Patti Smith, the godmother of Punk rock, is 64 today. I was lucky enough to see Patti and her band perform on her 60th birthday in New York City and I was amazed at the energy and life that she poured into that performance. I even got to meet Lenny Kay after the show and talk about the old days of New York City punk!
I've never been a big Captain Beefheart fan. Although when I heard of his passing I was still affected enough to want to write an entry regarding this massively influential artist. Beefheart was a truly innovative artist who created music that never even attempted to meet the watered down values of mainstream music. Instead, his music was very much in your face to the point that it would kick you in the nuts if you looked away. He will be missed.
I've always hated this song, except for Gram Parson's version. Maybe its the bittersweet melancholy of it or maybe it's Emmylou Harris' beautiful voice, but either way I love it.
Punk rock legend Tom Verlaine is 61 today. I'm not sure why that's shocking to me, but I suppose it's because he will be eternally young in my eyes. For those of you who do not know, Tom Verlaine was the lead singer of Television, arguably the most influential punk band in history. Tom and Richard Hell were the first people to begin performing at New York historic CBGBs club and built a reputation for their unique style and powerful delivery.
Way before Saturday Night Live did a skit titled Sofa King, Rap's most underrated artist was making our sides split with his own track. I've probably heard this song a hundred times and it still makes me laugh. Enjoy!
There are few bands out there today that consistently put videos as interesting as Baltimore's Animal Collective. See for yourself.
At 90 years old and still going strong, Pete Seeger is America's great voice of reason and justice. No other songwriter has firmly placed their high moral standards and values in their music than him and no other musician has used their music to stand up against oppression. Pete is the man!
1961 was an important year for Coltrane. Not only did he release 5 albums within those 12 month's, but it also marks the time when Coltrane was really turning into one of jazz's great institutions. While other albums like Giant Steps and Blue Train really highlight the man's potential, it was in this year that things really started to come together. While I'm not saying that this was when Coltrane hit his stride (that would still be a few years away) this was the year when the man began to push his art form into undiscovered territory. If '66 and '67 was when Coltrane had reached the summit, then '61 certainly must be when he reached the base camp.
Lewis Melville is a veteran in the Canadian independent music scene. While his name is not as common as many of his contemporaries, he has played with many legendary acts like the Rheostatics and the Skydiggers. He is a truly gifted songwriter and a gem of an artist. This song, "The Lamp is Growing Dim (Oh Canada)" can be found on the Afghanistan... On Guard For Thee? Compilation that came out nearly ten years ago. Sadly, the song and compilation are as relevant today as it was then.
Jimi Hendrix would have been 68 on November 27th. Instead, we are left with a few groundbreaking studio albums and a few dozen live recordings. To celebrate this young man's life, here's my favorite Hendrix tune. 
No one can smear like Bill Hicks and there is no one more deserving of a character smear than Rush Limbaugh.
Sadly, Fela Kuti has been gone for nearly 15 years, but his music is as relevant today as it was when he still walked the earth. The King of Afrobeat had a way of taking a rhythm and turning it into a soulful expression of life. There are very few who could do this and the world is a better place because of him.
As I've said a few times before, it never seems to amaze me how so many great artists have been thrown to the wayside, while the J.Los and Justin Bieber's of the world seems to get more than their fair share of the pie. Perhaps the greatest tragedy of them all is Portugal's Free Pop Electronic Concept. I'll be honest with you, I don't know much about this group because there simply isn't a lot of information. The group is a collaboration between brothers Jess & James and the Belgian composer Arsene Souffriau. 
If done well, country music should be darker than death metal. It is introspective music that cuts to the soul of melancholy. It should be honest and true. While there are few artists on the scene that epitomize this mantra, Bonnie Prince Billy is definitely one of them. His music is pure, honest and heartfelt. Although commercial success has not come easy for him, he continues to put out great albums that meld traditional country music with the DIY attitude.
The queen of folk and one of Canada's greatest artistic exports is 67 today. Joni Mitchell has become an icon, an international superstar who pens clever songs that transcend generations. Her songs know no boundaries and mix jazz, folk , pop and blues together into one of the most distinctive voices in music. There are very few artists that I can say this about, but Joni Mitchell's songs will be sung for generations and will remain a staple of 20th century popular music.
Most of you know Bob James as the lame-ass smooth jazz composer who collaborated with equally lame ass musicians to make boring and contrived records that don't really go anywhere. Rest assured that that is the truth. However, in 1965 a young Bob James collaborated with the great ESP Record Label to put out an electronic-free jazz album that exceeds your wildest expectations. The albums is noisy, disjointed and sounds absolutely nothing like your father's Bob James. I can't recommend this album enough. It's a gem of an album and definitely a Bob James album that you shouldn't be embarrassed to own!
Sadly, we have been Johnny Cashless for a few years now. The man in black is no longer of this earth and is undoubtedly watching us right now and wondering why we're making such a huge fuss over him. Fortunately for us fans, his music still lives on and we were blessed with one more American Recordings album this year. While I didn't really have high expectations for it, I have to say that it is surprisingly one of the best. It is a collection of many traditional tunes that give a giant proverbial middle finger to death in a way that only Johnny could.
Announcing their favourite Bob Dylan album always brings about great controversy amongst music snobs. Some prefer the angry young man who points his finger like a gun at corruption and power, while others like the rock star circa '65 Dylan who didn't give a fuck if you hated rock music. Still others like the more mellow adult contemporary Dylan who has moved past his day of being an angry young man and just focuses on honing his trade. I prefer the first of these categories because I believe that it was when Dylan really hit his stride.
I was on my way to work yesterday thinking about classical music of today and, unlike the popular music of today, I think we are in a truly plentiful era for classical. While I really hate that term because it reeks of elitism, I think it's true. Sure we're lost many greats in the last 10 years or so, but the current legacy that many of today's classical composers are leaving will be felt for generations to come.
There are few albums that simultaneously bridge insane weirdness and commercial appeal. Albums like OK Computer, John Coltrane's later work and The Talking Heads' Remain in Light all come to mind. These album have attained a high level of commercial success, but have not compromised the original vision. These albums are very very rare. King Crimson's first album In the Court of King Crimson is one of them. I have been listening to this album for many years now and I am convinced that it is the crowning achievement in progressive rock (a term I have always hated)
There is a superficial understanding of the Blues in popular culture. It exists somewhere between Eric Clapton's contrived style and BB King's live shows in Vegas. The Blues has been turned into a commodity and an image rather than a way of life. I say this because compared to the true genius of Mississippi John Hurt and a handful of other acts, the blues just doesn't resonate like it used to.
Dear Justin, 
There's a lot of cynicism about the state of music today. People are constantly saying that originality no longer exists and that the artists of today couldn't hold a finger to the artists of the past. I couldn't disagree more. Popular music has never been as diverse as it is today and artists are always bringing in new ideas and style to express themselves.
One of the great things about ipods is that you can unexpectedly revisit albums that you might not have listened to for quite some time. On my way home from work today I listened to what is in my opinion Muddy Waters best album, Folk Singer. The album features quite possibly the best cast of blues musicians ever assembled on any record (Clifton James, Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy) and is beautifully recorded and produced. It actually sounds like Muddy himself is performing just for you because you can hear all the subtleties of the recording studio. Muddy sounds great and his guitar work is pure genius. I can't recommend this album enough and I am very glad that I revisited it again after so many years,
I am very sad to say that soul legend Solomon Burke died this weekend in Amsterdam. For those who are familiar with his work, you know that he was a big man with an even bigger voice. He was a man of faith who shared buckets of love to anyone who was lucky enough to stand near him. If you've heard any of his live recordings or if you've seen him concert, you will know that his music brought people of all different backgrounds to their knees. Needless to say, the women loved him too!
If you are not familiar with Gang of Four, let me do you a HUGE favour and acquaint you with one of the coolest and most innovative bands of the past 30 years. They mix punk, funk and a few other arty flavors to make one of the coolest sounds around. While most critics cite their first two albums as two of the most innovative and creative works of the post-punk era, Gang of Four have been doing their thing for more than 30 years now. You owe it to yourself to check this band out!
I was shocked when this song was released. Not because it is an amazing tune, which it is, but because it was recorded shortly before Johnny passed. I couldn't believe that a man who was so close to death's door could play a song with so much strength and clear vision.
While I am not really a big Pearl Jam fan, I was lucky enough to see them for the first time during one of my final days living in New York City. I came in with no real expectations and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. They rocked pretty well and I was definitely blown away by the intensity of the crowd. I've never really seen a crowd that into a live act before and I have to give some serious props to the band.
It's Monday morning and after having a great weekend you find yourself back in the rat race chasing the Monday morning blues. Let Jackie Wilson mend those Monday morning blues with his great vocals and killer dance moves.
When most people think of musical geniuses they think of artists like Mozart, or Bach. People whose work has stood the test of time and has become ingrained within popular culture. While I don't necessarily disagree with this, I think it often dismisses the work of our brilliant modern artists in exchange of a highly elitist musical canon. When you think of it this way, what separates Beethoven from Bill Evans or Brahms from Gershwin?
To most people the 80s were all about trite pop music, weak sitcoms and bizarre fashion statements, but to me it was an incredible decade for music and creativity. From the emergence of Hip-hop to the incredible punk and post-punk music. But most of all, the 80s will mainly be the decade of the Smiths. In my mind, not other band did so much with so little. While they only put out a little more than a a few dozen singles and 4 lps, the Smiths left a permanent mark on popular music and will be forever remembered. Therefore, because of this I have decided to compile a list of my top 5 favourite Smiths songs.
It's hard to believe it, but alternative rock icon Nick Cave is 53 today. Yes, the man who rocks an ironic mustache better than anyone in rock is 53 years young today and to celebrate I wanted to include a song from his work with the Birthday Party, The Bad Seeds and Grinderman. Happy birthday Nick, Keep on rocking!
Most people do not know Bruce Haack and his enormous legacy to music, but almost everyone is familiar with the thousands of artists who have been influenced by this genius. I have a particular affinity to Bruce Haack as he was born in Nordegg, Alberta, a tiny mining town 2 hours away from my hometown. Bruce grew up with the stifling oppression of small towns and quickly fled to complete his studies at the University of Alberta and then eventually New York City.
