Hey Dad, Have You Heard This ?

“Till the World Ends” . Finding Jupiter . Covers

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The legitimacy of cover songs is a polarizing debate.  Is a cover a cop-out?  Is it ok if you're a previously established artist (i.e. Hendrix covering Dylan)?  Is that actually cool?  Who is your audience?  Etc. etc.  Personally, I'm a sucker for covers.  I spent a good deal of my college years in a 12-piece funk cover band.  I spent all of them in the LSJUMB, the world's largest rock & roll cover band.  But let's scale it back a bit from that.

For me, acoustic covers fit into one of two categories, and sometimes both: beautiful, and hilarious.  Often times there is a ukelele involved, and there is almost always a heightened degree of disconnect between the emotional feel intended in the original and the execution in the cover.  Finding Jupiter's cover of "Till the World Ends", originally performed by an aging, auto-tuned Britney Spears, brings it all together.  Jupiter, a Stanford group, leans on the uke to reduce Spears' club anthem to a small gathering amongst close friends.

Some other favorites to check out:

"Hey Ya!" (Outkast Cover) - Jebediah Parker: Acoustic covers of rap music, part 1.  Here Parker actually synchronizes the lyrical and musical message of the original.

"Bitches Ain't Shit" (Dr. Dre Cover) - Ben Folds: Acoustic covers of rap music, part 2.  What's more hilarious than this?

“33 RPM Soul” . Michelle Shocked . Arkansas Traveler

PART THREE of THREE:

"Record Lady" . Lyle Lovett . I Love Everybody

PART TWO of THREE:

"Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands" . Richard Thompson . Rumor and Sigh

Hello friends. HDHYHT has been on a protracted hiatus, and I have no one but a new job, a new place to live, and all sorts of life responsibilities to blame. But the three people (warning: self-deprecation mode) who regularly read the blog kept after me to revive it, and I fell for their flattery. So, here it is. I’m toying with the idea of some rotating guest bloggers, and maybe a new post a week…we’ll see how it goes. It seemed only fitting that the “D” in “HDHYHT” would be offered first shot: I’m always honored when I get a chance to scribble a bit for this blog, but writing the first piece in a while posed certain concerns. Should it just pick up where it left off---perceptive and witty writing about music that may (or may not) have escaped you—or should it have some deeper thematic element as a nod to the occasion? I opted for the latter; after all, I’m “D”. So, a trio of tunes by singer- songwriters that have some over-arching connection with the idea of records seemed a fitting way to get HDHYHT up and rolling again.

"Six Blocks Away" . Lucinda Williams . Sweet Old World

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Thanks to D for hooking me up with this blog post.  I have a new job, and it's tough to pull things together.

Lucinda Williams has gradually gained some name recognition over the years, but seems to stay just on the cusp -- like a Jim Lauderdale or a Shelby Lynne.  OK, she's been on Letterman and got married on stage at First Avenue, but this woman is one pure Americana-great-songwriting-and-singing-blues-country-gospel-rock and roll that deserves a wider audience.  Mary Chapin Carpenter had a hit with her "Passionate Kisses" but trust me, Lucinda's original just kills it -- the difference between hearing "Happy" performed by your aunt at a karaoke bar and Keith Richards.

"Six Blocks Away" off her 1992 album Sweet Old World (check out Emmylou Harris' cover of the title track sometime) is one of those timeless songs of heartbreak and loss and Lucinda's voice gets it just right.  "He can hardly make it day to day, 'cause everything he wants is six blocks away" may not be a couplet quite on par with the stuff her dad, poet Miller Williams, turns out as Professor Emeritus at Arkansas -- but then he doesn't do it with a Stratocaster strapped on either.  And listen to that Link Wray tone guitar riff in the bridge -- perfect.

"Be Thankful For What You Got" . William DeVaughn . Be Thankful For What You Got

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A post from Dad:

You need to know that it took me a while to track down William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful For What You Got" in the pre-internet, post-radio play era.  I could hear the tune in my head, and the refrain, and "diamonds in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean," but damn if I could find the tune until I stumbled across a 2 CD compilation called Harlem Sessions in London and brought it home to an unsuspecting 15 year-old trapped in a Miata with a tape deck.

I guess I love the fact that a lot of people think Curtis Mayfield did this, or are only aware of the Massive Attack cover, or that Vaughn purportedly put up his own $900 to record this with the studio musicians of MFSB (another post on Philly soul sometime, I guess) in 1974.  It went on to #1 on the R&B charts, but got play on gospel stations at the time, and the lyrics have that preach hopeful tenor of Mayfield's "People Get Ready" and Timmy Thomas' "Why Can't We Live Together".

And in these troubled economic times, what better homily do you need?

You may not have a car at all

But remember, brothers and sisters,

You can still stand tall

Just be thankful--for what you've got.

Amen.

Massive Attack - "Be Thankful For What You Got" (YouTube)

"The World Is Yours" . Nas . Illmatic

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samples "I Love Music" by Ahmad Jamal (sample occurs at 5:00)

"Resurrection" . Common Sense . Resurrection

listen here (YouTube)

samples "Dolphin Dance" by Ahmad Jamal (sample occurs at 2:43)

Apologies for being M.I.A. this past week.  This is the second installment of "attempting to show dad that some hip-hop music is actually legitimate through sampling," and the audial focus today is legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal and his 1970 release on Impulse! Records, The Awakening.  Jazz sampling was a main contributer to the previously described "Golden Age of Hip-Hop" (1988-1992) and what I believe to be the "2nd Golden Age of Hip-Hop" (1993-1994).

Both the Nas and Common Sense (now know as simply Common) tracks feature very short Jamal samples (under 10 seconds) repeated beautifully throughout.  In my opinion, Nas and Common Sense were two of the four cornerstones of the 2nd Golden Age (Snoop Doggy Dogg's debut Doggystyle and Outkast's debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik are the others).  "Resurrection" is off Common's 1994 release of the same title, an album that features what many critics believe to be the greatest hip-hop track ever (a striking commentary on the impending move away from the Golden Age) in "I Used to Love H.E.R."  Nas' 1994 debut, the East Coast hip-hop landmark Illmatic, is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, and my personal number one.

The knowledge, dedication, and patience MCs, DJs and producers had in order to sample such a broad and complex genre of music given the available technology at that time is something that will always astound me.  Every time I think about it, I see this picture (from the inside of Chronic 2001) of Dr. Dre and Mel Man surrounded by tens of thousands of albums and an MPC.  Mind-blowing.  Yet what may be even more remarkable about this intersection of jazz and hip-hop is the idea that the musical structure of the two genres is so similar.

To me, the beauty of jazz music is born from the development and repetition of the "riff" combined with the celebration of individualistic creation that is the solo, over the underlying consistency of the rhythm section.  Hip-hop (especially in the Golden Eras) is a natural progression (inversion?) of that beauty.  A sampled jazz riff is repeated as part of the driving rhythm or beat, a vocal chorus develops as a replacement for the "riff," while the vocal rhymes -- written verses or freestyles -- become the solo section.  In one sense, jazz sampling hip-hop subverts the true beauty and completeness of the jazz form, but in another pays homage to this three-part compositional form while giving direct acknowledgement to important influences like Jamal.

Expect a post on the late, great Guru and his collaborative efforts somewhere down the line.

Bonus: "I Used to Love H.E.R." - Common Sense (YouTube)

"So Insane" . Discovery . LP

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"Kiss" . Prince . Parade

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If Dad didn't immediately equate the syncopated drum and synthesizer beat of "So Insane" with Prince's "Kiss", I must have uploaded the wrong mp3. "Kiss" (with a handful of other Prince cuts) was known for its stripped-down, minimal vibe, and this particular nugget of Discovery feels no different to me.  Somehow it's just as beautifully bare (especially in the half-time sections) despite the poppy vocal harmonies.  Its modern soulfulness is also intriguing, and something about its production stirs up a little Justin Timberlake.

Discovery is a side project of Ra Ra Riot's Wes Miles and Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij, and I have to admit I prefer both RRR and VW to this collaboration.  A good part of the remainder of LP has much stronger and complex electronica influences, which is not exactly my (or Dad's) cup-o-tea.  I mean, seriously, listen to this bastardization of The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back".  Worst.

"Watching You Love" . Paul Cebar & The Milwaukeeans . That Unhinged Thing

"Valerie" . Mark Ronson f. Amy Winehouse . (listen/download here)

This specific connection between what I grew up listening to and what I listen to now was the catalyst for HDHYHT.  I recall riding shotgun in Dad's 1992 Mazda Miata, top down, listening to Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans "Watching You Love", bookended by Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" and something off of Purple Rain.  "Watching You Love" is a song I kept in my back pocket for years waiting for the right friend to ask for "new" music.

Then, a couple years ago I heard Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse's cover of English indie rock bands The Zutons' "Valerie".  I immediately felt the connection to Cebar, with the strong lead female vocalist (Robin Pluer) and crisp horn licks.  Ronson has a more contemporary feel with heavier bass and more complicated orchestration, certainly a result of his work as a producer and DJ (and Winehouse has a few more marks on here criminal record than Pleuer...), but I'm just happy that they seem to be strongly pushing this style of instrumentation (back?) into popular music.    

Also, make sure to check out this Ronson remix of one Mr. Dylan:

"Misunderstood" . Pete Townshend & Ronnie Lane . Rough Mix

"Wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger" seems like the kind of line that should come from the D of HDHYHT, but it serves as a fitting introduction to a favorite musician, Ronnie Lane.  Lane, of the Small Faces, Faces, and Slim Chance had the kind of career that begged for a "Six Degrees of Ronnie Lane" game before it was cut short in 1997 by complications associated with multiple sclerosis.  The lyric, of course, is from "Ohh La La", one of the Faces' most recognizable songs and a song that makes me smile everytime I hear it.  I think the same was true for Ronnie too-- watch him in this version with Slim Chance in 1974 and check out the good time he seems to be having with his mates.

In 1977, Lane released a duo album with Pete Townshend (Townshend did most of the writing) which I own on vinyl. I think it fell into the “critically acclaimed, popularly ignored category” but it has some terrific tunes on it and guest appearances by British rock elite (Clapton, Watts, Entwistle). Look for the Hip-O version that was released on CD in 2006 and the little Townshend gem above, “Misunderstood.” I love the shuffling gait of this tune, the harmonica, the cow bell—but most of all the lyrics:

“I wanna be obscure and oblique

Inscrutable and vague, so hard to pin down

I wanna leave open mouths when I speak

Want people to cry when I put them down.”

"City Dreams" . Antonio Paul . Treasure EP

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I am absolutely hooked on this tune by Australian duo Antonio Paul.  Its infectiousness pushed me to look long and hard for influences or similar artists, but it is so sonically dissimilar from anything I could dig up.  Its happy, poppy, disconnected snippets of syncopation create a powerfully unique indie pop sound that somehow manages to feel like a top-40 hit.  It is quirky yet mature, crowded yet synergetic, youthful yet timeless.

"Daydreaming" . Dark Dark Dark . Wild Go

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Dad has always enjoyed strong female vocalists; Joni Mitchell and Aimee Mann were forced into my musical lexicon at a very young age.  Cat Power, Feist, Ingrid Michaelson, and others came along later, but also by way of burned discs or emails from dad.  I came to appreciate the clarity and sparse instrumentation of these women; this is what made them special.  The lyrics came through clearly and the message was conveyed brilliantly in that way. 

What sets Nona Marie Invie's similarly soaring vocals and warm piano in "Daydreaming" apart from the aforementioned artists are the other Dark Dark Dark sounds that embrace them: the brushed snare and symbols, dense guitar reverb, coarse banjo progressions, and (pleasantly) haunting accordion.  By surrounding her lyrics with such lush instrumentation, the message of finding a place where you can be free is amplified, not muzzled.  The rest of the Minneapolis-based chamber-folk sextet's sophomore release Wild Go is equally successful, and incorporates chanting, cello, string bass, and, praise the lord, even more accordion. 

As a bonus, download "In Your Dreams" as well, below.

"Eye Know" . De La Soul . 3 Feet High and Rising

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I vaguely remember an evening in high school where dad and I were debating the merit of hip-hop music.  I was on the affirmative while dad simply muttered "hell, I could write that garbage" and proceed to rattle off half a dozen rhymes describing his daily commute and what he had eaten for dinner.  I found myself incapable of arguing the differences between what he had produced (it was pretty good, honestly) and what I really enjoyed about my razor thin rap library: Nelly, Cash Money Records, Chronic 2001, and a roughed up copy of 2Pac's Greatest Hits.  My critical listening skills were weak, and my arguing skills were even worse.  "But... but the beats are awesome!" was the best I could muster, if I remember correctly. 

In college I became more familiar with the Golden Age of Hip-Hop, 1988-1992 (though I argue it started a couple years earlier).  The only thing I would have listened to in high school from that era would have been something off of that 2Pac double-album, though I'm skeptical Disc 1 ever made it into my Discman.  A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Erik B & Rakim -- I was hooked.  The messages were more mature -- fewer bitches, platinum chains, and E-Classes with 20s -- and the samples, oh the samples!  And there it was, the connection to dad.  Behind every great hip-hop track was Kool & the Gang, James Brown, or Grover Washington Jr.; guys dad had introduced me to.  The lax copyright laws of the era encouraged sampling, and the ability of great DJs and producers to mix so many samples into one track made the art all that more impressive.

Though often criticized for having too "hippy" a feel or for not being "hard" enough for the Golden Era, De La Soul's debut album 3 Feet High and Rising (1989) has some of best consistent sampling throughout.  Within it JB, Steely Dan, Parliament, Billy Joel, Hall and Oates, and even Eddie Murphy can be found.  "Eye Know" is a lyrically simple happy love jam that samples (so far as I can tell) no fewer than six different tracks.  A couple of them are fairly obvious; dad would be able to recognize them without the help.  See if you can locate the other samples in the track, and then bask in the brilliance of the overall aggregation.  I love the simple and carefree nature of the music video as well.

Samples used in "Eye Know" (YouTube links):

Steely Dan - "Peg"

Otis Redding - "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" 

Sly and the Family Stone - "Sing a Simple Song"

The Mad Lads - "Make This Young Lady Mine"

Lee Dorsey - "Get Out of My Life, Woman"

"You Make Me Smile" . Aloe Blacc . Good Things

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While Aloe Blacc might not be a newcomer in the music blogosphere or even a new voice for my dad (hell, he even had an iTunes single of the week at one point), I think his recent album Good Things may cement him (with Sharon Jones, of course) as the face of the ever-expanding neo-soul movement.

What sets Blacc apart in the movement (like Jones) is his versatility.  His ability to channel several different vocal directions in one album is astounding, and by doing so he creates a grab-bag of comparisons to the funk and soul legends of the 60s, 70s, and (gasp) 80s.  "You Make Me Smile" conjures up the soothing voice of Tower of Power's Lenny Williams in "So Very Hard to Go," while "I Need a Dollar" creates the illusion that Bill Withers is back behind the mic.   "Loving You Is Killing Me" has its own unique sound, and, look at this, there's even a Michael Jackson cover in the repertoire...

Aloe Blacc - "I Need a Dollar" (right click to save-as)

Aloe Blacc - "Loving You Is Killing Me" (right click to save-as)

"Oh I Wandered" . Paperfangs

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It has always been my nature to link the new with something familiar, especially in music; you can bet this will be a recurring theme for HDHYDT.  Sometimes the connections will be technically accurate; sometimes they'll be a stretch, but hopefully in all attempts a discussion of some sort will arise.  In the case of "Oh I Wandered" I'll admit I'm a bit ashamed that the link that first struck me was The Buggles' only hit "Video Killed the Radio Star."  

The use of a simple piano motif, the distant vocals, and lyrical nostalgia are what connects the two for me, initially.  "Video Killed the Radio Star" explores the nostalgia for 60s radio in describing a singing career cut short by television.  The lyrical message of "Oh I Wandered" is more general: a longing for a classic sense of youth, adventure, and discovery.

Now, ironically, the Buggles' music video was the first to appear on MTV (August 1, 1981), an event that is arguably the catalyst of the current age of musical superconnectivity (see video here).  The disconnect of lyrical message and technological promotion here is intriguing (and well-documented).  But here's where it gets really interesting...

It's 2010.  Paperfangs records "Oh I Wandered" in this age where music blogs, MySpace Music, Facebook, and YouTube have almost complete control over how our superconnected world discovers and listens to new music.  Discovering Paperfangs was no exception: I  found their music on a blog, watched their music video for "Books" on YouTube, and even "liked" them on Facebook.  However, there is a very purposeful withholding of information.  Anything you could ever want to know about any musician you can find on the internet.  Lady Gaga attended Convent of the Sacred Heart, a private Roman Catholic school on Manhattan's Upper East Side.  Diana Krall is allergic to cats.  Anything.  But nothing about Paperfangs.  No names, no dates, no backgrounds.  No photo of the band.  It's almost as if they *gasp* want the music to speak for itself!  The irony here is that this kind of minimalist approach to promotion undermines the purpose of available information technologies.  Music returns as a high art form, and consequently, music promotion comes along for the ride.

"Warning Sign" . Local Natives . Gorilla Manor

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Local Natives is a Los Angeles-based band that exploded onto the U.S. indie scene at Austin's SXSW festival in 2009.  Pitchfork.com characterized the sound of the five member group as "glimmering Afropop-influenced guitars with hyperactive drumming and hooky three-part harmonies;" all three described qualities feature prominently here in the Talking Heads cover.  Though often (and accurately) compared to Arcade Fire and Vampire Weekend, I can't help but link the cover to the Paul Simon albums Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints.  If Simon had brought along Garfunkel (and perhaps Cat Stevens) and had eased up on the tribal drums, it's right there.  All in a lyrical tip-of-the-cap to Mr. Byrne.

warning sign, warning sign,