Raphael Saadiq said that as a bass-playing kid growing up in Oakland, any band you’d want to play with was going to put you to the test with a specific song. You had to be ready for it because it was going to be sink or swim. What do you play, bass? Yeah? Ok. Let’s … Continue reading Sunday Music: POW – Battlefunk!
Tag: music
Sunday Music: Bad Girls Do It Well
Live fast die young / bad girls do it well One of my daughters just discovered this song and sent it to me a few months ago. I don't know if we're still saying "banger," but when it came out in 2013, this was a "banger."* British rapper M.I.A. gives the driving metaphor a spin … Continue reading Sunday Music: Bad Girls Do It Well
Podcast Of The Week: RZA On Men In Blazers
It's a conversation about loving life, seeking change, and tenaciously persevering in the face of everyone telling you "well, that's never going to work." I've long loved both of these people and never quite imagined them sitting down to chat. But, after hearing it, it makes perfect sense why there's so much joy here. Check … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: RZA On Men In Blazers
When It Rains, Get Wet
RZA said one of the best pieces of advice he ever heard came from Quincy Jones: “When it rains, get wet.” If something good is happening, partake. And not “good” meaning perfect, or positive, or not confusing, but… natural. Don’t grab an umbrella, don’t run inside, don’t hide from the tide - if it starts … Continue reading When It Rains, Get Wet
Sunday Music: Grapefruit Moon
It’s good to have a reason to stop and stare at the sky. The moon has been putting in some serious work this week (at least over me in New England). “Harvest Moon” would be the obvious song to sing, but I’ve been subjecting my dogs on our evening walks to renditions of “Grapefruit Moon” … Continue reading Sunday Music: Grapefruit Moon
Sunday Music: My Baby Just Cares For Me
It’s such a simple looping phrase. But that’s what love is too, right? Simple. It might not be one of Nina Simone’s most complex or intricate performances, but it’s one of my favorites. Here’s “My Baby Just Cares For Me” (with a lovely 80’s claymation video too): https://youtu.be/eYSbUOoq4Vg
Sunday Music: Nightswimming
Remember those friends that clearly got things so much faster than you when you were growing up? My buddy Jeff told me how amazing “Nightswimming” by R.E.M. was. He said listen and listen close. It was the best song on the whole album. I thought it was fine, but, wasn't it just a kind of … Continue reading Sunday Music: Nightswimming
Sunday Music: West Virginia (With The Front Bottoms)
Maybe it was Richmond, Indianapolis that made me think of Richmond, Virginia that made me think of “West Virginia” by The Front Bottoms. Maybe it was the nearly 12 hours of highway time I had already clocked that day. Maybe it was the last gasp of coffee on my breath before I pulled into the … Continue reading Sunday Music: West Virginia (With The Front Bottoms)
Sunday Music: Hold Me Now
It was a note in my phone for a Sunday Music post. It said, "Sunday music, hold me now by Thompson Twins, god it hurts." When's the last time you really listened to this one? https://youtu.be/H9694K85Xc8 https://youtu.be/JTaKMU_JuIc
Sunday Music: Angel Olsen’s Hot Take on “Gloria”
I have to be in a certain mood for Angel Olsen's synthy-orchestral stuff, but when I am, the production, arranging, and the performance is nothing short of impeccable. Olsen has a new EP of all 80s covers coming out mid-August. Here's her take on "Gloria" by Laura Branigan. If you don't know the original, I'm … Continue reading Sunday Music: Angel Olsen’s Hot Take on “Gloria”