Alejandro Escovedo “Faith” (2010)
To date, my musings in this blog have only covered music, and at times my personal relationship to it. I hope any readers may abide me a momentary detour, however, if for no other reason than that it eventually ties to a fantastic song by Alejandro Escovedo on which Bruce Springsteen also prominently appears.... Read More
Matthew Sweet “Morning Song” (2004)
..But music is such an amazing, powerful thing. A couple days before I’d been listening to a bunch of tunes by Matthew Sweet, and in the stillness his songs just kept running through my head, over and over, stuck in a loop. Especially this one, ‘Morning Song,’ as simple and beautiful a song... Read More
Chris Stapleton “Midnight Train To Memphis”
I got back to the garden. Not MSG, not that garden, but the one about which Joni Mitchell wrote and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young most famously sang: at the erstwhile home of Yasgur’s Farm, the mythical “garden” of Woodstock. This summer (this week, in fact) is exactly 50 years since “The Summer Of Love”...... Read More
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers “The Last DJ” (2002)
Something incredible happens when you tune in Sirius Radio channel 31. Supernatural, even. Tom Petty is still alive. Still there nonchalantly talking about music – his own, and that of multitudes of other artists. Still rambling from topic to topic in an excited but unhurried drawl. Still irreverent, a bit... Read More
Cat Stevens “Father and Son” (1970)
A Cat Stevens classic for Father's Day, which this father tearfully played for his son as guest-host on his last college radio show.... Read More
The White Buffalo “Modern Times” (2015)
Here’s my quick description of the video to follow: Burly, long-haired and bearded man dances frantically in front of a tattered, wood-paneled wall. That’s not exactly selling you? Please, give it two-and-a-half minutes, I’m confident you won’t be disappointed. This is Jake Smith, a singer/songwriter performing for roughly 16 years under the moniker The White...... Read More
Hozier “Nina Cried Power” (2018)
“It’s not the waking, it’s the rising” With that softly delivered line, Hozier begins one of the hardest-hitting songs I’ve heard in a very long time. “It’s a song about protest songs,” he says, “It’s a thank you note to the spirit of protest.” Hozier vaulted from obscurity to international acclaim with the roof-raising, anthemic...... Read More
Elliott Smith “Miss Misery” (1997)
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck brought Elliott Smith to much of the world, but my son Max brought him to me. And I feel extremely fortunate that he did; Smith’s songs regularly reached a level of poignancy I think few artists achieve, or probably even seek. His sweet, breathy vocals, painfully personal lyrics, and stripped-down,...... Read More
Amos Lee “Windows Are Rolled Down” (2011)
The Power Of Music I had definitely heard of folk singer/songwriter Amos Lee before this week but frankly knew next to nothing about him or his music. Then, due to circumstances I’ll get to later, I was forwarded the following note, which Lee had just issued to his fan mailing list on the day he...... Read More
Bill Withers “Ain’t No Sunshine” (1971)
Say that Bill Withers created a few of Soul/R&B’s most memorable songs ever, and I’d say “I know.” Say that he was an extremely uncharacteristic success story, and I’d say “I know” again. Say “I know” 24 more times (for a total of 26) and you’ll equal the number of times Withers said “I know”...... Read More