Wednesday, April 27, 2005

My Morning Jacket - Oxen

Free mp3:

My Morning Jacket - Oxen (live at The Opera House Toronto, CA)

If anyone knows where I can find the lyrics, I'd be grateful.

UPDATE: According to this article, the song will be on the next album, hence my inability to find the lyrics for it.

BONUS: Jeff Tweedy - "Gun" (live March 1999).

Lucero!

Finally! Lucero have a new cd, Nobody's Darlings, which will be released in May. Scenestars has a rundown and a quasi-review. This one is produced by famed producer Jim Dickinson, who produced Beanland's masterpiece Lizards. While I don't like these two tracks as much as the stuff on Lucero's earlier albums, the boys do seem to be gathering steam and I fully admit that my taste is not an accurate predictor of what a mainstream audience might like. I hope they hit it big. They deserve it.

Preview two tracks

Lucero - Bikeriders
Lucero - California

Friday, April 15, 2005

MP3 Selection - Warren Zevon "Werewolves of London" (live)

Over at the Live Music Archive (a FANTASTIC site, just loads and loads of great, legal stuff to download for FREE), they now have 17 Warren Zevon shows for download.

Here is a tasty and enthusiastic"Werewolves" from a June 20, 1976 show at the Main Point in Bryn Mawr, PA. Enjoy!

B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A

So I'm driving around and hear this song "Baby Mama" on Hot 97.7 FM. (Jackson's Blazin' Hip Hop and R&B...On a related note, there is a dispute concerning whether Hot 97.7 or 99 JAMS is "Number One in the streets", I've yet to make my mind up one way or the other, but I'm leaning toward 99 Jams because they are "Keepin It Crunk" and, really, who can take issue with THAT? Not sure it's the better "at work" station since I assume that one's employer would prefer that you not be "crunk" at work, but I digress. Stay tuned to this space for further developments on this ongoing competition) I can't quite yet get together a handle on it. It's obviously a TRIBUTE of some sort, but it also works as a sort of maudlin commentary on the state of isolation and disconnect in modern society. Read the lyrics and tell me what you think. I'm flummoxed. I have a much easier time understanding violent gangsta rap though not, and I want to be clear on this point, because I approve or endorse the actions and inactions described in gangsta rap.

The song does have a good beat though. Here are the lyrics:

Fantasia Barrino "Baby Mama"

[chorus]

B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
This goes out to all my baby mamas
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
I got love for all my baby mamas

It's about time we had our own song
Don't know what took so long
Cuz now-a-days it like a badge of honer
To be a baby mama
I see ya payin' ya bills
I see ya workin' ya job
I see ya goin' to school
And girl I know it's hard
And even though ya fed up
With makin' beds up Girl, keep ya head up
All my
[chorus]

I see you get that support check in the mail
Ya open it and your like "What the Hell"
You say "This ain't even half of daycare"
Sayin to yourself "This here ain't fair"
And all my girls who don't get no help
Who gotta do everything by yourself
Remeber: What don't kill you can you stronger
My baby mama...

[chorus]
Cuz we the backbone (of the hood)
I always knew that (that we could)
We can go anywhere, we can do anything
I know we can make it if we dream
And I think it should be a holiday
For single mothers tryin' to make a way
But until then
Here is your song
Show love to my....

[chorus]
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
This goes out to all my baby mamas
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
I got love for all my baby mamas

Update: So I just figured out that the person who sings this song has some connection to someone who won on American Idol, and was even WRITTEN by that person, so it's now safe to assume that the song is most certainly bereft of any sense of irony, social commentary, insight. Listening to the song straight like that is just plain depressing.

This is so cool

I like mashups. Anyone know where a bunch of good ones are collected?

Here are mashups of the Beatles and Beastie Boys, or the "Beastles" if you will...

My favorite is a mash-up of Whatcha Want and Lady Madonna....here.

Another annoying Arcade Fire post by a blogger

A lot of the music blogs I run across and skip by have, do, or will mention The Arcade Fire. This is without a doubt my favorite new band. I heard it being played in Hot Dog Records in Oxford, MS back in November or so, asked the clerk who it was and bought it on the spot. I've been listening to the CD off and on ever since (I don't really listen to CDs anymore, not all the way through anyway, I listen to songs. I still buy CDs, I just don't listen to them all the way through as much. Boy that was some boring personal information, sorry 'bout that).

For those of you unfortunate enough to talk to me for longer than a minute will probably hear me implore you to go get "The Funeral" by Arcade Fire. I found some other stuff they did and liked it too.

Here are some MP3s to give you a taste.

Wake Up

Neighborhood # 3 (Power Out) demo


and a video

Rebellion (Lies)

Anyway, Enjoy!

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

TGB and Jimbo Mathus at the Capri tomorrow night

The CAPRI? Yes, the Capri. Bring your asbestos filter masks (is there such a thing?) and for God's sake, DON'T SMOKE IN THERE MAN!!!!

The Taylor Grocery Band and Jimbo Mathus Knockdown Society are at the Capri Theatre on State Street in Jackson tomorrow night. Be there and/or be square! It's a benefit to save the Capri Theatre (from what remains uncertain).

It's part of Fondren's Art, Eats and Beats. If you live in Fondren, are you a Fondrenian? a Fondernite? are you Fondrenish?

More here and here.

And on Sunday, the TGB, along with Duff Durrough and Cary Hudson are at Joe's Crawdad Hole
for the 3RD ANNUAL CRAWDAD FESTIVAL!

MP3 --> Cary Hudson - Free State of Jones

Come on Arsenal!

Arsenal's next two matches are the biggest matches thus far this season.

First, on Saturday, Arsenal play in the FA Cup semi-final against Blackburn Rovers. Then, on Wednesday, a League match against leaders Chelsea, at Chelsea. The Gunners are 11 back with 7 to play (wins are 3 pts. Draws 1 losses 0), so if they lose or draw at Chelsea, Arsenal's hopes of winning the League are pretty much over but if we win, then we're only 8 pts back and still have a slim hope of repeating as League Champions. The FA Cup is a nationwide knockout tournament, and if Arsenal win, they face the winner of Newcastle and Merchandising United next month.

Sat Apr 16 04:00AM Pacific
Sat Apr 16 05:00AM Mountain
Sat Apr 16 06:00AM Central
Sat Apr 16 07:00AM Eastern
Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel (US)
English FA Cup Semifinal 1
Arsenal vs Blackburn Rovers

Wed Apr 20 12:00PM Pacific
Wed Apr 20 01:00PM Mountain
Wed Apr 20 02:00PM Central
Wed Apr 20 03:00PM Eastern
Length: 2 hr LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel (US)
English Premier League
Chelsea vs Arsenal

Listings courtesy of Soccer TV.

Get all your Arsenal news at Arseweb.

Mercifully, I have the DVR through Time Warner Cable so I can watch these big games at my leisure. So, if you see me, do NOT tell me the score.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

The Barry Zuckerkorns climb to 6th place

My fantasy team this year, the Barry Zuckerkorns (Adam's team name is Secular Flesh but the league started too late for either of us to name our team Sugarfoot), have now climbed into 6th place (out of 8).

Frank, we MUST know, who is the superstar on your fantasy team (people find it endlessly fascinating when you drone on and on about your fantasy baseball team, like when you predict how many saves your backup alternate reserve closer will get in July when he gets fully healthy again, but I digress), who is anchoring your efforts, thrusting your team forward (uh, huh huh huh, he said "thrust" again (see previous post))? Well, since you asked, my star player, my first round pick?

Yes, that's right, Barry Bonds.......

It's all uphill for the Barry Zuckerkorns now!

Full standings:

1 Natural Male Enhancement 59.0
1 The Bob Horner Experience 59.0
3 what it is was 54.50
4 secular FLESH 52.0
5 Three Finger Brown 43.0
6 Barry Zuckerkorns 33.5
7 The Aloha Asterisks 31.5
8 Drunk Groomsmen* 27.5

Why did I name my team the Barry Zuckerkorns?

From Arrested Development:

Barry: And you don’t want to go in front of that judge. I caught him in a drag club.
G.O.B.: What were you doing there?
Barry: Wow... you should be the lawyer.

Barry: I got Michael out of his marriage, didn’t I?
Michael: Actually she died.
Barry: You’re kidding me. I’ve been taking credit for that for years.

Barry: If you really want to settle this, then your job is to convince that “wife” of yours that you are willing to go in front of the judge and admit that you never had sex.
G.O.B.: She has a name, Barry. You don’t happen to know when it is, by the way, do you?
Barry: That’s why I want to settle. I’m not “super-prepared.”

More from Ole Miss spring game

Clarion-Ledger's wrap up here. Crux is how Jamal Pittman thrust himself (uh, huh huh huh, he said "thrust") into a prominent running back role. Silly me, I thought he was already in the mix for starting tailback. Anyway, the article notes:

"In four weeks, the once-embattled ball carrier methodically plowed his way from seldom-used third-string status under the previous coaching staff to co-star — and co-starter — on arguably the team's best performing unit during spring drills."

I didn't go to the Spring game this year because I was moving into a new house (more on that later, maybe, who knows, does anyone really care) but according to sources who WERE there, Pittman looked good when he ran with the first team offense and Pearson looked good when he ran with the first team offense. So they essentially drew.

News roundup on spring game here.

Official Ole Miss propaganda re: Spring game here.

Stats:
Passing
Blue Team
Spurlock - 16-27 for 222 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Red Team
Flatt -- 11-18 for 112 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT

Receiving
Blue Team
Biddle -- 6-108 yards, 2 TD; Hill -- 4-64 yards, 1 TD
Red Team
Suggs -- 4-38 yards, 1 TD; Michaelson -- 3-51 yards

Rushing
Blue Team
Spurlock - 4-27; Hiram White - 4-14
Red Team
Pittman - 13-54; Pearson - 7-44

In other news, Kelvin Robinson was named the Chucky Mullins Courage Award Winner.

More on Chucky Mullins here, here, here, and for a REALLY good read, go to Dennis Dillon's May 2001 article in the Sporting News.

Google search results of "Chucky Mullins" here.

And a short trailer for the Chucky Mullins documentary here. I saw this movie at the Ford Center last year before the Auburn game (more on Auburn here), and, well, you've never seen a bigger group of men weeping. An amazing movie about a terrific kid.

Apparently, Cutcliffe screened the movie for the team the night before the Auburn game.

We still lost 35-14.

Monday, April 11, 2005

Deja Vu

Haven't we heard this before? Can we please please please please not use Michael Spurlock as our GAME quarterback?

Let him take all the snaps in practice, in the spring game, he can come out first of the tunnel, but can we please please please please not use him in any real games?

Please?

From the spring game article in the Clarion Ledger:

"I think you're seeing Spurlock come into his own and he's really getting comfortable with all that's going on," said senior receiver Mike Espy. "He's just a cool, calm and collective guy." Oh, like he was during the AL game last year, when he was "cooly" throwing it into the stands?

"Orgeron said Spurlock has made huge strides with his confidence and mechanics...He's really gotten a lot better at that. He's a lot less nervous than he probably was..." I thought we got a NEW coach......?

http://www.anyonebutspurlock.com


Monday, April 04, 2005

Happy Belated St. Totteringham's Day!

St. Totteringham's Day was April 2nd! Woo hoo!

St Totteringham's Day is the date when, every year, gooners (like me) the world over celebrate the fact that Tottenham can no longer finish above Arsenal in the English Premier league!

Last season St. Totteringham's Day was March 13th, and the season before that it was March 24th, so this season hasn't been AS successful, but there is still over a month to go in this season, so the relative success of these two North London clubs should be evident.

See this page and/or this page for all the low-down on this festive occasion.

Sunday, April 03, 2005

Woods Afire - Pocket Full of Loose Desires

So I stumbled onto another great contribution from Songs:Illinois this afternoon. I cannot recommend that blog highly enough. If you are interested at all in Americana/roots rock/alt.country, etc., that site is a great referral source for many a great act that flies under the radar.

Anyway, all of the songs offered by Woods Afire, either from Songs:Illinois, Heartshape Records and/or the band's website are worthy, the song "Pocket Full of Loose Desires" is exceptional in my opinion. Listen for the introductory horn and the gloriously simple harmony vocal. THIS is why I like alt.country. Strip it down to the basics, build around a solid melody and adorn with subtle, clean yet powerful embellishments and AHOY!, a great pop song.

Not that you'll hear it on the radio or anything.

Anyway, find "Pocket Full of Loose Desires" here.