Working Together (for four hours) - 2/25/05

Hi everybody. Since this was spring break week (or at least some kind of break week) at Bates, I volunteered my time to do two long (four hour) shows. This one is the second of the two.

Again, I was trying to play a lot of the new stuff I'd bought, but I was also just trying to play a lot of stuff I really like.

I am going to try to stop harping on this, but I REALLY like Kasey Chambers' voice. It has a haunting quality that I can't get out of my head. She bends it from the deep twang of traditional country to an almost raspy tone to give some songs a harder edge.

I know John Mayer is all cheese but I can't help liking his songs. They're sweet, yet poignant and they make me long for bigger things.

The Go-Go's - this song recently has me thinking of a scene in Gilmore Girls where Luke was complaining about "this town" (Stars Hollow) and Lorelei follows up with "is so glamorous/bet you'd live here if you could/and be one of us." Warren Zevon- I always think of working at the P.I. indoor pool with Eric Lisnik (who frankly had a way better knowledge of good classic rock than I did back then thanks to his brother) because this was one of the tapes sitting in a dirty little bin that we played in one of those way cool, little yellow Sony Sports radios.

Joan Armatrading writes some of the best songs I've ever heard. I remember when Tracy Chapman first came along with "Fast Car," a lot of her press referred to her as "the next Joan Armatrading." And while her battle with crack derailed that destiny for a while, i honestly can't find a Tracy Chapman song I don't like. So in that respect she really is the next Joan Armatrading.

Jason Spooner is this guy who plays in Portland all the time. I'd heard his name but when Jill moved into my tiny little pad and started looking for stuff to do, she got all excited because he used to go to - and play at - Colby when she was there. She's been down to see him in Portland several times and she brought home his CD. And since she was listening to the show, I thought she'd think it was pretty cool if I played it on the show. P.S. See, I don't even know this guy and I play his stuff. Hint, hint...John, Chris, Tim, Will (via Pat)...

Little Feat fits into that classic rock category. Best Little Feat memory: Meaghan: You can't like Little Feat, they're my thing."

Joan Jett, it was either this, I Hate Myself for Loving You or Bad Reputation, but I've always dug the reverb in this song.

Van Halen - I played "Ice Cream Man" last week. But really, does anyone think that Eddie Van Halen does not absolutely rock the guitar?

Nick Drake - Everyone always talks about how great Nick Drake is but, honestly, I don't see it too much. But this song gets to me. Perhaps because of that dream-like quality of his voice or the memory of the VW ad.

James Taylor - If you look back a couple of weeks (or if Ebony could tell me how to make those links in the text of my blog), you'll find the little theory I wrote about how JT is a part of everyone's musical heritage. And it seems to occur at the same age. But that doesn't mean it's not good. JT knows how to spin a song.

10,000 Maniacs were just this little band when my cousin Mary blew into Portage one summer with the tape in her little brown Honda. That summer also gave me Premiere magazine and Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians.

The B-52's put on one of the best shows I've ever seen (and it was my first one too). And I always think of Jocelyn when I hear them.

Somehow I can never remember that this Grateful Dead tune is George Ferland's "Odessa" song. But it is. And that's what I always think of when I hear it.

I've always loved The Ramones and this, the first and last solo album from Joey, is as good as anything I can think of. The ode to Maria Bartiromo is more than just a silly love song.

Kathy Cyr (formerly - now Sligh) reminded me of how she came to UMO for this show. I don't really remember that too much but that's pretty typical of most of UMO for me and especially weekends when there were shows. But I do remember their show. They sounded like they do on album but even better.

I still can't stop liking Kelly Clarkson (Nason knows what I'm talking about). And this song is the hidden gem of Breakaway.

Bob Marley holds a special place in my heart. One summer in P.I., I spent a lot of time riding around in my car and in between wearing out copies of Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Doggystyle" on cassette I found out that nothing makes the rear view mirror bounce like a little Bob.

I was holed up in my room at UMO one day watching the campus movie channel and this movie came on. Now I'm not much of a Bette Midler fan but Dennis Farina is awesome. And the soundtrack to this movie is one of the best. If you like standards (Nat King Cole's "Love" and Ella Fitzgerald's "At Last." for examples), this is a great disc. After the movie ended, I ran out and found this disc.

The Eagles - Keri Sewell's (formerly, now Sietz) mom (and maybe her dad too) was always a huge Eagles fan and I always think of sitting in their living room on Dupont Drive when I hear their tunes.

Marcy Playground had a huge hit on the radio and the summer it was a hit Jossie and Daniella were in P.I. I went over one day and Joss asked me if I'd heard of them. Since I listen to the radio, I had but thought they'd stumbled on something really great. And I think they did. Some of their songs a little too geeky for me but they all pretty much rock. Except that hit. "Sex and Candy" doesn't rock but it always makes me think of that kitchen.

Sade makes every song she sings sound like she's trying to break my heart. And she does, almost every time.

Bif Naked guested on "The Chris Isaak Show" one time and it was the funniest thing I've seen in ages. Just introducing yourself to someone's parents as Bif Naked is funny but that wasn't even the funniest part.

I hadn't heard and REO in a while but after I played this song Friday, I've heard it three times since then. Allen Deeves used to be THE biggest REO fan. I bet he denies that now.

I bought a few DVDs the other day and Pretty In Pink (along with St. Elmo's Fire and The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles) was among them. Jill told me I bought lame movies. But sometimes the music in the movie makes the movie better than it is. These movies do not fall in this category because they are awesome, timeless masterpieces but the soundtracks are also phenomenal.

Madonna - Some time ago remastered editions of Madonna's albums (and Michael Jackson's too) were released and I've managed to come across a few of them. As good as this one is (and True Blue) I've GOT to get her first album.

Angie Stone's voice is among the best out there. If you've never heard her, check her out. Personally, I like stuff from Black Diamond but I had Mahogany Soul with me so that's what I played. And this song didn't disappoint me.

Ricky Fante's album is the other one I can't stop talking about. It sounds like 50's-70's soul but it's all new. I thought it was all covers the first time I heard it.

Floetry - I thought this whole disc was live but I guess I was wrong. That doesn't make it less good though. The girls mix it up with Mos Def here and make it look easy.

Something Corporate has quickly become one of my favorite bands. I first heard them when Brooke Woodard's show used to follow mine but I was never really taken in - well, sort of maybe. I saw them on Cold Pizza one morning and they were really good too. Eventually, I came to own a couple of their albums and every time I listen to them I like them a little bit more. The new angst-rock they way I want it to be.

I'm slowly working my way through this Echo & The Bunnymen greatest hits package and I've got to tell you "Bring On The Dancing Horses" and "Lips Like Sugar" are not a good overview of this band.

I'm not sure I've ever made it past the Aimee Mann song on the Melrose Place soundtrack.

I'm not sure how I managed to make it this long without really ever having heard X but I'm pretty sorry I did. Their GH package is getting better the more I listen to it.

Cheap Trick might be coming to Rumford this summer. And the band is all back together. And it's the Moontide festival. And...aww, hell, it's Cheap Trick, I'm so going if it happens.

I'm not going to claim to be some huge "Luka" fan but Suzanne Vega has had my attention since that "Tom's Diner" thing with D.N.A. This album is good. Soft and sweet but with a little touch of bitter.

I was hanging out in a Bar Harbor bar one night with the one and only alternateen, Lara Hodge, and I got talking to this guy about music. He said The Motels were one of the most underrated bands ever. I agree. On a side note, about a month later I accosted a guy in a store and accused him of being the one who'd told me about them and how much I agreed with him. He took umbrage at my mistake and left.

The Cure has been a part of the soundtrack of my life since junior high. I'd like to thank Doug Dow for his early enthusiasm for all things music and for making all of us listen to all this stuff since way back.

Cyndi Lauper is so much more than "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "She-Bop". This song is beautiful and she has a voice that matches.

Dashboard Confessional - this is the band I thought was going to be as good as Something Corporate. I don't think they are. They're not bad, and this song has everything a good song needs but the album is not the end-all-be-all.

Okay, my fingers hurt now, so I'm gonna stop. I bet you think I forgot it, but no, if you look down, you'll see the list.
 

Kasey Chambers - A Little Bit Lonesome

CD1
The Go-Go's - This Town
(missed a little of the beginning)
John Mayer - Come Back To Bed
Warren Zevon - Ain't That Pretty At All
Joan Armatrading - Love And Affection
Jason Spooner - Cry Me To Sleep
Little Feat - Fat Man In The Bathtub
*Talk - PSA - Maine Lobster - Promo - Rockin' Roger*
Kasey Chambers - Stronger
Tracy Chapman - You're The One
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - Crimson & Clover (Tommy James & The Shondells)
Van Halen - Little Dreamer
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
James Taylor - Country Roads
10,000 Maniacs - Don't Talk (live from MTV Unplugged)
The B-52's - Bushfire

*Talk - PSA - Maine Lobster*
The Grateful Dead - All New Minglewood Blues
Joey Ramone - Like A Drug I Never Did Before
Big Head Todd & The Monsters - Bittersweet

CD2
Kasey Chambers - On A Bad Day
Kelly Clarkson - Beautiful Disaster (live from Breakaway)
Bob Marley - Roots, Rock, Reggae
Keely Smith - There Will Never Be Another You (That Old Feeling soundtrack)
The Pretenders - A Thin Line Between Love And Hate
(played a little of 2000 Miles because I can never remember that it's the "Christmas" song)
Bob Dylan - Forever Young
The Eagles - Peaceful, Easy Feeling
*Talk - Promo - Ky Winborn*
Marcy Playground - Shadow Of Seattle
Sade - Nothing Can Come Between Us
Jason Spooner - Pickup Truck
Violent Femmes - Please Don't Go (demo - 1981)
Bif Naked - Lucky
REO Speedwagon - Keep On Loving You
*Talk*
The Psychadelic Furs - Pretty In Pink (Pretty In Pink soundtrack)
Madonna - Shoo-Bee-Doo
Angie Stone - Snowflakes
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Kasey Chambers - Guilty As Sin

*Talk - PSA - Blood Donation*
UB40 featuring Chrissie Hynde - Breakfast In Bed

CD3
Joan Armatrading - Weakness In Me
Ricky Fante - A Woman's Touch
Floetry featuring Mos Def - Wanna B Where U R (Thisizzaluvsong)
The Cars - Just What I Needed
Something Corporate - She Paints Me Blue
Echo & The Bunnymen - Silver
*Talk*
Kasey Chambers - This Mountain
Aimee Mann - That's Just What You Are (Melrose Place soundtrack)
The Dead Milkmen - Born To Love Volcanos
X - When It Rains...
Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me (live from At Budokan: The Complete Concert)
Jason Spooner - No Fantasy
Suzanne Vega - World Before Columbus
*Talk*
The Motels - Suddenly Last Summer (live from The Motels, The Fixx & Berlin Live)
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Dashboard Confessional - As Lovers Go
Kasey Chambers - Pony