I know I am probably in the middle somewhere on this but I have around 5,600 downloads on my IPhone right now. I have probably 1,200 CD’s laying around the house as well. So, lets say in my possession I have roughly 15,000 songs I can revisit and explore and as you know by now, I tend to bring up some of those discoveries in this column.
What I also do is repeat some gems I love and hope they find a way onto one of your playlists. I can say with pretty good confidence that I am an eclectic listener.
I love Rock, don’t get me wrong but I can listen to almost any Blues record and love the experience. Same with a lot of Jazz as well. Classical, sure, if I am in the mood but I do not have a refined ear. I couldn’t tell you if the oboe or the bassoon is magnificent or however the classical world describes it. I like what I like, I don’t need to validate it.
As for Country, I can also listen to it for a set period of time but after a while, no matter where I am at, I go back to Rock and Roll.
Digging around in my collection I always find interesting stuff. Some you remember, some you don’t. Some you love and some you scratch your head.
That’s what today’s list is:
Undiscovered records and rediscovered pieces of brilliance.
The first one is from a guy I vaguely remember in the 60’s and 70’s, John Batdorf. He was part of Batdorf and Rodney and they had a moderate hit with “Can You See Me”. They never really caught on because they had a similar sound as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and a lot of those Folk Rock bands of that era. The thing that I found compelling about them and Batdorf’s second band was that they were excellent musicians. John Batdorf was one of the best acoustic guitarists of his era and that’s what leads me to this very unusual album, All Wood and Stones by James Lee Staley and John Batdorf. It is an acoustic cover album of Rolling Stones songs. It is excellent. Their interpretations are great and the one thing I will say, however, take it small doses. I listened to the album straight through and while I loved it, there is only so much I can take of any similar sounding recordings. I don’t have a top choice here but if I was going to put one song on my playlist it might be, “19th Nervous Breakdown”.
Keeping in this acoustic corner, check out 40 Fingers. These are four guys who play just the acoustic guitar. The production and precision is amazing and there are a few notables in their catalog. “Sounds of Silence” and “Hotel California” are beautiful. Listen to what’s online and make your own decision about this band. Again, another dive that must be treated with some care, you don’t want to get sick of beautiful music too early.
Now, I can never get sick of what I still think is one of the masterpieces of any era, Bob Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks. Hands down my favorite Dylan album by far. Having never been much a fan (still not) this album from the first song to the last moved me. The story telling, the visualizations, everything about it. The back story was equally as interesting. Having heard every song thousands of times over the years, I still stop what I am doing to listen. That is the true mark of a great song.
Simple Minds was a very popular band in 80’s through present day. I get that most of my readers shun the New Wave, Alternative space but Simple Minds really was an outlier. Jim Kerr may have one of the finest voices in Rock and Roll and their arrangements were complex and played to Kerr’s strengths. While I love “Promised you a Miracle”, there is something about “Someone, Somewhere in Summertime” that I can’t get enough of. I can’t explain why I like this song so much. It just has to be heard to understand.
Another song that I just discovered and it’s from that same genre is Electronic’s “Get The Message”. Great beat, upbeat song that makes you want to tap the steering wheel while you drive around town. I only heard this song two weeks ago and it’s been in constant rotation. Recorded in 1991, I am not sure how I missed it.
Here is a curve for you. I have decided to take another look at the Cat Steven’s catalog and let me tell you, that guy had some great songs. He isn’t every Rock and Roll fan’s cup of tea for sure but who today can’t stand to listen to “Peace Train” or “ Morning Has Broken”? We aren’t all grit, grime and grudges are we? I have two I love, “Angelsea” and “On the Road to Find Out”. Beautiful songs both and similar in structure.
The Cars back in the Mid 70’s were going to save Rock and Roll. They had such a unique sound and their lead singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek was just the right amount of weird. Their debut album was great and it ranks up there as one of the best ever. The last two songs on side two to end the album have to played together. “Moving in Stereo” and “All Mixed Up” conclude the album perfectly. Sung by the bass player, Benjamin Orr, they are awesome.
In the early 70’s I was a wanna be hippie. Had long hair, listened to some spacey stuff that my friends could not understand but I didn’t care. One such band was Fairport Convention. I might have mentioned “Come All Ye” which is sort of the typical song I listened to for a bit but from that same album came a better song “Matty Groves”. This is an unusual song in that the original Matty Groves is an English tale from back in the day (1600’s). It’s been translated, retranslated and so on. This song is Fairport Convention’s take on the same story with a little bit more current lyrics.
Harry Nilsson was just a weird, talented singer songwriter during the early 70’s. He had multiple hits and even wrote a couple of songs for the soundtrack of Midnight Cowboy. he was a one of kind talent and to just know that he did an album of Randy newman songs has to tell you the guy was out there. He was very talented though and there really is a lot to like in his catalog. My favorite has to be “Jump Into the Fire”. It has all the elements I love in a great song. Length, searing guitars and a driving bass line.
My last song is probably the rarest song I will ever recommend. I have never seen it on any website. It is not on Apple Play. It is not on Amazon music and some people say I am making this up but I know it exists. The Blues Magoos’ “Georgia” or “Never Going Back to Georgia”. The title is a moving target I think and maybe thats why I can’t find it. The song is some live version of the band jamming to some lyrics about Georgia and I think it might have some anti-Southern implications. Again, this song is a true mystery and I will not rest until it is on my computer.
I know it’s out there.
Great new choices, really like Batdorf and Rodney. Here is The Magoo's Never going back to Georgia at ( https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blues+magoos+never+going+back+to+georgia )