This is emphatically not a return to form. I’ve been sharing songs with friends and I thought it was a bit silly to not share them here too.

colo(u)rful houses in Bo Kaap

I quite like this Alberta Cross song. The whole album is good, too, though I don’t love every song.
Alberta Cross – Low Man (mp3)

Volcano Choir is a side project of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. This track was not what I expected, but it’s quite catchy/ good. And Justin’s vocals are wonderful as always.
Volcano Choir – Island, IS (mp3)

Soul Sides has been posting some fantastic stuff lately and you’d be remiss to not check it out. Bobby Freeman’s “Good Good Lovin’” is a classic blues-based, Motown-sound track with a hard driving sax part. They posted two tracks by the Metros and both are excellent soul tracks, but I like the dark, swaggering “Since I Found My Baby” better.

They also posted these oh-those-are-funny videos of Lushlife doing acoustic covers of classic hip hop tunes. They are so funny, until you realize they’re actually quite compelling. For example, this Jay Z cover:

I definitely am going to keep my eye out for Mayer Hawthorne after a few tracks of his I heard recently. Grab the breezy, oldies- and Motown-inspired “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’” at MBV.

I don’t know much about Monogrenade but I quite like folky The Acorn-reminiscent track “Ce Soir” that Anyone’s Guess posted.

The B-side of the Very Best 7″, “Yalira”, available here, is beautiful and worth the listen.

I’ve been listening to the Frightened Rabbit Daytrotter session a lot. The featured version of “My Backwards Walk” is great.

And, finally, if I’m posting, I feel it’s my duty to mention the great KevvyKev’s (one of KZSU’s own) 25th anniversary Bang the Drum concert with 25 DJs and 25 MCs. It’s definitely another impressive line up. Check out all the details.

boats in Kalk Bay, False Bay

So the month is up. I sit here with my bags packed, an empty apartment now across town and a boarding pass ready to be printed. This is it, the end of ipickmynose as we know it. What that actually means is yet to be seen, but I know I’m taking a break and if I come back, I’m not going to be blogging all the time.

I’m proud of what I’ve done here. 1137 posts over 860 days. But more than the numbers, I think I’ve written good stuff–though I still wouldn’t claim to be a “writer”–and championed plenty of bands that ought to be championed. I’m proud that I never put advertising on this site. It’s always been a labor of love and both a time and money sink, but I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t like doing it. It’s certainly been a fun pursuit.

I really have a lot of people I’d like to thank for help and support. Dave for kickass design work on posters for ipickmynose presents shows and other stuff for the site. Andy for introducing me to rad bands, making KZSU live mp3s sound better, and telling me when I was getting too full of myself as a blogger. Liz for being my unofficial editor and for being possibly my first reader. Smurph, for engineering all those KZSU sessions. All the song obsession panelists, especially Keith, my college radio hero. All the bands that I’ve met and have been great and appreciative. Fellow bloggers, for the encouragement and for introducing me to great bands, especially Will of New & Used Records, Ben, Christian and Emily of the Bay Bridged, Nick of Monosyllabic/ albondigas!, Scott of Anyone’s Guess, Oz of Hearya, Natalie of It’s Too Sunny Out Here, and Smansmith of Slowcoustic. Largehearted boy, Chromewaves and Gorilla v Bear for something aspire to.

I’d like to thank you, the readers. When I decided to branch off my music writing from my personal blog to a separate music blog, there was the implicit acknowledgment that I was writing for more than just myself. Initially I thought it would just be some friends and things and I’m still tickled that people who don’t know me read this. So thanks for that.

I’m not disappearing entirely of course. There will be things of mine on the internet that will still be around if you want to keep track of me:

• personal blog
• photo blog
• twitter
• last.fm

Anyway, keep ipickmynose in your RSS readers or check back in occasionally. Who knows what the future will bring?

The Miracles – What’s So Good About Good Bye (mp3) (buy)

Phil Spector is more in the news for being a convicted murderer these days than anything else. Before that, people may know him for screwing up Let It Be (at least in the opinion of one knight).

But I wanted to bring some focus back to the genius music he produced and one of my favorite box sets of all time: Phil Spector: Back to Mono. It’s has three discs of Spector singles and the full length Spector Christmas album as the fourth disc. It’s an overview of the Wall of Sound, with its huge drums, layered production and diverse instrumentation. You can also hear that Spector introducing Latin elements into pop songs in a time when that was not yet commonplace.

Of course it has the hits and Phil Spector’s hits are among the best pop songs made: “Be My Baby”, “He’s a Rebel”, “Then He Kissed Me”, and “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling” among them. Then there are many other songs you’d recognize, but the real value in the set are the lost gems hidden in here. I love Ben E. King’s “Spanish Harlem”, a light and straight-forward soul ballad with some great orchestrations and fun vocal lines. Lee Curtis’ “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” borders on doo wop and has a driving rhythm and a fantastic chorus. “Uptown” by the Crystals is a Latin-tinged love song with a great pre-chorus->chorus build.

“Heartbreaker”, also by the Crystals, has a harder groove and more swagger than most of Spector’s numbers, putting it closer to a Motown track than most. It also has a classic sax solo in it. Treasures’ “Hold Me Tight” is built upon a percussion line than may be close to “Be My Baby”’s in how good it is. The vocal melodies are also really catchy. It holds a fairly rare distinction of being a Beatlest cover that is much better than the original.

The Crystals – Heartbreaker (mp3)

Treasures – Hold Me Tight (mp3)

This is really a fantastic box set and I recommend it to anyone that’s interested in oldies, girl group or soul music.

While going through some of my stuff, I found an extra, unopened copy of Phil Spector: Back to Mono. I bought this with my own money, but I’ll give it away to one lucky reader. To enter to win the box set, leave a comment with the song on the collection you most look forward to listening to again and again by 11:59pm Sunday July 19. (See here for tracklist.) I’ll pick one winner at random. Be sure to put a valid email address because I’ll need to contact you to get an address to ship it to if you win. This contest is open to residents of US and Canada only.

You can buy it at amazon.

Update: The contest is closed and with the help of random.org, I’ve chosen Will as the winner. Thanks for the entries!

cred: ipickmynose

After a week off, I’m back on the air. My radio show, which is called “I Once Was Canadian”, on KZSU 90.1FM will run until 6pm PST. Listen on the “radio” (remember those?) or online. Maybe you want to listen?

You can follow along with my playlist online.

Update: Here’s my playlist and show. Unfortunately I missed the first hour.

KZSU – I once was Canadian 6/2/09 [second hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 6/2/09 [third hour] (mp3)

• Iron & Wine – The Trapeze Swinger
  —
• Mark Kozelek – Up to My Neck in You [sound bed]
  —
• Fionn Regan – Put a Penny in the Slot
• Great Lake Swimmers – Concrete Heart
• Elvis Perkins In Dearland – Shampoo
• M. Ward – Rave On
  —
• Tallest Man on Earth – Shallow Grave
• Sufjan Stevens – Vito’s Ordination Song (acoustic version)
• Alexi Murdoch – Breathe
• Dawes – When My Time Comes
  —
• The Deep Dark Woods – All The Money I Had Is Gone
• Anni Rossi – Wheelpushers
• Dirty Three – Great Waves
• Swim Party – Sunlight & Sprawl
  —
• Wooden Birds – Bad
• Pinback – Anti-Hu
• ms john soda – Solid Ground
• Lightning Bug Situation – Message to Myself after Franny was Born
  —
• Laura Veirs – Where Gravity Is Dead
• Bishop Allen – The Ancient Commonsense Of Things
• Jake Shimabukuro – Thriller
• John Vanderslice – Too Much Time
• Mirah – Generosity
  —
• Adele – Best for Last
• Candie Payne – By Tomorrow
• Raphael Saadiq – Big Easy
• James Hunter – Carina
• Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens – What Have You Done?
  —
• Sam Cooke – Bring It on Home
• David Ruffin – Anything You Ask For
• Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – Tears of a Clown
• Henry Lumpkin – Don’t Leave Me
  —
• Alder Ray – A Little Love (Will Go a Long Way)
• The Orchids (US) – That Boy is Messin’ Up My Mind
• the Cadillacs – Speedo
• The Ronettes – Be My Baby
  —
• Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career

cred: ipickmynose

Baseball is shortening my show again this week, so I’ll be on till 4:50pm PST. My radio show, which is called “I Once Was Canadian”, on KZSU 90.1FM will run until 6pm PST (or, actually, just before due to baseball again). Listen on the “radio” (remember those?) or online.

You can follow along with my playlist online.

Update: Here’s my show and playlist.

KZSU – I once was Canadian 5/19/09 [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 5/19/09 [second hour] (mp3)

• P:ano – All of November, Most of of
  —
• Matt Pond Pa – Summer Is Coming
• Sufjan Stevens – No Man’s Land
• Andrew Bird – Fake Palindromes
• Laura Veirs – Where Gravity Is Dead
  —
• Apples in Stereo – Glowworm
• Olivia Tremor Control – Hideaway
• Beulah – Gene Autry
• Neutral Milk Hotel – Holland, 1945
  —
• The One Am Radio – Cast Away
• Low – In the Drugs
• The Low Anthem – Ticket Taker
• Sun Kil Moon – Gentle Moon
  —
• Or, The Whale – Fight Song
• Bruce Springsteen – The Last Carnival
• Bonnie Prince Billy – Death Final
• Great Lake Swimmers – Palmistry
• Langhorne Slim – Restless
  —
• Booker T – Get Behind The Mule
• Gospel Supremes – Sinner Man
• Shirley Ann Lee – There’s a Light
• Sam Cooke – Ain’t That Good News
  —
• Basia Bulat – Touch the Hem of his Garment

cred: ipickmynose

After last week’s baseball-shortened show, I’ll be returning to (almost) a full three hours starting in a couple minutes here (3pm PST). My radio show, which is called “I Once Was Canadian”, on KZSU 90.1FM will run until 6pm PST (or, actually, just before due to baseball again). Listen on the “radio” (remember those?) or online.

You can follow along with my playlist online.

KZSU – I Once was Canadian 5/12/09 [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I Once was Canadian 5/12/09 [second hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I Once was Canadian 5/12/09 [third hour] (mp3)

Update: Here’s my show and playlist

• Iron & Wine – Trapeze Swinger
  —
• Iron & Wine – Waiting for Superman
• Bonnie Prince Billy – Beware Your Only Friend
• Bruce Springsteen – The Last Carnival
• Moyra Mcbride & Maxon Blewitt – Disorder
  —
• Low – Venus
• Elvis Perkins In Dearland – Shampoo
• Sufjan Stevens – Casmir Pulaski Day
• Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
  —
• Anni Rossi – Wheelpushers
• Lily Allen – The Fear
• Regina Spektor – Fidelity
• Theresa Andersson – Birds Fly Away
  —
• Ben Kweller – Falling
• Aimee Mann – The Scientist (Live)
• Ben Folds – Brick
• Bishop Allen – Corazon
  —
• Say Hi – Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh
• An Horse – Little Lungs
• The Long Winters – The Commander Thinks Aloud
• John Vanderslice – Peacocks in the Video Rain
  —
• the Wooden Birds – Bad
• Justin Vernon And Aaron Dessner – Big Red Machine
• Great Lake Swimmers – Everything Is Moving So Fast
• The Deep Dark Woods – All The Money I Had Is Gone
• Mirah – Shells
  —
• Booker T – Get Behind The Mule
• Ruby Andrews – You Made a Believer Out of Me
• David Ruffin – Anything You Ask For
• Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – Tears of a Clown
  —
• L. Hollis & The Mackadoos – Bui Bui [sound bed]
  —
• The Spinners – I’ll Always Love You
• Sam Cooke – You Send Me [demo]

cred: ipickmynose

I’m on the air doing my radio show, which is called “I Once Was Canadian”, on KZSU 90.1FM.

You can listen in each week to hear me Tuesdays from 3-6pm. Listen in!

During either show you can listen online or at 90.1 FM. You can also follow along with my playlist online.

Update Here’s the show and playlist:

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.28.09 [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.28.09 [second hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.28.09 [third hour] (mp3)

• Cat Power – Cross Bones Style
  —
• Les Savy Fav – Precision Auto
• Superchunk – The Question Is How Fast
• Sebadoh – Not a Friend
• Seam – Rafael
  —
• Mates of State – Proofs
• Low – Dinosaur Act
• Matt Pond PA – Red Ankles
• Magnetic Fields – Strange Powers
  —
• Sigur Ros – Gobbledigook
• Amadou & Mariam – Ce N’est Pas Bon
• Beirut – La Llorona
• Lily Allen – Never Gonna Happen
• Yeasayer – Tightrope
• Animal Collective – My Girls
  —
• Andrew Bird – Effigy
• Anni Rossi – Wheelpushers
• Songs For Moms – 1906
• Magnolia Electric Company – Hammer Down
  —
• Great Lake Swimmers – Concrete Heart
• Basia Bulat – I Was a Daughter
• Bonnie Prince Billy – There Is Something I Have To Say
• The Deep Dark Woods – Farewell
  —
• Adem – These Are Your Friends
• Joel P. West – Bark and Feathers
• Damien Jurado and Gathered in Song – Airshow Disaster
• the National – Secret Meeting
  —
• the Vogues – Five O’Clock World
• The Crystals – Uptown
• Gran Prix’s – You Drive Me Crazy
• the Ad Libs – He Ain’t No Angel
  —
• Curtis Lee Pretty – Little Angel Eyes
• Ben E. King – So Much Love
• David Ruffin – Anything You Ask For
• Candie Payne – All I Want to Hear
  —
• John Vanderslice – Too Much Time
• Mason Proper – Fog
• Bishop Allen – The Ancient Commonsense Of Things
  —
• the Mountain Goats – Golden Boy

Alan Freed DJed what is now called ‘Oldies’

I’m very excited.

While on a mid-afternoon jaunt down to Westlake–side note: I never knew that was there. Like the Bay Area’s own Levittown. It’s a little odd but I’d like to go back with my camera–and I was scanning through the AM band, trying to hear the the Pens turn the game around, when I heard an unmistakable sound. It was a song that could only be on an oldies station. Love the Pens, but the dial didn’t move for the rest of the afternoon. I heard the likes of the Supremes, the Boxtops, the Shangri-Las and so many others. I grew up on oldies radio and it just has so much of the best music made to date.

As much as I like listening to my fellow DJs, there’s been a small but significant hole in my life for the last few years. It’s a what-to-listen-to-in-the car hole and it’s oldies radio shaped. You may have heard me lament on this before.

It’s been there for a few years since KFRC-FM switched to classic rock. The new station is also KFRC but on the AM band at 1550. It’s broadcasting the “True Oldies” syndicated channel. I’d like to point out that it’s not really “true oldies”–I’d call that mid-’50s to the end of the ’60s rather than the ’60s and ’70s this channel plays. And I’d prefer something that is programmed locally than some syndicated program. But even for these faults, I’m happy that it’s around.

And, finally, I’d like to reiterate that I think I’d make a good oldies programming director if anyone out there is hiring. (I’d use a smiley emoticon here if I believed in emoticons.)

Song obsessions are those songs that we listen to on repeat. I noticed that my obsessions are often a week long. I also thought that other people might have similar obsessions. I’ve collected a panel of a few like-minded individuals and gotten their “song obsessions of the week.” Quite often it’s easy to explain why the song is good; it’s much hard to explain why we’re obsessed. Maybe you’ll become obsessed with one of these.

–

Adrian (me):
Jimmy Ruffin – What Becomes of the Brokenhearted (mp3) (buy)

This song popped into my head earlier this week after I probably hadn’t listened to it in months or years. I’m not sure why, but as a sucker for slow jamz and anguished vocals in soul songs, I love this song. It marries those things just about perfectly and Jimmy Ruffin’s (older brother of the Temptation’s David Ruffin) vocals just burn with anguish.

Will I admit that this song is a bit cheesy? Okay. Is it great? Yes.

–

Keith:
Micachu – Just in Case (mp3) (buy)

This new Micachu disc has been hacksawing itself into my brain to the point that I can’t rationally select one song as the most obsesso-worthy. The Tequila reference in track 10 “Calculator” is a major selling point, as is the electronic squeal in track #5 “Curly Teeth” and the garbled guest vocals on track #7 “Ship.: But at this moment I can verify (or is that verafy) that the production like pace of #9 “Just In Case” has it in the lead as the Best Of The Year comp candidate from Jewellery.

–

cred: ipickmynose

As of a couple minutes ago, I’m on the air doing my “I Once Was Canadian” radio show on KZSU 90.1FM.

You can listen in each week to hear me Tuesdays from 3-6pm. Listen in!

During either show you can listen online or at 90.1 FM. You can also follow along with my playlist online.

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.21.09 [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.21.09 [second hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.21.09 [hour hour] (mp3)

Update Here’s the show and the playlist:

Mogwai – Stanley Kubrick
—
• Friends Of Dean Martinez – Landfall
• Explosions in the Sky – Catastrophe and the Cure
• Do Make Say Think – In Mind
  —
• Silian Rail – Drunken Boat
• Grandchildren – Saturn Returns
• Lymbyc Systym – Processed Spirits
• Unwed Sailor – Aurora
  —
• Grouper – Heavy Water/ I’d Rather Be Sleeping
• Beatbeat Whisper – Lulu
• Crooked Fingers – Weary Arms
• Songs:Ohia – Blue Chicago Moon
  —
• Neil Halstead – Martha’s Mantra (For the Pain)
• Horse Feathers – Working Poor
• Damien Jurado – Omaha
• Joel P. West – Paper Boats
  —
• Geographer – Leave
• Cymbals Eat Guitars – Wild Phoenix
• Bishop Allen – Shanghaied
• Dr. Dog – The Old Days
  —
• Beach Boys – Wouldn’t It Be Nice (stereo)
• Wanda Jackson – Funnel of Love
• The Soul Survivors – Expressway to Your Heart
• Sam Cooke – You Send Me
• Sam Cooke – Bring It On Home To Me
  —
• Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Oh How I’d Miss You
• the Supremes – Run, Run, Run
• the Wright Specials – Ninety-Nine and a Half Won’t Do
• Jimmy Ruffin – What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
• David Ruffin – Anything You Ask For
  —
• Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – We’re a Winner/ I Can’t Turn You Loose (Reprise)
• Fontella Bass – Hold On this Time
• Ruby Andrews – You Made a Believe Out of Me
• Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – The Tears of a Clown
• Marv Johnson – Come to Me
  —
• Great Lake Swimmers – Palmistry
• Bon Iver – Brackett, W9

On Friday I saw Wanda Jackson (myspace) in my first trip to Slim’s in years. I covered a lot of the background when I previewed the show, so I won’t cover it again here.

The crowd at Slim’s was a bit different from what I imagine it normally is–a mix of ages and a heavy contingent of punk rockabilly girls; tattooed and pierced girls wearing classic 50s-style dresses were well represented in the crowd.

Whenever I see older bands, I’m afraid they’ll have lost their edge and I’ll be watching an easy-listening cover band of the original. I’ve seen enough for this fear to be founded.

My fears were for naught this time. Wanda Jackson had opener Red Meat as her backing band and the band was tight. They played the original parts with style and drive, when required. As for Ms. Jackson, her vocals still had the range they used to–the hard edge at times and the soft tone at others. She even yodeled and yelped.

It was a really great set and I was pretty impressed with the band and Wanda. The crowd ate it up.

More photos of opener Red Meat, who put on a nice set of classic country covers (update and originals in that style), are after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

cred: ipickmynose

I’m on the air doing my “I Once Was Canadian” radio show on KZSU 90.1FM. I’ve got three hours!

You can listen in each week to hear me Tuesdays from 3-6pm. Listen in!

During either show you can listen online or at 90.1 FM. You can also follow along with my playlist online.

Update Here’s the show and playlist:

KZSU – I once was Canadian [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian [second hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian [third hour] (mp3)

• Yeasayer – Tightrope
  —
• Grandchildren – Cold Warrior
• Animal Collective – My Girls
• This Will Destroy You – Freedom Blade
• Lymbyc Systym – Birds
  —
• Silian Rail – Drunken Boat
• the Wooden Birds – Bad
• Caves – Ahaha
• Schande – Return Of The Return
• Bishop Allen – The Ancient Commonsense Of Things
  —
• Wanda Jackson – Funnel of Love
• Wanda Jackson – Let’s Have a Party
  Wild Jimmy Spruill – Mind On Loving You
• David Ruffin – I Want You Back
• Ben E. King – So Much Love
• the Clash – London Calling [request]
  —
• Lily Allen – LDN
• Beirut – La Llorona
• Joel P West – 28th and NE Davis
• Tom Thumb – Providence
• John Vanderslice – Fetal Horses
  —
• Michael Zapruder’s Rain Of Frogs – Butterfield’s And Baker’s
  Geographer – Can’t You Wait (Live on KZSU)
• Great Lake Swimmers – Concrete Heart
• Jose Gonzalez – Hand On Your Heart
  —
• Blind Pilot – The Story I Heard
• Frontier Ruckus – Orion Town 2
• Bonnie Prince Billy – Beware Your Only Friend
• Johnny Cash – Hurt
  —
• Andrew Bird – Tenuousness
• J Tillman – When I Light Your Darkened Door
• Damien Jurado – Ghost of David
• David Bazan – Options
  —
• Bob Dylan – Boots of Spanish Leather
• Elvis Presley – Flaming Star
• James Hunter – Class Act
• Henry Lumpkin – Don’t Leave Me
• Raphael Saadiq – Seven
  —
• Prof. Herman E. Schnitzel – Schussel Along with Schnitzel

cred: ipickmynose

Starting in a few minutes I’ll on the air doing my “I Once Was Canadian” radio show on KZSU 90.1FM. The last hour was supposed to be preempted by Stanford baseball but it got rained out so you’ll have me for the full three hours!

You can listen in each week to hear me Tuesdays from 3-6pm. Listen in!

During either show you can listen online or at 90.1 FM. You can also follow along with my playlist online.

Update Here’s the playlist and the show:

KZSU – I once was Canadian [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian [second hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian [third hour] (mp3)

• L. Hollis & The Mackadoos – Bui Bui
  —
• Bob & Gene – Your Name
• The Swinging Tigers – Snake Walk (Part 1)
• The Ronettes – Be My Baby
• The Crystals – Then He Kissed Me
  —
• Ramona King – Hey Everybody
• The Soul Brothers – Keep it Up
• Aretha Franklin – (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
• Miriam Makeba – Pata Pata
• Bobby Darin – I Ain’t Sharin Sharon
  —
• Bon Iver – Woods
• the Lightning Bug Situation – Message to Myself after Franny was Born
• Ohbijou – St. Francis
• John Vanderslice – Dead Slate Pacific
• John Vanderslice – The Golden Gate
  —
• Silian Rail – Drunken Boat [sound bed]
  —
• Marissa Nadler – River Of Dirt
• the Low Anthem – To Ohio
• Cat Power – Satisfaction
• the Mountain Goats – You or Your Memory
  —
• Laura Veirs – Galaxies
• Nada Surf – What Is Your Secret?
• An Horse – Little Little Little
• Modest Mouse – Float On [request]
  —
• Bishop Allen – Rooftop Brawl
• Songs For Moms – 1906
• Boat – Last Cans Of Paint
• Wye Oak – Warning
  —
• Anni Rossi- Wheelpushers
• Andrew Bird – Tenuousness
• Great Lake Swimmers – Concrete Heart
• Sufjan Stevens – For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ysilanti
  —
• The Deep Dark Woods – All The Money I Had Is Gone
• Frontier Ruckus – Orion Town 2
• Justin Townes Earle – Mama’s Eyes
• the National – So Far Around The Bend
  —
• Red Cortez – All the Difference
• Throw Me the Statue – Ship
• The Notwist – Boneless
• The Go Find – Over the Edge
• Lali Puna – 6-0-3
  —
• Ms. John Soda – Hands
• Beirut – My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille
• Mogwai – Acid Food

Every time an album with religious themes is reviewed, it seems the writer feels the need to clarify his personal position on religion. Reviews of the bitches-and-hos varieties of rap–do they clarify their position on bitches and hos? Regardless, I figure that there’s good music inspired by faith and good music inspired by secular themes.

Everything that Numero puts out is great, but Local Customs: Downriver Revival has to be one of my favorites yet. With a mix of gospel, soul, rock and funk, this album collects recordings between 1967 and 1981 that Felton Williams made in his basement in Ecorse, Michigan–Detroit’s down-river neighbor. Initially they were issued on Williams’ Solid Rock, Cass, Compose, and Revival labels.

The collection is solid throughout, but among the highlights have to be the four tracks from Shirley Ann Lee. They’re all drenched with great vocals and they alternate between frantic, rousing, uptempo numbers and slower ballads. Then there’s the old-school-gospel-like-you-see-in-the-movies of the Gospel Supremes’ “Sinner Man.” There’s lo-fi, home-recording-like songs like the selections from Coleman Family and The Revelations. The compilations winds this way and that, through soul and jazz, funk and rock before ending with a full gospel choir.

Shirley Ann Lee – There’s a Light (mp3)

Pilgrim Wonders – He Never Failed (mp3)

The 24 track compilation would probably be worth the price by itself, but it also includes a DVD with 200 sound recordings (demos, sermons, rehearsals, outtakes, etc) and a documentary about putting the collection together.

Buy Downriver Revival from Numero Group or Amazon.

cred: ipickmynose

I’m back on the air this afternoon doing my “I Once Was Canadian” radio show on KZSU. I’m doing 3 hour shows, so that means all the more fun every Tuesday from 3-6pm. Listen in!

During either show you can listen online or at 90.1 FM. You can also follow along with my playlist online.

Update: Here’s the playlist and mp3s (”podcast”) of the show:

KZSU – I once was Canadian 3/3/09 [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 3/3/09 [second hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 3/3/09 [third hour] (mp3)

• Raphael Saadiq – Seven
  —
• Stormy – The Devastator [sound bed]
  —
• Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On [Original Detroit Mix]
• Sharon Jones & the Dap-kings – Inspiration Information
• The Temptations – Ain’t Too Proud to Beg
• Sam Cooke – the Riddle Song
  —
• Martha and the Vandellas – Nowhere to Run To
• Henry Lumpkin – Don’t Leave Me
• The Supremes – Back in My Arms Again [promo version]
• the Soul Survivors – Expressway to Your Heart
• The Miracles – the Tracks of My Tears
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• Bob Dylan – With God On Our Sides (with Joan Baez)
• Laura Gibson – Spirited
• the Tallest Man on Earth – Pistol Dreams
• Josh Ritter – Girl In The War
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• Balmorhea – Harm and Boon
• Amiina – Gi-mur
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• Dot Tape Dot – Come To Me
• Animal Collective – My Girls
• Grandchildren – Cold Warrior
• Sholi – All that We Can See
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• Alias – Weathering (ft The One Am Radio)
• Shugo Tokumaru – Hidamari
• The Notwist – Pick Up the Phone
• Ms. John Soda – A Million Times
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• Shout Out Louds – Very Loud
• An Horse – Camp Out
• Wye Oak – Warning
• Fanfarlo – Ghosts
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• The Rosebuds – Bow To The Middle
• The Ugly Suit – Chicago
• Robert Pollard – - No One But I
• the Long Winters – Seven
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• Sam Phillips – Don’t Do Anything
• Phosphorescent – Can I Sleep In Your Arms
• Frontier Ruckus – Orion Town 2
• Elvis Perkins in Dearland – Shampoo
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• Otis Gibbs – Caroline