Arts and Entertainment
Song of the Day 2/8: Pete Seeger, “Old Dan Tucker”
With all the controversy over blackface this past week, I thought I’d demonstrate that minstrelsy is anything but gone. Given that it was the most popular form of live entertainment in this country for nearly a century, eradicating it entirely would be impossible, because many of its songs and traditions permeated society so long ago […]
Song of the Day 2/7: Bob Dylan and Friends, “My Back Pages”
Bob Dylan’s 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden was 27 years ago now, but this video of the show’s climactic number has aged pretty well. Highlights include a typically understated but brilliant guitar solo verse by Clapton (the note he bends at 2:22 is chill-inducing) and the jubilant performance of Neil Young, whom I’ve […]
Song of the Day 2/6: Tony Molina, “Nothing I Can Say”
Don’t settle in for a long listen here. Like most of Tony Molina’s songs, this lovely little jangle-pop melody clocks in at a brisk 1:12. The tune is one of 10 on last year’s “Kill the Lights” album, which has a total playing time of just about 15 minutes. The music draws comparisons to Elliott […]
Song of the Day 2/5: Small Faces, “Itchycoo Park”
Don’t know about you, but an unseasonably warm day in winter like today brings back fond memories of cutting school to hang out in the park — and, therefore, Ronnie Lane’s 1967 ode to doing exactly that. It’s all too beautiful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ViwvgtvbA Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane are just lip-synching, but the video gives you […]
Song of the Day 2/1: Spirit, “I Got a Line on You”
Spirit’s biggest hit — its only song to reach the Top 40 — “I Got a Line on You” was released in late 1968 and hit No. 25 in early 1969. Composer Randy California was 18 at the time. Spirit was noted in its heyday for its jazz leanings, but as this tune shows, they […]
‘Bulo’s Fave Tunes, January, 2019: Part Two
More great tunes, arranged alphabetically by artist, to start the year: A damn great musical month, by even my high standards.
‘Bulo’s Fave Tunes: January, 2019: Part One
Some musical years start slowly, with January’s new songs not measuring up to those on the Best Of The Year lists. This, however, is not one of those Januarys. Plenty of real good songs, loads of diversity, a great way to start the year. With a two-fer, in fact. Presented in alphabetical order by artist […]
Song of the Day, 1/30: Colin Hay, “Waiting For My Real Life to Begin”
Most people know Colin Hay from his days fronting Men at Work, the ’80s New Wave band from Australia that scored a huge international hit with “Down Under.” That was the heyday of MTV, and Hay’s exotropia (one eye points outwards) gave viewers an instant visual hook with their first video, “Who Can It Be […]
Song of the Day 1/29: Caroline Rose, “Soul No. 5”
Here’s something different: A female solo artist who ridicules the patriarchy and has a good time doing it. Rose, a Long Islander, started out as a country/folk artist but got no attention until she exploded last year after reinventing herself as a millennial with a New Wave sound and an attention-grabbing fashion sense. Most importantly, […]
Song of the Day 1/25: The Equals, “Police on My Back”
This one’s for Roger Stone, who famously has a criminal tattooed on his back. Most people know this tune because The Clash covered it, but the original was done in 1968 by The Equals, probably best remembered today because their founder and leader, Eddy Grant, went on to a solo career and a big hit […]
Song of the Day 1/20: Neil Finn, “Sinner”
My vote for most underrated songwriter of the rock era goes to Neil Finn, who’s been composing sophisticated tunes since joining his brother Tim’s band Split Enz in 1977, at the age of 18. He went on to found Crowded House before releasing two solo albums. Perhaps the best point of comparison for his music […]
Song of the Day, 1/14: “So It Goes,” Nick Lowe
This single was bassist/songwriter Nick Lowe’s first “solo” release as well as the first single released by Stiff Records, which Lowe founded with £400 he borrowed. He played everything but drums on the recording but, as the video shows, he recruited Dave Edmunds and the rest of Rockpile to perform this catchy slice of New […]
Song of the Day 1/13: Mandolin Orange, “Take This Heart of Gold”
Let’s end the week with something quiet. Mandolin Orange is a prolific duo from North Carolina. This spare ballad was released on the 2016 album “Blindfall.” They’ll be in Philadelphia Feb. 6 for a show at Union Transfer.
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