected by Radiohead
“Disappearer,” selected by Portia De Rossi
“Superstar,” selected by Diablo Cody
“Stones,” selected by Allison Anders
“Tuff Gnarl,” selected by Dave Eggers and Mike Watt
“Teenage Riot,” selected by Eddie Vedder
“Shadow Of A Doubt,” selected by Michelle Williams
“Rain On Tin,” selected by Flea
“Tom Violence,” selected by Gus Van Zant
“Mary-Christ,” selected by David Cross
“World Looks Red,” selected by Chloe Sevigny
“Expressway To Yr Skull,” selected by Flaming Lips

Sonic Youth-Slow Revolution

New Sigur Ros!

So my favorite Icelandic band is back with a new disc produced by the amazing Flood, and it couldn't sound any better. The title is "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust" which translates in English into the awesome "With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly".

Describing Sigur Ros music is just silly and does a great disservice to the emotional impact their music can have on you. Let's just say they do not sing in any language you can understand and let's just say you will not care. I can say that this new disc is much less atmospheric and brooding then previous efforts. While many fans will not find that to be a good thing, I think it is a great leap forward for the band. I was very disappointed with the last release (Taak...) and wondered if their formula has officially run it's course. There were only so many 12 minutes songs repeating the same words over and over a listener can digest.

I'm only 3 passes through this and I can safely say it will be one of my most played of 2008. Hear it for yourself below....
http://www.sigurros.com/main/streaming.asp

Baby Baby Baby!

Is there anything in the world better than babies? There is something simply amazing about a new unaware, innocent child being brought into this world. Well, some of my best friends ever have a new addition to their family; Mara Jade (no relation). She's just about the cutest thing you'll ever see.

So in honer of babies, parents, and new life; here is a mix I put together. Holly, this one is especially for you.

R.I.P.-Earle H. Hagen

I just found out that Earle Hagen passed away last week at the age of 88. Who is the world is Earle H. Hagen you ask? He is the longtime composer responsible for one of my all time favorite pieces of music; The Dick Van Dyke show theme. The tune never ceeses to put a smile on my face and when I hear it; waves of childhood memories come flooding in. He also is the whistling genious behind the theme to The Andy Griffith Show.

Thanks Earle!!!