New Song: 1st Half of 2009

You need a new song, I'll set the words up so they tear right at your soul... (The Who-New Song)

We have already had some exciting releases in 2009, but there's more just around the corner...

Neil Young - Fork In The Road (just released: April 7, 2009)

1. When Worlds Collide
2. Fuel Line
3. Just Singing A Song
4. Johnny Magic
5. Cough Up The Bucks
6. Behind The Wheel
7. Off The Road
8. Hit the Road
9. Light A Candle
10. Fork In The Road
    

Bob Dylan - Together Through Life (release date: April 28, 2009)

1. Beyond Here Lies Nothin'
2. Life Is Hard
3. My Wife's Home Town
4. If You Ever Go To Houston
5. Forgetful Heart
6. Jolene
7. This Dream Of You
8. Shake Shake Mama
9. I Feel A Change Comin' On
10. It's All Good
    

Steve Earle - Townes (release date: May 12, 2009)

The new cd will be a tribute to the late Great Townes Van Zandt. Steve will be joined on several songs by his wife Allison Moorer, son Justin Townes Earle, Tom Morello and The Bluegrass Dukes.

1. Pancho and Lefty
2. White Freightliner Blues
3. Colorado Girl
4. Where I Lead Me
5. Lungs
6. No Place To Fall
7. Loretta
8. Brand New Companion
9. Rake
10. Delta Momma Blues
11. Marie
12. Don’t Take It Too Bad
13. Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold
14. (Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria
15. To Live Is To Fly
    

Wilco - still-untitled album (June 2009)

Jim Scott and the band spent the last few weeks mixing in Jim's studio in Valencia, California and here's a list of song titles spied on the reels -- note this is not necessarily complete and not in sequence. Feist lendsa great vocal to You and I.

• Deeper Down
• Conscript (aka I'll Fight)
• One Wing
• Solitaire
• Wilco (the song)
• Country Disappeared
• Everlasting
• Bull Black Nova
• Sonny Feeling
• You and I

Son Volt - American Central Dust (release date: July 7, 2009)

The band’s first album on Rounder, refines the band’s robust sound. Fiddle, pedal steel, lap steel and sparkling piano add an atmospheric nuance to Son Volt’s Americana inspired rock, surrounding band leader Jay Farrar’s stream of consciousness lyrical imagery.

1. Down To The Wire
2. Roll On
3. Cocaine And Ashes
4. Dust Of Daylight
5. When The Wheels Don’t Move
6. No Turning Back
7. Pushed Too Far
8. Exiles
9. Sultana
10. Strength And Doubt
11. Jukebox of Steel

Review: No Line On the Horizon

I was born to sing for you, I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up and sing whatever song you wanted me to... (U2-Magnificent)

I was in college in 1983 when I first heard U2 and the album War. Back then MTV actually introduced us to music and the video to New Years Day got allot of air play. I loved the video, their sound and the way the band was clad in coats and fingerless gloves playing that great tune in the snow and cold. I quickly purchase War and fell in love with the band's music. I remember listening to the CD through headphones in a study room with other fellow students. The song Like a Song came on and a fellow student also listening through his headphones played air drums perfectly to the beginning of the song. It's funny the things you remember.

Since the early days have I been a fan following the band throughout the various stages. I've only got to see them twice through the years; once on each tour for The Joshua Tree and All That You Can't Leave Behind. The band has been solid throughout with only missteps in the mid-90's with Zooropa and Pop. The former had some very good moments, but the later didn't work for me at all. The band has been particularly strong this decade with now it's 3rd strong release.

I had been looking forward to hearing No Line on the Horizon, in particular when I saw the producers were Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Steve Lillywhite. These guys have directed and sculpted the U2 sound and seem to be able to bring out the best in the band. In particular, I have always been a big fan of Daniel Lanois's work. I love the work he did on Bob Dylan's Oh Mercy and Time Out of Mind; Robbie Robertson's self title debut; The Neville Brothers' Yellow Moon; Emmylou Harrison's Wrecking Ball; Peter Gabriel's Us and So; and of course U2's various albums.

As I said previously, this CD is the third solid release of the decade. No Line On The Horizon stands well beside both All That You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Automic Bomb. This is my favorite release of the year so far.

• No Line On the Horizon - A great opening song, upbeat with classic U2 sound; the lyrics comparing a girl to the sea; a great line "I hear the universe in her sea shells"



• Magnificent - A perfect pop song; great dance floor/disco beat; excellent lyrics and vocals by Bono.



• Moment of Surrender - A mid-tempo spiritual song, with very soulful singing.



• Unkown Caller - Another classic whose lyrics seem to be about surviving those early hours when you are alone with no one to talk with



• I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - Another perfect radio friendly song, along the lines of Stuck In a Moment



• Get On Your Boots - As an introduction single for the album, I admit I was skeptical; the song is not near as a good single as Vertigo and sounded like it could have been on Pop; However I think the song works better listening through the whole CD



• Stand Up Comedy - A strong upbeat song



• FEZ-Being Born - U2 - After a very dreamy, atmospheric beginning the song really kicks in;



• White As Snow - A slower mid-tempo song.



• Breathe - Another powerful classic U2 sounding song.



• Cedars of Lebanon - A dreamy landscape

U2 - Magnificent (Letterman)

U2 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (Letterman)

Rolling Stone Review

Sea Cruise

Tonight my baby and me we're gonna ride to the sea...
(Springsteen-Racing in the Street)


I'll be away from the Corner for a week as I take a stand down in the Caribbean.








Old man rhythm is in my shoes
No use t'sittin' and a'singin' the blues
So be my guest, you got nothin' to lose
Won't ya let me take you on a sea cruise?



Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby



Won't ya let me take you on a sea cruise?
Feel like jumpin' baby won't ya join me please
I don't like beggin' but I'm on bended knee
I got to get t'rockin get my hat off the rack
I got to boogie woogie like a knife in the back
So be my guest, you got nothin' to lose
Won't ya let me take you on a sea cruise?



Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby


Won't ya let me take you on a sea cruise?

I got to get t'movin' baby I ain't lyin'
My heart is beatin' rhythm and it's right on time
So be my guest, you got nothin' to lose
Won't ya let me take you on a sea cruise?



Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby


Won't ya let me take you on a sea cruise?

Feel like jumpin' baby won't ya join me please
I don't like beggin' but I'm on bended knee


Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby



Won't ya let me take you on a sea cruise?