Wednesday, December 29, 2010

On the Right Side of 2010

I haven't come up with any new year's resolutions yet, but I am proud of myself for putting together my best of 2010 compilation before year's end. :) (And like last year, all the mp3s are tagged with the name of the album they come from.) Happy 2011 to everyone!


The Game Gets Old Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Iwo Ko La Dami Tunji Oyelana and The Benders
When The Sun Don't Shine Best Coast
Everyone But You The Young Veins
Barstool Night Driving in Small Towns
Radio Gal Paul Burch
El Dorado Jim Lauderdale
Bring It On The Gaslight Anthem
The Lady And The Rose Los Lobos
Cirandar Seu Jorge and Almaz
Chicas Kamikaze Matorralman
Bang Bang Bang Mark Ronson & The Business Intl
Come Alive [War Of The Roses] Janelle Monae
Unbroken, Unshaven The Budos Band
Zebra Beach House
Small Craft On A Milk Sea Brian Eno
The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart) Ryan Bingham
The Reason Why My Heart's in Misery Lay Low
See You Tonight Volebeats
Nothing Was Stolen (Love Me Foolishly) Phosphorescent

Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Talk of the Townes - Disc Two

As promised, here's a second batch of Townes Van Zandt cover tunes.


If I Needed You Christina Kulukundis
Delta Momma Blues Steve Earle
Heavenly Houseboat Blues Christian Kjellvander
Flyin' Shoes Lyle Lovett
Pancho and Lefty Gillian Welch
Sanitarium Blues Garry Heffern & The Walkabouts
Cowboy Junkies Lament Cowboy Junkies
Tecumseh Valley Nanci Griffith
Loretta John Prine
White Freight Liner Blues J.D. Crowe
Buckskin Stallion Blues Mudhoney/Jimmy Dale Gilmore
To Live Is to Fly Thomas Denver Jonsson
Why She's Acting This Way Phosphorescent
Catfish Song Richard Buckner

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Talk of the Townes


Since I did a Tom Waits tribute last year (here and here), I figured I'd spotlight another great songwriter this year. This time, it's the Texas troubador, Townes Van Zandt. Now, Townes songs may not lend themselves to quite the stylistic variations that Waits' do, but they're still some pretty dandy songs. I should point out that there are some pretty good Townes compilations already out there (There's a Hole in Heaven Where Some Sin Gets Through, Introducing the Townes Van Zandt via The Great Unknown, Poet, as well a nice homemade mixtape at the website whenyouawake.com, all of which I took a couple of tracks from.) So it's hardly an original idea, but I hope folks still like it. I'll post Disc Two next week.


Snake Song Emmylou Harris
Our Mother the Mountain Great Lake Swimmers
For the Sake of the Song Azure Ray
Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold Robert Earl Keen
Rex's Blues Carrie Rodriguez
I'll Be Here In The Morning Jerry Jeff Walker
Que Te Vaya Bien, Miss Carrusel Nacho Vegas
Snowing on Raton Rosalie Sorrels
No Place To Fall Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
Rake Rhonda Harris
Colorado Girl Devendra Banhart
Snake Mountain Blues Hero Horns
Waiting Around To Die The Be Good Tanyas
My Proud Mountains John T. Van Zandt

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Billie Holiday and Elis Regina - Diva a Deux


While I don't necessarily worship at the altar of Billie Holiday and Elis Regina, I do like 'em both quite a bit. And I was inspired to put 'em together by Arthur Phillips novel The Song is You where there are fairly lengthy disquisitions on both of them (and a particular version of Billie Holiday's I Cover the Waterfront is of great importance to the novel's protagonist). Of course, then, I had to start the mix with I Cover the Waterfront.


I Cover The Waterfront Billie Holiday
Nova Estação Elis Regina
Aviso aos Navegantes Elis Regina
Too Marvelous For Words Billie Holiday
Vida de Bailarina Elis Regina
You Go To My Head Billie Holiday
Me, Myself And I Billie Holiday
Triste Elis Regina
Speak Low Billie Holiday
Aquarela do Brasil Elis Regina
I Wished On The Moon Billie Holiday
Atrás Da Porta Elis Regina
Pois E Elis Regina
Tenderly Billie Holiday
Tatuagem (Tattoo) Elis Regina
You've Changed Billie Holiday
Alô, Alô, Marciano, Marciano Elis Regina
They Can't Take That Away From Me Billie Holiday
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm Billie Holiday
�guas De Marco Elis Regina

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Lonesome Bob - Things Fall Apart


Looking back, it's a little hard to believe there was such a thing as an alt-country bandwagon in the mid to late 90s. And it's even harder to believe that certain artists and bands were criticized for jumping on said bandwagon. :) Now, to be sure, there was some alt-country dross back in those salad days, as there is with any genre. But I do hope that folks appreciate that there was a lot of good stuff. Prominent among the really "good stuff" is Lonesome Bob's 1997 debut album, Things Fall Apart. (His second album, Things Change, is almost as good.) Unconscionably, it's now out of print, so I thought I'd post it tonight.


Love Is Not Blind
Do You Think About Me?
Point Of No Return
Waltzing On The Titanic
Different Shades Of Gray
What Went Wrong
My Mother's Husband
Heaven's Gate
Too Much Time
Someone Watching Over Me
The Plans We Made
Call My Name
Sleepless Nites