For today's offering we're headed to the Mississippi delta for a little delta blues. Cross Road Blues was recorded by Robert Johnson in 1936 and is considered to be somewhat autobiographical - legend has it, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his wicked prowess on the guitar. And prowess it was - guitar powerhouses such as Brian Jones (Rolling Stones), Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac), John Mayall and the divine Jimmy Page all credit Johnson as being a major influence on their style and career. Eric Clapton said that Johnson is the most important bluesman who ever lived, even 'plugging in' his own version of the song with Ginger Baker and the late great Jack Bruce as part of their repertoire with Cream (heard here).
No one really knows too much about Robert Johnson, he was a bit of a mysterious and shady character, which adds the whole Faustian mysticism. No one is quite sure when he was born, but they know that when he left his hometown he was a mediocre musician and when he returned, he was the Robert Johnson we know today, adding fuel to the 'deal with the devil' fire. Unfortunately, Johnson's life was cut short when it is believed he was poisoned by the jealous husband of a girl with whom he had an affair, making him the first member of the '27 club'.
Go Holly go!
Cross Road Blues (Robert Johnson): 5/5 Wait a minute, this is an Eric Clapton song! This was my very anachronistic first thought. Obviously, it’s been around much longer than Clapton! Robert Johnson looks like and sings like a total badass. I really like his voice, and I love blues that sounds so high energy and kind of grinding like his voice sometimes gets. His guitar playing sounds so ahead of its time too. So much intensity in this song. Robert Johnson died at 27, he was poisoned by a jealous boyfriend of one of his many lady friends. It’s sad to imagine all of the innovation to the blues he could have brought had he lived longer. Before listening to this song, I knew of Robert Johnson, but had never really sat down and listened to anything he’d done. He definitely has one new fan now.
Kelly time!
Being the nerdy rock guitar fangirl that I am and have been since my early teens, I've known about Johnson for quite a long time, I just never took the time to listen to any of his stuff. In this recording his guitar sounds ENORMOUS, with like, 96 strings and a great big resonating chamber, and the way he just clunks away at it when he strums is SO bluesy. Apparently his hands we gigantic, which is probably how he gets such breadth in his sound. His voice is so wail-y and grind-y and so good! So good. I can imagine a very young Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton hearing this for the first time in their native England and losing their shit. Great stuff. 4.5/5
Cross Road Blues - Robert Johnson
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Can The Circle Be Unbroken (By and By) - The Carter Family
Today we listened to an American classic by the very prolific Carter Family - Can the Circle Be Unbroken. The original Carter Family lineup of the 1920s and 1930s consisted of A.P. Carter, his wife Sara Carter and her cousin Maybelle, who also happened to be married to A.P.'s brother Eck (who had a daughter named June Cash, who went on to marry Johnny Cash and become June Carter Cash). The Carter Family came from the Appalachian mountains in Virginia and are seen as the foundation of country music and bluegrass. A.P. would dig up songs for the group to perform and Sara and Maybelle would put together the arrangements and do most of the performing, with Sara singing lead and Maybelle singing harmony and playing guitar. This song was released in 1935 and 1936 saw the dissolution of A.P's and Sara's marriage (she went on to marry his cousin), so some of the mourning in the song could be for the loss of a relationship as opposed to the literal loss of a loved one.
So the song itself was adapted from the hymn of the same name by A.P. Carter. It is sung from the viewpoint of an individual who has lost their mother, attends the funeral and returns to the empty house (cheery stuff). The song has been covered a bajillion times and almost all of the cover versions use 4/4 meter, whereas the Carter Family recording from 1927 has them in 3/4 at the end of each verse (who do they think they are, Rush?). Anyhow, the song is such a big deal that it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. And here's what we think of it:
Holly:
Can the Circle be Unbroken (The Carter Family): 3/5 This is the first of likely many songs on this list that brings me straight back to my childhood. I definitely remember many Saturday mornings with this song coming on. Not this version, though. This is the first time I’ve heard The Carter Family version. I had no idea growing up how incredibly sad this song is. Listening to the lyrics, it came as a big surprise. The Carter Family sounds like classic American folk music, plain and simple. Energetic rhythm guitar, drawling nasal voices, a clear story being told through the music. I really like it because of its historical importance, and I enjoyed The Carter Family’s sound, but I wouldn’t rush out to listen to more. I also found the ending to be such a cop out. It just kind of…..stops.
Kelly:
Ohhh, this one hits me right in the childhood! I'm pretty sure the version that we were familiar with is done by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (featuring Johnny Cash) which can you hear here, and please take note of the fantastic fashions. Anyhow, this version is pretty good - I feel like it is pure Americana and I picture them sitting in rocking chairs on the porch of their Blue Ridge Mountain cabin and thumb picking and singing this, all it's missing is someone playing the jug and the spoons. The version that I really like and prefer is that of the Staple Singers (although I'm sure they could take a song as heinous as Stupid Hoe and make it great) which can be heard here. I appreciate how important the song was, but if I'm going to purchase the song, it's going to be someone else's version. And I agree with Holly about the end of the song. It was like, 'so how do you want to end this? Meh, we'll come up with something after lunch'. 3/5
Fun fact about the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: they appeared as the backing band on SNL for Steve Martin's million selling song King Tut. They were billed as the 'Toot Uncommons'.
Here is the 1927 recording:
Can the Circle Be Unbroken 1927
And here is the 1935 version:
Can the Circle Be Unbroken 1935
So the song itself was adapted from the hymn of the same name by A.P. Carter. It is sung from the viewpoint of an individual who has lost their mother, attends the funeral and returns to the empty house (cheery stuff). The song has been covered a bajillion times and almost all of the cover versions use 4/4 meter, whereas the Carter Family recording from 1927 has them in 3/4 at the end of each verse (who do they think they are, Rush?). Anyhow, the song is such a big deal that it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. And here's what we think of it:
Holly:
Can the Circle be Unbroken (The Carter Family): 3/5 This is the first of likely many songs on this list that brings me straight back to my childhood. I definitely remember many Saturday mornings with this song coming on. Not this version, though. This is the first time I’ve heard The Carter Family version. I had no idea growing up how incredibly sad this song is. Listening to the lyrics, it came as a big surprise. The Carter Family sounds like classic American folk music, plain and simple. Energetic rhythm guitar, drawling nasal voices, a clear story being told through the music. I really like it because of its historical importance, and I enjoyed The Carter Family’s sound, but I wouldn’t rush out to listen to more. I also found the ending to be such a cop out. It just kind of…..stops.
Kelly:
Ohhh, this one hits me right in the childhood! I'm pretty sure the version that we were familiar with is done by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (featuring Johnny Cash) which can you hear here, and please take note of the fantastic fashions. Anyhow, this version is pretty good - I feel like it is pure Americana and I picture them sitting in rocking chairs on the porch of their Blue Ridge Mountain cabin and thumb picking and singing this, all it's missing is someone playing the jug and the spoons. The version that I really like and prefer is that of the Staple Singers (although I'm sure they could take a song as heinous as Stupid Hoe and make it great) which can be heard here. I appreciate how important the song was, but if I'm going to purchase the song, it's going to be someone else's version. And I agree with Holly about the end of the song. It was like, 'so how do you want to end this? Meh, we'll come up with something after lunch'. 3/5
Fun fact about the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: they appeared as the backing band on SNL for Steve Martin's million selling song King Tut. They were billed as the 'Toot Uncommons'.
Here is the 1927 recording:
Can the Circle Be Unbroken 1927
And here is the 1935 version:
Can the Circle Be Unbroken 1935
Monday, January 26, 2015
ALBUM OF THE WEEK: Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley (1956)
This past week we listened to the king - Elvis Presley. This is Elvis' first LP and is sewn together from a couple different recording sessions - a few from the Sam Phillips' country styled Sun sessions in 1954 and 1955, and the rest are more R&B fuelled RCA recordings in '56 from when they bought out his contract. The book tells us that every reissue of this album included Presley's huge hit Heartbreak Hotel, but the original release of the album did not. Elvis runs the gamut of genres here - country, bluegrass, blues, R&B and gospel.
The album spent 10 weeks at number 1 on the Billboard charts, considered the first rock 'n roll record ever to make the top spot and the first to hit the one million marks in sales. As for personnel, there are some greats on this album including Shortly Long on piano, Chet Atkins on acoustic guitar and Scotty Moore plucking away on his Gibson ES 295 (he didn't start playing is enormous Gibson Jumbo 400 until Elvis' unfortunate post-army years). Scotty had said that Elvis was not an exceptionally talented musician, but he did have a remarkable feel for rhythm and timing.
Fun gear-head fact: the guitar that Elvis is playing on the cover is a Martin D-28.
Reviews!
Kelly:
I loooooove early Elvis, and this is a great record. You can totally tell that it's been pieced together, as some songs sound like Elvis was singing in a high school gymnasium, others a studio. He has such great enthusiasm and you can really hear the youth and energy in his voice, a far cry from his fat-bloated-dead on a toilet seat years. I can kind of see why people went so apeshit for Elvis when he first came out - after listening to the dreadful Sinatra records for a week, this was a breath a fresh air. The one thing that kind of makes me sad is that there was probably a TON of black musicians who were just as talented at singing this kind of music as Elvis was, but got little to no recognition due to their race.
I have a few favourite songs on this album - I Got A Woman, One-Sided Love Affair and Trying To Get To You. A lot of us probably will recognize I Got A Woman thanks to Kanye West and Jaime Foxx, but I didn't realize that Ray Charles had co-written it and recorded it. I feel like the song is exactly how Elvis should sound and if someone crawled out from the rock under which they had been living for the last 60 years and asked me what Elvis Presley sounds like, I would play them this song. Like my sister mentions below, I also love the cheesy half-time ending! I love One-Sided Love Affair because I love a good, dirty honky-tonk boogie-woogie piano and the second this song started, I was totally hooked. Besides the piano and drums, whatever other instruments are playing are quiet so it's almost like a duet between the saloon pianist and Elvis. Trying To Get To You is a fantastic vocal performance by Elvis, and we get to hear Scotty Moore wail on the guitar!
Did anyone else out there think Da Doo Run Run when they heard the intro to Money Honey?
To be honest, I'm not super crazy about the ballads on this album. I prefer high-energy Elvis. I'm really glad we got to listen to this album, and I think I'll be adding it to my 'to buy' list! 8/10
Holly:
This week we are listening to: Tragic Songs of Life - The Louvin Brothers
The album spent 10 weeks at number 1 on the Billboard charts, considered the first rock 'n roll record ever to make the top spot and the first to hit the one million marks in sales. As for personnel, there are some greats on this album including Shortly Long on piano, Chet Atkins on acoustic guitar and Scotty Moore plucking away on his Gibson ES 295 (he didn't start playing is enormous Gibson Jumbo 400 until Elvis' unfortunate post-army years). Scotty had said that Elvis was not an exceptionally talented musician, but he did have a remarkable feel for rhythm and timing.
Fun gear-head fact: the guitar that Elvis is playing on the cover is a Martin D-28.
Reviews!
Kelly:
I loooooove early Elvis, and this is a great record. You can totally tell that it's been pieced together, as some songs sound like Elvis was singing in a high school gymnasium, others a studio. He has such great enthusiasm and you can really hear the youth and energy in his voice, a far cry from his fat-bloated-dead on a toilet seat years. I can kind of see why people went so apeshit for Elvis when he first came out - after listening to the dreadful Sinatra records for a week, this was a breath a fresh air. The one thing that kind of makes me sad is that there was probably a TON of black musicians who were just as talented at singing this kind of music as Elvis was, but got little to no recognition due to their race.
I have a few favourite songs on this album - I Got A Woman, One-Sided Love Affair and Trying To Get To You. A lot of us probably will recognize I Got A Woman thanks to Kanye West and Jaime Foxx, but I didn't realize that Ray Charles had co-written it and recorded it. I feel like the song is exactly how Elvis should sound and if someone crawled out from the rock under which they had been living for the last 60 years and asked me what Elvis Presley sounds like, I would play them this song. Like my sister mentions below, I also love the cheesy half-time ending! I love One-Sided Love Affair because I love a good, dirty honky-tonk boogie-woogie piano and the second this song started, I was totally hooked. Besides the piano and drums, whatever other instruments are playing are quiet so it's almost like a duet between the saloon pianist and Elvis. Trying To Get To You is a fantastic vocal performance by Elvis, and we get to hear Scotty Moore wail on the guitar!
Did anyone else out there think Da Doo Run Run when they heard the intro to Money Honey?
To be honest, I'm not super crazy about the ballads on this album. I prefer high-energy Elvis. I'm really glad we got to listen to this album, and I think I'll be adding it to my 'to buy' list! 8/10
Holly:
Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley (1956): 7/10
It was a lot of fun to listen to early Elvis this week! This album was pieced together from a couple of different recording sessions, even a few years apart, and it definitely sounds a little bit slap-dashed together, but it’s totally forgivable.
I really like Elvis from the 50s. He has so much energy in his singing, and though sometimes it almost sounds like he’s parodying himself, it’s just so much better and more genuine than later Elvis. Well, that’s what I think anyway.
There are some definite highlights to this album, and some tracks I just didn’t enjoy. Let’s start with my favourite tracks. Trying to pick a favourite was kind of tough, but I think I’m going to go with Trying To Get To You, because I enjoy his singing the most on this one. It’s a great example of what Elvis’ voice can sound like, and I think it’s maybe the most skillfully sung song. I also just liked the song itself. It’s a good listen.
I also really liked I Got A Woman, mainly because it’s such an enjoyably cheesy version. I can’t help but hear Kanye somewhere in the distance, though. The very end of this version goes into this super cheesy half time feel thing. I want to hate it because it’s so terribly tacky, but I kind of secretly love it!
Just Because is probably my third favourite. Elvis is always just so close to being too tacky in this one, but he never quite gets there. I like the interaction between Elvis and the guitar in this one, and I like the high energy, quick pace.
The track I liked the least is definitely I’ll never let you go. The recording quality is terrible. It sounds like he recorded it in a tunnel, and it has lots of syrupy touches that too closes resemble fat, Hawaiian shirt-wearing Elvis. That one definitely did not do it for me.
All told, this was a fun album to listen to for a week. I’m not going to rush out and buy it, but I’m glad we had to listen to it!
Unfortunately we couldn't find the whole album on youtube, so here are links to each individual song:
This week we are listening to: Tragic Songs of Life - The Louvin Brothers
Hula Girl - Sol Ho'opi'i
Aloha! Now in 1934 our list brings us to the islands of Hawaii and the steel guitar virtuosity of Sol Ho'opi'i. By this point in the 20th century Hawaiian music had become a huge fad (I would assume the largest sales in ukuleles until the hipster revival of the current decade) and the people were clambering to see the girls in their grass skirts and hear the strains of the steel guitar. Sol was a native Hawaiian born in Honolulu (to what looks like a Duggar-type situation - he was child number 21) and early on learned to play the ukulele and in his teenage years the guitar. Sol mastered the lap-steel guitar and developed the open tuning which is still used today and in Hula Girl we get to hear him improvising. In 1938 Sol found religion and added hymns to his steel guitar repertoire. Anyway, his recording of the Gershwin brother's Fascinating Rhythm was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 2012.
Kelly:
Oh man this shit is cheesy. I'm actually surprised we never learned this song in ukulele back in the day, as it's the sort of high energy cheese-ball shit that we would perform. Anyway, I really like Hawaiian music, but this song doesn't bring me back to the Islands. I do, however, love the vaudevillian/barbershop style backup singers and harmony and I love that ukulele is keeping the energy in the song up enough that no drums are involved in this song. I really like the extended solos too, we get to hear a bit of Sol's virtuosity. Alas, there are other Hawaiian performers and songs that like better than this one. 3/5
Holly:
Kelly:
Oh man this shit is cheesy. I'm actually surprised we never learned this song in ukulele back in the day, as it's the sort of high energy cheese-ball shit that we would perform. Anyway, I really like Hawaiian music, but this song doesn't bring me back to the Islands. I do, however, love the vaudevillian/barbershop style backup singers and harmony and I love that ukulele is keeping the energy in the song up enough that no drums are involved in this song. I really like the extended solos too, we get to hear a bit of Sol's virtuosity. Alas, there are other Hawaiian performers and songs that like better than this one. 3/5
Holly:
Hula Girl (Sol Hoopii): 3/5 Ah. Hawaiian music. I feel like I should sit back and let Kelly review this one, since she has much more experience with it than I do. I actually had to try 3 times before even spelling Hawaiian right, so…
I liked this song! I found it really full of energy with kind of quirky guitar playing, and definitely unmistakeably Hawaiian. I don’t know if I’m just falling for the kitsch factor of the guitar playing, but I really liked the guitar solos. On the other hand though, I just can’t help but feel like it sounds a little bit like a novelty song!
It does have some historical significance, though, since the slack-key guitar playing craze influenced blues slide guitar playing later on, which is a really cool connection between these two styles.
Mal Hombre - Lydia Mendoza
Time for a little Tex-Mex! So this song is performed by Texan born Mexican Lydia Mendoza and this recording is from 1934. Turns out she was a very adept musician and made her own guitar of a plank of wood and nails when she was a kid. She was a good singer and learned the guitar and mandolin (that's her playing the 12-string guitar in this recording) and she got the lyrics for this song from a bubble gum wrapper, which was apparently a thing. This was her biggest hit and made her super popular in the south-west United States. The song, which means 'Evil Man' in Spanish tells the tale of horrible womanizer and features such lines as 'you crushed the flower of my innocence' and 'You are a pig, you are evil, you are a cold-hearted man'. This was on a gum wrapper? Oh my. REVIEWS:
Holly:
Mal Hombre (Lydia Mendoza): 4/5 I feel like I recognize the name Lydia Mendoza, but maybe I’ve never heard her before. So when I read in the 1,001 Songs book that said she is one of the great pioneers of American music, I felt a little dumb. I really enjoy her singing voice, she has a really sweet sound that goes well with the more intense tango rhythms in the guitar playing. This song is really simple, but super effective. For those of you following along at home, did you guys know of her?
Kelly:
Ooo, I love the sound of a 12-string guitar, so full. And she has it perfectly in tune, which is a bit of a bitch to do, so kudos to Lydia. I'd never heard the song or of Lydia until now, so it's kind of cool to hear one of the first pioneers of Mexican-American music. Her singing is really good and strong, shows how angry she is. Alas, I was not crazy about the song itself and I felt it was about a minute too long, so her score has to suffer. Sorry Lydia. 3.5/5
Mal Hombre
Holly:
Mal Hombre (Lydia Mendoza): 4/5 I feel like I recognize the name Lydia Mendoza, but maybe I’ve never heard her before. So when I read in the 1,001 Songs book that said she is one of the great pioneers of American music, I felt a little dumb. I really enjoy her singing voice, she has a really sweet sound that goes well with the more intense tango rhythms in the guitar playing. This song is really simple, but super effective. For those of you following along at home, did you guys know of her?
Kelly:
Ooo, I love the sound of a 12-string guitar, so full. And she has it perfectly in tune, which is a bit of a bitch to do, so kudos to Lydia. I'd never heard the song or of Lydia until now, so it's kind of cool to hear one of the first pioneers of Mexican-American music. Her singing is really good and strong, shows how angry she is. Alas, I was not crazy about the song itself and I felt it was about a minute too long, so her score has to suffer. Sorry Lydia. 3.5/5
Mal Hombre
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? - Bing Crosby
So we're upon 1932 and the Great Depression is in full swing. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? tells the tale of men of different professions who have now fallen on hard times - farmer, railroad worker, soldier. Written for the musical 'Americana' by Yip Harburg (who also wrote the mammoth hit 'Over the Rainbow') it apparently overshadowed the rest of the show.
Bing Crosby is kind of a big deal. Even though he died in 1977, Harry Crosby Jr. is still, to this day, one of the biggest selling artists of all time. Part of the reason he was so popular is because he helped usher in a new style of singing - crooning. Before Bing, singers performed in more of a 'belting' style but with advancements in microphone technology, Bing was able to take advantage of the intimacy the amplification provided. Bing sang 4 Academy Award winning songs ('Sweet Leilani', 'White Christmas', 'Swinging on a Star', and 'In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening) and won a Best Actor Oscar for his depiction of a Catholic priest and teacher in the 1944 film 'Going My Way'. 1941's recording of the song 'White Christmas' is still the best selling single of all time. Unfortunately, it seems that Bing was a major d-bag in real life, with accounts of horrendous physical and psychological abuse from his children and two of them ended up dying from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
FUN NERD FACT - Bing Crosby's granddaughter Denise Crosby played Tasha Yar on the hit TV series Star Trek - The Next Generation. Awesome!
Thoughts by us:
Kelly:
This song hit me right in the feels. I've really liked Bing's singing for a long time, but this is a relatively early Bing recording and he really lets it rip. I'm used to Bing's fluid, pretty Irish lilting-style of singing, but at this end of this tune when he opens up with 'I'm your pal!' - goosebumps. I didn't realize he had that much power behind his voice! Also, I think this song still stands up today. Aren't we still talking about benefits for veterans and how poorly they've been treated? 'Half a million boots sloggin' through hell' and then 'why don't you remember? I'm your pal!' - heartbreaking. I listened to the Tom Jones version (love me some Tom Jones) but it just isn't as good. Bing is king. 5/5
Holly:
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (Bing Crosby): 4/5 We’re on a roll of great songs right now! This might not be my favourite example of Bing Crosby, but man, he’s a great example of what a crooner can sound like! The orchestra in the background is just that, background; Bing steals the show in this one. He does a great job at slowly increasing the simmering anger as the song moves along. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime is apparently from a musical (Americana), and blew away the audience. It's a pleasant sounding song with angry, disenchanted lyrics. That formula seems to have stuck around pretty well!
Der Binger:
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Bing Crosby is kind of a big deal. Even though he died in 1977, Harry Crosby Jr. is still, to this day, one of the biggest selling artists of all time. Part of the reason he was so popular is because he helped usher in a new style of singing - crooning. Before Bing, singers performed in more of a 'belting' style but with advancements in microphone technology, Bing was able to take advantage of the intimacy the amplification provided. Bing sang 4 Academy Award winning songs ('Sweet Leilani', 'White Christmas', 'Swinging on a Star', and 'In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening) and won a Best Actor Oscar for his depiction of a Catholic priest and teacher in the 1944 film 'Going My Way'. 1941's recording of the song 'White Christmas' is still the best selling single of all time. Unfortunately, it seems that Bing was a major d-bag in real life, with accounts of horrendous physical and psychological abuse from his children and two of them ended up dying from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
FUN NERD FACT - Bing Crosby's granddaughter Denise Crosby played Tasha Yar on the hit TV series Star Trek - The Next Generation. Awesome!
Thoughts by us:
Kelly:
This song hit me right in the feels. I've really liked Bing's singing for a long time, but this is a relatively early Bing recording and he really lets it rip. I'm used to Bing's fluid, pretty Irish lilting-style of singing, but at this end of this tune when he opens up with 'I'm your pal!' - goosebumps. I didn't realize he had that much power behind his voice! Also, I think this song still stands up today. Aren't we still talking about benefits for veterans and how poorly they've been treated? 'Half a million boots sloggin' through hell' and then 'why don't you remember? I'm your pal!' - heartbreaking. I listened to the Tom Jones version (love me some Tom Jones) but it just isn't as good. Bing is king. 5/5
Holly:
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (Bing Crosby): 4/5 We’re on a roll of great songs right now! This might not be my favourite example of Bing Crosby, but man, he’s a great example of what a crooner can sound like! The orchestra in the background is just that, background; Bing steals the show in this one. He does a great job at slowly increasing the simmering anger as the song moves along. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime is apparently from a musical (Americana), and blew away the audience. It's a pleasant sounding song with angry, disenchanted lyrics. That formula seems to have stuck around pretty well!
Der Binger:
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Need A Little Sugar in My Bowl - Bessie Smith
Well if it isn't our old friend Bessie again! This time it's Bessie 'unplugged', as it's just her voice and the piano. This song came out in 1931 and was part of a genre known as 'dirty blues' (the same genre that gave us the term 'rock 'n roll'). Since we've already learned about Bessie in a previous post and there's not a whole lot of info on the song itself, let's get to the reviews:
Holly:
Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl (Bessie Smith): 4/5 “I need a little hotdog between my rolls”. Oh, Bessie! I’m so glad there’s another Bessie Smith recording on this list, because this one does a way better job of portraying Bessie Smith as a singer. She has the exact perfect voice for this dirty, innuendo-filled blues song! It’s so weird that it’s countered by this prim and proper piano playing, though. I have to say, I find this song way dirtier than the overtly sexual songs that are on the top 40s today. Thanks, Bessie, this song thoroughly entertained me.
Kelly:
OH MY GOD THIS SONG IS DIRTY. And I like it. Hearing it for the first time left me blushing and a little gobsmacked at how overtly sexual it is and that it only came out in 1931. How was the public at large not totally scandalized by this? Possibly it didn't get a lot of airplay back then. I agree with Holly that this is a much better showcase of Bessie's voice and the power behind it. I like that it's only her and piano and I would be interested to hear what it would have sounded like with a raunchy horn section backing her up! 'Tired of being lonely' - me too Bessie. Me too. 3.5/5
FILTHY:
Need A Little Sugar in My Bowl
Holly:
Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl (Bessie Smith): 4/5 “I need a little hotdog between my rolls”. Oh, Bessie! I’m so glad there’s another Bessie Smith recording on this list, because this one does a way better job of portraying Bessie Smith as a singer. She has the exact perfect voice for this dirty, innuendo-filled blues song! It’s so weird that it’s countered by this prim and proper piano playing, though. I have to say, I find this song way dirtier than the overtly sexual songs that are on the top 40s today. Thanks, Bessie, this song thoroughly entertained me.
Kelly:
OH MY GOD THIS SONG IS DIRTY. And I like it. Hearing it for the first time left me blushing and a little gobsmacked at how overtly sexual it is and that it only came out in 1931. How was the public at large not totally scandalized by this? Possibly it didn't get a lot of airplay back then. I agree with Holly that this is a much better showcase of Bessie's voice and the power behind it. I like that it's only her and piano and I would be interested to hear what it would have sounded like with a raunchy horn section backing her up! 'Tired of being lonely' - me too Bessie. Me too. 3.5/5
FILTHY:
Need A Little Sugar in My Bowl
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Minnie the Moocher - Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
A hi-dee-hi-dee-hi-dee-hi! Today's entry is our first foray into jazz/big band and our first instance of scat singing in the list. The song 'Minnie the Moocher' was based on another song called 'Willie the Weeper' written in 1927. 'Minnie' was released in 1931 and sold over a million copies - that's a lot of wax! There is a lot of drug slang in the song (these were the days before you could flat out call your record 'The Chronic') like 'Smokie' and 'cokey'.
My research tells me that Cab's parents recognized early on that he had a gift for music and put him in formal singing lessons. Cab was more interested in the jazz scene so he dropped out of law school and started to perform and learn from the masters, including his older sister who was a bandleader before him, and learning how to scat from non other than Louis Armstrong! So Cab and his Orchestra became super popular and lead to him CO-HEADLINING with DUKE ELLINGTON. Can you imagine? Anyway, Cab continued in music and showbiz for the rest of his life until his death in 1994 at age 86.
Also, I would be remiss if I didn't add this amusing Cab Calloway anecdote:
Cab fired Dizzy Gillespie from his band because he thought Dizzy was pelting him with spit balls on stage (he wasn't). Dizzy ended up stabbing Cab in the leg with a small knife.
REVIEW!
Holly:
Minnie the Moocher (Cab Calloway & His Orchestra): 5/5 I was so happy to see this coming up on the list. Cab Calloway was known for his scat singing and it was this song that made it famous. Another song filled with some great trumpet playing, along with the rest of the band. I like the constant chunking away of the guitar against the dirty, lazy sounding winds. I like Cab’s dancing also, but I guess that can’t really go into this critique. Anyone remember his version of this song from The Blues Brothers?
Kelly:
What a great song. I'd say this is probably the most well known song we've had on the list so far. His voice is FANTASTIC and powerful, and there's not much that sounds better than a tight big band. It must have been quite the scene watching this at the Cotton Club back in the day. It's still kind of raunchy (I imagine a kick line with that opening phrase), but best of all, it's fun and a great listen. 5/5!
I'm including a live performance so you can see his awesome dancing/character!
El manisero - Don Azpiazú & His Havana Casino Orchestra
January 20th's song is another one that takes us to Cuba. The book tells us that this song helped start the 'rumba craze' of the 1930s and was not only a hit in the America's, but Europe and Japan as well. It still stands as one of the biggest hits to come out of Cuba (sorry Gloria Estefan). There's not a lot of info on the web about Don Azpiazú, except for when it pertains to this song. Aaaaaaaand go:
Holly:
El manisero (Don Azpiazu & His Havana Casino Orchestra): 4/5
Oh! Ha ha, this is The Peanut Vendor! I know this song! Anyway, there are approximately eleventy billion versions of this song, but this one’s great. I just love that mariachi trumpet sound. It’s so weird and bright. This was apparently the recording that made this song so well loved around the world, and you can tell why. It’s catchy, and the singing is great. I also need to point out that this is the first recording on our adventure with a bari sax in it. For bonus listening, listen to the Stan Kenton version filled with lots of drumming and crazy trumpets!
Kelly:
Yeah, I don't think I actually know this song. But it's pretty catchy! It's exactly the music I would imagine as I walked down the streets of old Havana, a mojito in one hand and a cigar in the other. I love the trumpet with the harmon (?) mute, it gives the song that perfect latin flavour and the percussion is perfectly laid back. I didn't even notice the bari sax in this (sorry Holly). You can also tell with this recording that audio quality is getting better and better. Thanks, technology! 4/5
Olé!
Monday, January 19, 2015
St. James Infirmary Blues - Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five (songs)
January 19th brings us a little Satchmo and one of his renditions (the superior rendition) of the classic St James Infirmary Blues. I don't really need to write anything about Louis Armstrong as we all are aware of him, yes? Anyway, the song is based on an 18th century English folk song about a soldier who spends all his money on working girls, catches an STI and dies. Quite the cautionary tale. So as time went on, the song evolved, usually with the message of steer clear of morally questionable behaviour (like velour track suits) and we arrive at 1928 with Louis Armstrong. I think we were both pretty excited to listen to this, seeing as we both are really into dixieland jazz. Aaaaaand go!
Holly:
St. James Infirmary Blues (Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five): 5/5 Love. So many good things to say about this song. Definitely early Louis at his very best. And, like the 1,001 book says “not a note is wasted”. It’s definitely a prime example of well thought-out simplicity. When Louis giggles in the middle and says “bragging” I grin every time. This guy has more feeling in his first note than Sinatra has in a whole album! The piano is awesome, trombone and clarinet combination is cool, and moody, and weird, and the drums are understated. I think the cymbals sound like trashcan lids, though. Might be the recording quality. Or might be trashcan lids!
Kelly:
Yeah, this is definitely a hot track. The first version I'd ever heard of this song was the Harry Connick Jr. version, which was a nice slow burn, but sorry Harry (and I think Harry would agree) that this version is king. I love how they use trombone as the ostinato (or is it continuo? Damn you, undergrad!) and I loooooove dixieland clarinet. Is anyone better at phrasing on their instrument than Louis Armstrong? No. The correct answer is no. I mean, there's definitely something to be said for instrumentalists who are adept at noodling, but Louis shows that you don't need that to sound like a fucking BOSS. My favourite part of the song is at about the 3:30 minute mark when the drums really kick in. So filthy! 5/5
Listen and be dazzled.
Also, I thought I would let you guys know the album of the week that we will review on Sunday - Elvis Presley (1956) - Elvis Presley
Sunday, January 18, 2015
ALBUM OF THE WEEK: In The Wee Small Hours - Frank Sinatra
So we both listened to this album a few times this week to see if it would grow on us. NOPE. We will surely be making a few enemies with this review:
In the Wee Small Hours:
Holly:
I’ve never really like Frank Sinatra, but I thought I should put in
a strong effort, especially since it’s the first album on this list. So I
listened, and tried to like his pompous, un-nuanced voice. Nope. Still don’t
like him.
This album was recorded at a point in Sinatra’s career where he had
just divorced his second wife (Ava Gardner), and the public at large saw him as
a washed-up has been. Somehow, In the Wee Small Hours saved his career.
It’s considered to be his first “concept” album, which is a good
thing, I guess. I found it to be one slow, sad, depressing dirge of a song
after another. And I just can’t hear Sinatra’s singing as genuine. It’s just so
sickeningly suave. This can’t be a DeCaigny thing. Aren’t there other people in
the world who share this opinion?
Alas, I should point out the positives. Some of the arrangements are
pretty cool. It definitely sounds like the arranger, Nelson Riddle, was
directed to make sure the orchestra parts stay firmly in the background, but
there are some cool moments. Another positive…..uhhhh….I kind of like the cover
art.
I’m going to pick a favourite track from each album we listen to. My
favourite track from this album is the title track, In the Wee Small Hours of
the Morning. Mainly that’s because I’ve always really liked this song. I’ve
heard many versions of this song, and though this is not by a long stretch my
favourite, I don’t mind it. Ben Webster does a really great, understated
version of it. But don’t worry, I won’t recommend saxophone versions of every
song we review!
Kelly:
I just have never been able to get really into Sinatra. There are a few tracks here and there from other albums that I like, but this album is just slow and dull. I get the idea of a concept album, but a change in tempo would not hurt from time to time! Also, this album is nearly an hour long. An HOUR of what sounds like the same interpretation of similar sounding songs. I might as well go to a U2 concert.
I remember the song "In the Wee Small Hours" from a great vocal arrangement that our high school music teacher did and it's a great song and I guess Sinatra does a good job...but I think some other crooners of the day just sounded better, like Bing Crosby. For me when in comes down to Ol' Blue Eyes or Der Binger, it's Bing every time (even when asked "who do you think was the bigger asshole in his lifetime, although that's a close one). Even Chris Botti's arrangement of this song sounds less douch-y.
I don't even feel like this is one of those albums you can put on in the background while you're cooking or cleaning because his voice is so heavy and insidious that you have to listen to it, no matter how droning it is. And really? Mood Indigo? Leave that to the professionals (AKA Duke Ellington).
My favourite track from this album is track 3, Glad to be Unhappy. He sounds a bit different and lighter from the other tracks, and his voice has more movement. He sounds sweeter and more relaxed - and a little like Bing Crosby.
When it comes to a buy or a pass for this album, Frankie gets a firm pass.
Pokarekare - Ana Hato w/ Deane Waretini
January 18th song is taking us to the land of our relatives (shout out to the kiwi DeCaigneys!) on the north island of New Zealand, some say more specifically Rotorua. Pokarekare Ana is written at the turn of the century in the Maori language. The whole song can be summed up by the repeated line "E hine e, hoki mai ra, ka mate ahau i te aroha e" which translates to "Oh my beloved girl, come back to me, I could die for you". It's a popular song in New Zealand and also a bit in Australia. The artists featured in this version are cousins - Ana was a Maori woman born in Rotorua who was a promising athlete and talented singer. She couldn't read music but was very adept at singing in tune (like many of the singers we went to school with at UBC). Anyway, she died from cancer at a relatively young age and is buried in Rotorua.
Kelly:
So once upon a time I was in a group that featured the ukulele...and we totally played this song. Like so much of what we did we sucked the heart and soul right out of it, which is too bad because it really is a beautiful song with a beautiful melody. And unfortunately, I'm having a hard time getting on board with this version. The style of singing is that really old-timey crazy vibrato that was popular back in the day. And I was NOT expecting the male harmony singer to just pop out of nowhere! The first recorded version of this song that I have heard was from sublime kiwi diva Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, so I think that's the version I will keep in my mind. 2/5
Holly:
3/5 This has not really stood the test of time so well. Definitely dated and of an era! A traditional Maori song from Rotorua. So there’s a DeCaigny connection since the DeCaigney branch of our family tree is there! It’s sort of hard to judge the quality since the recording quality is not so hot. I found this a really interesting listen.
What do you all think?
Pokarekare - Ana Hato
Kelly:
So once upon a time I was in a group that featured the ukulele...and we totally played this song. Like so much of what we did we sucked the heart and soul right out of it, which is too bad because it really is a beautiful song with a beautiful melody. And unfortunately, I'm having a hard time getting on board with this version. The style of singing is that really old-timey crazy vibrato that was popular back in the day. And I was NOT expecting the male harmony singer to just pop out of nowhere! The first recorded version of this song that I have heard was from sublime kiwi diva Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, so I think that's the version I will keep in my mind. 2/5
Holly:
3/5 This has not really stood the test of time so well. Definitely dated and of an era! A traditional Maori song from Rotorua. So there’s a DeCaigny connection since the DeCaigney branch of our family tree is there! It’s sort of hard to judge the quality since the recording quality is not so hot. I found this a really interesting listen.
What do you all think?
Pokarekare - Ana Hato
Lagrimas Negras - Trio Matamoros (songs)
Today's song takes us to the island of Cuba and back to the days when our American friends were still allowed to travel there (sorry, 'Murica). Lagrimas Negras translates to "Black Tears" and the translation from Spanish suggests that age old story of girl leaves boy, boy is sad but not mad, misses girl. Trio Matamoros were three Cuban friends who were all singers and composers and who played guitar, claves and maracas, respectively. It looks like they were quite popular in the Americas and Europe and stayed together for 35 years before breaking up in 1960.
Kelly:
I am totally and completely meh about it. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I mean, I guess it sounds pretty good? I like Cuban music, but this is just....ok. I didn’t feel anything listening to it. Definitely not one I would make an effort to listen to again. I just don't have much to say about it. 2/5
Holly:
3.5/5 This song grew on me bit by bit with every listen. There have been a trillion covers of this song, and like lots of latin music, I felt like maybe I’d heard it before. But I always think it’s cool how latin singers have this great ability to change the feel of the music with subtle changes in tone and vibrato. I also think it’s interesting how timeless this sounds (aside from recording quality). This is not life altering, but it’s nice. It’s a nice song.
Have a listen for yourself, let us know your thoughts!
Lagrimas Negras - Trio Matamoros
Kelly:
I am totally and completely meh about it. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I mean, I guess it sounds pretty good? I like Cuban music, but this is just....ok. I didn’t feel anything listening to it. Definitely not one I would make an effort to listen to again. I just don't have much to say about it. 2/5
Holly:
3.5/5 This song grew on me bit by bit with every listen. There have been a trillion covers of this song, and like lots of latin music, I felt like maybe I’d heard it before. But I always think it’s cool how latin singers have this great ability to change the feel of the music with subtle changes in tone and vibrato. I also think it’s interesting how timeless this sounds (aside from recording quality). This is not life altering, but it’s nice. It’s a nice song.
Have a listen for yourself, let us know your thoughts!
Lagrimas Negras - Trio Matamoros
Allons A Lafayette - Joe and Cléoma Falcon (songs)
Today's song is apparently the first ever Cajun recording - historical! The song is sung in Cajun French (from what I can tell isn't too different from regular French, mostly a different accent) and is about a man asking his girl to go to Lafayette with him and change her name to Mrs. Mischievous. Also and hilariously, the man thinks her beauty outweighs her character. So there's that. Joe and Cléoma (married couple) became pretty popular in the Louisiana and the surrounding regions and this song caused a bit of a stir. What you're hearing is Joe on accordion and Cléoma thumping away there on the guitar. Interesting fact - Joe's music became less popular due to the increase in the popularity of fiddle-based music. Huh.
THE VERDICT:
Holly:
This was apparently the first Cajun recording ever. So I thought that was a cool, historical fact that made this worth a listen. This was definitely not my cup of tea, and I gave it a lot of listens. I appreciate it, but just can’t get behind it really. Also, there’s something I just don’t really like about the sound of the accordion on this recording. Sad side note- Cleoma died at age 34. She was run over by a car and dragged for a quarter of a mile. What a shitty way to go. 2/5
Kelly:
Finally we disagree! I actually really liked how weird this sounded and the grungy sound on the accordion. I actually looked for and listened to a more recently recording of the song, which was also cool. I love this kind of Cajun/Zydeco shit. What I wasn't super crazy about was Joe's "singing", but hey - you can't win 'em all. I really with the guitar were clearer and not so muddy, I love the sound of a really twangy Dobro. 3.5/5
LISTEN:
Allons à Lafayette - Joe and Cléoma
THE VERDICT:
Holly:
This was apparently the first Cajun recording ever. So I thought that was a cool, historical fact that made this worth a listen. This was definitely not my cup of tea, and I gave it a lot of listens. I appreciate it, but just can’t get behind it really. Also, there’s something I just don’t really like about the sound of the accordion on this recording. Sad side note- Cleoma died at age 34. She was run over by a car and dragged for a quarter of a mile. What a shitty way to go. 2/5
Kelly:
Finally we disagree! I actually really liked how weird this sounded and the grungy sound on the accordion. I actually looked for and listened to a more recently recording of the song, which was also cool. I love this kind of Cajun/Zydeco shit. What I wasn't super crazy about was Joe's "singing", but hey - you can't win 'em all. I really with the guitar were clearer and not so muddy, I love the sound of a really twangy Dobro. 3.5/5
LISTEN:
Allons à Lafayette - Joe and Cléoma
Thursday, January 15, 2015
St. Louis Blues - Bessie Smith (songs)
Our listening today is the 1925 version of St. Louis Blues as sung by Bessie Smith. My research on the Wiki tells me that the song's composer, W. C. Handy wrote this song after an encounter with a woman on the street who was bemoaning the absence of her husband in 1914. The song was performed a bajillion times by such greats as Glen Miller, Django Reinhardt, Louis Prima, Judy Garland - shit, even Stevie Wonder and George Thorogood and the Destroyers (of Bad to the Bone fame). This version featuring the genius trumpet stylings of Louis Armstrong is sung by Bessie Smith. It sounds like Bessie was a big deal back in the day, having been a big name in blues and gospel singing and influencing future greats like Billie Holiday. Bessie's life was cut short by a car accident and her grave was left unmarked until 1970 when Janis Joplin (of all people) bought her a proper headstone. Thoughts! :
Holly:
Very sparse in kind of a cool way. Louis Armstrong is so freaking cool on trumpet all the time. He has such a good sense of how much to play or not to play, and his tone is so recognizable. Harmonium is so weird. I had a hard time listening to Bessie Smith and focussing on her, because I was preoccupied by the weirdness of the harmonium, and the coolness of Louis Armstrong, but I like her voice very much. I hope she shows up again on this list. 4/5
Kelly:
It was a total pleasant surprise that Louis Armstrong was on this track, and I agree, it's hard to focus on poor ol' Bessie when Louis is so damn cool. Even if you didn't see Louis' name in the liner notes you would know it was him playing. Anyway, I like the track and I think her singing is really dirty and raunchy and bluesy- it's what I think the blues should sound like. I would love to hear what she would sound like with better recording quality. 4/5
Listen up:
St. Louis Blues - Bessie Smith
Listen up:
St. Louis Blues - Bessie Smith
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
O Sole Mio - Enrico Caruso (songs)
First up on our musical odyssey is the Enrico Caruso recording of the Neapolitan classic "O Sole Mio". The song was written in 1898 and talks about what a nice day it is outside and the sun is shining but hey! There's an even better sun and it is your shining face. The song is closely associated with the late great 'Juicy' Luciano Pavarotti but we are listening to Enrico Caruso's 1916 recording. Caruso was kind of a big deal back in the day, having had performed that the Met a boatload of times and being one of those big opera-type personalities. Caruso himself was Neapolitan, so I guess this song hits him in the feels. So here is what we think:
Holly:
"I really appreciated his understated singing of this piece, because lots of people try to way overdo it with whole Napolitano thing. I quite liked his voice, and I felt like it was a cool kind of dated. Wont be buying his album, but I definitely really enjoyed it. I gave it a 4/5 because I found it very pleasing. Not life changing though."
Kelly:
" Some times I feel like it’s hard to judge something when the recording quality is so old/bad/dated, but Caruso was a big deal at the time and you can see tell why. He’s not my favourite tenor timbre (Domingo will forever hold that place in my heart) and he has the crazy sheep-vibrato that was big at the time, but his singing is great - and the song is a classic. I don’t know that I would rush out and buy a Caruso album, but I can appreciate his performance. 3.5/5"
The general consensus here is that it's a great version of a great song, but one that we won't be rushing to the ol' record-mart to pick up. Have a listen:
O Sole Mio - Enrico Carusa
Holly:
"I really appreciated his understated singing of this piece, because lots of people try to way overdo it with whole Napolitano thing. I quite liked his voice, and I felt like it was a cool kind of dated. Wont be buying his album, but I definitely really enjoyed it. I gave it a 4/5 because I found it very pleasing. Not life changing though."
Kelly:
" Some times I feel like it’s hard to judge something when the recording quality is so old/bad/dated, but Caruso was a big deal at the time and you can see tell why. He’s not my favourite tenor timbre (Domingo will forever hold that place in my heart) and he has the crazy sheep-vibrato that was big at the time, but his singing is great - and the song is a classic. I don’t know that I would rush out and buy a Caruso album, but I can appreciate his performance. 3.5/5"
The general consensus here is that it's a great version of a great song, but one that we won't be rushing to the ol' record-mart to pick up. Have a listen:
O Sole Mio - Enrico Carusa
The 1,001 Project
You Should Be Listening to Music - the 1,001 Project.
We (Holly and Kelly) love music. I feel like we've always loved music. As far back as we can remember, there was always music playing in the house, all sorts of music - rock, opera, symphonic, country, blue grass, soul. We ended up both enrolling in music lessons and getting music degrees. We both play a bunch of instruments and music still plays a big part of our lives.
For this project we both picked up the books 1,001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die and 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and have decided to listen to a song a day and an album a week for the next, well, 1,001 days/weeks. The books run in chronological order, so we will be starting pretty early in the 20th century. We will listen and discuss, talk about what we like and what we don't, what speaks to us, what makes us what to press stop on the CD player. What may inspire us to buy the album, what may confirm what we already feel about a song/artist/genre. Join us, won't you?
We (Holly and Kelly) love music. I feel like we've always loved music. As far back as we can remember, there was always music playing in the house, all sorts of music - rock, opera, symphonic, country, blue grass, soul. We ended up both enrolling in music lessons and getting music degrees. We both play a bunch of instruments and music still plays a big part of our lives.
For this project we both picked up the books 1,001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die and 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and have decided to listen to a song a day and an album a week for the next, well, 1,001 days/weeks. The books run in chronological order, so we will be starting pretty early in the 20th century. We will listen and discuss, talk about what we like and what we don't, what speaks to us, what makes us what to press stop on the CD player. What may inspire us to buy the album, what may confirm what we already feel about a song/artist/genre. Join us, won't you?
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