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Strummer Week: The Pogues

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We continue our week-long Joe Strummer tribute, leading up to the 10-year anniversary of his death on December 22, with a bit about the Pogues. The lives of the Pogues weaved around Joe’s for a number of years, beginning before the Pogues even existed. In the late ’70s, young Shane MacGowan was a visible fixture on the London punk scene, but more as a fan than as a music maker. The first known intersection in the lives of Joe and Shane came on October 23, 1976, at the Clash’s first headlining gig in London at the ICA on the Mall. Part of the reason the date is so memorable involves Shane.

 

Cannibalism at Clash Gig - news clip featuring young Shane MacGowan

 

Yes, you recognize him: that young man in the pinstriped jacket, with blood later streaming down the side of his head is the same person who would later go on to pen literary and poignant tunes like “Fairytale of New York” and “A Pair of Brown Eyes”.

A true punk, Shane wouldn’t let a little bloody tussle keep him away from gigs, and he was captured again at a Clash show in 1977.

Clash gig 1977, with Shane MacGowan in the audience

 

In 1984, the Pogues toured in support of their first album Red Roses for Me, and a few of those gigs found them opening for the Clash. (This was during the end times of the Clash, after Mick Jones had been kicked out, and the band was collapsing in on itself.)

In 1986, a tour of Nicaragua was planned that would include Joe, the Pogues, and Elvis Costello. Alex Cox (Repo Man, Sid & Nancy – the soundtrack to which Joe composed much of, and the Pogues composed the rest) was set to film the tour for a documentary while also scouting for locations for an upcoming film (that film would be Walker, to which Joe penned a beautiful, Latin-influenced score – Joe also had a bit part in the film). The tour never came together, but the musicians were recruited for a new idea: the sublimely ridiculous 1987 film Straight to Hell (named after the Clash song).

Straight to Hell excerpt

 

The Pogues were set to tour the U.S. in 1987 when guitarist Phil Chevron fell ill with a stomach ulcer. Pogues manager Frank Murray asked Joe to fill in.

“London Calling” – The Pogues with Joe Strummer

 

Joe was brought in to produce the Pogues’ album Hell’s Ditch in 1990. It was a tumultuous time for the Pogues as Shane seemed to be at odds with the rest of his bandmates and was at one of his low points at the hands of drugs and drink. Joe is said to have handled the situation with a fairly keen understanding of Shane’s temperament, sometimes recording the reluctant singer word-by-word, and then splicing the performance into a whole.

“Summer in Siam” – The Pogues

 

Shane left the band partway through the tour for Hell’s Ditch , and Joe was once again tapped to fill a space. Joe was understandably hesitant to jump into the fray the second time around, but he eventually overcame his doubts and threw in with the Pogues once again.

“If I Should Fall from Grace with God” – The Pogues with Joe Strummer

 

Joe became good friends with Pogues multi-instrumentalist Jem Finer over the years, and they had talked of recording together, but the talk never came to fruition.

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Strummer Week: The Family

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This Saturday, December 22, will mark a decade since Joe Strummer died of an undiagnosed heart defect. As Joe is the “patron saint” of NTSIB (our look riffs on Clash imagery, our name is drawn from one of his lyrics, and his attitude about and love for music fuels our mission), we will be featuring bits and bobs from Joe’s life and music this week.

Joe’s spirit is carried on still by the women who called him family: ex-wife Gaby Salter, daughters Jazz and Lola, widow Lucinda Garland, and step-daughter Eliza.

 

“Strummerville” – a film by Don Letts

 

Lucinda began Strummerville soon after Joe’s death, and it has grown into a foundation that continues in Joe’s vision of punk as a do-it-yourself revolution of people helping people by doing everything from supporting UK artists (Frank Turner was a Strummerville beneficiary) to aiding musical education for children in Africa. While Strummerville has always been a part of the Glastonbury festival, where Joe set up a campfire every year and dubbed it Strummerville, the foundation put on its own festival this past August, Strummer of Love. Artists like the Pogues, Billy Bragg, Mick Jones and the Justice Tonight Band, Alabama 3, Seasick Steve, The Jim Jones Revue, Frank Turner and a ton more played to raise funds to continue the Strummerville mission.

“To Have and Have Not” – Billy Bragg, Strummer of Love

 

Read an interview with Lucinda at The Independent from the lead-up to the festival. She recalls her life with Joe and shares some personal photos.

In the aforementioned interview, Lucinda speaks of his daughters and how they are “so like him”, even step-daughter Eliza. Here is Eliza singing with Alabama 3:

“Bulletproof” – Alabama 3, featuring Eliza Mellor

 

Joe’s daughter Lola, who has a clothing line called She Vamps, also sings. She leads her own band called Dark Moon.

 

Email newsletters for bands at ReverbNation.com

 

Joe’s oldest, Jazz, is a crafter and writer, founder and president of the Shoreditch arm of the Womens Institute, Shoreditch Sisters WI, and gave birth this year to Joe’s first grandchild, a girl named Boudicca.

This past summer, The Guardian featured an interview with Jazz and Lola that will bring a few tears to your eyes.

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Feel Bad for You, December 2012

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Time again for the groovin’ internet sensation that all the hip kiddies are talking about, the Feel Bad for You mixtape!

“Hello my little red-nosed reindeers! It’s the last Feel Bad for You mixtape of 2012! And good riddance 2012, and don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. Please welcome The Mad Mackerel from Charlbury, England, as our newest contributor! (FYI: If you accidentally Google “The Mackerel” instead of “The Mad Mackerel,” the top hit is a disturbing Picasso painting.) Thanks to TooMuchCountry for the artwork. Although, after tonight’s game, maybe we should Feel Bad For the Texans.”

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Feel Bad for You, December 2012

Feel Bad for You, December 2012

1. Title: The Money Goes
Artist: The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Album (year): Between The Ditches (2012)
Submitted By: hoosier buddy
Comments: I saw this band at the 8×10 in Baltimore. It was a transformative experience, standing in the middle of a crowd of screaming, stomping, whiskey-fueled, wild-eyed music fans. The Reverend, who hails from Brown County, IN, could teach Jack White a few things about playing guitar…and about performing. I’m completely serious. Catch ‘em if you can.

2. Title: Molotovs
Artist: Dorado
Album (year): Anger, Hunger, Love And The Fear Of Death (2013)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel
Comments: This is a side project by Birmingham badasses Through The Sparks. The Dorado full length will be released 1/5/13 via This Is American Music.

3 Title: I’m Going Back
Artist: Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
Album (year): Smoking in Heaven (2011)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: I was recently directed to this fun, retro-50s group consisting of multi-instrumentalist siblings. Just good fun.

4. Title: Stupa
Artist: District Attorneys
Album (year): Jr. (2012)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: These guys have my favorite album of the year but this is off their just released free EP from thisisamericanmusic.com!

5. Title: Endeavor
Artist: Timo Räisänen
Album (year): Endeavor (2012)
Submitted By: @philnorman
Comments: Fizz bop Swedish pop! A friend posted this on the tweeters a week or two ago and the damn hook won’t get out of my head. Bonus saxophone solo!

6. Title: Get Me In A Room
Artist: Hallelujah the Hills
Album (year): No One Know What Happens Next (2012)
Submitted by: Simon
Comments: Thanks to everyone who’s contributed and given their time to creating the posts and artwork, so much music, so little time – you filter the great from the mediocre. This is an ear-worm of a track and the video features our erstwhile collator and editor-in-chief Amy https://vimeo.com/38678429.

7. Title: The Cigarette Song
Artist: The Patinettes
Album (year): Bliss (2011)
Submitted By: @popa2unes
Comments: I’m sure like me, this monthly exercise always gets you rooting deep into all the music you’ve accumulated and saying Oh yeah haven’t heard this album in a while! The Patinettes only album Bliss is filled with retro surf rock flair, beautiful vocals and a catchy bluegrass/country vibe and it just found it’s way back onto my pod. They are a five piece crew from Zaragoza, Spain.

8. Title: In Pacific Time
Artist: Micah Schnabel
Album (year): How to Quit Smoking/In Pacific Time CDR (2012)
Submitted By: scratchedsoul
Comments: I travel a lot for work which can be shitty sometimes and sometimes it’s great. At the end of the summer I found myself in Buffalo for work and went and saw Two Cow Garage open for Lucero. Micah and Shane were selling their wares after the show and this is from a CDR Micah was selling. Both songs are ridiculously good.

9. Title: Little Mystery
Artist: Todd Thibaud
Album: Little Mystery (1999)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: Thibaud was one of the early artists introduced to me by the randomness of Pandora. Not terribly edgy – yet this Boston singer has some solid, creative pop tunes. I revisited Little Mystery for FBFY and realized the multiple meanings of that song title this time of year. The song itself tells the story of the girl about town who craves the return of a little mystery in her life – but who is resigned to know it ain’t happenin’. But don’t we all crave the return of a little mystery? Hell, is mystery even possible in a world of Facebook, Twitter and iPhones? Whacked relationships. Gender-known deliveries. Loathed gift cards vs. wrapped presents bought with intent and a smile. The mystery of Santa that recedes with each generation more quickly than any glacier melts. Those damn Mayans. The journey to Bethlehem and the everlasting impact of the events that may have happened there. But hey, Merry Friggin’ Christmas y’all. Thanks for listening, downloading, sharing and/or ignoring my submissions this year. Have a drink on me, kiss the ones you love and pray for the ones you don’t.

10. Title: To Sir With Love
Artists: Lulu
Album (year): To Sir With Love (1967)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: I’ve been listening to Steve Earle’s SiriusXM radio show, and he recently discussed the work of producer Mickie Most. This track stands out among his many, many great recordings.

11. Title: I Wanna Live
Artist: The Ramones
Album (year): This version is from the “Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: The Anthology [Disc 2]” (1999) but it’s originally on “Halfway to Sanity” (1987)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: I’ve been on an 80′s Ramones kick in between surf music and crazy Christmas music…so…here ya go.

12. Title: Keep the Boy Alive
Artist: Sebadoh
Album (year): Secret EP (2012)
Submitted By: Ryan (verbow over at altcountrytab.ca)
Comments: I guess the successful Dino Jr reunion has inspired Lou Barlow to revive Sebadoh. They snuck this EP out earlier this year, a teaser for a forthcoming full album in 2013. This is the first song off that EP – and I love the hell out of it. I’ve always dug Lou’s stuff – I wish I had a bunch of enlightening things to say about it, but I don’t. Its just a base instinct I guess. Viva la Sebadoh!

13. Title: God Damned the Rain to Fall
Artist: Horsehead
Album (year): Sympathetic Vibrations (2012)
Submitted By: Trailer
Comments: If you’re gonna do an impression of The Black Crowes, you might as well do it this damn good.

14. Title: Black Tar Carpet Ride
Artist: The Lollipops
Album (2012): Pop Narcotics (2012)
Submitted By: The Mad Mackerel
Comments: “We’ll shoot some heroin, and take to the skies.” Told over a simple acoustic strum, this is an unapologetic, woozy, hypnotically brilliant paean to the delights of chasing the dragon. The best addition to the Sex and Drugs and Rock’n’Roll mantra we’ve heard all year. The only apology? For “the times we almost died.” It comes from The Lollipops sublime May release, Pop Narcotics – available as a Pay What You Want deal from their Bandcamp page.

15. Title: Blood, Sweat & Murder
Artist: Scott H. Biram
Album (year): The Dirty Old One Man Band (2005)
Submitted By: Bryan Childs (ninebullets)
Comments: My father was a HUGE Scotty Biram fan. I’m glad he got to see him live before he got sick. This was one of my dad’s favorite SHB songs.

16. Title: Beer Cans
Artist: Old 97’s
Album (year): Too Far To Care (Bonus track, 2012 reissue)
Submitted By: Gorrck
Comments: Sums up my existence these days.

17. Title: Letters Home From the Garden of Stone
Artist: Everlast
Album (year): Love, War, and the Ghost of Whitey Ford (2008)
Submitted By: tincanman
Comments: A soldier ponders his place in the battlefield. Masterfully crafted lyrics and production. And that voice is so seductive!

18. Title: Dead Souls
Artist: Joy Division
Album (year): live (1980)
Submitted By: April @ Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: This is from a show Joy Division played at the University of London Union on February 8, 1980, recently remastered by audio engineer Drew Crumbaugh. I’ve been listening to Joy Division since I was in my early teens, and everytime I listen to them, I still think it is some of the greatest music I’ve ever heard.

19. Title: Armegideon Time
Artist: Willie Williams
Album: Armegideon Time (1978)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: Dec. 21, 2012: Armegideon Time

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Friday Link Session

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  • The best of legendary Punk magazine will be coming out in book form on December 18. Ribbon Around a Bomb notes “The “Best Of” catalog will feature high-quality reprints of early material (HELLO, punk photo comics!) rare and unreleased interviews/art/writing, and a few new contributions from editor-in-chief / legit cartoon artist John Holmstrom, not to mention titans like Lou Reed, Debbie Harry, Lester Bangs, Lenny Kaye […] and Andy Warhol.”
  • And if you don’t have enough holiday gifts for the old punks on your list, there’s a new X calendar for 2013 with live, candid, and publicity photos of Exene, John Doe, et al.
  • Dinosaur Jr recently played a show celebrating the 25th anniversary of You’re Living All Over Me, and aside from playing the album in its entirety, they also brought on some guests for some covers and other fun. For instance, Johnny Marr joined them for “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side”, Frank Black came on for “Almost Fare” and “Tame”, and Tommy Stinson and Cleveland’s own John Petkovic joined in on “T.V. Eye”. Videos at Slicing Up Eyeballs.
  • Jazz great Dave Brubeck died at the age of 91 this week. NPR.org has an hour-long audio documentary on Brubeck’s life and career.
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Mark Lanegan Revisited

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In my efforts to be a (not very on-the-ball) publicity machine for the criminally overlooked talents of Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, The Gutter Twins), here’s another post focusing on just how awesome he is. First, a 4AD session with the Mark Lanegan Band playing four songs from their most recent album, Blues Funeral:

 

My favorite Lanegan projects tend to be those where he’s stepping into some one else’s project. Bonus points if he’s in a duet with a soft-voiced female. Which brings me to this cover of the xx’s “Crystalised” in which Lanegan twines his vocals with those of Martina-Topley Bird (with members of Warpaint providing musical accompaniment). Ever since she sang with Lanegan and Greg Dulli on “The Body” (from the Gutter Twins album Saturnalia), I’ve been wishing for a trio album of Dulli, Lanegan, and Topley-Bird. This song is a good consolation prize. A very good consolation prize.

“Crystalised” (The xx cover) – Martina Topley-Bird and Mark Lanegan with Warpaint

 

Another great collaboration happened back in 2008 when Lanegan laid down vocals for Bomb the Bass’s “Black River”, off the album Future Chaos.

“Black River” – Bomb the Bass, featuring Mark Lanegan

 

And, finally, as the holidays draw near, a seasonal offering from Lanegan and friends. Dark Mark Does Christmas 2012 is the tour CD currently being offered by the Mark Lanegan Band. While the title and the very concept had me giggling for a good while when I first learned about it, these six tracks (including a Roky Erickson cover) are gorgeous.

Dark Mark Does Christmas 2012

 

Mark Lanegan Official Website

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Rebirth of the Cool: War

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Hey, kids, time for another encapsulation of one song’s multiple reincarnation through the years. This time, we’re looking at “War”.

“War” – Edwin Starr

 

You, quite rightly, know “War” as this stirring, passionate polemic delivered by Edwin Starr in 1970. Well-timed for the tension of the Vietnam War, the song went to #1 on Billboard‘s “Hot 100” chart and garnered a Grammy nod for Starr. But this blunt, powerful piece did not originate with Starr. Penned and produced by Motown’s Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield, the song was originally recorded by R&B gods the Temptations. The song was nuzzled – side 2, track 2 – into their 1970 album Psychedelic Shack.

“War” – The Temptations

 

The Temptations’ version was never released as a single. About this, Edwin Starr said, “It was buried on one of their albums. But then a lot of mail came in, mostly from students, asking why they didn’t release it on a 45. Well, that was a touchy time, and that song had some implications. It was a message record, an opinion record, and stepped beyond being sheer entertainment. It could become a smash record, and that was fine, but if it went the other way, it could kill the career of whoever the artist was.”1 Thus, Starr was brought in to record the song for release as a single, cushioning the career of the Temptations. (Both versions were backed by Motown house band the Funk Brothers.)

“War” resurfaced again about 15 years later, when Bruce Springsteen added it to his live show. Springsteen’s cover became the lead single of his Live/1975–85 box set and again hit Billboard‘s “Hot 100”, peaking at #8 this time. This arrangement of the song was even funkier than that laid down by the Funk Brothers and is a perfect showcase of Springsteen’s verge-of-an-aneurysm vocal delivery.

“War” – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

 

Bonus: Here’s another live renditon of “War” by Springsteen, with help from Mr. Starr himself.

“War” – Bruce Springsteen with Edwin Starr

 

1Super Seventies RockSite, “War”, Edwin Starr

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Friday Link Session

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  • My favorite Cleveland band, mr. Gnome, have premiered their DIY video for “House of Circles” on NPR’s All Songs Considered blog. The song is rad, and the video is a tribute to the multiple talents of this band.
  • West African musician Bombino is raising funds to build a community rehearsal space in Niamey, Niger. As the fundraising page states, “Following the end of the Second Tuareg Rebellion in 2008 (during which guitars were banned) the music scene in Niger has been blossoming. However, in Niamey fully equipped rehearsal spaces are virtually non-existent and certainly not accessible to most musicians and would-be young musicians.”
  • The Elbo Room in San Francisco, California, will be hosting a Norton Records benefit concert on December 16. As many of you know, Norton’s warehouse was hit hard by Sandy and many rare recordings have been endangered.
  • Stupefaction has a very worthy John Lurie two-fer: First, a full concert from Lurie’s wonderful “fake jazz” band the Lounge Lizards, recorded in Berlin, Germany, in 1991. Then, a playlist of Lurie’s top 20 songs.
  • Steve Kilbey, most famously of Australian band the Church, has been guest editing Magnet Magazine. He’s covered everything from One Direction to the Gormenghast Trilogy, and highlighted Greg Dulli’s (Afghan Whigs, Twilight Singers) often-overlooked solo album Amber Headlights.
  • It seems to be the Age of Music Documentaries, which is good news for those of us who totally dig that shit. This time around Mudhoney is being profiled. You can pre-order the DVD or rent a stream of the movie.
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An Electro Swing Sample Platter

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Europeans looking in on this post are probably laughing at how behind-the-times the topic is, but living in the United States – a country so in love with its musical output that it will only embrace half of Britain’s musical export and a quarter of the musical export of our neighbor to the north, Canada – and being someone who doesn’t often warm up to electronic and dance music, being introduced to electro swing was a whole new thing for me. And I’m going to guess it’s a brand new thing for most of you reading this.

The discovery, for me, came by way of the video game-obsessive male who shares my apartment – i.e., my 18-year-old son. As a video game-obsessive, his musical intake centers mostly on – wait for it – music from video games. And he discovered his first electro swing artist via a fan-made video of Team Fortress 2 character, the Spy. The background music in the video was from Austrian DJ Parov Stelar, who spruces up old swing samples with effects and beats.

“Catgroove” – Parov Stelar

 

Through a dance music-savvy friend, my son then fell for French group Caravan Palace. Reflecting influence from Django Reinhardt to Lionel Hampton to Daft Punk, Caravan Palace mix swing samples with a full band that includes guitar, drums, violin, clarinet, marimba, and more.

“Clash” – Caravan Palace

 

When I started digging in to electro swing, after hearing a handful of the Parov Stelar and Caravan Palace tunes a number of times, I found that electro swing is a massive, many-tentacled beast. For instance, this great band called Movits! who hail from Sweden. They mix swing-heavy beats with hip hop. Hearing Swedish rap produces a little cognitive dissonance on first listen, but, damn, if it doesn’t work.

“Fel Del Av GÃ¥rden” – Movits!

 

Then there’s the British duo the Correspondents who back up their swing with an almost ’80s-reminiscent Brit dance pop sensibility. Singer Mr. Bruce lures you in with his flamboyant sensuality, then they tear into your brain with mercilessly enjoyable hooks.

“What’s Happened to Soho?” – The Correspondents

 

For more discoveries, you can check out electro swing hubs like Swing Rebellion and Scratchy Tunes.

 

Parov Stelar Official Website

Caravan Palace Official Website

Movits! Official Website

The Correspondents Official Website

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Friday Link Session

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  • …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead and The Coathangers have teamed up as Thee Deadcoats to cover Pussy Riot’s “Putin Lights Up the Fires”. Proceeds will be split between the funding of Pussy Riot’s legal defense and the American Red Cross Sandy relief effort.
  • Classic 1981 concert film “Urgh! A Music War” is available to view in full on YouTube.
  • BBC Radio Four’s “Mastertapes” is available as a podcast (meaning non-Brits can listen without any country restrictions). “Mastertapes” is an interview, audience Q&A and performance show, and programs posted so far have featured Billy Bragg, Suzanne Vega, and Paul Weller.
  • Richard Hell is publishing an autobiography called I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp in March of 2013. The book can be pre-ordered at Amazon. There is a review of Chapter 28, which was released as a chap book, at We Who Are About to Die.
  • While most of the output from new Cleveland radio station 87.7 is pretty bland, the station is now the new home of Cleveland-centric showcase Inner Sanctum on Sunday nights from 9 to 11 p.m. Cleveland bands who would like to be considered for inclusion on the show should e-mail their name, e-mail address, telephone number, and links to any social media to wearecleveland@877cleveland.com.
  • Further to local music news, Patrick Sweany is finally coming back to the Cleveland area. Sweany will be playing Mahall’s in Lakewood on November 23. Buy tickets here.
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Feel Bad for You, November 2012

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It’s that time again, kids. The Feel Bad for You mix for November is live!

“Hidely-ho neighbors! We’ve back, and feeling bad for November. Your favorite bloggers, twitters, hurricane survivors, pinko commie liberals, and conspiracy theorist wingnuts present this month’s mix. Thanks to Hoosier Buddy for the artwork – he took the photo while standing in the ocean near La Jolla, California. Feel bad for those of us standing in snow (or worse).”

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Feel Bad for You, November 2012

1. Title: Done Got Old
Artist: Heartless Bastards
Album: Stairs and Elevators (2005)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comment: I just turned 40. This is my new theme song.

2. Title: Outrageous
Artist: Paul Simon
Album: Surprise (2006)
Submitted By: @philnorman
Comments: It’s outrageous a man like me can stand here and complain.

3. Title: Sadie
Artist: Hound Dog Taylor
Album: Natural Boogie (1974)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: just three guys laying the groove down, no big deal

4. Title: A Horse Called Music
Artist: Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
Album: Heroes (2012)
Submitted By: Gorrck
Comments: The original of this song is almost too clean and pure beauty. This has some rough edges but retains the beauty of the song.

5. Title: Beat Surrender
Artist: The Jam
Album: Direction Reaction Creation (1997)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: Thirty years ago this month the ‘best fucking band in the world’ released their final single and were on the road for their farewell Beat Surrender tour – what else could I choose this month – more on the blog later this month.

6. Title: Blackberries
Artist: Boca Chica
Album (year): Transform Into Beasts (2007)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: I can’t remember how I stumbled upon Boca Chica, but I’ve had them on my ‘buy’ list for a while. I finally picked up one of their earlier albums and have been enjoying it this week. I had a tough time choosing a song for this month’s FBFY, but I keep going back to this one, so here you go.

7. Title: California Dreamin’
Artist: Barry McGuire
Album: Dunhill LP 50005 (1965)
Submitted By: tincanman
Comments: Sounds like someone taking the piss (UK saying), but this is the original. The Mamas & Papas were in the studio at the same time, so supplied the backing vocals. The Cave-like harshness over the sappy sweet harmonies make it almost punky … or is it because McGuire can’t hold a tune?

8. Title: Everybody Knows
Artist: Allen Thompson Band
Album: Salvation In The Ground (2012)
Submitted By: Bryan Childs (ninebullets.net)
Comments: “Everybody Knows” isn’t a comfortable song. It doesn’t really have a groove and you’ll never dance to it, but like The Eagles “Desperado,” you might find yourself wanting to hold up a lighter while it’s playing. The track eschews “a catchy tune” and goes for the “honesty so brutal you can’t help but sit down and pay attention” lyrics…

9. Title: Separation Anxiety
Artist: Mutts
Album: Separation Anxiety (2012)
Submitted By: April @ Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: I figured there could hardly be a more fitting contribution to a mixtape that encourages drunken commentary than this shambling, drunken, everybody-sing-now ditty from Chicago’s Mutts.

10. Title: Jamie
Artist: Weezer
Album: DGC Rarities, Volume 1 (1994)
Submitted By: Ryan (Verbow @ Altcountrytab.ca)
Comments: Been on a Weezer kick lately. This is a fine track that didn’t make the Blue Album – just a sweet slice of power poppy goodness. It also comes with a cool story – it was recorded by a friend of the band for his college final – he got a B on it. Nice. Also reminds me of a girl I knew named Suzanne – I keed I keed, a girl named Jamie. Swoon. Good times.

11. Title: Two Riders
Artist: Bohannons
Album: Unaka Rising (2012)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: While the bulk of Atlanta was down the street at the democrats’ bar watching the election results, the Bohannons were putting on a scalp-peeling show for less than a dozen people that rivaled the show I saw for a near sold out crowd in their home-town Chattanooga. This album doesn’t do their live show justice (which is one of the best I’ve seen in years), but for $5 from thisisamericanmusic.com it’s gonna be one of your favorite albums this year.

12. Title: Snake Song
Artist: David Olney with Sergio Garcia
Album: Unreleased – Live at Grimey’s (2012)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: Back in February, author Brian Atkinson made an in-store appearance at Grimey’s New and Preloved Music in Nashville to promote “I’ll Be Here In The Morning”, his book about Townes van Zandt. Grimey added to the promotion of Brian’s book by inviting incredible talents such as Will Kimbrough and the legendary Steve Young to sing covers of Townes’ songs or their songs that may have been somehow influenced by him. The striking highlight for me, however, was David Olney’s cover of Snake Song featuring jaw-dropping guitar work by Sergio Webb. My video of the performance is also on YouTube (as well as the performances by Kimbrough and Young).

13. Title: Oxblood
Artist: The Donkeys
Album: Born With Stripes (2011)
Submitted By: hoosier buddy
Comments: Like your second trip to the kissing booth, this song is as thrilling as it is comfortable. With echoes of Marc Bolan, Ray Davies, and the Commotions (minus Lloyd Cole), the alt-country psychedelia whangs and burbles along. The musical question, “could there be a relationship here?”, applies as much to the listener as it does to the girl who says she’s “got friends in from out of town.”

14. Title: Reefer
Artist: Harlan Pepper
Album: Young and Old (2012)
Submitted By: @popa2unes
Comments: I spent most of the week trying to weed out a song to submit, and then Colorado and Washington State made this old stoner a very happy hippie.

15. Title: Joe
Artist: The Pollies
Album: Where the Lies Begin (2012)
Submitted By: Trailer

16. Title: Fields of June
Artist: Emily Barker & the Red Clay Halo (featuring Frank Turner)
Album: Field of June single (2012)
Submitted By: scratchedsoul
Comments: I don’t know much about Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo but Frank Turner tweets about them a lot. Now he’s singing with her and it’s obvious why he likes her. She was part of the Revival Tour in Europe this year.

17. Title: Calm Me Down
Artist: Port O’Brien
Album: Threadbare (2010)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: Lately this has been my “ease me into the morning while driving” song.

18. Title: Rotten Alabama
Artist: Ramsay Midwood
Album: Larry Buys A Lighter (2011)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel (This Is American Music)
Comments: Ramsay is a Texas legend in my eyes. Every record he’s put out is stellar. If you’re ever in Austin…