Ballad of a Well-Known Gun

The bluesy-country opening track to Tumbleweed Connection sets the stage for Elton John's loose concept album about the American West. Singing from the perspective of a soon-to-be-captured fugitive, John doesn't glorify the western hero; instead, he gives us a worn, guilty man tired of the attention. A fun track.

Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun - E...

Buy Tumbleweek Connection. It's Elton John like you've never heard him before.
Easy Street Records//Sonic Boom Records//Amazon

Rock-N-Roll Victim

Three Detroit brothers that got their start as R&B-funk artists, Bobby, Dannis and David Hackney gravitated in the early 70s towards the assaulting punk of the Detroit underground. Drag City recently released ...For the Whole World to See, a collection the 7 singles of the Hackney's proto-punk band, Death. It's solid all the way through, but "Rock-N-Roll Victim" is a standout.

Give it a listen at Death's MySpace Page

Buy ...For the Whole World to See. It'll add a jolt to your day.
Easy Street Records//Sonic Boom Records//Amazon

Mary Come Alive

"Mary Come Alive," the Kate Bush-tinged third track from Boston songstress Marissa Nadler's fourth album, Little Hells. Typically working with a more stripped down, yet somehow still ethereal sound (oh, her voice!), Nadler offers up a richly produced track with "Mary Come Alive." Beautiful and haunting, the song provides the album just the right amount of umph before Nadler returns to her hushed fingerpicking and lush vocal roots.

Mary Come Alive - Marissa Nadl...

Bonus track:

Ghosts & Lovers - Marissa Nadl...

Buy Little Hells today.
Easy Street Records//Sonic Boom Records//Amazon

Would You

Richard Swift released one of the best and most criminally-overlooked songs of 2008, "Would You." A gorgeous soul song from the free digital download EP, Ground Trouble Jaw, "Would You" revealed that Swift's got soul. This lush, yet understated song kicks off the EP, setting the stage for "Lady Luck," a song with equal parts 60's soul. Swift's vocals are striking. His new album, Atlantic Ocean, will drop on April 7th. His label is calling it his "most danceable record to date." Can't wait.

Would You? - Richard Swift

Buy Atlantic Ocean on 4/7. In the meantime, get a preview of what's to come - download the Ground Trouble Jaw EP (for free, still) from e-music.

Funny How Time Slips Away

Funny how long it has been since the last post, funny how time slips away...

No longer, though. We're back in action, promise.

Dark Was the Night

A Red Hot Compilation's Dark Was the Night features rare cuts, inspired covers and many of today's best independent musical artists. This compilation, like the Red Hot Organization's other music and media projects, was produced to raise funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. Far from a well-intentioned, but misguided or incomplete charity album, Dark Was the Night, produced by The National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner, is solid, if not phenomenal, all the way through. Give it a listen below.

Dark Was The Night (Red Hot Co...

Buy Dark was the Night. You'll be so happy you did.
Easy Street Records//Sonic Boom Records//Amazon