Keep Willy In Your Thoughts
06.15.2009
It is with a broken heart that I have to tell you that while the doctors examined Willy to prepare him for the Hep C treatment, they discovered that he has pancreatic cancer. He is doing okay and is not in pain and at home watching movies, listening to music, playing a little guitar and reading. We hug a lot and am grateful for the time we have together. Please send him your prayers and good wishes. With love from Nina

Shoes : Present Tense

[img][650:323]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b33/mcaputo/Shoes-1.jpg[/img]

Somehow "some" folks missed out on this classic power pop record from 1979.
Black Vinyl Shoes (their first) released a couple of years earlier in 1977 might even be better. Check out a couple of perfectly crafted singles in Too Late & Tomorrow Night

RIYL : Raspberries, The Records, Nick Lowe

Arriving some three years after their debut album release, Assorted Creams, which had already taken almost three years to come to fruition, Humblin’ (Across America) only took a relatively brisk eighteen months gestation from recording to release. And frankly I hope that’s the absolute longest I have to wait for the next instalment. The core line-up of the band, principal songwriter Darryl Mather (ex-Lime Spiders and Someloves), fellow Australian Anthony Bautovich (Coronet Blue), Mitch Easter (ex-Let’s Active and renowned producer of, amongst others, Pavement and early REM) and finally Ken Stringfellow (Posies and a bewildering number of other frequently simultaneously active projects) survives intact from their debut album. Mostly recorded at the celebrated Ardent Recording Studios in Memphis, a host of legendary southern musical figures have been enlisted in support. Occupying the drum stool throughout is Jody Stephens (ex-Big Star, Golden Smog), no doubt feeling at home as all three classic Big Star albums were recorded here. Jim Dickinson guests on piano on the album’s pensive opener, Vineyard Blues, whilst Spooner Oldham, half of one of the classic songwriting partnerships with Dan Penn, plays organ and piano on several other tracks. Featuring, as on Assorted Creams, a blend of power pop, rock and country, Humblin’ (Across America) has the added ingredient this time of more than a little southern soul - several tracks, What’s Your Crime and the single Any Way You Want It amongst them, wonderfully enhanced by bold brass arrangements. Ken Stringfellow handles all vocals throughout and has, quite simply, never sounded better than he does here, exuding emotion with strength, depth and clarity (Apparently he was so impressed with the results himself, that he purchased the microphone used on the recordings). Featuring stunning arrangements, wonderful chord changes, to-die-for tunes, ringing guitars (Mitch Easter in fine form), fluid pedal steel lines and a horn section to boot, this album really has the lot. Thirteen songs and two short instrumentals encompassing the euphoria of Annie Run Run Run, the introspection of Can You Imagine and the pristine pop of Freewheelin’, Humblin’ (Across America) emphatically hits the paydirt strongly hinted at by its predecessor. Recorded by a genuinely stellar line-up of musicians and enriched by the location of the recording and its musical heritage, The Orange Humble Band have crafted such a wonderful album that perhaps the core members of this part-time band ought to strongly reconsider their musical priorities. A classic.

Yikes, downloading immediately.

I bet "Humblin'" was their joke term for rape/murder.

This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful solo albums to come out of the whole English pub rock scene, and references to Bob Dylan and the Band are appropriate because the rootsy/folk-like intersections with their work are here. It's also a rival to the best work of Brinsley Schwarz, Ducks Deluxe, Eggs Over Easy, et al. (and no surprise -- the Brinsleys played on this album). Opening with the gorgeous, Dylanesque "Sebastian," built on a lyrical acoustic guitar part, Graham reveals himself a songwriter and player of extraordinary sensitivity -- he might easily have been another Alan Hull, or even bigger than that, had he been able to join a band with legs or hold his own career together. As it is, from that Dylan-like start, he and the Brinsleys deliver a brace of full electric numbers that rival the classic sound of the Band, starting with "So Lonely" -- the roots rock sound here is so authentically American that it will fool lots of listeners about its origins and source. For this album, "The Girl That Turned the Lever" and "For a Little While" are two of the finest working-class/folk-style compositions this side of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," and "Blues to Snowy" takes Graham into Lynyrd Skynyrd territory. "Belfast" finally takes listeners to Graham's real roots, in a bracing, fiddle-driven folk-based piece from that side of the Atlantic.

for me the most underrated musician on this forum is John Frusciante (RHCP's guitarist). He's crafted a sound in his albums which is quite different from the Peppers, and more interesting. His music is incredibly melodic, sometimes experimental, sometimes psychedelic, often personal, and his guitar soloing always captivating. Hes been quite prolific away from the Peppers, especially in 2004 when he released 7 albums (yes thats right - 7), and he wasnt coasting, they all have brilliant moments...

Phosphorescent - To Willie

This easily made my 2009 top 10 and I haven't heard much talk about it here. If you like Willie Nelson, you should really give this a try.

Phosphorescent - To Willie

This easily made my 2009 top 10 and I haven't heard much talk about it here. If you like Willie Nelson, you should really give this a try.

An album of covers is a tough thing to pull off - I dig this enough- but its hard to find anything here that outshines the originals at least vocally - the fuller orchestration may be dearer to some hearts.

Scottish indie poppers This Poison! flew under the radar for the most part, but between 1986 and 1988, they made some very fine music that the similarly fine folks at Egg Records have compiled on Magazine. The group recorded two singles for the Wedding Present’s Reception Records and the two bands had much in common: powerfully strummed guitars, skittering rhythms, and forceful vocals among them. This Poison! held their own on the songwriting stakes though, turning in some real gems like “Poised Over the Pause Button” and “The Great Divide” (which appeared on the 1988 Airspace Compilation LP) that combined the energy of punk with the melodicism of indie pop to often stunning effect. Fully nine of the songs on the collection were unreleased at the time and that sad fact was certainly not down to lack of quality, since songs like “Driving Skills,” “Question Mark,” and “Articulate” are as good as those on the two singles. The only dodgy part of the comp is the unlistenable (due to horrible sound quality) bonus demos at the end of the disc. No matter. Anyone who loved the punkier side of late-’80s British indie pop has to give it up to Egg for rescuing This Poison! and their fine music from the dustbin.

Phosphorescent - To Willie

This easily made my 2009 top 10 and I haven't heard much talk about it here. If you like Willie Nelson, you should really give this a try.

Phosphorescent - To Willie

This easily made my 2009 top 10 and I haven't heard much talk about it here. If you like Willie Nelson, you should really give this a try.

3 or 4 songs in and I'm enjoying this.