Thursday, January 28, 2010


THURSDAY MORNING MIX
January 28, 2010
Scott Foley

If you'd have told me I was ever going to play a song called "Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding" on TMM ... But this week I was catching up on some recorded episodes of Elvis Costello's Spectacle interview show, and I came across a songwriters' circle with Ron Sexsmith, Sheryl Crow, Neko Case and Jesse Winchester. Each writer held their own (even Sheryl Crow, who I see here as the odd-one-out). The highlight of the round was Winchester's moving version of "Sham-A-Ling-etc", during which a wandering camera caught a solitary tear of appreciation on Neko's cheek. While I've never been a devoted fan, per se, I was rapt.

With my already frazzled attention compromised by happenings at work and my boys' perpetual basketball practice, I seem to be in danger of disappearing beneath a mound of new CDs to preview. I've already made my way through a surprisingly strong Patty Griffin gospel disc, as well as a great set of songs from Adam Carroll and Michael O'Connor. Jon Dee Graham has released his strongest album in years (titled It's Not As Bad As It Looks), which I promptly left on the dining room table on my way out this morning ...

* Kate & Anna McGarrigle, "Going Back To Harlan" Matapedia (Hannibal, 96)
* Jesse Winchester, "Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding" Love Filling Station (Appleseed, 09)
* Devil Makes Three, "Help Yourself" Do Wrong Right (Milan, 09)
* Blue Rodeo, "Sheba" Things We Left Behind (Red Eye, 10)
* Amy Cook, "Get It Right" Let the Light In (Self, 10)
* Matt the Electrician, "Faithfully" Animal Boy (Self, 09)
* Bruce Robison, "Bed of Ashes" Country Sunshine (Boar's Nest, 01)
* Avett Brothers, "I Love" Sweetheart '10 (Starbucks, 10)
* Ray Wylie Hubbard, "A Enlightenment ..." A Enlightenment B Endarkenment Hint There Is No C (Bordello, 10)
* Freedy Johnston, "It's Gonna Come Back To You" Rain On the City (BarNone, 09)
* Doug & Telisha Williams, "Learning To Drink Whiskey" Ghost Of the Knoxville Girl (Self, 09)
* Chuck Ragan & Austin Lucas, "Simple Life" Bristle Ridge (Ten Four, 08)
* Adam Carroll & Michael O'Connor, "Billy Gibbons' Beard" (Self, 09)
* Dolorean, "The Search" Violence In the Snowy Fields (Yep Roc, 04)
* Slimfit, "Yesterday's Gone" The Path (Self, 10)
* Grant Lee Phillips, "It Ain't the Same Old Cold War Harry" Little Moon (Yep Roc, 09)
* Wanda Jackson, "You Know That I'm No Good" internet single (Third Man, 10)
* Matt Harlan, "Suitcase Blues" Tips and Compliments (Berkalin, 09)
* Kevn Kinney, "Comin' Round Again" Sun Tangled Angel Revival (Rosa, 06)
* Patty Griffin, "Little Fire" Downtown Church (Credential, 10)
* Joe Pug, "How Good You Are" Messenger (Lightning Rod, 10)
* Suzi Ragsdale, "My One & Only Valentine" Best Regards / Less Of the Same (Stark Raven, 10)
* Willie Nelson, "American Tune" Across the Borderline (Columbia, 93)
* Bonnie "Prince" Billy, "John the Baptist" Face a Frowning World: An EC Ball Memorial Album (Tompkins Sq, 09)
* Reckless Kelly, "Best Forever Yet" Somewhere In Time (Yep Roc, 10)
* Will Kimbrough, "You Can't Go Home" Wings (Daphne, 10)

1 comment:

Shotgun Majors said...

I played your drinking game with coffee. I'm wired.

You crack me up!