The heart regularly betrays the mind.
My intellect informs me that the precious time I spend repeatedly playing the tenth studio album by Drive-By Truckers would be better applied to a rigorous study of the latest effort by Vijay Iyer, investigating another reissue of African psychedelia or attending more performances by groundbreaking bands like Marijuana Deathsquads. Alternative country, after all, is totally played out.
Not so fast.
Many of English Oceans' smart, funny and sad songs speak directly to my experiences. So what if ""Til He's Dead Or Rises" is a slavish imitation of Sticky Fingers-era Stones? The album opener "Sh*t Shots Count" is the sort of Replacements-esque rocker that I thought I got out of my system in the 1990s. Yet it moves me. And "Primer Coat" is easily my favorite song of 2014.
English Oceans may not be a great album. Hell, it may not even be a good album. But I love it all the same.
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XV released two March Madness mix tapes. RIYL: Wichita, Kid Cudi, wondering why XV isn't a star yet.
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Outsides covered Of Montreal to help promote the forthcoming Middle of the Map festival.
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Here's recent footage of a Turkish-inspired ensemble led by Beau Bledsoe.
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Indyground created a video for Farout's "Billy Hoyle."
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The War On Drugs' Lost In the Dream is the best album Dire Straits never made. RIYL: Twin Shadow, long jams, Nils Lofgren.
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During one of the first warm days of the year, I spaced out while staring at drifting clouds for 30 minutes. Beck's Morning Phase gives me the same sort of passive floating sensation. RIYL: David Crosby, clouds, Autumn Defense.
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I'm down with the Pretty Reckless' Going To Hell. RIYL: The Runaways, partying, Alice In Chains.
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An unassuming performance by Lowell Levinger, a founding member of the Youngbloods, delighted me at last month's Folk Alliance Conference. His new album Down to the Roots features guest appearances by Ry Cooder and David Grisman. RIYL: John Sebastian, authentic hippies, Mississippi John Hurt.
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Saxophonist Javon Jackson has the good sense to cover Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway on his new live album Expressions. RIYL: Orrin Evans, jazz for the people, Stanley Turrentine.
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The Strypes' Snapshot is cute. RIYL: Rockpile, good times and great oldies , the first Rolling Stones album.
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Imed Alibi is a Tunisian percussionist. His new album Safar is RIYL: the future, Anouar Brahem, film scores.
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I already own original vinyl copies of a few of the Record Store Day 2014 special releases. Make me an offer.
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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)
1 comment:
He'll always be Banana to me and yep, he'll always be a real hippie too.
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