Radical Transparency

I love that Lauren recognizes that there exist belting-out-of-car-windows, dancing-to-in-fields and humming-to-softly-en-route-to-climb-granite-in-the-Wind-River-Mountains kinds of songs.

My cousins Amory and Parker agree that a lot of Dave Matthews Band falls into that category.

It was in the desert, in a car, with the windows down that I first heard this song. It was my first Dave Matthews love, the song (and situation) that made it clear to me why people love him (and the Band) so much.

The Maker is track 1 on disc 2 of Live in Chicago.

Click here to download:

The Maker.mp3 (9029 KB)

The friend that played this song for me today pointed out that it's the only song he knows about alcoholism recovery.  And that it makes him, a very light drinker, want a cocktail.

Weird.

We Used to Vacation is track 1 on Robbers & Cowards.

Click here to download:

We Used To Vacation.mp3 (3778 KB)

I heard this song for the first time on Sunday night.  Some of my very most musical friends put it on for me.

I think cool people are supposed to think it's cheesy or dorky or something.

I love it.

I'm Yours is track 2 on We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.

Click here to download:

I'm Yours.mp3 (3822 KB)

Went to see The Spinto Band in Philly last night.

A band called Hoots and Hellmouth played the set before Spinto's.  They were awesome.  No drummer, just little plywood platforms under their feet and lots of stomping.

I woke up this morning wanting more, so I swung by Geesh and Jon's to borrow the H&H CD they bought at the show.

They weren't home.  And neither was the CD.  So I grabbed what was sitting on their stereo and sent them text messages thanking them.

I found Frightened Rabbit.  An album called Sing the Greys.  My favorite so far is track 11, a song called Snake.

Click here to download:

Snake.mp3 (2379 KB)

Note: Pretty sure it's "pack your chapstick and your tights," but I think they should change it.

A musician friend of mine heard Nina Simone for the first time tonight. 

Like this...

Click here to download:

Lilac Wine (The Album Leaf Remix).mp3 (10170 KB)

I'm trying to think if there are any musicians that I heard first in remix form.  The Step in the Name of Love Remix is the first R Kelly song with which I fell in love, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't the first R Kelly song I'd ever heard.

I wonder how often we remember the first time we heard a song, where we were, what was going on, who put it on, and why.

I heard this song on a dirt road in Michigan last August. I asked the friend in the back seat, the most musical among us, to play something nobody else had heard.
 
I was impressed.

Ragged Wood is track 3 on Fleet Foxes.

Click here to download:

03 Ragged Wood.mp3 (7204 KB)

Wiley and Tuna and I sung harmonies on The Weight for months in Beijing.

My sister, my uncle Zach, and I just made plans to watch The Last Waltz sometime in the next week.

And I'll be surprised if I don't always remember this song as one that I only fully discovered after it made an accidental introduction from my left-behind iPod.

I don't know when or how The Band released this version of Get Up Jake, and, since the internets aren't giving me easy answers, I'll leave it at that.

Click here to download:

04 Get up Jake.mp3 (3346 KB)

The guests were about to arrive.  Hal the grandfather realized that we had no Coke for the rum.  Amory the cousin had just walked through the door, toward me, and into Hal's eyeshot.  Hal pulled out his wallet, threw a bill, and told us to be back with Coke and Ginge as soon as possible.  I grabbed the mix that Parker (Amory's little brother) had just given me.  Amory and I raced to Hal's car.

Track three came on.  Amory stopped mid-sentence and reached for the volume.

Amory: I love this song.  You know it?  Steve Forbert.
Jake: No.  Never heard it.  P gave it to me today.
Amory: Dude you're gonna love it.

That's all I need to hear.

Steve Forbert's Midsummer Night's Toast is track 2 on Alive on Arrival.  More importantly, it's track 3 on what's turning out to be a totally excellent Christmas present.

Click here to download:

03 Track 03.mp3 (2665 KB)

Heard this song on the radio yesterday.  It hooked me on first listen, which is impressive, especially for the radio.

It was WXPN, however, the station that introduced me to Wilco.

The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer, is track 5 on Fate.  It's also an enjoyably obscure and animal-related three part title, which is extra special exciting.

Click here to download:

05 The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer.mp3 (4925 KB)

I think the Phils need something both mellow and inspirational to ease the nerves before game 3.

My cousin Zach turned me on to Gang Starr.  I was listening to a lot of Tupac at the time, and I remember complaining the Guru wasn't smooth enough.

I was wrong.

Moment of Truth is track 8 on Moment of Truth.

Click here to download:

08 Moment Of Truth.mp3 (3867 KB)