May 2014

Rod Stewart: Mama You Been On My Mind (1972)

2014/05/10

You know the saying “every woman is someone’s daughter”? I’ll take some liberties and say that “every daughter eventually becomes someone’s mother”. I say this because it’s Mother’s Day (in Latin America) and I can’t help but think of two things my mom and this great track “Mama You’ve Been on My Mind” by Rod…
SOS Band: Weekend Girl (1984)

2014/05/09

My pick of the day is “Weekend Girl” by the SOS Band, which is really a Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis production (they later moved on to do such great releases like Janet Jackson’s Control for example). The reason I chose this track is because it just brings back tons of memories. As a young kid,…
Stephen Bishop: Little Italy (1976)

2014/05/08

Part of me really belongs on the west coast. I was actually born there in Anaheim, but I’ve spent nearly all of my life living in the desert southwest. However, here and there my love of certain things makes me think I really am a coastal boy at heart. One thing I love is west…
Orange Juice: Rip it Up (1983)

2014/05/07

In 1983, Orange Juice released this great ode to moving on called Rip it Up. Over an insanely catchy guitar rhythm (lightly lifted from Chic’s Good Times) and a Roland TB-303 bass synth track, Edwyn Collins in his most erudite voice details, through his own unique way, the need to get over one’s cynical/conservative self.…
Cheb Khaled: Hada Raykoum (1985)

2014/05/06

Its days like this that Spotify fails me. I was going to link to Cheb Khaled’s “Hada Raykoum” from the album of the same name. Now that album cover is swaggerific. The King of Rai just straight up gangsta leanin’ hell, the whole album is just all up nasty. Over some of the Casioest beats…
Dando Shaft: In the Country (1971)

2014/05/05

Today I’m going to be so on the nose with my pick. Dando Shaft’s “In the Country” from their Evening with Dando Shaft album expertly captures why Mondays suck. Its never per se, because Mondays objectively are worse than any other day, its just that Mondays immediately follow our weekend. Aren’t weekends so great? That’s…
Musica Tzotzil: San Lorenzo

2014/05/04

This track called “San Lorenzo” is actually a traditional devotional song from the indigenous Tzotzil people from Chiapas in Mexico. The harmonic singing is all traditional, the use of violins and 12-string guitars is all traditional, but the music itself…the way they perform the song…is completely otherworldly. Imagine Tom Waits getting stuck in the Appalachian mountains…
Joyce: Clareana (1976)

2014/05/04

I begrudgingly love to wake up early. For me, its one of the few times of the day when the world gives you a breather to take in sounds, sights, and smells you couldn’t normally experience. The only problem is that your body, as its wont to do, struggles to be as alive as the…
Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe: “Ah-Ah/Oh-No” (1972)

2014/05/02

I don’t know how to quite describe my choice for today. Its a great salsa song from Willie Colon that’s driven by the unique voice of Hector “La Voz” Lavoe. Hector is known as the greatest salsa vocalist, his work as lead vocalist with artists such as Willie Colon, Ruben Blades and other Fania label…
Caravan: The World is Your’s (1972)

2014/05/01

Just to continue a bit on a theme I’ve been touching on. What I truly admire in an artist is when you see a hidden talent expressed begrudgingly. The softness of Lou Reed, Camel’s obvious pop talents, and in the case of my pick of the day Pye Hasting’s seriously melodic chop. I don’t say…