SPIN VS. SPiN

Readers know I seldom print press releases, but this one is important. I hate crap like this, and a few of you know that this sorta bologna is what forced me to finally simply stop the podcast. Trying to help people get their music heard was not enough. For some stupid reason companies with deep pockets feel everyone else out there is super rich and has money to spend on lawsuits. There is no income coming into Eartaste from Eartaste endeavors. I'm sure SPiN, as an indie band, is putting out more than is coming in financially. I've been in enough bands to know that's very common.

If you recall, I reviewed a track from the new album on December 15, click here.


Anyway, read & comment:

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WELL KNOWN MUSIC MAGAZINE RECOGNIZES THE PHILLY BASED, JAGERMEISTER SPONSORED INDIE BAND IN A UNIQUE WAY—A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER CLAIMING THE BAND’S NAME CONSTITUTES TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT

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SPiN, Whose Single Debut Single “Home” Recently Catapulted Into The Top 20 on FMQB’S AC40 Chart, Dismisses The Claim As Ridiculous and Vows To Fight Any Legal Action

The edgy Philadelphia based, Jägermeister sponsored pop rock band SPiN wrapped 2007 with the exciting news that “Home”—the debut single from their self-titled EP helmed by Grammy winning producer/engineer David Ivory—had hit the Top 20 on FMQB’s AC40 chart (now #11 on chart). After several years of major East Coast success that included over 100 shows a year, the hardworking group was finally breaking through on a national level.

The well-known national music monthly Spin magazine took notice—but not in the way the four musicians would have hoped. On January 3, the band received a letter from the attorney for the publication’s parent company Spin Media, LLC, claiming that the name “SPiN” constitutes trademark infringement “of the famous and valuable” SPIN brand.

The letter claims that since the band SPiN is using the “SPIN mark” for music, there is a “strong likelihood of consumer confusion”; it says, “your clients’ unauthorized use of the SPIN mark is likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception as to an affiliation, connection or association with Spin Media and its SPIN mark, and as to the origin, sponsorship or approval of your clients’ goods and services.”

The letter goes on to threaten that the magazine will pursue “civil remedies to the fullest extent of the federal and state law” unless SPiN immediately ceases to use the name!

SPiN the band’s simple response: “Ridiculous!”

No matter how you spin the story, the 23-year-old publication is hardly living up to its philosophy of being “Music For Life.” In fact, in what’s shaping up to be a classic David vs. Goliath battle, they’re trying to suck the life and career momentum out of SPiN just when lead singer Eric Rothenheber, keyboardist and vocalist Jim Vacca, guitarist Hank Cieplinski and drummer Lou Chudnofsky are achieving the kind of success every indie artist aspires to.

Vacca says the band has worked too hard to build its name and reputation over the last few years to give into this ludicrous demand. Eager to fight the media company, SPiN is currently exploring its legal options.

“Seriously, how is our use of the name ‘spin’ likely to cause confusion for anyone?” he adds. “You see a band play a show, is that a magazine performing onstage? I’m confused, am I reading a magazine or listening to a rock band on my ipod? C’mon! We’re not calling ourselves Spin magazine or writing articles about music, and we’re not music related media. We’re just a rock band out here struggling to get our music career going. We finally caused a little ripple and got a small taste of success, and now this? We’re not trying to hurt anyone or steal anyone’s “famous and valuable” name. We’re currently figuring out just how to fight this accusation without going futhur into debt in legal expenses.”

Cieplinski also wonders what happened years ago, when the situation was reversed, and Rolling Stone magazine shared its name with a famous band and the title of a Bob Dylan song. “We’ll have to look into the legal precedents,” he says. It would be nice if magazines like Spin would be supportive of hard working bands like ours rather than try to stifle what we’re doing as soon as we start to catch a glimpse of success.”

Ironically, the part of SPiN’s history that the guys are least likey to mention may play the most important part in proving that its name wasn’t deliberately lifted from the title of the magazine. Before SPiN was SPiN, and the guys were making their living—and funding the recording of original material--as a cover band, the group was known in Philadelphia as “Spin The Bottle.” That name was deemed too corny to keep once they developed their original sound, but so many people knew them as “Spin The Bottle” that they decided to simply shorten the name rather than change it completely.

“No matter what happens, we’re going to keep plugging away with continued touring to support the radio release and heading back in the studio in 2008,” says Rothenheber. “We’re hoping this situation doesn’t take too much time away from our primary goal, which is making music. Chudnofsky adds, “maybe they’ll back off once they realize that as of right now, there’s exactly $7.28 in our bank account!”

Ringo Starr - Gone Are The Days

“Sometimes you lose yourself, nobody’s there when you cry for help.” The song title may make you think this is a nostalgia song, but that’s just a ruse. Musically this is 2008, and rocking with a feeling! Sure, there’s fun along the way, wouldn’t be Ringo if it weren’t fun. Let’s face it, you can’t be 67 years old traveling from town to town singing for a bunch of folks who think you’re still a Beatle 38 years after they split up if you don’t have a wry sense of humor. Like the folks who still don’t accept Ron as a Rolling Stone. Weird people, fans.

Anyway, the music is hot, and there’s a sly reference to one of his earliest 70’s hits – “I know you will believe me when I say ‘It Won’t Come Easy.’ ” Another song references Choose Love, his album from 2005. The album makes me smile the same way all Ringo albums do. He wasn’t shy to attack standards in 1970, now even Rod Stewart does that, with no sense of irony. He talked C&W next, then pop & rock of all flavors, from Back Off Boogaloo to Photograph. He never shies away from a genre, just puts it out there, acting naturally. On this album he & his mates wrote all the songs, but they’re willing to tackle jazz flavors, gospel flavors (with a twist in the lyric), and pop, along with some burning rock. A fulfilling album. Shoutouts for Now That She’s Gone Away & For Love.

Ringo Starr

Norah Jones – Easy

“It’s only love, and oh how it feels. Feeling is easy. When I was young, you know it was real.” Beautiful melody surrounded by flavors not usually associated with Norah. Of course, this is not her album, this cut came from the album of her half-sister, Anoushka who adds special tastes of sitar and percussion. The entire album makes for a comforting Sunday afternoon in some sort of ethereal space that’s occupying my brain. I’m loving it. Shoutout for Ghost Story. Anoushka Shankar

A second Norah shout-out for another stray cut from an older album, Angels. This song, like Easy, is not typical of the songs from her solo releases.

Jesse Cook - Matisse The Cat

Lively percussion and a wonderful guitar player. Many flamenco-type flavors, with a touch of what was termed neo-flamenco flavorings there for awhile. What sets this one apart is the dynamic energy. Shoutouts for Havana, La Llorona, and Alone. Jesse Cook

Dax Riggs - Demon Tied to a Chair in My Brain

“Blackbird a-tapping on the windowpain. Sick man smiling at a stray dog in the rain. Demon tied to a chair in my brain.” It’s not often I’m completely taken over by an entire album. This one starts with Demon Tied To A Chair and never lets up. Each song is a unique individual musically, but lyrically we enter into a poetry that is seldom explored in popular music – the inner recesses and depths of a person seeking for spiritual truths. I’m excited by the arrangements and the vocal energy that carries my thoughts into the heart of another person’s vitality.

1/2 way through the album, this line is intertwined with the music to cause deep meditation on my part, "Have mercy on the devil, he's a friend of mine. . .sometimes."

Shoutout for the whole album. I’ll simply share from the final cut, Dethbryte:

“All this fades and reappears
and we will always be everywhere everything
dreams tonight
don't bleed it so white
the fragile waves of days
they break against the shore
of all these years
don't scream and bite
don't bleed it so white
if all death is as bright”

Dax Riggs

Not My Day - Jaffa Del Mar

Clean sound. I love hearing a rock band that is careful to let me hear every instrument clearly, and this guys succeed. I can hear the bass in the middle, the guitar off to the left, and the drums just right of center. I’m standing in the garage with these guys, amps blasting, drummer having a field day in the corner. The bass player works with the drummer to keep this Friday night rock dance party pleasantly loud and steady. I have no idea what Jaffa Del Mar is – sounds like a beach. Apparently it’s something one thinks. Main thing is it really doesn’t matter, to me at least. The vocalist has a fine instrument and I can hear every word clearly, but I’m allowing the words to wash over me as my body gets caught in the wave this band is exerting. The retro lead guitar work is refreshing. Shoutout for It Matters! Not My Day

Title Me Wrong – Ejit

I had to look Ejit up. If google has any validity, it’s an Irish slang for ‘idiot’. Couldn’t figure that out from the lyric. “The future is bright only of there is a light, and let me tell you there is a light.” The guitars are set to drone hypnotically. The drums are set to excite, but there are cool eartastes sliding in and out of this song. At one point the drums stop and the voice wrangles with a piano “finding the good in in life”. The instruments are well-recorded, a band worth seeking out. The vocalist seems to prefer running his voice through a machine. As the band grows and prepares to conquer America, I hope he’ll change his mind. Shoutout for She’s So Pretty. Title Me Wrong

Jackson Taylor - Outlaw Women

Spending my hump-day in a down-home honky tonk beer bar, and Jackson is on stage pulling it off without a hitch. Could be 1958, 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998, or 2008. Traditions. His fiddle player stroking his 18” woman under his chin with a 24” long horsehair collection. Not dancin’ is not an option. A few beers and everyone is on the dance floor slippin’ on the suds. “Here’s to the smoking hot mamas. . .they come in so many shapes and sizes, and every one’s a perfect fit!” Amen to that. Got some BBQ in the back to go along with the shout-outs Dark Days (“I ain’t afraid of the devil, and I ain’t afraid of losing you”), She’s A Real Good Girl (“Hey bartender I’d like to buy the house a round, cause I just quit my job”), and Honky Tonk Heroes (“gullible losers and no-account boozers”). Jackson Taylor

Deborah Cox – Misery

Blue guitar, blue brushes, blue bass and blue piano work together to introduce a beautiful blue voice. A voice with the personification of misery. “Thoughts of you should bring me joy, but they only bring misery.” The guitar break is a perfect lamb shank with peppers and prosciutto, tasty. Shoutout for New Blowtop Blues. “I used to be a sharpie, all dressed in the latest style. But now I’m working down Broadway wearing nothing but a smile. . .I’m a gal that blew a fuse ‘cause I’ve got them blow-top blues.” Deborah Cox

Shine - Soulful Music

I’m by a lake, with wildflowers speaking a language of soul longing for innocence. The sun sets, the stars come out and the music breathes deep in the lake awakening the life beneath the surface. I’m warm, seeing new life dancing in the brisk wind coming from the gulf, some 300 miles away. I wonder how the breeze can travel those distances with the music intact. I’m pleased. In the Midlife Zone leads smoothly into Rest Your Head on Me. I’m quiet. Shine

Hidden Beach Recordings

Hidden Beachis a soulful jazz label that has made this Sunday afternoon a pure pleasure to participate in. Dry red wine in a slow dance mood.

Leigh Jones is first up, “the first to be willing to compromise”. The song titles weren’t provided, as this is an album that will still be coming out. “I’d rather have it your way than not have you at all. Leigh wraps herself deep into the club scene, sparring with excellent partners on keyboards, guitar, drums, bass, and especially the trumpet player. Definitely worth keeping an eye out for on the Hidden Beach web site. I’ll guess the song title to be Love Is Pain.

Cornel West – Bushonomics. “Revolution requires participation, but sometimes people be hesitatin’. The government must respect the will of the people.” Dream on is the easy thing to say; I’ve felt this way all my life and even when I see those who agree with us find their way over the hill and into the system, they soon become a part of the rot. Tom Hayden is the first of many that comes to mind. Jesse Jackson. Right down the line. But there’s still a part of me that hopes there’s young people out there still willing to hear the call that the government is here “to serve the people, the people don’t serve the government.” Well, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. “It’s like a jungle sometime, I’m at the front of the line. I ain’t tripping, but I stumble sometime and I get right back up.” The background to Cornell’s lyrics is tight, jazzy, and strong. My wish is that this would be heard by all Americans, “we go from the bling bling to let freedom ring.” My bet is this will be censored from all popular media sites. Because we live in a land of free speech, we cannot let people speak the truth. Shoutout for Mr Man.

Keita Young – Thinkuboutmi. The Sunday Party continues a bit more funky with Keita getting me on the dance floor and going all free-form with my arms and legs. “It ain’t about me.” Party on slystone style. Excellent.

Jeff Bradshaw - Happi Feelings. Round out the afternoon with something a bit stronger, perhaps some pina coladas to fill our glasses with this smooth jazz guitar returning the dance floor to those of us who need to slow down. Just a bit. Extra tasty instrumental, and I don’t know where you can purchase this album. I can only suggest that you keep your eye out on the Hidden Beach web site. I like seeing a label that calls its own shots, and Hidden Beach has found a way to do that, even in 2008. Nice work.

Jose Feliciano - Dancin' And Romancin'

It’s Saturday night and I’m being serenaded by the best. Jose maintains his soulful vocals and ability to make people dance without thinking. Lay out a few candles in the backyard, throw on this album, and you are no longer responsible for your actions. Dance becomes necessary. For the other half of the equation I recommend finding a more private spot, however. The guitar is hot hot hot. The brass section adds to the heat. “How was I to know the rhythm would get me?” Shoutout for the fine instrumental Baker's Thing. Jose Feliciano

Brooks & Dunn – Tequila

The organ plays, the drummer sways, then the rockin’ starts. Got my dancing shoes on & am ready to party. Been practicing these lyrics all day. “One shot, two shot, three tequila, four - cowboy bouncers ‘bout to throw me out the door.” Sound like elementary rhyme? You betcha! “Got me mumbling – that worm’s got a kick like a Tennessee mule.” You know how it is. Texas mules have better kicks, but they don’t match the syllabic necessity of shakesperian bar songs. “You’d think by now that a workin’ man would learn – you don’t go toe to toe with a little bitty worm.” This one is a goodie, lotsa fun & perfect to pull out for your Friday night partyin’. “Great big buzz in a little bitty glass.” Shoutout for Drunk On Love – “I’ve danced on the bar doing my very best cowboy ballerina”. Brooks & Dunn

Dave Gahan – Miracles

“I don’t believe in miracles. And they happen every day.” As Pete Townsend would say, I can’t explain. But I can love the music. This is a slow tune, with slow meandering synthesizers. I like the way the seeker attitude. “I want to know the truth, I really do”. But, the narrator, like most people, is afraid of losing their friends if they commit to salvation. No sweat, there’s no easy answers here, but lots of eartastable food for thought. Dave Gahan

Alex Arrowsmith - Pass By Palestine

Kinda funny. Alex put out this record, and then 7 years after forgetting about Palestine, I stuck a teeny tiny mp3 player with a built-in speaker under Bush’s pillow with this song looping on it. The President wakes up and says “wait, I don’t want to forget Palestine”. So the past few weeks Bush made some noise about Palestine for the first time in his life. Not that he’s being real about it, but at least that teeny speaker we stuck under his pillow worked on his subconscious in a very small way. Of course, it could just be true he has a very small subconscious. We know he has no conscience whatsoever. Oops, giving away state secrets when I’m supposed to be talking about music. Wonder that.

“I’ve lost all the blood flow to my heart. And on top of this, the lawn mower won’t start.” Funny the things we thing about when our blood doesn’t run smooth. “I’ve been the same since the day you married. You wanted a life so quite unburied. It’s no surprise to me that I’m dead, and on top of this the cats are overfed. And if I ever leave earth I have to remember life like this. Don’t want to forget to pass by Palestine.”

Alex has allowed me to keep my sanity for over a year now. Thanks, bud. Don’t know what I need it for, but I’m thankful to be able to tell folks that this album, which I discussed way back two months ago is finally available for your consumption. If you don’t buy a copy today, what can I say, you’re a loser. Alex’s last album was in the top 23 of 2007, and unless a bunch of really cool people suddenly become musicians, I have no problem guessing that this new album will top the list of 2008. How can I say that so early in the year? Well, listen to these shout-outs - Going Insane For The McCain Campaign & a song you BETTER NOT play while driving - High Speed Chase (I got my 3 cylinder 30 HP Geo up to 90 while listening to this)! Oh there’s more cool stuff on this album, but just in case you can’t find your credit card to order from CD baby at the moment, I’ll tell you about a few more songs on a few weeks. Keep that wallet closer to your computer, loser. If you clicked on the link below & bought your copy before reading this far, you are an excellent person.

Alex Arrowsmith

FileFactory.com

Motown Complete Singles Vol 8 (1968)

I can’t think of a better way to start off a new year than to listen to music from 40 years ago. 1968 was a banner year for music. The Moody Blues were fooling around with adding a symphony to rock and roll, psychedelia had become mainstream. Pat Paulson was running for President. And Motown was just as caught up in this madness as everyone else. The songs themselves were still fairly conservative musically and lyrically, it’ll be another year before Motown joins the political fringe; and I’m sure that was a backlash to an idiot running as vice-president who swore puff the magic dragon was a song about marijuana. That kind of idiocy drives all creative people nuts. The most risqué song on this set is Love Child. I’m seeing 1968 as the last year of innocence. There’s Gospel music (His Eye Is On The Sparrow by Marvin b/w Just A Closer Walk With Thee by Gladys) and Christmas music (Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer b/w Silent Night by the Temptations) released this year, along with instrumentals by Eivets Rednow that fooled no one because the harmonica work was so distinctive.

In every way possible 1968 was a banner year for Motown. Temptations, Four Tops, Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Supremes, Marvin & Tammi, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Night, Martha and The Vandellas, Billy Eckstein, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Jimmy Ruffin, The Spinners and much more (does anyone remember the poweful soul of Blinky?). Even Shorty Long scored a top 40 single with Here Comes The Judge b/w Sing What You Wanna. Brings back memories of Rowan & Martin + The Smothers Brothers. Edwin Starr was still singing love songs. One of my favorite B-side song titles came out from Smokey: When The Words From Your Heart Get Caught Up In Your Throat. The radio was pleased to entertain us with Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day by Stevie.

This brilliant set contains every single released by Motown in 1968, so we hear every hit and every B side, as well as the ones that coulda made it but were squeezed out by great songs coming out of Stax and many other great labels owned by people, not conglomerates. It takes 7 hours to listen to this set straight through, but trust me – you’ll spend much more than 7 hours with it. So many songs beg for a second listen even as I’m listening. Plus, this set will stay very close to my turntable, along with its brothers and sisters listed below. Rocking soul is a sweet way to breath in any day, and in this case an entire new year.

Motown Complete Singles Vol 8 (1968)

Previous sets:
Motown Complete Singles Vol 1
Motown Complete Singles Vol 2
Motown Complete Singles Vol 3
Motown Complete Singles Vol 4
Motown Complete Singles Vol 5
Motown Complete Singles Vol 6
Motown Complete Singles Vol 7
Motown Complete Singles Vol 8

Final Singles of 2007 – Looking Forward to 2008!

My desk is close to being cleaned off and ready for lots of new music. Thanks to all the artists & their management & publicity teams for a great year here at eartaste!

While still not perfect, more and more the record companies are allowing the sale and download of single tracks so you can have a full ear taste of what an artist sounds like. I applaud this movement, and here are some singles I’ve tasted that you should take some time out to hear – for all the various reasons I’m always blabbing on about – the most important being these are great entertainment. Enjoy!

Alter Bridge - Watch Over You
Steve Earle - Satellite Radio
Carter USM - Perfect Day To Drop The Bomb b/w The Impossible Dream
Switches - Give Up The Ghost b/w Killer Karma
Ocean Colour Scene - I Told You So
Kissaway Trail - Smother + Evil = Hurt
Iron and Wine - Devil Never Sleeps

Even More Singles

Weakerthans - Bigfoot!
David Ford - Nobody Tells Me What To Do
Good Life - On The Picket Fence b/w Heartbroke
Jack Penate - Have I Been A Fool
Backstreet Boys - Nowhere To Go
Shaggy - Bonafide Girl b/w Reggae Vibes
Alison Moyet - It's Not The Thing Henry

More Singles

Angels & Airwaves - Everything's Magic
Vincent Black - The House Of Tasteful Men
Royal We - I Hate Rock And Roll b/w Wicked Game
Color Fred - Get Out b/w Empty House
Calexico, Iron & Wine - Dark Eyes
Wallis Bird - Blossoms In The Street b/w Counting To Sleep
Electric Six - I Don't Like You

Singles You Should Hear

More and more the record companies are allowing the sale and download of single tracks so you can have a full ear taste of what an artist sounds like. I applaud this movement, and here are some singles I’ve tasted that you should take some time out to hear – for all the various reasons I’m always blabbing on about – the most important being these are great entertainment. Enjoy!

Nine Black Alps - Bitter End
Saves The Day - Lonely Nights
Serj Tankian - Sky Is Over
The Hoosiers - Worried About Ray
Stephen Duffy - No Direction
Wombats - Tales of Girls, Boys & Marsupials b/w Let’s Dance To Joy Division
Changes - When I Wake

Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place

“Just as you take my hand/just as you write my number down/just as the drinks arrive/just as they play your favorite song”. The sound is surprising – like any decent garage band. That’s a compliment. They’re not going out of their way to be “different”, but to rock my socks off. That’s cool, very cool. “Before you run away from me/before you're lost between the notes/Just as you take the mic/just as you dance, dance, dance/Jigsaws falling into place/there is nothing to explain/Regard each other as you pass/she looks back, you look back/Not just once/not just twice”. Poetry for the ears. Shoutouts for All I Need (“I am a moth who justs wants to share your light. I’m just an insect trying to get out of the dark”), Nude (“Don't get any big ideas, they're not going to happen”) & House Of Cards (“I don't want to be your friend, I just want to be your lover, no matter how it ends”). Radiohead

Karmic Whiplash - Pool

First there’s the lyrics. “Just because I genuflect doesn’t mean you have respect.” No, don’t ask me if I’m sure I know what it means. Just sounds really cool when he sings it. But, better than that. It really sounds like he’s dribbling a basketball back and forth between his hands as he’s singing. Really. Now, that’s cool. Never heard that done before, and I have respect for that. A bit into the song there is a guitar entering, but the ball still dribbles. Then, we’re back to the lyrics. “We were chained together by the things inside that let us fly.” Catchy enough to make me think it’d deeper than it probably is. Okay, picture the scene by the pool, and he sings: “You keep standing more erect, you have a steel rod in your neck.” There’s a lotta things happening in this song, and it bears up to repeated listening and contemplation. A+ in eartaste’s view. Shoutouts for Second Brain and Blindfold. Karmic Whiplash

Eat Sugar - I'm A Carrier

This humpday party continues on the dancefloor. Fun organ-like sounds run a riff, and the drums make sure my feet stay moving as the singer repeats “be yourself, not someone else”. The bass takes a quick solo that adds to the general attitude of joy. The shoutout tune is also a blast of energy, Sixteen. “Go girl!” Eat Sugar

Lancashire Hotpots - I Met A Girl On Myspace

You can’t enter this joyful day without a joyful group to listen to. I won’t give away too much of the fun stuff, just be prepared to LYAO. “Oh, I got myself a myspace page, it really is the best. I logged onto it t’other day, it said 'new friend request'. It were from a lass in Lancashire, and I logged onto it. I saw the pictures in her profile. She had absolutely massive a-toora-oo-ly-ayes.” And on the story goes, with wonderfully natural Lancashire accents. Huge shoutouts for He’s Turned Emo & Christmas In Lancashire. Lancashire Hotpots

Jaymay - Hard To Say

“When will I get my chance to make the lilacs bloom, to decorate the tomb.” Definitely a wake up-song, complete with just the right amount of humor to make this Monday morning wake-up song a pleasure to hear. Bouncy, happy, and off-the wall. “Some children are so strange. I love the energy, especially when she becomes the scatting trumpeter. Shoutout for Grey Or Blue, a new favorite love song. "I watched you very closely, I saw you look away. Your eyes are either grey or blue, I'm never close enough to say." It’s exciting when one word can transform a life. The word here is “shake”. I am transformed. “I notice she’s your lover, but she’s nowhere near your heart.” Jaymay

Dion - Son Of Skip James

What a wonderful way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon. The voice has spoken to me personally since I first heard Runaround Sue & The Wanderer. Later, it was Abraham Martin & John. A few years passed and I discovered there was joy in Christian Music when Dion put out a trio of superb albums to dance and sing praise with. That was back in the days before Christian Music became a genre, and there were folks like Keith Green and Larry Norman along with Dion simply pouring their heart out in song. The days before dollars and greed ruled. Well, never one to be a part of a trend, Dion is now convincingly singing the blues starting with last year’s Bronx In Blue, which has shared many a moment on my turntable. I can assure you that the Son Of Skip James will also be next to the player for many months to come. Right from the opening bars of Nadine I knew I was hearing an instant classic. Acoustic blues, as if played on a modern recorder sitting next to Chuck’s bed as he was writing a blues that a few hours later in the studio would became a rock and roll classic. Shoutouts include the whole album. Dion - Son Of Skip James

Celine Dion - Can't Fight The Feelin'

“I don’t know what it is, I really like the change.” That about says it all – I am excited by this new incarnation of an artist I usually can’t listen to longer than 5 minutes. “I’m hooked on a feeling, a natural high! You better believe it!” Celine has pulled out all the stops and put together a dance record worthy of any dance floor. Cute little line here “Love, love, love. And John Lennon said that’s all you need.” Not quite as cute as Larry Norman, who said “The Beatles said ‘all you need is love’ and then they broke up.” But then, Larry is in it for the irony & laughs. Celine is in this for entertainment, and she’s convinced me she wants to extend her audience to include fools like me. Shoutout for the soulful That's Just The Woman In Me. Celine Dion

Wyclef Jean - Fast Car

“Yeah, it’s those Jersey boys.” This Saturday night dance continues with a bit of fun and a lot of energy. “Every day is like the wild wild west, some of us are bad boys – some of us are outlaws.” The musicians carry on the beat of fun with obvious pleasure and joy. But the buildup of fun is quickly devastated as the fast car story expands is at the foot of a sixteen year old who will not see 17 because she was hit by the fast car. Excellent build-up, and a fascinating downer moment that knocks our emotions around – as they should be from time to time. Literature hidden in the form of popular music. I love it. Shoutouts for Any Other Day, On Tour and Heaven's In New York. Wyclef Jean

Kid Rock - Rock 'n' Roll Jesus

“Get up and dance, I’m gonna set you free.” Gotta say, as much as I think there’s a bit of sacrilege going on, it’s all done in fun. “Just like a cold wind blowin' can you feel me comin' for you/Just like a freight train rollin' packed tight full of rhythm and blues.” Rock this Friday night away with total freedom, while Kid Rock is spitting out vindictive against racism and the control big business has over our lives. “Sittin' high on a mountain top, holdin' shop singin' the raw dog blues like in old Mississippi's dirty cotton fields, or in Detroit City's unforgotten wheels. It's the same song spinning but the same song's always been true.” Shoutouts for Amen, All Summer Long, Roll On, New Orleans, and Lowlife (Living The Highlife). Kid Rock

Killers – Tranquilize

“Silently, reflection turns my world to stone/Patiently, correction leaves us all alone/And sometimes I’m travel man/But tonight this engine's failing.” Advertised as a collection of b-sides and rarities, it’s all new to me, and I had a great time listening to this song. The voice can’t be hidden, so if you haven’t heard it yet, this is one of Lou Reed’s most energetic performances in a long time. I love Lou Reed, but lately he hasn’t made me dance this hard. Or pray so hard. “We’re the ones who still believe/And we’re looking for a page/In that lifeless book of hope/Where a dream might help you cope/With the Bushes and the bombs/Aha, Tranquilized.” Shoutout for the wonderfully retro-flavors of Take Me To The Place Where The White Boys Dance.” Killers

Michelle Shocked - Lonely Planet

Marguaritas on a hump day on my lonely planet. Michelle whispers in my ear and I am not reluctant to dance in my backyard with the trumpets blaring. “Te quiero, te amo. ¿Quieres casarte conmigo?” I am pleased to sing in the chorus. “Me gustaria que quederamos como amigos.” I am pleased to know that loneliness can be shared. Shoutouts for Wanted Man, Picoesque, 180 Proof, Weasel Be Poppin' and Blackjack Heart. Wait? What am I saying? You got it. The whole album is great fun. Enjoy! Michelle Shocked

Jazz Singles 2007

Bill Frisell - Misissippi Rising b/w Swamped
David Douglas – Scopes b/w Flood Plain
David Liebman - Bessie's Blues
John Abercrombie - Vingt Six b/w Tres
Dean Schmidt - I Know Nothing b/w Oct 10
Vignola - Summertime
Randy Crawford & Joe Sample - Feeling Good b/w Last Night At Danceland
Scott Colley - Architect Of The Silent Moment b/w Smoke Stack
John Scofield - House Of The Rising Sun b/w Trio Blues
Sara Gazarek - Just Let Me Be b/w Makes Me Feel This Way

Richie Kotzen - Can You Feel It

It’s Monday, and having wake-up songs is important to me on Monday. This definitely foots the bill. The lyrics are a good-old-fashioned love song, but the star here is the guitar playing. I can feel it, and I’m very glad to feel it. “I have a feeling you’re gonna make me love again, I really mean it.” Don’t judge a lyric on a page – you need to hear it with the shredding guitar solos. Great fun, and perfect wake-up tune. Richie Kotzen

Boyz II Men – War

“War has shattered many young man’s dreams, made him disabled, bitter and mean.” Excellent album. These men (no boys here anymore, except in spirit) add subtle changes to classic Motown tunes, making them their own without overwhelming the power Motown has always held over our hearts and minds. I chose war to discuss, but all the tunes are good listens. “They say we must fight to keep our freedom, but Lord knows there's got to be a better way. “
Boyz II Men

SPiN – Playing Dead

I love it when a group is truly a group. This cut starts with the drummer keithmooning all over the place, and the lead guitar player chasing a metal pop sound through the heavens of beautiful noize. The lead singer convincingly growls “first impressions can delight me”. My first impression of these guys is absolute delight, especially as the song progresses and band members vocally join to create harmonies that are especially delicious in this power-pop tune. ½ way through they begin a vocal call & response that has me hopping all over the room in glee. Exciting! SPiN

Ween – Fiesta

Friday party album. Good for every flavor you need. Fast dance, slow dance, old dance, new dance, stodge dance, freak dance. These guys pull it all off, with their tongues deep in their cheek as I chew up each piece with pleasure. Shoutouts for Shamemaker, Sweetheart In The Summer, Woman And Man, and Your Party ( great way to end a party – “I could have danced all night”!). Ween

Rocky Velvet - Poor Poor Lonely Me

I hope your rubber souls are siliconized, because you’ll be burning. I prefer leather, stuck some cardboard in the holes because the blisters on my feet kept smoking off. These guys have no mission in life other than getting us all out on the dance floor. Retro? Maybe. Sounds kinda like a good 50’s R&R band, but the clarity of the sound lets you know this was recorded more recently. Shoutout for Built Like a Rock & Screamin' Mimi Jeanie. Rocky Velvet

Modest Mouse - Missed the Boat

“While we’re on the subject, can we change the subject now?” The music is focused on invited me to dance, and it does a good job of that. The narrator begs me to listen, and I try (while his bandmates keep adding curious little flavors of enjoyment making it difficult to focus). Who wants to focus while dancing? Sure, there’s probably a good story here, but my feet are happy enough for you to figure it out yourself. “We didn’t read the invite, we just danced it all away.” Shoutouts for Dashboard, Education and Little Motel. Modest Mouse

Alicia Keyes – Superwoman

“Put an ‘S’ on my chest.” I’m one of those guys who think this song should be in the repertoire of all women who deal with the crap dealt with them by society every day. “I hang my head from sorrow/Slave to humanity/I wear it on my shoulders/Gotta find the strength in me.” My favorite piece of crap philosophy handed out by our government is that a mother can be ‘non-working’. “For all the mothers fighting for better days to come. . . no one knows me underneath these clothes/But I can fly. . .we can fly!” Tasty & danceable. Shoutouts for No One & Lesson Learned. Alicia Keyes

Brian Setzer Orchestra - Wolfgang's Big Night

Out A full album of stand-out cuts. Wolfgang woulda been dancing with me. In fact, he is. He’s not rolling over in his grave, he’s here dancing with me. These are Brian’s arrangements of some classical tunes, including Mozart’s 5th Symphony. If you’ve somehow missed Brian’s work, this is 40’s jazz in full bloom with great sound & fuller depth of field due to current recording techniques. Deep, rich sonics. And, just as some folks have put lyrics to some classic jazz tunes, Brian has added some up-to-date boogie lyrics to go along with a few of these boogie classics. I’ll never hear Grieg exactly the same again! Thanks, Brian, for the blast! Mozart is very close to a Spike Jones send-up! The Blue Danube is another trip altogether. And, how the heck is God going to let those Meryy Gentlemen ever rest again? They are the new dancin' fools! A full album of fun. Brian Setzer Orchestra

Blake – Hallelujah

While this is not a Christmas album, per se, the choral arrangements make the release of this at holiday time make sense. Hallelujah, the old song by Leonard Cohen, is surrounded by angels here, despite (or perhaps because of) its thoughtful questioning of "god above". The shout-out tunes also work well as holiday music. Vide Cor Meum (“I am in peace my heart”) is performed in the original latin written for the movie Hannibal, based on a sonnet by Dante. In The Bleak Midwinter, the poem by Christina Rosetti, speaks eloquently of the birth of Jesus:

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign;
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ

The final verse is one we all ponder. What gift can I bring to my Savior? Of course Christina provides the answer of the catechism, one I’ve never found a way to improve upon: “Give my heart”. Blake

Norah Jones - Peace

An old song, re-released for Christmas 2007. Still beautiful.

there's a place that i know where the sycamores grow
and daffodils have their fun
where the cares of the day seems to slowly fade away
and the glow of the evening sun
peace when the day is done

if i go there real late, let my mind meditate on everything to be done
if i search deep inside, let my conscience be my guide
then the answers are sure to come
don't have to worry none

when you find a piece of mind
leave you worries behind
don't say that it can't be done
with a new point of view
life's true meaning comes to you
and the freedom you seek is one
peace is for everyone
peace is for everyone
peace is for everyone

Dana Fuchs Band - Oh! Darling

This cut is featured in the soundtrack Across The Universe. Let’s not talk about the album. The performances by the Dana Fuchs Band, tho, are great fun; truly believable. The other shoutout by this band is Helter Skelter. One other cut on this set worth hearing many times is Joe Cocker pulling out all the stops on Come Together. The link that follows will allow you to download single cuts. Across The Universe

Metal Friday – Hammerfall & Helloween

Hammerfall - Steel Meets Steel: Ten Years Of Glory
I don’t often review the “best of” collections that come here, but Hammerfall is not a household name. Should be. The musicianship is excellent, the song composition, tho retro, is well done. The focus of these guys as songwriters appears to be an age of glory with heroes,swords & dragons. Pure fanstasy, pure fun. Hammerfall

Helloween - Gambling With The Devil
These folks are much more well known, a great group of musicians from Germany. While I might quarrel with their theology, that’s not what makes for good music. I admit I am not enthralled by people encouraging young folks to gamble with the devil – the truth is Dante wrote a long treatise on Hell that is not supposed to steal a young man’s faith. These guys are definite masters of the genre, and perform with an intensity worth enjoying. As I listen along to these guys, I kinda get the message that they feel the gamblers will win. “The saints are marching again and harvest souls/the saints are marching again in harmony”, and “I Don’t Know If Heaven Tells No Lies” give new the impression that they are leading the listener into different mindscapes worthy of the journey. A youngster needs to question their faith so that they become stronger on their understanding of why they believe what they believe. If a pop group leads them “astray”, chances are very good their faith was not deeply rooted in truth. Helloween

Andy Votel - One Nation #3

Humor and music have always been friends. I’m thinking of this guy as a one-man Spike Jones Orchestra. His instrument is old records, with bits taken off to become new creations. Sounds a bit off? It is, but also, obviously took a lot of time and energy because it all works seamlessly. None of the cuts have titles, so I have simply called this one #3 because it’s the third cut. Starts of with a guitar, some horse-like yelling, some German sounding pop-soul. Although the back covers makes it clear it could also be Finnish or Swedish, or even Japanese. Sounds like “Who culled the booze from Harvey Benershein?” This morphs into some 70’s funk, complete with horns. “Ich mienen singin kann.” Returns to 60’s psychedelic, and beyond. “Cinderella’s seen her day.” Great fun, from a funny guy. Andy Votel

Music Trivia Contest!

NOTE: The contest is officially over. I am leaving the folder available for download for those folks who enjoy playing parlor games with their friends. The answers are posted below. Lots of ways to play - make up your own rules =:-)

Welcome to our music trivia contest. There are 31 songs (one for each day of December) that were huge hits between 1950-1999.

The rules are simple. Listen to the few seconds of each song, write the artist & song title down next to the file #. [Example: 000 Beatles - Hey Jude.] When you are finished send your answers to eartaste(at)gmail.com.

The first 5 people to send in a complete list will receive 4 random disks from my desk.

As a bonus, if you include the year in which the song was a hit, I'll send 10 disks from my desk. [Example: 008 1968 - Beatles - Hey Jude].

Right-click on the url below to download the 31 files (1MB)

http://www.eartaste.com/ETContest_Dec2007.zip

Have fun, and good luck! EDIT: Still need 2 winners!!!

EDIT Dec2: Tony from Noises626 sent in 24 correct answers just a few hours after this was posted. There's still a lot of time this month, so he may just find the rest! Great work, Tony!

EDIT Dec2: Jorge from Argentina is our first winner. Package will be in the mail soon.

EDIT Dec2: 2nd winner - Erin from California! Package will be in the mail soon.

EDIT Dec3: We have our 3rd winner! Judy, the manager of the Eartasted band, The Spoon Benders, sent her list in, complete with dates! Her package will be in the mail soon!

EDIT Dec4: 4th winner is Brett from Maryland!! Package soon!

EDIT Dec 5: This contest is officially over. John from Wisconsin shall receive a packet in the mail.

I've also decided the right thing to do is award a small packet to Tony, who was the first responder and is too busy creating music for us to enjoy nest year to focus on 7 stray cuts =-) Tony, by the way, recorded one of the top 23 albums of 2007 on eartaste's lists! Thanks to all the participants, and thanks for the encouragement to try this again in the future. I'm thinking of something a bit harder, like name the song that instrumental break comes from =:-) We'll see.



001 1957 - Chuck Berry - Rock and Roll Music
002 1954 - Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle & Roll
003 1968 - Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild
004 1966 - Percy Sledge - When a Man Loves a Woman
005 1971 - Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
006 1976 - Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back in Town
007 1982 - Joan Jett - I Love Rock N Roll
008 1989 - B-52s - Love Shack
009 1994 - Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
010 1990 - Sinead OConnor - Nothing Compares 2 U
011 1965 - Rolling Stones - I Cant Get No Satisfaction
012 1956 - Elvis Presley - Hound Dog
013 1991 - Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
014 1987 - U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
015 1972 - Stevie Wonder - Superstition
016 1957 - Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away
017 1979 - Donna Summer - Hot Stuff
018 1976 - Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
019 1965 - Temptations - My Girl
020 1964 - Bob Dylan - The Times They Are a-Changin
021 1956 - Little Richard - Long Tall Sally
022 1963 - Kingsmen - Louie Louie
023 1971 - John Lennon - Imagine
024 1971 - Marvin Gaye - Whats Going On
025 1967 - Aretha Franklin - Respect
026 1965 - Beatles - Yesterday
027 1954 - Ray Charles - I Got a Woman
028 1972 - Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side
029 1973 - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird
030 1970 - Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop the Rain
031 1968 - Otis Redding - Sittin on the Dock of the Bay

Olympic Lifts - I Am Cursed

Give me a monkey laugh and I am ready to party. This record starts off with a great monkey laugh, then jumps right into a bubble-gum babble of barely beveled eye-I-eyes. This first single from an album to be released next month is truly fun stuff. “The best song title ever written in the history of the world, I wrote it on the back of my hand” begins the narrator. The battle of the background horns alternate between sounding brass and sounding plastic, which is not as bad as it sounds on paper. You just have to hear some things to appreciate them, and this is worth digging out. Remember how good Charlie Parker sounded in Canada with a plastic saxophone, and you’ll understand. “Monkey, monkey do, I am cursed!” Olympic Lifts

John Fogerty - River Is Waiting

An anthem of hope. I need hope, and John is helping me face the future with this small island of understanding that everything we are facing can change by a simple election. Now, if only we can get these gals and guys who want to be President to start talking about their plans for the NCLB, I’d have some true hope. In the meantime, I’ll allow John’s music to help me float away down the river and hope that one, just one, will stop accepting the money from the testing companies and rise up against the collateral damage caused by the sad state of corruption present in our public schools. Thank you John, for helping me to maintain some sense of hope for the future, and the prayer that I can soon “lift my face to the new day that’s rising.” Shoutouts for Somebody Help Me & the cow-bell ridden Longshot. John Fogerty

Aly & Aj - Potential Breakup Song

Wake up this week dancing to high-energy pop! With a fun lyric. The song starts like a 60’s song in space (“as I walk along I wonder”), but quickly pops my brain into 2007 when the synthesized drum pops the speaker out about two inches! “It took too long for you to call back, and normally I would just forget that, except for the fact it was my birthday, my stupid birthday.” I can hear the fireworks slamming hard, and the title tells what the narrator is thinking. Fun song, fun beat & great start to a work-week. And, hey, if your girlfriend’s birthday is this week, pay attention! Shoutouts for Bullseye, a treatise on sexists (“every guy is out for the kill”), and Like Whoa (“Life is good, I can’t complain. I mean I could, but no one’s listening.”) Aly & Aj

Jade Gallagher - Leavin'

The guitars & bass make this Sunday afternoon come alive as Jade doesn’t “mind leaving the lie.” Actually an upbeat song where she is free to closes her “eyes in freefall” and steadies herself on the freeway. “I look over my shoulder and don’t see you anymore.” The town nearby has a factory closing after the first of next year, and there’s lots of bitterness in the air about that. 250 people will be out of work. In a town of 9,000 folks, that’s a huge amount – especially since it’s the only employer that is not a school or a walmart. I’m sure with all the bad tastes in people’s mouths, they’d love to be singing this song as they leave to find their future elsewhere. “Got a trunk full of tricks, gotta lotta ideas flying through my head!” Shoutouts for Iris, Haunting Me, and the beautiful cover of The Way You Look Tonight. Jade Gallagher

Christmas Time Is Here Again

The Beatles sang this little ditty on their 1967 fan club recording and for some reason it comes back to my ears every year. It’s time to buy some holiday music, and I will again recommend the
New Fountain Christmas as a good place to start if you enjoy good old fashioned down-home holiday music floating around the air where you live. I’ve pulled it out again this year, along with a few new ones that popped in that make me reach for eggnog & cookies. I’m not going to bother with the loads of compilations that came in this year. They are all fun, but I know you can find them just about anywhere you’re shopping this season. I saw some at my local food mart. You know those – Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Elton John, etc. I’m going to focus on those you’ll need to purposely seek out that are worth the search.

Deviations Project - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
An interesting concept – mix what we used to call “new age” music with a great violin player, and a drop or two or ginger with the sugar and you have some cookies worth eating all season long. What we call in the trade – a fun stocking stuffer. However, I just read in their blog that the actual album has been delayed, so you will need a fast download site to access the album from emusic or itunes if you want your copy this year (which you should). That’s actually pretty cool, cause you can stuff the stocking with an mp3 player this year.

Joe Wrabek - I'm Giving Mom A Dead Dog For Christmas
I have to let you know I’ve been listening to this song since early Spring, and I have been itching to tell you about it forever. Sure, it’s a Christmas song, but it’s also just plain fun. I almost did a mid-summer Christmas special for this one, but decided to wait till now. This one is a classic that will ride along with Grandma got Run Over By A Reindeer for years and years to come. The link I found to this song includes the lyrics, so I won’t bother to re-create them here. Well, since you insist, I’ll share just one line, “I know she’ll think that he’s all right ‘cause he don’t bark, and he don’t bite and he’s not the kind of dog that runs away…” Now you should add a bit of brandy to your eggnog right now (unless you’re a Christmas beer fan only, then go raid the fridge), go read the rest of the lyrics, and be ready to laugh this Christmas season away with honest, heartfelt joy. Thanks, Joe! And thanks also for the shoutouts, Santa’s Fallen And He Can’t Get Up, and the equally hilarious Can I Have Your Car When The Rapture Comes?

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!

Donovan - Love Floats

And so do I. With just a slight taste of Barabajagal. Floating is my way of surviving, and I manage to do that every day. This guy doesn’t put out many albums anymore, but when he does they are worth savoring. Shoutouts for Poor Man’s Sunshine, The Way, Beat Café, and a re-visit of Season of the Witch. Donovan

John Fogerty – In The Garden b/w She’s Got Baggage

Yesterday’s album left me thirsty for more John, and I played this album several hundred times today, so that’s all I really have to talk about, and I don’t care. I’m real keen on talking about new music, but this one is good enough for you to drag out of the closet, so I’m simply in the position to remind you to do just that! Shoutouts for every song on this sexy album. John Fogerty – Deja Vu

John Fogerty - Summer Of Love

I talked up many of the cuts of this album when it first came out, might as well fill you in on the rest because this album can’t stay off my turntable. Summer Of Love is a fun visit of many songs from that era, while still managing to sound distinctly Fogerty. I hear Hendrix, Airplane, Fish, and so much more in a brief three minutes. It helps to remember that the four guys were playing local clubs in and around SF & Oakland in the “Summer of Love”, and it’s obvious the influences were deeply soaked in. Shoutouts for Somebody Help Me and Don't You Wish It Was True. John Fogerty - Revival

Eartaste: The 23 Top Albums of 2007

I will stand by every single I've reviewed this past year. I still love listening to every song. Albums, though, are another whole animal. To be able to listen to a full set by one artist, well, they just have to be extremely special for me to enjoy them. I have many albums in my collection, of course, but end up bookmarking favorite cuts off albums and listening to them over and over. It's a rare pleasure to find an album that holds together listen after listen, and provides a full enjoyment for these ears. My plan was to select the best 23 albums of the year. I know, a bit corny, one indie release per month, and one major release per month. Also, I figured 24 albums would give approx 24 hours of pure pleasure. In the final run-through, I couldn't find more than 23. I had no desire to list an almost-ran, as that wouldn't be fair to the absolute best. 15 are indie (I couldn't decide if Tiny Masters was on a major label, so I decided to include them as major label), and 8 major label releases. I list them now because if you are looking for Christmas gifts for a friend or relative that loves music, I will stand by all of these.

These are listed in the order they appeared on eartaste. All are equal favorites, so give them all a #1, or 5 stars, or however you rate your albums.

The Histrioniks - About This Girl
Alex Arrowsmith - Applewine
Roy Davis - Grey Town
Talia Segal - Nonprophet
Ben Godwin - Skin And Bone
Koopa - Blag Steal and Borrow
Mooney Suzuki -Have Mercy
Rickie Lee Jones - The Sermon On Exposition Blvd
The Red Button - She's About To Cross My Mind
The Aggrolites - The Aggrolites
Threshold - Sum Blues
Swampdawamp - Swampdawamp
Kemp Harris - Edenton
Bowling For Soup - The Great Burrito Extortion Case
Noise626 - An Infinite Shade of Gray
Landonband - Defying The Stereotype
Smug - Freshly Stained
Evan Page (Screaming Mee-Mees) - No Ordinary Girl
Tiny Masters Of Today - Bang Bang Boom Cake
Olivea Watson - Way Down Deep
Patti Scialfa - Play It As It Lays
John Fogerty - Revival
Ray Davies - Working Mans Café

If your music-loving friend stays current with every new release they can get their hands on, chances are they'll have many of the above. If you want to buy a gift that'll last a lifetime of appreciation, you'll never stop hearing thanks if you gift wrap any one of these expensive box sets:

Motown Complete Singles Vol 1
Motown Complete Singles Vol 2
Motown Complete Singles Vol 3
Motown Complete Singles Vol 4
Motown Complete Singles Vol 5
Motown Complete Singles Vol 6
Motown Complete Singles Vol 7

Northern Soul Story Vol 1-4

Vol 1 Twisted Wheel
Vol 2 Golden Torch
Vol 3 Blackpool Mecca
Vol 4 Wigan Casino

46Bliss - This Light

A tinkle sound, not quite a child’s piano, but something like jars filled with water to different depths introduce us to a dirge “inside my mind” Very effective. Dirge perhaps is a wrong term, perhaps more of a hymn of meditation. There is only one line, repeated twice, where we find the author’s mind is “washed in this light.” Shoutouts for Joan of Arc, 2B1, and All Over Now. Thanks! 46Bliss

Johnny Bennett - Chance Meeting

The background organ from 46Bliss keeps droning for awhile and a lightly handled bass bass enters the proceedings, then Wham! The narrator says “Thanks for keeping me in the mix.” You’re very welcome. “Then she’s gone.” That’s it. The guitar enters and we’re having a rock and roll party! “It’s like broken dreams.” The drums play just enough to make my feet move, and the occasional stop is great for a giggle as my feet tangle. “I said now come on over here, make up your mind.” I have my mind made up – this is fun, and worth savoring. Shoutouts for This Year’s Lie & Exit Sign (with his best Jagger impression, the narrator says “I’m crashing everything, I can’t believe I’m still alive”). Johnny Bennett

The Donnas - Save Me

“I want it louder/I want it wreckless/you know I want it all!” Ain’t no better way to wake up than pure rock and roll reminding me “I’m going to party till the day I die!” Up-beat, loud and angry, even with the up-beat lyrics. “Take me away tonight!” We’re even graced with a good, old fashioned lead-guitar solo. Shoutouts for the mostly instrumental Bitchin', Don't Wait For Me, & Here For The Party. The Donnas

Singles Parade Part VII

Young Love - Take It Or Leave It
Hard Fi - Can't Get Along Without You
Tunng – Take b/w Clump & Hands
Helix – Get Up! b/w Fill Your Head With Rock
Pat O'May - J'ai Efface La Peur b/w Give A Chance
Rachel Unthank - I Wish b/w Canny Lad
Liars - Sailing To Byzantium
Magic Numbers - Undecided
Scouting For Girls - It's Not About You b/w James Bond
Howling Hex - Everybody's Doing It
Status Quo - I Ain't Wasting My Time b/w Gravy Train
Hanoi Rocks - Worth Your Weight In Gold b/w Tootin' Star & Fumblefoot And Busy Bee

Singles Parade Part VI

Darren Hayes - The Great Disconnect
Ananda Project - Free Me
One Twelve - Na Na Na Na
Ben Harper - Say You Will b/w Put it On Me & Lifeline
Proclaimers - In Recognition
Jamie Scott - Lady West b/w Love Song To Remember
Eamon – Girlfriend b/w Elevator & Ho-Wop Sound (Hold Up)
Robyn - Crash And Burn Girl b/w Robotboy
Enter The Haggis - One Last Drink
Super Furry Animals - Run Away b/w The Gift That Keeps Giving
Steriogram - Own Way Home b/w Sitting Above Me
Newton Faulkner – UFO b/w Aging Superhero

Singles Parade Part V

Grand Drive - The Skin You're Living In b/w Be Lucky
Nathaniel Mayer - Please Don't Drop The Bomb b/w Dancin' Mood
Prinzehorn Dance School - Don't Talk To Strangers
Newton Faulkner - People Should Smile More b/w She's Got Time
Alterkicks - On A Holiday
Alvin Lee - Rocking Rendezvous b/w Blues Has Got A Hold On Me
Black Francis - She Took All The Money
Kula Shaker - Great Dictator Of The Free World b/w Ol' Jack Tar
Shop Boyz - My Car
Devotchka - Charlotte Mittnacht

Singles Parade Part IV

Suzanne Vega - Zephyr & I
Tiny Dancers - I've Got To Go
Runrig - Clash Of The Ash
White Stripes - Effect And Cause b/w Rag And Bone
Feist - I Feel It All
Mighty Roars - Wish Everything b/w Whipped
No Use For A Name - History Defeats
Ron Block - Secret Of The Woods b/w I See Thee Nevermore
Sum 41 - Walking Disaster b/w Speak Of The Devil
Tiny Masters of Today – Bushy

David Jordan - Sun Goes Down

Hump day high-stepping. "Open your eyes 'cause another day is dawning." Mix a bit of soul with some fun dance music and you are going to join me on the dance floor – “Dance like you are the only one around . . . dance as you want till the sun goes down!” Shoutout for Move On. David Jordan

Neil Young – Believer

“Like that songbird singing, whether it’s red or blue.” I always love this guy, sneaking in a slight little political statement into a cute little song about trusting those around him. After all, that is truly what life is about, isn’t it? Trusting those who are holding you up. “Just like those church bells ringing, I’m keeping my faith in you.” The entire album is a retro ride back about 30 years ago, maybe more. The production values are wonderfully retro. The question I’ve wondered before, and wonder again is – can a guy who has been churning these out for 40 years be retro, or could we simply call him naturally & honest old? Whatever your decision, the album has a classic feel of integrity. Neil Young

Eagles - No More Walks In The Wood

“This is the aftermath of afternoons in the clover fields where we once made love then wandered home together.” Gotta admit I thought this was a Crosby, Stills & Nash outtake of a Graham Nash song. Doesn’t matter – it sounds great & makes my ears thirsty for more. We’ve discussed retro/old guys very recently, so we’ll leave this short. “Lasted as long as we could.” The album will not disappoint any Eagles fans. The Eagles

Singles Parade Part III

KT Tunstall – Hopeless b/w Someday Soon
Seagull Strange - Bitter To The Quick b/w Run Pig Run
Michelle Shocked - Study War No More b/w Can't Take My Joy
Stacey Kent - Ces Petits Riens b/w Samba Saravah
Mark Knopfler - Madame Geneva's
Motion City Soundtrack - Fell In Love Without You b/w This Is For Real & Broken Heart
Peter Grant – Traditional b/w Let The Good Times Roll & That's Life
Living End - We Want More
Voxtrot - Brother In Conflict b/w Ghost
Rumble Strips - No Soul b/w Boys And Girls In Love & Clouds & Hands

Angie Stone - My People

“How can we stay strong?” While it sounds simple – hold up your head and stay strong, it’s very obvious that we are living in a country that does not want the people holding their head up or staying strong. Keep citizens in deep debt so they need to work 2 or 3 jobs to survive, using their strength to survive day to day, not to hold our heads up and see the truth of poverty and oppression around us. Songs like this tell us it’s possible to rise up out of the poverty and oppression on an individual basis. But not as a group. The group “rise” won’t happen until the people band together in strength and purpose against the oppressors. Important song because it makes me think about the individuals that have broken the mold and the need to focus on the group being able to "rise up". Besides, there is pure fun is at the very end of this song, and I’ll leave that for you to discover. Shoutout for Go Back To Your Life and Happy Being Me. Angie Stone

Retro Saturday

In honor of Newsweek quoting so liberally from the philosophy of eartaste in their cover story this week, 60’s R&R flavors are featured tonight with blues –rock circa 1966 (The Shake), psychedelic flavors circa 1967 (Last American Buffalo), Americana rock circa 1968 (1st CCR album appeared and celebrated in 2007 by John Fogerty), and huge stadium aor rock circa 1969 (Ian Gillan).

The Shake – Outcast

Recalling the era of 1966 when many US bands were imitating the British bands who were imitating the R&B stars of the 50’s, this fun music starts the party with excitement and the irresistible “yeah”. Tough-guy stance, with a snarl that is indecipherable but fun to listen to. The story seems to be making fun of a guy whose girl the narrator is going to steal. “You can’t sleep without your lights, and you know it’s not alright.” And this cute remark: “all the pictures that I’ve seen of you look out of place”, along with “at a party the the one who doesn’t get the gag.” Yep, people are mean to each other, but it’s fun. In real life, I probably woulda been the butt of this song, but that’s okay, it’s great fun, but better yet – the music is real & exciting. Shoutouts to the equally retro songs Devil’s Side & Manic Boogie. Definite party enhancers. The Shakes

Last American Buffalo - She's Alright

“Stoned in paisley, summer stolen February, Portugese suntanner lips and sympathy. . .” Psychedelic lyrics and psychedelic music recalling the flavors of the summer of love with honest retro instrumentation and fuzz vocals. “Catchy catchy catholic cigarillo, shaken hands to stunt the afterglow.” Got it? Neither do I, but the fuzz guitar solo and wonderful organ playing take me back forty years with much pleasure. Last American Buffalo is not all retro, tho. They shine at some 2007 country with Pistol, and the end-of-a-2007-credits-music-for-an-unknown-film-where-the-credits-music-is-better-than-the-2-hours-that-preceded-it-song called Sunshine. “In the bright-lit expanse of you, the space in this room is too small.” Last American Buffalo

John Fogerty - Creedence Song

Okay, I admit it’s cheating a bit to include John Fogerty in a 60’s retro night. Can it be called retro when he’s sounding as great as he did in 1968? Probably not. Doesn’t matter. Creedence song is great fun ‘cause it’s about a band on the road that “can’t go wrong if you play a little bit of that Creedence song.” LOL!!! And, to make it a true R&R song, the last verse promises that you can make some time with the girl you plan to marry “if you play a little bit of that Creedence song.” Great fun all around, especially with the guitar and bass steadily groovin’ the rockin’ night away. From a wonderful album, filled with many musical and good old-fashioned philosophical flavors. Shoutouts for the hot Natural Thing & slow dance ready Broken Down Cowboy. John Fogerty

Ian Gillan - When a Blind Man Cries

“If you’re leavin’, close the door. I’m not expecting people anymore. Hear me grievin’, lyin’ on the floor. Whether I’m druink or dead I’m really not too sure.” You really shouldn’t give people ideas about getting this wasted at a party, I know, but this is such a beautiful tune I have to play it for my own sanity. The guitar and organ solos are wonderfully moving and emotionally perfect. “When a blind man cries you feel it from his soul.” Shoutout for Sugar Plum. Ian Gillian

Free Albums from our Saturday Night Gift Exchange

EDIT: Both CDs were claimed SUNDAY morning, when I woke up and had barely poured my first cup of coffee. Burgandy's album will be heading toward C.B. in Wisconsin, and the Tango album will be heading toward L.C. in Florida. Great job, quick response!
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We have two gifts this week, in exchange for whoever answers the questions first by sending an email to [removed after winners announced to discourage spam].

Luck Media has sent us a copy of Burgandy Brown's "My Lucky 13" to send out to the 1st person who can tell me what song of hers was reviewed at Eartaste.

Putumayo World Music has sent us a copy of Tango Around The World to give away to the 1st person who can name every Putumayo recording we featured this year.

Good luck! -Rich

Putumayo Presents: Tango Around the World

I recently had the privilege of watching a DVD set of all ten hours of a TV broadcast from Buenos Aires, Días Y Noches De Tango. I know that watching a TV show is a far cry from making one an expert on anything, but I do feel much more informed. I learned, not because they said it, but because I experienced it, that Tango goes far beyond music and dance. Music and dance is integral, of course, but the deepest magic of Tango is it’s poetry. As I watched the words in English flash along the bottom of the screen I grew to realize just how shallow most of the music I listen to is. Even in translation the words were bleeding emotions we seldom explore.

In one of the interview segments I learned from the Tango philosopher Mayoral that "A tango is a tuxedo that's been taken off and laid in the mud outside a brothel and maintains it's dignity when worn."

Jorge, a friend in Argentina who shared the DVD series with me also shared a place to read Tango lyrics translated by a poet instead of the very rough translations offered on the DVD set: Planet Tango. Well, life doesn’t live itself in a void, so the day after I finished watching the set, in popped this marvelous new Tango compilation from Putumayo. The flavors are modern versions of Tango from some of the best Tango conclaves around the world. Argentina may be the birthplace, but the Tango has continued to grow and survive in Africa, Greece, Norway, Finland, Brazil, and others all featured in this set.

The entire album made for a pleasant Tango evening here at the eartaste residence, with some drinking a sangria style wine and others drinking Heineken. The food was what we call Mexican pizza – tortillas with beans, cheese and salsa baked open-faced in the oven. Scrumptious flavors, tasty beverages and world dance music, a very pleasant evening indeed. Shoutouts go to M.A. Numminen & Sanna Pietiäinen from Finland for Kangastus, Florencia Bonadeo & Melingo of Argentina for Lionel the Ugly, and Ariel Prat & Juan Cáceres also from Argentina for the wonderful African flavored tune José Mármol y Tarija.

The point of all this is that Tango, a huge early 20th century art has gracefully entered the 21st century with flavors that transcend time and continue the growth of an art that is committed to sharing the spiritual depths of philosophy in a way that entertains and pleases. Tango Around The World

Singles Parade Part II

Hanoi Rocks - Teenage Revolution b/w Street Poetry & Powertrip
George Thorogood - That Philly Thing b/w Wanted Man
Stephen Fretwell –Dead b/w Funny Hat
KT Tunstall - Hold On b/w If Only
Paolo Nutini - New Shoes b/w Troubled So Hard &I Want To Be Like You
Manu Chao - Bleeding Clown b/w Raining In Paradize & Politik Kills
Kate Rusby - Awkward Annie b/w The Village Green Preservation Society
Kevin Ayers - Running Away
Turin Brakes - Eveready b/w Brave New World & Here Comes The Moon
Limbo - Lights Of Home

Singles Parade

Grinspoon - Black Tattoo b/w Living In The City & Find Your Own Way
Galactic - Bounce Baby
Lemon Ice - Stand By Me b/w In The Still Of The Night
Gabrielle - Love Me Like You Do
Keyshia Cole - Heaven Sent
Black Lips - O Katrina! b/w Bad Kids
Dot Allison - In Deep Water
Dropkick Murphys - Tomorrow's Industry b/w Echoes On A Street
Manchester Orchestra - The Neighborhood Is Bleeding b/w I Can Feel Your Pain
Edwyn Collins - Then I Cried b/w It's In Your Heart
Terra Naomi - Don't Know What To Do b/w Something Good To Show You

Anna Stafford – Bread

An interesting year for this reviewer. Not one original string quartet composer, but two. The composers travel on two different planes. Where Nataliya Medvedovskaya was traditional, and told a full story with her pieces, Anna is reaching for an audience with pop sensibilities, like myself. I appreciate both approaches to composition. I found that Bread introduced me to the value in a light-hearted piece of serious composition, nothing to challenge my expectations, but lovely enough for me to think how this would sound great live at a dinner party, whereas Nataliya’s work would sound perfect in a concert hall. Besides that, what eartaster would ever leave bread on the table? This one is worth savoring.

The shoutout tune, Green Walls, is also intriguing – it starts off very light, almost Beatlesque in tone, and half way through develops a voice of its own, exploiting the strengths of the voices working together to create storm-like tonalities for a climax, with a repeat to reassure us that composition still includes anti-climax to bring the listener down. Feels like a love song, with an argument in the middle. Of course, they kiss and make up by the end. Traditional pop with strings, complete with a totally expected ending. Fun stuff. Anna Stafford

Alex Arrowsmith – Nuke (from Missing Briefcase)

“I feel good every time you test a weapon.” Yep, good old fashioned patriotism. Kill ‘em even before they think about killing you – just in case. “I’m so glad that I grew a third eye.” Gotta make sure you can see the truth, right? Nuke ‘em. What good is the world anyway? “If you wanna claim Palestine, you’re gonna need an expert web design.” Lots of people making bucks off this, so why not some poor old web designer? Nuke ‘em. Nuke ‘em good. Does Alex have his tongue deep in his cheek? Dunno. Not sure I do either. Some days I think a strategically placed nuke atop the white house would do this entire globe some good. Course I could probably be tossed in jail for saying such a thing in public. Oh well, maybe my tongue is deep in my cheek. Let’s hope so anyway.

Back to reality – Alex Arrowsmith has rocked my world and helped me view the globe from many perspectives, and I am very happy that his music has become an integral part of my listening pleasure. I won’t repeat all the cool characters he’s written about that have enriched my life. Click here for tastes of that.

I will say that this new album rates up there with the rest of his classic output. He is into indie rock for the long term, and that is indeed a pleasure to know. This new album is called Missing Briefcase, which sounds like the scenario of what it’ll be like when the President loses his. Or simply the one that got lost when the rabbit was running into the hole too fast and forgot which hole he left it at. Life happens. Click here to see his other thrilling albums.

Some of the shoutouts on Missing Briefcase are Eternal Return (“Messing with time and space is as easy as it sounds because I’ve been in love with you before”) and The Zaps (“My mind is out of phase, it stays in a daze”). I’ll write more about the rest of the fun tunes on this album in January, 2008 or before I can’t help myself (like tonight). “My mind is incomplete.” In the meantime, stayed tuned at Alex’s World.

PS: Do not listen to High Speed Chase while driving. I got my purple 3 cylinder Geo Metro all the way up to 76 MPH without thinking while listening to this tune. Just imagine if I had 4, 5 or 6 cylinders!

PPS: If it's not obvious about my tiny comments about talking about the rest of this album at a later date: what that means is that this entire album is worth your ears taking the time to taste over and over. Some very cool stereo effects, as well as tasty guitars when needed, and "Elvis Presley coming back for more." Goodnight. All is well.

FileFactory.com

Jill Scott - Celibacy Blues

A jazzy Sunday afternoon is always a pleasure. The song title gives away the emotion and tension involved with the passion in Jill’s voice. Lite bass, guitars and drums meander around the voice in total concentration. “This here celibacy is workin’ for me.” Jill Scott

We Start Fires - Wicked Spell

“Your face in a mirror, you haven’t changed. I thought I knew you, now it goes to show they could have saved you if you’d just gone home.” So starts this tale, with the narrator asking many hard questions of herself. Most of the album rocks derivatively, so this cut sticks out – a thoughtful meditation with music that keeps the narration moving in a rock steady manner. “Nothing ever turns out…” brings out some personal thoughts, but then I’m hit with the whammy – “time moves faster when you’re broken.” Something for me to meditate on because I’ve often felt the opposite. Do we each experience time in a different way? Has anyone investigated this possibility. What does it mean? Nice tune, great words, fine single with honestly tough production values. I love the way the opening flavors come back to enhance the ending. We Start Fires

SixNationState - Caught The Sun

“Tonight I caught the sun and took it out for everyone. Last night I stole the moon in front of me for everyone to see.” Well, one never knows what a guy whose “love has gone away” is gonna do, but the one narrating this tale is having a good time doing it. Music is upbeat rock with lotsa little wonderful flavors for this eartaster to enjoy. Shoutout for Taken Me Over. SixNationState

Milburn – Lo And Behold

“Time has taken its toll. You say that you’re in control, so now’s the time to be bold.” Fun lyric, sung acapella, then ska, then full-bore rock. Sounds profound, but relax – it’s pure entertainment with an everlasting upbeat. Milburn

Burgandy Brown – Basics

Ouch, I am experiencing this exciting hump day with some hot guitar pickin! We are flying all around the floor. “Let’s get back to the basics!” What basics you ask? Easy! “Live more, laugh more, love more, and hug more! That’s what we need.” Amen to that. The band on this entire album is outstanding. Shoutouts for Sounds Like Cryin’, Porcelain Doll & Lady Like. Many flavors worth tastin’ over and over. Burgandy Brown

Steve Richard – Stomp

Burgandy started this hump party evening off hot, so let’s keep it going with some southern flavored Stomp! A banjo starts off this tune, but don’t sweat, the Skynyrd flavored guitars enter quick enough to bring this dance to a full rockin’ pitch fever: “Like a rock and roll rodeo, you make me want to stomp.” Shoutouts for the tasty dramas We Ain’t Saints, and Faster, Faster. Steve Richard

Elastic No-No Band - The Guy Who Dies

You know, there are things that happen that make me want to throw up my hands and simply give up. Diane Feinstein, for example, today said she voted for this dude to be attorney general even though he was openly willing to commit illegal acts in the name of our country. Why? This is paraphrased, but basically she said he was honest about his willingness to do illegal things. Implication is - everyone else lies. So, let’s go ahead and take the guy who is open about his filthy inner desires. Stuff like this makes me want to cry. What’s left to do??? Hide my head in a shell and puke for hours? Doesn’t hurt Feinstein or Mukasey if their fellow citizens cry about the state of our country. Especially since neiother gives a twat and they are leading us. So, puke away, Eartaste, puke away.

But there is a solution! A wonderful solution! The Elastic No-No Band to the rescue!!!

“I am running from disaster! I am running from aliens!
I can’t outrun them, I can’t outsmart them!
I’m not gonna make it, I’m not Tom Cruise!
He might get cut up – a little bloody,
But I’ll explode leaving just my shoes. Because
I’m the guy who dies in the first reel of the film
In some disgusting way.”

Lest you decide that this song was written just for me to make me feel better this day, forget that noise. The next verse makes that very clear. “This is NOT a metaphor.” Forgive me for using it as one, I needed a laugh really bad today. Shoutouts for Cheese Fries, Nobody’s Wife, and the re-run (Everywhere I Look) I See Your Face.

Elastic No-No Band

Ray Davies - Vietnam Cowboys

Last year, when Other’s People’s Lives was released I knew music had regained an important place in my life. “The world will never change, so we must dig inside and crawl outside ourselves,” he wrote. I knew as I listened I had to climb outta my self-imposed retirement from writing about music to joining the ranks of the living again. I haven’t looked back.

And, a new album comes out! Is he going to push me back into my shell? Turns out, and this is hard for me to believe, that this album, Working Man’s Café is even better! Starts off with Vietnam Cowboys, which explains quickly how all the old protestors have joined the capitalist system to make lotsa $$$ over the trauma our country inflicted. Of course, the song is really about our current situation, ‘cause in the end all war has the same end “take our culture right to the third world.” More markets to exploit. Besides, what were our current leaders doing while the rest of their generation was being killed in Vietnam & attempting to take over their business interests? Yep y'all, they were playing cowboys and getting drunk in Texas. All fine and good, but does this translate into great rock and roll? Absolutely – guitars shine and sparkled. Shoutouts for No One Listen (“Why is it difficult to get things done in the age of computers and communication?”) and Hymn for a New Age.

Hymn for a New Age is especially hitting for me because I am a believer in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ; yet I am painfully and sorrowfully aware of how the American church & political system has completely distorted His message. I try my best to think through issues, but I have no idea how in the world one can bring the words of Jesus back into a discussion without bringing up the pain the world is currently feeling caused by people who claim to be his followers. Well, I can’t imagine anyone being swayed by the words of a music reviewer about spiritual matters, but I will say that Ray Davies continues to renew my faith in Rock and Roll!

Ray Davies

Vashti Bunyan - Some Things Stick In Your Mind

“Why must their be so much hate in our lives?” Is it worth digging out old scratchy records? What can they possibly ad to our current culture? In this particular case we hear songs that were flops in the sixties but had a profound influence on the progress of music – folk with a rock flavor. What is now called “indie” has that feel – folk music (music that talks about our everyday lives) with a beat. Since Vashti has rejoined the ranks of working musicians, I am fascinated listening to her work from 40 years ago. Excellent Sunday afternoon flavors. Vashti Bunyan

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Rich Woman

Ready to dance? Can’t help but move to this party record. Excellent melding of voices on this cut. See ya on the other side of the dance floor! “She give me a Cadillac and diamond ring, she told me Daddy, don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.” What, me worry? Shoutouts for Fortune Teller, which has my favorite combination lyric of all time, “I’m as happy as we can be!” ; and Gone Gone Gone. Special shoutouts for the Zeppelin flavor of Towne’s song ‘Nothin’ & the Union Station flavor of Your Long Journey. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Still Cleaning Up My Desk

Will I Am - Invisible
The Blackout - Beijing Cocktail
Carbon/Silicon - News
Undertones - Here Comes The Rain b/w Move Right In
Shack - I Know You Well b/w Holiday Abroad
Checks - Mercedes Children b/w Terribly Easy & Hunting Whales
Amy Winehouse - Cupid
Katie Melua – In My Secret Life
Dragonette - Take It Like A Man b/w Get Lucky
The Cult - Holy Mountain

Cool Songs – Cleaning Up My Desk

Songs to prepare my month for Thanksgiving!
Transworld Ultrarock - Big Mistake
Hives - Well All Right b/w Puppet On A String
Undertones - Dig Yourself Deep b/w Fight My Corner
All Time Low - Come One Come All b/w Poppin’ Champagne
Devendra Banhart - Lover
Jill Cunniff - Happy Warriors b/w Love Is A Luxury
Annie Lennox - Ghosts In My Machine b/w Womankind
Ben Lee - Love Me Like The World Is Ending b/w Numb
Katie Melua - Perfect Circle b/w Dirty Dice
Babyshambles - There She Goes b/w Baddies Boogie