Les Enfants Terribles

It's Covered: Joy to the World

2009-12-18T15:04:00.004-05:00

You've probably noticed i've shied away from "traditional" Xmas tunes here at LET. Quite frankly, we've heard those songs a billion times before by a billion different artists, but hardly anybody ever does anything different or exciting with them.

Fortunately, we've got two artists today that have gone out of their way to prove me wrong. While you might not think of Joy to the World as an indie classic, here are a couple of cats who are trying to change your opinion on the matter. First published in 1719, the song has nothing to do with the birth of Baby Jesus. Instead, it's about his return following his death (or at least a very heavy three day nap). So while all of us think we're singing a birthday hymn of some sort, we're actually apparently trying to usher in Christian Ragnarok. Which is nice.

Indie fave Banjo or Freakout has just put out a FREE Xmas EP of classics that sound absolutely nothing like the originals. Clearly, if the band name is posing a question, the answer is definitely Freakout, as i have yet to hear any Banjo on this thing. Any way, here's his take on the track. It's a spacey, hazy affair that starts with what sounds like an old children's album sample stating the parts of the body. What that has to do with the price of potatoes is beyond me, but even if it weren't free, this thing is worth the price of admission.

Secondly, we have Eef Barzelay's plaintive version. The Clem Snide front man gives this a sparse arrangement, just vocals and soft vocals. And yet, it sounds all the more powerful for its lack of bombast. Personally, i dig it. And while its not blog-on-blog love, Rory, if you're reading this, thanks for turning me onto Eef in the first place.

Of course, the version that seems to stick the most in my mind comes from the Claymation Christmas Celebration. While this is the only song segment that didn't' feature dried out grapes or borderline sacrilegious camels, this clip does still contain the two very gay dinosaur hosts. So it's got that going for it. Man alive, cartoons back in the day were pretty fucked up.

mp3: Joy to the World (Banjo or Freakout from XA2009)

mp3: Joy to the World (Eef Barzelay from Bitter Honey)

It's Covered: When the River Meets the Sea

2009-12-17T17:52:00.015-05:00

Every year, the networks trudge out the same old holiday specials. You've got your tried and true Chuck Brown and his pathetic tree and the Grinch fucking with the Whos, as well as some newer numbers, like Shrek, making a bid for "classic" status. Back when i was knee high to a grasshopper, there was a show that helped "make it" Christmas for me every year which, sadly, no longer sees the light of syndicated day. As any Gen Xer worth his salt would know, i'm obviously talking about Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. This is old school Muppetry at its finest--Jim was still live and kickin' and Walt Inc. hadn't gotten their nasty little fingers into that marionette puppet pie. HBO ran the show for a number of Christmases past, but hasn't in forever. i'm guessing it has something to do with the aforementioned Disney buy-out, but who knows?

Regardless, the show had a number of winner tracks. One might even be on the verge of that "classic" status. For those of you in the know, i'm obviously talking about "When the River Meets the Sea," though i wouldn't have faulted you if you thought i meant "Riverbottom Nightmare Band." While the track was written by Paul Williams for the Emmett Otter special and later covered by John Denver and the Muppets for that kick ass Christmas album, it actually isn't about Christmas or even the holidays at all. It's about dying and leaving this mortal coil, so you know the kids loved it immediately.

For your listening pleasure, we have two versions from Ma Otter herself, plus JD and the Muppets, AND a take by none other than Rose Polenzani (that's OK, i didn't know who she was, either). Whilst enjoying, i strongly recommend chowing down on some of Momma's barbecue, but that may just be me.

mp3: When the River Meets the Sea (Ma Otter from Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas)

mp3: When the River Meets the Sea (Ma Otter and Emmett Otter's Jug-Band from Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas)

mp3: When the River Meets the Sea (John Denver and the Muppets from A Christmas Together)

mp3: When the River Meets the Sea (Rose Polenzani, live on WERS, 3/13/07)

(Ed. note: continuing our blog-on-blog lovefest of late, a special shout out to another of our faves, She'll Grow Back, for assistance procuring the EOJB soundtrack. Longtime loiterers will recall that these are the cats that inspired It's Covered in the first place, so you can blame/thank Mark over there accordingly by checking out his blog. His Stagger Lee Saturdays alone are worth the price of admission.)

Breaking News! All DC, All The Time!

2009-12-15T17:54:00.007-05:00

Yes, friends, the rumors they are true.

Yours truly is leaving the Richmond, VA office of LET and moving back to the northern reaches of the fair Commonwealth of Virginia. I won't be covering Richmond after January 31st, when I leave my wonderful (though leaky) apartment on Monument Avenue for the last time. This means that Chris and I will both be focusing on the DC metro area, so please bear that in mind as we move forward in 2010. Your favorite DC/RVA blog will now just be your favorite DC blog (we hope!).

People have asked me why I'm leaving Richmond. While I have found my 2-odd years here full of fun and excitement, I just missed the huge traffic jams and cranky politicos that DC offers in spades. Just kidding. I missed the abundance of music, mostly, and so I had no choice but to return.

In honor of my move back, here's my oh-so-very favorite song about DC, done by the splendid, divine, incomparable Magnetic Fields.

mp3: Washington DC (Buy)

It's Covered: Gravity Rides Everything

2009-12-15T14:13:00.004-05:00

Alright, i'm going to be upfront here and admit i can't really think of much to talk about today. Usually, a song or theme or something hits my radar, and then these little posts have a way of writing themselves. Today, i got nuthin'. No such celestial muse found its way towards me so far today, meaning i guess i'm going to have to fake it.

So i'm driving home last night, and i asked The Missus if we had a bucket at home. She asked what size, and i replied, "You know, the regular size." After a brief discussion detailing exactly how many and of what size buckets we had, The Missus queried as to why i needed a bucket in the first place. As chance would have it, i really felt like making a gravity bong last night. Don't ask me why because i have no answer. The mood just struck me is all, i guess. Unfortunately, i never got around to it, which might explain why i find myself less than motivated today. You can't build up that kind of excitement for yourself and then not deliver. That's like starting to rub one out and then stopping because of an alleged finger cramp. Not cool.

Fortunately, however, while lamenting the lack of self-fulfillment on my part, i recalled that i had a couple of kick ass versions of "Gravity Rides Everything," and here we are. The Mouse wrote the track for The Moon & Antarctica, though you may remember it from that Nissan Quest commercial. The cover is by Lenka, an Australian lass i know next to nothing about. Though she's since released a single version, this particular track is from the Woodstock Sessions. (Not sure what they're putting into the water Down Under, but between her and Sia, Australia seems to be cornering the world market on pixie-like lady singers with only one name.) Excellent versions, the both of them.

i have no idea what the hell is going on here, but i think it's obvious this chick has done more than her fair share of gravity bongs.

And thus, it all comes back to footwear.

mp3: Gravity Rides Everything (Modest Mouse from The Moon & Antarctica)

mp3: Gravity Rides Everything (Lenka from the Woodstock Sessions)

Singles Club: Gift Basket

2009-12-14T17:09:00.004-05:00

Historically, the last couple of weeks of the year are somewhat quiet around my office. Everything that needs to be wrapped up for the 09 books usually is by now, so folks start clocking out earlier and earlier as December drags on. Throw into the mix the fact that both Xmas and NYE both are causing long weekends, and it's damn surprising anybody is getting anything done at all these days.

And yet, for reasons i cannot begin to fathom, it's busier than all get out here at the Terrible Family Bidness. While trying to figure out what could possibly be the cause of this new madness, i was reminded of one of my all-time favorite holiday tunes, Gift Basket by Ethan Lipton.

Now, i've never seen Ethan live, but i've been addicted to his music since the good folks over at The Late Greats hipped me to his dulcet tones. Suffice to say, Mr. Lipton has a way with witty lyrics, plus a damn impressive horn blower on his roster, so it's pretty much all good any way you slice it.

Fortunately, Mr. Lipton has a couple of cold weather tracks for our listening pleasure, plus one of my top 25 (maybe higher) favorite songs of this decade. Enjoy.

mp3: Gift Basket (Ethan Lipton from Gift Basket)

mp3: Winter (Ethan Lipton from Mr. Softy)

mp3: Girl from the Renaissance Faire (Ethan Lipton from Mr. Softy)

The Greatest Inappropriate for a Workplace Xmas Party Mix You Will Ever Hear

2009-12-11T15:06:00.012-05:00

So today's mix theme is hysterectomies.

Actually, i am totally fucking with you. A hysterectomy mix. Jebus, can you imagine? Yipes.

i do, however, have a mix in mind. Here it is, nearly halfway through December, and i haven't put together one Christmas Mix for you cats. (Yes, i do say Christmas--not Holiday or Seasonal. Look, i'm about as agnostic as they come, but if the early Christians went to all that trouble to rip off the pagans in their efforts to destroy the older religion, well then, by gum, it's their damn holiday, and they get to call the shots. Fair is fair, after all. And co-opting is for the birds.)

After much prodding, my lazy ass got around to making an Xmas Mix for the Missus' office party. The only "rule" i was given was to keep it clean enough for the post-party clean-up. i thought i did a pretty good job, with only one "maybe not" song on there. Of course, the mix consequently was played in front of some Veep, who then admonished the Missus, who then let me know what was what.

Note to readers: As kick ass a song as it is, Fairytale of New York by the Pogues apparently isn't "appropriate for a workplace environment." Go figure.

It is with the above in mind that i bring to you The Greatest Inappropriate for a Workplace Xmas Party Mix You Will Ever Hear. My stars and garters, you are some lucky bastards.

mp3: Clark Griswold's Christmas Wish (Chevy Chase from Christmas Vacation)

What better way to kick things off than this heartfelt wish for the true meaning of Christmas.

mp3: Evergreen (MC Chris from Eating's Not Cheating)

I could have gone with a couple of different tracks by my personal favorite pint-sized rapper, but this one seemed to work best. Sure, he's talking about, you know, the reefer, but he's Christmas-ed it up by using Xmas foliage as a metaphor. Which was nice of him.

mp3: Give the Jew Girls Toys (Sarah Silverman from Jesus is Magic)

i'll be honest, i didn't care for many of the songs on this otherwise hilarious CD, but what's not to love about a Hebron sister's plea for her share of the Xmas loot? Plus, it encompasses my favorite part of religion--quaint dismissal of all other religions. Gods bless us, everyone!

mp3: Don't Eat the Yellow Snow (Frank Zappa from Apostrophe ('))

Not technically Christmas specific, but it's certainly winter-y enough to make the list. Plus, everyone needs a bit more Zappa in their daily diet. Anyway, some people find this song to be gross. Personally, i think it's just good advice.

mp3: Nicholas Was... (Neil Gaiman from Warning: Contains Language)

i've probably mentioned it before, but Neil is one of my top three favorite current writers. There's nothing particularly "inappropriate" about this spoken word piece at all. But it is kind of creepy as hell. You certainly wouldn't want to play this at any party with young kids present, though, i'm pretty sure of that.

mp3: Santa Claus is Smoking Reefer (Squirrel Nut Zippers from Sold Out)

This is actually a "hidden" track on the album. Why do bands do that? It's not hidden at all, jack, you're just making me sit through some indeterminate period of silence before the pay-off. Pretty selfish if you ask me, dog. Just saying. Anyway, even though it's kind of old-timey jazz, most employers don't like pot tracks. Bastards.

mp3: A Pimp's Christmas Song (Snoop Dogg from Christmas in the Dogghouse)

Dude, it's a Christmas song by Snoop Dogg. Do the math.

mp3: Mrs. Claus' Kimono (Drive-By Truckers from The Fine Print)

An elf's plan to bang Santa's Old Lady. Monkey bless the U.S. of A.

mp3: Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa (De La Soul from De La Soul is Dead)

You'd think this would have everything an office Xmas track would need--rape, incest and murder. Well, i guess that depends entirely on where you work. i could have gone with the Roots cover here, as it's arguably an even creepier version, but i'm down with De La. What can i say?

mp3: Fairytale of New York (The Pogues from If I Should Fall From Grace From God)

i'm fairly confident this was the verse that didn't sit well with the Veep:

You're a bum

You're a punk

You're an old slut on junk

Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed

You scumbag, you maggot

You cheap lousy faggot

Happy Christmas your arse

I pray God it's our last

i fucking love my Mc Brethern.

Xmas Gift Guide 2009: Light in the Attic Vinyl Subscription

2009-12-10T18:07:00.003-05:00

Hello dear sirs and madames. Contrary to popular opinion, I have not fallen off the face of the Earth, though it certainly does feel that way. My dearest partner has been writing up a storm, so I thought it time to show my face around these parts for the first time in quite some time. I've been up to no good as usual, and there will be a fairly big announcement coming soon. But in the meantime, it's time to indulge in a little pre-holiday wish-listing.

Over the past year and a half or so, I've become moderately obsessed with vinyl. Most of my collection is of the used (and $1 variety, from Plan 9) ilk, but I certainly do enjoy hearing that modern music on the record player. This particular wish list item would be great for yours truly, or any other vinyl-hoarder you happen to know and love. Our dear, darling friends at Light in the Attic have put together another wonderful, tempting subscription service, much like the one they did last year (including Serge Gainsbourg and Karen Dalton to name just a couple). For the sum of $130 US dollars (slightly higher for you Canucks and other international sorts), you will be subscribed to a year-long feast of vinyl delights. Among the offerings for 2010 is the oh-so-scandalous Serge Gainsbourg/Jane Birkin opus J'Taime/Moi Non Plus, and the fun doesn't stop there.

Read all about it and get your subscriptions here. And if vinyl doesn't float your boat, the subscription is also available in CD and digital formats. Hurrah!

The Greatest MRI Mix You Will Ever Hear (Unless You Hang Out with Charlotte Gainsbourg, I suppose)

2009-12-10T14:59:00.005-05:00

Guess who had an MRI today? Well, your mom might have had one, too, but yours truly most certainly had one, as well.

For those of you not in the know, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) essentially is a good way for doctors to look at your insides. To accomplish this, you're put inside of a large metal tube and blasted with Monkey knows what kind of rays. Now, i've been assured that no ionizing radiation is used, only simple magnetic fields. If that were entirely true, though, why did the technician hang out on the other side of a wall from the tube? Exactly. Let me tell you, this is not an activity for the claustrophobic. Fortunately, i wore a sleep mask and thought about what the inevitable MRI mix was going to sound like.

That's right, instead of contemplating being crushed by tons of steel in a coffin-like tube, i thought of you bastards. My canonization is imminent, i tell you what.

The process itself is loud as hell, so much so that i was offered (and accepted) ear plugs. The most interesting lesson today, though, came from ink. i was asked if i had any tats on the sign-in sheet and marked "yes." As they were getting ready to put me in the tube, the nurse asked me where my tattoo was. "Which one?," i replied. As the MRI was for my lumbar, she asked if i had one on my lower back. While i am a lot of things, fortunately i am not the kind of guy who has ass antlers. It appears that certain tat inks contain metal, so there was an outside chance of the magnets fucking with them during the procedure. Again, i didn't fall into that tramp stamp category, so it was a moot point, but thoughts of having a tat ingloriously ripped from one's flesh did keep my mind occupied for a moment or two.

All in all, the process wasn't too horrific. Of course, i was on my usual dose of meds and wearing a mask and earplugs, so i have no doubt it could have been much rougher. Ever since i got locked in a locker at the Y as a little kid, tight places haven't been too high on my list. But that, of course, is a story for a different campfire. Now back to the mix.

mp3: If I Don't Die (Some dude from a badly dubbed kung-fu flick)

What up, RZA? Like he's the only Mix Master with a cache of karate movie dialogue.

mp3: IRM (Charlotte Gainsbourg from IRM)

Leave it to those pesky French to go change the word order. Miz G underwent a number of MRIs herself recently. Where as most folks simply freak out while in there, she decided to use the noise as inspiration for her new CD. i guess if my old man was on Bridget Bardot's speed dial, i'd probably do weird shit like that, too.

mp3: tubed (drum please!!!) (Tsutchie from Samurai Champloo - Masta)

While simply having Samurai Champloo tracks in a mix is enough to make it stellar, this track has the added bonus of actually sounding similar to all those blips and pings Charlotte seems to love so bad. At least, i was adding bass lines and keys to the mechanical drum solo i was hearing in my head to try to make it sound more like this. Again, though, i get good drugs.

mp3: Reno Dakota (Magnetic Fields from 69 Love Songs, Vol. 1)

i really wanted to use a Magnetic Fields track that had something to do with the medical profession, but i don't have such a song in my personal library. So i bring you one of my faves from their major opus. The pantone and Nino Rota lines are some of the most clever i've ever heard.

Free Mixtape Love

2009-12-09T16:23:00.008-05:00

Sadly, i do not have any interesting medical updates today. Nothing was stuck in an uncomfortable orifice, my pee hasn't started glowing in the dark, and my cravings for brains remains pretty much at a constant, controllable level. So what the hell do we have to discuss today, class?

Well, i would hardly be worth my Irish heritage if i couldn't think of something with which to regale you lot. As luck would have it, i've stumbled across all sorts of good freebies in the past 24 hours. Luckier still, i have deigned to share these treasures with you jackals. After all, it is the holidays, and LET is all about the love.

First (and second) up are two incredible rap mixtapes by some freaking incredible underground, indie MCs, Danny! and Lupe Fiasco. i could lie and claim i stumbled upon this myself, but i won't. As with all your hip-hop news related needs, it came from one of my top three mp3 blogs, Passion of the Weiss. i could turn this into a real blog-on-blog handjob article on how dreamy PotW is, how i have their picture in my locker at school, blah, blah, blah, but that hardly would be very exciting, now would it? Instead, i will draw your attention to their take on the new Blakroc release. Any of that sound familiar? Did LET and PotW have some emails going back and forth on the topic, spitballing review ideas to one another? i really want to use the Robin Colcord lines from when he took Sam's ideas for the bar upgrades, but Google is really letting me down here. Anyway, they do a far better job than i can describing the latest from Danny! and Lupe Fiasco than i can, so i'll let you read theirs. i will say this, though--both spit fire with quick, intelligent and still goofy rhymes. Personally, i like Danny!'s beats better, but that's just me. Anybody who can add a Cheshire Cat sample from Disney's Alice in Wonderland is alright in my book.

(Ed. note 1: Students, refer to earlier chapters on Beef Wars. What's happening here is good natured ribbing to help cross-promote an excellent blog. Always remember and never forget, LET always using ribbing because we care about your pleasure.)

(Ed. note 2: Yes, i did go that far for that juvenile a condom joke. You're welcome)

Last, but most certainly not least, is a holiday treat from ex-Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle. He's whipped up a handful of instrumental piano pieces just for us. Other than the album artwork and the note on the webpage denoting this is for Xmas 2009, there's nothing particularly "Christmas-y" about it, but it is excellent music to have on while wrapping presents nonetheless. According to the J-Man, the music is a result of him simply sitting down and recording about a half hour's worth of improvisational tunes. He claims this is one of his favorite things (musically) to do at home, and i have to admit, the comfortableness of the moment certainly does shine through.

You'll need to follow the various links below to get the full mixtapes, but here are some of my fave tracks to get your tongues in chop licking mode.

In summation, i'm not saying PotW is biting on my rhymes, chomping on my styles, macking on the kid like a crocodile, i'm just saying. You know what i'm saying?

mp3: Where is Danny? (Danny! from Where is Danny?)

mp3: The National Anthem (Lupe Fiasco from enemy of the state: a love story)

mp3: out cold on indian ambien (Jason Lytle from Merry X-Mas 2009)

The Greatest (And Probably Only) Coumadin Mix You Will Ever Hear

2009-12-08T15:34:00.006-05:00

In the on-going war to destroy my evil inner ninja scabs, one of my numerous docs has decided it's time for me to take Coumadin, marking the third blood thinner i'm currently on these days. While they have me doing these for different reasons, some of the lovely effects include bruising as easily as a kindergarten girl and tending to bleed heavily if so much as a sharp breeze passes me by. To make matters more interesting still, Pop pointed out that the drug originally was used as rat poison. It's clear that there's only one way to process all this information overload. Yep, that's right, it's time to put together The Greatest (And Probably Only) Coumadin Mix You Will Ever Hear.

You know, at this point, i might as well just start a "Stump the Mix Master" column where you cats are invited to attempt to give me a topic upon which you think it would otherwise be impossible to make a mix tape. Of course, i will prove you wrong, but at least the kids at home can play along.

Seriously, a Coumadin mix? Sweet Yoda on a yak, i'm fucking good.

(Ed. note: upon further review, it was blatantly clear to the otherwise three blind refs that this mix had to start with Groucho's remarks on the matter. For earlier fans who downloaded with the great mustachioed one riding fourth, please change your score cards to reflect appropriately. Clearly, i needed more meds before the original posting. Remember, kids, drugs make you strong, cool and popular.)

mp3: Poison (Grouch Marx clip from A Day at the Races)

mp3: Bleed Like Me (Garbage from Bleed Like Me)

mp3: Bruises (Melanie Pain from My Name Is)

mp3: I Smell A Rat (Buddy Guy from Stone Crazy!)

mp3: Poison (Bel Biv Devoe from Poison)

Drugged Up Kids Say The Darnedest Things

2009-12-07T17:15:00.004-05:00

Earlier today, i had to get a TransEsophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) essentially to make sure i don't have any free floating ninja scabs on my heart that might cause further clogging in other arteries. The procedure entails them spritzing one's throat with a numbing agent and applying a minor sedative (enough to make things hazy, but not to knock a person out completely) before snaking a rather long tube with a camera on the end down one's throat. Even with the wonderfully charming narcotics I was given, i still had a bit of a gagging problem.

Once they finished and snaked the tube back out of my esophagus, my first words apparently were, "Well, that settles that. There's no career in man-on-man porn for me."

i'm not sure why, but nobody found that nearly as funny as i did.

mp3: Cocksucker Blues (Rolling Stones, unreleased, recorded in 1970)

mp3: Death Cock (Broken Social Scene from 7/4 (Shoreline) EP)

Album Review: Blakroc by Blakroc

2009-12-03T11:39:00.004-05:00

I think we all can agree that Judgement Night taught us three very invaluable lessons:

1. Apparently, there are parts of Chicago about a block off of the Magnificent Mile where nobody is awake, out or about by about midnight-ish.

2. Regardless of what HBO might have you believe, one NEVER should hang out with Jeremy Piven.

3. Rap/rock albums almost always are better in concept than they are in delivery. For every "I Love You, Mary Jane," there are dozens of "Another Body Murdered."

So why the hell would the Black Keys even want to try their hand at that hybrid game? Turns out, Patrick and Dan have been hip-hop heads since they were teenagers, and, truth be told, who wouldn't want to hang out with RZA for a while? The kung-fu movie recommendations alone would be worth the price of admission for the artists, sure, but what about us fans?

Believe it or not, we fans are in for an actual treat. The musical duo lay down some impressive beats and riffs for some of today's top tier MCs. The guest list includes such heavyweights as Mos Def, Q-Tip, RZA, Raekwon, Ludacris, and, back from the grave, Big Baby Jesus himself, the ODB. (Speaking of which, somebody remind me that if i ever fake my own death to "just have" boatloads of blog posts laying around for other bloggers to sample me into their writings for the next decade or so.) Nicole Wray shows up to add some actual singing here and there, as does Auerbach. The only real disappointment for my ears is the inclusion of NOE. Sure, one should assume that if one of the co-founders of Roc-A-Fella Records was going to be a driving force behind the album, then you'd have at least one cat who sounds eerily like Jay-Z, but guess what? i can't stand Jay-Z, so why would i like a knock-off version any better? (i don't mean to hog the soap box or anything, but Jay-Z, Radiohead and U2 are the top three most egregiously overrated musical acts of my lifetime.)

But i digress. Beyond simply being a damn fine album, what do we learn upon listening? Well, for one thing, the Keys can play a boatload more than their usual white boy garage punk blues. Seriously, give those guys a back-up singer or two and a keyboardist, and they're freaking lethal. i don't even know what would happen if they added horns. Probably the start of some new religious movement, i'd imagine. The bearded clearly would be the Chosen, but i'm digressing again. While damn near everyone on the album puts in at least admirable performances, can i tell you, those two Mos Def tracks blow me away. While his lyrics remain sharping and his vibe stoney chilled, it's his off-key singing that intrigues me. i can't quite put my finger on it, but there it is.

i think there are greater chances of me growing a mullet than there are of the entire project ever touring, but i'll say this right now--make it just the Keys, Mos Def and Nicloe, and you've got the makings of a super band right there.

And if all that still wasn't enough for you, you can always buy the accompanying ride and go from there.

mp3: Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo) (Blakroc from Blakroc)

It's Covered: Abracadabra

2009-12-01T19:11:00.003-05:00

i'm sure i could blow your mind away with a charming metaphorical simile comparing my blogging capabilities to that of a great wizard, a la Merlin or Brother Voodoo or somebody, but i don't think i'm medicated enough to make it worth either of our whiles. i figure it's enough that i referenced Dr. Strange's successor in a post that's really about Steve Miller.

Which brings us to today's actual topic, Abracadabra. Penned by Steve Miller for the eponymous album, i've loved this track since it first hit the airwaves back in '82. i distinctly recall my buddy playing it over and over again on what we used to call "record players." We ran around like madman screaming the chorus while hopped up on some candy that probably wouldn't pass FDA regulations today. There may or may not have been capes and wands involved, too, but we're going to move on before this becomes a questionably attractive post to pedophiles.

This was also when MTV was first gaining traction, and being 8 years old, the effects for the video impressed me. How the hell did they get that ball to spin backwards like that? Sure, it certainly ain't CGI, but it was good enough for us back then. You kids and your damn Lucas Arts--we were getting poorly executed shots played in reverse AND WE WERE HAPPY TO HAVE IT!

Steve's original pretty much speaks for itself. It's classic 80s rock with just the slightest hint of disco somewhere on the periphery. Martin Philadelphy slows things down considerably, adding a slow burn blues feel the song somehow deserves. Robin McKelle goes in a different direction, turning the track into a big band extravaganza. Both routes hold up more than well enough to the original. These tracks, quite frankly, are what good cover songs are all about--you take and respect the source material and then add your own signature touch. i did come across a number of poorly executed Euro dance versions, but i figured i'd spare us all the ignominy of listening to that.

You can see for yourself how good we had it back in the day, back when MTV actually played music.

mp3: Abracadabra (Steve Miller from Abracadabra)

mp3: Abracadabra (Martin Philadelphy from Death to the 80s)

mp3: Abracadabra (Robin McKelle from Modern Antique)

Greatest Mix You Will Ever Hear Series: Bizarre Comic Book Songs

2009-11-30T15:57:00.012-05:00

LET fave and friend ekko over at the always wonderful Berkeley Place was bitching and moaning, er, mentioning the sad, sad fact that bloggers seldom seem to show love to one another anymore. As the LET crew still is waiting to celebrate its second birthday in about a month, we can't really say how things were "back in the good, old days," but we certainly can agree with the sentiment that we could all use a little bit more love in our lives, so today is all about BP. Well, maybe, but kind-of, sort-of, in a not really kind of way.

For those of you not in the know, BP focuses on a bit of this and a bit of that, but the two primary "functions" of his wonderful blog are music and comic books. Clearly, a man after my own heart. Perhaps foolishly of him, ekko even has me write the occasional piece for him. Speaking of which, assuming you read this, ekko, i swear to Kitty Pryde's corpse that I'm going to finish that X-Men piece as soon as humanly possible.

Any which way but loose, today we "officially" are starting a new feature here at LET, The Greatest ____ Mix You Will Ever Hear" series. You've already got most of the zombie triumvirate and you tasted the beauty of that which is the finest in breakfast raps, but today's launch is in tribute to the Wise and Sagacious ekko. May I present to you, the Greatest Bizarre Comic Book Songs Mix You Will Ever Hear. Pay no attention to the fact that most of these tracks probably came from BP in the first place; I'M the Mixmaster here, and that's all you need to worry about regarding that.

mp3: Stop Talking About Comic Books Or I'll Kill You (Adam Selzer from Geeks Gone Wild in Chicago!)

You're going to notice inclusion of folks that correctly character name drop in their songs. This would be one such example. What's more, and my geeks out there can back me up here, every single comic book guy out there has had this conversation at least once with at least one loved one.

mp3: Boy Wonder, I Love You (Burt Ward from The Boy Wonder Sessions)

I believe I found this one on some "uber-obscure songs that never should have been made" website. Either that, or this was used in someone's trial to prove psychopathic tendencies were, in fact, a mitigating circumstance and I copied it from Court TV. What we have hear is the one and only Burt Ward of "...& Robin" fame reading fan letters he's received. Could be the most creepy, inappropriate thing ever set to wax. Oh, and who's that backing band, you ask? Goddamn Mothers of Invention. I shit you not.

mp3: Spiderman (Tenacious D from a live show; if I had to guess, I say it was from a Largo show, but that's because EVERYTHING from their early career seems to come from a Largo show)

I've seen the D do this song live once or twice, so let me see if I can set the stage appropriately. Kyle and Jack start out doing a straight cover of the old cartoon theme song before a guy comes out dressed in a Sasquatch costume. At this point, things devolve into a sort of improv gross-out comedy fest that cracks me up every time I hear it. Essentially, JB simply describes what's happening on-stage. I am fairly confident this is the only song on the planet that discusses chodas and Bigfoot in the same verse.

mp3: Kookies (MF Doom from MM...Food)

ekko is one of the few cats out there that seems to like Metal Face as much, if not more, than i do. Beyond the fact that Doom's entire persona is based on the Fantastic Four's premier villain, he often samples old FF records from the 60s and 70s into his music, clearly making him a perfect addition to this list. While you have to wait for the end of the track for the FF record sample, you should notice immediately that, yes, this motherfucker sampled Sesame Street as the back beat for the entire track. GENIUS, I tell you!

mp3: Spider Pig (Hans Zimmer from The Simpsons Movie Soundtrack)

Sure, having an orchestra and full choir substitute "pig" for "man" in the classic theme song would be enough for inclusion here. More importantly, i'd like to say we're the first and only mp3 blog out there today with multiple Hans Zimmer posts. LET Rules, bitches!

mp3: Jam On It (Newcleus from Jam On This! The Best of Newcleus)

Alright, I'll be the first to admit I'm really stretching it on this one, but there is a full verse about Superman losing in a DJ battle, so there's list placement justification right there. To be honest, though, I just freaking love this song and wanted to put it in here. Don't question the Mixmaster, son, just go with it.

mp3: Super Heroes (Planet Asia and DJ Toure from Marvel vs. Capcom 2: Hip Hop Mixtape)

mp3: Who's a Hero? (MF Doom & Trunks from Unicron)

Between these two tracks, damn near every major comic book character from the past three or more decades is mentioned. Major props for these cats even knowing all these names, yet alone for their ability to actually make raps out of that knowledge. Geek, geek, yo!

mp3: Superhero (Stephen Lynch from Superhero)

The one true "comedy" inclusion in the bunch, I've seen Stephen live a couple of times now, and this one always is a crowd pleaser. For the part of the show where he asks the audience to shout out names of potential superheros, the last time I saw him someone yelled out "Bukake Boy!" You can't make this stuff up, folks. Well, I suppose you could, but why bother?

It's Covered: Brazil

2009-11-28T10:34:00.005-05:00

Long weekends get me to thinking about taking a real vacation. Either that, or i'm really coming up short for a better segue for today's It's Covered.

Today's track is Brazil, written in 1939 by Ary Barroso. Go figure, it's a pretty beloved track in Brazil, where it was penned and goes by the full name of "Aquarela do Brasil."

But, of course, that's not what i'm here to talk about today. i'm going to tell a little story about my vacation down there a few years back. My second youngest brother, The World Traveler, and i moseyed down for Carnival. That brother has an ever expanding list of Things To Do, and i decided to tag along for that one.

We stayed in Ipanema, and yes, most of the locals were of Deity-like beauty. Other than that, i was not impressed. i've been more than a couple of places, but i've never been approached by more hookers and pan handlers in my life. In and of itself, OK, these things happen, it is practically a third world country, after all. If you're going to try to sell your body for ducats, though, can we all agree that there are things that are appropriate and things that are not during your sales pitch to me? Honestly, i'm not into working girls, but i see no reason why it should be illegal. That being said, i'm fairly confident no John wants to hear about your kids in the opening monologue. As if that weren't an uncomfortable incident to last me the entire vacation, it remains to this day the one time i actually saw a condom floating perilously close to me in a goddamn ocean. And i lived in South Jersey for a lot of the 80s, so that's really saying something. We had dolphin AIDS, for chrissakes, and i never once almost got flacked by a jimmy cap whilst doing some body surfing.* Finally, while it may seem nectar-like when you are first offered it by the natives, i'm telling you right now that caipirinha actually is the devil's semen. Pardon my French, but that shit will fuck your day up. i just referred to them as chupacabras and every single bartender knew immediately what i meant.

And that's enough pain med-induced rambling about that, i do believe.

Today's sample platter includes the following lunchtime specials:

1. Arcade Fire's version, which might be most least fave here. Don't get me wrong, AF is one of my top 10 bands of the past decade, but this one kind of just falls flat on my ears. i dunno. You tell me.

2. Conversely, Asylum Street Spanker's take might maybe be my most fave on this small smattering. That clarinet, quite frankly, is just money. And their old timey, small club jazz vibe simply nails it for me.

3. If ASS's version doesn't deserve top billing here, Pink Martini's does. They blow it up much larger than any of the others here, nearly opting for the big band route. And to further belabor my clearly mismatched and possibly contradictory use of metaphors, they, too, knock it out of the park.

4. Last but certainly not least, Geoff Muldaur's take from the movie of the same name by Terry Gilliam. Damnation, but i loves me some Terry Gilliam. For those of you not in the know, this is the second movie in his life of man trilogy, along with Time Bandits, this one and closing with The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. While they weren't billed as a trilogy as such, the way i heard it, each movie is meant to depict man in a certain stage of his life (youth, middle-age or "grown up" and old age. Seen in that lens, his already trippy works seem that much more incredible).

And that's all i gots for now. We'll see what happens after i take my next does of meds.

*Ed. note--i saw to Tummi Gummi, such a thing as dolphin AIDS existed. i had to do a report on it in the 8th grade. It's wasn't actually AIDS, but it was similar enough in symptoms and transmission that that's what the local media called it. Of course, Google is not backing my ass up at all here. Bastards. Just remember, though, your Uncle Terrible would never knowingly lie to your face. So there's that.

mp3: Brazil (Arcade Fire from Rebellion (Lies) Single)

mp3: Brazil (Asylum Street Spankers from Spanks for the Memories)

mp3: Brazil (Pink Martini from Sympathique)

mp3: Brazil (Geoff Muldaur from Brazil Soundtrack)

The Obligatory Thanksgiving Mix Post

2009-11-25T11:01:00.005-05:00

By this time, i have come to learn that the great unwashed masses now realize that when it comes to the Greatest Mixes You Will Ever Hear, they're not going to find any place else that stuff 1/100th as good as the junk they'll find here at LET. Arguably not the clearest of wording aside, i get it, folks. A holiday comes around, and all y'all need a mix to help you with decorating/eating/drinking/avoiding suicide/etc. And you want some really good shit. i can dig it. No worries, even. Truth be told, though, Thanksgiving isn't exactly the easiest holiday for which to make a mix to blow your mind AND stuff your turkey. Aside from that Adam Sandler track, what's a Mix Master Supreme to do? Well, whip out your three ring binders and start taking notes, kids, because this is how its done.

mp3: Thank God I'm A Country Boy (John Denver from Back Home Again)

Don't ask me why, but this was one of my absolute favorite tracks when i was about five. Probably had something to do with that infectious fiddlin'. Or maybe because i associated JD with the Muppets, and that's reason enough for any kid to love a tune.

mp3: Thank Heaven for Little Girls (Maurice Chevalier from Gigi Soundtrack)

Who doesn't love songs that verge on blatant pedophilia by old French dudes? You know NAMBLA wishes they had a theme song this catchy.

mp3: THANK YA (DOOM from BORN LIKE THIS)

If i have to explain the inclusion of DOOM into any of my mixes, you need to either move along to a different site or do some more research on where you've ended up, suckafish.

mp3: Thank You (Pearl Jam with Robert Plant from 10-5-05 Concert)

You would have felt cheated if this Zep track wasn't on your Thanksgiving mix, then i would have felt either bad and/or annoyed with your whining, and then nobody wins. So here it is, and everyone can go about their merry way, no muss, no fuss.

mp3: Thank You, Boob Lady (Hanz Zimmer from The Simpsons Movie OST)

This one is for The Missus and her plentiful, er, cornucopias. That's huge tracts of land to you and me, kids.

mp3: Thank You Boys (Jane's Addiction from Nothing Shocking)

It's short, sweet, jazzy and somehow catchy as hell. What's not to be thankful about all that?

mp3: Thank You Jack White (For The Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me) (The Flaming Lips from Fight Test EP)

This track is both bizarre and entertaining. It's about a chance backstage encounter between Jack White and the Flaming Lips wherein the White Striped Raconteur gives a gift of love to his heroes--a light-up Christ figurine. i wish i could get some rockstar drugs.

mp3: Thank You, Lord, For Sending Me the F Train (Mike Doughty from Smofe + Smang)

One of my favorite MD tunes from his best solo work to date. The fact that i've waited for that train and thought those same things certainly endears it further to me, but don't let the fact that you've somehow managed to fortunately avoid Brooklyn up until this point in your life deter you from loving it just a little bit yourself.

mp3: Thankful 'N Thoughtful (Sly and the Family Stone from Fresh)

Sure, it's about overcoming addiction, but goddamn, that bass line could be the funkiest drug i've ever heard. And those horns? Somebody call Betty Ford's for me now because i have a problem turning this one off repeat on ye olde iPod.

mp3: Thanksgiving Theme (Vince Guaraldi from Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits)

i had to get one absolutely legit Thanksgiving track in here, so i used this chestnut. Bust out the jelly beans and popcorn, folks, it's party time!

And with that, you're welcome.

Singles Club: Sia's You've Changed and Lykke Li's Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

2009-11-23T17:14:00.003-05:00

I was in the car with The Missus yesterday when I mentioned to her that two of my favorite pixies (no, not those Pixies) had just unleashed some free mp3 love on the world. As a great many conversations with The Missus go, she asked me what the hell I was talking about. I then informed her that Sia had dropped "You've Changed" from her upcoming CD, We Are Born, via Twitter, and that Lykke Li, apparently apropos of nothing, gave away her take on the Shirelles classic, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?"

As is also the case with many conversations with The Missus, this led to a complete non sequitur regarding "actual" pixies. "I can see you calling Sia a pixie, but not Lykke. Pixies can't have long hair." While I still have no idea where that notion came from, I did agree that LL was not necessarily the first person that would come to mind when one thought of pixies.

"However," I retorted, "if we use the X-Man Pixie as our baseline, it's absolutely the right word. Sia would be your early Pixie before she lost part of her soul to the demon Belasco and effectively became Dark Pixie during X-Infernus. I think it's more than fair to think of Lykke Li as a very credible Dark Pixie." And then I was met with the blank stare that a lot of women give me when I start trying to reduce everything to comic books. Such is the story of my life, I suppose.

Regardless, these are two great tracks. You might possibly recognize Sia's track, as she did an earlier version with Lauren Flax. This new version is a lot less dance floor-y and better showcases her vocals as opposed to Ms. Flax's production skills. LL similarly comports herself quite nicely on this Motown gem.

Pixies, indeed, says I.

mp3: You've Changed (Sia from the forthcoming We Are Born)

mp3: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? (Lykke Li from her website)

Live Review: Amanda Palmer & Nervous Cabaret, 11-19-09, State Theatre

2009-11-20T23:19:00.005-05:00

More on a whim than much else, I snagged tickets to see Amanda Fucking Palmer last night at the State Theatre. I'll be honest, I knew virtually nothing about her. I'm a huge Neil Gaiman fan, and he had recommended following her on Twitter a few months ago, so I did. I dug her tweets, but far more interesting to me, they way she used social media to truly create a new career for herself showed that this chick was pushing the boundaries of interacting with fans in a way that I believe is going to be the blueprint of how musicians survive and thrive as the old system of big corporate labels die a none-to-soon death. How she made essentially goose egg from sales of her CD, and yet was able to make a fairly hefty sum via Twitter and the like was revelatory to me. Anyway, it was enough to get me to buy tickets having only heard a handful of her tracks.

As I left the crib with The Missus, I told her we might literally only stay for a song or two before bouncing back home. Luckily, The Missus was in no rush, as it turned out to be one of the more enjoyable shows I've seen in a while.

Opening act Nervous Cabaret (who also played the role of AP's backing band) might well have put on a "better" show than Ms. Palmer herself. It seems to me that Amanda's strengths lie in her stage presence and lyrics as opposed to her vocal depth. NC's lead singer, however, had a damn impressive set of pipes. And that band ain't got no dust on it, I tell you what.

Both acts music has been described to me as Gothic punk cabaret, and that seems a perfect sobriquet. Both were slightly jazzy, slightly funky, very theatrical, but most importantly, were damn fine musicians. And when the bassist donned a goat mask for no apparent reason just before they left the stage, I knew they had made a new fan.

Amanda eventually took the stage just before 10 pm to fairly thunderous applause from a crowd made up of an assorted lot you're not going to find just anywhere. We had some aging Goths (that 6' 6", 250 lbs dude in the top hat and white face paint, the numerous middle agers wearing black stockings, more than a couple of females who dig females dressed as dapper dons, etc.) and various other folks who might have been freaks back in the day, but seemed rather subdued in this setting. Again, I know virtually nothing of her music, so I can't really say what songs she played. I later learned she played a few Dresden Dolls tracks and a bunch of tunes from her solo career. I did recognize her cover tunes, of course, including House of the Rising Sun and a snippet of Twist and Shout. In the middle of her set, she had an audience Q&A (her second session of the night, but we got there too late to see the first) that gave insight into why she shaves her eyebrows and her apparent utter disdain for the Twilight movies (I guess old school Goths hate the new school posers; and thus, it all comes back to footwear), amongst other personal insights. Her encore was particularly compelling, when she brought out her father to play guitar and duet on a Leonard Cohen tune before bringing Nervous Cabaret back onstage to reach the most rocking points of the evening.

More than just a music performance, this seemed much more like theater to me. The crowd apparently felt the same way, as far as I could tell. Of the hundreds, if not thousands, of concerts I've seen, never before have I actually heard an entire house go silent during the ballads and dirges that burbled forth from AP's pipes. I don't know why, exactly, but that impressed me on some deep level. Fans actually respecting an artist...will wonders never cease?

Towards the end of the night, Ms. Palmer mentioned she's been playing the area quite a bit lately. The next time she does come to town, I plan on being in the audience again.

(Complete side note: I snagged both of NC's CDs from the merch table, but took too long to grab Who Killed Amanda Palmer. That's a pisser. If AP ever happens to stumble upon this review, I certainly wouldn't hold it against her if she saw to it that a copy made its way into my greedy little hands so I can continue to share the love. It's all about the love, after all. I'm not saying, I'm just saying. You know what I'm saying?)

mp3: Coin-Operate Boy (The Dresden Dolls from The Dresden Dolls)

mp3: Missed Me (The Dresden Dolls from The Dresden Dolls)

mp3: I Google You (Amanda Palmer, live, 8-5-08)

mp3: Mel Gibson (Nervous Cabaret from Nervous Cabaret)

It's Covered: Lovefool

2009-11-19T20:05:00.007-05:00

OK, at this point, even i'm tired of hearing about what a shitty, tiring week i'm having. So what do we all need in this instance? That's right, a little levity never hurt nothing, as my less than grammatically correct friends are apt to say.

With that, let's take a few listens to a few different takes on everyone's favorite song about the political collapse of third world micronauts during the decline of omniversal mining rights. No, i'm just fucking with you. Lovefool was written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson (gotta love those Scandinavian names) for the Cardigan's third studio album, First Band on the Moon, way back in 1996. Like most kids at the time, though, I was hipped to that track by the soundtrack for William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Whether you feel Claire Danes and Leo DeCrappy did the Bard's work justice, the OST had a number of money tracks, this one included.

We're going to start with the original and then follow that with a pretty kick ass acoustic take, again by the Cardigans, called "The Puck Version." Then we've got a slightly more techno/bossa nova take from Just Jack, followed by an even techno-ier version by Jolin Tsai. And to round things out, a kind of sing-along version by The Morning Benders.

And while we're enjoying the hell out of this thing, who remembers when Jim couldn't stop singing it on the Office?

mp3: Lovefool (The Cardigans from First Band on the Moon)

mp3: Lovefool (The Cardigans from Best Of)

mp3: Lovefool (Just Jack from Radio 1 Established 1967)

mp3: Lovefool (Jolin Tsai from Love Exercise)

mp3: Lovefool (The Morning Benders from The Bedroom Covers)

All She Wanted Was a Quickie

2009-11-17T23:25:00.003-05:00

You know what? It has been a long, goddamn day. More doctor appointments, a crazy day at the office, and somebody bid on my condo. Quite frankly, I am beat. What this post needs to be is short and sweet. That's right, we need a quickie.

And so I bring to you the greatest song of all times regarding such things. I believe the lyrics pretty much speak for themselves:

She said to make me happy

You gotta make it snappy

Gotta do it right

It won't take all night

Good Lord and Butter, I love the Dogfather.

mp3: Quickie (George Clinton from You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish)

Live Show Reviews: Dan Auerbach at Sonar on 11-13-09; White Denim at Rock N Roll Hotel on 11-14-09

2009-11-16T15:06:00.005-05:00

Well, I was right, my weekend did kick ass, and I've got the bruises to prove it. A few quick notes about the two incredible bands and their shows this past weekend.

1. Dan Auerbach continues to shred with the best of 'em. At one point, he mentioned that he wasn't feeling so well, so if he just passed out on stage, we'd know why. As much as I love everything Black Keys, if I end up with the swine flu, I will not be a happy camper. If I do catch it, I damn well better get a free copy of Blakroc. I'm just saying.

2. This is the second time I've seen Dan doing the solo tour for Keep It Hid. It's clear that he's spent time honing the sound, as it's progressed into a swampy mixture that isn't necessarily obvious on the CD. Whatever it is, it sounds incredible.

3. Have you ever been to Sonar? That place is in one sketchy neighborhood. I don't like to make assumptions, but when there's a full contingent of private security AND cops patrolling the parking lot, I feel like maybe I'm not in the safest of places.

4. That being said, the club itself was pretty nice. I think I saw Jason Lytle play there right after Grandaddy broke up. The acoustics are strong, and the staff seemed friendly to me. If you don't mind potentially being shot outside, it didn't seem like a bad club.

5. I wish my iPhone camera took better pictures, as both bands have doppelgangers. Dan's rhythm guitarist is a dead ringer for a young Steve Cropper and the bassist for White Denim could pass for a young Jerry O'Connell (not quite that pudgy, but he did have a baby face going on something fierce). Neither of these opinions have anything to do with the music, I'm just saying these are some of the things that jump out at me from the audience. Could be all the pain killers I'm on these days.

6. I believe I've said it before, but the sound at the Rock N Roll Hotel is some of the worst I've ever experienced. I've heard better noise production at college keggers. Not only does the place lack decent speakers, the ones they do have are all jammed up front, horrendously distorting the sound in the back. Plus, with all due respect to whoever they have manning the sound booth, you really need to find a new occupation. Every show I've seen there it's the same thing--vocals are terribly underplayed while the instruments drown out everything else. It's a shame, because some otherwise brilliant vocals have been lost in the murk.

7. White Denim was a lot more jam band-y that I would have figured from just hearing their CDs. While they were by no means Phish-like, there was some open free form action going on up onstage that kind of surprised me. Not saying this is good or bad, just saying it surprised me.

Both shows, as I predicted, rocked my socks off, questionable neighborhoods and sound quality notwithstanding. If you missed these shows, you actually did miss out.

mp3: The Prowl (Dan Auerbach, live on KCRW, 3-16-09)

mp3: Regina Holding Hands (White Denim from Fits)

Weekend Plans

2009-11-13T16:26:00.004-05:00

Sorry in advance for today's short post, but I had doctor and business appointments today, so I haven't really had much time to ponder the complexities of mp3 blogging this afternoon. Since it's been a long week, and I'm not only exhausted but beaten and battered from my various medical ailments, I've decided to do what any sane person needing rest would do: I've got tickets to see two hopefully kick-ass concerts this weekend.

To celebrate Friday the 13th, I'm headed to Baltimore tonight to catch Dan Auerbach, quite possibly the greatest axe man in the game today. Sure, he's doing his solo thing right now, but that don't make no never mind to yours truly. Tomorrow night, White Denim rolls into town. I reviewed their new CD here and am thinking this could be one of the best shows I see this year. My buddy over at R&G claims they're life-changing, and the new CD, Fits, easily is one of my top five (maybe even number one) faves of 2009.

Not that I have any extra time to spare, but are there any other kick ass shows this weekend of which the LET fambly should be made aware?

Now I have to worry about taking a nap so that my old bones can deal with this musical cornucopia of awesome excellence I have laid out before me.

mp3: Money & Trouble (Dan Auerbach, unreleased live track from 3-16-09 KCRW show)

mp3: I Start to Run (White Denim from Fits)

It's Covered: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?

2009-11-11T15:54:00.006-05:00

Ed. Note--It's been brought to my attention there's a problem w/ the remix track below, and I'm afraid I don't know how to fix it. Hence, it has been removed, but I'm too lazy to go back and re-write the existing paragraph. Sorry about that.

While there are individual reasons for each "It's Covered" post, the one overarching theme seems to be songs from my early childhood, most notably those found in various cartoons. It is with this in mind that I bring today's offering, "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?" or, as I like to refer to it, "that song from Tom & Jerry."

"Is You Is" probably the first song I ever enjoyed specifically as a cover. When I first heard it outside of the T&J classic, I loved it for being a variation on a theme. Long story short, while I was raised on Joe Cocker and others who made entire careers out of cover songs, this was the first "cover tune" I appreciated for being itself.

Originally released as a B-side to "G.I. Jive" by Louis Jordan in 1944, the song enjoyed its own success before eventually being covered by everyone from B.B. King to Saffire, the Uppity Blues Women.

Today's versions include Louis' original, as well as takes by Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters (please pardon the few glitches; it's an OLD track) and Cab Calloway (for the criminally under-educated musically, that old dude in The Blues Brothers). To keep things interesting, we've also got Dinah Washington's original stab, as well as the Rae & Christian Remix of the same piece from the wonderful Verve Remixed series.

And, of course, the version that got this whole ball of wax started in the first place from Solid Serenade.

mp3: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Louis Jordan)

mp3: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters)

mp3: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Cab Calloway)

mp3: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Dinah Washington)

Old Skool Review: Doriella Du Fontaine

2009-11-12T11:50:00.007-05:00

Today, kids, we're going to have possibly the oldest Old Skool Review possible. Depending on who you ask, a lot of folks credit the Sugar Hill Gang's Rappers Delight as the first "true" rap record.

But I'm here to tell ya, there's something else.

Rapper's Delight came out in 1979 . The much lesser known Doriella Du Fontaine was recorded in 1969. You do the math.

Enter one Lightnin' Rod aka Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin aka Alafia Pudim. He of the many handles was a member of the seminal The Last Poets. Many folks now argue that The Last Poets actually started hip hop, and if Doriella Du Fontaine is any example, well, that argument seems to hold a lot of water.

What's so big about an even older rap song, you might be asking yourself. How about the backing band? Um, yeah, that's Jimi Hendrix on guitar and bass and Buddy Miles on skins and organ. The story goes that this recording was a one-take jam session. Rod came in and started laying pimp rhymes over Miles' beats when Hendrix overheard the two and stepped into the room to start recording. While the bass and organ were added to the mix later, it's still one funktastic groove from beginning to end. This may not be the explosive Jimi that a lot of folks are used to, but damnation, the man could play a funk lick like nobody's business.

And that's your Ancient Hip Hop Lesson for today.

mp3: Doriella Du Fontaine (Lightnin' Rod, Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Miles from the Doriella Du Fontaine maxi-single)

Live Review: Darker My Love @ DC9, October 5, 2009

2009-11-11T19:02:00.005-05:00

Fact: Darker My Love is one of LET's pet bands (see here, here, and here). Not only is this one hell of a band, they're also one hell of a bunch of nice dudes. Sure, I'd still love their music if they were assholes, they're just that good. Digressions aside, Darker My Love is a band worth checking out, and keep those feelers up because I've been assured a new record is in the works (the sooner the better, my loves). Also, they're pretty killer when it comes to the whole playing live thing, as I have been fortunate to learn not once but twice, most recently last month at the delightfully cozy DC9. They were one piece of a rather excellent bill, sandwiched between All The Saints and A Place To Bury Strangers (note to bands: extra points for using dry ice). Darker My Love doesn't go for dry ice, but it's of no consequence.

The last time I saw these Los Angelinos live, they were seriously stealing The Dandy Warhol's psych-addled thunder at the 9:30 Club. While they certainly did well on such a large stage, I'd been dying to see them somewhere like DC9, all up close and personal like. I knew it would be special, and lo and behold, I was right. It's a miracle the five of them and all their gear fit on the stage, but despite the cramped quarters it was rock'n'roll from the word go. They overcame some initial soundboard difficulties and played a solid, saucy little set. It felt much more rock, somehow, than my first Darker My Love experience. Perhaps it was the lack of that wacky gooey projection or something, but the slightly more stripped-down sound was incredible, and really demonstrated how great a band this really is. Sure, they left "Two Ways Out" off the setlist, but I'll forgive them. The set was heavy with new songs, heightening expectations for a quick release (please?) of even more retrodelica. Happily, a couple songs from their debut made it onto the setlist, too. Sometimes you have to see a band live to really appreciate the sounds they make, and a live Darker My Love show proves just how gifted these guys are as musicians. They are simply compelling live, and command your attention. Which, of course, you'll readily oblige them with.

All in all, I left DC9 feeling totally impressed by the entire show, but especially by Darker My Love. This is a band that not only can wow you on record, but also knows how to put on a live show.

Setlist above written out by DMLer Will Canzoneri, who has so much musical knowledge it will knock your socks off. "Talking Words" is below for your enjoyment. And believe you me, you will enjoy it. For all you Euro kids out there, make sure you keep a close eye on DML, as they are on your side of the Atlantic as we speak.

mp3: Talking Words (Buy: Darker My Love)