Track of the Week: She Was the World to Me by Daniel Romano

At Pop Montreal this year, i got to see some amazing acts, but one of the nicest surprises was Daniel Romano. He performed a simple set, with lovely background vocals by Misha Bower. There was a wonderful Parsons/Harris vibe, and this track particularly struck a chord. Heartbreaking.

Track of the Week: Don't Get Into It by Whipping Wind

The wonderful folks at OH! Records sent me a copy of the new OH Compilation 2. I'll try to get a full write up soon (you know how slow I've been moving lately), but I just wanted to share a track with you. As with their first compilation the best song here is from the Whipping Wind.

Rumour Has it Whipping Wind will finally get a full album release in the next couple months, I'm pretty excited about this. The songwriting is really top notch, and the production is always interesting.

You can actually download the first OH! Comp (featuring Tidal Wave by Whipping Wind) here at their site for a limited time!

Track of the Week: Wake Up Baby by Dion

I never thought I'd find myself enjoying Dion. I don't know why. I always just associated him with lame music... it wasn't even based on anything... But yesterday I was in Soundscapes here in Toronto (one of my favorite stores FYI), and I'm checking out the listening booths, and there's a new reissue of "Wonder Where I'm Bound". Well, what a great album! By this time in his career, Dion had dropped a lot of the Do Wop that made him famous and was mixing Blues and folk elements... Needless to say, Columbia Records wasn't happy. So much of the stuff recorded during the mid-sixties haven't had a significant release. Anyways, check out this great tune, written by himself, called "Wake Up Baby"



Pretty great right?

While you're here, have a listen to his interesting take on the blues standard "Baby, Please Don't Go"



Awesome. Talk soon.

Track of the Week: Watermelon Man by Herbie Hancock AND Davy Graham

One of my first Track of the Weeks was a Charles Mingus cover by the british folk/jazz musician Davy Graham. You can (and should) check that out right here. I've been listening to more Davy Graham these days, and got a hold of this great cover of Herbie Handcock's Watermelon Man.

First off, have a listen the Hancock version off "Headhunters":





Now, here's the acoustic cover by Davy Graham:





So good. Happy Wednesday!!

Track of the Week: Ramblin Man by Hank Williams

I'm a little hesitant to post this. I feel like this song is a given. It's just so good. Maybe not as painfully obvious as "Your Cheatin' Heart", but well known none the less. I was really close to playing this song at one of my last shows, but had to drop it. Who would believe me to be half as cool (or as vagrant) as Hank Williams?! No one. That's who.

Track of the Week: Home Sweet Home by Robert Hedge

Good morrow. My friend (and talented musician), Robert Hedge just released an 8 song LP called the Cleansing Fire. I'm a huge fan of his work, so I was excited to get my hands on a copy. It's really wonderful.


The first track on the album is a cover of Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home". In Robert's hands the song is transformed into the type of dusty road cowboy song you'd expect at the end of a Roy Rogers western. It's a really great interpretation. Check it out, then head over to his website, and see what else he has to offer.

Track of the Week: Since I've Been Growing by David Newberry

Hello! Long time no see. How ya been? I've been busy. Started working a new job for Yuk Yuks, booking shows, sending CD's everywhere, and did two CD release parties (they went swimmingly, thanks for asking). So, I will try my best to update a bit more, I promise.

I played the 10th annual Bob Dylan tribute in May, and I got to hear a guy who I think is going places. His name is David Newberry, check out the opening track from his album;




You can hear his album in it's entirety on his myspace page here

See ya soon!

Track of the Week: How Can you Mend a Broken Heart by Al Green

Ohhhhh Al Green. So good. So smooth... And still great (check out his last effort "Lay It Down"). My first introduction though was his brilliant '72 album "Let's Stay Together". And while the title track is a classic, I've always been drawn to "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?"

What else can I say? Well, it was written by the BeeGees!

OFF TOPIC: Keep checking in, this week I'll be starting a Putamayo give-away series!

Track of the Week: Get Over Here by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

This is how to start your week. Loud and dirty. I first heard this album years ago, but I tend to forget how amazing it is. It's also one of the loudest albums on my i-Pod.




Rock out fuckers.

Track of the Week: Drunk Girls by LCD Soundsystem

I Love LCD Soundsystem. And they have a new album coming out! So check out this awesome video (co-directed by Spike Jones) for the first single "Drunk Girls"!




Also, the new album is currently streaming over at their website!! COOL!

Track of the Week: Tonight I'll be Staying Here With You by Bob Dylan & The Rolling Thunder Revue

I'm a huge fan of the Bob Dylan Bootleg series, although I can never afford them. Recently I got a hold of Live 1975 The Rolling Thunder Revue (bootleg Series Vol. 5). After a lackluster tour with the band, Dylan decided to try something different. So he assembled a huge cast of musicians and friends, and went on a cross country tour as the Rolling Thunder Revue.


The energy and musicianship really stand out on this tour document. Dylan is frequently reworking songs, some are unrecognizable. Check out this exciting version of "Tonight I'll be Staying Here With You".



Here's one more. The band reworks his classic "Just Like a Women", with the obvious influence of Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson.

Track of the Week: Handle with Care by the Traveling Wilburys

The Traveling Wilburys maybe one of the only worthwhile supergroups. Most are bogged down by ego, with no obvious musical direction. George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Jeff Lynne managed to fill an album full of great songs (plus one more very good album after Orbison's passing). I had a long chat last night about how perfect the track "Handle With Care" is.


To think, this song was almost a B-side to one of Harrison's "Cloud Nine" tracks. Luckily, the right people heard it and insisted it be put to better use. Harrison's vocals are smooth as ever, but the real treat is Roy Orbison's Chorus. A powerhouse up to the day he died.

Track of the Week: Jimmy by Devo

"Jimmy's in a wheelchair and I don't care".

I love Devo. That is all.





No, wait that's not all. Tomorrow is competition time! I'll be putting up a skill testing question, and the winners will receive one of 2 copies of Putamayo Presents Rhythm and Blues!

For fans of Rhythm. Fans of Blues.

Check in tomorrow.

Track of the Week: Prime by Marnie Stern

I was out at the Drake last night seeing another great No Shame event featuring Maylee Todd. She's really great. Quirky and soulful, cute and foul-mouthed. I'd love to post one of her tracks but alas, I don't have any of her music. So instead, I'm posting another really great (and totally different, stylistically) female artist.


Marnie Stern is a killer guitarist, vocalist and front women. Her music is rhythmically complex, and hard rocking. This is the first track from her 2008 release "this is it, and I am it and You are it", called Prime.

Track of the Week: Love More by Sharon Van Etten

While searching through websites the other day I came across a post about what to see (and not to see) as SXSW. One of the "to See" was Sharon Van Etten. I know very little about Sharon, but she had a free download of this gorgeous song which you can find here at the Weathervane music Blog. I just want to hear more.





Lovely weather today. Enjoy it.

Track of the Week: Someone's Favorite Song by Sunfall Festival

I don't know if you remember garageband.com or not, but back in the early 00's (well actually it looks like it's still a running site...), you could rate peoples music, and if you rated a certain amount you could get one of their CD's for free! (even earlier than when I was doing it, you could get a gift certificate from HMV). Anyways, I ended up with 2 CD's, one was the Pocket Dwellers great funk/hip-hop/jazz hybrid album Digitally Organic. The other was from an American band called Sunfall Festival. This female fronted band took the best things about Six Pence None the Richer (hold on it gets better) and mixed it with a touch of Radiohead and a great pop sensibility. I had forgotten about their album Monday 23 for a good number of years, but the other night I woke up with this song in my head. Hope you enjoy it, and have a great weekend!

Track of the Week: Gimme A Holler by Bill Frisell

Howdy folks. Back in 97' the great jazz guitarist Bill Frisell released one of the finest Nashville records ever made, suitably titled "Nashville". There are so many great tracks here, I'm always drawn to one in particular, Gimme A Holler. Check it out, then get your hands on the full album, you won't be disappointed.

Track of the Week: Johnny is the Boy For Me by Les Paul and Mary Ford

I Love Les Paul and Mary Ford. Love Love love them. Les Paul as we all know was a genius. Multi track recording aside, the man could play the guitar. He was doing things decades ago that still amazes me. Like check out this track, Johnny Is The Boy For Me,



Less talked about is Mary Ford. What a voice! She also doesn't get credit for being a very competant guitarist as well. Check out the clever back and forth between her and Les Paul in this video.



Have a good week!

Track of the Week: Your Love's Return by Gordon Lightfoot

We had a bit of a scary yesterday. The Calgary Herald and National Post where carrying the story that Gordon Lightfoot had died. Like so many others, I was saddened to hear the passing of one of Canada's finest songwriters. As a musician from Orillia I felt a sort of kinship with Lightfoot. Luckily, his death was turned out to be a hoax. I guess it shows how hurting the print industry is when they'll jump at any possible lead, this one being a twitter post... a twitter post? Who the hell believes anything on twitter?


Anyways, I spent some time reaquanting my self with Lightfoot's work, and gravitated towards this jem, Your Love's Return.



Sorry about the late Track of the Week, I promise one on Monday morning, back to normal!

Track of the Week: Kiss Another Day Goodbye by David Kauffman

So I've mentioned the Numero Group many times on this blog. I absolutely love their compilations. I've really enjoyed the Wayfaring Strangers series. One of them is called Lonesome Heroes, and features 17 tracks by unknown folk musicians from the 60's and 70's. One of the tracks particularly caught my ear.


Kiss Another Day Goodbye is a heartbreaking track, maybe a little sad for a Monday morning, but you take the sour with the sweet I guess.



"I don't know how much longer I can live the way I live and never die. I don't know how much longer I can kiss another day goodbye".