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Whenever an established artist releases an album full of covers you’re often left to wonder if it was due to writer’s block or a creative lull. It’s especially true when the song selection and interpretations are dull or cookie-cutter like. But albums like Mockingbird by Allison Moorer show us all that cover albums CAN actually be interesting and creative. As with most great cover albums, Moorer has an overall theme and seems to have a strong connection with all the songs. the songs are all written by female songwriters. she explained in the press release that she wanted to become a better songwriter by exploring other female songwriters. Moorer is quoted in saying “I have spent years and years in my own head and my own little world, and this was a break to explore how other singer/songwriters experience life.” She goes on to say, “It made me a better singer, too… Both working with Buddy (Miller) and considering how these lyrics, melodies and emotions fell. This got me to stretch vocally more than I have in a long time, so that growth was thrilling.” with the intriguing song selection and Moorer’s wonderful vocal work, the album is a fun ride and enjoyable to listen to. Producer Buddy Miller did a great job in keeping the song arrangements varied and colorful without going overboard. Highlights include: Ring of Fire, Dancing Barefoot, Revelator, Where is My Love and Orphan Train.

TrackList:
01. Mockingbird (Allison Moorer)
02. Ring of Fire (June Carter Cash/Merle Kilgore)
03. Dancing Barefoot (Patti Smith/Ivan Krall)
04. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl (Nina Simone)
05. Go, Leave (Kate McGarrigle)
06. Revelator (Gillian Welch)
07. Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell)
08. Daddy, Goodbye Blues (Ma Rainey)
09. She Knows Where She Goes (Shelby Lynne/Bill Botrell)
10. Orphan Train (Julie Miller)
11. Where Is My Love (Cat Power)
12. I’m Looking For Blue Eyes (Jessie Colter)

listen to I Want a Little Sugar In My Bowl from Mockingbird:

purchase Mockingbird at Amazon.com:

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Have you ever wondered what possessed the first oyster eater to even think that these hard shelled marine creatures were edible? Just take a look at the rock-like outer shell. I would have never guessed that that these little things would be consumed by millions and millions of seafood lovers. they can be eaten is so many different ways including smoked, boiled, baked and fried but most love eating them fresh and raw. plus single men and women love the fact that oysters are aphrodisiacs. there’s still some debate on whether this is in fact true but folks generally believe that some sort of amino acid contained in the oyster triggers an increase in sex hormones when eaten. for those that consume raw Gulf oysters, it is imperative that they are aware of the risks associated with what they’re eating. there’s a potential hazard associated with the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria that may reside in oysters harvested in warm seawater. more information can be found at BeOysterAware.com. The interesting thing I learned from reading all this info is the fact that the oysters that we consume as food are different than the ones that produce pearls. in fact, pearl oysters aren’t even edible. these pearl oysters are becoming less and less common in the wild. most are now cultivated by pearl farmers. can you imagine if they somehow figured out a way to farm raise oysters that produced diamonds? that would be any woman’s dream wouldn’t it? I can hear all the women in the world singing in unison the old Prince song – If I gave you diamonds and pearls would you be a happy boy or a girl, if I could I would give u the world.. yeah. one could only dream…

Wow. I was expecting more of the glitz and the glam similar to their previous work on Supernature but in a surprising turn, Goldfrapp has mutated toward ethereal, psychedelic folk-pop on their new album Seventh Tree. it’s a daring move and I totally respect them for it. Even without the dancefloor beats, Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory still deliver melodic hooks galore. Goldfrapp’s splendid vocals pull the listener into a sonic landscape of rolling hills and fields of green. my absolute favorites off the album include A&E and Road to Somewhere. the melodies seep deep into your brain and won’t let go. this one’s definitely a keeper.

watch the music video for A&E on youtube:

—
It’s a blue, bright blue Saturday, hey hey
And the pain has started to slip away, hey hey
I’m in a backless dress on a pastel ward that’s shining
I think I want you still but it may be pills at work
Do you really wanna know how I was dancing on the floor?
I was trying to phone you when I’m crawling out the door
I’m amazed at you, the things you say that you don’t do
Why don’t you ring?
I was feeling lonely, feeling blue
Feeling like I needed you
And I’ve woken up surrounded by me, A&E
..How did I get to accident and emergency?
All I wanted was you to take me out
I was feeling lonely, feeling blue
Feeling like I needed you
And I hoped you’d call and hoped you’d see me, A&E
-A&E, written by Goldfrapp/Gregory

Seventh Tree Tracklist:
1 Clowns
2 Little Bird
3 Happiness
4 Road to Somewhere
5 Eat Yourself
6 Some People
7 A&E
8 Cologne Cerrone Houdini
9 Caravan Girl
10 Monster Love

various links handpicked just for my retroblog readers.

- Electronic Musician : freebizmag is offering a free subscription to Electronic Musician magazine. note- your mileage may vary. you have to be a certain demographic in order to qualify.
Electronic Musician is jam-packed with essential information on personal studio recording, midi applications, music software, synth programming and much more. EM is the premier resource for making and recording music!

- 80’s supergroup Asia has recently posted the tracklist and some soundbites from their upcoming album.

- here’s the youtube video/slideshow of Journey cancelling their Feb 24th Vina del Mar Casino concert at the very last minute. apparently they had some power converter (220V to 110V) problems.

- I’m addicted to entrecard. are you?

- oh and while I’m at it, BlogCatalog is just as addictive. join my neighborhood if you haven’t done so already.

the wife and I recently watched a special on Australia on the travel channel the other day. The wife mentioned how amazing it would be if we took a family trip down under. yes, that would be extraordinary – the spectacular vast untouched landscapes, the beaches and of course “the Outback”. there are so many “iconic” landmarks to see down there like the Sydney Opera House, The Australia Zoo (made famous by Steve Irwin), Kangaroo Island and of course the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns. what would be just icing on the cake is if I also caught a few concerts while vacationing there. I hear that Brandi Carlile, k.d. lang, Foo Fighters, and even Joe Jackson will be touring the country in April/May. that would be just perfect. I’m going to have to check out DialAFlight, the leading independent UK travel company, and see if I can get a good deal on a flight to Australia. that would truly put a huge grin on my wife’s face since she has been begging for a real family vacation for the last year or so.

to celebrate Arnel Pineda’s successful debut fronting Journey last night in Chile, I thought I’d put together a mix tape of various songs by legendary rock bands with replacement singers…

- the (New) Cars without Rick Ocasek??? his replacement? why Todd Rundgren of course!! yup, it’s still a head scratcher…: More
..I thought I had kicked, kicked it out of my bloodstream, but there’s nothing I can do…

- Journey with Steve Perry who stepped in for Robert Fleischman: After the Fall
..So now love is gone I can’t go on, love is gone
I want to say Now it’s just too late, waited far too long…

- 80’s supergroup Asia with John Payne filling in for John Wetton: Who Will Stop the Rain
..This problem is insoluble, the answers seem impossible
The logic ceases to exist, emotion is the beat we miss..

- Survivor with Jimi Jamison instead of Dave Bickler: Didn’t Know it was Love
..It felt so easy in the morning sun
When love was in season I was on the run
I was lookin’ for trouble and the thrill of the chase
Love was lookin’ at me eye to eye, face to face…

- a syrupy Chicago ballad without Peter Cetera?? yup, that’s Jason Scheff singing: King of Might Have Been
..What have I done? and why do people run away from what they really want?
She… she was the one, I know it now, just like a blind man
Feels the setting sun...

- Toto with Joseph Williams instead of Fergie Frederiksen (who only lasted one album): Stop Loving You (also featuring Jon Anderson)
..Reflections in my mind, thoughts I can’t define
My heart is racing and the night goes on…

- and finally, nerdy, thick glasses wearing Trevor Horn fronting prog-rock group Yes without Jon Anderson: Tempus Fugit
..Born in the night, she would run like a leopard
That freaks at the sight of a mind close beside herself..

Have a great weekend!!

Well, the videos of Arnel Pineda’s debut performance with Journey are trickling in. Of course when Pineda’s debut was at a huge festival in Vina del Mar, Chile that was televised, concert footage is pretty easy to obtain. and thanks to a worldwide network of Journey fans, the videos are now up all across the web.

Youtube user fernalcaraz uploaded the bulk of the show on his account. check out part 4 for the performance of Open Arms and Only the Young.

photos from the Feb. 21st concert in chile can be found on here.

also, the webcast of the concert was captured (in .avi format) and posted here.

so far the feedback has been positive. so, the Journey saga continues…

I’ve got mixed feelings about the Wreckers’ new CD/DVD release titled- Way Back Home: Live From New York City. I’m a big fan of their debut album but I’m not totally sure if this new live recording was really necessary. I’ve always considered live albums the domain of bands and artists with large back catalogues and “must-see” live shows. Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp have neither. they’ve only got the one album to draw songs from and as for their live act, frankly, they’re ..um, unremarkable. live albums from legacy artists like Genesis, James Taylor and Paul McCartney are to be expected but for a band like the Wreckers, it’s just the marketing/sales department out to milk the fans. I’m sure fans appreciate an official document of the duo playing at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City but this CD/DVD won’t win over any new ones. the captured performance starts out pretty weak with Harp, Branch and the band not really gelling until the fifth song in the set. the initial songs are marred with off-key harmonies and the band overwhelming the lead vocals at certain points. in fact, the overall mix sounds like they simply made the CDs right off the soundboard feed with no post-production clean up whatsoever. I’m all for keeping it real and all but for this type of pop-country, one expects to hear a more polished sounding recording than something more akin to a bootleg. it’s a stark contrast when compared to what these same songs sounded like on their studio album. essentially what we have here are inferior versions of songs from their one lone album. .. and who really wants to pay for that? the DVD fares a bit better than the CD since the visuals mask some of what’s lacking in the performance. So to sum up – the new live album by the Wreckers is strictly for fans only.

TrackList:
1. The Good Kind
2. Love Me Like That
3. Way Back Home
4. Damn That Radio
5. Crazy People
6. Cigarettes
7. My, Oh My
8. Different Truck, Same Loser
9. Tennessee
10. Lay Me Down
11. Leave The Pieces
12. Stand Still, Look Pretty
13. Rain

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Leave the Pieces (live) [youtube]

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Tonight is one of those night when I wish I had a telescope. The last total lunar eclipse until 2010 will be occurring later this evening. not only that but Saturn and the star Regulus will be visible on either side of the moon during the eclipse. of course the view of Saturn would truly be a sight to behold if one had a telescope (and a clear night sky of course). I’ve been browsing through the telescope reviews over at Astromart.com to see if I can find one that would be perfect for me and my little kids. you know, it’s great to see the kids so excited about the lunar eclipse which really opens them up to learning more about the universe and other planets in the solar system. I’m bound and determined to get a decent telescope so that we’ll be ready the next time a major event like this happens. and I’m going to be sure to keep astromart bookmarked so that I can keep up with the latest in astronomy news and information.

Eric Clapton shreds!! OK, I’m probably behind the times on this one but hey, I didn’t call this blog “RETRO” for nothin’. anyway, the SHREDS videos by StSanders aka Santeri Ojala are just simply hilarious. I love ‘em. yeah, I know, he’s simply overdubbing crappy solos onto existing videos but dude, it takes skill to make sounding bad sound funny. Sorta reminds me of Fred Armisen’s deconstruction of drummer vids.

hhhmmmm, Ojala’s StSanders youtube account seems to have gotten suspended. but don’t fear, faithful youtubers are re-upping the vids as we speak!

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