Saturday, May 31, 2014

From Memphis To Mars

Love is a marathon, sometimes with puke... The Old 97's - Longer Than You've Been Alive

The Old 97's new album is aptly named Most Messed Up.  The first song released from it is the self biographical Longer Than You've Been Alive; a very funny tune with lines: "We’ve been in nightclubs and we’ve been in bars, honkytonks and theaters from Memphis to Mars; Most of our shows were a triumph of rock, although some nights I might have been checking the clock"

Rock and roll has been very, very good to me...

Monday, May 26, 2014

It's Decoration Day

It's Decoration Day... - The Drive-By Truckers

Jason Isbell was a member of The Drive-By Truckers for 3 albums. During this period the band really hit their stride with three excellent song writers; Isbell along with Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley. On the album Decoration Day, the band was in top form, each writer putting his stamp on the album; Hood with Sink Hole and Heathens, Cooley with Marry Me and Isbell with Outfit and the epic title track Decoration Day. If you compare the Truckers to their heroes and fellow southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, then Decoration Day is their Freebird.

The song is a red-neck, modern day update of sorts of a Hatfields-McCoys type family feud.  This story is about the Lawsons and the Hills and told from the point of view of a son of the now deceased Hill patriarch.


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Roger, Wilko, Over and Out

Wait a minute baby, what you going to do?  You can call me crazy, but I want you... Wilco Johnson, Roger Daltrey - I Keep It To Myself

It is exciting to hear THE VOICE, Roger Daltrey rocking out once again.  This time, the legendery singer of The Who is paired with another renowned British rocker, Wilko Johnson of Dr. Feelgood fame.

Dr. Feelgood represented the early 70's pub rock movement, with a punk spirit that was severeral years ahead of it's time.  During the era when British art rock was in vogue, the Feelgoods played rough and tough R&B music befitting of early Rolling Stones or Chuck Berry.

In early 2013, Johnson was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.  He decided to spend his remaining days rocking out rather than fading away. Daltrey jumped at the chance to record the final record with Johnson and the album contains mostlsy gems from Dr. Feelgood’s past.

The story reminds you a bit of the making of Warren Zevon's final album The Wind.

For a guy who once sang "I hope I die before I get old", the 70 year old Daltrey sounds great to these ears.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Coldplay is in My Head

My mouth waters to be fed and you're always in my head... Coldplay - You're Always in My Head

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon continues to get great bands on the show.  Coldplay played a new tune entitled You're Always in My Head. Another song from the forthcoming Coldplay album Magic.