Monday, December 30, 2013

On the Right Side of 2013

     Perhaps it's a character flaw of mine, but I rarely reflect at the end of the year on whether or not it's been a good year.  (I used to have New Years resolutions, but I gave that up as well a long time ago.)  And it's a bit tragicomic that the fact that it was a good year for music (which is why the compilation is two discs this year) got me thinking about whether or not it was also a good year in, you know, other ways.

    Anyway, with respect to the music, I do want to point out that 1) I don't include any artist/band who appeared on my best of 2011 or 2012 compilation and 2) these are not necessarily cuts from my favorite albums, but rather 30 songs I liked from this year.  That said, I would like to mention one of my favorite releases from this year, Daniel Romano's Come Cry With Me.  The only reason there's no cut from the album on the compilation is because I went with Romano's duet with Weather Station.  Oh, and 3) I just realized that I forgot to tag the mp3s with the album they appear on.  But that does not excuse folks from not seeking out an artist whose song you like. :)

        Lastly, here's to a great 2014 - musically and otherwise.

Disc One

Sun, Arise! (An Invocation, An Introduction) Phosphorescent
Tomorrow Is Forever The Weather Station (w/Daniel Romano)
Twined & Twisted Valerie June
You Know I Won't Sam Phillips
Lickety Split Tim Easton
30 and Up Aceyalone
Gimme A Knife Wavves
Who Have I Become? Best Coast
Back In Your Arms Again The Mavericks
The Gypsy The James Hunter Six
Snake Chapman's Tune Robbie Fulks
Vegas Polica
Relatively Easy Jason Isbell
Lived and Died Alone Lindi Ortega
On A Balcony Okkervil River

Disc Two

Lightning Bolt Jake Bugg
Master of My Craft Parquet Courts
Troublemaker Camera Obscura
Mind Games Leagues
European Me Johnny Marr
City Swan Neko Case
Coming Through Willis Earl Beal (w/Cat Power)
Cheater's Game Kelly Willis And Bruce Robison
Bakersfield Son Volt
Ride Wayne Hancock
Uncle Ace Blood Orange
Tempest Lucius
Lay Myself Down Mazzy Star
Sorrow Tears + Blood Kronos Quartet, Kyp Malone, Tunde Adebimpe + Stuart Bogie
Oh, Mama Aoife O'Donovan




Monday, December 23, 2013

Going Back to the Crescent City


    The HBO series Treme concludes its four season run next week.  I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I've grown really fond of the show - especially the music and the depiction of the New Orleans music scene on the show.  I thought it only fitting, therefore, to put together a couple of mixtapes culled from the out of print Crescent City Soul boxset which covers the time period 1947-1974.  The one exception is the last song on disc 2, Indian Red by the Baby Dodds Trio, a favorite from one of the 2nd season episodes.

Disc One

New Orleans Twist Blazer Boy
Come On Earl King
Let the Four Winds Blow Roy Brown
I'm Slippin' In Spiders
I'll Be the Bee Ruth & Al
Over You Aaron Neville
It Keeps Rainin' Fats Domino
Who Drank My Beer While I Was In the Rear Dave Bartholomew
Sittin' and Wonderin' Jesse Allen
Toy Bell Bees
I Know Barbara George
She Put the Hurt on Me Prince La La
It Will Stand Showmen
Shame, Shame, Shame Smiley Lewis
Help Yourself Diamond Joe
3 x 7 = 21 Jewel King
Lipstick Traces Benny Spellman
Ruler of My Heart Irma Thomas


Mardi Gras in New Orleans Professor Longhair
Shake Shake Baby Archibald
Grumblin' Fussin' Nag Nag Del Royals
Looped Tommy Ridgley
I'll  Gonna Be A Wheel Someday Bobby Mitchell
One Night Shirley Lewis
A Certain Girl Ernie K-Doe
I Want Somebody Tommy Taylor
I Just Want You Bobby Charles
Valley of Tears Calvin Lee
It Won't Be Me Lee Diamond
Tiddle Winks Allen & Allen
Jumpin' Tonight Joe Turner
Ain't Got No Home Clarence "Frogman" Henry
Workin' In the Coal Mine Lee Dorsey
 Cissy Strut The Meters
Whip It On Me Jessie Hill
My Indian Red Baby Dodds Trio