Crazy Rhythms by The Feelies

I am having another flashback. I wish I could still put my hair in one of those ponytails that goes off to the right or left with, of course, wall bangs. I would also be wearing a shirt with the collar cut off (with a tank top under that), leggings (with a skirt over that), and maybe leg warmers above my Keds. I'm back in the 80s, if only for a little while. That is what I felt like listening to this CD. I had never heard of the Feelies but they sounded a lot like the music I listened to for a good portion of the beginning of the 80s. Maybe if they had had a video on one of those late night video shows I would know them.

The Feelies are a punk rock/new wave band from New Jersey. Their sound on this CD reminds me of a mix of Devo and the Suburbs. The lead singer has kind of a deadpan singing voice similar to some of the Suburb songs. The guitars and the drums are kind of manic and really fast like some of the Devo songs or just new wave songs in general. It was definitely like going back in time listening to this CD. One of the unusual things they did in quite a few songs on this record was that they didn't start the music right away. There might be little sounds or it might just be quiet for about a minute. I thought that was pretty unique for a band to do. I also thought it cool that they did a cover of a Beatles song and a Rolling Stones song. Not really what you would expect from a new wave band.

My favorite songs are "Raised Eyebrows" and "Crazy Rhythms." The reason I like both of these songs are the beats and the rhythms in the songs. They are both pretty typical 80s songs. In "Raised Eyebrows" there is a lot of guitar and drums at first and there isn't any singing until pretty late in the song. The guitars reminded me of surf songs but then it changes to that 80s beat with a little Cure mixed in there. With "Crazy Rhythms" it was all about the beat too (lots of guitar and hammering drums) and the lead singer singing really fast and not making any sense (totally punk). It just made me want to swing my ponytail around in the air and dance really fast.

I could totally see Ross digging this CD in the 80s. I could see him at the record store with his long hair, his moccasins, and his tie-dye shirt buying this CD and then listening to it really loud. He probably had this on tape originally and then wanted to get the CD version. I cann't decide if I will keep this CD or his other Feelies CD. I struggle a lot with how many of these CDs I should "save." I didn't love this CD and I would save a CD I loved. It definitely brought back memories of a certain time in my life but I have other CDs that bring the 80s back for me. Also this CD doesn't really make me think of Ross either. So it really doesn't have much meaning for me. I guess I have my answer. Anyone out there want to have this CD and will appreciate it more than I do?

Raised Eyebrows - The Feelies

Confessin' the Blues by Carrie Smith

Carrie Smith is a blues and jazz singer from Georgia. This CD has a nice mix actually of blues and jazz songs. They are all cover songs that you so often here from the women jazz/blues singers. It has taken me forever to listen to this CD, not because it is a bad one, but because there are 16 songs on the CD. I would get through the first 5 going to work, the next 5 going home, and I would forget what the first 5 sounded like so I would listen to them again, then the next 5... Are you getting the picture? I would never get to the last 6! Even though it took me forever to hear the whole thing, I do love this CD. It's a lot like the other women singers Ross had in his collection. Carrie Smith is in the vein of Ruth Brown, Ernestine Anderson, Nina Simone, and Ella Fitzgerald. I love them all. This CD is great too because it has some really upbeat, shake-your-tail-feather songs, and it also has some dark, sad, my-life-sucks songs.

My favorite song is #2 on the CD, Country Man. Not just because I heard it the most but because I love the words to it! "I need a man with a whole lot of energy." Hmm. It's about how she needs to find a country man because they have all kinds of energy to do everything around the farm and yet can keep up with (if you know what I mean) her. Classic. Unfortunately I couldn't find the song anywhere to let you all hear it. I did add "Ill Wind" just so you could hear her voice. It's also a song that many jazz singers have done a cover of and I do love every cover that I have heard of it.

I am sure Ross bought this because of his affinity for women who sing jazz and the blues like nobody's business. Carrie Smith is definitely in that category. I do find it interesting that when I looked her up online it said that she never really got popular here but has a cult following in Europe. Leave it to Ross to find music that is very obscure and yet awesome. I'm keeping this.

Ill Wind - Carrie Smith, Sir R...

Atomism by White Light Riot

Just alright, fairly unremarkable. That is how I would describe this CD. White Light Riot is a local Minneapolis band that somehow got onto Ross's radar. I'm not quite sure why. Their music is ok but nothing spectacular. They are an alternative band with a similar sound to the Alarmists, another local band, but I like the Alarmists better, don't ask me why. I just felt like this was nothing I hadn't heard before. I didn't hate the music but it wasn't very memorable either. My favorite song was the first song called "Charlatan." It's a pretty catchy tune as you can hear below.

I am not sure why Ross bought this CD. I know he bought it at the same time that he bought the Alarmists CD. They both had pretty big buzz a couple of years ago and were playing out and about a lot. We saw the Alarmists live but I know I never saw White Light Riot. Maybe he saw them live and liked what he saw or maybe he heard something on the radio that intrigued him. This one was just a curious CD for me. I couldn't see him really liking this that much. I am not keeping this one. I know I haven't really talked it up much but I am sure there are people who would like this one. I just don't need it for my collection.

Charlatan - White Light Riot

The Essentials by The Meters

So now I have moved on from Celtic punk to American funk. The Meters are an old school funk band based in New Orleans. This is a greatest hits CD, as you may gather from the title, "The Essentials". Many of their songs are instrumentals with the standouts in the songs being the keyboard and the funky guitar and bass. The music is groovy and the beats are righteous.
My favorite songs from this CD are "Cissy Strut" and "Hand Clapping Song". The first one is all instrumental and was pretty familiar to me even though I had never heard of The Meters. It is a groove that is very recognizable and you can easily get down to. The latter song, "Hand Clapping Song," has vocals but not a lot. The song consists mostly of the band singing "clap your hands now, people clap your hands" over and over again as well as lots of hand clapping. It's a pretty simplistic song but it gets the job done. You can't help but sing along and clap your hands.
Who knows why Ross bought this CD but I know why he liked it. It is right up his alley: the funky grooves, the riffs that go off for awhile and don't really have an ending, and the fact that you could just listen to this all day long and never get tired of it. I'm sure he was almost tempted sometimes to put on a polyester leisure suit and boogie when he listened to it. I can't give this CD away. It is just another one of those classics I feel I need to add to my collection. Like I have said before, I feel like I am receiving my musical education posthumously. Slowly, I am beginning to recognize when a CD is something that must be treasured because the music on it was important to the era from whence it came. It is music that has meaning and has lasted the test of time.

Cissy Strut - The Meters

The Meanest of Times by Dropkick Murphys.

When I first put this CD in my ears said, "Ouch, why are they shouting?" Then I realized they weren't mad about anything, it was just the Dropkick Murphys' way. I had heard their song "Shipping Off to Boston" because it is in the movie "The Departed." It's a great song and a great movie. I highly recommend both. But I digress. After listening to John Coltrane's jazz CD, this jolted me in another way.
The Dropkick Murphys are described as an Irish-American Celtic punk band. This is a surprisingly accurate description of them. Their songs have a definite Irish sound to them with the bagpipes sometimes but mostly it is just the melody to the songs that make it sound Irish. This ain't no wimpy Irish band though. They scream (or pretty close to it) their lyrics and the guitars and drums are pretty strong and thrashing. This is not a CD for the meek or weak of heart.
Even though they are a punk band I was really struck by the words to their songs and the topics are serious ones about death and loss. My favorite songs are "Echoes on "A" Street" and "Surrender." "Echoes on "A" Street" is about how thankful they are for their families being showing them support even though they are gone for long periods of time touring. I love the words:
"And she'll wait by your side,
you're the one thing that matters in her life,
as she waits patiently by the window,
she knows you'll be coming home soon."
I love the beat in "Surrender." It's starts out fast and seems like it gets faster the longer the song goes on, finally reaching a crescendo at the end. It's a great mosh pit song. The words in this song really hit home for me though too:
"I was at my weakest state
and you kept me pushing on
you gave me something to believe in
and it keeps me standing strong
these lessons that I've learned
these things I'll carry on
and when you're gone I'll honor you
each day, however long."
Wow, that's pretty profound for a punk rock band. I have a feeling they have seen lots of loss in their lives and it hasn't been good. They also have songs about a woman who was on drugs and had her family taken away from her and a family who lost all their sons from different horrible things: alcohol, war, suicide, and guns. These guys don't take the easy road but it seems as though they are writing what they know about.
Ross loved the song "Shipping Off to Boston" so I am pretty sure he bought this CD after he bought that song. It's a good CD, not really my taste, but then I am beginning to wonder how I would define my tastes anymore. When I first listened to this CD I wanted to shut it off, but as I listened to the words and heard that Irish melody in the background, I got drawn in. I have ended up liking this CD but it isn't something I need to keep, so if anyone wants a kick ass CD, this is it. I am giving it away.
I think the more I listen to all of Ross's CDs the more I appreciate all kinds of music. Isn't that the goal here?

Surrender - Dropkick Murphys

Blue Train by John Coltrane

Margarita has been on hiatus and is back now...

And now for something completely different… That is how I felt when I first listened to this CD. This CD is jazz the way you expect jazz to be: instrumental, long riffs from one instrument, and each song going on for a long time with no real ending. John Coltrane is a tenor saxophonist but on the CD he has a full band with him, piano, drums, trumpet, trombone, and bass. This was so different from the Masters of Groove CD that I listened to a few weeks ago. I think the main difference is that the Masters CD songs seemed to have a direction and a specific rhythm to them; they weren’t all over the place like these songs seem to go. It’s like John Coltrane is taking you on a trip but then along the way there are all these stops he insists you visit.

My favorite songs are “Blue Train” and “I’m Old Fashioned.” I like the way “Blue Train” starts with the horns, i.e. the train leaving the station, and then as you listen to the song you can kind of hear the train traveling on its way. I liked “I’m Old Fashioned” just because it is a nice mellow song that sounds so tender and beautiful.

Ross loved jazz and John Coltrane has always seemed to me like the epitome of real jazz. That's why he owned this CD. This is a CD I wouldn't have ever bought or ever even have listened to if it hadn't been for this blog. I feel like I owe the CD a little time. I am not a big fan of this kind of jazz. Maybe someday I will like it as much as Ross did. Maybe I won't but I am willing to give it a try.

Blue Train (Enhanced CD Versio...

Back to Basics by Billy Bragg

I’ve always had this bias towards Billy Bragg. I can’t put my finger on why, maybe it’s his voice or that you can still hear his English accent when he sings. Every once in awhile I have an irrational dislike for something and I have a hard time setting that aside, just ask Mark B. my feelings on Jethro Tull before I listened to them. I am trying to get over this not judging thing and not let it get in the way of my reviews, and after listening to a CD a few hundred times it usually works. It worked with this one too. I listened to it on the plane here to Idaho and I was surprised by how much I didn't mind listening to it. A ringing endorsement.
The CD is a compilation of Billy Bragg's first two CDs plus an EP he released. On the CD it is pretty much him and his guitar. Every once in awhile there is another instrument but not often. I saw somewhere Billy Bragg being described as England's loudest socialist folkie. I guess that kind of describes what his music sounds like. He does always seem like he is singing a little too loud. His song topics are also very politically focused.
My favorite songs are "Milkman of Human Kindness," "A New England," and "A Lover Sings." I cheated a little on this CD as I already knew the second song. I liked that one before I had heard the rest of the CD. I think what I appreciate most about Billy Bragg are his lyrics. These three songs are great examples of it. In the song "Milkman of Human Kindness," Billy is trying to make the person feel better.
"If you're lonely, i will call -
If you're poorly, i will send poetry
I love you
I am the milkman of human kindness
I will leave an extra pint"
I like the idea of someone leaving me a pint of human kindness when I am feeling crappy. "A New England" is about this guy who is just looking for someone to love him.
"I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new england
I'm just looking for another girl"
The last song is a story about a relationship that goes awry.

"There is no real substitute
For a ball struck squarely and firmly
And you're the kind of girl who wants to
Open up the bottle of pop
Too early in the journey
Our love went flat just like that"

I like the part about the love going flat because they "opened up the bottle of pop too early." Kind of cool symbolism there. When I look back at the songs I had chosen, I noticed they all had a common theme, love, not always happy endings, but definitely about love.
Ross loved Billy Bragg. I could never understand it because I had such a hard time getting past his annoying voice. Listening to this CD helped me get over that a little bit. Now, after listening to the songs more closely, I think part of the reason he liked him so much was because his songs were so full of meaning. I could especially see that with "Milkman of Human Kindness." I have thought long and hard about whether to keep this or not. I like it but I just don't know that I can listen to it just for fun. Maybe there is someone out there who could.

A Lover Sings - Billy Bragg

Meet Dr. No by Masters of Groove

Over the past 9 months there have been times when I feel like being at my house is like living in Pompeii. Everything was frozen into place by an event that I knew would happen someday but it still felt like a surprise when it actually happened. The last few months I have awakened from my slumber and been digging out from under that event. It is always a surprise to find something that Ross left, just as it was. This Masters of Groove's CD was in the CD player's turntable, which I only got around to opening up and turning on recently. I remember him listening to this all the time but, as has happened with other CDs of his, I never really heard the music.
The Masters of Groove are essentially four guys, Reuben "Funky" Wilson on the organ, Grant Green, Jr. on the guitar, Tarus "Mean" Mateen on the bass, and Bernard "Pretty" Purdue on the drums. Gotta love those nicknames. I wonder why Grant didn't get one. The CD cover says that they are all-star jazz-soul-funk-groove veterans who are taking on the music from the first Bond adventure film "Dr. No." Yes, you read that right, the music from the first Bond film. Truthfully, the only music I ever thought was in the movie was the Bond theme song and perhaps some cheesy song by some has-been music group or singer. Oh wait, those are the later films. This CD was nothing like I thought it would be. I thought it would be cheesy as well. It is great. It's all instrumental, very jazzy and funky at the same time. The organ is the best part, it really makes the music stand out. It's right out front and gives each song a lot of character. On one song they have a sax playing but most of the time its just the organ and the guitar. The guitar plays the prerequisite funky riffs and also some mellow jazzy stuff.
I love every song on this CD. I was trying to think of which is my favorite and was having a hard time. The songs are very different from each other and yet when you listen to it sometimes it feels like one long groove. If I had to pick a favorite or two, I would say it's their take on the James Bond theme, "Bond II;" it is pretty outstanding. Very original and yet you can pick out the theme song right away. I also like "III Blind Mice;" it is quite the jazzy version of that real simple song we all know but they do it up pretty good.
Similar to the summer feel the Son Volt CD has, this CD also feels like summer to me. Where the Son Volt CD was like a lazy summer day driving out in the middle of a country road, this CD is like sitting on the porch outside at about 9 o'clock on a hot summer night in the city, having a cocktail, and just hanging with your friends. It is a great CD to have on as background music, yet it is so much better than that. I am sure Ross heard a song from this CD on KBEM or KFAI and just had to have it, like so many other CDs in the collection. As I dig out and find these unexpected treasures, it makes me appreciate Ross's far ranging tastes in music that are now being passed on to me. I won't ever like everything (read Jethro Tull's Minstrel in the Gallery) but I have come to appreciate and really listen to music so much more than I ever used to. I am keeping this CD. Anyone want to come over for a cocktail and a listen on a hot summer night?

Bond II - Masters Of Groove

III Blind Mice - Masters Of Gr...

Colossus by Walt Mink

Who remembers Walt Mink? Raise your hands. I do. It has been awhile but when I saw this CD sitting in Ye Olde CD rack I had to give it a turn. I remembered clearly a song that they used to play on the radio (was it REV105 or maybe Radio K?) and there was this phrase they kept saying throughout the song "What a drag, what a drag, what a drag, drag, drag." I always thought that was the name of the song until Ross corrected me. Anyway, that song is on this CD.
Walt Mink was a band formed in the late 80s by three Macalaster College students and has since broken up. They named the band after one of their professors. I would describe the music they play as alternative. The drums totally thrash throughout this CD and the guitars are loud and razor sharp. The guy who is the lead singer has a voice that kind of reminds me of Billy Corrigan from the Smashing Pumpkins because it is a little irritating and unusual. I think his voice is better than Billy Corrigan's though.
My favorite song on this CD is, of course, the song I mentioned in the paragraph above, it is called "Brave Beyond the Call." There is just something about the beat and that phrase they keep repeating that I love. I also like the song "Lost in the World." It is actually kind of a mellow song compared to the other songs on this CD. It is about spacemen coming down to earth and taking over. It reminds me of David Bowie or "Major Tom," a futuristic song.
Ross was a big local music supporter as I am sure you have noticed from some of the other CDs I have reviewed on here. That is probably why he had this CD. I don't know if he ever saw them live. I assume he did since he tried to see most popular bands and back in the day they were pretty big here. Walt Mink is an acquired taste but I like them. I only wish I had been able to see them live. I love this CD. It thrashes a bit more than I am used to but I love it. I also love that I can listen to that song over and over again. It never gets old. I am keeping it.

Brave Beyond The Call - Walt M...

Louisiana Soul Man by Dalton Reed

I was listening to Ross's iPod on shuffle a little while ago and I heard a song that I just loved. I looked to see who the artist was and it was Dalton Reed. The song was so good that I thought to myself, "The rest of this CD is probably as good or better than this song." Thus I put this CD in my listening rotation. I was disappointed to find out that the rest of the CD was not as good as this one song.

Dalton Reed is a soul, and rhythm and blues singer from Louisiana. All of this could actually be gathered just from reading the title of the CD. Duh! This CD is a set of "almost new songs" written by other people including Delbert McClinton, Dr. John, and Otis Redding. Dalton Reed's voice reminds me of Luther Vandross. It is as smooth as silk and as big as the room it's in. I like his voice, he could sing to me anytime. The songs and music that accompany the voice however are very dated. The CD was released in 1992 and it sure seems like it. I don't know how to describe why this CD sounds like the 90s but it is similar to that Taj Mahal CD I reviewed a couple of months ago. The band's groove is one I heard before, maybe from some old Luther Vandross or Billy Ocean album. There are a few blues songs on the CD that are ok and a song that has Louisiana roots so it isn't as bad as I am making it out to be. As a whole thought, it just wasn't working for me.

My favorite songs are "Read Me My Rights" and "Chained and Bound." The former song was the song I heard on Ross's iPod. I love the words of the song and I like the song's groove.
"The sun is shinin'
But you don't you know it's rainin' in my heart...
Before you do me wrong tonight
Baby, baby, read me my rights "
It has more of an old fashioned Motown beat than it does a tired 90s beat, like some of the other songs on the CD. The latter song is an old Otis Redding song and he does a great rendition of it. In that song he totally belts it out. Just like an Otis Redding song should be sung.

I don't know why Ross bought this CD. It was probably because of "Read Me My Rights." When I went back to look at his iPod and see how much of this CD he had on it, that was the only song on it. That told me a lot. He probably bought it after hearing that one song somewhere (KBEM or KFAI) and then felt the same way I did once he heard the rest of the CD, like he'd been jacked. I am not keeping a CD for one song. If you don't know me by now, there it is. I don't believe that you should keep a CD for one song. That is why we have CD burners in our computer to burn that one song you like then you can get rid of the CD. So if anyone wants this CD they are welcome to it. Just let me know.

[Just as an aside, check out the little player I added to the bottom of this post. It has the first song I talked about and you can just listen to it straight away. Thanks Mark B. for your help! By the way, if you ever want to send Mark B. fan mail, he will accept it. I can hook you up. Also if anyone else ever wants to comment on my posts, they can. He won't feel threatened by it.]

Read Me My Rights - Dalton Ree...

Okemah and the Melody of Riot by Son Volt

Listening to Ross’s CDs has been like opening a gift every week. Sometimes I open the gift and think “really, he shouldn’t have,” "it just doesn't fit," or “what was he thinking?” Then there are other times when I open the gift and I let out a small sigh of contentment and happiness because it was something unexpected yet truly wonderful. I know that seems a little over the top but I felt like this when I listened to this CD. I started listening to it when spring had really started to explode. I would play the CD in my car stereo really loud, roll all of the windows down, feel the breeze ruffle my hair, and think "this is perfect." It was cool to listen to as the landscape of pink, white, purple, and green trees and blue skies with small puffy clouds rolled past my window. Count yourself lucky to not be on the road when I was listening to this. I was probably paying more attention to the spring scenes than the road.

Son Volt, for those of you who don't know the band, are best described as an alternative-country band. The band was formed from former members of Uncle Tupelo, another alt-country band. The lead singer's voice has a slight twang to it, harmonicas can be heard in a few songs, the guitars are rocking pretty hard though so it isn't always sounding like country music. This CD reminds me of Jayhawks' CDs, lots of guitar and melodies, but without the harmonies.

My favorite songs are "Ipecac" and "Gramophone." Both songs are really mellow but I like the melodies. "Ipecac" is intriguing to me because the lyrics make absolutely no sense. Even the chorus doesn't shed much light on the meaning of the song.
"Watch out for love like Ipecac
A strange brew we're looking at"
Does that mean watch out for love that makes you vomit? That could be a good vomit (you're so excited you vomit) or a bad vomit (the love is making you sick vomit). Or is it a love that takes all of the poison out of your system from bad loves? The link below is from the second song. The second song is about how people used to listen to music. I tried looking up gramophone in the dictionary so I could make sure I knew what I was talking about. It's not even in the dictionary anymore! I love this line in the song, "Colors in sound jump out sitting by the gramophone." I think they are trying to say that music used to sound better when we listened to it from vinyl. It doesn't help their cause if they want to sell CDs but they do sound better. I always did love to hear the scratch of the needle on the record.

Ross really liked Uncle Tupelo and tried its spinoffs, Son Volt and Wilco. Although truly his favorite was Uncle Tupelo. I think he was always a little mad that they had broken up and formed these two other bands but he did start to enjoy the other bands. That's probably why he has this CD.

As I was thinking about this CD and why I liked it so much, I realized that it is the music I like to listen to. This CD has the music I turn to when I want some downtime from listening to Ross's CDs. I think that is why I felt so relieved when I started listening to it. It wasn't as though I would need to take a break from it to listen to my music. In the end, I'd liken it to opening a gift and finding that ratty old blanket you have been holding onto for years but you absolutely love and would never get rid of. I'm keeping this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZxW7U48CQY

I'll Play the Blues for You by Albert King and John Lee Hooker

This CD is a keeper. The first time I put it in the CD player, I knew. I had to keep this CD. It is just really good. Who would've thought I would be saying this 3 months into this project? I have never listened to the blues as much as I have since I started this. I can't say I will always like the blues that I listen to but I like this one. It is an interesting CD. It is a live recording done in Chicago. The first four songs are by Albert King and the last five songs are John Lee Hooker. It's a cool arrangement. I don't know much about either men but according to Mark B. (one of my followers who knows a lot more about the blues than I ever will) they are both great guitarists and blues singers. I have heard of John Lee Hooker before but never Albert King. Albert King, according to some of the stuff I have read, had influenced a lot of blues guitarists but also people like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

My favorite song by Albert King is "The Very Thought of You." I couldn't find a version on YouTube of him singing it, there are a lot of versions out there though by people like Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday. I did include a link to him singing "Born Under a Bad Sign," which he is famous for and is also on the CD. I like "The Very Thought of You" because it is just a sweet song and from this song you can tell it is a live recording. He starts to sing and you can barely hear him, it does start pretty low. Then you can hear him clear his throat and he is much stronger. It just really makes it plain that this is a live recording, nothing is taped over or redone here. My favorite song by John Lee Hooker has got to be "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." One of my younger coworkers saw this CD and that song and said "That's George Thoroughgood's song." I can say to him though, John Lee Hooker recorded it first. That song is the other link below. I just think, how can you hear that song and not smile, just a little.

"I ain't seen my baby since night before last
I wanna get drunk till I'm off of my mind
One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer"

Gotta love the sentiment.

Ross loved the blues and jazz a lot. I am sure that is why he bought this CD. It's a CD that is cool in the way it is recorded with the two guys on it. In addition, it is another CD where it says in the liner notes, if you can't see the blues live then this CD is the next best thing. Sounds like seeing blues live with guys like these is darn near impossible since most of them are dead or close to it! Might as well get all the live CDs you can of them. If only I had some bbq ribs, a dark smoky room, and one bourbon, one scotch, one beer to go with these CDs. Then it would be perfect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIvka3SSv9Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKJ-lBOFYrQ

Tied & True by The Detroit Cobras

The Detroit Cobras are called "garage rock" when you google them. I am not sure what the definition of garage rock is. Is it rock you listen to in a garage or is it rock that sounds like it was recorded in a garage? Neither of those really defines the band for me. I think a better way to describe them is that they are a grrl band. The lead singer has a great gravelly voice that sounds like she has smoked one too many cigarettes. Her voice could rival Suzanne Pleshette for smoky. Then there are of course the prerequisite hard-driving guitars and hard-hitting drums. Their music reminded me of modern versions of songs from the 1960s, stuff like "My Boyfriend's Back." I think I even heard a motorcycle engine revving in the background of one of the songs. Then I looked up the band, which I usually don't do, and found out that they only do covers. That's why all those songs sounded so familiar. They pick songs that are from their own record collections, usually pretty obscure songs, and then redo them in their rockin' style. The song below is "As Long As I Have You." It is a good example of what the Cobras sound like and it is from this CD.

My favorite songs are "Nothing But a Heart Ache" and "Leave My Kitten Alone." I just like the beats in the first song. In "Leave My Kitten Alone" I love that the background singers just keep saying "Meow." It's kind of hilarious but the way they do it, it sounds like one tough kitty. The Beatles do a version of it but an even better version is the original by Little Willie John. I put that as the second YouTube clip. LISTEN to that. It is a great version.

Ross had a thing a couple of years ago for girl bands. He bought some Detroit Cobras, Shonen Knife, and the Soviettes. He bought a different Detroit Cobras CD but he liked them so much he bought this one too. I think he liked the tough girl thing. I like this CD and I am keeping it. (I know I am not really getting the CD collection culled like I should.) This CD doesn't have any real meaning or sentiment but it is a great CD to just listen to when you want to feel like you are sitting on a motorcycle, with a leather jacket, daring anyone to start a fight with you. C'mon, knock that battery off my shoulder, I dare you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8vSaT_4U20&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1y_FKlwdjk

Queen of the Blues by Koko Taylor

When Ross and I were combining our CD collections, actually it was more like my collection was swallowed up by Ross's, I was struck by the number of CDs by women singers that we both had. Ross's collection was much more eclectic and extensive than mine however, big surprise. This is one of the CDs of a woman singer that I had never heard before Ross. Koko Taylor is most definitely "queen of the blues." She is one tough cookie. She would kick the butt of all the women singers that I own CDs of, especially Tori Amos. Maybe Liz Phair would make it more of a fight but she would still definitely get beat down. Koko Taylor can sing too. She sounds like she is roaring when she sings and none of her songs are gentle ballads. They are all funky, lots of rollicking guitar, drums, and keyboards. But don't forget she is singing the blues. Her songs have titles like "Beer Bottle Boogie" and "I Can Love You Like a Woman (or I can fight you like a man)" and "I Cried Like a Baby." The last one is on the clip below. Don't those titles give you some idea of the type of songs she is singing? These are not "I am sitting at home feeling sorry for myself" songs. They are sung from the heart and with feeling.

My favorite song on the CD is "Flamin' Mamie." In that song she just rips and roars through it. Here are some of the lyrics, they're kind of hysterical.

They call me Flamin' Mamie
I'm the hottest thing in town
When it comes to loving
I'm a human oven
I can really mow 'um down

Oh to be that hot! I also like "Evil." It's her warning us women to keep an eye on our men because there may be someone loving our man when we aren't watching. Remember that girls!

In the liner notes for this CD it says "Blues fans everywhere know-for a good dose of the best blues on earth: go see Koko Taylor. But if you need some right away: buy this record." I like that quote. How could you give up a CD that is going to give you a good dose of the best blues on earth? I know I can't. I am keeping this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IWL13X7N2c

The Undisputed Truth by Brother Ali

This will sound very familiar but I'll say it anyway. When I first heard this CD, I hated it. Every other word was a swear word and it seemed to me so loud and angry. After I listened to about 3 songs, I couldn't continue listening. A coworker of mine convinced me to keep listening, that I might find something I liked or at least could tolerate. It took me a couple of weeks before I could pick it up again and I thought I will just listen to it all the way through then make my judgments. I listened to it and found that I really liked the melodies he had underneath (behind? I am not sure of how to describe it) his raps. I still haven't really listed to the words that he is saying but every once in awhile I will catch something that intrigues me.

He has had quite a life. Just a little background, Brother Ali is a rapper from Minneapolis. He is Caucasian, an albino, legally blind, and a Muslim. This CD is about the breakup of his marriage. He had custody of his son but had some really rough times where he and his son were homeless. That is all on the CD but sometimes it was lost on me because of all of the swearing. Maybe I am just a prude. I think it's possible to get a message like that across without the swearing, but, to each his own.

My favorite songs are "Truth is," "Take Me Home," and "Walking Away." "Truth is" was played a lot on the Current a couple of years ago. The song "Take Me Home" is the link down below. I think this song illustrates my point about the melody behind the rap. I love this melody, it's infectious, and I find myself humming it all the time. He has a couple of other songs that have infectious hooks like this. "Walking Away" I like because it is so poignant. It is the song about him leaving his wife. That did not sound like a healthy relationship as he repeats so often in the song "If you hadn't tried to kill me, I'd a stayed for the kid." Yikes. She must have been an angry m***** f*****. See the swearing thing is catching! It's what I was afraid of.

I am pretty sure the song "Truth is" is why Ross bought the CD. He really liked that song. Then he read one of those articles about it being one of the best albums of the year that they write in the paper, every 6 months. That convinced him to buy this, not that he really needed convincing. He was always willing to try different music, even rap. I however feel no need to keep this CD. If anyone wants it, just let me know. I did download it to my iTunes though so it wasn't as horrible as I first felt it was (see my theory is still valid). It's similar to the BlackFrancis CD, this CD grew on me but I don't need to have it in my collection. I'm not very sentimental like that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxUQ07NXB4c&feature=related

Let's Get Lost: The Best of Chet Baker Sings by Chet Baker

I remember the first time I heard Chet Baker. Ross was playing it and I asked him, "Who is the woman singing?" He wasn't very happy with me and I think that might have started the musical education of Margarita. Now I listen a lot closer to music before I ask a question like that. Chet Baker was a jazz trumpeter who sang as well. The songs on this CD could best be described as "cool jazz." Chet sings on it, obviously, and also plays the trumpet. It's pretty mellow stuff. If I wasn't a happy person in general, this CD would really bum me out. The songs on it are all old standards, things that most people should have heard at some point in their lives, songs like "My Funny Valentine," "Let's Get Lost," and "The Thrill is Gone."

My favorite songs on the CD are "Time After Time" and "I Get Along without You Very Well." The latter song is the link below. I highly recommend listening to that version as I think it came straight from the CD. Both songs really spoke to me. They kind of say how I am feeling.

Here are my favorite lyrics in "Time After Time:"
Time after time
I tell myself that I’m
So lucky to be loving you

This is my favorite part of "I Get Along...:"
I get along without you very well
Of course, I do
Except perhaps in spring
But I should never think of spring
For that would surely break my heart in two

So now that I have bummed everyone else out too. I liked this CD even though it is sad as hell. It's a great CD to listen to on a rainy, cold day when you just stay in bed under the covers instead of going out. It probably wasn't one of the reasons why Ross bought it but it will be the reason I am keeping it. Ross liked jazz from all eras and he really liked Chet Baker. I think someday it won't be so sad to listen to and I'll remember that it's one of those great jazz recordings everyone should have in their collections.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgbPHTBiAVQ&feature=related

Bluefinger By Black Francis

My theory seems to be holding for now. When I first read the names of the songs on this CD I wanted to stop right there. The names that really stood out were "Captain Pasty" and "Tight Black Rubber." Great, I thought, just what I wanted to listen to, some guy singing about sex or, in this case, shouting about sex. The first time I listened to this CD I wanted to stop listening. Then as I listened more times I got to the point where the songs were tolerable and perhaps could even be listened to for pleasure. It is really weird that it's getting like this. Maybe I have no discernment in music whatsoever so everything just becomes palatable.

For those who don't know Black Francis, he is from the band The Pixies and is more well known as Frank Black. I have to admit I like the Pixies and I also like other stuff that Frank Black has done so maybe it isn't that much of a stretch that this CD grew on me. It is a CD that is best listened to loud as everything on it sounds better loud. This CD really is a good thrashing one which is what I would recommend it for. When you want to just jump around in a mosh pit, this is the CD to have in there. I liken it to some Gang of Four songs but Gang of Four seemed to have a message where this CD's message seemed to be about sex and drugs from what I could understand. Most of the lyrics made no sense and were scribbled in the liner notes so they were illegible for the most part.

My favorite songs are "Threshold Apprehension" and "You can't break a heart and have it." The link below is to the first song. I love that first song because it is the epitome of the song you need to turn up really loud and then jump around and bump into people while listening to it. He screams through a lot of the song, especially the line "I got threshold apprehension." Don't listen to this if you need a mellow music break. The second song I like because it actually has a beat to it and I like the words from the title that are also in the song. It's true. You can either break a heart or you can have it, you don't get both.

Ross probably bought this because of the Pixies. We went to see their show a couple of years ago when they did a reunion tour and I think that got him thinking about them. He started listening to them a lot and most likely thought he needed to have some Black Francis because he didn't have any. I liked this CD but I don't need to keep it. It holds no special place in my heart. It's a great CD for a house party (the kind where you totally trash the house), I don't think I will be having one anytime soon so if anyone wants it, they are welcome to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muFE3BgSPWU

The Loon by Tapes 'n Tapes

I have this theory: if you listen to a CD for long enough, you will grow to like it. This is the second CD with which I have had that experience. I listened to this CD for the first time a few months ago and hated it. Maybe it was my mood. Maybe it was all of the expectations I had for this CD. This is Tapes 'n Tapes first CD, the one that everyone raved about. It even got them on Letterman. There was huge buzz about this CD when it came out. If you don't know anything about the band, they are a local band, alternative/indie rock. One of the members of the band was from my favorite local band, The Hopefuls. I freely admit I am a groupie of that band. Anyway, I had such high hopes for this CD since I love the Hopefuls and their music. The Hopefuls' music is pop music, its catchy, and they believe in the well placed "whoa, whoa, whoa" or "bop, bop, ba-da." Tapes 'n Tapes' music is nothing like that, its dark, with lots of guitar, although, I can attest to the fact that there is still something catchy about the songs, even though they aren't happy songs. I can now say with conviction, I am keeping this CD. I can't believe that I would ever say that after that first listen went so horribly.

Ironically, I now like the CD so much that I can not pick a favorite song. Every time I listen to it I think I have found a favorite but then the next song will come on and I will think, "I like this song better." If I was forced to pick a favorite I would pick "Insistor" because it was the first song that I liked from the CD. It has a cool beat to it, it starts out sounding a little like an old fashioned western, and then the chorus is more rocking. I put the link for it down below.

I can tell you that Ross bought this because its local and he saw them on Letterman and bought it based on those two things. This was one of his favorite CDs, he kept it in his car, with the other ones he wanted to have on hand. He never saw them live but I know he would've liked them.

By the way, I will soon be truly testing the "Margarita" theory above as I am working my way up to listening to Jethro Tull. If I like that CD, I am publishing my theory and findings in the "Journal for Music Heads." (I'm sure you've heard of it.) Can anyone else cite experiences they have had with my theory? Agreeing with my findings or refuting them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5g2eUh7TWE

20 All Time Greatest Hits by James Brown

I have spent the last two weeks with some funky brothers; first, Maceo Parker and then the band leader, Mr. James Brown. What can I say about James Brown that everyone doesn't already know? There is more to him than just "I Feel Good." I can attest to that. I have to admit that I wasn't one of his biggest fans before listening to this CD. I don't think I truly could appreciate him from the two songs that I knew him for, the song I mentioned earlier, and "Get Up (Sex Machine)." After listening to this CD to the exclusion of all others, I feel like I have a different perspective. Here are some thoughts on the man.

1) He was much more intelligible when he was younger.
2) He finds a groove with most songs and works it hard. I think that is part of what made his songs successful.
3) Most of his songs have 1 to 5 words in them that he just repeats over and over again. Nothing wrong with that. It just makes it easier for us older people to sing along. Don't have to remember so much.
4) Besides not being overly wordy, he also takes good advantage of sounds, hunh, unh, ow, heh. I only wish I had some kind of way for you to hear what I just wrote.
5) He had more than 1 part for many of this songs. Not sure why you need two parts for a song, why not just start a second song?

My favorite songs were "Think" and "It's a Man's Man's Man's World." I just love the beat in "Think." That one is a great one to do that dance to where you just twist your hips a lot. I love the second song because he says that even though its a man's world, it would mean nothing without a woman or a girl. You got that right, Mr. Brown.

Everyone needs to have some James Brown in their collection and I am pretty sure that is why Ross bought this. I'm keeping this for my collection.


This is James Brown doing "Think."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR2jWRaGuIM

Funk Overload by Maceo Parker

This CD is the epitome of old school funk. For those of you who don't know who Maceo Parker is, and you could've included me in that list a year ago, Maceo is a saxophone player who is most well known for his work in James Brown songs. This isn't James Brown music though. It is funk, not soul. I don't know how you separate the two, but this one is full of horns and even rapping. In it Maceo's son, Corey, does a few raps but nothing like the hip hop you hear now. All of his songs on this CD have a lot of horns, of course, but they also have the back up singers doing the "la, las." Most of the time it is Maceo with back up, sometimes it is Corey, and in one song Maceo does a duet. His sax though plays center stage for most of the songs. I am not a very good writer when it comes to describing music, as you may have noticed, but I can tell you when you hear this music you will want to dance. We saw Maceo Parker about a year ago at the Dakota. They played almost everything from this CD and people in the audience were literally getting out of their seats and dancing, which you don't see at the Dakota very much. They are, in general, a very mellow crowd that likes to appreciate their music sitting down. Well that night it was pretty impossible for people to stay in their seats.

My favorite songs are all of the songs on this CD. It is really hard to pick one. I do have a special place in my heart for "Elephant's Foot." After we went to the Dakota for that show, Ross would play this song all of the time. I thought it was so hilarious. In the song, Maceo teaches a herd of elephants to dance to raise some money. But then the inevitable happens, "Elephant stepped on my foot, you must give elephant a dirty look." What do you do when an elephant steps on your foot? Sing a song about it, naturally. Towards the end of the song the elephants get hungry so he feeds them some of his sax. It is just crazy but that is what music is all about. Suspending your beliefs for just a little while and traveling to a different world.

As you can tell, I am keeping this CD. I am sure Ross had this CD long before the show at the Dakota but after that show he would play it a lot. This is the one of the kinds of music he really enjoyed, jazzy, soulful, and danceable. Music you could get down with your bad self to. I never really listened to the CD when it was on, except for the Elephant song because I couldn't get away from it. It was fun to listen to the whole thing and really appreciate the fun(k) in it.

I couldn't find a YouTube of Maceo doing "Elephant's Foot" but this is he and his son doing "Maceo's Groove."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCQGYp_i2i0

Phantom Blues by Taj Mahal

After listening to the previous Taj Mahal CD, I didn't want to go away with a bad taste in my mouth for the blues and Taj Mahal. So I am doing a two-fer tonight. I looked through Ross's collection and found another CD to listen to. I hoped this would be more of what I was looking for. I was very pleasantly surprised. This CD was what I thought the blues should sound like; harmonica, guitar, sometimes a horn or two, rollicking piano, and some really sad songs about love. That other CD was too happy to be the blues. When I listened to this CD I felt like I was in Famous Dave's at Calhoun Square. Just kidding. I did imagine myself in some dark blues bar, lots of smoke, and a guy with a guitar. That's what this sounds like. All of the songs are really good and I got to the point where I had almost internalized this CD. I woke up one morning and one of the songs was in my head and I couldn't get it out of my head. That's a good thing, I think.

My favorite songs are "Lovin' in my baby's eyes," which is the link at the bottom of the page, and "(You've got to) Love her with a feeling." I like how they talk about love and are a little more respectful about it than in the last CD. That second song is one I have heard before somewhere else but I like this version. I also like the song "Cheatin' on you." It's about this guy who is cheating on his wife and then finds out that the woman he is cheating with is cheating on him. Great irony there. That's what the blues is about too. If you don't treat people right, they aren't going to treat you right. I also like the way all of the songs don't have a "g" at the end of the gerunds. Very ungrammatical of him, almost rebellious. Another thing I like about the blues!

I don't know what it was about the blues that Ross liked. He was never that specific with me. Listening to this CD though I can understand it. It is a kind of music that lends itself to smoky bars and being sad (i.e. blue) but yet there is love and redemption in the songs. People get what they give. I am keeping this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fPVC1Fs58Q

Like Never Before by Taj Mahal

There had been some complaints by one of my followers that he didn't recognize any of the bands I have blogged about. So this is in response to those complaints. You can't say that I don't try to make you all happy. He suggested that I dip into Ross's blues and jazz collection, the music that Ross had turned him on to. I don't know much about either so Taj Mahal was a suggested place to start when listening to the blues. I picked this CD out of the stack and started listening to it. I was a little disconcerted when I first started listening to this CD. It sounded like something from the 80s. That is always a bad sign in my opinion, when you can tell the era a CD came out. I like my CDs to transcend the time period they were recorded in. That may sound like a contradiction of my other reviews but if it is punk music from the 80s, it better come from a band that is known for punk.

This CD sounded like a mix of Billy Ocean (the guy who say "Caribbean Queen") and Randy Newman, and that is not a good mix. There was even a song that sounded like a reggae song, yes, horrors, reggae. I was a little surprised by all of this. This was not what I expected the blues to be at all. Then I looked at the copyright year, 1991. That explained a lot. I am thinking Taj Mahal was going through an experimental stage, trying to ride the 80s wave. Thankfully he didn't try his hand at grunge.

My favorite song on this CD, "Take all the time you need," is the one that I think sounds most like what I think the blues are supposed to sound like. I attached a link to the song on YouTube below. It is about a guy telling his woman to come back to him when she is ready, even though she may have hurt him, he is willing to take her back. Can I say there were a lot of songs that I didn't really like on this CD? I know its the blues and they tend to say what they want but having a song called "Big Legged Mommas are back in style" just irritated me. I am sure he meant it in the nicest way because he likes his women like that but it was a CD killer for me.

I really don't know why Ross bought this one. He probably bought it because it was Taj Mahal but then I wonder what he thought after listening to it. Did he still like it? Really? I wanted so much to like this CD but it just wasn't for me. If anyone would like to give this CD a try, let me know. It's yours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZCHaQapqfI

Jubilee by Charlie Parr

We saw Charlie Parr the summer of 2007 at Macy's Day of Music. He played in Orchestra Hall. It was kind of cool because the hall was filled with people. Ross and I were really impressed that he has been able to bring in that many people. We sat down to listen and he was great. I loved the stories he would tell before each song. It was just he and another guy. Charlie played guitar and the other guy played guitar and washboard. The sad thing we later realized was that people were waiting for the orchestra to come on after him. I think he may have won over a few people though. I had thought it curious that so many old people were into him!

Charlie Parr sounds to me like old fashioned country but I have also heard him be described as traditional folk music. As I listened to this CD though I think you could also say that his music sounds like the blues. In fact there is one song on the CD called "Riding Mower Blues." That is one of my favorite songs on the CD. More because it has great lyrics than anything else. It's about this guy who is a drunk and they have taken away the keys to his car so he plans to go to the liquor store on his riding mower (John Deere).
"You can't stop me from drinkin',
took the keys to my Lincoln,
you know I'm gonna get there anyway."
Classic. I have never felt that way but I can imagine there are some people that do. I also like "Jubilee." His wife, or maybe it is his daughter, sings harmony on that song. It's real nice, imagine me saying that with a southern accent.

After we left Orchestra Hall that day in July we got a bite to eat and were heading back to Peavey Plaza. As we were walking Ross spotted Charlie Parr standing next to the WCCO TV studio building. He was just sitting there staring at the people. Ross walked up to him, introduced himself, and started talking to him about how much he liked his set. They talked for a few minutes and then we went back across the street. Ross was so thrilled to talk to him and I think that is part of the reason he bought this CD. He just thought the guy was cool and liked his music.

I, too, liked his set. In fact, I think I like him better live than recorded. I don't know that I need to keep this CD. So if someone would like it and will take good care of it, give it a good home where you listen to it a lot, I would be happy to give it to you. Let me know.

If you haven't noticed I have started to add YouTube videos to the end of my entries. I went back and added one for Michael Franti and will try to add one for the others. This one is Charlie Parr singing "Jubilee." Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlF0aOxANFo

A Brief History of the Twentieth Century by Gang of Four

This CD really took me back. Way back. To the 80s. Big hair, big shoulder pads. I was only 4 then so I barely remember it but it sounded like people were having a good time back then. Ok, just a little lie on the age, I was closer to 14 but who's counting? I love this CD. There is only one song on here that I truly recognize but I recognize the sound. If you don't know who Gang of 4 is they are a punk/post punk band. Their sound is definitely punk from what I remember of punk. I am not the best person to talk about punk since I was never a punk rocker. Sheena was, I was not. In my mind, it's not your standard punk rock though, even though the singers aren't singing in the conventional sense they aren't completely screaming like the Sex Pistols. I am not looking forward to listening to that one by the way. Gang of Four's songs are heavy in the guitars and drums. I like the guitars; they sound angry, sometimes they even sound like they are growling. But you can still dance to it and that's important. Sometimes their sound reminded me a little of Devo and other times they reminded me of the B-52s, Planet Claire B-52s, not Love Shack B-52s. Hope that helps give you some background on the music.

Favorite songs are many. This is kind of a best of CD so that is not surprising. I love "Damaged Goods" and the way they keep repeating "the change will do you good" and then later "damaged goods, send 'em back, ... open the till, give me the change you said would do me good." I also like "Return the Gift," "Womantown," and, of course, "I Love a Man in Uniform." The link below is to an old video of that song, you have to fast forward through about a minute of inane talking by some people but then you get the original video of the song. Love the outfits and the hair. Also, how can you not love those words? I love a man in uniform. Takes me right back to my days at The Wave (Hawaii's version of First Ave) in Waikiki. I think that is where I heard that song for the first time.

I only met Ross after he had cut his hair short, taken out his earring, and stopped wearing tie-dye shirts and moccasins. I know though that he always liked his music loud and was not against a good thrash song. I am sure back in the day he was quite the punk rocker in many ways. It's not surprising that I found this in his collection. I just wish I had heard this one earlier. I wouldn't have turned the volume down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Ea4loI7xQ&feature=related

Transparent Things by Fujiya & Miyagi

This is one CD I do not care if I keep or not. If someone can provide a good home for it, I can part with it, email me if you are interested. When I first heard the name of the band was Fujiya & Miyagi, right away my mind went to, the owner of a sushi restaurant in Uptown and the old guy from Karate Kid. So what kind of music would two old Japanese guys make? Not this music, that is for sure. These are actually English guys from what I could gather. I purposefully try to not to find out much about the band, including reviews of the album. It would only prejudice me in one way or another so I try to go into the CD pretty blind. The music is mostly instrumental, a lot of bass, synthesizer, and drums. I guess you could call it electronica but I am not completely convinced. It did have some good beats in some of the songs but they are so weird. Most of the songs also sound surprisingly similar. There is the one song that the Current plays called "Ankle Injuries." I never knew that was the name of the song because for a great deal of the song, they just repeat the words "Fujiya Miyagi." I always thought that was the name of the song too. If you listen close enough to the words though, they say "ankle injuries" during the song. That's another thing with the CD that I wasn't super thrilled with, it felt as though the singer wasn't really singing. It felt like he was reading a poem, perhaps an Emily Dickinson or e.e. cummings poem, because the words never seemed to make much sense. Ok, I probably need to step back a little. The CD is not as bad as I am making it out to be, it just isn't my style.

My favorite song was Collarbone. The guy says the whole bone thing towards the end of the song, you know, the neck bone connected to the collarbone, etc. At the beginning of the song too, he says "Got to get a new pair of shoes to kick it with her, not kick it with you." Wow, that's pretty cruel but sometimes that's the way it goes. I also liked the beats in that song. You could feel the groove and dance with that one. I don't always have a deep meaningful reason for liking a song, it just needs to entertain me a little.

Why in the world would Ross buy this you ask? I did ask that. As I have said before though he had extremely eclectic tastes. He might have been attracted to the CD by the song on the Current but he also did like electronica music when it came to dancing. I remember one of the first times I went out with him. He invited me to go dancing with him and some of his friends. We went to First Avenue for Danceteria. He and his friends danced for hours. I couldn't keep up! I think that is one of the things I found most attractive about him. He was a man who liked to dance and was good at it, none of that white man's overbite with him. He could thrash with the best of them but he could also groove with the best of them.

I am going to try something here. Here is a link to a Youtube video for the song Collarbone. It's kind of a cute video. Let me know if this works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMBndXAaPrw

We'll Never Turn Back by Mavis Staples

So I go from pop music to reggae to local "folk" music now to gospel music. Before I go any further, I have to admit I cheated a little with this CD. I already have "99 and 1/2," one of my favorite songs from the CD, on my iPod. Ross, Christine, and I heard the Sensational Joint Chiefs do a cover of it at a reunion show of theirs last year. It was such a great song that when I found out it was on this CD I downloaded it right quick. However, I never listened to the rest of the CD so I didn't totally cheat. I'm glad I listened to it now though. It is amazing what you find sometimes when you listen to a whole CD, little hidden gems, or in this case a message that bears repeating. Mavis Staples is from the Staples Singers singing group. Their CD, "The Best of the Staples Singers," is another CD I enjoy. I won't review that one though because I have listened to it too many times. Mavis, as well as her sisters, is known for R&B, soul, and gospel music. In the liner notes she call the music on this particular CD "freedom music." I like that description. The music is inspiring, its meant to make you want to take a stand, or at the very least remember all of those people who did take a stand during the Civil Rights Movement. The songs sound kind of like spirituals but modern day versions of them. She sings about things that happened back in the day and how things now are still a long way from where they should be. I found it ironic that this was released in 2007 and now here we are in 2009 with Barack Obama as our president. We are moving a little way on that road.

My favorite songs are "99 and 1/2" and "I'll be rested." I almost wonder if Ross didn't buy this CD for "99 and 1/2." Although I am sure he had heard it before our night at the Uptown with the Joint Chiefs and there is probably some other CD in his collection with that song on it. Anyway, it has this great guitar sound on it and a great beat. I think you could even dance to it. The best part though are the words
"I'm runnin', runnin' for freedom y'all
Cause 99 and 1/2 just won't do
Now, if your God won't help you
You better try mine"
and
"Lord, I'm tryin' to make 100,
cause 99 and 1/2 won't do."
How cool is that. The mathematician in me just loves that. The other song "I'll be rested" is very mellow. She repeats the words "I"ll be rested when the roll is called" throughout the song and then she says names of different people that were involved and died fighting in the Civil Rights Movement.

I think that Ross bought this CD, like I said, partly for "99 and 1/2," but I think he bought it for the message the CD had as well as it being Mavis Staples. She is a pretty extraordinary singer and the songs on this CD are pretty powerful, not only because of her voice, but because of all of the meaning behind those lyrics. Another great CD, with a great message, gotta keep it.

Lure the Fox by Haley Bonar

I'm keeping this one. (Don't worry I will get to ones that I am not keeping!) The CD was perfect to listen to on a gray, cold day like today. It is definitely mellow music. Someone called it folk music. I don't think I would go that far. I always think of folk music as stuff from the 50s and 60s. She is most definitely from this century. She reminds me of Emmy Lou Harris and Lucinda Williams. Most of the songs are pretty spare, just Haley and her guitar. On some of the songs you can even hear the strum of the guitar strings and the squeak of her acoustic guitar as her hand moved up and down the guitar neck. Her voice is haunting and her songs all seem really dark. It seemed appropriate for my mood today.

My favorite songs are "Hawaii" and "Us." I had to like Hawaii, the first line is "Take me down to Waikiki." From there it kind of degenerates into this song about a couple who seem to be enjoying a horrible marriage. Hmm, odd I should like it. I think I was more taken with the fact that it named my home state. I liked Us because it just stuck in my head all day. There's a line in it that just gets to me "Calling all the dirty liars, they can deal with us." I have listened to this CD for a few days now and today was my final listen before I wrote about it. I like to do that, it kind of gets me thinking about what I am going to write. After I listened to the whole CD a few times, I just listened to those two songs over and over again for the rest of the day. What I should do is just burn those two songs and then give away the CD, but never fear Mark, I won't do that, not yet at least!

I think Ross bought this CD for a couple of reasons. We saw Haley Bonar play a few times and he liked her sound. I also think he bought it because he would always read those articles in the paper about the best local CDs of the year. Hers was on there a couple of years ago and he liked to support local music so he bought it. Sometimes I think he bought CDs never hearing a song, if someone said they liked it, he was willing to give it a try (an expensive habit I learned to tolerate). No deep meaning or message there.

Yell Fire! by Michael Franti and Spearhead

This was a weird CD to find in Ross's collection. Its not like he was a big reggae fan. He has the prerequisite Bob Marley CD but I have one too. So when it came to reggae I couldn't figure out why he bought this one. At first I thought it was the new one that the Current has been playing songs from but I didn't recognize many of these songs. I liked the CD though, it really didn't seem like a huge reggae record, it has its share of reggae beats and stuff but Michael Franti's voice is a lot smoother than Peter Tosh or Bob Marley's. I also could understand all the words he was saying unlike some other singers from reggae bands. I may seem like I am stereotyping, which I probably am, but growing up in Hawaii I heard lots of reggae. My little brother Marty also went through a reggae period when I was living at home (in the mid 80s) where all he listened to was reggae and most of those bands I haven't heard from since. Anyway, his voice is easy on the ears. I was also surprised at some of the songs on this CD, they were kind of polished and there were ballad-type songs without a reggae beat to be found. My favorite songs were "Time to Go Home," I talk about it below, and "Hello Bonjour." "Hello Bonjour" has a dance beat but a message of loving people from all over the world no matter how they greet you.

I struggled with whether this was a keeper or not. My gut reaction the first time through was yes, then today, I was thinking, how will I define a keeper? What if I keep every single CD? (Those who know me know I am not a keeper of a lot of stuff.) The answer I had was it has to be a CD that I will listen to over and over again. I had this revelation this morning that this was not that kind of a CD for me. Then I was discusing this CD with a coworker, who also owns it, and telling him I probably wouldn't keep it. He asked if it was because it was political. That woke me up a little. Even though I could hear every word Michael Franti was saying I wasn't really listening. I spent the rest of the day listening harder. I also found the lyrics tucked in a little pocket of the CD. From what I could tell this CD's inspiration was Franti's trip to Iraq. Then it all kind of fell into place. This is why Ross bought this CD. The first song in the CD, "Time to Go Home," starts with the words "Those who start wars never fight them and those who fight wars never like them." Then later in the chorus he sings, "Don't take our boys away no, don't take our girls away no, it's time to go home." The CD ends with the saying "Believe in coexistence." Ross was a big peacenik, I know everyone is surprised by that. What Franti is singing about was right up his alley and he would have bought this CD for that reason alone. It got me thinking, maybe I should keep a CD if it has a message I can believe in. This one sure does. I am keeping it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSeuLsNV4CA

Bring It Back by Mates of State

This CD is definitely a keeper for me. I just bought their latest CD, Re-Arrange Us, a few weeks ago. I was struck by how similar they sound but I like the Bring It Back CD better. There are more songs on it that I like and there is more variety in the types of songs on their older CD. I love the man and woman's harmonies together on the songs, her voice is really pretty too, and I love how catchy the songs are. They tend to repeat phrases in their songs a lot which make them really catchy and also help old people like me remember the words because I hear them over and over.
I have 3 favorite songs. The first one, not in any kind of order, is Fraud of the 80s, why the song is called that I couldn't figure out. It has a cool sound though that might be derived from old 80s songs so maybe that is where it came from. The next one is Like U Crazy. The main phrase in this song is "I like you crazy." which you have to say is always a good place to start when liking a person. It also has a really catchy beat. Finally Nature and the Wreck is a short, sweet song with just the piano in the background. I think at the end of the song you can hear a baby cooing. How can you not like a song like that? I'm a sap sometimes.
I couldn't figure out why Ross bought this CD. It sure isn't his normal brand of music. Knowing him though he heard a song by them on the Current and just had to have it. That was his usual M.O. He heard a song, liked it, then bought the CD. No wonder he had so many CDs. Thank goodness he got into iTunes and started buying 1 song at a time. I think he kind of missed his junkets to Electric Fetus where he would come home with a stack of 8 to 10 CDs that he had bought. After awhile I had to cut him down to less than or equal to 5 CDs. I was pretty heartless.

How it started

When Ross died he left me with many wonderful memories, tons of t-shirts, baskets of fleece pants, and a grip, as he liked to say, (meaning, in 1990s Minneapolis Public Schools-speak, a lot) of CDs. Remember he wasn't always the hippest with his lingo.

I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. Should I keep them even though I didn't know what half of the CDs sounded like or even who some of the musicians were? Or should I just sell every single one of them on eBay, not caring that there might be gems amongst all those CDs. Now, you may ask exactly how many is "a grip of CDs"? I don't think I can answer that with a mathematical term for the number in a grip but I can say that he bought enough CDs that if I listen to one CD every day for a year, I will still have CDs of his I haven't listened to. Thus came the idea for this blog. I would listen to one CD a day for the year, blog about it and come to a decision on whether to keep it or not.

There were some topics that came up though after thinking of this idea. Which CDs should I listen to? I own a lot more CDs than 365 so I decided to limit it to CDs that Ross bought for himself and for which I had nothing to do with the purchase. Lucky for you we won't be talking about my "Best Of Def Leppard" CD he bought me for my birthday a couple of years ago. They will always be my "no apologies" band. It just conjures up high school memories. But I digress. I also wasn't sure what to write about this CD. Would it be just a free form entry? Would I have some kind of theme? I could write all kinds of drivel unless given a direction and even then it is probably still drivel. I was given some direction by friends as to how to make this easiest on me. I would answer 3 burning questions: What is my favorite song? Why do I think Ross bought the CD? and Is it a keeper or eBay all the way? I know he would just be turning in his grave thinking I may be giving away some of these CDs so as I talk about them if it is an eBay one that interests you, let me know and I will pass it on to you. I think more than anything he would want to know his music was going to a good home. Finally the big question, how in the world could I listen to one CD a day and make a decision about it that quickly? I am busy enough as it is! As another friend advised, I needed some time to sit with each CD. Thus I decided that I can't listen to one a day. I find there are some CDs that grow on me the more I listen to them so I will probably do one CD a week. However the blog name wouldn't sound as catchy though if it was "52 CDs and counting." I'm sure someone could easily do that. That's how this all started. Let's see how far I go with it. Feel free to post your comments on the CDs I talk about as well. I love to talk about music even though I am no expert and even better I love to listen to all kinds of music.

One thing Ross did was open my eyes to all kinds of music I had never heard before. I didn't always like it but I listened to it all with an open mind and an open heart. Sometimes I learned to love a CD, even singing along to most tracks, and sometimes I just asked him to turn it down. But I sure did learn a lot from him and for this I will always be grateful.