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.

TBT – 10 Songs from Fall 2001

A #TBT mix of some of the songs I was listening to during the fall of 2001. Enjoy!

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)
    

10 Songs: #TBT – Fall 1978

A #TBT Playlist from the fall of my senior year of high school. Enjoy!

Music on the TV – On Letterman Last Week

A quick peek at what’s in store musically on Late Night TV this coming week indicates we have quite a bit of great music to look forward to, so I better catch up with last week!! The highlights from last week, again, came from Letterman so today’s post focuses solely on Dave’s show:

Let’s start with my favorite from the week first. If you’re a fan of Dave’s, you know how special Warren Zevon was to him. So it comes as no surprise that Dave requested a special performance of one of Warren’s songs in the final weeks of his tenure. The selection, “Mutineer,” was one of three songs Warren played on his last appearance with Dave in 2002 before his passing. A wonderful song, beautifully performed here by, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires:

Next up, another long time friend of the show as Dave notes, making his 27th appearance, Elvis Costello performing a Nick Lowe tune (as Elvis does so well!), “When I Write the Book” with a little bit of his own, “Everyday I write the Book,” thrown in for good measure.  Two great songs, one great artist (with some brilliant vocal accompaniment). Love it!

Last for this post, a band who Dave tells us is “pretty much all you need in a rock n’ roll band,” Dawes. Performing a new song, “Things Happen,” which is the first single from their upcoming album, “All Your Favorite Bands.” Good stuff. 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!

As Winter Wanes (We Hope), A Bakers Dozen of Songs I’m Liking

Despite the cold, I’ve been hearing some awfully hot music the past month or so that’s been helping me cope until the rest of this snow finally melts away. So just for fun, here’s a representative list of some songs I’ve been listening to recently, that I’m really quite liking. Presented in no particular order, a bakers dozen… and it could have been more.

1. Death Cab for Cutie – Black Sun
DC4C has released a few singles in advance of their new album, “Kintsugi,” and all I can say is, wow. Really looking forward to the full album! Here they perform “Black Sun” on Letterman, with Dave failing at geography.

2. Best Coast – Heaven Sent
Another fun, poppy rocker from the Bethany and company.

3. Courtney Barnett – Depreston
Ellen seems to really like Courtney and so do I – here’s a nice performance of “Depreston” on The Ellen Show.

4. Blur – Go Out
After a terrific solo album from Damon Albarn last year, it’s great to have something new from Blur this year.

5. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Ballad Of The Mighty I
Noel Gallagher teams up with Johnny Marr and it’s every bit as good as one would expect!

6. Gang Of Four – Broken Talk (feat. Alison Mosshar)
Down to just one founding member left, nonetheless, they knock it out of the park with this one.

7. Matt and Kim – Hey Now
How fun are Matt & Kim?! This track from the Brooklyn duo does not disappoint!

8. Matthew E. White – Rock & Roll Is Cold
If it didn’t before, Rock & Roll has soul now!

9. Steve Earle and the Dukes – You’re The Best Lover That I Ever Had
Great performance, from a great artist on a great show for a great new album… did I mention it’s great?

10. Frank Turner – Pancho & Lefty
A favorite song of mine by Townes Van Zandt covered by a favorite artist.

11. The Mountain Goats – The Legend of Chavo Guerrero
John Darnielle has to be among the most underrated songwriters around today. Hopefully this infectious tune will help change that.

12. Quiet Company – Seven Hells
It’s been over 20 years since I lived in Austin, but I still have a sweet spot for all things Austin, including this band, Quiet Company.

13. Colony House – Silhouettes
And last, for now, a really catchy tune from a fun trio from Nashville.

So there you go, thanks for indulging me… I hope you enjoyed it, but before I go, I leave you with a plug for a friend who loves to help people discover new music every week,  here: Next Music Show

 

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!