God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise

by Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs

Heartache. That's the way this album starts with the upbeat blues-shuffle song "Repo Man". With an angry vocal tone that sounds a lot like Joe Cocker, Ray LaMontagne sings about not taking his lover back after the word is out that she has been rejected by her current fling. "What makes you think that I will take you back again? I ain't your Repo Man!" Great guitar and drum work throughout. A great song.

Following that up, he goes right into the soul-searching "New York City's Killing Me". In this slow, Stephen Stills-esque ballad, Ray longs for the country to "have a couple drinks with the good 'ol boys"

Chorus

Just got to get me somewhere

Somewhere that I can feel free

Get me out of New York City, son

New York City's killing me

Laden with steel guitars and rock-a-billy style solos, it has a bit of a country flavor with folk-style vocals. As I'm sure that anyone who has spent time in a large city can attest, sometimes you just long for a change of scenery. Once again, Ray LaMontagne connects with his fans on a personal level.

According to Wikipedia (and if it's there, you know it's true) Ray had a rough childhood with a traveling mother and a musician father that abandoned their family. He originally wanted nothing to do with music, but decided to start writing and performing after hearing a Stephen Stills song. So, you can see where he gets the inspiration for some of his more heartfelt writings.

Hopefully, his recent success doesn't put a damper on his passion. You may remember Taylor Hicks singing his song "Trouble" on American Idol, as well as Chris Sligh, in season 6. His songs have also been featured on many TV shows including ER, One Tree Hill, House, Rescue Me, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Bones, Covert Affairs, and Parenthood.

Here is the song "Be Here Now" which was featured in the movie "27 Dresses"

A shy performer, Ray LaMontagne sometimes performs in the dark to avoid distracting bright lights, and to separate himself from his audience. He also refrains from doing videos, leaving that to the "beautiful people". Other than the obvious influence of Stephen Stills, Wikipedia also claims that Richard Manual and Rick Danko help to shape his style, and that critics compare his music to The Band, Van Morrison, Nick Drake, and Tim Buckley.

Judge for yourself. Here is the link to the album.

Song list:

Repo Man

New York City's Killing Me

God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise

Beg Steal or Borrow

Are We Really Through

This Love is Over

Old Before Your Time

For the Summer ***Another favorite of mine

Like Rock & Roll Radio *** This one too!

The Devil's In the Jukebox

Anyway, if you're tired of the same old music, and looking for something that finally has some depth and passion, this is the album for you!

MTV, The Way It Used To Be!

Hey, I just upgraded my TV to HD, and of course had to sign up for HD programming through Comcast.

Because of this, I found a great HD station that has some awesome music programming. I haven't seen so many live concerts since MTV stopped playing music, and they are all filmed and broadcast in HD! How sweet is that?!

If you haven't heard of it, it is called Palladia, and has been on the air since 2006. It was originally called MHD (Music HD), and is actually owned by MTV Networks.

Since I have discovered the network, I have seen live performances by Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Rush, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Elvis Costello, you name it!

I even found more new music (at least I hadn't discovered it until now) from the Isle of Wight Festival, an annual Woodstock-like gathering in Great Britain.

One of my favorites was Paolo Nutini. Here is the video (in "slightly less" than HD quality):



For more information about Palladia go to www.palladia.tv.

To check out the studio version of "New Shoes", get the "These Streets" CD below. This is a great CD!

Music and Intelligence Come Together!

I have discovered a great site for free music that is tailored to your own musical tastes. It is called Pandora®, The Music Genome Project®, and you can find it at www.pandora.com.

Basically, this is how it works:

You pick a song, artist or album that you like, and create your own radio station based on that style of music. The site will then start playing songs that are similar in style musically, vocally, rhythmically, and many other variations. Then, you can give the song a thumbs up or thumbs down based on your opinion of it. If you give it a thumbs up, it will continue to deliver songs that their technology has decided you might like. If you give it a thumbs down, the site will change the parameters and perform new calculations to eventually zero in on your musical tastes.

The coolest part about this idea, is that you end up finding a lot of GREAT music that you either never heard of, or never knew you liked! For instance, I started one of my stations with Temple of the Dog, and naturally, I got songs by Audioslave, Pearl Jam, Live, and Soundgarden, but I also got a song from Earshot, a band that I apparently missed the boat on. Presto! I just found a new album that I like! Man, these guys are smart!

And not only do you get to listen to the songs for free, but they have bios about the band, reviews of the albums, cover art, etc.

And you can create different radio stations based on what you feel like listening to at the time. Maybe you want to listen to something that has a vocal that is more clean sounding or music that is more jazz oriented. You can create a Police station, (there's a play on words for you) and maybe discover The Fixx, Yes, Earth Opera, or an obscure David Bowie song that you never heard before. Who knows?

I have no idea how it works, but this is how they explain it.

The Music Genome Project®

On January 6, 2000 a group of musicians and music-loving technologists came together with the idea of creating the most comprehensive analysis of music ever.

Together we set out to capture the essence of music at the most fundamental level. We ended up assembling literally hundreds of musical attributes or "genes" into a very large Music Genome. Taken together these genes capture the unique and magical musical identity of a song - everything from melody, harmony and rhythm, to instrumentation, orchestration, arrangement, lyrics, and of course the rich world of singing and vocal harmony. It's not about what a band looks like, or what genre they supposedly belong to, or about who buys their records - it's about what each individual song sounds like.

Since we started back in 2000, we've carefully listened to the songs of tens of thousands of different artists - ranging from popular to obscure - and analyzed the musical qualities of each song one attribute at a time. This work continues each and every day as we endeavor to include all the great new stuff coming out of studios, clubs and garages around the world.

It has been quite an adventure, you could say a little crazy - but now that we've created this extraordinary collection of music analysis, we think we can help be your guide as you explore your favorite parts of the music universe.

We hope you enjoy the journey.

Tim Westergren
Founder
The Music Genome Project

Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static

After listening to the newest Jack Johnson album, “Sleep Through The Static”, all I want to do is listen to it some more. On a personal level, it seems that the Hawaiian born singer, songwriter, surfer, and film-maker is constantly searching for something. This is very evident in the opening song, “All At Once”. He alludes to things not being right in the world, and that we should be strong enough to do something about them. But what do we do instead? We continue on in life, planting seeds and growing roots. “For what?” he asks. Is it a place in the afterlife? To leave a legacy? Or is it, as he says, “at least something we can hold”? I think the most definitive answer is another lyric, “nobody really knows”. Nobody really knows anything. Except, I do know, that this is one great album!

Jack Johnson, the avid environmentalist, has created this album from his solar-powered studio, and added keyboards and electric guitar to his simple acoustic guitar rhythms, but his lyrics are what really make this compilation exceptional. Yeah, if you just listen to the overall “sound” of the CD, you might say to yourself, “It all sounds the same”. But if you get into what he is trying to say, you will find yourself transfixed by his melodic poetry.

The song “Hope” for instance, on the surface, sounds like a fun-loving, reggae-style romp, until you hear the words that are underneath the Marley-style beat. There is an under-lying suffering that hasn’t been disguised in this manner since The Police did “Synchronicity”.

It’s gonna lift you up and let you down
It will defeat you then teach you to get back up
After it takes all that
You learn to love

I have read all of the lyrics a few times now, and I still don’t really know what “it” is. At first, I thought that “it” meant “hope”, but now, I realize, that “it” could be any one of a number of things; pride, love, drugs, emotion, greed, life, take your pick. If you happen to read this article, watch the video below, and leave a comment telling me what you think “it” is.

The title track, “Sleep Through the Static” is a great arrangement of thoughts that are stacked on top of one another and run together from beginning to end, and segmented by the chorus, which scolds us for going “beyond where we should have gone”, an obvious anti-war chant.

The 2 sections of verse, which are actually metered run-on sentences, remind me of the song “Scar Tissue” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. As a matter of fact, Jack’s vocals remind me of Anthony Kiedis, in spots, throughout the whole album.

Bravo to Jack for speaking his mind, and telling us that you don’t have to be labeled a traitor just because you don’t agree with war, and that being opposed to using brute force does not necessarily mean that you are weak.

A nice Strat solo with a marching snare drum takes this song to it’s conclusion stylishly.

I can continue to write down how each song from this album makes me feel, but I don’t want anyone reading this to have a pre-determined mental picture of what it is about. It is better to listen to it yourself, and let the lyrics bring out your own emotions. Be careful, though, your emotions may overwhelm you, as you ride this mental roller coaster. Not only do I recommend this album, but also consider it a MUST for any serious music collection.

Here is the songlist:

1. All At Once
2. Sleep Through The Static
3. Hope
4. Angel
5. Enemy
6. If I Had Eyes
7. Same Girl
8. What You Thought You Need
9. Adrift
10. Go On
11. They Do, They Don’t
12. While We Wait
13. Monsoon
14. Losing Keys

I compare this album to “Graceland” by Paul Simon. You probably won’t hear most of the songs on mainstream radio, but if you buy it and listen to it, you will still love it 20 years later, and the messages will still be relevant.

Also, take a minute to check out the Kokua Hawaii Foundation at www.kokuahawaiifoundation.org, an environmental awareness organization that Jack co-founded.

Sia Furler - Some People Have Real Problems

Sia - Some People Have Real Problems

Well, if you have seen Zero 7 play live before, either on their tours, late night talk show rounds, or from videos that you can find on the internet, the question that might come to mind is, "Just how many people are in this band, anyway?" Well, actually, there are only 2. Yep, even though you have seen them with multiple singers and guest musicians, sometimes crowding the stage with up to 20 people, the Grammy-nominated, downtempo style group is actually the brain-child of 2 London-based sound engineers named Henry Bins and Sam Hardaker.

Most of the musicians that they use, have already been accomplished on their own, but some have become more well-known because of their association with Zero 7. Their popular trio of vocalists, Sia Furler, Sophie Barker, and Tina Dico are no exceptions. Although they each compliment the style of the band, sometimes singing alone or sharing the stage, they also have their own unique styles that set them apart from the others. As I get time, I will try to examine all of their styles, but today I want to talk about Sia Furler, or just Sia, which is what she calls herself, and her newest album "Some People Have Real Problems".

If you are into the downtempo (or "chill-out") style of music, then this album will definitely appeal to you. But be aware, that if you are looking for mainstream pop, this album may not be for you. Sia has a very odd style about her that may grate on some people, with a vibrato which is sometimes overdone, but if you accept her for what she is, which is a very talented performance artist, you will be captivated by her ability. She is definitely NOT Fergie!

The album itself is very well crafted, with no short-cuts taken. If a piece needed a background choir or horn section to complete it, it was provided. Not by over-dubbing or sampling, but by REAL musicians, playing REAL instruments. Imagine that, in this world of technology! Bravo, Sia!



The above video of the triumphant "Day Too Soon" was from the radio show, "Morning Becomes Eclectic", on KCRW, Santa Monica, California, and I think it really shows her ability to just belt out a great performance. I mean, here she is, just hanging out on a chair (terrible posture for singing) at a radio station, and on the spot, effortlessly nails a track that would be a keeper in any professional recording studio. Then she just goes back to being goofy and giggling, like it was nothing. There are plenty more of these cuts, so check out all of her YouTube videos, if you get a chance.

The rest of the album is full of just great music (like I said, if you appreciate the style). Personally, I do. Again, I am amazed at Sia's ability to breathe life into an otherwise simple song, like on the track, "You Have Been Loved". There is nothing fancy about this song. In fact, it's really not my favorite. It is just piano, strings, drums, and vocals. That's it! But Sia sings it so well, that you want to listen to it over and over.

The opening song, "Little Black Sandals" is kind of humorous, with her footwear having the brains enough to walk away from a bad relationship when her real brain isn't sure.

I thought the song "The Girl You Lost To Cocaine" sounded like a Pretenders song, and then I was pleasantly surprised to see a remake of an ACTUAL Pretenders song, "I Go To Sleep". Actually, the song was written by Ray Davies, and covered by quite a few artists, including Marion Maerz, and Rasputina.

The jazzy, apologetic, "Lentil" is a nice addition to the album, with a music style similar to Fiona Apple, and a vocal like Tori Amos. The song swells to a nice orchestral crescendo, and then fades off quietly, like it began. Nicely done.

Other highlights include the fun, interesting "Playground" which I could see getting some airplay on stations other than public radio (I say that like it's a bad thing), along with "Buttons", which kind of has a B-52's style dance beat, a la "Rock Lobster". Another track that accentuates Sia's vocals is "Death By Chocolate", which has a full choir that lays a foundation for her to sing over.

Here is the full song list:

Little Black Sandals
Lentil
Day Too Soon
You Have Been Loved
The Girl You Lost To Cocaine
Academia
I Go To Sleep
Playground
Death By Chocolate
Soon We'll Be Found
Electric Bird
Beautiful Calm Driving
Lullaby
Buttons

So, two thumbs up from me, especially if you like Zero 7, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, The Pretenders, or if you just want to listen to something that isn't really like most of the music out there.

John Mayer - Continuum

I caught John Mayer a week or so ago on the PBS Show, "Austin City Limits". What a great show! Nothing fancy, just some great grooves, deep, meaningful lyrics and great vocals. The band was flawless, and John's guitar playing keeps getting better and better every time I see him play live. By the way, I have to mention something here. Although I suppose he is a good-looking kid, I can't stand to watch his facial expressions. It's like trying to watch Joe Cocker or something. One side of his face is fine, usually smiling when he is really getting in to it, but the other side of his face looks like it's trying to vomit! Oh, well, as long as the music is good, don't change a thing, John! I'll close my eyes if I need to.

The most amazing thing to me, is when he is laying down complicated guitar rhythms, he can still sing as comfortably as if he wasn't playing at all. Actually, I think the more difficult it is to play, the better he will play it. It seemed like he got bored sometimes playing his actual solos, and couldn't wait to get back to slapping a rhythm out. If you have the CD, you can hear what I'm talking about on the song, "Gravity".

Well, everyone has heard the song "Waiting on the World to Change", so I won't give you much on that one. It's success pretty much speaks for itself. Every track on the album is good, though, with some rising above the others. It comes with a second disk of live tracks, which I like, because it gives the band a chance to groove out on a couple of the songs. The song "Belief", for instance, sounds like it is meant to be played live.

One of my personal favorites is "Gravity", which kind of speaks about life's struggles, and how no matter how hard you try, there is always something trying to pull you down.

On the song "I Don't Trust Myself", there is a really eerie sounding harmony, which I thought at first was a pitch modulator on the lead vocal, but I think he actually plays the melody on his guitar, and sings the harmony. It's an odd combination of sounds, and a unique trick.



I think the most honest, heartfelt track is "Stop This Train". (The video is shown above, from a fan who posted it on YouTube. There is a video from the "Austin City Limits" show, but the sound is soft, so I posted this one instead), in which John addresses the subject of inevitable death, and his fears of growing old and living the rest of his life without his parents. In fact, it includes a conversation with his father (real or made-up, it's still a great reflection), in which his "old man" says "Turn sixty-eight. You'll re-negotiate". He also eluded to this thought on "No Such Thing" from "Room For Squares" when he wonders if his parents "wished for anything better".

I would call 3 of these songs Break-up Songs, "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room", "Dreaming with a Broken Heart", and obviously, "I'm Gonna Find Another You". The songs are published and copy written in 2006, but you can't help but think that these might be written about a certain Ms. Simpson. Who knows?

Here is the full song list:

Waiting on the World to Change
I Don't Trust Myself (with Loving You)
Belief
Gravity
The Heart of Life
Vultures
Stop this Train
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
Bold as Love
Dreaming with a Broken Heart
In Repair
I'm Gonna Find Another You

KT Tunstall - Eye to the Telescope

I thought that KT Tunstall was fairly new to the music scene, but the 28 year old Scottish singer/songwriter/performer has apparently been playing with several different bands throughout the UK, and has developed a huge following there. As a matter of fact, her debut solo album, "Eye to the Telescope", although not released in the US until 2006, had already been on the charts in the UK since 2004.

The following performance of "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on the UK TV show "Later with Jools Holland", was the one that really got her solo career moving.



Her big break in the North American market came when the "American Idol" contestant, Katharine MacPhee, chose to perform "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" for the show. The song rose up the Billboard charts after that. The irony here is that KT admittedly loathes shows like "Idol" because the performers are completely "controlled" by the producers of the show.

Although "Black Horse" has been her most popular song, there are many other great tracks on the CD, including the spacious and dreamy "The Other Side of the World", the spiteful "Another Place to Fall", the bluesy "Miniature Disasters", and the soulful "Stoppin' the Love".

"Suddenly I See" is another track that has gotten some attention on the charts. This track is fun and uplifting, with a tempo that I would call a "fast walk". One of those songs that if you're not careful, will be stuck in your head all day.

Here is the full songlist:

The Other Side of the World
Another Place to Fall
Under the Weather
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
Miniature Disasters
Silent Sea
Universe & U
False Alarm
Suddenly I See
Stoppin' the Love
Heal Over
Through the Dark

KT Tunstall combines a lot of styles from female artists that I enjoy, and I would recommend this album to anyone who enjoys Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlin, Bonnie Raitt, or Sass Jordan.