June Through December Music Picks

Things have been a little crazy 'round the Mod Male headquarters. I've been wanting to put up a Music picks post for months now, but well... it's been a tad difficult.

But, I gotta get something up before year's end, so here are just some tracks I've been digging heavily since almost 6 months ago!

1. Rupert's People - 'Reflections of Charlie Brown' - Many people on Twitter and Facebook have been posting some great '60s freakbeat clips and have reminded me of many songs I used to LOVE years back but have kind of forgotten about over time. It's natural... you discover new music and you sometimes put away old faves. This Rupert's People track was brought back to my attention and got me back into wanting to pursue more of these late '60s British sounds.

2. Van Morrison - 'Warm Love' - My old pal Juan posted this one up on the ol' FB and, let me tell you, I played it over and over again for about 3 days straight. So much better than the actual recorded version, I think. It's that funkier beat that gets me.

3. The Impressions - 'Love's Happening' - We have been on a BIG Curtis Mayfield kick over these last few months (okay, always on a Mayfield kick). But the other day, I pulled out This Is My Country, and was just floored all over again by how great this whole album is. Was hard to pick just one track, but this one is a pretty good indication of what you get.

4. Beachwood Sparks - 'Forget The Song' - One of my favorite things is coming home to a new CD my wife has picked up on a surprise whim. A few months back, it was the 'new' Beachwood Sparks CD (okay, a couple of years old, by now), Tarnished Gold. Friends, if you're a fan of that psychedelic country sound, hook up with this! It's been an almost daily play since she picked it up.

5. Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys - 'Three Years Blind' - My wife scored twice in the last few months, the second time with the new Big Sandy release! Basically, a collection of re-worked songs from their catalog. And it's great! I was working one night and completely stumped by what she was playing. It took a while for me to realize it was, in fact, Big Sandy. The song that stumped me was 'Baby Baby Me'. No confusing his voice on this track, though!

6. Parliament - 'Silent Boatman' - Here's another track I rediscovered after trying to re-organize LPs after our move. Again, that whole album, Osmium, needs to be in your collection with some really great tracks ('Automobile' and 'Little Ole Country Boy,' two of my other faves). But this haunting track gets me every time. (Yeah, it's the bagpipe.)

7. Simon & Garfunkle - 'Homeward Bound' - Another song that helped welcome us to our new place. Really, when it comes to S&G, I don't need to say anything you haven't already heard.

8. Patti Smith - 'Gloria' - It was weird. After Lou Reed's death, I wasn't really in the mood for the Velvet Underground or his solo work. Instead, I found myself wanting to hear other New York sounds like Television and Patti Smith. I used to really like this stuff back in high school, but haven't heard it in years. In fact, I don't even own any Patti Smith records which is something I really need to correct soon. This particular cover is the one that hits me hardest. Just powerful.

9. Kaleidoscope - 'Sky Children' - When our baby was born, this was one of many songs that hit my head. (This and 'Balloon' but couldn't find it on YouTube.) I just thought about playing this for her as she got older to really start sowing those 'good music' seeds. Sure, she'll go through her teeny-bop phase. Yes, we'll have to endure whatever New Direction band is around when she's an adolescent. And I'm okay with that. Because one day, after she's through that phase, she'll come to us and say, "Hey pops... hey mama... still have those old Kaleidoscope records?" And then, she'll (re-)discover White-Faced Lady and her little college mind will be blown. (Trust me... my dad knows it happened with me and Bob Dylan.)

10. Derek See - 'She Came This Way' - Alright, gotta give a shout-out to local boy Derek See with his recent 45 release. I got this in the mail right when we were moving and didn't come across it again until opening a box of books. This is a nice piece of heavy, moody vinyl for you. If I didn't know any better, I'd peg it at 1968, but nope... this is 2013!

Man, looking back on this list, you all probably think I'm some mopey dude at home. Hey, what can I say? I like the slow jams when I'm home mellowing out.

Alright, I'm out! Probably my last post of the year. Oh yeah, and if you want Mod gift ideas, oh I don't know... I hear there's Mod wine out there now. Go figure.

*

May Music Picks

Wow! May was a big month for us. After 18 years in the same building and 13 years in the same apartment (7 for my wife), we finally moved. (See post here.) 

All this moving business got me really nostalgic, so that colored my music mood and got me into some sweet, mellow tunes I've enjoyed over the years living here. So, here friends, is my May playlist:

1. Ella Fitzgerald - It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing - The very first item I moved into my own apartment 13 years ago was a tape player. And the very first piece of music I played on it was off of an Ella Fitzgerald cassette tape. I moved down from an upstairs apartment, went straight to my new empty bedroom and plugged in my tape player with an Ella tape. I sat there listening to this, excited about my first, solo apartment.

2. Colin Blunstone - Caroline Goodbye - Okay, this one's old hat amongst the veterans out there, but if you're a newbie Mod kid getting burnt out on the "Mod! Mod! Mod! Rah! Rah! Rah!" music, then invest in Colin Blunstone. Former (or current, I guess) lead singer of the Zombies, Blunstone put out some absolutely beautiful solo music. And hey, if you're at a point in your life where you're looking to impress the chicas, play some of his music for them. They'll either soften up and see you as a sensitive, deeper-than-a-Mod-kid-should-be fellow or just not get the beauty of Blunstone. And if the latter, they ain't worth your time! I found this CD again when I started packing up our collection and just had to hear it.

3. Twin Engine - Give My Love A Chance - Another CD I found in the archives. Old pal, Pat Johnson turned me on these guys years ago when I was trying to explore more Byrdsy-country sounds. Listening to this again after so many years made moving a lot more easy. I don't know a whole lot about Twin Engine, but seems their back-up included guys like Clarence White, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke. Sold! (Unfortunately, I couldn't embed a YouTube clip, so you'll have to check the link yourself.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvBAoNPvL2I

4. Nick Drake - Northern Sky - Of course, moving always brings up some good nostalgia and although Nick Drake, for me and many others, is timeless, hearing this CD always brings me back to a period when I started to get real adventurous with music. My buddy Aaron used to always turn me on to great stuff that took me out of my Mod/soul comfort zone, including country, late '60s hard rock, and '60s/'70s folk, like this one. But as hard as he tried, I still had my limits (sorry Grateful Dead). But Bryter Layter and any Nick Drake is always welcome on my player!

5. Rodriguez - I'll Slip Away - Yes, we're still on a Rodriguez high and his music has been playing non-stop on our system while we packed up. Kind of makes it hard, though, when you're trying to hurry up and box up some books, but need to stop and take in a moment for a song like this. Many times, I had to tell my wife, "Hold on... let me just dig my jam for a bit and I'll get to the next box..."

6. Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys - Love That Man - Many times, my wife was in control of our CD player (can you tell by now that our turntable was one of the first things to get packed?) and that's always a good thing since she puts stuff on that I forget about sometimes. We're huge Big Sandy fans and need to make more attempts to see him and his band live when they come through. A fantastic backing band, great voice, and beautiful music in a more '50s vein. I don't know about you, but 'rockabilly' music is A-OK with me!

7. The Jam - In The Crowd - I can't tell you how many times we drove back and forth between our old and new place dropping things off. And one of the CDs my wife kept playing was a Jam CD. I never find myself putting The Jam on, not because I'm tired of them (I still love them!) but because there's so much other great music I like listening to. But it usually takes my wife to remind me of good music like this. Everytime I jumped out of the car to drop boxes off, this was the song that remained playing in my head.

8. Johnny and June Cash - If I Were A Carpenter - This was off a different CD my wife had playing in the car. Off of a compilation of country music that we got while part of a CD club with friends, this number was the one I kept waiting for whenever it was on. The CD itself was filled with great stuff, but hearing this cover, which was a new one to me, is what kept me relaxed during the drives back and forth.

9. Nick Lowe -  Long-Limbed Girl (This video features Chris Barber)! - On our last night, all I had left music-wise was my iPhone. This was one of the last songs I remember listening to, late at night, while packing up shoes. Man... Nick Lowe is one of the few who has aged so gracefully and gotten better with his music. Don't believe me? Then play the video.

10. Jefferson Airplane - Embryonic Journey - Yeah, I know I put this in the last post, but I'm including it here anyway. Whereas Ella Fitzgerald was the first thing I played when I moved into my own place 13 years ago, this song was the last thing I played as we left. I was fooling around, really, as my wife walked out filming the empty apartment. I put the song on my iPhone as she was shutting the door as a joke, but when I saw the look on her face and the tears welling up, even I got super sad! Didn't help when one of the newer neighbors walked by looking at us like we were crazy.

Well, that's it for this month. In case you're wondering, our music system still isn't plugged in. (But our TV system is, so Arrested Development, here we come!) And our records and CDs are piled everywhere. I think this'll be the weekend to finally get some good music playing at the new place.

*

April Music Picks (A Day Late)

Alright, alright, only my second monthly playlist and already I'm late. Hey, what can I say? Life.

Anyways, this is what I've been diggin' on this month. That Acid Jazz box set really got me on a hip-hop kick (*gasp*), but that's not all I've been listening to. Check it!

1. Ry Cooder & The Chicken Skin Band - Dark End of The Street - This version just floored me. A beautiful mix of tender, soft soulful vocals, slide guitar, and Tex-Mex accordian. I had this on repeat for almost an entire work day. For no reason whatsoever, I've never picked up any Ry Cooder albums, but have wanted to explore his records for a while. This song just might be the kick in the pants to get on that!

2. Three O'Clock - In My Own Time - This month was a big concert month in the Bay Area. The Specials (or did they play in March?), Peter Daltrey (see below), and The Three O'Clock. Gotta say, the Three O'Clock were pretty great! When I was younger, 'Canteloupe Girlfriend' was my jam. These days, it's this track.

3.  Kaleidoscope - Standing/Diary Song: The Indian Head - Peter Daltrey made a return visit to San Francisco this month, so I spent time catching up on all my favorite Kaleidoscope/Fairfield Parlour recordings (i.e., all of them). I was super excited to catch him again, as he was so good last time he played. But what happened? I got sick and couldn't make the show! Although I missed him, I still have fantastic songs like this, probably my favorite off of the White Faced Lady album.

4. Ricky Fante - Let You Go - Man, talk about getting lost in the shuffle. There are all these great new soul acts playing today, but Ricky Fante was one of the first back in the mid-2000s. I don't know why he wasn't picked up on more or why he didn't continue on the path of this sound. (Maybe it was the out-of-place dancers all around him?) But listen to this and tell me this ain't some great 'new' soul!

5. Dave Pike - Big Schlepp - I'm always in the mood for some good, funky Dave Pike jams. This is perfect music for just hangin' at home and kickin' it easy. Thanks to YouTube, you can find some good live footage of him. But the song that was ticklin' me this month was 'Big Schlepp!'

6. The Pharcyde - Oh Sh**! - As mentioned above, I've been on a hip-hop kick thanks to the Acid Jazz 25th Anniversary box set. I was never much of a hip-hop guy when I was younger. I think the only tracks I liked back in high school were 'Express Yourself' (NWA), 'Fight The Power' (Public Enemy), and 'Me, Myself, and I' (De La Soul). These days, though, I have a much larger appreciation and have been diggin' on songs I missed out the first time around, like this.

7. The Velvet Underground - Oh! Sweet Nuthin' - Ah, you all know this one! I was at the gym the other day, and this came on my iPod. It had been a while, but a very welcome listen. Unfortunately, it made me want to get off the treadmill and just want to mellow down easy.

8. Guru - Le Bien, Le Mal - Here's an old hip-hop tune I was into back in the day. In fact, while Guru's Jazzmatazz was probably hipping hip-hop kids to jazz, it was actually hipping me to hip-hop. Plus, you just can't beat the sound of French rapping.

9. Caetano Veloso - Lost In Paradise - This album is always lying by the side of our turntable because we are often in a Veloso mood. This particular track kept floating around in my mind this month.

10. Hidden Jazz Quartet - High Heels (Lack of Afro remix) - It's been a while since I've bought new 45s, but I just recently picked this one up. I actually learned about it from the Sussed Facebook page (thanks guys!) A nice slice of new soul that totally makes me want to DJ again!

Alright, that's it for me this month. Hope you dig!

*

March Music Picks

So, I think Anorak Thing and Monkey Picks have been on to something good with their monthly music picks. Something so good, I think I'll join them!

Years back, I used to take part in one of those Live365 internet station things and I used to love uploading a wide range of good music. I got burnt on having to convert everything to MP3 though, so I eventually pulled out. But, now that YouTube has grown into a vast video archive, I can just grab songs off of there. Hopefully, I can keep this up on a monthly basis.

Anyways, here's a Top 10 list of stuff that's been hittin' me just right this past month:

1. Herbie Hancock - Fat Mama - Makes me miss the days a couple of years back when I used to DJ jazz/soul tunes in between sets of live jazz from The Nick Rossi Trio at the Burritt Room in San Francisco. It was a mellow time when I got to experiment with '50s/'60s/'70s jazz along with newer tracks, then taking a break to enjoy a drink and listen to the guitar, bass, and vibes from the Trio.

2. Nina Simone - Cum By H' Yere (Good Lord) - Pulled this album out again recently. Amazing voice and stripped-down instrumentation. Love the way it just soars as it goes.

3. Simon & Garfunkle - Homeward Bound - One of my fave S&G tracks, amongst many. I was always a fan, in general, but that fandom went up a few notches when we picked up their 'Old Friends' live CD a few years back. They still have that chemistry!

4. Prince Phillip - Keep On Talking - Received the Hall of Fame: Rare and Unissued Gems From The FAME Vaults compilation for Christmas and it's been playing often on our system. The track that gets me going and makes me want to go back to hunting for good soul 45s, though, is Prince Phillip's 'Keep On Talking' written by Dan Penn.

5. Gil Scott Heron - I Think I'll Call It Morning - This one off another album I hadn't listened to in a long while. You know how it is: you get into a record, put it away for a couple of years, and when you re-visit it you re-discover songs that you may have overlooked before. This track became my new favorite.

6. Rodriguez - Crucify Your Mind - We're late to the Rodriguez party, barely catching the Searching For Sugarman movie at our local Elmwood theater over a month ago. And yes, it IS as good as you've heard. I couldn't decide on which track to include, so I'm sticking with my wife's favorite.

7. Dexy's - Nowhere Is Home - This new Dexy's stuff ain't bad, I tell ya. I keep coming back to this one, playing it over and over while I'm at work. Just has that type of mellow beat I'm really into these days.

8. James Hunter - Minute By Minute - Caught the James Hunter Six earlier this month and, as always, it was a great show. Now, his CD is playing non-stop in our car and this is the fave track.

9. Ten Year After - If You Should Love Me - Sad news earlier in the month when Alvin Lee from Ten Years After passed away. Admittedly, as a young Modnick, this is a band I NEVER thought I'd ever get into. Then, one day, I heard this song and my musical horizon expanded just a bit more.

10. Dr. Robert - Heavenly Thing - Back in the '90s, my friends and I got on a huge Dr. Robert kick. Some of you might have remembered him from his Blow Monkeys days, but when he released his solo EP, Coming of Grace, we were hooked. Now, in all honesty, it may have had a lot to do with the fact that the EP featured back-up from people like Paul Weller, Mick Talbot, and Rhoda Dakar. No matter what, though, it was Dr. Robert's voice and the songs' compositions that kept that thing on re-play. Egad, almost 20 years later, and Dr. Robert has done it again with this sweet slice of modern soul! (This clip includes a sample of the track mixed with 'Realms of Gold' which was my fave track off the Coming of Grace EP.)

That's it for this month. Hope these songs grab you like they grabbed me!
*