Mother Nature

Enjoy her...













Wayne McGhie - I Can See Mother Nature (1970: Wayne McGhie & the Sounds of Joy)
 - Soooo much tremolo on that guitar... but it's just the right amount....  this is one of those dusty old recordings that sounds like it grew straight from the earth.  The last saxophone note is incredible.

The Beatles - Child of Nature (1968: Esher Demos)
  - Jealous Guy in it's earliest form.  I wish it had stayed like this...

The Beatles - Mother Nature's Son (1968/2009: The Beatles)
  - But Paul stole John's idea and turned it into this song... already one of my favorite Beatles recordings... but with the new 2009 remaster it jumps up to a whole other level.  Play it loud and you can really hear the instruments breath.

Oriental Sunshine - Mother Nature (1970: Dedicated to the Bird We Love)
  - A really nice song... it's got that 70s child-like folk song vibe with some really pretty indian instrumentation and great harmonies.... the chorus makes the song for me.

Guest Post: Swan Lake, Shwan-lake!

By Alanna Gluck

Tchaikovsky is wonderful, don’t get me wrong.  But seriously, why is everybody all up in P. Ilyitch’s ballet biznyitch? Almost any classical music aficionado can identify excerpts from both “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”. It’s as if Tchaikovsky was the ONLY composer of great ballet music and as if there is no great ballet scores that pre-or-post-date the “The Nutcracker” and “Swan Lake” in 1877 and 1892, respectively.

Thus, as the classical music enthusiast and balletomane that I am, I am happy to introduce “Giselle”, composed in 1841 by Adolphe Adam. Here are a few reasons you should add this score to your classical music library:

1)    “Giselle” predates “Swan Lake” by 36 years (premiered in 1841) and became the archetype of romantic ballet and the reason we have Swan Lake today.

2)    Adam is an obscure composer; prolific and popular in his time, not much of his work survives.

3)    Giselle features a crew of ultra-scary virgin-ghosts called Wilis (brides who died of a broken heart before their wedding day...can you think of a worse purgatory?) who take their revenge on any man that crosses their path, forcing him to dance to his death. SCARY.

4)    Tchaikovsky himself regarded Giselle as “a gem of music and dance” (according to Karolynne Gee)

Here is a quick sketch of the Finale to the ballet:

A church bell tolls 4 am in the distance (listen for it!) and the ghost of the devastated Giselle has protected Albrecht, who had promised love but was engaged to another, from impending death by Wilis (turns her back on her Wilis sisters for a player!). As the sun rises, she is called back to her earthbound tomb.  Albrecht is left alone in the churchyard, haunted by the revelation that it is not love that conquers all, but forgiveness.

Adam, Adolphe - Giselle, ou Les Wilis - Ballet-pantomime in 2 acts: Finale
(1992: Ermler, Royal Opera House Orchestra)

*For 10 P&P Points: Which popular Christmas carol is credited to Adam?

Chris Cohen (part II) - Deerhoof

Then Chris Cohen joined Deerhoof and things got super awesome! My personal opinion is that, 'Reveille' aside, Cohen's three albums with Deerhoof are their best three.

Deerhoof - Flower 

(2003: Apple O')

Deerhoof - Desparecere 

(2004: Milk Man)

Deerhoof - O'Malley, Former Underdog 

(2005: The Runners Four)

(See Chris Cohen - part I)

Here's a video of them playing at the old Northsix (new Music Hall of Williamsburg) in 2005. Chris Cohen is the guy going nuts on bass.  This was the first time I saw Chris Cohen and Deerhoof play live... it was a truly mind blowing show.  Just watch the drummer, Greg Saunier,  and you'll understand.

Thinkin'

...and digging the nice weather...

Curtis Mayfield - Think
(1972: Superfly)

Astrud Gilberto - Dia Das Rosas (I Think of You)
(1967: Beach Samba)




For 10 P&P Points: Who played the amazing guitar part in Mayfield's 'Think'?

Chris Cohen (part I)

Chris Cohen is a guitarist / bassist / singer / keyboard player that I became familiar with through his work with Deerhoof.  He joined them in 2002/2003 which was when they started to become more widely known (following the release of Reveille).  But before that Cohen was in a band called The Curtains.  It's not surprising that these two bands were friendly since their music shares similarities.  The Curtains made three albums before Cohen put the project on hold for Deerhoof... they were all experimental, quirky and generally pretty light-hearted.  You can definitely hear this music being a forerunner to the music he'd write with Deerhoof and the music he's written since he left Deerhoof.  Here are few tracks their first releases:


The Curtains - Warming Up (2002: Fast Talks)

The Curtains - Telegraph Victories (2003: Flybys)

  - The dummer from Deerhoof, Greg Saunier, actually joined The Curtains at this point.

The Curtains - Won't Make It (2004: Vehicles of Travel)

Damn it's good!

Positive K - Nightshift (1992: The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills)

 * For 10 P&P Points: Identify the origin of the guitar sample in this song... damn it's good!
         - Answer: Lee Moses - Time and Place (1970: Time and Place)... good work Brady!

Positive K - I Got a Man (1992: The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills)

 - I hadn't heard this song in 15 years... then my friend reminded me of it... damn it's good!!  Thanks N!

  * For 5 P&P Points: Who is singing the female vocal part in this song?

Randy Newman (Creates Something New Under the Sun)

Randy Newman's first album came out in 1968. It was not received well by critics or the public. And it was out of print for 15 years until it's cd release in 1995. It still seems to me that this album is overlooked... and I feel like that's kind of strange because his next few albums (12 Songs, Sail Away and Good Old Boys) are considered his best. So why wouldn't people want to hear the album he wrote right before them? It's amazing to hear Newman's first effort... he's already writing brilliantly deep and cutting lyrics and already composing beautiful orchestral arrangements for his songs. His voice may be lacking a little of the verve that saturates his later work but it's certainly still there.

Randy Newman - Living Without You (1968: Randy Newman)
    - This whole album is less about piano w/orchestra as it is piano and orchestra.  This is a great example of that... the piano is the backbone but the arrangement around it is vital. 

Randy Newman - The Beehive State (1968: Randy Newman)
    - This song is about Kansas and Utah.... and it's still good!  Kinda sounds like Hawkins' 'Monkberry Moon Delight' too.

Randy Newman - I Think It's Going to Rain Today (1968: Randy Newman)
    - One of Newman's best I think.  When he steps his lyrics back from the topical and shifts to the universal it's just mind-blowing.  Lonely, tragic, heartbreaking.  Cool little Copland-esque bridge for me makes the song even lonelier.

For 10 P&P Points: 'I Think It's Going to Rain Today' is one of Randy Newman's most covered songs.  Name two artists that have covered this song that have previously appeared on this blog.

CONTEST!!!

Over the next couple months I'll be asking trivia questions along with many of my posts.  Each question will be worth a certain number of 'Pongo and Perdita Points'.  If you are the first person to correctly answer the question in the comments then you win those 'P&P Points'.  If you accumulate enough P&P Points you will be eligible to receive one of the prizes that you can see on this list: Contest Prize List (there's also a link to this page and a score-keeping chart on your left below the Archive). I'll be adding more stuff to the list quite often so be sure to check back from time to time. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to pay any shipping cost whatsoever so this contest is limited to NYC residents or people planning on visiting NYC soon.

 Have fun and good luck!!!

This is IT!!! It's ALL OVER!!!

LIVE TODAY LIKE IT'S THE LAST SUNDAY EVER!!!!  ...BECAUSE IT IS!!!!

woo-hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

Eternal Summers - Fall Straight Back (2008: Demo)

Dee Dee Warwick - Foolish Fool (1969: Foolish Fool)

Now, Now Every Children - Everyone You Know (2008: In the City EP)

M. Ward - To Go Home (2006: Post-War)

Smith Westerns - Gimme Some Time (2009: Smith Westerns)

Delicate Steve - Butterfly (2011: Wondervisions)

Suzanne: part II

Alanna's post was so good that I have to keep it going a little longer.  For anybody out there who hasn't heard Leonard Cohen's Suzanne (which is the original)... it's not to be missed. From Cohen's first album:
Leonard Cohen - Suzanne (1967: Songs of Leonard Cohen)

Another great cover of this song comes from French pop star Françoise Hardy... she did a version in English too but you know the words by now:
Françoise Hardy - Suzanne (1968: Comment te dire adieu?)

While we're on the subject, Leonard Cohen wasn't the only person to write a great song called Suzanne... Hope Sandoval did too:
Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions - Suzanne (2001: Bavarian Fruit Bread)

And lastly, to cleanse your palette, here's one by Weezer... from the Blue Album era! Slightly different spelling:
Weezer - Susanne (1994: Dusty Gems and Raw Nuggets)

Guest Post: Opposite Day

By Alanna Gluck

Cover songs are particularly telling of a musician's state of mind: one artist's yin is another artist's yang.

Nina Simone's version of Leonard Cohen's 'Suzanne' is proof.  While Leonard laments, Nina celebrates.

Don't bring me down, Leonard!  Nina's lifting me skyward, and I'm wearing white linen and sipping something fruity and refreshing.

See you by the river!

Nina Simone - Suzanne (1969: To Love Somebody)

Preservation Act 1

I can't believe I had never heard this full album before today... it's awesome! Great early Spring music (there's a change in the weather). Here are three that popped out at me:

The Kinks - Sweet Lady Genevieve
(1973: Preservation Act 1)

The Kinks - There's a Change in the Weather
(1973: Preservation Act 1)

  - Remind anyone of Dylan's 'It's Alright, Ma'?

The Kinks - Sitting in the Midday Sun
(1973: Preservation Act 1)
  
                                                      - This one I had heard before... love it! Thanks for the                                                           recommendation M!

Barbara

If you like the French chanson and don't know Barbara then you're in luck.  Not only could Barbara sing on par with Édith Piaf, but she wrote her own songs!  The recordings of her music are something special too... they're simple, typically with very little orchestration... usually just piano and upright bass, sometimes an accordion, a little percussion, a small string section, always spare... and rarely (maybe never) a full orchestra.  This, more than anything, sets her apart from Piaf in my opinion. It was hard to choose which songs to post because they really are all great... so if you need more let me know! I suggest downloading these songs, waiting till the weather gets nice (any day now!) and taking a walk with headphones as the sun is going down (preferably when there's a decent moon out too).

Barbara - Nantes
(1963: L'intégrale Volume 3: Dis quand Reviendras-tu?)

 - Amazing key changes... she was so good at modulating creatively and effectively.

Barbara - Le temps du lilas
(1963: L'intégrale Volume 3: Dis quand Reviendras-tu?)

 - Totally parisian style accordion

Barbara - Dis quand Reviendras-tu?
(1963: L'intégrale Volume 3: Dis quand Reviendras-tu?)

 - soooo goooood

Barbara - Le mal de vivre
(1965: L'intégrale Volume 4: Göttingen)

 - Beautiful single-reed accordion... and some pretty sweet and kind of out-of-place sounding saxophone

Barbara - Septembre
(1965: L'intégrale Volume 4: Göttingen)

 - First song I ever heard of hers and still my favorite, probably for that reason. I'm very thankful for the introduction!

Barbara - L'aigle noir
(1970: L'intégrale Volume 8: L'aigle noir)

 - The drums are obviously the best part of the song, but the bass is amazing too... and the song also happens to be incredible.

Is this Good?

For some reason I feel like I shouldn't like this song... I have no idea why.  But I love it!  Am I crazy?  Does anyone else wanna weigh in on this please?

YUP

Standard Fare - Philadelphia (2010: The Noyelle Beat)

Romanze for Violin

Yesterday I got a request to post about romantic violin music (romantic being used in the musical sense)... so here goes!

       The Romantic Era in music history is generally considered to have lasted from 1800 until 1910.  In the midst of that, around the 1840's, the violin began to become a popular solo instrument, being used in short pieces, kind of like pop songs, then called Romances. But for me the truly romantic violin music is peppered throughout the oeuvres of the great romantic composers. Still however, retaining the same qualities of the Romance: lyrical, sweet melodies; short and simple in form and length; and a bit sappy (or very sappy!).  Here are some of my favorites: 

Brahms, Johannes - Waltz in A Major for violin and piano, Op. 39/5 

(2007: Kalafush, Von Wildeman)

  - Beautiful little piece... written originally for piano four hands but works great on violin.  Double stops make up for the other hands.  

Sarasate, Pablo de - Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs) for violin and orchestra, Op. 20 

(1992: Shaham)

 - Gypsy music... romantic as hell.

Chopin, Frédéric - Nocturne in E-Flat Major for violin and piano, Op. 9, No. 2 

(1904: Sarasate)

 - Played by the same guy who wrote the gypsy piece above.  This was recorded 4 years before Sarasate died. This is a truly bonafide romantic violin recording; made while the Romantic movement was still happening!

Kreisler, Fritz - Caprice Viennois, Op. 2 (1936: Menuhin, Gazelle)

Grieg, Edvard - Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45L: II. Allegretto Espressivo Alla Romanza (1928: Kreisler, Rachmaninoff)

 - And this was played by the same guy who wrote the Viennese piece above.  You've probably heard of Rachmaninoff (but maybe never heard him actually play) but you may not have heard of Fritz Kreisler.  He was a giant in the violin world.  Born in 1875, died 1962 he was known for his melodic and expressive style. He was a composer too and wrote many short pieces that are still played often today. He uses that old timey vibrato that I can never get enough of, fast and continuous. He was often compared to Heifetz in that Heifetz had the technical brilliance but Kreisler had the soul.

Here's a video of the same piece played by Guarneri Quartet frontman Arnold Steinhardt:

Music I Hated as a Child

When you're little your parents' choice in music has a big influence on your taste as you grow up. Whether or not you liked it is inconsequential... it would still affect you.  I got pretty lucky; my Dad was a big Beatles' and classical music fan and my mom liked Motown, Santana, Paul Simon, etc.  But there were certain things they used to play that I detested. Here are three examples... all of which I love now that I'm old enough to know better!

1. Some radio station where I grew up played an hour of Beatles' music every Sunday morning (and still does). Me and my brother used to call in and try to request songs (back when real people did that kind of thing). I was probably only 5 or 6 but I was a big Beatles fan already... mostly of their early rock and roll stuff.  My Dad recommended that I ask for this song; I had never heard it and he thought I'd like it. I didn't... and I was mad about it. Now I know better; it's a beautifully simple McCartney song with Lennon and McCartney singing together in harmony for most of it, both parts equally important.  It's about John and Paul's relationship which, by 1970, was strained to say the least.  I really wonder what John was thinking about when he was singing this:

The Beatles - Two of Us (1970/2009: Let it Be Stereo Remastered)

2. I couldn't stand Randy Newman's voice until about 4 or 5 years ago when I became addicted to it.  I guess since he's done a lot of soundtracks to kids movies, kids tend to like his voice. Not me though, I really hated it.  Now Good Old Boys is probably one of my top 10 favorite albums.  This is one the 12 best tracks on it:

Randy Newman - Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man) (1974: Good Old Boys)

3. I liked Steely Dan as a child. I still do. The songwriting, lyrics and musicianship in their music is just good enough to keep them from being a run of the mill L.A. contemporary soft rock band, though they sometimes dip into that realm a little too far for sure. My parents used to play 'A Decade of Steely Dan' (a greatest hits compilation) pretty often and this was one of the few songs on it that I didn't like. I always wanted to skip it. About a year ago I gave it another chance and it blew me away. It's the epitome of what makes this band good.  How come guitar solos can't be this good anymore?

Steely Dan - Bodhisattva (1973: Countdown to Ecstasy)