Thirty Odes to Los Angeles

       In putting together this Los Angeles themed compilation, I decided to exclude songs that were really songs about California or were primarily focused on Hollywood related themes.  Instead, I tried to only use songs that were about Los Angeles or a particular landmark or street in Los Angeles.  It's nowhere as noirish as I though it would turn out to be, but maybe it's partly about the fact that a lot of of folks who are singing about Los Angeles aren't from there.  Anyway, hope both Angelenos and non-Angelenos enjoy it.  (I also re-upped the compilation "L.A. is the Place For Me" which features mid and late 1960s acts that recorded in Los Angeles.)

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  Disc 1

A Night in LA	Ry Cooder
East L.A.	War
Ode to L.A.	The Raveonettes
Drinking in L.A.	Bran Van 3000
Los Angeles	HAIM
This Town	The Go-Go's
Los Angeles	X
Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham	Bobby Whitlock
Coming into Los Angeles	Arlo Guthrie
Old L.A.	New Multitudes
Electrolite	R.E.M.
Whittier Blvd.	Thee Midniters
Funky L.A.	Paul Hemphrey & His Cool Aid Chemists
The Recipe	Kendrick Lamar
Leaving LA	Father John Misty
Disc 2
Let Me Back In	Rilo Kiley
Come A Long Way	Michelle Shocked
Went Looking for Warren Zevon's Los Angeles	Lucero
L.A. Blues	Tom T. Hall
Los Angeles	Margot & The Nuclear So & So's
Screenwriter's Blues	Soul Coughing
Back In L.A.	B.B. King
I Left My Wallet in El Segundo	A Tribe Called Quest
Blues for Los Angeles	Bill Frisell
Angeles	Elliott Smith
Los Angeles	Phosphorescent
Los Angeles Mood (Chromium Descensions)	Tom Waits
Los Angeles Blues	Johnny Moore's Three Blazers
Angeles Crest	Chelsea Williams
Los Angeles	Joe Williams

Sucking in the '70s - Volume 9

I've made a point of not repeating any artists in the Sucking in the '70s series, but this latest volume does include Valerie Carter's version of Ooh Child despite my inclusion of The Five Stairsteps much more well-known version of the song in Volume 5.  In my defense, I actually prefer Carter's version.  I know it's fairly heretical, given the popularity of The Five Stairsteps version (and I do like their version, too), but Carter really nails it and, well, it really is the sort of song an adult should be singing. :)  Anyway, I hope folks like it and I've also re-upped all the  previous volumes as well as the Saluting the 70's compilations.

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Just my imagination	The Temptations
She's Gone	Hall and Oates
Do Your Thing	Isaac Hayes
Soul Makossa	Manu Dibango
If You Want Me To Stay	Sly & The Family Stone
It's Hard to Live in This Old World	Rev Harvey Gates
Struggling Man	Jimmy Cliff
Who'll Stop The Rain	Creedence Clearwater Revival
Don't Let It Throw You	Jim Sullivan
Cannock Chase	Labi Siffre
(I'm) Just Being Myself	Dionne Warwick
Oh Happy Day	Edwin Hawkins Singers
Let 'Em In	Paul McCartney And Wings
Here I Am (Come and Take Me)	Marcia Griffiths
Float On	The Floaters
Want Ads	Honey Cone
Groovy Situation	Gene Chandler
You're The Reason Why	The Ebonys
Oh Me Oh My	Lulu
Ooh Child	Valerie Carter

Ain't That Fine: A Ray Charles Collection - Volume 3

As promised, here is the third Volume of my Ray Charles compilation.  As I noted last month, I tried to focus solely on his lesser known material, but I couldn't resist starting this volume with It Had to Be You, even though I kind of always assumed that it was one of his bigger hits.  I haven't seen the movie in more than 30 years, but I thought that his version of the song was in When Harry Met Sally (it's Frank Sinatra's).  It's also not on any of his many Greatest Hits collections.  So I feel a little better about including it in this volume, but now I'm a little dismayed that Ray's version isn't more well-known as it's just a perfect interpretation, imho.  Anyway, hope folks enjoy this third volume.

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It Had to Be You

Blue Genius

Let Me Hear You Call My Name (St. Pete Blues)

What Would I Do Without You?

The Cincinnati Kid

Oh, Lonesome Me

Ol' Man Time

Smack Dab in the Middle

Somebody Ought To Write A Book About It

Here We Go Again

Ruby

Down In The Valley

Zig Zag

Who You Gonna Love

Mary Ann

Sidewinder

Ain't That Fine

That's Enough

Ain't That Fine: A Ray Charles Collection - Volumes 1 and 2

I'm a little embarrassed that I spent an inordinate

amount of time thinking about what I should call this compilation and was only able to come up with the nondescript "Ain't That Fine".   Basically, I was hoping for something just a little bit clever and original while paying respect to Ray's genius talent.  And yet I achieved neither.  I hope that does not deter from people's enjoyment of this collection (you can always change the name on the mp3s) - I tried to focus mostly on album cuts and out of print material.  In doing so, I discovered just how much of his output is now out of print - like most of his 60's and 70's recording.  It's been almost 20 years since the biopic movie so another Ray revival is sorely overdue.  I'll post Volume 3 next month.

      I also wanted to give a little homage to the great Dallas Good of the Sadies who died at the far too young age of 48 a week ago.  The Toronto Star has a really nice obituary and I've also re-upped my two Sadies compilations. 

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Volume 1

Makin' Whoopee

I Want to Know

Bags of Blues

Side By Side

Don't Tell Me Your Troubles

Mister C

Tell Me, How Do You Feel?

You're Just About to Lose Your Clown

Senor Blues

I Wake Up Cryin'

You'll Never Miss The Water Until The Well's Gone Dry

All to Myself Alone

Blackjack

She's On the Ball, Jack

Scotia Blues (Blues For Big Scotia)

You Are My Sunshine

 My Baby (I Love Her Yes I Do)

Cry

Volume 2

Swing A Little Taste

Mississippi Mud

The Ray

I'm Movin' On

Alabamy Bound

Th' Ego Song (They're Crazy About Me)

Soul Meeting

Laughin' and Clownin'

 Worried Life Blues

She's Lonesome Again

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now?

Doodlin'

But On the Other Hand, Baby

Guitar Blues

Walkin' and Talkin' (to Myself)

X-Ray Blues

Baby, Don't You Cry

Sweet Georgia Brown

There's Nothing Greater Than A Jay Farrar Retrospective

 It's pretty hard to believe that it's been almost 28 years since Uncle Tupelo broke up.   I confess I soured a bit on Son Volt after their second album and didn't listen to them for a while, but man, just about everything he's done over the last ten years - especially 2013's Honky Tonk - whether as a solo act or in Son Volt, has been stellar.  I'm really hoping to see them on tour this spring and I also hope folks enjoy the career overview below. 

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  Disc 1

Life Worth Livin'	Uncle Tupelo
Creosote - straight	Son Volt
Lookin' At The World Through A Windshield	Son Volt
Love's Gonna Live Here Again	Uncle Tupelo
Jake Walk Blues	Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker, Yim Yames
Vitamins	Jay Farrar
Reality Winner	Son Volt
Open Ground	Jay Farrar
Medication	Son Volt
Blue Eyes	Uncle Tupelo
Maggie's Farm	Uncle Tupelo
Circadian Rhythm	Son Volt
Outside the Door	Jay Farrar
High Water	Uncle Tupelo
Angel Of The Blues	Son Volt
Disc 2
Going, Going Gone	Son Volt
Cairo and Southern	Son Volt
Song To Woody	Uncle Tupelo
Breathe Our Iodine	Jay Farrar and Benjamin Gibbard
True To Life	Uncle Tupelo
I Wanna Be Your Dog	Uncle Tupelo
Devil In Disguise	Jay Farrar
Grindstone	Uncle Tupelo
Mr. Soul (Neil Young)	Uncle Tupelo
Hanging Blue Side	Son Volt
Hard Is the Fall	Jay Farrar
Someday is Now	Son Volt
Tear Stained Eye	Son Volt
Pushed Too Far	Son Volt
Anodyne (Live)	Uncle Tupelo

 

On The Right Side of 2021

     Though it was certainly a lot better than 2020, I don't think 2021 is going to down in the global history books as a great year.   But, as always, there was a lot of great music.  I'd especially recommend all of the following artists' 2021 releases: Strand of Oaks' In Heaven, Jimbo Mathus & Andrew Bird's These 13, David Sanford's A Prayer for Lester Bowie, First Aid Kit's Live Tribute to Leonard Cohen, Rodrigo Amarante's Drama, A Sweet Relief Tribute to Joey Spampinato, Lord Huron's Long Lost, Charley Crockett's: 10 for Slim: Charley Crockett Sings James Hand, and Sons of Kemet's Black to the Future

      As usual, I've only included artists who weren't on the two previous years compilations with the exception of Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten.  (They sound so good together and the song just really captured 2021 for me, so there you go.) I've also re-upped all my previous "best of" yearly compilations (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020).

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Disc 1

She Walks in Beauty (with Warren Ellis):  Marianne Faithfull

Could It Be:  Dominique Fils-Aimé

Candles in the Sun:  Miguel

MURDA:  BLK ODYSSY

Mellow Peaches:  The Black Keys

Heartbeat Of America:  Billy Strings

I'm Still Here:  Travis Linville

Blue Mesas:  Leon Bridges

If You Have Ghosts:  Chelsea Wolfe

I Will Be Your Shield:  Billy Bragg

Here's The Thing:  Courtney Barnett

Stones of Silence:  Bobby Gillespie and Jehnny Beth

Dizzy Atmosphere:  David Sanford Big Band

Galacticana:  Strand of Oaks

The Starchaser:  Menahan Street Band

3:00 AM:    HAIM

Just Because You Can:  Speed the Plough

Red Velvet Rope:  Jimbo Mathus & Andrew Bird

 

Disc 2

 

Who by Fire / As the Mist Leaves No Scar:  First Aid Kit

Blue Raspberry:  Tobacco City

The Globe:  Son Volt

That I Get Back Home:  Deer Tick

Hot & Heavy:  Lucy Dacus

Marathon of Anger:  Parquet Courts

Cosmosis [feat. Ben Okri & Skepta]:  Tony Allen

Movement 5:  Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, & The London Symphony Orchestra

Caroline:  Arlo Parks

Tanto:  Rodrigo Amarante

The World Is A Ghetto:  Los Lobos

Love Me Like You Used To:  Lord Huron

Mighty Lonesome Man:  Charley Crockett

Makin Memories:  Melissa Carper

Relative Fiction:  Julien Baker

Call Me A Fool:  Valerie June

Put On A Smile:  Silk Sonic

But Beautiful:  Mandy Barnett

 

Disc 3

 

Drinking in America:  Chris Eckman

I’m Waiting For The Man:  Matt Berninger

Screaming:  Jake Bugg

Chismiten:  Mdou Moctar

Pick Up Your Burning Cross:     Sons Of Kemet [feat. Moor Mother & Angel Bat Dawid]

The Same Tree:  CTMF

Fox On The Run:  Daniel Donato

Long Time Gone:  The Flatlanders

Pretty Good:  Nathaniel Rateliff

Rare to Wake:  Shannon Lay

Phase One Million:  Vanishing Twin

Point and Kill:  Little Simz feat. Obongjayar

Give Me Fifteen:  Aimee Mann

Virginia Beach:  Hamilton Leithauser & Kevin Morby

One of These Things First:  Susanna Hoffs

Little Green Apples:  Real Estate

I Never Could Get Enough:  My Morning Jacket

Like I Used To:  Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen

On the Right Side of Christmas 2021

As usual, I'm struggling to think of anything

meaningful to say about Christmas (or

Christmas music). Though, also as usual, I'm always a little surprised by how many artists have put out some sort of holiday themed songs - I had no idea that Nina Simone recorded Children Go Where I Send Thee until a couple of months ago.  It also seems that a lot fewer folks have a dismissive attitude towards Christmas music.  Or maybe I just talk to even fewer people than I used to about their musical tastes. :) I've also re-upped all the previous Christmas compilations.   

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Silent Night	Sharon Van Etten
Blood Oranges In The Snow	Over the Rhine
Jingle Bells	Chet Atkins
Christmas Train	Sofia Talvik
Santa's Midnight Run	The Untamed Youth
X'mas Time (It Sure Doesn't Feel Like It)	Dogmatics
Party for Santa Claus	Lord Nelson
Merry Christmas	Cameos
Be-Bop Santa Claus	Babs Gonzales
How I Hate to See Christmas Come Around	Jimmy Witherspoon
Christmas For Cowboys	Samantha Crain
Thank God It's Christmas	Ella Vos
It's Christmas Time	Yo La Tengo
Ding Dong Dandy Christmas	The Three Suns
Children Go Where I Send You	Nina Simone
Holiday Pickin	The Nashville Bluegrass Band
Love the Holidays	Old 97's
Rock 'n' Roll Santa	Little Joey Farr
Plump Righteous	The King Khan & BBQ Show
Christmas Joy	Don Cornel & The Eternals
(Dance To A New Kind Of) Christmas	Big Society
One Christmas for Your Thoughts	Durutti Column
Merry Christmas from Mars	Michael Hall
Auld Lang Syne	The Hotel Cafe Medley