iPod Tour
By You Can't Hear it on the Radio
November 30, 2010
BoxOfficeProphets.com

Tell me this isn't something you want in your life
You Can't Hear it on the Radio is a blog about the current golden age of music. At no time since the 1960s has there been such an output of quality music by so many varied artists. Add to that technology that makes it easier than ever for the curious to find good music today. But, like an unlimited selection at an all-you-can-eat buffet, there's no table service. You will have to seek it out. The old model is dead. Generally speaking, you can't hear it on the radio. You can learn about it here, though.

My "400" playlist is made up of songs I've added to my iPod most recently as well as songs I haven't heard in over a year. This is my go to playlist when I want a nice blend of any/all of the music in my collection - it's my own private radio station. Let's go on a little tour. Here's five songs from this playlist that came up on shuffle that I felt like writing about.

1) Laura Veirs - Carol Kaye

It took me a long time to decide whether I was going to buy July Flame, Laura Veirs' album from January of this year. This was one of the songs I heard from podcast song of the day downloads that sealed the deal. Though you may or may not know that Carol Kaye is an American music legend, you've definitely heard her work. Coming into her own as a bass player right at the time the music studio was becoming a more sophisticated and integral ingredient in the production of records, Carol Kaye found steady work for decades as a session musician, completing an estimated 10,000 sessions. This song is a sweet tribute to Kaye that name drops many of her most recognizable works with the Beach Boys and on television soundtracks like "Mission: Impossible". I'm moderately obsessed with both this song and with Carol Kaye at the present. As for Laura Veirs' July Flame, I don't know why I waited so long.

2) The Black Keys - Same Old Thing
After really loving The Black Keys' album Brothers and concluding it will be one of my favorite albums from this year, it was interesting to hear this song from their Danger Mouse produced album from 2008, Attack and Release, which was just outside of my top ten that year. I like both varieties of my Black Keys' music, the stripped down garage blues variety as well as the fuller sounding more produced variety. This song, with trilling flute evocative of Jethro Tull and other (quite literally) bells and whistles, is obviously in the latter camp, but no less awesome than when the dynamic duo are doing their thing by themselves.

3) The Budos Band - Unbroken, Unshaven
A good instrumental is essential to my music collection. There's nothing like watching my kids play soccer while listening to "Summertime Killer" or something similar to soundtrack the action on the field. The Budos Band's music is so good, it's destined to be featured in a Quentin Tarantino movie some day, and that's about as big of a compliment as I can give it. This song is from a recent song of the day podcast, but I know there are three albums worth of gems out there that I'm eventually going to purchase. Like, maybe right now.

4) New Century Masters - Gentry Pines
Time for a mystery. This song has a pleasant and familiar swinging vibe to it. Is this the Kinks circa Waterloo Sunset? It might as well be, but it's not. New Century Masters might be the Twin Cities answer to the Redwalls, a local Chicago (suburbs) act very inspired by the '60s British Invasion sound. All I know is this song is pretty good and I want to hear more from this band. Their September 2010 release is called "Volume III: Rarities and Odd Ditties" which suggests they've been around at least a little while. They don't have a wikipedia page, which suggests they haven't been around that long, or they don't realize how old guys like me get their information. You can stream (or buy) their whole album at their bandcamp page. Their music is not available at Amazon, suggesting these guys either aren't interested in making money or they are interested in making money, depending on your view of Amazon. Are you confused yet, because I am. If you want some answers you might want to listen to this interview from MPR The Current, in which all will be explained. Unfortunately there's no grooveshark widget for this song, so I recommend you stream their album from the bandcamp link.

5) Isobell Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Come Undone
If you don't know already, Isobel Campbell was an original member of Belle and Sebastian, contributing vocals and cello through 2002, and Mark Lanegan was the lead singer of underrated grunge era band Screaming Trees, best known for their song "I Nearly Lost You". Their album Sweet Oblivion got much play in my college dorm room. If the album came out now days, I'm not sure if the grunge label would be attached to it, or if it would just be recognized as a great sounding heavy rock album. Or more likely it wouldn't be recognized, but it was a damn good sounding release that still holds up in my view. Consider this a bonus stop on the tour.

From that disparate foundation, Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan found each other and have collaborated on three albums together. Their latest, Hawk, came out in August. Critics note that there is something greater than the sum of the parts that happens when these unique talents sing and play together, and the track "Come Undone" is a good representation of that alchemy. Menacing strings, plinking piano, and a disinterested bass line form the basis for an intimate, resigned exchange between two lovers. It's not working out, they admit, the singers lamenting how time "took my only flame, took my one desire // threw it all away, when jumping in the fire". A relatively simple sentiment made all the more meaningful by the treatment given by two singers that sound great together.

--Steve

For the original version of this post, including music, click here.