The 2014 album release schedule is still a bit murky (as it always is at this time of year) but so far there aren’t a ton of upcoming records I’m excited about.
Interestingly, the releases I’m most looking forward to are all by female artists. Shakira’s new album is out this week, Lily Allen’s long-awaited third record is due soon, Taylor Swift will aim for another smash hit sometime this year and Aimee Mann is releasing a duet with indie performer Ted Leo in April.
Recently, I listened to an NPR interview with Beck about his new album, Morning Phase.
He spoke in his low-key, casually eloquent way about his early influences (predominantly folk musicians) and the hows and whys of the production of this record, one of his best.
At one point, the hosts played the beginning of ‘Morning,’ the album’s opening song (not counting a brief instrumental) and Beck got a bit choked up.
In a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly dedicated to obscure and underrated gems, comedian (and Late Night bandleader) Fred Armisen had this to say about today’s SOTD, by The Damned:
There’s a song called ‘Life Goes On’ which is one of the most beautiful songs ever written on planet Earth. That’s not my opinion, that’s fact. That’s the fact. It’s one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The lyrics have gotten me through bad times, they’ve gotten me through happy times… the lyrics of ‘Life Goes On’ are what life is about.
You read something like that and of course you have to seek out the song, right?
The Random iTunes Fairy first served up Brad Paisley’s ‘Accidental Racist’ for today and I was delighted, as few songs provide so much fodder for discussion and ridicule.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Brad Paisley. But by now, even he must realize how laughably bad a song he released in that case.
Alas, I have featured the song on the blog already, so I had to skip to the next random track.
‘All Down the Line’ is one of the greatest songs on one of The Rolling Stones’ greatest albums, Exile On Main Street. It bursts with the energy and attitude of all their best work.
This was the first track recorded for Exile On Main Street and Mick’s pick as the first single, though he was overruled when the band went with ‘Tumbling Dice’ instead.
Meet Me In Montauk 