Lenten Listen #42: Alabama Shakes – Boys and Girls April 4, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: Alabama Shakes, Boys and Girls, Lent
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There has been a huge swell of enthusiasm for the Alabama Shakes over the past several months leading up to the release of their debut album, and the buzz is well worth it. I’ve watched and listened to a few of their live performances during that time and was absolutely floored by their blues-driven, soul-drenched sound. The album is not set for release until next week, but right now you can stream it for free at NPR. I hope you check it out. It will be worth your time.
Lenten Listen #41: Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way I Feel About You Now April 3, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: Justin Townes Earle, Lent, Memphis in the Rain, Nothing's Gonna Change the Way I Feel About You Now
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It’s no secret that I love the neighboring city of Memphis, particularly when it comes to the profound effect it has had on the world of music, so I always pay special attention when artists I enjoy employ styles that are synonymous with the city. One area I’ve seen this in recent years is in the use of soulful, Stax-style horns. Memphis’s Lucero (one of my favorite bands) has used them to great effect on each of their last two albums and now Justin Townes Earle has stepped into the fray with his latest release, further altering his ever-evolving sound in an interesting, albeit different, way.
Also, if using the Memphis sound wasn’t enough, he also name drops the city on more than one occasion on the album, most notably with the upbeat “Memphis in the Rain.” I’m a sucker for name-dropping places I know, so you can definitely count me as a fan.
Instead of lyrics, here is a clip of the song from his recent Little Rock show, which I sadly missed. Enjoy.
Lenten Listen #40: Eddie Vedder – Into the Wild April 2, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: Eddie Vedder, Guaranteed, Into the Wild, Lent
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I’ve continued my Lenten discipline of listening to at least one full album per day for the past 12 days, even though I’ve gotten a little lazy when it comes to recording them on the blog. Oh well. Since this is Holy Week, I figured I should jump back on the wagon again.
There are few vocalists that move me to the extent that Eddie Vedder, the voice of our generation, does. This work, composed for the excellent movie version of Jon Krakauer’s incredible book chronicling the Thoreauan journey of young idealist, Christopher McCandless, is one that strikes a particularly deep chord with me, as I toil away in the cubicle wasteland, yearning for the sun and the open sky, the green grass and the Edenic paradise of even a small garden plot. Someday I hope to escape the stifling confines of corporate America, but until then I’ll live vicariously through the music of Eddie Vedder.
“Guaranteed” is my favorite song from the album and probably one of my favorite songs of all time.
On bended knee is no way to be free
Lifting up an empty cup I ask silently
That all my destinations will accept the one that’s me
So I can breathe
Circles they grow and they swallow people whole
Half their lives they say goodnight to wives they’ll never know
Got a mind full of questions and a teacher in my soul
So it goes.
Don’t come closer or I’ll have to go
Holding me like gravity are places that pull
If ever there was someone to keep me at home
It would be you.
Everyone I come across in cages they bought
They think of me and my wandering
But I’m never what they thought
Got my indignation but I’m pure in all my thoughts
I’m alive
Wind in my hair, I feel part of everywhere
Underneath my being is a road that disappeared
Late at night I hear the trees
They’re singing with the dead
Overhead.
Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting
I knew all the rules but the rules did not know me
Guaranteed.
Lenten Listen #29: The National – High Violet March 22, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: High Violet, Lent, Sorrow, The National
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Somber and beautiful, The National’s 2010 release, High Violet, is a wonderful, challenging work for all serious music fans. I first became a fan with 2007′s Boxer and wondered how they could top the depth of that work, turns out they did it with their next release.
This isn’t happy music, but it is pretty incredible nevertheless. I particularly like the song “Sorrow.”
Sorrow’s my body on the waves
Sorrow’s a girl inside my cave
I live in a city sorrow built
It’s in my honey, it’s in my milk
Don’t leave my hyper heart alone on the water
Cover me with rag and bone, sympathy.
Cause I don’t wanna get over you
I don’t wanna get over you.
Lenten Listen #28: MGMT – Oracular Spectacular March 21, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: Lent, MGMT, Oracular Spectacular, Time to Pretend
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MGMT burst on the scene a few years ago with this brillian debut album and I was quickly taken with their brand of psychedelic indie rock. Last year I had the chance to see them, which was incredible in itself, but to make it even better, they played the song “Kids” with The Flaming Lips. Amazing.
I love the song “Time to Pretend” with its lyrics about the emptiness of rock stardom and the yearning for simpler times. At the same time, they throw in this gem that stands out to me as a office-working automaton.
This is our decision, to live fast and die young
We’ve got the vision, now let’s have some fun.
Yeah, it’s overwhelming, but what else can we do?
Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute.
Lenten Listen #27: Son Volt – Trace March 20, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: Lent, Son Volt, Trace, Windfall
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It was about 1996, I was a freshman in college and digging through a pile of used CDs at the local music store when I came upon this debut album from Son Volt. I had read something, somewhere about them in the past, but had never heard them before, given the dearth of decent radio stations in central Arkansas at that time, so I laid down my $5 (or whatever it cost) and took it away with me.
From the first song, “Windfall,” I became enthralled with Jay Farrar’s world-weary voice, just as I have been ever since. I soon dove in a little deeper, finding Uncle Tupelo and Wilco and discovering the world of alt-country. So, thanks you Jay Farrar for opening my eyes to some incredible music.
From the aformentioned “Windfall”
Switching it over to AM
Searching for a truer sound
Can’t recall the call letters
Steel guitar and settle down
Catching an all night station
Somewhere in Louisiana
It sounds like 1963
But for now it sounds like heaven
Lenten Listen #26: Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues March 19, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: Harlem River Blues, Justin Townes Earle, Lent
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A first heard JTE on his excellent album, The Good Life, back in 2008 and soon he became one of my favorite newer artists. Being the son of the great Steve Earle, JTE certainly has the pedigree for success, but from early on it became apparent that he was looking to carve out his own path in the music world. Harlem River Blues, released in 2010, carries on in a similar vein as his earlier albums, with songwriting that places him among the best of our generation.
The album is full of great songs, but the following lyrics are from the title track:
Godo times come and they go, even a good man will break
He’ll let his troubles bury him whole even though he knows what’s at stake
So I’m taking no chances, carrying over while I’m still good in His grace
I’m no fool, mama, I know the difference between tempting and choosing my fate.
Lenten Listen #25: The Black Keys – El Camino March 19, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: El Camino, Lent, The Black Keys
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For yesterday…
As I mentioned over the weekend, I went with some friends to see Hayes Carll in Little Rock over the weekend. It was a great show and we had a great time, one that carried over to their place afterwards, where we visited well into the early morning hours. I didn’t get much sleep, so caffeine was my riding buddy on the way home the following morning. Along with that, I needed suitable music to keep me bouncing in a caffeine-induced energy jolt for the two hour drive ahead.
My choice? The Black Keys. I had no problems getting home, but I’m sure any one else on I-40 that morning got a good laugh at the goofy guy dancing in his car with a cup of coffee.
Lenten Listen #24: Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO March 17, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: Another Like You, Hayes Carll, KMAG YOYO, Lent
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In honor of tonight’s Hayes Carll show (my 3rd overall), I thought I’d choose one of his albums for my pick of the day. I first encountered Hayes opening for the Drive-By Truckers a few years ago and quickly came to be a big fan of his humor and witty lyrics in songs like “She Left Me for Jesus,” I caught him again last October for my birthday (he dedicated the song “Little Rock” to me) and got to meet him after the show.
Tonight I’m driving over to Little Rock to meet some friends and see him play his, and my, home state. Hayes’ latest album, 2011′s KMAG-YOY O was a fun collection of songs about drinking, women, and even a bit of politics. My song choice deals with all three of the above, “Another Like You.”
You were smokin’ on a cigarette
Talkin’ about the deficit
Putting all them wild boys down
Like a drunken Mona Lisa
Or the Leanin’ Tower of Pisa
You were hanging off the edge of town
I overheard Afghanistan is safer than a minivan
Left me wonderin’ what to do
Ah, you’re like a four leaf clover
I just had to come on over
I’ve never seen a woman like you
Lenten Listen #23: The Hold Steady – Boys & Girls in America March 16, 2012
Posted by Matt in Lent.Tags: Boys & Girls in America, Lent, Stuck Between Stations, The Hold Steady
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I first got into the The Hold Steady with their 2008 release Stay Positive and loved it so much that I collected the majority of their catalogue and quickly became a huge fan. Vocalist Craig Finn has a knack for stream-consciousness narrative storytelling, with song after song of burnt out youth in the suburban wasteland.
I could pick any number os songs as my favorite from this album, but for this purpose I think I’ll go with Stuck Between Stations. Part of my attraction of this song is that metaphor of being stuck in a fog of white noise. Though my situation isn’t drug-induced, there are a lot of times that I feel just like that.
Most nights are crystal clear
But tonight it’s like he’s stuck between stations
On the radio
We drink
We dry up
Then we cruble into dust
We get wet
We corrode
And now we’re covered up in rust
