A few Christmas songs for you...

I have pretty traditional tastes when it comes to Christmas carols. Here are some of my faves by one of my favorite choirs, The Cambridge Singers:

GOOD (CHRISTMAS) SONG: Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow
This is a great Christmas song that is also actually a very old spiritual that was sung by slaves. Once I realized that, the song made much more sense and was much more meaningful. The main singer would sing the verses and the other slaves would sing the refrain "Rise up, shepherd, and follow." It was a way for the slaves (who were forbidden to be educated and to learn how to read and write) to transmit the Nativity story. It's interesting, though, because according to the Gospels, it was the Magi who actually followed the star, whereas in the song, it's the shepherds. I think the slaves would have found the lowly shepherds easier to identify with and the words "Rise up" and "follow the star" would have resonated with them greatly (rising up out of the fields, following the North Star to safety, etc.). This song is AWESOME when sung by a men's choir. It is just made for it.

"The Shepherds Led by the Star Arriving in Bethlehem" by Octave Penguilly L'Haridon

GOOD (CHRISTMAS) SONG: Twas in the Moon of Wintertime
This song is also known as "The Huron Carol" and is Canada's oldest Christmas song! It was written by St. Jean de Brebeuf, a Jesuit missionary to the Huron tribe in Canada. He wrote it originally in the native Huron language, and it was then translated into English years later. It still refers to God as "Gitchi Manitou" which means God in Huron. Traditional nativity imagery is replaced by Huron imagery: Jesus being born "within a lodge of broken bark" "wrapped in a ragged robe of rabbit skin"and is adored by visiting chiefs who give him gifts of "fox and beaver pelt." I love that this great saint took the story of Christ's birth and made it accessible to the Native Americans he was working with in both language and imagery and still kept the mystery and sanctity of it clear.

"Rest on the Flight Into Egypt" by Luc Olivier Merson

GOOD (CHRISTMAS) SONG: I Wonder as I Wander
This song has an interesting story: unlike most traditional carols, which come from Germany or England or some other similar Northern European country, this song originates somewhere in Appalachian North Carolina. The composer John Jacob Niles heard a snatch of it being sing by a young girl dressed in rags, got it stuck in his head, and then elaborated upon it. I think it is lovely and haunting in its simplicity.

Hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

Over and out,
Anna

Thank you for holding

Thank you for holding on...
Sorry I've been a bit MIA recently. I'm back in action, though! More good music coming your way, just in time for Christmas!

Channeling the spirit of every awesome female singer ever is a hard job,
but somebody's gotta do it.

GOOD SONG: "Hold On" by the Alabama Shakes

This band is so good that they just made up this song, right on the spot, in a live performance, when one of the band members'  guitar string broke (hence the title "Hold On"). Say wha??

They're from Athens, Alabama, and so far have only put out a short four-song EP, but the full-length album is coming soon.  The lead singer and frontwoman Brittany Howard has the most amazing voice--  retro and kinda punky at the same time. So much soul! YES! But they can do much, much more than just soul/RnB. They can definitely also play some serious, unpretentious rock n' roll. I'm psyched for their album. Their song made it onto a Zales jewelry commercial, so I'm sure they will be hitting it big-time soon. Although maybe getting your song onto a holiday commercial before you've even released a full album counts as already hitting it big-time...

If you liked this song, you might also like:
Otis Redding
Sharon Jones
Raphael Saadiq
Rolling Stones
Kings of Leon
Janis Joplin

Over and out,
Anna

Everyone Loves Bobby D (Covers Month Post #4)

Yes! Making my four-post-a-month quota! Whoo-hoo!

Last post for COVERS MONTH:

GOOD (ORIGINAL) SONG: Lay Lady Lay by Bob Dylan

I am a HUGE Dylan fan (as anyone in their right mind should be, of course). I love this song, even though it doesn't sound like "normal" Dylan. It's from his 1969 album "Nashville Skyline," which shows off Dylan's amazing folk-song writing skills, but with much, much smoother-sounding vocals. Why? He quit smoking! And, boy, can you tell! All the songs on this album are FANTASTIC, I can't lie. This one is great, though. It's obviously slightly sexually charged (lay on his bed, yeah yeah, I get it), but still rather sweet to me. Maybe it's that he's calling her lady. My favorite line?

"Why wait any longer for the one you love

When he's standing in front of you?"

Oh yeah, and you gotta love the cowbell.

He's Norwegian. He's not comfortable singing if it isn't snowing.

GOOD (COVER) SONG: Lay Lady Lay by Magnet w/ Gemma Hayes

This one has a much sexier, fuller, more lustrous sound. Check out those violins! Magnet, a Norwegian singer, has chosen to make it into a duet with Irish singer Gemma Hayes, which totally works. Magnet (a.k.a. Even Johansen) has a smooth voice, too, but in a much different way than Nashville-Skyline-era-Bobby-D. I don't know how I'd describe it. Languid? Sleepy? Soft? And Gemma Hayes's voice has a nice, slightly husky twang to it. It's definitely worth a listen. I wouldn't say I like this song better than the original, but it gives it a run for its money. It's from his album 2003 "On Your Side," which I got when it came out, and have enjoyed since then. I'm a big fan of Norway's music scene. They've been producing a lot of great musicians for a while now. 

BEST MOVIE EVER!

I would be ashamed to make a post of great Dylan cover songs without mentioning the fantastic film "I'm Not There" (2007). I am a HUGE fan. It's great for Dylan fans, or anyone interested in music or film, for that matter. It's especially interesting if you have read Bob Dylan's book Chronicles, Volume One and/or seen the Fellini film "8 1/2." It makes a lot more sense if you have seen them. It's a very odd film.  

There are a TON of great covers of Dylan songs throughout the movie. In fact, the entire soundtrack is awesome Dylan covers by all sorts of musicians. Here is give you one of my favorite original/cover duos:

I beg to differ, Mr. Zimmerman.

GOOD (ORIGINAL) SONG: Moonshiner (live) by Bob Dylan 

From his album "Live at the Gaslight 1962" (recorded at the Gaslight, in Greenwich Village, a few blocks away from my house), this song is an old, old song. It's definitely not a Bob Dylan original. It's probably an American folk song, but some say it's Irish. Personally, given the use of the very American term "moonshine" I would say it's American. Whatever it is, it's melancholy and beautiful. This has his more recognizable voice. It is a heartbreaking song sung from the point of view of a lonely old alcoholic. 

"The whole world's a bottle,

and life's but a dram,

when the bottle get's empty,

it sure ain't worth a damn."

Moral of the story: you are what you drink, folks. 

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
-Oscar Wilde

GOOD (COVER) SONG: Moonshiner by Bob Forrest

Although it's hard for me to choose, I think this may be my favorite cover on the whole soundtrack. And that's saying a lot! Bob Forrest takes this song and OWNS it. The harmonica! Amazing! The percussion! Awesome! I love how everything kicks into gear after the line "Their breath is as sweet as/ a dew on the vine." I feel he gives the song more feeling than Dylan does, honestly. Given Forrest's long, public struggle with (and final victory over!) addiction, there may actually BE more feeling there. A sad song overall, but Forrest nails it, and makes it moving and new every time I listen to it. 

Go out and buy that soundtrack!!

If you liked these songs, you might also like:

Kings of Convenience

The Tallest Man on Earth

Neil Young

John Prine

Thelonious Monster

Over and out,

Anna

Preachers and Talking Heads (Covers Month Post #3)

Another great song and great cover:

I have to admit,"smarmy" is the first word that comes to my mind
when I see this photo.

GOOD (ORIGINAL) SONG: Take Me to the River by Al Green, from his album "Al Green Explores Your Mind."
This song is classic R&B/soul amazingness. It's clearly a "woman done did me wrong" sort of song, but with some baptismal overtones. I like the little dedication in the beginning.
Al Green (or the Reverend Al Green, as he is known now) is a living legend. He is one of the most famous soul singers of all time. He sold more than twenty million records! Insanity. Like me, he was the sixth child in his family, and unlike me, was the son of a sharecropper. In 1974, at the height of his career, things changed. Supposedly after a horrible incident with a girlfriend of his (who gave him serious burns and then killed herself), he became a preacher at Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Memphis. He still does some recording, but his role as preacher remains first and foremost in his life. Perhaps this song was a hint of future baptisms to come...
His voice, high and strong, is sooooo good. I'm sure he is a fantastically charismatic preacher.

Gooftacular.

GOOD (COVER) SONG: Take Me to the River by the Talking Heads, from their album "More Songs About Buildings and Food"(great album title).
Theirs is quite a different version, which I can appreciate. I mean, what good is a cover song, really, if you don't take it and make it your own? The beat is fantastic. They make the song kinda trippy, especially with that organ in the background (I think that's what that is). The Talking Heads understand this.
I have a special place in my heart for the Talking Heads. They rose to fame on my very street, at the late, great CBGB on Bleecker Street (about four blocks from where I grew up). David Byrne, the lead singer, still continues to make awesome music, although the band itself broke up in 1991. Their sound is hard to pin down, but Byrne's voice is very distinctive. They're famous for using odd instruments and combining all sorts of influences. I love them.

If you like these songs, you might also check out:
Marvin Gaye
Otis Redding
Jackie Wilson
Brian Eno
Tom Tom Club
Television

Over and out,
Anna

Break It Down! (Covers Month Post #2)

H'okay, moving on with Covers Month:

Look at that snazzy man. He's diabolically snazzy!
Maybe it's the hat...

GOOD ORIGINAL SONG: Stop Breaking Down Blues by Robert Johnson

What an awesome song! And definitely cover-worthy. Johnson himself is quite the legend-- an incredible blues musician and guitarist, he died by being poisoned (supposedly) in 1937 (the same year he recorded this song) at the age of 27. Eric Clapton called him "the most important blues singer that ever lived," which is quite a statement. Legends about him making a deal with the Devil in return for musical ability abound, and the man has some crazy stories. This song, though, is pretty straight-forwardly amazing. It's a pretty funny song to me-- basically a guy complaining about all the other people in his life who are "breaking down" on him. Bluesy yet also a pretty upbeat song.

There are a lot of covers of this song, unsurprisingly, but here are my faves:

Only TRUE rock stars can get away with the no shirt + vest combo.

GOOD (COVER) SONG #1: Stop Breaking Down by the Rolling Stones

Whoa! Nice one! This cover is from "Exile on Main Street" (1972) which is one of my top ten albums of all time, which is saying a lot. The whole album is GENIUS. This song in particular is great-- they made it much more raw with that piano riffing and the harmonica and wailing gee-tar. They took this song and OWNED it.

Fringed shirts are also largely owned by rock stars. 

GOOD (COVER) SONG #2: Stop Breaking Down by the White Stripes

This song is from their self-titled album released in 1999 (wow, that was a long time ago). They took that whole "raw" sound to a WHOLE 'nother level here. Jack White's distinctive whine  + those bashing drums = Robert Johnson rockin' out in his grave.

I have a hard time deciding which version of this song I like the best. It basically depends on my mood. Check 'em out. What's your opinion?

If you liked this song/these songs, you might also like:

The Black Keys
Muddy Waters
Leadbelly
Led Zeppelin
The Raconteurs

Over and out,
Anna


 

Run for Cover(s)!

H'okay, so I am declaring this November to be GOOD (COVER) SONG Month! Hip hip hooray! Huzzah! And there was much rejoicing. This month's posts will be dedicated to artists who have done great covers of songs by other artists. There are many. It will be a difficult task to narrow it down to just a few, but I will proceed, undaunted in my quest.
Here goes nothin':

You can tell he's a metalhead because he has long hair parted in the middle.
And because she looks pissed. 

GOOD (COVER) SONG #1: Orion by Rodrigo Y Gabriela (the original is by Metallica).

I have never been the biggest Metallica fan, so maybe this good cover song post is a bit unfair, since I'm bound to think that many covers of this song will be better than the original. But whatever. The cover is legitimately really amazing. And am I surprised? No. Rodrigo Y Gabriela are insanely good musicians.

Originally from Mexico, they began their music careers playing in a metal band. Hence their awesome musical chops. Much as I dislike a lot of metal, technically, metal musicians are often the best of the best (as my former metalhead brother likes to remind me). They grew frustrated with the scene, moved to Europe, started busking in Ireland, and the rest is history. Their most recent album, 11:11, dropped in fall of 2009. Their surprisingly cool blend of flamenco guitar with metal riffs is quite unique and a lot of fun to listen to. I guess it makes sense- both the metal world and the flamenco guitar world revolve around guitar and percussion, and give rise to a lot of virtuosos. Listen to that percussion-- all done on the guitar itself! So cool. They way they use their hands reminds me a lot of these guys.
If you have to get up at 3:30 am and give a loved one a ride to the airport in the dark, and you're still tired, they're a good band to listen to. Trust me on that one.

If you liked this song, you might also like:

Metallica (obviously)
Slayer
Led Zeppelin
Gypsy Kings
Paco de Lucia

Over and out,
Anna

Some cutesy fun

Still need a bit more help getting up in the morning?
Here's another remedy for ya:
GOOD SONG: Light Bulb (ANR Remix) by Rachel Goodrich

So THIS is the famed founder of Shake-a-billy.
Interesting.

Such a fun song! I recommend it as a purely fun, danceable ditty to brighten your day a bit. Don't think too much about the words. The remix is better than the original, which is too cutesy for my taste. However, the original song has a HILARIOUS video:
Check it out here: Lightbulb video
Rachel Goodrich is a Miami-based musician, who claims to be a "shake-a-billy" artist. Yeah, OK, whatever the heck that means. I hate all these new micro-genres that people make up. Anyway, though, her music is definitely fun and quirky (although I fear she might be a perfect living example of Problem #4 here) . She can play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, kazoo, autoharp, piano, and others (question: who *can't* play the kazoo?). Her first album, entitled "Tinker Toys" came out in 2008, and her new self-titled album came out this year.  If you like twee-pop, or retro-sounding/vaudevillian stuff, you will enjoy her un-remixed music.

If you liked this song/the original song, you might also like:
The Boy Least Likely To
Lykke Li
Jens Lekman
April Smith & the Great Picture Show

Over and out,
Anna

The Viking of 6th Avenue

New York has been home to many weirdos, freaks, characters, and oddballs (including me). One of the greatest?
MOONDOG!!
A.K.A. "The Viking of 6th Avenue"

I'm seriously considering dressing up as Moondog for Halloween.
Unfortunately, most people would just assume I was a Viking.
Dang.

Seriously, folks, this man was a MUSICAL GENIUS. And also, probably, totally bonkers. Which is one of my favorite combinations ever.
Background? Moondog (born Louis T. Hardin, in Kansas) was a blind jazz musician who moved to New York City in the 1940's and lived (by choice!) as a street musician, mostly on 6th Avenue, dressed as Odin, the Viking god. 
H'amazing.
Anyways, he had a genius for mixing traditional elements of jazz, like saxophone and flute, with native American percussion and ambient city street noises, like honking horns. His music is instantly identifiable by its unusual rhythms, characteristic lack of any instruments other than woodwind and brass (with a few exceptions), and funny names. Some of his songs also have male choruses and such. Those are good ones, too. If you're curious, watch the Jens Lekman video I posted at the bottom of this post.
As I have mentioned before, I am not a huge jazz fan, but this guy's music is just incredible. And different. Because of his talent and his strategic busking location, he managed to catch the attention of many famous musicians of his time, like Benny Goodman, Charlie Parker, Leonard Bernstein, Toscanini, and Philip Glass.
You HAVE to give him a listen.


GOOD SONG #1: Bird's Lament by Moondog
This song was written in honor of Charlie Parker. Such great saxamaphone.
GOOD SONG #2: Get a Move On by Mr. Scruff (with heavy sampling of Bird's Lament by Moondog)
What an awesome remix! And look at that video-- hilarious! Most of his videos have that goofy animation, actually. Another wonderful human being.

GOOD SONG #4: All is Loneliness by Moondog, sung by Janis Joplin.

Oh yeah, and he invented the Trimba.

(How did I find out about Moondog, you might ask? I was at a Jens Lekman concert in 2007 in NYC and he covered Moondog's song "Paris." You can watch him sing it at that VERY SAME concert here on this GOOD SONG VIDEO. Gotta love youtube!)

Over and out,
Anna

Better than an alarm clock!

Need a little help getting up in the morning?

I know I do. What with this incredibly gloomy MONTH of bad weather, it hasn't been too easy to get my butt out of bed and out the door every day.
I recommend a healthy helping of some GOOD SONGS to assist you in your quest.

Their music is so energizing, it almost makes me want
to go biking. Almost.

GOOD SONG #1:Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People

GOOD SONG #2: Call It What You Want by Foster the People.

Foster the people was originally called Foster & the People, but because people kept messing it up, the new version stuck. Mark Foster, Mark Pontius, and Cubbie Fink (yeah, amazing name, I know) are the three main members, with some other dudes (Sean Cimino and Isom Innis) coming out to play at their live performances. They formed in California and DANG, do they make some find indie-pop. Really, if this stuff doesn't get you out of bed with your head bopping, I don't know what will. They released an EP in January, and their full album, entitled "Torches," dropped in May of this year. There are already various remixes of this stuff (check out The Hype Machine), which doesn't surprise me at all. It's just begging for it.

FYI, they will be playing on SNL on October 8th (this coming Saturday).

If you liked these songs, you might also check out:
Passion Pit
Local Natives
The Go! Team
Campire Weekend
and lots of other indie-pop groups which are popping up (ha! pun!) all over the place

Over and out,
Anna

My favorite post ever... Also my dorkiest.

Today is a very important day. It's two people's birthdays. Guess. No, not me and my friend. Guess again.

Yes, that's right! You guessed it!

BILBO AND FRODO BAGGINS!

HAPPY HOBBIT DAY!

Good Lord, I do love hobbits.

OK, so I know I am a huge dweeb. I really don't care. I am in fantastic company, because do you know who else were big LOTR/Hobbit dorks?

LED ZEPPELIN.
That's right. So I am not ashamed.

And in honor of this festive occasion, I am posting one of the best renditions of a Led Zep song ever done:
GOOD (TOLKEIN-FRIENDLY) SONG: Battle of Evermore by the London Philharmonic covering Led Zeppelin

Note: PLEASE do NOT dismiss this song just because it is by Led Zeppelin (for those of you not into classic rock) or because it has some LOTR references in the original lyrics. It is AMAZING!!

This song is from an entire album of Led Zeppelin covers played by the London Philharmonic entitled "Kashmir: Symphonic Led Zeppelin." If you ever thought you might want to go marching into battle against orcs and goblins and ring-wraiths, this should be your soundtrack. I'm really not kidding.
I love this one song from the album because it's beautiful and stirring and magical-sounding and all sorts of cool/nerdy adjectives.
I picked it for today, because the original song (GOOD SONG ALERT!) has lyrics that reference Lord of the Rings.
For example:
"Oh war is the common cry, 
Pick up your swords and fly.
The sky is filled with good and bad that mortals never know.

Oh, well, the night is long 
The beads of time pass slow,
Tired eyes on the sunrise, waiting for the eastern glow.

The pain of war cannot exceed 
The woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall, 
the ring wraiths ride in black, 
Ride on."


I hope you enjoyed that magical moment. Enjoy your pipe-smoking, dragon-slaying, second-breakfast-eating, ring-wearing, riddle-sharing, or whatever else you do today in honor of hobbits everywhere.

If you liked this song, you might also check out:
anything by Hans Zimmer
The London Philharmonic playing Pink Floyd (it happened!)

Over and out,
Anna

Dream Team Number TWO!

GOOD SONG #2: End of the Line by the Traveling Wilburys

Jeff Lynne (the fourth greatest record producer of all time)? Check.
Tom Petty? Check.

Roy Orbison? Check.

George Harrison? Check. 

BOB DYLAN? CHECK. 

AAAH! So much talent in one photo! My blog might explode!

DUDE.
THAT is a sick line-up of all-stars. You can't get a whole lot more talent packed into a group of four.

Sadly, they only recorded two albums, and the second one hadn't even come out before Roy Orbison died. Each band member took on a pseudonym, pretending to be one of four Wilbury brothers. George was Nelson Wilbury, Jeff was Otis, Roy was Lefty, Tom was Charlie T., and Bob was Lucky. They also had a drummer, Jim Keltner, who went by the name Buster Sidebury. Clearly, they were all so famous at this point, they were just enjoying being goofy and having a fun time and making great music at the same time. It was born out of friendship and collaboration and just pure love for music and fun times. Their songs are generally pretty lighthearted and upbeat and pretty awesome classic rock.
I absolutely love the combination of all these famous voices together. They work together surprisingly well.
I think they might take the cake as the msot ridiculously talented musical all-star supergroup.
Enjoy.
And remember:
"Well it's alllll right,  even if you're old and grey
Well it's alllll right, you still got something to say
Well it's allllll right, remember to live and let live
Well it's allllll right, the best you can do is forgive."


If you liked this song, you might also check out:
Obviously Petty, Dylan, Orbison, Harrison, etc.
Also:
Electric Light Orchestra
The Eagles
The Hollies
Neil Young
John "Cougar" Mellencamp
John Fogerty


Over and out,
Anna

Dream Teams for the Athletically Challenged

The other night some friends and I were talking about sports. Or, rather, they were talking about sports and I was listening. I was never really into sports (I like this one, though). However, the idea of the "dream team" fascinates me. Especially musically. 

Here is the first of two musical dream teams that I think deserve some love on the AGSIHTF.

Hey! That's not Reggae Pie! That's Chinese take-out!

GOOD SONG: Reggae Pie by Mister Heavenly

Joe Plummer- Modest Mouse drummer? Check. 

Ryan Kattner- Man Man singer? Check.

Nick Thorburn- Islands/The Unicorns singer? Check.  
(Oh yeah, and Michael Cera was the bass player for a while. Go figure).
That's some serious indie rock cred going on there. You can see the influences of all their individual styles in Mister Heavenly, and it really works. 
I love the song Reggae Pie for its slightly trippy sound- gotta love the sludgy organs in the background. Kattner (aka Honus Honus) has a unique voice with a sort of deep, crazy, ominous edge to it, yet it works really well with Thorburn's totally different, much higher voice. 


I find the lyrics interesting, too:
"It is too late to say that I want you
more than a man should ever admit to?
Is it passé to claim that I need you
more than a man should ever commit to?
And I don't care if I'm out of line.
And I don't care if we're marking time.
And I don't care if you'll never be mine,
Cuz I'm yours."


Is there a limit to how much a man can say he loves someone or wants someone or needs someone before he starts to lose cred with his friends? Or before he starts looking crazy? Or before he starts to feel "uncool?" Probably. Because, let's be honest, for many people these days, looking hip and un-passé is not easily compatible with loving someone and being dependent, in any way, upon another. It's not cool 
to seem as if you aren't totally yourself without anyone's help. 


Alright, no more pontificating on the plight of modern-day love (and the lack there-of). Anyhoo, they have only one album so far, which was just released, entitled "Out of Love." It's a bit goofy-- what do you expect from an album from the "Doom Wop" genre? (Who thinks up these genres, anyway?). It's definitely worth a listen (or more than just one, I'd say), especially with indie all-star musicians like that in their starting line-up. OK that's where my "sporty" vocabulary ends. If I go any further, I might embarrass myself.  

BUY THEIR MUSIC HERE: Mister Heavenly on Sub Pop Records

If you liked this song, you might also check out:
(obviously)
Man Man
Modest Mouse
Islands
The Unicorns
and also...
Dr. Dog
Foster the People
Yellow Ostrich
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Over and out,
Anna

The Week in Review, Part Two

(hey it rhymes.... if you say two more like "tew")


So, what else happened?

Sorrento by night. Bustling and beautiful.

ITALY!
From Roma to Rimini, it was a great trip, but too much to talk about here. 
Here's what I was BLASTING on my headphones in Italy (both songs from my boyfriend's mix, thanks dude). 


GOOD (TRAVELING) SONG #1: Asfalt Tango by Fanfare Ciocârlia
Crazzzzy Romanian band with an AWESOME beat and horn section. If you like Beirut or Balkan Beat Box, then definitely check these guys out. If you like it and you're ever in NYC, go to Mehanata to go dancing. You won't regret it. 
It's a perfect song for the insanity I had while traveling, going to a from train stations with huge suitcases in tow, surrounded by lots and lots of crazy southern Italians in the blistering heat.  Italy doesn't believe in air-conditioning. Blargh. 

They look like they're having a great time...probably because
they're in a building with air-conditioning.

GOOD (TRAVELING) SONG #2: Senegal Fast Food by Amadou et Mariam (produced by Manu Chao)
This song is still on repeat in my car. You can tell it's been produced by Manu Chao- he samples his own stuff and he sings in the video. It might as well be his song. And I don't care. It's fantastic. The harmonica???!! Amazing.  And look at those sunglasses that Amadou and Mariam are wearing!! So styling, you gotta love it. The song/video definitely has some sort of political overtones, etc., but I don't know much about the French-Senegalese relationship, so I don't really know what to say about it. 


What else happened recently?
SCHOOOOOOL!
My sister likes to joke that school is a four-letter word: SKUL


But seriously, forks, it's true: School has started again. Back to teaching!
In celebration:
GOOD (SCHOOL) SONG #1: Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl by Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters was a freakin genius. He (and B.B. King) is who got me into the blues. Sooooo good. Yes, the song may be a bit, um, inappropriate, especially for our age-sensitive ears these days, but still... Let's just pretend it's about young love. 

Why the long face Muddy? YOU'RE A MUSICAL GENIUS!
Don't be upset!

GOOD (SCHOOL) SONG #2: Be True to Your School- The Beach Boys
Absolutely hilarious lyrics:
"When some loud braggart tries to put me down
And says his school is great
I tell him right away
'what's the matter buddy?
Ain't you heard of my school?
It's number one in the state.'
So be true to your school now
Just like you would to your girl or guy
Be true to your school now
And let your colors fly."


Maybe these are only funny to me since I never had any school spirit in high school or college, so it just seems absurd. NYU is not noted for its great athletics, I will remind you.


And tonight?
The National, Wye Oak, and Yo La Tengo at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland! WHOO-HOO!
Here's what I might hear...
Reasonable Man (I Don't Mind) by The National, from their 2004 EP Cherry Tree. Great lyrics. 
Sometimes I Don't Get You by Yo La Tengo from their album I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (best album title ever). 


Gotta run!
Over and out,
Anna

The Week in Review, Part 1

So, I was out of town for a while (again), this time in Italy, and it was hard to do a lot of posts. Which is sad-making, since August now only has two posts, and it's my one-year anniversary of the blog!
To make up for it, I am going to do two little "Week in Review" posts, since it seems like a LOT has happened in the past week or so.

First up?
THE VIRGINIA EARTHQUAKE!
I'm kinda sad I missed this, I gotta admit.

It's true-- it was kinda a big nothing.

GOOD (EARTHQUAKE) SONG: Earthquake Weather- Beck
From his album Guero, which was awesome.

Next?
HURRICANE IRENE!
GOOD (HURRICANE) SONG #1: Buckets of Rain- Bob Dylan
From my favorite Dylan album, Blood on the Tracks (which has my two all-time favorite Dylan songs, which I will not reveal here, since I might post on them sometime...). Obviously the Dylan song "Hurricane" would have been appropriate, too, but it seemed a bit *too* obvious. And it also has nothing to do with a real hurricane.

GOOD (HURRICANE) SONG #2: Have You Ever Seen the Rain?- Creedence Clearwater Revival
I grew up listening to this on tape in my minivan as my mother and I would drive to upstate NY. Great to listen to on a back porch during a rainstorm, if you have the chance. You can't get much better than CCR.

They've seen the rain alright... the reign of TERRIBLE HAIRCUTS.

GOOD (HURRICANE) SONG #3: Irene- Caribou
Seemed appropriate.  I love the chill electronica of Caribou. It's sort of melancholy, like the rain. Dan Snaith, the man behind Caribou, is a genius.

OK so he is a genius. Which clearly means bat-sh*t crazy, too.
I like that.

To be continued...

Over and out,
Anna

Hold Your Head Up

Summer isn't over, folks! I thought I would post another GOOD (SUMMER) SONG while it was still the season.
I heard this song recently and knew I had to post it. It is a great, fun, super-catchy song that I have been humming since I first heard it a week or two ago. Give it a listen!!

Rockin out. Me likey.

GOOD (SUMMER) SONG: Beacon by Matt Duncan
Listen to those horns! The piano! And is that an accordion in the background? Amazing! I love the R&B vibes combined with the indie-pop sound. The whole EP is worth a listen, really. Matt Duncan, based in Kentucky, released his six-song EP entitled Beacon, winter of 2010. I can't find out too much about him, other than the facts I already mentioned (from Kentucky, male, young, makes music) but his music is happy-making.
I love the lyrics to the song, especially the first verse and chorus (I'm a sucker for songs that mention NY, for obvious reasons). It's funny, though, because I first thought that he was saying "Hold your head up, you're in Beacon"; Beacon is a artsy little town in upstate NY that I had *just* read an article about in the NY Times (read it here). But that's not what he is saying. Fortunately I like the real lyrics better than my imagined ones.

"I got friends in New York City
'Cause everyone I know left town
That's the place your day lit dreams go
Where you can't see the sun go down

Hold your head up, you're a beacon
You pull me northward in my car
You don't have to hit the big time, baby
We know who you are."

BUY HIS MUSIC HERE: Matt Duncan

If you liked this song, you might also check out:

Beirut

Jens Lekman

Elvis Costello

The Magnetic Fields

Over and out,
Anna

Maryland Represent!

So here I am chilling in upstate NY, in the Catskills, a-listenin' to some dang good alt-rock-folk-whatever-genre-you-wanna-call-it. And while I will always be a New Yorker, it's true, I have to give some much-deserved love to the great state of Maryland, since I am a resident of it now.
So, without further ado, here is Wye Oak, straight outta Baltimo'.

Apparently they're not only a good band, but also
a good decorating theme. 

GOOD SONG: Civilian by Wye Oak

I am sure you knew immediately (since you're all really into Maryland state tree history, I know)  the band is named after the famous Wye Oak tree of Maryland, the largest white oak tree in the United States... until it was destroyed in a thunderstorm in 2002. Extremely sad-making. It was 460 years old! DUDE. (In case you were curious, the largest white oak tree in the US now is the Linden Oak, located on the corner of Rockville Pike and Beach Drive in North Bethesda, MD. Nice.)
Anyhoo, they make great music together, these two. Oh yes, and "these two" consists of Andy Stack (known to play drums and keyboard at the same time!!) and Jenn Wasner. They've released three albums so far, with the most recent being Civilian (March of this year).  I love the steady rhythm that gets kicked into high gear half-way through the song. Wasner's voice has real strength to it, as does her guitar work, which goes from a nice country-ish strumming to some serious rock-n-rolling. The lyrics, in my humble opinion, show the struggle that many people do with a need for a real relationship, but having shortcomings get in the way.

"Perfectly able to hold my own hand/
but I still can't kiss my own neck/
I wanted to give you everything/
but I still stand in awe of superficial things/
I wanted to love you like my mother's mother's mothers did/
civilian."

If you liked this song, you might also like:
Deer Tick
The Cave Singers
The Rosebuds
Other Lives
Neko Case
The Rural Alberta Advantage

Over and out,
Anna

Doctor's Orders

Feeling washed out?

Take two of these, take a drive on the highway at night with the windows down, and don't call me in the morning.

Washed Out makes good music for days when
you take pictures like these. 

GOOD SONG #1: Far Away by Washed Out (be aware the album cover is a pretty sexual image)

GOOD SONG #2: Eyes Be Closed by Washed Out (" ") 

So who is Washed Out? It's Ernest Greene, from Georgia. He's a one-man-chillwave-band who just released his first full-length album entitled "Within and Without" from Sub Pop Records. He began just recording his music in his basement in his little hometown of Perry, Georgia, and has risen to (moderate) fame (in the chillwave world, which is pretty limited). People have busted a move trying to classify and describe his sound, with words like "gauzy," "ecstatic," "organic," "lingering," and others. His sound has definitely been inspired by 1980's synth-pop and contemporary hip-hop (listen to those beats!), but also house, and even other genres like folk (maybe). The songs I picked I love because they are fun to drive to at night, when it's warm, with the windows down. They are strangely beautiful and dream-like. 

The whole album is actually fantastic, and I definitely recommend giving it a listen.  

If you liked this, you might also check out:

Panda Bear

Loney, Dear

Animal Collective

Cut Copy

Toro Y Moi

Neon Indian

Over and out,

Anna 

But for the grace of God

OK, another quick post while I am still out of town.

Jenny and two life-size mannequins...um... I mean, the Watson twins.

GOOD SONG: Rise Up With Fists! by Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins

So this song isn't exactly new (it's from her 2006 album "Rabbit Fur Coat"), but I think it is amazing. For some reason, I have it stuck in my head pretty much all the time. No joke. The lyrics are in my head all the time. It's strange. The lyrics are great though-- pointed without being bitter or cruel. And the chorus "There, but for the grace of God, go I" is a great line. I would be as bad as you, if it wasn't for the grace of God. Not my own goodness or abilities or what have you.

Jenny Lewis, in case you didn't know, was the lead singer of the band Rilo Kiley, and is now currently recording songs with Johnathan Rice (Fun Fact #1: I met him years ago in NYC at The Living Room, well before he was famous, thanks to a cool friend. Fun fact #2: for those of you from the DC area, he is also from the DC area- Alexandria, specifically- and went to Gonzaga. Small world.).

If you liked this song, you might also like:

Jenny & Johnny (Jenny Lewis & Johnathan Rice duo)
Rilo Kiley
Neko Case (I LOVE HER)
The Elected
She & Him
Bright Eyes

Over and out,
Anna

A Summer Bouquet

I know it's summer and I should have a lot more free time, being a teacher and all, but it's actually been a bit crazy. I've been outta town for a while, and heck, I'm still outta town. Thus, my posts this month will probably be pretty short. Oh well.

Some summery dudes making some summery music.

Here's a GOOD (SUMMER) SONG for y'all:   Get Up by Jonquil

Jonquil is a group from Oxford, England (one of my favorite places in the world. You walk into that town and feel centuries of knowledge just seeping into your bones. It's pretty cool). A jonquil, by the way, is pretty much just another word for a daffodil. In case you were wondering. Anyway, this song has some great guitar opening it up and then the drums and vocals kick in, and it just gets more fun. I have no idea what the song is about or what the vocals are really, but it's OK. It's still a fun song.

If you liked this song, you might also check out:

Wolf Parade
Yeasayer
Vampire Weekend
Yellow Ostrich
Local Natives

Over and out,
Anna

When the (bon)fire is low...

So, remember that Shakira song "Waka Waka?" The one that they played all the time at the World Cup? Well, she recorded it with a group from South Africa called Freshlyground, and it turns out they are awesome!

Look at all those beautiful people of all shades

Here is a GOOD (SUMMER) SONG of theirs: Fire Is Low by Freshlyground

The members of Freshlyground hail from South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, and are assorted ethnicities, and their diverse cultures and backgrounds make for some really cool music. They formed in 2002 in Cape Town. They released their first album, Jika Jika, in 2003, then followed it with another in  2004 and another in 2007. Fire Is Low comes from their most recent album, Radio Africa, from last year (2010). They are Afro-pop with a bit of jazz. Or maybe Indie with a bit of jazzy pop. Or maybe African with an indie-pop twist. However you describe their sound, they are a lot of fun. The lead singer, Solani Mahola, has a really beautiful, jazzy, smooth voice that is extremely smile-inducing. The other band members include Simon Atwell, Peter Cohen, Kyla Rose Smith, Julio "Gugs" Sigauque, Josh Hawks, and Seredeal "Shaggy" Scheepers. All those band mates means lots of instruments: flute, mbira, harmonica, drums, sax, violin, guitar, bass, keyboard, etc., etc. How can you not love it??

This song makes me want to dance around on a summer night when the bonfire gets low. It's impossible not to groove to that beat! Listen! The sax! The clapping!
I hope you enjoy this song, because I sure do.

If you did, indeed, like this song, you might also check out:
Paul Simon
Manu Chao
Arno Carstens
Belleruche
Laura Izibor

Over and out,
Anna

P.S. If you are in DC and free (I'm not. Oh well.) on July 2nd, you should totally go see their show at Black Cat!

Birthday Post: Rolling Stones & Stone Rollin'

So, today is my birthday! Huzzah!

In honor of this festive occasion, I am posting a bunch of GOOD SONGS songs that I just can't get enough of. They are also GOOD SUMMER SONGS!

This is what real rocking out looks like. Look closely.
You may be tested on this later, kids.

The first GOOD SONG is Loving Cup by the Rolling Stones, off their album Exile On Main Street.
If you aren't a fan of the Rolling Stones, then I just don't know what to tell you.  I have to admit, in the Beatles vs. Stones argument, I always go with the Stones.
Exile On Main Street is a CLASSIC album, and is interesting in that when it was first released, it got really bad reviews by many people. But now people have come to appreciate it much more. Fun fact: the U2 album Achtung Baby (my favorite album of theirs, I think) was almost called Cruise Down Main Street, in homage to the Stones.
Loving Cup is a fantastic song for many reasons. That intro piano reminds me a bit of the Charlie Brown theme song. But it goes on and the drums come in and it gets so rockin. This song is a perfect taste of the album as a whole.
The song struck me as funny the first time I heard it, since the refrain is "Gimme a little drink from your loving cup/Just one drink and I'll fall down drunk," since in my family, if you wanted to share a drink with someone, you would ask if the other person wanted to share a loving cup with you. Apparently a loving cup is a ceremonial cup that used to be used at marriages and things like that, where everyone took a sip. I don't think that is what the Rolling Stones are talking about, but then again, maybe I'm wrong.

Also clearly a bad-ass onstage. Take notes.

Speaking of rolling stones, the next GOOD SONG is Go To Hell by Raphael Saadiq, from his new album called Stone Rollin'.
You can definitely hear the Rolling Stones influence in his music, which, although is classified as "neo-soul," has some real rock n' roll flavor to it. I love the song Go To Hell because it rises to a fantastic crescendo with that choir in the background and the cymbals and the string section (kinda like You Can't Always Get What You Want, although less over the top). I love the chorus: Let Love bring us together! Let Love bring us together!
The other truly GOOD SONG off the same album is the title track Stone Rollin' (be aware that the video is pretty sexual). The harmonica in the beginning reminds me of the song Midnight Rambler by the Rolling Stones (most certainly a GOOD SONG). Definitely listen to them both. Hear the influence?
Raphael Saadiq is an interesting cat. He was born Charlie Ray Wiggins in Oakland, CA in 1966, and was part of the R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!. He has collaborated with TLC, John Legend, Earth Wind & Fire, A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, and many, many more. Not surprisingly, he performed with Mick Jagger at the Grammy Awards show this year.
Stone Rollin' is his fourth solo album, and was only released May 10th. I think it's worth checking out.

If you liked these songs, you might also like:

Aloe Blacc (see this post)
Eli Paperboy Reed (see this post)
John Legend
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (see this post)
D'Angelo
Artists similar to the Rolling Stones? I don't even know where to start. You've probably heard them all. As for current artists who were influenced by them, the list is, again, way too long. Do your own research.

Over and out,
Anna

Summer Time and the Livin' Is Easy...

WHOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!

I had my last day of school on Friday! Students don't realize how much teachers look forward to the summer. Definitely more than the kids do. For real.
So, in honor of my first week of summer, I thought I'd start posting fun summer songs. How's that?
This first post on Manu Chao may not be big news for those of you who are close to me and have had mixes made by me. I am a bit obsessed with Manu Chao, and I play him all the time. But for those of you who are not well-acquainted with him, or who have forgotten about his awesomeness, read on!

Manu looking appropriately beachy. 

GOOD SONG: La vie á 2 by Manu Chao, from his album Clandestino (1998)
I have heard this entire album by Manu Chao approximately 300 million times. My sister used to play it *all* the time when we shared a room, and I have memories of going to sleep to it and waking up to it later in the night when she had gone to bed, but had forgotten to turn off the lights and the music. Because of this I know ALL the lyrics to his song Bongo Bong, which is one of my favorite songs on earth. Also definitely worth a listen. But yeah, the album isn't exactly recent. But it is a classic in my book. Manu Chao is a freaking genius. He sings in French, English, Spanish, Arabic, Portugese, Italian, Galician, Wolof, and I think more. He is super-popular in Europe, but hasn't made it quite as big here in the States. His popularity is growing, though. His music has about a million different influences in it, so it is hard to describe. It's a hell of a lot of fun, though. Manu Chao & his band Radio Bemba have released three albums to date: Clandestino, Proxima Estación: Esperanza (2001), and his most recent one La Radiolina (2007).

Buy his music here: Manu Chao!

If you like this song, you might also check out:

Mano Negra (an earlier band of his)
Orishas
Gogol Bordello
Beirut
The Skatalites

More fun summer music of all types and tastes coming along soon! Keep your ears open!

Over and out,
Anna

(Belated) International Month Post #3: Lebanon + Egypt

OK, sorry guys. I know May is over and so technically, International Month should be over too. But you know what?

I was busy.

And it's my blog and I can do what I want.

So this post gets to be included in International Month's posts, since I *meant* to post it ages ago.

Next up? Got some great music goin on, from Lebanon and Egypt, two Arabic-music-producing powerhouses. 

The madonna link isn't so hard to see, I don't think...

First we have Y.A.S., this awesome electropop duo from Lebanon, made up of Yasmin Hamdan and Mirwais Ahmadzaï. Mirwais produced albums for Madonna, so he's got some pretty serious cred going on. Yasmin used to be part of Soap Kills, a Lebanese group that sang in Arabic  as opposed to English or French, and spurred many others to do the same. So she's also got some cred. 

GOOD SONG #1:  Get It Right, off their album "Arabology"

The song is really cool. It actually mixes English and Arabic. It's set in Egypt even though Y.A.S. is Lebanese, like I said. 

GOOD SONG #2 of theirs is Mahi, which you can listen to off their myspace. I love her voice on it, singing entirely in Arabic. It's got a nice groove to it. It's still electronica I guess, but not as Madonna-esque as Get It Right.

I'm gonna have to go ahead and say I think
she looks much classier than Yasmin.

Also from Lebanon, but in a totally other genre, we have Fairouz, who is arguably the most famous of all Lebanese singers. She is known as Fairouz (which means "turquoise" in Arabic, apparently) but her real name is Nouhad Wadi Haddad, and was born in Lebanon in 1935. She's a Christian (Catholic by birth, Greek Orthodox after her marriage) and is hugely popular in Lebanon and Syria. She started her singing career in the early '50's after attending a music conservatory and marrying into the Rahbani family, who worked at a radio station. She is still out and about performing at concerts around the world. Go her!

GOOD SONG #3: Beirut Hal Zarafat

Her voice is incredible-- with that sort of deep female huskiness to it that seems to be pretty common in Middle Eastern music. This recording is a live version, and is amazing. I wish I could understand what she was saying. Whatever it is, it sounds beautiful and moving. I think it's sort of an ode to the city of Beirut.

(BUY HER MUSIC HERE: Fairouz) 

On to Egypt!

So now I'm sharing with you a singer who, if you know anything about Egyptian/Middle Eastern/Mediterranean music (which I didn't until my boyfriend made me a few mixes), you will recognize. If you already are super-knowledgeable about all this, then you'll just have to forgive me for this post. Amr Diab is one of the most famous recording artists in Egypt now. He is credited with creating "Mediterranean music" which is a pretty awesome, if I do say so myself, blend of Egyptian music and Western rhythms and influences. He was born in Egypt in 1961, and is now the top selling artist in the Arab world. Not too shabby, Amr. 

I'm guessing about 10,000 Egyptian girls have this picture
posted to their wall.

GOOD SONG #4: Amarain

So this is the first Amr Diab song I heard (thanks to that previously mentioned mix). And I became obsessed with it. It's got a great slightly Spanish feel to it, plus some nice violin, and the lyrics in Arabic and Diab's distinctly Middle Eastern vocal style. So cool! His videos tend to just be lots of beautiful women making sexy faces at the camera and dancing like wild things around him. Although some babies are thrown into the mix, here, too. which is odd. Why the babies, Amr? It is pretty entertaining though, anyway. And the song is amazing. If this song doesn't make you want to dance, then I think you're dead.

GOOD SONG #5: Lealy Nahary

Just thought I'd throw this one into the mix, too. I find the cadence of the vocals interesting (I don't really know how else to describe it), and the hand-clappy sort of beat is lots of fun to dance to alone in your room. Or with others. Whatever you prefer. 

If you liked these songs, you might also check out:

Soap Kills

Nancy Ajram

Shereen

Alabina

Tamer Hosny

Elissa

Over and out,

Anna