Jake Bugg ‘Jake Bugg’
——————————————————————————————————————————————- Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Lightning Bolt” by Jake Bugg Things you need to know about Jake Bugg… He’s not a young Dylan. There was only one young Dylan and he’s not young anymore. He’s not a New Dylan. You can choose everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Elvis Costello to Beck to fill in the blank, none of them were new Dylans, and neither is Jake Bugg. Jake Bugg is, well, Jake Bugg. Although he was dubbed the “East Midlands Bob Dylan” early on, he’s not that guy either. Dylan was barely an influence – “Bob Dylan’s cool, you know, he’s great, but he’s not...
Boo Hewerdine and Darden Smith ‘Evidence’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#814 in the Series) is Boo Hewerdine and Darden Smith, Evidence It was 65 degrees here in Chicago a couple of short days ago. Within 10 hours it was down to 32. Yes, it was freezing. I tell you that weather tale as I lead into a piece on this great album by Boo Hewerdine and Darden Smith titled Evidence. Why you might have asked? I mention that because I’ve always had certain albums that I associate with the different seasons or even sometime more specifically a certain time of that season. I could never listen to Frank Zappa’s Apostrophe in the dead of summer because no one “trudges across the tundra” in...
Cat Stevens “Catch Bull At Four”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#799 in the Series) is Cat Stevens, Catch Bull At Four Catch Bull at Four was, surprising to me, Cat Stevens most popular album in the United States. If forced to guess I would have named Tea For The Tillerman or Teaser and The Firecat. Most listeners I know consider those albums superior to this one. They directly preceded this one and I’m sure that the sales here were caused as a result of those albums popularity. Tea For The Tillerman peaked at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. Teaser and the Firecat reach all the way up to #2 on the strength of three huge singles, “Morning Has Broken,” “Moonshadow” and “Peace Train.” By...
Alexi Murdoch ‘Time Without Consequence’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#787 in the Series) is Alexi Murdoch, Time Without Consequence. Alexi Murdoch is a perfect example of the new paradigm music industry success story. He released a self produced EP Four Songs in 2002 on CDbaby.com, sold over 50,000 via download (CDbaby’s all time best seller) and started his own record label, Zero Summer. Time Without Consequence, released in 2006, is his first full album and includes three of the Four Songs from his start up EP. He’s been able to achieve international acclaim while turning down numerous offers from major record labels. Alexi’s voice is reminiscent of Nick Drake. He has the kind of control of his acoustic guitar that reminds me...
Heartsfield “Heartsfield”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#365 in the Series) is the self-titled debut from Heartsfield Happy Birthday to Us, Happy Birthday to Us, Happy Birthday Dear “Cool Album of the Day.” Happy Birthday to You!!! Well, not exactly. This is our 365th entry. So we’re going to call this our birthday! Yeah, we may have started a little over a year ago but we did miss a few days early, but since this is # 365, it’s our birthday. Keeping that in mind, I’m going to feature another album by my dear friends, Heartsfield. Yes, we’ll be getting back to some more current goodies very soon, but since it’s our birthday, I’m going to give myself this gift...
Hal Ketchum “Past The Point Of Rescue”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#748 in the Series) is Hal Ketchum, Past the Point of Rescue. I don’t know what it is. I’ve always been a sucker for those songs when an artist takes a known track, their’s or possibly another artists, and recreates it using a slower tempo. I’m thinking of tracks like Joe Jackson’s live version (played as part of the Big World tour) of “Steppin’ Out” or Loey Nelson’s take on “To Sir with Love” if you were lucky enough to hear that. Here, Hal Ketchum does a spectacular rendition of The Vogues, “Five O’Clock World.” Please check it out below. That was the track that first exposed me to Hal Ketchum. As I...
Beachwood Sparks “The Tarnished Gold”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#735 in the Series) is Beachwood Sparks, The Tarnished Gold (Sub Pop) I have to confess, Beachwood Sparks were a new name to me but it turns out they’ve actually been around before and that this is a bit of a comeback album for them. About ten years ago they released 2 albums and an EP then went their separate ways, now they have returned in fine fine style, with one of the albums of the year so far. Musically we’re firmly in the territory frequented by the likes of The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, the late 60′s/ early 70′s vibe but there’s also a distinct hint of later British bands like...
The Mountain Goats “The Sunset Tree”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#721 in the Series) is The Mountain Goats, The Sunset Tree There’s something about the Mountain Goats that provokes delirious, unbridled reverence amongst a large portion of their fans; a level of veneration that goes beyond that which many bands can claim. I’m not talking about gangs of screaming kids or the usual “I‘m your number one fan!” type of nutcases you get at almost every gig, but a deep, profound respect that comes from a band having touched some part of a fan’s life in an important way. Maybe it’s Mountain Goats’ main man John Darnielle’s way with a witty, insightful lyric. Maybe it’s his way of telling dark tales of...
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band “Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#709 in the Series) is Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy Most music fans will know the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (if they know them at all) as the makers of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”, a superb album which has become semi-legendary in certain circles, with good cause. It was an essential purchase when it came out in 1972, a wondrous 3 LP set within which tribute was paid by a younger generation to some of the most revered performers of traditional Country music. The likes of Mother Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs and Roy Acuff were on board for a seminal release on which both sides of...
Fairport Convention “By Popular Request”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#701 in the Series) is Fairport Convention, By Popular Request Fairport Convention, in part to mark their 45th anniversary put us, their fanbase, to the voting box last year to surmise which 20 tracks they would like to see the current, and longest standing version of the band perform. A band which brought, among many other notables, Richard Thompson and Sandy Denny to the awareness of the musical world. Of these 20 tracks 13 were chosen, it is my intent to give a track by track assessment of this outing, one which surely may be placed alongside many of their other finest outings in their long history. You can see it below....
