Thursday, June 28, 2012

Nobody's Baby Now - Volume Two

           As summer is now clearly upon us, one's mind inevitably turns to pop music.   And even though Mad Men's fifth season is over, I thought another volume of 60s female singers pop and soul nuggets was in store. (The first volume can also still be downloaded, btw.)  And even though it's mostly lesser known artists, I couldn't resist including Francoise Hardy's Le Temps de L'Amour after watching Moonrise Kingdom.   (For those of you with an emusic subscription, several of the tracks came from a ridiculously cheap compilation entitled Cool 60s Girls (never mind the title).

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What a Lonely Way to Start the Summertime Bitter Sweet
Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya Sandpaper
Are You Getting Tired Of Your Little Toy Darlene Paul
My Kind Of Boy Mary Saenz
Weak Spot Ruby Johnson
A Whole New Plan Jo Ann Garrett
Babe I'm Leaving You The Levee Breakers
Hullabaloo Joey Heatherton
You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry Billie Davis
It's So Fine Dee King
Come On Baby Kim D
Nobody But Me Ann Cole
Le Temps de l'Amour Francoise Hardy
Train song Vashti
Hey Mama you've been on my mind Caravelles
I Can`t Let Go Evie Sands
Splendour in the Grass Gullivers People
Then Only Then Julie Grant
Try Love The Sparkles
Going Back Where I Belong Sugar Pie DeSanto
If There's Anything Else You Want (Let Me Know) Roddy Joy 
My Heart Cries Tawny Reed

Thursday, June 21, 2012

More Chris Gaffney: Chris Gaffney and the Cold Hard Facts/Mid Vida Loca



              After putting together the Chris Gaffney - Dave Alvin comp last week, I noticed that his first two releases were completely out of print.  Hopefully, they'll be reissued soon, but in the meantime, here they are in all their digital glory.  (Oh, and don't forget that Gaffney's Loser's Paradise is available as an mp3 download as is Gaffney's Live and Then Some.)

Chris Gaffney and the Cold Hard Facts


Lift Your Leg
King O' the Blues
The Gardens
Frank's Tavern
Glasshouse
I Was Just Feeling Good
Fight (Tonight's the Night)
Room 208
Accordiana
As Far as I'm Concerned
If I Had a Dream
Lonely Mile
Daddy's Little Girl


Mi Vida Loca

Silent Partner
Artesia
Get Off My Back Lucy
Six Nights A Week
'68
Waltz For Minnie
They Made A Mistake
Quiet Desperation
Psychotic Girlfriend
Mi Vida Loca
So Tired To Be Me
I Never Grew Up

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Dave Alvin & Chris Gaffney: Two Kings of California

   Chris Gaffney's 1995 album Loser's Paradise is one of those albums that you just find yourself playing over and over - first rate songwriting, nice sequencing of songs, solid backing musicians, and a great weathered honky-tonk voice.  It was also produced by Dave Alvin in the days when he seemed to be producing one out of every four alternative country albums.  Gaffney put out a fine live album "Live and Then Some" a few years later and then joined forces with Dave Gonzalez in the Hacienda Brothers who also released some excellent cds (I'm partial to their self-titled release).  Unfortunately, he passed away in 2008 after a bout with cancer.  I paired him with Dave Alvin for this comp given their long friendship, their fondness for songs about California, and well, because I thought they'd sound good together.

     Now, about the final song on the compilation.  It's the last thing Gaffney ever recorded.  He went in and sang the song which was to appear on a couple of friends' album (the guys who wrote the song) even though he was quite sick at the time (he died 3 weeks later).  A year later, when the friends found out that a Gaffney tribute album was being put together, they told Dave Alvin out about the song and ultimately it ended up on the tribute album - The Man of Somebody's Dreams.  (You can read the full story here.)  Anyway, I understand if you think it's kind of morbid, but it is really moving and a truly sublime performance.

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King of California Dave Alvin
Artesia Chris Gaffney
Alchoholidays Chris Gaffney & The Cold Hard Facts
Johnny Ace Is Dead Dave Alvin
Look Into The Future Hacienda Brothers
These Times We're Living In Dave Alvin
Ashgrove Dave Alvin
She's Gone Hacienda Brothers
La Frontera I Dave Alvin & Steve Berlin
Two Lucky Bums Dave Alvin
My Baby's Got A Dead Man's Number Chris Gaffney
Fade To Grey Chris Gaffney & The Cold Hard Facts
Laurel Lynn Dave Alvin
The Last Time Hacienda Brothers
Don't Talk About Her Dave Alvin
California's Burning Dave Alvin
Guitars Of My Dead Friends Chris Gaffney

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Another Taste of Caetano

         I posted a Caetano Veloso mixtape about a year ago (which you can still download).  A couple of weeks ago, I started reading his book The Tropical Truth - which is half autobiography, half history of Brazilian music - so I thought it was high time to make another mixtape especially since his 2004 concert at Carnegie Hall with David Byrne was finally released a few months ago.  (Btw, the leadoff track is a cut from that album.)

Download

Dreamworld: Marco de Canaveses
Anunciacao
A Tua Presença Morena
Coqueiro De Itapoã
Love For Sale
Onde eu Nasci Passa um Rio
Os Outros Romanticos
It's a Long Road
Escapulario
Torno A Repetir
Let's Face the Music and Dance
Rita / Esse Cara
Desde Que O Samba à Samba
Lindeza
Nega Maluca
Trilhos Urbanos
Coração Materno
Let It Bleed