Stingray Music highlights LXI

Standout tracks heard today:

Alt Country-Americana

• I-89-I'm With Her (Sometimes, you just need space.  This is yet another example of fine vocal harmony from one of this year's strongest releases, "See You Around.")

The Chill Lounge

• Latin Note-St. Germain (How A Vibraphone-Dominated Rhythm Section Sustains A Groove: Exhibit A.)

Gospel

• Living Word-Derrick Jackson (An uplifting piano melody that could also fit into a smooth jazz format.)

Holiday Hits

• This Land Is Your Land-Arlo Guthrie & Woody Guthrie (Sentiments worth remembering during fractured times.) 

Jazz Now

• Dedicated To You-Regina Carter (Carter's tone shimmers on the violin, as usual.)

Motown

• He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'-Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers (Most listeners who recognize this tune are probably more familiar with the versions by The Velvelettes or Bananarama.  It works even better without vocals in this incarnation, as the organ stylings are reminiscent of Booker T.)

Nature

• Night On The Lake-John Grout (This could segue with or underscore Martin Denny's "Quiet Village.")

Only in college XLIX

Sometimes, disparate elements come together unexpectedly well.  In the early '90s, I created the following announcement for my answering machine:

KRJY newscast excerpt: The town of Columbia, Missouri has been ranked number five on Money Magazine's list of the nation's best places to live.
Me (with Art Of Noise's "Close (To The Edit)" in the background:) How about that?  We were living right in the lap of luxury, and we didn't even know it.  Well, the scholars of room 708 don't take any rash statement at face value, so we've set off to cruise the countryside.  We're going to ramble through the amber waves of grain and then come back and tell you where Columbia really stacks up.  It'll be a long trip, and we have no idea when we'll return...

Actually, Columbia, Missouri was--and, I'm sure, still is--a nice place to live.  Money's fifth place ranking of the town was probably pretty accurate.

Persistent (revisited) earworm alert C

Once again, "Love Shack" by The B-52s has lodged itself in my mind--but with a twist this time.  I've been imagining Chris Thile and the other musicians from NPR's "Live From Here" performing it in the style of the show's theme song, "Radio Boogie."  Imagining "Love Shack" in that acoustic setting improves the tune, in my opinion, and makes it a lot more palatable.

Online radio sampler highlights LXXVI

Eight noteworthy songs heard today:

KALX (Berkeley, CA)

• The Emancipation Procrastination-Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah (Imagine a more expansive, experimental version of Herb Alpert's "Rise," in which the trumpeter and other instrumentalists journey off on various whims.)

KUOI (Moscow, ID)

• Bedroom Eyes-The Dum Dum Girls (This power pop tune has a solid hook with a hint of Belinda Carlisle in the vocals, blended with driving guitar and drums.  "Turn To You" by The Go-Gos would sound compatible after it.)

KUVO (Denver, CO)

• Move-Miles Davis (This leadoff track from the landmark "Birth Of The Cool" album lets the listener hear Davis playing in a fast big band style.  Compared to his later work, this sounds relatively traditional.  Another Davis gem from 1949: "Godchild.")
• Sunday Nostalgia-Shamie Royston (Warm, endearing piano-anchored jazz fit for a rainy day or any other time of unhurried contemplation.  Royston's version of the Bill Withers tune, "Lovely Day," is another highlight of her new release, "Beautiful Liar.")

WUMB (Boston, MA)

• (If You Were) In My Movie-Suzanne Vega (Vega's voice fits the delivery of her artfully suggestive lyrics perfectly.)
• Iowa-Dar Williams (Williams sings movingly about someone whose emotional courage ranks around the J. Alfred Prufrock level.  For additional gravity in the vocals, seek out the version featuring Sara & Sean Watkins, Motherlode & Mary Chapin Carpenter.)
• If I Had A Boat-Lyle Lovett (One of Lovett's best melodies and best-structured tunes.  I've always liked the way these lyrics build on each other)
• The Devil's Paintbrush Road-The Wailin' Jennys (This catchy, sobering number lays out the pitfalls of being a lone wolf.)

"It's 90 degrees here, but a scorching 91 degrees there."

I've always found it silly that some radio stations insist on giving temperatures for multiple municipalities in the same region.  (i.e. "In Kirkwood, it's 83 degrees, Webster Groves reports 82, and it's 84 degrees in Ladue.")  I always think, "These towns are all part of the same metro region.  The temperatures aren't going to vary that much." 

Then again, in this parochial city of St. Louis, with its 88 municipalities, maybe mentioning specific towns frequently reinforces the local nature of radio and keeps people listening longer.

Reconsidered merit III

The bass line, seemingly played on strings made from rubber bands, got the song off to a bad start for me.  For years, I told people it was one of the most off-putting intros to any pop song I'd heard.  Lyrically and vocally, the song didn't appeal to me, either.  Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" topped the charts in 1966.  Although it still isn't one of my favorite songs, I understand why it resonates with so many listeners.  For some listeners, it must feel cathartic to hear after you've been betrayed.  Sinatra sings the lyrics with resolved toughness, a quality that's often compromised after being jilted.  Being reminded that a rejection isn't necessarily the end of the world has to be reassuring.  In addition, if you want a constant reminder of inner strength to play in your mind, the chorus of "These Boots..." is nearly impossible to forget.  While I wouldn't say that I like the song, I respect it more than I used to.

Fortuitous interference

Usually, it's annoying to hear two radio stations at the same time.  Once, during the '80s, however, interference between two stations amused me.  While one AM station aired a furniture store commercial, another station's music gave the commercial unintended syrupy underscoring.  As an announcer raved about the incredible furniture bargains, a crooner on another station sang, "It's truuuuuuuue...It's truuuuuuuue..."

It would have been even funnier if the commercial had touted lounge furniture.