All the Red in China - The Sam Phillips Collection

I’ve always really liked what Sam Phillips said about her decision to switch from Christian music to secular stuff. I can’t quite remember the exact quote, but the essence was “I’m writing about what’s in the light, rather than writing about ‘the light’”. Secular or not, Sam is an incredibly affecting singer – her singing River of Love (from The Turning, her last Christian music album) in 1989 at CBGB’s is one of my all time concert highlights. For this week's post, I've put together two 15 song mixtapes spanning Sam’s career. (And if you’re just discovering the wonder that is Sam Phillips and want more, more, more -  I’d start with either The Indescribable Wow or Cruel Inventions – they’re both gems that hold up incredibly well 20 years after they were released.) Oh, and she’s no relation to the legendary Sun Records producer Sam Phillips – I think Sam was her nickname as a child.

Download Disc One

The Fan Dance
Disappearing Act
Flame
Remorse
Love Is Not Lost
Baby I Can't Please You
I Wanna Be Your Man
Plastic Is Forever
Red Silk Five
You Fascinate Me So
Black Sky
Little Plastic Life
Zero Zero Zero!
Cruel Inventions
Out of Time

Download Disc Two

Love & Kisses
She Can't Tell Time
You Lost My Mind
These Boots are Made for Walking
Entertainmen
Infiltration
If I Could Write
What Do I Do
Flowers Up
Tell Her What She Wants To Know
Hole In Time
Private Storm
Slapstick Heart
Soul Eclipse
River of Love

Whiskey, Lies, and Tears at Joy Lynn and Jann's

Back in the salad days of the 90s, there was a debate about whether or not alternative country was just bands like Wilco, Old 97s, and Whiskeytown or if it also included country acts that were "too country" for country radio. Personally, I was kind of a "big tent" guy. Hence, this week's mixtape features Joy Lynn White and Jann Browne - a couple of great country female singers whose major label releases in the 90s never quite caught on with a mass audience even though they certainly deserved to. They're both still making music (Jann's 2007 Buck Owens tribute album is dandy) and doing the occasional live dates (Joy Lynn in Nashville and Jann in Los Angeles) but it's a shame neither of them ever made it big.

Download

Love's Gonna Live Here Jann Browne

Try Not To Be So Lonely Joy Lynn White

It Only Hurts When I Laugh Jann Browne

Wild Love Joy Lynn White

Tell Me Why Jann Browne

The One You Slip Around With Jann Browne

Little Tears Joy Lynn White

Playgirl (playboy) Jann Browne

Looking For You Looking For Me Joy Lynn White

Heart You Can't Ignore Jann Browne

I Doubt If It Does To You Joy Lynn White

Life's Just Too Short Joy Lynn White

One Tired Man Jann Browne

Girls With Apartments In Nashville Joy Lynn White

Where The Sidewalk Ends Jann Browne

Let`s Talk About Love Again Joy Lynn White

Blue Heart In Memphis Jann Browne

Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache) Jann Browne

Whiskey, Lies And Tears Joy Lynn White

'Til A Tear Becomes A Rose Jann Browne

I Lost It Joy Lynn White

A Rendezvous With The dB's

As I was making this dB's comp, I started to kick myself for not going to see them when they did a reunion show a couple of years back. I think I had something to do that night, but still....Anyway, if this your first introduction to the great jangle rock (is that term still used?), all the dB's releases (except Paris Avenue) are available to buy as downloads at Amazon. Now, I know the power pop aficionados tend to prefer Stands for Decibels and Repercussion, but I’m personally partial to their third release Like This.

Download

Neverland

Not Cool

Tell Me Two Times

Tearjerkin'

Never Say When

Working For Somebody Else

She Got Soul

From a Window to a Screen

Barometers, Thermometers

Molly Says

Bad Reputation

Soul Kiss (Part One)

Black and White

A Spy in the House of Love

Lonely Is (As Lonely Does)

Ride The Roller Coaster

Cycles Per Seconds

Rendezvous

Sharon

Modern Boys & Girls

Amplifier