Bowling For Soup - 99 Biker Friends

The noise is great – really wakes me up on a Monday! Lyrically, this is a fascinating concept. Take a serious theme (wife beating) and fill it with irony and a few giggles. The point gets made, trust me. Most of this has to be heard to appreciate it. But I’m not giving it away when I quote this “Tell all your friends how you put her in her place. Seven pounds of make-up just to hide her beat-up face.” I’ve learned that vigilante justice is really not a great idea, but this guy is not claiming to be innocent. In fact, he’s bragging about his deeds. I’m all for 99 biker friends waiting to beat his assets. “It takes a tough man to slap her around. Such a bad guy to keep such a good girl down.” Well-written and precise. “You tell her that you’re sorry, blame it on the beer, your dad was mean to you…” All the excuses of a drunk. Like everyone else, I know guys like this. Probably the saddest part is the women that keep going back to them, but that’s another song. In the meantime, this song is well thought out, and extremely dancible! I left out all the really cool lines, because they are fun to hear with the music. “Start running now.” Shoutout for No Opinion – I really love this because you just know Weird Al would take this tune and tear into it with some hilarious lyrics. Not this time! There’s no way even weird Al can be funnier than this! Bowling For Soup

noise626 - Madness And The Sublime Rapture

The music sneaks up, almost like a clock ticking or a heart beating. “I can look inside your heart and see the things you don’t want seen.” The music feels this way. Like it’s crawling in and enveloping my entire being. Both creepy and enthralling. Explain that. Guess it’s much like the title – is it madness or rapture? Or can it be both at the same time? One can only wonder as I twirl to the hypnotic rhythm. “I can dance around the reasons you can’t tell the truth. I survive on your lies and taste words like bitter fruit.” The poetry is beautiful, but is used as an accent to the mood created by the music. That’s not often true in music. I especially love the steady musical build-up – rock at it’s finest – though different than most rock because two voices, male and female – are building upon each other. “I will keep storming the gates. I will keep screaming your name. I will keep building my walls. And laughter will follow your fall. Nothing you feel is the truth.” Shoutout for Tsisdu: “laughing and crying often in the same space of time.” noise626

FileFactory.com

John Barrows – How Not To Make It In The Pop World

Subtitled “Diary of an almost has-been”. This book was easy to put down, but I don’t mean this in a harsh way. As I read the book it was very easy to picture John in my living room talking. As I finished a chapter, I’d put it down and ramble through my memories of similar scenes. Much like a discussion was taking place. Small things, like the descriptions of ‘dressing rooms’ and ‘rehearsal spaces’.

John was active in the live music arena during the same years I was – the only difference is most of his experiences were in England, with some in Europe, whereas mine were stateside – mostly in California. I knew the music of and/or reputations of 85% of the bands he mentioned in the book. The band he was/is most remembered for is The Swinging Laurels – a group that had some press over here, but I cannot recall if I ever heard them. No matter, he could say the same about the bands I was with.

But the stories of the clubs, the club owners, the reality of the pay for performing in venues, the truth of being the “opening band” for a ‘major’ artist, the escapades of a band, the thefts that took place of band equipment, other people’s perceptions of your wealth once you’ve been on TV, etc, etc, etc. John brings the truths of a band on the road to life for all of the thousands upon thousands of bands that perform, record, perform, record, perform.

Every one of those guys were like John and I – gave up the chance for a secure future for a dream. But we would have never become who we are if we had not pursued the dream. I have friends who stuck with corporate life – one guy in particular makes me realize how good it was that I didn’t do that – 1 1/2 years away from retirement they “laid” him off. He was in one of my first bands, and although he doesn’t talk about it, I’d bet he wishes now that he had taken the road less traveled.

This book is definitely a way to stir up memories if you were in a band. If you are in a band, you’ll also get some giggles – because really, nothing has changed. If you’re not in a band, this book may make you glad you didn’t take that route. If you simply love music and are interested in how bands survive on a daily basis, you’ll learn a lot here. Thanks John! Paperback or Hardback

Ray Charles - Feel So Bad

This is the second Saturday in a row Ray opens up my Saturday night dance party. “My woman has me talking in an unknown tongue. She got me saying words I’ve never said before.” I love this performance and I’ve been wracking my brain trying to analyze why, so I can be succinct and erudite. The lyrics are a mish-mash of every other ‘she left me, it hurts’ song on the books. Ray doesn’t go out of his way to convince us the pain is deep in his heart, although the pain is obvious. Lived. But what sells me is the pleasure and the boogie. I am entertained, and I love being entertained by a master. The piano is superb and the band is in tip-top shape, with a stunning sax solo. “Sock it to me.” Shoutout goes to Look What They've Done To My Song. Ray Charles

April 27 Eartaste Podcast Ready For Download

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The Red Button - Floating By

“Daydreaming. Slipstreaming. Just floating by”. The song starts off with the vocalist and pianist taking us to a Friday evening party mood that can only be described as ethereal. As I chomp down some chips and salsa tlaquepaque I find my feet and brain dancing with the knowledge of the workweek ending and the truth that “it doesn’t matter what we do. Tomorrow’s always something new.” A song that is both modernly adventuresome and manages to elicit memories of Bacharach and the Beach Boys at the same time is exciting to my ears. “You never thought you’d ever live this long.” Ain’t that the truth? Yet, I’m glad because I’m enjoying the music being produced by folks like the Red Button. Shoutout for Hopes Up.
The Red Button

The Histrioniks - Underneath It All

“Sixteen, hung on a string of self-doubt. That string comes with a light left out.” Poetry and dance. Yes! A bouncing, flavorful tune that wakes up every part of my body as I bounce around the room. “Child out of time. Some say.” Study the words and I feel like I’ve entered the private journals of a woman who has abilities to express universal feelings, giving words to things we feel but can’t say for ourselves. The guitars add punch to the vocals, but I really love the interaction between the drums and bass. Very nice work! Shoutout for Perpendicular. The Histrioniks

FileFactory.com

Ry Cooder - Sundown Town

“My eyes have seen the beauty of a land bright and fair!” Ry Cooder never sits still, which is great for music listeners, wreaks havoc on those people that have a controlling desire to classify songwriters into one genre. This time out we are treated to a sound that has some flavors of the dustbowl era Americana and some flavors of the oppressions still current. “Well I mean to work for justice until I’m dead.” The dance beat is powerful, as are the words that can stir many emotions of the small towns being destroyed b what some call ‘globilization’ and the rest of us call corporate greed. Shoutout for Strike! Ry Cooder

Joe Wrabek - Eating Cornflakes From A Hubcap Blues

“I’ve got dust bunnies playing on the kitchen floor reminding me you ain’t around no more. And the rain keeps falling through the hole I shot in the roof.” Another blues song about a woman that left. The difference between this song and all the rest is we have true insight as to why she left! How long can you put up with someone who refuses to help around the house and gets so drunk he shoots holes in the roof? “Every dirty dish reminds me of you.” The fact that he eats cornflakes, of course, makes him doubly eartastible. “I’d catch up on my reading if the lights were on, but the bills ain’t been paid since you’ve been gone – so there’s other people ‘sides me that’s been missing you.” There’s more where that came from. It’s funny when you read it, doubly funny when you hear it. Great fun! Shoutout for Bungee Jumpin' Jesus! Joe Wrabek

Steve West – Rivertown

Steady-holding rhythm that tells the tale of a town about to be flooded. The tune stands out because the vocals are serious, but not complaining or depressed. There is a strength that says ‘we will get through this’. “Cause the river grows wide and the sun won’t shine and the rain just keeps coming down. I know that soon we’ll have to leave and seek for higher ground.” A true testament to human spirit. Nice work, Steve. Steve West

Putumayo World Music Radio ! !

Listen to Putumayo World Music Radio online: live365 * putumayo

Iggy Taylor – Schtuff

Hump day starts this week with a “welcome”. After a brief, but appetizing welcome, Iggy sets in with a guitar solo that is highlighted by drums and some sorta space and street noises – all in all, great flavors to get me up onto my feet and moving all around the room with my arms spread like an eagle shouting along with Iggy for 3 minutes. “Yeah!” Iggy Taylor

Sir Lawrence - Party Don't Stop

“I don’t know what you came to do, but I came to party all night long. You can sit way back in your seat, I’m gonna dance to the DJ beat!” Arrgghhhyeahdoowop!!! “Move your body from side to side. Wonderful vocals with full-bodied backup band. “You may think I’m crazy or even drunk, but I’m gonna dance.” Shoutout to Right Kind Of Lovin' – a song that the DJ should save for near the end of the evening, but a slow dance is essential for a successful party. Sir Lawrence

Sheila Swift - Feel Like I Do

The guitars and drums labor together in a manner that won’t allow my feet to rest. Then the voice comes. “Did you hear the sound as my heart fell out under the table?” Ouch! Been there before, and never want to go there again, but it’s great to dance to with the taste of piña coladas and chips and homemade salsa on my lips. “You haunted me with memories of what I was before.” Okay, so just hearing that brings back memories. I can deal with it. Bittersweet. Faces wander in and out, and I am glad for all of it. Sheila ask “Doesn’t everybody feel like I do?” I think the answer is an obvious yes, but we thank you for giving voice to our feelings. Thanks for giving us words, Sheila! And thanks for the dance! Sheila Swift

10th Annual Wilmington Exchange Festival

The 10th annual WE Fest, the Wilmington Exchange Festival, is taking place this year from May 24- May 28 in Wilmington, NC.

WE fest is a multi-day, completely DIY, volunteer-run extravaganza that showcases indie bands, and has always taken place the week of Memorial Day weekend. The WE Fest was co-founded by Wilmington resident and indie underground guru, Kenyata Sullivan, in 1996 in a response to all of the over-priced, over-commercialized music festivals. He wanted to put together a festival that was fair and strictly indie with an emphasis on exposing underground talent and building community within the underground scene. Such is his fairness and dedication to the underground scene that WE Fest only allows indie-label or unsigned bands to play at the festival. In the past 10 years, WE Fest has garnered a reputation for discovering new talent, such as the Dismemberment Plan, the Mooney Suzuki, Lamb of God, Mae, and the Milwaukees. Since its inception, indie bands of all shapes, sizes, colors, and sounds have played this Fest, made friends, and gone home to network, share gigs, keep in touch, and make WE Fest part of their lives.

For further info, visit www.wefestival.com.

Putumayo World Party

If Putumayo insists on putting out a World Party CD on my birthday, well you just know it’s going to be played at my birthday party! That’s just the way it is around here at eartaste headquarters. And YES! It lives up to it’s claims of being a party CD. This particular collection is mostly new ska-reggae-samba flavors from around the world, but includes two classic cuts to keep the really old folks dancing. Two of the newer cuts that need to be shouted out are by Laid Back (who are anything but) from Denmark, and Sarazino from Canada. Laid Back keeps us Groovin’ On A Feeling - I’m just barely thinking about the strawberry covered cheesecake my daughter is whipping up as the rest of us dance around the room. Nice guitar work. Sarazino includes members from Algeria and Ecuador and have the many seasonings of the world at their fingertips, including a wah-wah guitar of all things. Good, steady rah beat. For the older folks here who like to dance along with the youngsters Osibisa shows in with a cut from 1975 (Sunshine Day), and the Zydeco Hi-Rollers really keep the party hopping with Just One Kiss (1996)! Thanks to Putumayo for knowing how to keep a fiesta jumping! Putumayo World Party

Marina V – In My Head

“Tormented, over-worried, Neurotic, always hurried.” I try to swim with a coat of lead.” Okay, I’ll admit this doesn’t sound like party music. “Sarcastic, sentimental. Self-willing detrimental.” But after a party I have no problem getting reflective, and Marina does get reflective here. “Rescue me from my mind.” Her reflections become my reflections, and with some really beautiful music to back up her harmonies. “I take myself to scary places in my head.” And, yes, you can dance to it. Not the high-stepping zydeco I was doing earlier, but dance nonetheless. Shoutout for Make This Minute Last, “One last dance, that’s all I ask.” Marina V

Kristin Asbjørnsen - If You're Going To Try

Voices visit from the nether world. “If you’re gonna try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You’ll be alone with the gods and the night will flame with fire. Do it all the way.” Words from bukowski’s great poem, roll the dice. Kristin’s music is a compliment to this dish. Tiramasu with a touch of raspberry sauce on the side and one lone raspberry on top. And, if you do have the power within yourself to go all the way “you will ride life straight to perfect laughter, it’s the only good fight there is.” Shoutout for I Wish To Weep – “We have narrowed it down to the butcherknife and the mockingbird. Wish us luck.” Kristin Asbjørnsen

Rickie Lee Jones - Circle In The Sand

Guitars introduce the images. “The sun’s going down, I’m going back to my cave. I’ve got no one to lead, no one to save. And I like funk music in my head. I think I’ll work for earth instead. Well I can draw a circle in the sand.” With a jagger-like attitude, rickie sings with a beauty that can only be reached by digging deep into untapped resources. The singers augment and do not distract. Shoutout for "It Hurts" & “Lamp Of The Body” – extraordinary performances. Rickie Lee Jones

Halie Loren - Maybe I'll Fly

“I’m getting buried underneath a crumbling castle while the pretty kingdom you built all falls down. Though once you treated me like royalty, that doesn’t mean anything now that you’ve stripped away the crown. Who was that little girl who gave in so quickly to the notion that a prince could make her life sound?” Journal entry? Short story? Doesn’t matter – I’m sure the words will hit home to many people. Beautiful melody and piano accompaniment. The voice is clear and alert. I really love the tag line, which shows the true human spirit that lives in all of us: “Now that you’ve let me fall, I’ll fly someday. I’ll learn to fly.” Thanks Halie! Halie Loren