David Bowie… Check ignition and may God’s love be with you

If you came of age in the 70’s, as I did, you couldn’t escape the music, presence and influence of David Bowie. Never compromising, Bowie transformed us through every phase, every song, every collaboration and every performance. Through the decades, he touched new generations and provided a soundtrack for our lives. He will be missed, but his music and his influence will live on.

A Baker’s Dozen of John Lennon For His 75th Birthday

John Lennon wearing NYC t-shirt and leaning on rooftop, NYC. August 29, 1974. © Bob Gruen

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In celebration of what would have been John Lennon’s 75th Birthday today, October 9, 2015, here’s a baker’s dozen of  some of John’s songs that I put together. Not at all definitive, and not necessarily his most popular, but some damn fine tunes that you may or may not hear elsewhere today. Enjoy!

1. I Found Out
   
2. John Sinclair
   
3. New York City
   
4. I’m So Tired
   
5. Hold On
   
6. Only People
   
7. Yer Blues
   
8. Tight A$
   
9. Crippled Inside
   
10. Bless You
    
11. Cleanup Time
    
12. Happiness is a Warm Gun
    
13. Bring on the Lucie (Freda People)
    

TBT Grateful Dead Style!

The July 4 weekend 2015 is a perfect occasion for a #TBT of the Grateful Dead performing US Blues in 1978 at the Capitol Theatre. Enjoy!

Ten Songs – Celebrating The Pony Express

Today’s Google Doodle is a fun celebration of the 155th Anniversary of The Pony Express. So I thought, an appropriate soundtrack for playing along with Google would be fun. Enjoy!

Ten Songs – Rolling Stones Deep Cuts

This was hard. Rolling Stone magazine asked this question on Facebook this weekend: “What is the best The Rolling Stones deep cut?” I decided to take the challenge and create a list of ten songs. But first, how do you define a deep cut? Anything that wasn’t a hit? Anything that wasn’t a single? I chose to draw the line at anything that wasn’t a single, though with a discography like the Stones have that didn’t make this task any easier. For example, with a  broad definition like that, I could have filled 8 of my 10 slots here with songs from Sticky Fingers. I decided instead to spread the wealth and present my ten choices below. But to answer the specific question as to which is the best – I choose, “Salt of the Earth.” I could have added about 40 more. What would you choose?

All I Want Is Some Truth

Today would have been John Lennon’s 72nd birthday. To celebrate and honor John, I think he would agree this song is apt, and applicable to all, during this political season. Give it a chance.

Enjoy!

A Restless Ear’s Favorite Music of 2011

I’m not a music critic. I don’t even play one on TV. But I do have a bit of restless ear. I enjoy spending my spare time exploring, discovering and listening to all kinds of music. I also like to create compilations of the music I enjoyed most throughout the year. By no means, however, is my offering below a definitive “best of 2011” listing. Consider it, rather, a collection of favorites that soothed a restless year.

MY TOP TEN FAVORITE TRACKS

1. Lost in My Mind – The Head and the Heart

2. Jejune Stars – Bright Eyes

3. Jesus Fever – Kurt Vile

4. Vomit – Girls

5. Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now) – Portugal. The Man

6. Circuital – My Morning Jacket

7. Dawned On Me – Wilco

8. Tree By The River – Iron & Wine

9. Cough Syrup – Young the Giant

10. Lonely Boy – The Black Keys
 

MY TOP TEN FAVORITE ALBUMS

1. The King is Dead – The Decemberists

2. Whole Love – Wilco
 

3. Helplessness Blues – Fleet Foxes
 

4. Circuital – My Morning Jacket
 

5. Ashes & Fire – Ryan Adams
 

6. El Camino – Black Keys

7. Father, Son, Holy Ghost – Girls
 

8. Wasting Light – Foo Fighters
 

9. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
 

10. Young the Giant – Young the Giant
 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Best Cover Song:
Guns of Brixton – Jimmy Cliff

Welcome Back:
The Jayhawks

A Fond Farewell:
R.E.M.

ROUNDING OUT MY TOP 50 TRACKS
Helplessness Blues – Fleet Foxes
Living Is So Easy – British Sea Power
Walk – Foo Fighters
Junk of the Heart (Happy) – The Kooks
Dirty Rain – Ryan Adams
Weekend – Smith Westerns
Love The Way You Walk Away – Blitzen Trapper
Miss K. – Deer Tick
Calamity Song – The Decemberists
Will Do – TV on the Radio
How Come You Never Go There – Feist
Video Games – Lana Del Ray
Don’t Forget How Much I Love You – John Doe
She Walks In So Many Ways – The Jayhawks
Bright Lights – Gary Clark Jr.
Stay Young, Go Dancing – Death Cab For Cutie
A Little Bit of Everything – Dawes
The Way It Goes – Gillian Welch
Holocene – Bon Iver
Colours – Grouplove
Get Burned – Sleeper Agent
Santa Fe – Beirut
All At Once – The Airborne Toxic Event
Heart in Your Heartbreak – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Gotta Get It Right Now – Telekinesis
Heavens Just for Moviemakers – Graham Wright
Black ( feat. Norah Jones ) – Danger Mouse
I’ve Been Thinking – J Mascis
Future Starts Slow – The Kills
Money – The Drums
Options – Gomez
Under Cover Of Darkness – The Strokes
Na Na Nothing – Mike Doughty
Behold the Hurricane – The Horrible Crowes
The Walk – Mayer Hawthorne
Guns of Brixton – Jimmy Cliff
Losers – The Belle Brigade
Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars
Woods – The Rosebuds
Long Time – Cake

5 MORE ALBUMS I’VE REALLY ENJOYED
Dye It Blonde – Smith Westerns
Metals – Feist
Smoke Ring for My Halo – Kurt Vile
The Harrow & The Harvest – Gillian Welch
Keeper – John Doe

Let me know what you think. Leave a comment. What did I miss? Which are the keepers? Which are the clunkers?

Enjoy!

 

Cover Me

Inspired by a crowd sourcing request from The Hired Guns on Twitter today, I compiled a baker’s dozen of some favorite cover songs. This was no easy task. It turns out, there are a lot of really good cover songs. So, by no means is this list definitive. But I’ve playlist tested it on my iPod and it seems to hold together well. So take it for a spin and let me know what you think. What cover songs do you suggest?

All Along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix (Bob Dylan)
Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again – Cat Power (Bob Dylan)
Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley (Leonard Cohen)
Redemption Song – Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros (Bob Marley & the Wailers)
Hurt – Johnny Cash (Nine Inch Nails)
Wonderwall – Ryan Adams (Oasis)
Love Hurts – Gram Parsons (Everly Brothers)
Sweet Jane – Cowboy Junkies (Velvet Underground)
Little Wing – Stevie Ray Vaughan (Jimi Hendrix)
The Man Who Sold The World – Nirvana (David Bowie)
With A Little Help From My Friends – Joe Cocker (The Beatles)
Stand by Me – John Lennon (Ben E. King)
What a Wonderful World – Joey Ramone (Louis Armstrong)

Enjoy!