March 2010

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Morning Commute Songs – Week Eight

March 14, 2010 in morning commute songs, music | No comments

The Alternate Routes – “The Future’s Nothing New”

Four tracks deep into their latest release “A Sucker’s Dream,” this was the first song that stuck in my head and I’m pretty sure they’ll wake up with the catchy hook still looping come morning.

Mofro – “Lochloosa”

I caught onto JJ Grey and Mofro a little late in the game, but thanks to a friend suggestion, I did catch their set at ACL Festival a couple years ago. Pretty sure they played this song, so I happily added it to my collection along with “Dirtfloorcracker” after hearing it on House (thanks Shazam).

Dawes – “Love Is All I Am”

First time I heard this track, I initially thought it was Bob Schneider, not Dawes. They recently rolled through Houston on tour, but after a long day at work and late set starts, the yawns prevailed and I called it an early night.

The Damnwells – “Bastard of Midnight”

Trouble keeps the bar lights on
For the heartache
Sunset Boulevard to take me home
But I just wanna scream

When living in California I would often head down to LA to see shows at clubs along Sunset Boulevard. The lyrics from this song take me back to those late nights when I would hit Sunset to catch the 405 back to Bakersfield. The Damnwells are also one of those bands that I’m perplexed why they aren’t bigger. Head over to their Myspace page to give “Bastard of Midnight” a listen.

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Vinyl Nostalgia

March 9, 2010 in music, rambling | No comments

Vinyl Nostalgia

iPhone using Hipstamatic, 2010

On their last trip down to Houston, my folks brought me the stack of records that, while once spun sound, had been relegated to the second shelf of the bathroom closet for many years. The times change, as does technology, but that doesn’t mean we get rid of stuff – we are Eckers. As I type this I have a stash of cassette tapes (both purchased and mixes) in a plastic tub under my bed, a couple of CD storage books full of live shows from the b+p days, and let’s be honest, a hard drive full of music that would take months to listen to (if that’s all I did in life). Did I mention that minidisc player? Yea, that’s probably in a shoe box somewhere with a couple of shows that I attempted to tape. Oh, and iPods? More than one.

Well, I think you see a pattern here – that I like the music and the technology. So why revert back to those shiny black days? Nostalgia. Amongst those records were several that I remember listening when I was a child – “Rubber Duckie” and “Tiger Hunt” with Bert and Ernie (and his trusty, rusty telescope) and “I’m a Pink Toothbrush” by the Smurfs. While the sound might not be the clearest, neither are the memories but coupled together, everything is a bit more vivid. As an adult, there’s also the added bonus of discovering some of the other music in the collection – Pink Floyd, The Band, Jimi Hendrix, and the Original Soundtrack to The Graduate. Oh, and now I can finally listen to that Guster “Keep It Together” album that I bought to hand on the wall as art years and years ago as well as Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons’ album “Death Won’t Send A Letter” – purchased last weekend, the day after I turned 33 1/3.

Morning Commute Songs – Week Seven

March 7, 2010 in morning commute songs, music | No comments

Anya Marina – “Move You”

Thought this was an appropriate song to get the week moving. Kinda slow to start, but then it kicks it up a notch.

OK Go – “This Too Shall Pass”

Can I just say how effing brilliant this video is in all it’s Rube Goldberg machine glory. Go on, watch it a couple times through. I think my favorite part is when the song cuts away and the music is replaced by clinking glasses. Oh, and the song is pretty good too.

Blind Pilot – “Go On, Say It”

There’s a definite vein of music that I listen to that while not county, has a tinge of twang to their sound. Blind Pilot fall into that vein, and if you like this song, I strongly recommend picking up their album since it’s one that I can listen to from beginning to end, rinse, repeat.

The Jayhawks – “All The Right Reasons”

Throwback Thursday? Maybe I’ll make that a thing, although I was just in the mood to listen to a little Jayhawks after checking out the anthology that they recently released which includes this song.

Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons – “Born Again”

I’m going to repeat myself from above – tinge of twang but with a bit of folk, a dash of rock and a handful of gospel. Incidentally, I started and ended my day with this song, with the latter being a live performance at Rudyard’s. Again, this is an album that I would highly recommend, in fact, I’ve bought it twice…seemed appropriate to pick it up on vinyl seeing that Friday was my 33 1/3 birthday.

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