Saturday, November 22, 2014

Free MP3: Blitzen Trapper Does Ryan Adams


Bloodshot Records is celebrating their 20-year anniversary by releasing WHILE NO ONE WAS LOOKING: TOASTING 20 YEARS OF BLOODSHOT RECORDS. Artists such as Blitzen Trapper, Superchunk, Ted Leo, Ben Kweller, Chuck Prophet, Split Single, Daniel Romano, The Minus 5, Frank Turner, Andrew Bird, and The Handsome Family cover tracks by current and former Bloodshot artists like Neko Case, Graham Parker, Alejandro Escovedo, Lydia Loveless, Old 97's, Robbie Fulks, Justin Townes Earle, Waco Brothers, and Cory Branan. Below you can hear Blitzen Trapper do Ryan Adams's To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High), which you can download today from KUTX.

Blitzen Trapper - To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High
Original Ryan Adams version


A few more from WHILE NO ONE WAS LOOKING:

Look The Other Way by Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants (Justin Townes Earle cover)


Deep Red Bells" by Into It. Over It. (Neko Case cover)


Some other cool stuff Bloodshot has put out? Here ya go.

JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound - "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" (Wilco cover)


The Silos - Behind Me Now


Cory Branan


Evening Gown by Alejandro Escovedo feat. Jon Langford (Mick Jagger cover)


Old 97's - Victoria


There's Nothing on the Radio" by Graham Parker


Jon Langford


Lydia Loveless - Mile High / Blind 7" Single


The Bottle Rockets - Mendocino


Wayne Hancock - Ride


Thursday, November 20, 2014

Steve Earle - Terraplane and You're the Best Lover That I Ever Had



Steve Earle has put out country records, rock, folk, bluegrass, flirted with hip-hop styled beats, and pretty much gone where he's wanted. Lately, he's wanted to mine a blues vein, so that's where his new one, Terraplane, is going. Not that he hasn't been there before (try Meet Me in the Alleyway below), but the whole of the new album (due Feb. 17) takes that route according to Rolling Stone Country. I am more than a little intrigued. And the album artwork is amazing as always, Tony Fitzpatrick is bloody brilliant.


You’re the Best Lover That I Ever Had


Terraplane Track Listing:

1. Baby Baby Baby (Baby)
2. You’re the Best Lover That I Ever Had
3. The Tennessee Kid
4. Ain't Nobody's Daddy Now
5. Better Off Alone
6. The Usual Time
7. Go Go Boots Are Back
8. Acquainted With the Wind
9. Baby's Just as Mean as Me
10. Gamblin' Blues
11. King of the Blues


Some older ones for ya:

City of Immigrants


Way Down in the Hole


Every Part Of Me


Meet Me in the Alleyway


The Low Highway


Invisible


I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive (Hank Williams cover)


Goodbye


State Trooper


Waitin' On the Sky


I try not to pass up an opportunity to share the song Steve Earle by Lydia Loveless. So here ya go.


Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Simple Minds - Big Music VS Old School Simple Minds


Interesting take on Early Simple Minds versus the latter-day band posted on the band's facebook page, not very flattering of the work done since 1982. But how many artists who made good records in the 80s have been able to do so continuously? We can't expect artists to be like they were 30 years ago. Anyway, fans like guys in Manic Street Preachers (read here or here) feel the band was exceptional in the late 70s and first years of the 80s, and some have said tracks from Simple Minds' new album Big Music contains hints of that greatness.


Honest Town



Blood Diamonds (Live)


Broken Glass Park


Blindfolded


Kill or Cure


Human


Compare to much older sounds:

New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (7" Remix)


Changeling


I Travel


I Travel (John Leckie 2012 Mix)


Boys From Brazil


Chelsea Girl
The American


Theme For Great Cities (Moby Remix)


Homosapien (Vince Clarke Remix)


Sons And Fascination - Live 2009 -


Pleasantly Disturbed

Friday, November 14, 2014

Matt Epp - Promised Land


Winnipegger Matt Epp's Luma ep came out in October, but that's no reason you can't get into it today. Promised Land bristles with crackling energy, barely restrained.




Some older Matt Epp songs for ya.

War


When You Know (Featuring Serena Ryder)


They Won't Find the Bodies


Photo at top of post by Jen Squires

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

David Bowie - 'Tis A Pity She's A Whore


According to David Bowie's website, his new track 'Tis A Pity She's A Whore "acknowledges the shocking rawness of the First World War". I just like the song.

'Tis A Pity She's A Whore


Sue (Or In The Season Of Crime)


Day-In Day-Out


Tin Machine - Under the God


I think Bowie and Daryl Hall shared the same hair at this point in time, no?

Time Will Crawl


Do you think Bowie was riding his own coattails at this period in time?

Underground


Loving the Alien


Please Mr. Gravedigger


The Laughing Gnome


Bowie followed that gem up many moons later with the vastly superior Requiem for the Laughing Gnome.


God Knows I'm Good


Queen Bitch


Five Years


See Emily Play


Aladdin Sane


TVC15


Candidate


Breaking Glass


Blackout


Red Sails


Up the Hill Backwards


Ricochet

Sunday, November 9, 2014

The Besnard Lakes Are No Barenaked Ladies


Listening to the radio recently, and the on-air personality told me that Sam Roberts Band is playing at the Burton Cummings Theatre Nov. 21. Also, Barenaked Ladies are opening. I thought I misheard, but the guy said it again. That' a weird bill, I thought. So I checked as soon as I could, and sure enough, no Ladies, it is The Besnard Lakes.


The Besnard Lakes do not deserve this kind of treatment. Maybe the band hasn't put out the radio/video hits that BNL did, and perhaps the goofy wisecracking thing isn't part of The Besnard Lakes image. But The Besnard Lakes make an intoxicating blend, with My Bloody Valentine, Beach Boys, Spiritualized and Neil Young all serving as touchstones for an epic sound.


People of the Sticks


Colour Yr Lights In


And Her Eyes Were Painted Gold


At Midnight


The Specter


46 Satires

Catalina


Alamogordo


Devastation


For Spy Turned Musician


Albatross


For Agent !3


I've Got A feeling


You Mke Loving Fun (Fleetwood Mac cover)


We're Here For A Good Time (Not A Long Time)


Some Sam R0berts Band for good measure.

We're All In This Together (Free download)


Them Kids


The Canadian Dream


Hard Road


Don't Walk Away Eileen


Sunday, November 2, 2014

Mark Kozelek - His Music Will Outlast



Mark Kozelek is hitting the West End Cultural Centre Nov. 11. He's been in the news for reasons that have nothing do with music, but I hope you all know he has made some great art. It wasn't hard to find a couple of dozen reasons why you should go see him, silly disagreement with War on Drugs notwithstanding.

Mistress (Live with The Roots)

I Know

Like Rats

It's Easier Now

Celebrated Summer

War on Drugs Suck My Cock

Sun Kil Moon - Lily and Parrots

Sun Kil Moon - Sunshine in Chicago

Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio

Sun Kil Moon - That Bird Has a Broken Wing

Sun Kil Moon - Ben's My Friend

Sun Kil Moon - Among the Leaves

Sun Kil Moon - Richard Ramirez Died Today Of Natural Causes

Sun Kil Moon - Micheline

Sun Kil Moon - Heron Blue

Sun Kil Moon - Lost Verses

Sun Kil Moon - Dogs

Red House Painters - New Jersey

Red House Painters - Grace Cathedral Park

Red House Painters - Have You Forgotten

Red House Painters - Cruiser

Red House Painters - Song For a Blue Guitar

Red House Painters - I'm Sorry

Red House Painters - Trailways

Red House Painters - Katy Song

Red House Painters - Shock Me

Red House Painters - All Mixed Up