iTunes Original Live Session

Ray has joined up with iTunes and put together a live EP for all to enjoy. The tracks include:

Achin' All the Time
Empty
Gossip In The Grain
Hey Me, Hey Mama
Let It Be Me
Roses & CigarettesClick here to access the iTunes store location where you can purchase the EP.

She said yes

Just found out that lead singers Zooey Deschanel (She & Him) and Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) have become engaged. Didn't even realize they were dating. Oh well....congrats to the couple!!

Blitzen Trapper = Trip to Denver???

I've been planning on another trip to Denver sometime in the early months of '09. But I wasn't sure of the ideal time to plan the adventure. Not until now. I have just learned that Blitzen Trapper is going to be at Denver's Hi-Dive on March 12. Take a listen below and be jealous (or make the trip with me).

The gifts keep coming

In keeping with the "giving spirit" of Christmas, the amazing Heather at Fuel Friends (a site that I highly recommend) has put together an amazing collection of holiday songs. You might be surprised as to some of the artists on the list, such as My Morning Jacket, Frightened Rabbit, and Radiohead. If you're curious, scamper over and download the entire zip file by clicking here.

But everyone else is doing it

It seems that each music blog on my daily checklist has made mention of Sufjan Stevens' latest Christmas album. Apparently Stevens' compiles a yearly Christmas album to spread amongst his friends and family. Since fans are friends, we get to enjoy his gift as well. I've been aiming to post some information about Stevens and his music, this will give you a chance to get familiar with his sound for future reference. And oh yeah.....Merry Christmas!!

Sufjan Stevens - Christmas In The Room
Or run over to Volume Knob to get the entire zip.

AA Bondy

Backstage Sessions : AA Bondy - The Mightiest of Guns

They did it!! Someone has been able to successfully clone Ray Lamontagne and Amos Lee into one being (what a thought). But here is a great song by a truly great artist. Listen and watch as AA lays down The Mightiest of Guns and performs oral on that sexy harmonica.

Vampire Weekend: Watch out for them

Oxford shirts, sweater vests, and penny loafers. Could any three items better describe one of the year's best up-and-coming bands? These are the type of guys that bring prejudice out in people. The preppy, "too cool for school" attitude is enough to turn away the most open of minds. But this is Vampire Weekend.


A few months ago I set out to find some of the better rated albums of 2008, and continuously found the self-titled debut album of Vampire Weekend at the top of the lists. Once I brought myself to start the "V"....I fell hard. Telling everyone that would listen about the band. I honestly can't describe what it is about Vampire Weekend that captures me so. There is a certain 50's sound that is apparent in the band's music. I heard a Buddy Holly song last night that made me laugh at the similarities of the styles (kudos Jason).

The album has definitely exceeded my expectations. From the many articles read that so sold the album as one of the year's best, I felt as though I was setting myself up for disappointment but instead I came away with a different perspective about the preppy, frat-boy band from Columbia University <---- I realize that was a run-on sentence. Check them out and you might realize the same.

Bonnaroo 2008 DVD listing announced

The Raconteurs - Old Enough
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Let Them Knock
Broken Social Scene - Love Is New
Gogol Bordello - Think Locally F*ck Globally
Chali 2na with Galactic - Lock Shit / Right Now
Metallica - Fade to Black
Lee Boys - Come On, Help Me Lift Him Up
Tegan and Sara - Back In Your Head
Against Me! - We Laugh at Danger (And Break All The Rules)
The Avett Brothers - Die Die Die
Jack Johnson - If I Had Eyes
Les Claypool - One Better
Mastodon - Colony of Birchmen
Two Gallants - Despite What You've Been Told
My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed
Pearl Jam - Better Man

Where else can you find The Avett Brothers and Metallica on the same medium?!?! Just in time for Christmas, this could make a great stocking stuffer(cough***mom***cough) or atleast a belated present as I'm not positive to the actual release date, it's only pre-order at the time. Get it here.

Tuesday's Tunes on Thursday

Neil Young is one of those classic musician's that has been able to keep a stable fan base throughout the tenure of his career. From the early workings of CSNY to Live Rust to current Farm Aid benefits. In January 2009, Young is set to release the much anticipated box set that spans his entire career. Although the collection comes with a hefty price tag (around $400), this is definitely one that fans of the Old Man must explore.

Neil Young - Down By The River

Pete Greenwood was a recommendation from a friend in Denver and I must say that I haven't been disappointed. The title track from Greenwood's debut album, Sirens, has been creating a minor buzz in the independent music scene. Imagine a combination of Amos Lee and Pete Yorn when listening or decide for yourself. Thanks Floyd!

Pete Greenwood - Sirens

I must admit that I still have yet to look deep into the music of the band Voice On Tape. Several of the songs that I have been able to find do not necessarily fit in my prescribed repertoire of "must listen" music, but the track Marry You While Yr Sleeping surely has me interested in giving them a few more chances. The quality of this track isn't super, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Voice On Tape - Marry You When Yr Sleeping

. . .And then you go and totally redeem yourself

Maybe iTunes isn't so bad after all. This works a little better than the "My Purchases" did. Tell me what you think.

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals to visit the home of the Cardinals

Who: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
What: Concert
When: March 16, 2009
Where: The Louisville Palace

Tickets go on sale December 19th @ noon(EST).

Another YouTube Gem

I could've waited to post this later tonight, but found it too fitting after my Van Morrison rant last night. "Into The Mystic" is probably one of Van's greatest songs (and my girlfriend's personal favorite) and The Swell Season are probably one of the best duos to win an Oscar that no one knows about (Three 6 Mafia came in a close second but were disqualified due to actually having three members). Put this all together and you have the possibility for gems like these:

The Swell Season - "Into the Mystic"



The Swell Season - "Astral Weeks"

Three Songs To Check Out Tonight

I'm having to trap myself again. The "Saturday Night Flashback" was not as successfully followed as I expected. So here's the deal. EVERY night I'm going to look through my music collection and find three songs that spark my interest and give a little information as to why they do. I'm not sure how this sharing things works quite yet and I'm definitely not sure if I can share songs that I legally downloaded. We'll just have to see.

There's going to be songs you've heard before and songs you've never heard, all by artists who you may/may not know. My specificity is one of my stronger attributes.

So here goes:


Song: "Chasing Pavements"
Artist: Adele
Album: 19



I have to admit that I was one of the bigger fans of Amy Winehouse's 15 minutes. And as we close in on possibly the final 15 seconds of it (and possibly her life if "Blake Incarcerated" stays in the picture), it's great to know that I've already found a reasonable and slightly less crack-addicted replacement for her. There's something great about that old school jazz club sound that Adele and Winehouse have brought back into the forefront of pop music.

Hop on this bandwagon before the Grammy's and you may end up looking hip to all your friends who only talk about music once a year.

Song: "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on my Shoulder)"
Artist: Beach Boys
Album: Pet Sounds



There was a time in my life when I thought that the Beach Boys were cool because they let Uncle Jesse play bongos for them. As my affinity for Full House began to subside more quickly than DJ Tanner's looks, I soon wrote the Beach Boys off as a party music product of the 60's and 70's. Then I started to notice that this album, "Pet Sounds," was present on every greatest albums of all time list ever compiled. So I checked it out. And this dark, unique song was the one that quickly caught my ear.

Song: "The Way Young Lovers Do"
Artist: Van Morrison
Album: Astral Weeks



There's nothing that gets my blood-a-boilin' faster than when I bring up Van Morrison and someone's immediate response is, "Oh yeah! I love 'Roadhouse Blues!". Van Morrison is not Jim Morrison. And Van Morrison is not limited to "Brown Eyed Girl!" In fact, I believe he may be one of the most underappreciated artists by our generation when we look back on the 60's and 70's. Without Van, guys like Ray LaMontagne don't even get a second listen.

This song captivates me in a way that few before it have, and is one of the primary reasons I called Roger about a month ago and told him I was down to do this blog. I heard this song in a different way. I always picture a scene of a TV show or movie where this song plays as two people who have had sexual tension build-up finally hook up and bang through the front door and all around the apartment/house. Gotta love it.

Where it all began

My musical taste has always derived from an acoustic driven melody. I don't imagine that there is a better sound that can be produced from an instrument other than that of an acoustic guitar. This preference can solely be attributed to the upbringing from my father, Curtis. Some of my first memories are of dad picking a guitar, memories that eventually lead me to pick up the strings. Sometime in the early 2000's Curtis and I started attending the Acoustic Master's Series at the Lincoln Jamboree in Hodgenville, Ky. Eventually the show moved it's way to my hometown of Elizabethtown, Ky where I was introduced to such guitarists as Tommy Emmanuel and Stephen Bennett. As the series starts up again this year, I thought that I would post a few videos of the two men that have so influenced me and my acoustic roots.

Stephen Bennett - I Knew It Was You


Tommy Emmanuel - The Man With The Green Thumb

I'm in deep

I admit that I'm in the proverbial "deep end of the pool" when it comes to indie music. It seems that everyday my eyes are opened to a new option. This is not a complaint, rather a revelation of some sort. Today's option....Horse Feathers.

Checking out My iTunes

This is just a test to see how well this works. I've spent a lot of money on iTunes so this better be pretty cool.

Tuesday's Tunes

In preparation to attending the concert, the song Skinny Love has been a constant on my iTunes as of late. The story of Bon Iver and the production of the debut album For Emma, Forever Ago has drawn me in. Bon Iver Justin Vernon comprised the majority of the album from his father's Wisconsin cabin after he moved there to simply get away from it all. What came from those few months was one of the year's best albums.

Bon Iver - Skinny Love

---

I have told you that I really like Ray Lamontagne. This track came to be known as the Untitled Song or To Be. But recently I have found that the name is actually Take Me By Surprise by searching a few web forums dedicated to Ray. The song has never been recorded in the studio, and from what I can find this is the only recorded version of the song. It's definitely grown to be one of my favorite Lamontagne pieces.

Ray Lamontagne - Take Me By Surprise

---

This weekend as I sat on the couch with a much gluttonous feeling, my family and I watched the movie Elf. From watching and hearing the voice of Zooey Deschanel, I had to dive into the sounds of her band She & him. Deschanel and M. Ward have recently come together to create the compilation album Volume One, where the track Why Do You Let Me Stay Here is catching some serious play.

She & him - Why Do you Let Me Stay Here