I feel like I’ve told the tale of my history with the Dave Matthews Band a dozen times on this blog.
In a nutshell: Loved their early stuff, really loved the unreleased Lillywhite Sessions, hated the album they released instead (Everyday), resented the inferior official release of those Lillywhite songs (Busted Stuff) and haven’t really liked them much since.
David Byrne’s first proper solo album, 1989’s Rei Momo, remains his best.
He has released five since (not counting several albums he released in partnership with other artists) but that initial blend of his signature art pop with Caribbean and Latin rhythm tracks hasn’t been topped.
A year before Paul Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints, Byrne mined similar musical territory with equally strong (if less celebrated) results.
I have to confess, I have no idea why the Cuba trip by Jay-Z and Beyoncé caused such controversy. And I say that as a guy who lives in South Florida and is married to a Cuban woman.
Whatever your politics, and whatever your opinion on the Cuban embargo, who really cares if a rapper and pop icon pay a visit?
I suspect the outcry had everything to do with Jay-Z and Beyonce’s ties to Obama. It was yet another chance for Republicans to cause a distraction.
The National has been around for more than a decade, but I’d never heard of them before 2010.
That year I discovered their song ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio‘ during my annual recap of the Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll. It’s a great one.
‘Don’t Swallow the Cap,’ the first single from the band’s new album, is in the same vein.
I had never heard of Laura Marling before a few weeks ago.
I came across a live clip when I was doing a week of radio station performances and was impressed enough to include her.
Then I saw a plug for today’s SOTD, ‘Master Hunter,’ in the Rolling Stone buzz list, tracked it down and was impressed once again.
