’s Wonderful // Ella Fitzgerald
3:30, which I think is what time it is where I just woke up?
Sleepy Saturday morning music. Thanks, Ella. And George and Ira.
March 30, 2013
(39 plays)
March 22, 2013
(200 plays)
California Dreamin’ // The Mamas And The Papas
Highs in the 60’s/70’s all week? Yes, please.
(Also, Michelle Phillips in the 60’s: yes, please. Damn, girl.)
Smell ya later, Chicago winter that will. not. fucking. end.
March 17, 2013
(19 plays)
Madness // Muse
Is there a better voice in rock music right now than Matthew Bellamy?
I love everything about this song. The guitar solo blows me away…sounds simple, but it’s really expertly crafted and has a kind of mathematical symmetry to it that makes all the parts of my brain happy at once.
I also love that old-school Muse fans hate this record, accusing the band of “selling out.” Yeah. What could possibly be worse than commercial success and growing your audience? How terrible!
March 16, 2013
(29 plays)
Sadly Beautiful // The Replacements
You know how some records take you back to a person and a place? But that place is gone and the person surely hasn’t thought about you for twenty years? But that’s OK because your current persons and places are really pretty excellent?
That sounds exactly like this, with bonus melty/gray March weather to boot. Happens to be 3:16, too.
March 14, 2013
(9 plays)
Sweet Thistle Pie // Cracker
For pi day, obvs.
I think if there were some kind of algorithm that took all my musical influences and favorite bands, and then figured out some sort of center of gravity of the whole thing, the band closest to that center might just be Cracker.
This record sounds so good turned up loud. Try it that way if you can.
She knows my name, but she calls me Ginger.
March 13, 2013
(19 plays)
Led Snooppelin (Drop It Like It’s A Whole Lotta Love) // Party Ben
3:13. I told you guys I like mashups. Zep vs Snoop? Hell yes.
March 12, 2013
(29 plays)
What Would Leo Do? // Leo On Ice Soundtrack
This time with singing.
Long-time readers may remember when I cryptically posted the Finale demo of this one back in November, when I was in Hell. Listening to that version then this one is a good study in how the process works. Constant evolution. I’m especially proud of the strings, but they’re a little down in the mix since this is a soundtrack and hearing the singer is kind of the point. No butthurt.
This is one of my favorite songs in the show. I’m always a sucker for the big ballad. The singer is the spectacularly talented Jordan Yentz, playing the role of Susan, an executive at Leo Burnett wondering what Leo would do if he were still alive today. But it’s not as serious as all that—shortly thereafter, Leo emerges from his cryogenic chamber. You had to be there, maybe? But the song is great even without context, I think. Good work, Tony.
March 11, 2013
(119 plays)
Overture // Leo On Ice Soundtrack
Very exciting stuff—we are almost done with the Leo On Ice cast recording. It’s in mastering now, so if you were listening to the final CD on super high end speakers, that might not sound exactly like this, but for everyone else who is streaming lossy MP3 files over the internet and then listening on $10 earbuds, I’m guessing it’s about as final as final gets.
This recording is the final output of about ten weeks of very difficult full-time work. I was lucky enough to see the video of the production recently, which I don’t think I can share. Watching it was extremely emotional. We all worked so hard for so long, then there was one performance, and poof, it was over. Seeing that and hearing this brought it all back, along with an incredible sense of pride in the accomplishment. Feels good.
March 9, 2013
(79 plays)
I’m Not Okay (I Promise) // My Chemical Romance
3:09. It’s for March 9th, not for the subject matter.
I complain a lot, and things are complicated at the moment, but I am OK. (Or okay. But OK should be standardized.)
March 8, 2013
(29 plays)
Save Yourself // Stabbing Westward
Pretend today is April 15 if you need #datetimetunes adherence. I heard this last night and it’s possible I opened the moonroof in 25º weather so I could throw the horns up with full arm extension.
March 7, 2013
(29 plays)
Kid // The Pretenders
3:07 for 7-Mar. Fact: when evaluating a new guitar or amplifier for purchase, I will play the solo from this song as part of my standard routine.
I also see that today’s Thursday Theme is “first kiss.” I wrote about mine here, and the tragic followup, too. I already reblogged it once, and doing it twice seems gauche, so it’s linkies, and that’s jinkies.
Now, if my first kiss had involved Chrissie Hynde like I dreamed so many times it would, that would be a post.
March 6, 2013
(10 plays)
(reposted with working audio file - eat me, tumblr)
House We Used To Live In // Smithereens
Largely relevant to my current circumstance. I haven’t spent so much time hugging that toilet since the summer of 1984.
Also: a ginormously killer power pop excursion with thudding drums and guitars that alternate between shimmery chime and chewy crunch.
March 4, 2013
Down The Road // C2C
I heard this while I was driving last night, and even though this might be the last style of music on Earth I would listen to (European electronic/DJ weirdness), I absolutely could not punch the button. I was hypnotized.
March 3, 2013
(40 plays)
Mama I’m Sorry // The Hoyle Brothers
Freezing-ass-cold Sunday morning music from Chicago’s only (I think?) trucker band.
A few years ago, I took a guitar class with the guy in this band, Steve Doyle, a simply amazing country picker. In the final class which was sort of a recital, my classmates nominated me to trade licks with him. Thanks, fellas. I was summarily destroyed, but in the best way possible.
Still on the plan for 2013, also, is to acquire a pedal steel and learn how to play it. I’m actually thinking about driving to Nashville to do my shopping; I would have loved to go this weekend and double up on Nashty but I had a gig, and who would want to leave this 13 degree weather anyway. But after I do acquire said guitar, I want to be as good as Brian Wilkie is on this record. Should only take about a lifetime and a half.
February 28, 2013
(10 plays)
Fuck You // Cee-Lo Green
This one goes out to February, 2013.
Really, all Februaries. And all of 2013 so far, come to think of it.
Ain’t that some shit.
