The True Ways of Tim Easton

At the Sadies show I went to last week, I was talking with someone about their lack of commercial success. I reasoned then that if they had been around 30-40 years ago, they probably would have had a hit single at some point. I still think that's partly true, but I also think that it's pretty much impossible for any band (i.e. most of what's called alternative country) to straddle the rock and country genres today whereas that wasn't the case in the 70s.* Case in point is tonight's featured artist - Mr. Tim Easton. He's put out five great solo albums (Okay, Ammunition isn't that great, but Porcupine is a real nice return to form), but I think the fact that his songs are "kinda" twangy has unfortunately limited his commercial success. On that note, if you're new to Tim Easton and like what you hear, I'd start with either Special 20 or Break Your Mother's Heart. (All of his stuff is also available on e-music, with the exception of his Haynes Boys album).

* Yes, there's Wilco, but only their first two albums can really be called alternative country.

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Just Like Home

Baltimore

Burgundy Red

Get Some Lonesome

Jackie

Amor Azul

Hummingbird

Before The Revolution

Stormy

I Wish You Well

Bitters Past

All the Pretty Girls Leave Town

Troublesome Kind

I Would Have Married You

True Ways

Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha

Just in case you need more early 60s music after last week's post, here's another homage to that period. Of course, not all of the songs are from that era, but all (or just about all) have that vibe. In particular, there's a lot of Latin flavored stuff given the significant Latin influence on popular music during the 50s and early 60s. Fix yourself a caipirinha and enjoy.

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Thirteen Men Miss Ann-Margret

Mood Tattooed Les Baxter's Drums

Caravan The John Buzon Trio

Come Di 8 & ½ Souvenirs

Miami Beach Rhumba Xavier Cugat And His Orchestra

Pizziricco The Mavericks

Here Comes That Man Again Kirsty MacColl

Latin Golightly Henry Mancini & His Orchestra

El Nino Prodigio Orquestra Melodias Del 40

Cool Lou Busch & His Orchestra

If You're Goin' To The City Mose Allison

Twisted Lambert, Hendricks & Ross

Complicacion Tito Puente & His Orchestra

Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha Sam Cooke

Fascinating Rhythm Don Ralke & His Orchestra

Just You, Just Me Katharine Whalen

Big Foot Baby Carl Sonny Leyland

Pretty As A Moonbeam Irving Fields Trio

Deus Brasiliero Marcos Valle

Soul Sauce (Guacha Guaro) Cal Tjader

I'm Hip Blossom Dearie

Blue Rumba Rolley Polley

Moanin' Ray Charles

Bright Lights And Blonde Haired Women Ray Price

Ain't That A Kick In The Head Dean Martin

Dreaming With Jimmy and Roy

Like a lot of other folks, I’m really looking forward to the 4^th season of Mad Men starting next Sunday. In addition to the writing, acting, clothing, etc., I like the fact that it’s set in the early 60s (though I imagine the 4^th season will begin at some point in 1964). One of the things I find interesting about the time period is that you saw relatively little nostalgia for the era up until the mid/late 90s (the pretty brief Rat Pack/Swingers infatuation). See, my pop culture theory is that nostalgia for a time period is that it usually takes about 20 years – since the people who were 15-16 at the time are now 35-36 and capable of writing about it.

Now, I don’t really have any good explanations for why the early 60s defies this theory. Perhaps part of it may be attributed to the old canard that rock music died during this period (until the Beatles and Stones brought it back to life). Just to be clear, I cancelled my subscription to that canard a long time ago as I like a lot of the popular music from that time period. In particular, I’ve always liked the operatic quality a lot of that music had, exemplified by Roy Orbison and, on the jazz side, Jimmy Scott. It’s that operatic quality they both share, as well as the fact that they have so many so songs about dreams that I thought they’d go together well in a mixtape. (P.S. I cheated a little and used some of their material that wasn’t recorded in the early 1960s. Remember, I don’t have to be as historically accurate as Mad Men.)

Disc One

In Dreams Roy Orbison

Street Of Dreams Jimmy Scott

My Prayer Roy Orbison

Stay With Me Jimmy Scott

Things That Are Love Jimmy Scott

The Actress Roy Orbison

Imagination Jimmy Scott

Shahdaroba Roy Orbison

The Crowd Roy Orbison

If I Should Lose You Jimmy Scott

Sweet Dreams Roy Orbison

I Have Dreamed Jimmy Scott

I Had A Love Once Jimmy Scott

Leah Roy Orbison

Dream Jimmy Scott

Disc Two

If You Are But A Dream Jimmy Scott

Lonely Wine Roy Orbison

Distant Dreams Roy Orbison

I Wish I Knew Jimmy Scott

Love Hurts Roy Orbison

There Is No Greater Love Jimmy Scott

Why Try to Change Me Now Jimmy Scott

The Great Pretender Roy Orbison

Don't Take Your Love From Me Jimmy Scott

Blue Angel Roy Orbison

What Good Would It Be Jimmy Scott

She Wears My Ring Roy Orbison

Beautiful Dreamer Roy Orbison

Unchained Melody Jimmy Scott

Dream Roy Orbison

Still Tripping on The Sadies - Volume 2

Since I'm hoping to go see The Sadies in a couple of weeks (and because they've just put out a great new cd Darker Circles), I thought it was time put together another Sadies mixtape (the first one is here). This one includes tracks from a couple of cds (Jon Langford's Mayors of the Moon and John Doe's Country Club) where The Sadies are basically the backing band.

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Ten More Songs

One Million Songs

Snow Squadron

Cheat

Tiger Tiger

Rat Creek

Strange Birds

I Tried Not To

Anna Leigh

The Bug Jar

The Starlight

Yours To Discover

Why Be So Curious (Part 3)

Whispering Circles

The Horseshoe

Stinking Creek

Glass Of Wine

Solitaire Song

Stop The World And Let Me Off

Lay Down Your Arms

Another Wave of Old School Reggae

As I noted last year when I put together an old school reggae mixtape, reggae seems to have acquired a bad reputation at some point in the 90s. I'm not sure exactly why, but perhaps it was people angry with their roommates playing Bob Marley's Legend (the huge selling greatest hits collection that inexplicably featured some pretty wretched versions of his songs). At any rate, I hope this doesn't deter anyone from enjoying this mixtape (or any other non-Legend Bob Marley) :)

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Coming in Hot Peter Tosh

Peace Love and Understanding The Gaylads

Things & Time Wailing Soul

Leggo Beast Steel Pulse

Keep On Moving UB40

True True True Ken Parker

I Fell In Love The Conquerors

Show Me That You Love Me Sugar Minott

On and On Aswad

Police & Thieves Junior Murvin

Come on Home Joe Higgs

Me And You Carlton And The Shoes

Chatty Chatty People Ranking

Natty Kung Fu Dillinger

Sooner or Later Jimmy Cliff

Samala Toure Kunda

Love the One You're With Phillis Dillon

Coming In From The Cold Bob Marley & The Wailers