Elvis Presley | The Ardent Music Blog

Spotify Playlist: Jason Goldberg of Beak

04/17/2012 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 Jason Goldberg of the post-metal Beak to put one together for us. We invite you to take listen to the playlist while you read why the musician included each song in their Spotify playlist. Enjoy!

I know people like happy or funny themes, especially when it comes to mix tapes or Spotify playlists or whatnot, but there have been some songs throughout my life that I thought, if I was gonna do it – I mean really do it…I would play one of these songs.

1. “Avalanche” / Songs of Love and Hate / Leonard Cohen

Some guys just knew how to say it all in one song. Wrap up all the world’s bullshit with one fine poem and some string instruments. Done.

2. “On Ships of Gold” / Three / The Black Heart Procession

There’s something about a weak, distant voice through a megaphone on top of a howling wind musical saw, creaking floor and that nails on chalkboard rusty lantern sound; just creeps into your bones like the flu and there ain’t no remedies in the house and your feet have been hobbled.

3. “Chalice” / Black Light District / Coil

Angelic voices ascending and sweeping as only Coil knew how, with swirling Doppler vacuum noises being flushed down black holes. Profound audiophilic music that should have been illegal or demanded that you be over 21 to hear.

Nice Playlist, Brah: My Top 9 Songs from My 3 Favorite Memphis Made Records by Jason Brewer of The Explorers Club

01/20/2012 By

So these three records (Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show, Dusty In Memphis, From Elvis in Memphis) all came out in the same year and were made in the same studio (American Sound) within a span of about a year… Really remarkable. They also happen to be 3 records that have had profound impact on me on several levels. Dusty, Neil, The King — some of the greatest artists of all time at the peak (or second peak in some cases) of their career. Powerful records that have effected my musical exploration. Click the Stream:

ALBUM: Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show (retitled Sweet Caroline) By Neil Diamond

1. “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show”

This track has an epic feel combined with an almost theatrical element. I love the intensity Diamond brings to the vocal. This song sort of launched him from songwriter to full on performer. The entire Neil Diamond experience is captured in this cut. A great album opener.

2. “And the Grass Won’t Pay No Mind”

This romantic tune has great poetic imagery with really breezy production. It has a slight haze covering the entire recording that has always been intriguing to my ears. I love the lyrics in this song. This track had an impact on some of the breezier tunes on our album “Grand Hotel.” This is one of Diamond’s most poetic numbers.

3. “Sweet Caroline”

I mean what more can be said here — a smash hit. a perfect example of a smash hit. Loved the world over. It moved Neil Diamond to superstar status. Superb bubble gum fluffy positive pop. Perfect.

Nice Playlist, Brah: A Totes Crunkmas Christmas by Cameron Mann

12/23/2011 By

Need the perfect Christmas mix to get you in the mood for the weekend ahead? Well, look no further. Click to Stream:

1. “Christmas in Hollis” by RUN DMC
Alright, I had to start it off with my favorite Queens New York based hip hop group. I first heard RUN DMC while visiting my grand parents on the South shore of Long Island. Suffice it to say, they were playing RUN DMC in just about every pizzeria and grocery store in New York at that time in the 80s.

2. “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley and Martina McBride
Two things to note here – first, “E L V” are the first three letters of his name. that’s pretty Elvish and holidayish, no? Secondly, he is the king celebrating the birth of the king. Just a great classic song really.

3. “Wicked hip hop Christmas” by Big D and the Kids Table
This is the wild card in my mix. Randomly found this one and thought it was cool

The Warm Up with Wagons

09/16/2011 By Rachel Hurley

The Warm Up with Wagons [ 18:36 | 42.55 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Wagons, from Melbourne, Australia, are a lot more country than we expected them to be – them being from down under and all – but then when we thought about it – it made more sense. Afterall, we did see Australia, the movie!

Actually, the band is a lot more country & western than we expected them to be. Which is good. When we think of “country” these days, we think of girls from the south that shop at the mall, y’all! Wagons are much more of a musical mixed bag, with a lot of old school country influences like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and maybe even a little Elvis.

The guys were a lot of fun to chat up and were very excited to be playing in Memphis. We think we will be hearing a lot more from them in the future! Check out our interview with the band as they profess their love for late period Elvis and talk about being on the road with tour mates Those Darlins. They also play some music! Then go see them TONIGHT at The Hi-Tone!

From the land down under, Wagons take the best of rock n roll, country, funk, cabaret, psychedelia and soul and tie them all together with the help of lead singer, Henry Wagons, delightfully twisted vision. After being called one of Australian music’s best kept secrets, and dangerously close to the best thing ever, by Time Off Magazine, Wagons has become a hugely popular act in their native Australia. Looking to America for much of its inspirations, the band has incorporated the sound of iconic figures like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Hank Williams while also adding a hint of author Cormac McCarthey s trippy Western novels into their new album Rumble, Shake & Tumble.

Henry Wagons charming but slightly dangerous way with music has propelled Wagons on their tour across America, including a triumphant 2010 SXSW appearance, that has opened up the eyes of unsuspecting U.S. audiences. We play like every show is the headlining slot at Woodstock, he says after being called the figure every frontman with balls aspires to be. Wagons will be delivering their unique brand of dark country rock to the United States in all of its wild and sweaty glory, so get ready to Rumble, Shake & Tumble.

Filed Under: The Warm Up Podcast Tagged With: Australia, Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Melbourne, Willie Nelson

Ardent Presents: Raina Rose

02/08/2011 By

Ardent Presents: Raina Rose [ 34:15 | 72.54 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Growing up in Portland, OR, I have to admit I was oblivious to the rich muddy history of the Memphis Music scene with the exception of a vague awareness of Sun Studios and Elvis Presley, given to me by my father and his college degree from UC Santa Cruz in the history of Country and Western Music. So when I came to Ardent, referred to the lovely Rachel by my best friend and occasional tour partner, John Elliott, I had to admit I was incredibly taken aback by the eponymous albums hanging on the brick walls of the hallway down which I was stumbling, sleep deprived.

It was February of 2009 and the International Folk Alliance was exploding in the Memphis Marriott overlooking the deep and hungry Mississippi. I am in turns either a tornado, or a responsible and clean cut grown-up… while participating in this conference I tend towards the former, often staying up til 8am, drunk and barefoot in the hotel lobby with my dear brothers and sisters in arms; comrades who understand and also subject themselves to a meager living, the world through a windshield, small stages with (hopefully) quiet eager audiences, stranger’s sofas, and gas station coffee… all to play songs.