GOOD MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Led Zeppelin - Good Times Bad Times (1969: I)

Ennio Morricone - Vocette ostinate (1967: Matchless)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mysteries (2006: Show Your Bones)
 - Take it away NICK!

I just was wondering...

...and I'd like to know...



...How does one keep from being a hypocrite?



Real Estate - Fake Blues
(2009: Real Estate)



For 10 P&P Points: lemme know...

oh Ravel.

Maurice Ravel wrote his String quartet in F major in 1903; he was 28.  It was poorly received by critics.  Two years later, Calude Debussy, realizing its genius said of it, "In the name of the gods of music and in my own, do not touch a single note you have written in your Quartet."  It is now one of the most commonly performed quartets.  And I think it's the bee's knees.  The second movement is the most famous (of the four) and it is certainly amazing... but I like the first movement the best.  It's got everything... serenity, movement, nostalgia, tremulousness, mystery, and a hurricane-like climax in the middle that knocks my socks off.

Ravel, Maurice - String Quartet in F, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato - Trés doux
(1927: International Quartet)

 - I believe this is the first recording of this piece ever made.... Ravel himself actually heard earlier takes by this group and gave them feedback and direction.  In the end he said of this recording that he was, "completely satisfied as much with the sonority as with the tempi and the nuances."  This version is basically the 'official' source if you want to know what was in Ravel's head.  So there you go!  Intonation wasn't as big of a deal earlier last century... they went more for the vibe.... totally rock and roll.

Ravel, Maurice - String Quartet in F, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato - Trés doux
(1934: Galimir Quartet)

 - Here's another recording supervised by Ravel.  The story goes that he was in the recording booth not saying much... finally he said, "It's really very good; who wrote it?"  Apparently he wasn't well; he had suffered a blow to the head two years earlier that kind of scrambled his circuits... he died three years later.

Ravel, Maurice - String Quartet in F, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato - Trés doux
(1928: Quatour Capet)
 - Another early recording from France.  I love this one because of the heavy use of glissando... these guys are slip-slidin' all over the place, too much red wine probably.

Ravel, Maurice - String Quartet in F, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato - Trés doux
(2001: Belcea Quartet)
 - Here's a great newer recording... not much to say about this... it's just plain great.

Ravel, Maurice - String Quartet in F, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato - Trés doux (?)

 - Lastly here's the first recording I ever owned of this piece.  It's my favorite.  It's not overstated or understated; very well played, good intonation (which I really care about), well chosen tempi...  not the greatest recording quality but it's certainly decent.  Here's the thing though... I have no idea who made the recording!  I've done some research to no avail.  I'm crazy curious.  So....

For 500 P&P Points!!!  Who recorded this version?

The Supremes

Some of my favorite slightly lesser known Supreme hits... all Holland-Dozier-Holland of course:

The Supremes - When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes
(1963: When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes)

The Supremes - The Happening (1967: The Happening)

The Supremes - My World is Empty Without You (1965: My World is Empty Without You)

The Supremes - Run, Run, Run (1964: Run, Run, Run)
 - This song is alright... but I love it because when I listen to it I can picture the poor piano player on the verge of having a heart attack from having to play those repeated chords so fast.  If you listen he drops out of time just a hair here and there... you can tell his job is on the line.

Some Sunny Day Tunes...

The Young-Holt Unlimited - Soulful Strut (1968: Soulful Strut)

The Alyn Ainsworth Orchestra - Cast Your Fate to the Wind (1975: Big City Soul)

For 5 P&P Points: What's your favorite sunny day song?

I am What I Was...

Pascal Comelade - Egyptian Reggae (1997: Traffic d'abstractions)

Gold Panda - Quitter's Raga (2009: Quitter's Raga)

Lullatone - A Slow Conversation (2009: Lullatone Melody Design Library)

Mark Fry - Rethrob Ym No Hcram (1968: Dreaming with Alice)

Pascal Comelade - Egyptian Reggae (1992: Haikus de pianos)

A Place in the Sun

One of my all-time favorite songs.  Hope you enjoy it.

David Isaacs - A Place in the Sun

(1968/2002: Tighten Up, Vol. 1)

 - When I first heard this I think I listened to it 100 times in a row.  It's so damn good.

Stevie Wonder - A Place in the Sun

(1966: Down to Earth)

 - The original version.  Also awesome... mostly because Stevie Wonder's voice is incredible.  He was only 16 when he wrote and sang this... insane!

Neva Dinova

While I'm on the topic of M. Ward and Bright Eyes (sort of) I thought I'd post a couple songs by Neva Dinova... a somewhat overlooked band on Saddle Creek.  In my opinion they're one of those bands who has a lot of filler but the songs that are good and more than good.

Neva Dinova - Poison 

(2004: One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels)

 - I love the vocal style of their singer, Jake Bellows (good last name for a singer, eh?).  His voice is like elastic, it bends and sways into and out of every note, makes me dizzy in a good way.

Neva Dinova - Spring Cleaning 

(2004: One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels)

 - This one was actually written by Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes)... but I think it needed Bellows' voice to be as good as it is.  I remember I saw them play this in 2005 at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (where they were opening for M. Ward).  If you listen you'll hear there's a sort of whistle solo in the middle of the song... right before he played it live he asked the audience if we wanted a whistle solo or guitar solo... and I, being a total dork, had gotten there super early and gotten the front row/center seat, about 3 feet from the band.  So I said, "whistle!"... and he whistled.. and it was amazing.

A Little More M. Ward...

Here's a video from 2005... it's an earlier song of his so you may not know it unless you have his first album.  I saw this on tv when it first aired and remember going to my computer immediately afterwards to look up who this dude was!

For 15 P&P Points: What other band shared this bill with Bright Eyes?

Guest Post: Get Me Out of Here!

By Alanna Gluck

Spring is here, rain or shine. The last place I want to be is in the city.  I want to walk on the wet grass, see the buds on the trees, breathe in the damp fresh air.

 

Matthew, take me with you!  I have done all I can do in this town.

M. Ward - Helicopter 

(2003: Transfiguration of Vincent)

Chris Cohen (part V) - Crytpacize

And lastly... the aforementioned Nedelle Torrisi (See Chris Cohen - part IV) becomes lead singer (or co-lead singer) to Cohen's newest band, Cryptacize.  Chris Cohen, as far as I know, is still doing the vast majority of the writing... and he sings as well... but Nedelle's voice is the element that sets Cryptacize apart from Cohen's other efforts.  Her old-style vibrato and crystal-clear voice is the kind of voice I could eat... or wish I could eat.

Cryptacize - Heaven Is Human

(2008: Dig That Treasure)

 - This song goes through so many changes but it's all beautiful, ear-pleasing, interesting, deep... but also clear and lightweight like most of Cryptacize's material.

Cryptacize - Dig That Treasure (2008: Dig That Treasure)

 - This song has harmonica... and it rules.

Cryptacize - Say You Will (2008: Dig That Treasure)

 - ...eat that voice.

Cryptacize - Tail & Mane (2009: Mythomania)

 - The chorus makes me soar.

If you're interested in what Cohen and Cryptacize are up to now you can read the latest post from their blog (from last Nov.): HERE

For 15 P&P Points: Which Beach Boys and Steely Dan songs are Crytpacize known for covering?

Guest Post: Tom Waits

By Andrew Staker

Tom Waits can be anything he wants to be, and so can you. This barely scratches the surface of the Tom Waits musical experience, but these are my favorites. He's got a such a heavy soul... and a heavy downbeat.

Tom Waits - Anywhere I Lay My Head
(1985: Rain Dogs)

Tom Waits - Come On Up to the House
(1999: Mule Variations)

Tom Waits - Never Let Go
(1992: American Heart)

You Can Never Hold Back Spring

Sorry to keep writing about the weather... but my window is so close to my computer!
And it's gorgeous out!

Tom Waits - You Can Never Hold Back Spring 

(2005: La Tigre e la Neve)

Chen Jie and Golden Melody Band - Spring Wind Kissed My Face 

(1960s/2009: Singapore A-Go-Go Vol. 1)

Please Help!

For 50 P&P Points (and my undying gratitude): Who has my DVD copy of 'Mon Oncle'?










Franck Barcellini & Alain Romans - Mon Oncle/Adios Mario (1958: Mon Oncle)

Sun came out after all...

Today actually turned out pretty nice....   dig:

Menahan Street Band - Montego Sunset (2008: Menahan Street Band)

Music for the Gray Day

Whenever there's bad weather in April I hear people say that they're upset because they've been waiting so long for Spring and the good weather that goes along with it.  Don't forget: April showers bring May flowers.  Cloudy days are just as much a part of Spring as sunny days.  But after the cold winter it's tough not to want some sun. Here's some music for the gray days that precede what you've all been waiting for:

Bruno Coulais - Exploration (2009: Coraline)

Joanna Newsom - Sprout and the Bean (2004: The Milk-Eyed Mender)

Vashti Bunyan - Diamond Day (1970: Just Another Diamond Day)

Frank Churchill & Larry Morey - Little April Shower (1942: Bambi)

...and hey, it could be a lot worse.  Today is the anniversary of an event that caused the 'Year Without a Summer.'  For 25 P&P Points: what was that event?