WTF? We're half-way through January? More shockingly, we're now officially more than a third of the way through our second year of the Discography music discussion. I would find that depressing, except that we have another two-thirds left, and then years and years after that (as if I'm going to let any of you off the hook). At this specific moment I'm now more than 95% through the latest Africa trip, but less than 1% of the way home; next stop, the Dar Es Salaam International Airport, which is always an adventure. When my friend Steve and I passed through it leaving Tanzania last May the security guards were very concerned about SW's religious paraphernalia and asked the question which will doubtless be the title of his book about Zanzibari religious practices: "But what about baby Jesus?", while also somehow missing the live plant he had in his suitcase. See you all soon.
Editor's note: As you know, the esteemed GB is taking a short break from the Discography, so I've been liberally borrowing from his previous posts. This was from the second week of 2017, and includes some insightful commentary. Rereading his blog posts has reminded me, as if I needed to be reminded, how much more he knows about music than I ever will.
"Patty Smith, Piss Factory
Is there a better and more influential musician than Patti Smith who is not in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame? I can't think of any.
"Piss Factory" is nothing less than brilliant social commentary skewering the left (it isn't exactly pro-Union) and the right (Patti has no idea what her employer manufactures, piss she supposes).
The brilliance of the song extends beyond the lyrics, which angrily captures the discontent and hopelessness of the working poor, into the musical and vocal presentation. Smith uses a style that is closer to spoken word than singing, but it is hypnotically beautiful, and forces you to listen.
Now that she is an acclaimed writer and Bob Dylan selected her to accept his Nobel Prize her music will get the attention it deserves."
This
was the first song I heard by Fiona Apple and I was so impressed by her sultry
voice and jazzy style. This song was off her debut album Tidal,
and I listened to that album a lot as I was finishing up my Ph.D. in the late
90s. I have a very distinct memory of listening to this song while being on an
airplane with Phil and my daughter, who was a baby at the time. I can’t
remember where we were going (maybe San Francisco for a conference?). I didn’t
like any of Apple’s later releases, but I loved most of the songs on the Tidal album.
Neil Young, On The Way Home
I suppose this is a bit of a cheat selection since I'm currently on the way home from Zanzibar, via a day in Dar Es Salaam. That said, this is one of my favorite NY songs, as you might guess from the name of this blog. It also played a role in the ceremony where I officiated at the wedding of my truly excellent friend Heidi and Andy. I'm including the version from the wonderful live 1971 Massey Hall recording. With each passing year I realize more and more that, truthfully, "we are only what we feel."
Gary Beatrice
Editor's note: As you know, the esteemed GB is taking a short break from the Discography, so I've been liberally borrowing from his previous posts. This was from the second week of 2017, and includes some insightful commentary. Rereading his blog posts has reminded me, as if I needed to be reminded, how much more he knows about music than I ever will.
"Patty Smith, Piss Factory
Is there a better and more influential musician than Patti Smith who is not in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame? I can't think of any.
"Piss Factory" is nothing less than brilliant social commentary skewering the left (it isn't exactly pro-Union) and the right (Patti has no idea what her employer manufactures, piss she supposes).
The brilliance of the song extends beyond the lyrics, which angrily captures the discontent and hopelessness of the working poor, into the musical and vocal presentation. Smith uses a style that is closer to spoken word than singing, but it is hypnotically beautiful, and forces you to listen.
Now that she is an acclaimed writer and Bob Dylan selected her to accept his Nobel Prize her music will get the attention it deserves."
Dave Wallace
Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul - Lyin' in a Bed of Fire
After leaving the E Street Band, Steven Van Zandt formed
his own band, the Disciples of Soul, and went all-in on the rock-soul hybrid
style that he had pioneered with Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes.
The resulting album, Men Without Women, is one of my all-time
favorites and features a slew of great songs. The lead track, Lyin'
in a Bed of Fire, may be the best. For reasons that have always
remained mysterious and disappointing to me, Van Zandt abandoned this approach
for his subsequent albums, and they suffered as a result. So, I was
delighted last year when he reformed the Disciples of Soul and released the
wonderful Soulfire, an excellent return to form.
Kathy Seiler
Fiona Apple – Shadowboxer
Phillip Seiler
Elizabeth
& The Catapult
It's
-5 while I write this with a, to quote a man of excellence, a stupid windchill
of stupid -21. So why not feature a song about summer rain. I really wanted to
feature more female artists in this year of discography and while I have been
better, I think I am still slacking in my numbers. Which is a shame as there
are so many brilliant female artists writing and recording right now.
Elizabeth
& the Catapult broke onto the scene in 2009 and is yet another excellent
band from Brooklyn that I love. To carry my chain theme along, the main
songwriter, Elizabeth Ziman, wrote music with Ben Folds in preparation for
their third album. But my song is from their debut, Smaller Children. And if
this isn't a long lost Carpenter track, I'll join Mar-a-Lago. I happen to love
songs that could easily be from another artist's catalog (KT Tunstall has a
long lost Abba track on her last album that is perfect.) And in this case it is
so good, I needed to share.
I
long to be melancholy for the rainiest day of summer on this bitter cold
Vermont night. Music will have to suffice.
Dave Kelley
"Fall on Me" REM
Granted
75% of the band was straight, but the front man Michael Stipe was gay so I
think REM still qualifies for my personal little theme month. I really
liked REM's first two records when they came out, and I still adore them.
However, it was their third record, Life's Rich Pageant, that really sunk
its hook into me. The ecological concerns behind the song are certainly
more relevant now than ever, and I love the harmonies. The Byrds were
certainly a major influence on REM, and this song is perhaps the biggest
example of that.
P.S. Fuck
Pence
Kevin Andrews
Ryland
Cooder’s career has spanned six decades and too many roles and genres than I
want to get into here. He’s a kick ass guitar player, especially with a slide.
He’s released 16 albums, written or contributed to 17 movie soundtracks, won 6
Grammys and is still touring at 70. If you’re not familiar with his production
of Buena Vista Social Club go find it now.
It’s
hard to pick a typical Ry song but many have a southwestern vibe owing to
growing up in Los Angeles. This is from his ninth album, Borderline,
released in 1980 – The Girls From Texas.
Gary Scudder
I suppose this is a bit of a cheat selection since I'm currently on the way home from Zanzibar, via a day in Dar Es Salaam. That said, this is one of my favorite NY songs, as you might guess from the name of this blog. It also played a role in the ceremony where I officiated at the wedding of my truly excellent friend Heidi and Andy. I'm including the version from the wonderful live 1971 Massey Hall recording. With each passing year I realize more and more that, truthfully, "we are only what we feel."
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