My First Record: Nick Africano

05/11/2012 By

The first record I bought for myself was Jimi Hendrix’s The Ultimate Experience, the collection of Jimi’s greatest hits. I was 13 years old. I had bought albums before then while going to the store with my parents or with friends, but this was the first record I bought with my own money, on my own. I took the bus to the mall, and was music shopping, and the record cover seemed to call to me. I had no idea who he was, but it looked rebellious, cool, psychedelic, and exciting. It hailed me. I felt proud I had selected it.

I took it home, unwrapped the package, put the CD in my stereo, and took out the booklet to read along while listening. I was hooked. The first notes of “Purple Haze” played. It felt magical and mysterious. Then “All Along the Watchtower” with its powerful, driving power chords and lyrical guitar solos. I felt like the universe had unveiled a great secret for me.

From Jimi I worked backwards. He was my gateway record. I tried to uncover all the blues greats who helped shaped Jimi’s style, from Albert King to Robert Johnson, and continuing backward to early delta blues. And it led me to Bob Dylan. I consider that purchase to be one of the most influential moments in my early musical life.

 

Nick Africano‘s brand new album The Butterfly Bull is a story about collaborations and the exploration of contradictions. About baseball and art. Love and loss. Dark yet hopeful. And it’s a story about Africano’s ability to pair some of the best elements of folk and soul with superb storytelling and raw passion.

Filed Under: My First Record Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Spotify Playlist: Billy Matheny of Southeast Engine

04/04/2012 By

For our feature Nice Playlist, Brah, we ask some of our favorite musicians to make a themed Spotify playlist for us. You know, Songs to Make-out To, The Worst Bands I Have Ever Heard, Songs Your Mom Would Like,  we just ask them to be creative, and then we post them to The Ardent Music Blog and share them with you. When you’re looking for a good Spotify playlist, now you know where to look. This week we invited Billy Matheny of Southeast Engine to put one together for us. We invite you to take listen to the playlist while you read why the musician included each song. Enjoy!


I suppose I’m stating the obvious here, but when you’re in a band, you spend a fair amount of time driving around in a van listening to music. While I would be more than happy to compile a lovingly selected Spotify mix of songs that Southeast Engine actually listens to en route to shows, I thought it would be more fun to turn your attention to that cowboy hat wearing hydra that was 90s mainstream country music.

This music was the bane of my youth. I came of age in rural America during the 1990s when these performers could be heard everywhere. As a rock snob in-training, I didn’t appreciate having to hear Tim McGraw at every turn. My parents used to go little parties at their friends’ houses. The adults would hang out in the kitchen, drinking Zima and Busch, while the kids would play Super Nintendo in the other room. The boombox on the kitchen counter played these CDs, which I’m sure were purchased from Columbia House or BMG. I suppose this music qualifies as the sound of childhood even more than the music that I actually enjoyed.

Without further adieu, here are some choice jams from that era. Don’t rock the jukebox, y’all.

‘Two of Kind, Workin’ on a Full House” by Garth Brooks

This isn’t the most auspicious of beginnings, because Garth Brooks apparently doesn’t allow his music on Spotify. However, making a 90s country mix without him would be like making a pizza without the crust. Because he’s such a cornerstone of the genre, I’m afraid you’ll have to settle for this faithful tribute version. I wholeheartedly recommend finding the original because half the joy of this track is the way that Garth (yes, I refer to him on a first-name basis) enunciates the line, “we really fit together if you know what I’m talkin’ about.” He’s practically beatboxing by the end of it. I like to imagine a cool-cat producer seated behind the glass, coaching him, saying, “Garth, baby, it’s great, but can you get more vowels into that last line?”

“Gone Country” by Alan Jackson

This is a song that Southeast Engine has actually played in the van on occasion. Sometimes we debate the true meaning of it. I think it’s a straight-faced send up of people who were jumping on the country bandwagon in the early 90s. Sort of like Bruce Springsteen being ironic with “Born In The USA.” As a band, our favorite moment in this song is the line, “the whole world’s gone country.” With all due respect to Mr. Jackson, I seriously doubt that all 6.8 billion people on Earth have, in fact, “gone country.”

“Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis

Hand to God, I love Randy Travis. Even though he was wildly popular with the new-country crowd, he truly hearkened back to an older generation of singers like George Jones. His presentation has the kind of sturdiness that reminds you of Johnny Cash. He sings every word like it’s a foregone conclusion, so as a listener, I’m completely sold. Pay special attention to 3:20. His voice sounds like a steak. It’s like mesquite singing.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Nice Playlist, Brah Tagged With: , , , , , ,

My First Record: Gwyneth Moreland and Michael Monko of Gwyneth & Monko

03/06/2012 By

Gwyneth Moreland…

One of my favorite records to listen to as a child was an old Fats Waller album I found in my parents stack, sandwiched somewhere between Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Spike Jones or Chet Atkins. It was this musty stack of records that I got to know so intimately during the northwestern foggy days of my childhood. My big sister, Anna and I would sing along to our favorite tunes at the top of our lungs as we danced on the futon, pretending it was a stage.

It was the lyrics of these songs that got me… stuck with me throughout my days. “On The Sunny Side of The Street” was constantly in my head. I knew what it was to “walk in the shade,” with my “blues on parade,” and I loved how the song made me feel and it reminded me to leave my “worries on the doorstep.”

Fats Waller always made me want to move around and act crazy. My family didn’t have TV, so I enjoyed music that created an image, told a story. One of my favorites was “This Joint Is Jumping”.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: My First Record Tagged With: , , , , , ,

My First Record: Patrick Dodd

01/27/2012 By

If we’re getting technical, the first record I actually bought would’ve been either Robert Johnson or Furry Lewis. I was around 12 or 13 years old, and my dad had given me the Howlin’ Wolf box set for Christmas. That sparked my interest so I jumped into exploring more of the blues, and obviously that has been influential on who I am as an artist.

But I want to talk about a record that came just a little bit after those. I still consider it my first record because it was the first one that I sort of discovered on my own — I found it, or it found me. It was a double-disc set, Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits. I was in the seventh grade, and this was the album that piqued my interest in songwriting for the very first time.

I just remember that when I listened to that record, it was the first time that music made me feel a certain way. My emotions would change with the mood of the song, and even at that early age I was just completely infatuated with Dylan’s way of thinking. It opened up this world of wonder for me. I wondered if all these things he was writing about, if he felt the way I felt — I was so interested in everyone’s individual perceptions of these songs and how it could be completely different for one person and the next person and for me.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: My First Record Tagged With: , , , ,

Nice Playlist, Brah: Top 9 Somethings of 2011 by Jake Vest (Tiger High, Echo Friendly, Bullet Proof Vests)

01/04/2012 By


Disclaimer: I’m not a Spotify subscriber or an English major. When I want streaming music I use a modest streaming service by the name of MOG (who cares?). Many moons ago you might have caught me singing Spotify’s praises, but my mind has been transformed for several reasons. I will list these in list form:

1. The absence of Ty Segall’s “Goodbye Bread” album (s0000 annoying!)
2. No Bake Sale
3. No Bob Dylan
4. It’s ugly.
5. Jake Rabinbach never sent me songs like he said he would (and he’s the one that got me to try it in the first place).
6. All the bros clogging up my precious Facebook feed with their “Check out what I listened to on Spotify” garbage.

But on a lighter note, here are my favorites in playlist form. Click to Stream.

1. “Gone” by Mikal Cronin
I tried to pirate this record since the day it was announced (I love the Moonhearts). It finally came out around Gonerfest, and I decided to take the righteous path and purchase it. Probably my favorite album of the year. Definitely one of the best live shows I saw. My gracious boss was kind enough to let me take a break from my job during Gonerfest to catch the Cronin and his band kill it on stage. Their Flaming Groovies cover was a fantastic set closer. His new 7″ on Goner is great, too.

2. “The Dream” by Thee Oh Sees
I love Thee Oh Sees. I spend a lot of my internet allowance on blogs that specialize in live bootlegs from San Francisco garage bands. My hard drive has devoted many gig-o-bytes to Thee Oh Sees. They are an unstoppable beast and should be recognized as one of the hardest working and highest quality bands in the world today. And now they have two drummers. And this year they put out two albums. Both are superbly unique and satisfying. “The Dream” is the first track on side 2 of their newest record. The riff and the melody are so simple, but when filtered through the band its a huge blast of insane energy. Love it.

3. “Bump Up” by Sun Araw

I’m a big fan of this guy. His “songs” have a sound that I can’t get enough of. It’s not particularly engaging (except for last years “Last Chants”) or interesting. But I can listen to it all day long.

4. “Sweet 17″ by Dirty Beaches
This band sucks, but this song is cool.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Nice Playlist, Brah Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Ian McLagan (of The Faces) on The Warm Up

06/03/2011 By
The Warm Up with Ian McLagen [ 19:56 | 45.62 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ian McLagan is mostly known as the legendary Small Faces/Faces keyboardist and session. he is currently out on tour and he stopped by Ardent Studios this afternoon to record a few songs for us.

He was delightful fun as we conversed about the Faces reunion, his new EP he has yet to finish because he is trying to come up with one last lyric and his book All the Rage. He’ll be playing live tonight at the Hi-Tone tonight! You can check out when he might be playing in a town near you on the Ian McLagan & the Bump Band Facebook Fan Page.

Check out our podcast to hear some outstanding live tunes! Feel free to download The Warm Up at Ardent Studios with Ian McLagen podcast! It’s a free Memphis music download from us to you!

Ian McLagan is a genuine, dyed-in-the-wool rock’n’roller. In fact, his smiling visage — he was, after all, a member of the Small Faces and the Faces — would serve as an ideal illustration in the proverbial Dictionary of What Is Truly Cool.

The man known to his many mates and even more fans and admirers as ‘Mac’ is the sort who shrugs off such puffery. And then he just carries on creating splendid and genuine rock’n’roll with his Bump Band as well as musically aid and abet a marquee line-up of truly blue ribbon talent that he has toured and recorded with: The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Taj Mahal, John Hiatt, David Lindley, Paul Westerberg, Billy Bragg and Patty Griffin, to name some but hardly all of the notables that Ian McLagan has worked with over his four-plus decade career.

The Warm Up is a music podcast recorded at Ardent Studios. We are thrilled to offer this podcast recorded live in Memphis, Tn as a free music download. You can also subscribe to this podcast via Itunes. We keep the music download for this podcast free by generous support from our sponsors. Please visit their sites and purchase their products in order to keep this podcast ad-free.

Filed Under: The Warm Up Podcast Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Song by Song Review: North Mississippi Allstars’ Keys to the Kingdom

04/06/2011 By

The North Mississippi Allstars are known for their down-home, southern musical palate, but Keys to the Kingdom has a dedication behind it that adds further weight to the story. The album is listed as being produced “for Jim Dickinson” and there is a fantastic quote straight from Jim on the inside of the artwork.

“The past is ever with us,
Every was is still,
pushing us on-the future
before us pulling.
Too briefly trapped in the moment,
we struggle to understand.
In faith, we sing…..”

It goes on to describe the magic behind music and how it is a deep-seated need inside every musician to reach out beyond the darker side of life to fight to play our songs forever. Make no mistake; 3 dedicated sons of music and passion, Dickinson’s sons Luther and Cody, and bandmate Chris Chew, who learned all they know from one of the masters, made this album for Jim Dickinson, and him alone.

“This A’Way” opens the album with a guitar riff that harkens to rock ‘n roll classics of old. With a croony vocal and a rolling rhythm, this stylish opening track takes off running from the start. Slide guitar is featured throughout, showcasing some of the great guitar work that is prevalent on the entire album.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Song By Song Tagged With: , , , , , ,