âI listen so you don't have toâ
Hey everyone, weâre back!
enjoy some music and musings from the last year
Make sure to click on there bold type for music links and extras!
Lizzo- Juice
Lizzo burst into 2019 with a hit song, huge album and wildly successful tour. The âpudding in the proof â. Easily the catchiest tune of the year with an irresistible Bruno Mars 80â˛s funk vibe, She has the kind of star power and charisma that makes her appealing to just about everyone, including your aunt, who no doubt will be grooving to this on bar mitzvah dance floors for years to come.
Blame it on her juice.
Big voiced, post Amy Winehouse soul singer blames it on the juice too. Maybe she was with Lizzo the night before?
Charley Crockett- How Low Can You Go?
Multi ethnic Americana singer/songwriter delivers one of my favorite albums of the year where he effortlessly moves from country to blues to soul. He also recorded one of my favorite country covers of the year (see bottom of this blog for more info on that). His girl is breaking his heart (blame it on the juice again?) on this R&B styled song from a non album single.
Durand Jones and The Indications- Â Circles
More sweet 70â˛s soul, quiet storm style. The swirling strings and Delfonics harmonies would sound perfect coming out of the 8 Track player in your Pinto.
Dr.John- Such A Night (1941-2019)
A true music renaissance man. Starting as a teen in the studios of New Orleans, he learned his trade at the feet of the masters, playing R&B, jazz, and blues with equal skill and feel. The good doctor, (AKA Mac Rebbenack) went on to become an unlikely rock star in the early 70â˛s with his psychedelic and voodoo inspired Night Tripper alter ego. His long career found him playing several roles along the way, session man, producer, and The Big Easyâs unofficial funk ambassador. I picked this live version of the song because: A. Heâs backed beautifully by The Band, B. Itâs one of my favorite performances from The Last Waltz, and C. The live setting letâs you hear him stretch out a bit on the keyboards. I watched him perform many times, headlining or sitting in with others at Jazz Fest. No matter what the setting, he always fit right in and found the groove. Piano man, sideman, shaman, there was only one Dr.John.
Van Morrison - Early Days
Like Dr. John, Vanâs been around long enough to recall the birth of rock and roll. Throughout his career he never stopped paying tribute to his roots and those who inspired him. You can hear it in his musical references, cover tunes and name checks. At The Hollywood Bowl in October I got to see an unusually joyous performance as he wistfully traced a lifetime of musical influences across R&B, jazz and blues. His latest release is an unabashed love letter to those good old days, three chords and the truth.
Spiral Stairs- Fingerprintz
Scott Kannberg is one of the co-founders of Indie rock legends Pavement. But truth is I never took much of an interest in them. I happened to read about his solo project where he mentioned listening to a lot of  Van Morrison and Nick Lowe while recording. That seemed like a  good enough reason for me to check it out. There are familiar âfingerprintsâ on this one, as you can definitely hear him channeling Van.
Vampire Weekend- This Life
Hardly anyone is ambivalent about Vampire Weekend. Their preppy east coast look, and sleeve wearing, dad rock influences make them polarizing at best. Doesnât matter to me, I like their catchy hooks, bone dry lyrics, caribbean rhythms, and ringing guitars.This is easily the sunniest song about cheating I ever heard.
The English Beat- Whine and Grind/Stand Down Margaret
Ranking Roger (1953-2019)
in January of 1980 England was in the grips of 2 Tone mania, the pop music movement that came dancehall crashing out of the UK Midlands, and for a brief black and white checkered moment, dominated the British charts. At the center of the scene were The Specials whose founder Jerry Dammers launched the 2 Tone label and created the blueprint for itâs sound, inspired by the Jamaican music he heard as a kid. These bands (including The Selecter and Madness), combined ska, reggae and punk that launched a brief music and fashion movement. They dressed in a mod black and white style making the look nearly as important as their sound. For most of these bi-racial bands, the goal was to make you dance AND think, with lyrics focusing on social and political issues affecting young people in Thatcherâs Britain. The track here is a good example of that.
I arrived in London on a traveling seminar ready to check it all out, as a college radio DJ I was already a fan of The Clashâs punky reggae. and I had read several dispatches from the British music tabloids like NME and Melody Maker. First chance I got, I was off to a record store where I stood at a listening station to hear The Specialâs debut LP. I was instantly transformed into a card carrying 2 Tone fan boy. As a student, without much money with a long trip ahead, I couldn't afford The Specials album, but I did buy a 45 by the labelâs latest signing, The Beat.
The A side was a cover of Smokey Robinson & The Miracleâs âTears Of A Clownâ. It took a minute to get used to hearing the Motown classic played in their energetic ska sound. The tune ends with Ranking Roger âtoastingâ over the track reggae DJ style, not something heard much outside of Jamaica back then. Side B featured Roger taking lead and riding over a bouncy stop and start rhythm titled âRanking Full Stopâ. It was an instant 2 Tone classic, and I now had a new favorite band.
The Beat (AKA The English Beat) after just one 2 Tone single, were given their own Go-Feet label and releasing a full length album later that year. Their songs seemed to have a slightly more authentic Jamaican sound than the others, dubbier, upbeat and fun. In addition they dabbled in world music and afropop long before it became chic. I saw them perform on their first US tour in Boston later that year.
As the 2 Tone moment waned back home, the group quickly focused on the American audience, touring constantly in the process. The Beat were definitely the band most committed to breaking in the states and nearly did. By the third album, they gained some traction at US radio (particularly here in LA at KROQ) and played the US Festival, but it was too late. The band was already fracturing. Lead singer Dave Wakeling and Roger left unceremoniously in 1983 to form the short lived and mildly successful General Public, while bandmates Andy Cox and David Steele formed the much more successful Fine Young Cannibals. despite some huge hits, they too were short lived.
The original band never reunited. Roger and Wakeling performed together as The Beat for awhile, later each forming his own version. Roger in the UK and Dave in the US. Daveâs version tours constantly to this day. The 2 Tone label didn't last long and the music never truly caught on here. Ultimately suffering the same fate as other short lived UK music fads like Glam Rock or The New Romatics. Their impact was strong enough though to fuel the much maligned ska third wave of the 90â˛s, and bring Jamaican music a bit farther into the mainstream. All that really remains are the three great studio albums and the memory of their exciting live shows.
I booked the band on a CNN talk show in 1982. I remember they seemed frustrated and were already hinting at a challenged future for the group. Less than a year later they were done for good. I recall desperately wanting them to succeed, bringing my favorite band and the 2 Tone music to the masses. Itâs hard to imagine there was a ever a time in your life when a pop group could break your heart like that.Â
Foe me and other recovering rude boys/rude girls, the music endures, as does the message.  And today when I hear them streaming into my ear buds, I still want to âmove my likkle feet and dance to the beatâ, which for the dearly departed Roger I have to think, was always the point. #loveandunity
Politics and social issues remain front and center as the 2 Tone founders return with their first album since the 80â˛s. Reunited for many years now, this current version of the band boasts more original members of The Fun Boy Three than the original The Specials. That did not stop them from delivering a totally respectable and relevant effort. You can hear dark echos of their classic "Ghost Townâ on this dubby tune no doubt inspired by Brexit.
Eddie And The Hot Rods- Do Anything You Wanna Do
Barrie Masters (1956-2019)
in 1976/77 Eddie and the Hot Rods stood at the intersection of pub rock and punk as one scene fizzled, and the other burned down everything in its path. The Hot Rods had the classic straight ahead sound of the pub bands plus an attitude that leaned forward into the energy punk would embrace. They enjoyed a brief moment of UK chart success before literally falling into the cracks of the pop music scene. This song, one of my all time favorite singles, sum them up perfectly. Drawing a straight line from Graham Parker to The Clash with a touch of a classic Springsteen working class anthem.
In other words....perfect.
Beach Slang- Tommy In The 80â˛s
When I first saw the title of this song immediately assumed it was a Beach Slangâs tribute to The  Replacements guitarist Tommy Stinson . And even though Tommy himself plays on the track, it is not about him! In fact, itâs actually a tribute to obscure 80â˛s power popper Tommy Keene. I remembered the name from my MTV days, but honestly had to wiki him for clarification. Despite all these references, the whole thing sounds more inspired by âJessieâs Girlâ than either Tommy.Â
The Cars- My Best Friends Girl
Ric Ocasek (1941-2019)
Truthfully. I was never a big Cars fan. But in my college days before digital music, you listened to whatever the radio played. And in Boston, they played The Cars a lot. It wasnât long before they rose from local heroes to national charts toppers.
They didn't have the bluesy street cred or swagger of hometown legends Aerosmith or The J Geils Band, but they were our very own neighborhood rock stars. Drummer David Robinson lived in the building next door to Noreen on Comm Ave, and it was always kinda cool to see them strolling around Back Bay or hanging out at a club.
Their sound was little cold and metallic for me, but you couldn't deny they crafted pretty great pop and new wave singles. They were omnipresent sound of my college days. The hits literally followed me to MTV and NYC in the 80â˛s where I often spotted Ric and Paulina strolling hand in hand in Chelsea.
This classic love triangle was always my favorite with itâs Tommy James like guitar at the top, handclaps, and unforgettable hook. The band disbanded long ago, but like the classic American automobiles, these songs were built to last.
The Neighborhoods- Donât Look Down
The Cars were the only Boston group of the era to truly make it big, but that late 70â˛s scene boasted several other talented bands who scored label deals including: The Nervous Eaters, The Rings, The Paley Brothers, Robin Lane and the Chartbusters, The Fools, The Real Kids, The Stompers, and Mission Of Burma. Later on, The Lyres, The Neats The Del Fuegos, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Murphyâs Law  all managed to find the big time.
It was a great time for local music back then. A city filled with students, plenty of clubs to pack on weekends, and college and commercial radio stations willing to play local bands. There were many good acts around town then, and my favorite, without a doubt, were The Neighborhoods. A young, brash power trio led by charismatic lead singer David Minehan. They played a ferocious brand of power pop/punk that would leave their audience breathless. I was certain they were destined for stardom.
In the spring of 1979 they released their debut single âPrettiest Girlâ on a local label and massive airplay on both college and commercial radio followed. They instantly became the hottest band in town, poised to become the next band from Boston to make it big. But it never happened. Bad luck, poor management and infighting derailed all the momentum. Before you knew it, the gritty street quality that was The âHoods trademark was pushed aside by the synthesized sound of MTV. Over the course of the 80â˛s and into the 90â˛s they managed to release some pretty good albums on a variety of indie labels, but it never came together for them. The band reunited and gigs occasionally but hadnât recorded for many years until right now.
Forty years later, the neighborhood may not look the same, but their sound and spirit somehow survive. I suppose thereâs something tragic and romantic about a great band lost to time, remembered only by the few who saw them way back when. They really were great, but I guess you had to be there.
Jesse Mailn - Meet Me At The End Of The World Again
New Yorkâs favorite son, soul survivor, and street poet Jesse Malin is back. Heâs been around long enough to understand that âWhen it all blows up, when it all goes down, when it makes you sick, but youâre still aroundâ is victory in itself.  Itâs the only life he knows, so what can a poor boy do?Â
Brittany Howard- Stay High
This is from Alabama Shakes lead singer's excellent solo debut, unselfconsciously celebrating private moments spent with a lover on this  rootsy and gentle ballad. Her soulful falsetto conveys the kind of lustful bliss you might expect from Al Green or Prince.Â
Mississippi All Stars- Mean Old World
Bear with me. This one is tangled up in the roots of several southern rock legacies and is going to take a minute to unpack.
The All Stars are led by Luther and Cody Dickinson, sons of legendary Memphis musician and wild man Jim Dickinson. They decided to cover T Bone Walkerâs Mean Old World,  a blues number once recorded by Eric Clapton and Duane Allman as part of the historic Derek And The Dominos sessions. The track, featuring their dad Jim, did not make the original release but was later unearthed on an expanded reissue.
Still with me?Â
So, as a bit of a tribute, the guys recorded their own version of the tune and invited Duane Betts, son of Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts to record an Eat a Peach inspired guitar run at the end.
And oh yeah, Jason Isbell is on it as well.
Samantha Fish- Kill Or Be Kind
Have seen Samantha live several times over the past few years. Sheâs a very good blues/rock guitarist, vocalist and an exciting live performer. On the sultry âKill or be Kindâ she gives her lover an ultimatum. Fun fact: One of my sonâs best friends from high school (Kate Pearlman) wrote two tracks on the album!
Jade Jackson- Bottle It Up
Second album from this promising up and coming alt country artist. Sheâs on the super cool Anti label which providing immediate credibility and her albums are produced by Social D frontman Mike Ness. And when sheâs not on the road she waitressâs at her parentâs restaurant in central California. Iâm not sure you can get any more country than that.
The Highwomen- Redesigninig Women
Inspired by The Highwaymen of Willie, Waylon, Johnny and Kris, this all female country âsupergroupâ quartet is out to break the stereotypes in country music with some really fine songs. While the male Highwaymen banded together to rescue careers in decline, these women (Brandi Carlisle, Amanda Shires, Marren Morris, and Natalie Hemby), are all on the rise. This song is lot of fun.
John Prine- Unwed Fathers
John Prine is back with a remake of his heartbreaking tale of teenage pregnancy. Heâs joined this time Margo Price. I got to see Prine live this fall at the beautiful Anson Ford Amphitheater here in LA. His simple, plain spoken lyrics and songs are timeless. I attended the show with my pal David Kissinger who observed that despite health issues, âPrine remains an national songwriting treasure and his performance was as life affirming as youâll ever see.â Canât say it any better than that.
Shovels And Rope- Mississippi âNuthin
Ever wonder whatever happened to that perfect couple from high school? You know, the high school quarterback and the prom queen? This one ainât âGlory Daysâ. Our QB peaked in high school and never makes it back to the end zone again, plus he's tortured by the success his old flame enjoys. His anguish and desperation are palpable in this barn burner of a song whose vocals draw inspiration from June & Johnny and John & Exene.
The Delines- Eddie and Polly
Eddie and Polly are young and in love, and doomed. Vocalist Amy Booneâs world weary vocals always sound like itâs 3AM. This one wonât do much for your holiday spirit, but itâs haunting melody might stay with you throughout it.
Yola - Love all Night (Work All Day)
Love the one your with is (at least after work) is the basic idea on this track from this UK performerâs debut long player. Produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, the collection is full of excellent retro soul-folk. There was a fair amount of buzz in front of the release and she more than lives up to it including a nomination for a Best New Artist Grammy.Â
Mavis Staples + Norah Jones- Iâll Be Gone
First recorded effort form this duo. A bittersweet ballad that softly and soulfully looks ahead to a final salvation. But Mavis ainât done yet. Sheâs still going strong, recording and touring constantly. She knows she may be running out of time, but thereâs still work to do. And whenever sheâs finally ready, you can be sure sheâll take us there.
Hope you and yours are well.Â
The Herzogâs wish you the best and look forward to seeing you in the new year. Â For those of you who made it this far, thank you.
Iâve got a bonus playlist for you.
Artists you like playing songs you love:Â covers/19
Enjoy.
Los Angeles, December 2019Â
