Aurelio Martinez is a new artist on the Subpop label. His album, Laru Beya, drops January 18th. If the whole thing is as good as this track, then I’m glad I pre-ordered it.
In 2010, I started this little music blog. I enjoy it. I hope a lot of folks are making connections with new and old music and artists through this site.
I think I’ll keep doing it until I run out of music.
Happy 2011, people. Keep listening.
And enjoy.
Song: Tio Sam Artist: Aurelio Album: Laru Beya Label: Subpop Buy from: Subpop
Some people get caught up in what kind of instruments should be allowed to make music and which ones shouldn’t.
I prefer to live life with a stick-free ass environment. Life is so much more enjoyable with an open mind. An open mind is the devil’s picnic, as a saying goes, but you gotta remember that without the devil, the world would be totally boring.
I believe “Buddy” is a reference to the posterior of the female form.
De La Soul. We were lucky when they were with us, and we didn’t know how good we had it. This album dropped in 1989. Keep that in mind.
An added bonus video after the absurd “Buddy” is the insane “I Can Do Anything.” I had hopes that more hip-hop and rap groups would follow in the footsteps of the psychedelically inclined De La Soul, but very very few have. Big shoes to fill, indeed.
I can do anything. I can hold two pieces of doo doo in my hand.
Enjoy.
Song: Buddy Artist: De La Soul Album: 3 Feet High And Rising Label: Tommy Boy Buy from: Amazon
French musician St Germain takes some old John Lee Hooker riffs and vocals and re-works them to nice effect in this one from 2000.
Unrelated quote:
Wanting to meet an author because you like his work is like wanting to meet a duck because you like paté. -Margaret Atwood, novelist and poet (b. 1939)
Enjoy.
Song: Sure Thing Artist: St. Germain Album: St Germain Des Pres Tourist Label: Blue Note Records Buy from: Amazon
The album Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub) was released on September 11, 2001.
The band, Groove Armada, has gotten a lot more “electronic” sounding since 2001. This tune, “Join Hands,” was created with more traditional instrumentation, and it’s just good for your soul.
Enjoy.
Song: Join Hands Artist: Groove Armada Album: Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub) Label: Jive Electro Buy from: Amazon | iTunes
There has been a bunch of press recently about John Lennon’s death and birth anniversaries.
Well, John Lennon had two sons who make some music of their own. Sean Lennon, only son of John and Yoko Ono, made some really interesting music in the late 90’s that I’ve been revisiting lately. He’s still doing his thing if you want to check that out.
Here’s “Photosynthesis” from Into The Sun (1998) by Sean Lennon.
It is worth noting that Lennon plays every instrument on this track… with his feet. He knew there were tall expectations.
Enjoy.
Song: Photosynthesis Artist: Sean Lennon Album: Into The Sun Label: Capitol Catalog Buy from: Amazon | iTunes
“Who’s Gonna Help Brother Get Further” is a finger-snapper from 1970 with a soulful theme of solidarity, from Lee Dorsey, who was frequently backed by none other than The Meters.
Enjoy.
Song: Who’s Gonna Help Brother Get Further Artist: Lee Dorsey Album: New Orleans Funk Label: Soul Jazz Buy from: Amazon
Here’s a spooky tune from a guy who has played as wide a range of styles as any musician. “Think” is by guitarist Bill Frisell, from Disfarmer (2009).
And here is a good poem to read whilst you listen, presented completely without permission, but with good intention. It was written by Ted Kooser, former U.S. Poet Laureate.
He was a big man, says the size of his shoes
on a pile of broken dishes by the house;
a tall man too, says the length of the bed
in an upstairs room; and a good, God-fearing man,
says the Bible with a broken back
on the floor below the window, dusty with sun;
but not a man for farming, say the fields
cluttered with boulders and the leaky barn.
A woman lived with him, says the bedroom wall
papered with lilacs and the kitchen shelves
covered with oilcloth, and they had a child,
says the sandbox made from a tractor tire.
Money was scarce, say the jars of plum preserves
and canned tomatoes sealed in the cellar hole.
And the winters cold, say the rags in the window frames.
It was lonely here, says the narrow country road.
Something went wrong, says the empty house
in the weed-choked yard. Stones in the fields
say he was not a farmer; the still-sealed jars
in the cellar say she left in a nervous haste.
And the child? Its toys are strewn in the yard
like branches after a storm-a rubber cow,
a rusty tractor with a broken plow,
a doll in overalls. Something went wrong, they say.
RT @primawesome: Let's have a race. You try to get an appointment with a licensed mental health professional and I'll try to get a gun. Rea… 6 years ago