Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra, “Love and Hate” (1988)
I pulled this out of a slush pile once. I like it a lot, but is it reggae? Discuss, or throw up some of your own faves. (Also too, a nice live performance of the beautiful Merle Haggard song, “Diana,” which grew on me all week.)
JPK is a friend of DougJ's who wrote a music post with the song of the week at Balloon Juice for awhile in 2012.
Song of the week
A few people have been asking me, “Who are you?” ever since DougJ tossed me the keys and I started posting this “Song of the week” thing myself a couple months ago. I was OK with everybody thinking I was secretly DougJ, but I probably should have just introduced myself earlier. I’m a long-time lurker/faithful follower of Balloon Juice—I used to come here via those Atrios links years ago and gawp at the freakshow. I even happened to be on hand the day of the showdown with Hamsher, and I laughed a lot following that comments thread. But Cole back then basically affected me the way Atrios affected him. I got too mad and couldn’t hang around long. I can’t remember why I came back in the summer of ’08 but I did and I couldn’t believe it was the same place. It’s ridiculous but Cole’s conversion somehow continues to inspire me and I have spent a lot of time here since. On the spectrum, since this is a politics blog, I’m probably closer to being a firebagger than an Obot—but to a lot of my friends I’m probably more of an Obot, and that doesn’t even include my lunatic neighbor who still literally worships Glenn Beck. I have the mixed blessing of coming from a 98% homogenous Democratic family, so I learn a lot talking to him. It truly is a visit to a Bizarro world. But I’m no good arguing politics, it’s bad for my blood pressure and general outlook, which puts a damper on making my case, so I just listen to people mostly.
I used to be a music journalist. Now I’m a freelance copy editor. Like approximately every human being on the planet I love music and listen to it every day. I love to talk about it and swap opinions and information. Like approximately every human being on the planet I also hate a lot of music so I know where you all are coming from when you hate my picks. I hate a lot of yours too. No hard feelings (or anyway I’ll keep them to myself). To me, that’s the give and take of it. As they say, there’s no accounting for taste and there’s certainly no accounting for mine. I have a blog, Can’t Explain, which is how DougJ found and eventually invited me to chip in picks for this weekly Friday afternoon thing.
So that’s who I am. The song picks are things I’m listening to, things I heard that week that surprised me, sometimes old favorites, or types of music I’m interested in knowing more about—all kinds of things. Stuff to talk about. For example, this last week I happened to notice that Robert Cray is playing casino dates now (maybe he has been for years?) and that reminded me how much I liked him once (and still do), and how long it’s been. So wondering what anyone might think of Cray nowadays, or back then.
Or, as always, share your own favorites of the week, or treat as an open thread.
Robert Cray, “Right Next Door (Because of Me)” (1986)
Song of the week
Hippiehaus, “Galaxy” (2002)
This is kind of pretty. I really used to go for some of those Hotel Costes anthologies. What sounded good to folks this week?
Song of the week
Mighty Diamonds, “Go Seek Your Rights” (1976)
This came up a few times this week and sounded so good. Talk about your own songs of the week, or treat as an open thread.
Song of the week
Aaron Neville, “Wrong Number (I Am Sorry, Goodbye)” (1966)
I’m just not sure you can ever go wrong with this guy. What have you been liking this week?
Song of the week
Bruce Springsteen, “Jack of All Trades” (2012)
Hearing a lot of good things about the new Springsteen album, but then seems we always do when they’re new. Still, “best since Tunnel of Love” tends to get one’s attention. Here he is on Fallon this past week. What do you think? Worthy or more of the same? Or share your own recent favorites. Or treat as an open thread.
BTW, how did the Seattle meetup go? I had good intentions of making it from Olympia but we all know how good intentions go. I hope a good time was had by all.
Song of the week
First things first, RIP Davy Jones. I liked this remembrance. What do you remember?
B-52’s, “Deep Sleep” (1982)
Here’s my shuffle prize this week—I loved this band all the way through Whammy! What sounded good to you this week?
Hey looka me, I can embed video. Here’s something else to kick around if you’ve a mind—artist, album, and/or song. I love the song so much I love “Highlands” (full 16:32) even more, which I rate with “Desolation Row.” YMG2MFV. So what do you like? What do you hate? Who’s fooling who?
Or treat as an open thread.