5/31/12- Pearl Jam- Gonna See My Friend

Appropriate track to get ready for my buddy's bachelor party. Gonna see my friend Alex on one of his last nights of bachelorhood. Enjoy this rather solid tune by a rather solid band.

5/29/12- Jeff The Brotherhood- Shredder, Diamond Way, Shredder, Bone Jam

The wife and I went to see Best Coast Sunday night and yes they played a nice tight set and sounded great live, but for me these guys stole the show. They had energy and personality, as well as a huge sound that somehow came out of 3 strings and a drum kit (the 3 string guitar was a big plus for me). Their songs have a really fresh quality but also refer to various groups- Blue Album Weezer, The Ramones, Smashing Pumpkins, Wooden Shjips, Fu Manchu, on and on. I was really surprised to see that they have done a Tiny Desk Concert because NPR doesn't often invite these types of groups in, so it's cool to see them in a more personal way. I think I'd really enjoy hanging out with them, but at the very least I get to enjoy listening to them. Killer new find.

5/26/12- Tracy Chapman- Give Me One Reason

There are some songs out there that you recognize after the first 3 seconds. This is one of them. Solid blues tune.

5/25/12- Bonnie Raitt- Right Down The Line

Even at 62 Mrs. Raitt is still making sweet music. Check out her cover of this classic Gerry Rafferty tune.

5/22/12- Santigold- Go (feat. Karen O)

A tip of the cap to my wife for passing this one along to me. Kinda an odd song that has both an atonal and melodic thing happening all in one.

5/19/12- Wheatus- Teenage Dirtbag

Lets all go out and be teenage dirtbags tonight...especially the Iron Maiden part. (by the way, whether cool or not these guys look like they had a lot of fun)

5/18/12- Seasick Steve- Last Po'man

Some hobo blues to melt down in to on a sweaty day.

5/17/12- Meat Puppets- Backwater

I am once again feeling the need to get back to the 90's. Today's offering comes from the golden year of 1994- possibly one of the best years for alternative rock, other albums released this year:
Alice In Chains- Jar of Flies, Green Day- Dookie, Cake- Motorcade of Curiosity, Beck- Mellow Gold, Nine Inch Nails- Downward Spiral, Soundgarden- Superunknown, Offspring- Smash, Weezer- Blue Album, 311- Grassroots, Nirvana- Unplugged, Pearl Jam- Vitalogy, Bush- Sixteen Stone, Smashing Pumpkins- Pisces iscariot, R.E.M.- Monster, Stone Temple Pilots- Purple, Toadies- Rubberneck.....Just to name a few!

5/16/12- The Chemical Brothers- The Devil Is In The Beats

I watched Hanna (a great movie definitely worth seeing) for the second time over the weekend and what caught me again was this quirky little tune that plays during a club scene and what the assassin "Issacs" whistles through out the rest of the film. It is immediately catchy but is also very creepy when associated with this killer who wears a jump suit. The music throughout the film is really great and it didn't surprise me when I learned that The Chemical Brothers composed the soundtrack. Give it a listen and I bet you will not be able to get it out of your head...and go rent Hanna!

5/15/12- Donald "Duck" Dunn- R.I.P.

A T.O.T.D. *Special Addition*...I know this is a few days late, but I to be sure I post a farewell to Donald "Duck" Dunn, one of the greatest session bass players to ever live. Dunn has bass credits associated with Wilson Pickett, Issac Hayes, Otis Redding, Rod Stewart, Tom Petty, Bill Withers, Peter Frampton, and Eric Clapton, to name a few. His most visible roll, here, was playing with the Blues Brothers for the film as well as for their records and live performances. From one bass player to another, you will be missed. R.I.P.

5/15/12- Aktar Aktar- Mothershipman

I was back home in the Chicagoland area this past weekend to see family and catch up with friends, and one night we went to visit Jess' friend Aria who lives on the northside in Wrigleyville. After a few beers on the train downtown, a few more during sushi, a few more at a improv show (which was killer), a whiskey back at Aria's, we were then off to hear a local band I had never heard of before- Aktar Aktar. Hearing an unknown band's music for the first time is always an interesting experience, one that I wish I did more and encourage others to do. All too often we go and see bands that we already know and may even know the lyrics to their songs. This is a perfectly fine experience, but it usually comes with certain expectations. Seeing an unknown band though there are zero expectations, all variables are unknowns. With all of this there can be a certain build up of excitement. Some bands deliver the goods and become your new favorite find while others are duds, but those are the chances you take, roll the dice. And roll them we did on Friday. To be honest most of my experiences have been on the dud side, but seeing this band was a breath of fresh air as I was extremely impressed with their brand of psychedelic rock. Give them a listen and try 'em out.

5/10/12- Little Feat- Dixie Chicken

If you'll be my Dixie chicken i'll be your Tenessee lamb

And we can walk together down in Dixieland

5/9/12- Everclear- One Hit Wonder

I have been reinvestigating Everclear's first two albums the past week or so (Sparkle and Fade '95 and So Much for the Afterglow '97). I gotta say, these albums really have stood the test of time. The songs still have a fresh quality full of poppy hooks and layered instruments and vocals. Front man Art Alexakis' lyrics of relationships, the pains of growing up, drug use, and overall insecurities of living life all still relate to the struggles we live with today and do so with the same urgency since they were recorded. This track, "One Hit Wonder" off of "So Much..." exemplifies all of these qualities. If you grew up with these albums like I did (and even if you didn't) I strongly encourage you to give them a listen.

5/7/12- Danzig - Mother

Mother's day is coming up this weekend, make sure to do something nice for yours. This song is classic hard rock, dramatic video to boot!

5/4/12- Long Beach Dub Allstars- Trailer Ras

Cutting through the heat with these guys.

5/3/12- Norah Jones- Happy Pill

Here is Norah Jones attempting to reinvigorate and reinvent herself. This is not to say though that her previous albums have not been strong, just rather that they have been easy to pass by. Her new album Little Broken Hearts was produced by Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz, Beck, Broken Bells) who seems to have a golden touch because this album is a strong showing for Norah and for the most part succeeds in bringing her back in to the fold. From the album cover to the dark and at times edgy (at least Norah Jones Edgy) songs she has given herself a heaping dose of hip- all without losing what everybody loved in her since her first albums. My only complaint about the album is that at times Danger Mouse's influence is a bit too heavy handed where some songs you could change out Norah's voice for James Mercer's and you would have a Broken Bells song. Give credit I guess to Danger Mouse for having such a distinctive sound. Anyways, Little Broken Hearts is streaming on NPR's First Listen. I suggest you go give it a listen and if you are not familiar with Jones' back catalogue go give that a listen too!

5/2/12- Wood Brothers- Luckiest Man

This brother duo truly write some amazing soulful songs. This is a really nice intimate performance of the lead track of their first album.

5/1/12- Trio - Da Da Da

This song/ video is perfect to start a new month. Simplicity is often most appealing in the music world- both in song and video.