Archive for the ‘Interests’ Category

Current listening is where I post about artists I am currently listening to. My goal is to influence you to seek out  featured artists. Lately, I’ve been listening to:

Townes Van Zandt- Townes sure knew how to write a beautiful song, especially regarding heartbreak and yearning. A singer-songwriter from Texas, Townes had a long career spanning from 1966 until he tragically died from alcoholism in the mid-1990s. He played in small bars and clubs, and never reached the fame he deserved. Seek out his songs “Be here to Love Me”, “For the Sake of the Song” and “Come Tomorrow” among others, and you’ll hear what I mean.

The Kinks- The Kinks are possibly my favorite band of all time, and they penned some of the most well written songs in the history of modern pop music. The Kinks are known for “You really got me” and “Lola”-great songs, but if you  dig through their catalogue, you will discover other great tunes that you may not have realized were written by them. Examples include “Waterloo Sunset”, “Days”, “Picture Book”, and “Sunny Afternoon”.

The Verve- Do you remember these guys? They exploded in 1997 with “Bittersweet symphony”, a delicious orchestra / rock song with profound lyrics.

The Sound of Wonder! (Various Artists)- Issued by the Finders Keepers label, this compilation consists of Lollywood (Pakistan film industry) soundtrack songs recorded between 1972 and1980. With incredible arrangements featuring Moog synthesizers, Indian percussion, surf guitar, as well as captivating singing, the songs on this collection bridge the Eastern and Western music worlds. Some of the most interesting and exciting music I have ever heard.

Current listening is where I post about artists I am listening to.

Mekons- A first wave (and first rate) Punk band, started in the late 1970s. They are still playing together.

The Replacements- Minnesota Rock and Roll with Punk leanings. Their bassist was still in High School when they went on a tour back in 1984. Great songs that more people should know.

The Velvet Underground- Lou Reed’s original band; Catchy tunes, good noise.

Ponytail- A great live band, I saw them at the Black Cat, opening for Yeasayer. Sounds like very energetic Noise Rock from Mars.

Current listening is where I’ll post about artists I am listening to. Below is my current soundtrack:

Bobbie Gentry- 60’s and 70’s folk singer-songwriter with an incredibly sexy voice, great writing, and good looks to boot (the ultimate trifecta). Some of her fairly well known songs include “Ode to Billy Joe” and “Fancy”. Dig deeper and you’ll find she has a great selection of material, though she retired from music in the late 1970s.

Fela Kuti- The Afro-beat pioneer with political songs and nice rhythms. His voice and saxaphone work are powerful, and the long songs can put you in a trance.

The Cranberries- This 90’s group reminds me of middle school. Listen to the album “Everybody else is doing it so why can’t we?”, and I dare you to tell me this isn’t epic music that will chill your spine.

Oasis- I am referring to the “What’s the Story Morning Glory” album. Who sounds like that album right now? I say no one does.  Listen to the songs “Champagne Supernova”, and “Wonderwall”, they epitomize the 90’s sound, yet still sound fresh. These guys were not Beatles rip-offs like everyone claimed.

Os Mutantes- Psychedelic Brazilian group from the 60’s and 70’s, though they just released a new album about a year ago, and are still good at what they do.  Their sound conjures up images of drunken monkeys tipping over couches and splattering paint on the walls.

Keeping with this weeks’ theme of all things Michigan- A few years back my friend Bryan McGuire made a great documentary movie about my hometown, Corunna, Michigan. The documentary, “Stay on the Tarvey” features interviews with people who have grown up in Corunna and moved away, and also those who have stayed. It is a very insightful film about small town living. The soundtrack features music from my 2005 album “Nickels & Dimes”, along with other music from Corunna including The Fuzz, Jarvis Lorry, and Aaron Lindell. To read more, or to order a DVD (send Bryan a message requesting a copy), click here: www.facebook.com/tarvey

In 12 days I’ll be home for Christmas. Home being Michigan. In the meantime I can read about the mitten state.

Gordon Young, a San-Francisco based freelance journalist, maintains a great blog about Flint, Michigan Expatriates. He writes about Michigan oriented topics such as cars, urban development, and coney dogs. Check out his site here: www.flintexpats.com