Saturday, September 30, 2023

I Hear an Angel Singing: The Obscurantist Guide to Angel Olsen

      I’ve loved Angel Olsen’s music ever since I heard Burn Your Fire for No Witness  nearly ten years ago.   However, if someone had told me that her 2022 release “Big Time” was her version of a country soul record before I actually listened to it, I think I still would have been more than a little skeptical.   You know, it sounds like a pretentious chef on a sitcom describes doing an “Asian fusion take on chocolate chip pancakes”. But the album is absolutely exquisite - I had no clue just how much I needed an Angel Olsen country soul album. In my entranced state over the last year, I did a full dig into her eclectic catalog, including a lot of live versions and appearances on other artist’s albums.  However, I didn't include any of her work on Bonnie Prince Billy's albums from the early 2010s as it's mostly her on background vocals.  Enjoy!!


                                              Disc 1

Since You Broke My Heart

Angel Olsen

More Than This

Angel Olsen

My Last Date (With You)

Angel Olsen

You're Gonna Be Sorry

Angel Olsen

Forever Young

Angel Olsen

Stranger's Kiss

Alex Cameron(w/Angel Olsen)

Forgiven/Forgotten

Angel Olsen

Sweet Dreams

Angel Olsen

Never Be Mine

Angel Olsen

wildfire

Angel Olsen

Greenville

Angel Olsen

Winter

Angel Olsen

Oblivion

Chivalrous Amoekons

Heartstruck (Wild Hunger)

Hamilton Leithauser and Angel Olsen

Who's Sorry Now

Angel Olsen

Right Now

Angel Olsen

                                              Disc 2

Walls

Angel Olsen (and Hand Habits)

One Too Many Mornings

Angel Olsen

True Blue

Mark Ronson w/Angel Olsen

All Mirrors

Angel Olsen

Fly On Your Wall

Angel Olsen

Mr. Lonely

Angel Olsen & Emile Mosseri

Drunk and with Dreams

Angel Olsen

Halfway To Paradise

Angel Olsen

Cold Blooded Old Times

Angel Olsen

Sidetracked In Miami

Tim Kinsella (w/Angel Olsen)

Free

Angel Olsen

The Blacksmith

Angel Olsen

Something on Your Mind

Angel Olsen

My Reverie

Angel Olsen

Nothing's Free

Angel Olsen

Alive and Dying (Waving, Smiling)

Angel Olsen

 


Monday, September 4, 2023

The Derailers' "Reverb Deluxe" and Joy Lynn White's "The Lucky Few"

      I was listening to several Joy Lynn White and Derailers  albums recently and was curious if their albums were still available on streaming.   I was quite surprised when I found out that the albums I consider their respective best (The Derailers' Reverb Deluxe and Joy Lynn White's The Lucky Few) are both out of print, even as all of their other releases are available for streaming.  So I felt it my duty to post two of the finest  alternative country releases in 1997 - if I was doing a best of from that year, they would definitely make the top ten.  Enjoy.


Just One More Time
Lover's Lie
California Angel
Can't Stop A Train
I Don't Believe I'll Fall In Love (Today)
Pawnshop Wedding Rings
No One To Talk To But The Blues
Dull Edge Of The Blade
Ellen
Tears In Your Eyes
It's Too Late
You Don't Have To Go
Painful Days And Sleepless Nights
Come Back / Raspberry Beret


Too Big for This Town
Try Not to Be So Lonely
Why Do I Love You
I Doubt If It Does to You
It's About Me
I Just Wanted to See You So Bad
It's Better This Way
The Lucky Few
Life's Just Too Short
I Lost It

Sunday, July 23, 2023

More Covers of the Rolling Stones

    I hope it's not overkill, but I thought it was necessary to have a different cover of Satisfaction in each volume, especially as I just couldn't see leaving either the Devo or Otis Redding version out.  Also, while I was putting together these comps, I went back and listened to a lot of Stones albums, some of which I hadn't listened to in a long time - growing up listening to classic rock radio in the 70s kind of burns one out on just about any classic rock song that's in heavy rotation (for years and years...).  Anyway, I have to say that I came away newly impressed by how well the Stones transitioned into the disco era of the late 70's.  Some Girls, Emotional Rescue, and Tattoo You  aren't my favorite Stones albums, but, they still sound like a band following their muse, rather than a band just trying desperately to follow a trend.  I mean, I'm not gonna name any bands, but.....some releases from rock artists in the late 1970s and early 1980s were pretty dreckful.  

   Anyway, hope folks like this third volume.

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Backstreet Girl

Lambchop

Loving Cup

The Bittersweets

Angie

Womack And Womack

Fool To Cry

Tegan & Sara

Honky Tonk Women

The Flying Burrito Brothers

19th Nervous Breakdown

Jason & The Scorchers

Brown Sugar

Alice Russell

Sister Morphine

Ren Harvieu

As Tears Go By

Marianne Faithfull

Ventilator Blues

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

Gimme Shelter

Cal Tjader

Paint It Black

The Feelies

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Devo

Saturday, July 1, 2023

Leave No Stones Song Uncovered: A Tribute to the Rolling Stones

      Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are both turning 80 this year (July 26 and December 18, respectively) so I thought it only appropriate to put together a Rolling Stones tribute.  Perhaps maybe I should have done a compilation of songs the Rolling Stones recorded themselves, but I still find that a compilation of covers almost always gives me a better appreciation of the musicians' artistry and songwriting ability.  Even though there are very few covers on this compilation that I definitively prefer to the Rolling Stones' versions (and I shan't say which ones), but they all have their charms and hearing the song in a different voice often enhances my fondness for the original.  Anyway, hope you like them and I'll post a Volume 3 next week 

  Download both volumes

  Volume One

Dead Flowers

Townes Van Zandt

She Smiled Sweetly

Billy Bragg

No Expectations

Odetta

Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind

Vashti Bunyan

Jumpin' Jack Flash

Ananda Shankar

Mother's Little Helper

Liz Phair

Let's Spend The Night Together

Joe Simon

Satisfaction

Otis Redding

Aqui En Mi Nube

Sonia

Play With Fire

The Fleshtones

Miss You

The Concretes

Wild Horses

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

I Got The Blues

Aloe Blacc & Joel Van Dijk

Volume Two

Waiting On A Friend

Over the Rhine

Emotional Rescue

St. Vincent

Moonlight Mile

Lee Fields

You Can't Always Get What You Want

P.P. Arnold

Sympathy For The Devil

Motörhead

The Last Time

Dwight Yoakam

Satisfaccion

Los Apson

What a Shame

Lorelle Meets The Obsolete

Under My Thumb

Veronica Falls

Bitch

The Sugarman 3

Just Wanna See His Face

The Blind Boys Of Alabama

I Am Waiting

Jennifer Warren

I'd Much Rather Be with the Boys

Reigning Sound


Saturday, May 27, 2023

Country/Folk Legends: Kris Kristofferson, Bob Neuwirth, and Mickey Newbury

       I'm taking a break from the Texas Legends Series (they're all still available to download), though I do anticipate doing a few more in the future.  I'm can't precisely remember why I decided on Kristofferson, Neuwirth, and Newbury, though I do recall I was listening to a lot of Newbury a while back (and it was before Neuwirth sadly died a year ago).  Nonetheless, I think the three sound good together and serve as an excellent soundtrack for any lazy summer weekend doings.  I should note that Newbury and Kristofferson were both born in Texas (Neuwirth was born in Akron, Ohio), but they were both more associated with Nashville, especially Newbury.  And if you want to dig deeper into their respective catalogs, I'd start with Kristofferson's "Kristofferson", Neuwirth's "99 Monkeys", and Newbury's "Harlequin Melodies". Actually, I think Newbury's best albums are 'Frisco Mabel Joy" and "Heaven Help the Child", but they're inexplicably out of print.

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She Even Woke Me Up To Say Go

Mickey Newbury

I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground

Bob Neuwirth with Eliza Carthy

Billy Dee

Kris Kristofferson

Born to Die Alone

Kris Kristofferson

Aracely's Natia

Bob Neuwirth

Why You Been Gone So Long

Mickey Newbury

The Lady's Not For Sale

Kris Kristofferson

Annabelle Lee

Bob Neuwirth

T. Total Tommy

Mickey Newbury

Somebody Nobody Knows

Kris Kristofferson

Life Is For Living

Bob Neuwirth

Frisco Depot

Mickey Newbury

Rock Salt and Nails

Bob Neuwirth

Why Me

Kris Kristofferson

Sweet Memories

Mickey Newbury

Just Dropped In

Mickey Newbury

Between Heaven And Here

Kris Kristofferson

Blue Detour

Bob Neuwirth


Friday, May 5, 2023

Sucking in the 70's: Volume 10

       Every time I listen to "Let's Do It Again", I'm always a little surprised that the Staples Singers decided to record it.  Maybe because it is just such a great song.  And it's still probably a little less weird than the father-daughter country duo The Kendalls recording "Heaven's Just a Sin Away", a song pretty much praising cheating.  Anyway, I hope others out there share my continued fondness for 70s music.  Also, all other previous volumes are available as are the Saluting the 70's compilations.

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Trouble

Cat Stevens

The Bells

The Originals

Like a Ship

T.L. Barrett & Youth For Christ Choir

Breathe

Pink Floyd

Sunshine After Every Rain

Mighty Revelaires

Precious, Precious

Jackie Moore

Tell Me Something Good

Rufus

She's Not Just Another Woman

The 8th Day

7 K-Jee

MFSB

Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get

The Dramatics

Love Ain't For Keeping

The Who

To Make You Happy

Tommy McGee

I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby

Barry White

Cool Aid

Paul Humphrey & The Cool Aid Chemists

Hearsay

The Soul Children

Let's Do It Again

The Staple Singers

Merry-Go-Round

David Lasley

Sideshow

Blue Magic

Tell Me Why

Leo Nocentelli

Let's Stay Together

Margie Joseph



Sunday, April 2, 2023

And the Ashtrays Have Retired: Paeans to Bars

      Even before the pandemic started, my visits to bars were pretty rare.   I know it wouldn't be nearly as much fun as it was it in days of past, especially since I'm pretty foggy after having even two drinks, but there is something about bars and the ways they encourage sociability.  So rather than a collection of drinking songs, I thought it better to create a compilation of songs about specific bars or feature evocative  descriptions about bars (though I will admit to cheating a little bit by my inclusion of Gillian Welch's Barroom Girls).  Hope teetotalers and barflies enjoy it. :)
 

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Saloon Six

The Delines

Pedal Tavern Girl

Bill Lloyd

Frank's Tavern

Chris Gaffney

It'll Do

Kimmie Rhodes

Misery Tavern

The Jayhawks

Tavern in the Town

Terry Lightfoot's New Orleans Jazzmen

The Tiki Bar Is Open

John Hiatt

The Have-Nots

X

Barroom Girls

Gillian Welch

Lived In Bars

Cat Power

At the Saloon

Van Dyke Parks

Bar Italia

Pulp

Hangover Tavern

Hank Thompson

Over There That's Frank

James Hand

Beer Tavern Girl

Jimmy McCracklin

Crossroads Bar

Laurel Canyon Ramblers

Down At The Corner At A Bar Called Kelly's

Johnny Paycheck

Charleston Railroad Tavern

Bobby Bare

The Pub with No Beer

Finbay O'Shay

Nothing Good Ever Happens At The Goddamn Thirsty Crow

Father John Misty

Whirlaway

Rico Bell

The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) (An Evening With Pete King)

Tom Waits