Whiskey Daydream is very special to me, not just because it represented a genre shift or because it was the first time that I formed a band with friends or the immediate success we had...Whiskey Daydream was deliberate. Previously I would find people willing to play with me, and whatever happened happened, but not Whiskey Daydream.
Throughout EKe I was drawing my influence largely from Edwin McCain, Duncan Sheik, and people I knew, like Rob Woerther. However, towards the end of EKe my influence had shifted to Ryan Adams, Son Volt, and Drive by Truckers. You could hear it in songs like "Monday Morning" and "Restless Sheets," so when Scott left the band in 2005, and it slowly morphed into something that was no longer EKe, I called it quits. A couple months later, when I was ready to start a new project, I went into it knowing I wanted to create an Alt-Country band, and I did.
Whiskey Daydream was formed in November of 2005 and ended in June of 2007. It was short lived but powerful. We were nominated for the Best Americana Band in St. Louis by KDHK and Playback:STL. We got second place in the Battle for the Ark which helped us fund this CD, and played a LOT of shows, going as far north as Michigan, holding residency at Ten Mile House and made a second home at Off Broadway. It featured Corey "Woody" Woodruff on drums, Brian Ruby on leads, and Benjamin Ash on anything we asked him to play (primarily bass).
I knew going into this week that I could not pick one song. I just love this CD too much, so what I have selected are the 2 songs that were really the catalyst for the creation of Whiskey Daydream. The songs that once written made me realize I was operating from a different place, and I needed to embrace it.
"Whiskey Days" Is pretty straight forward Country Rock. We brought in the amazing Scott Schwartz to lay some Pedal Steel, featured my acoustic, and a tasty country-clean lead by Ruby. Brian's fingers spoke country and blues, and his voice is very distinct on this track. The laid-back brushed beat of Woody's drums still makes me smile. I had spent years with super busy drummers, so to work with someone that allowed the song to breathe and grow was so refreshing. And you can never say enough about a solid bass player. Although Benjamin could literally play anything, he was a terrific bass player, just super solid.
Dirt road, Grandma’s house Gravel drive and the tall cattails That’s me on the motorbike Grandpa waving me home
Those are days when lightning warned of thunder And rain clouds meant it was time to play Before these whiskey days
Left my summers in the Hot Springs Flew north to the dirty city Skateboard wheels carving fresh asphalt Remember how the girls were so innocent and pretty
Those are days when lightning warned of thunder And rain clouds meant it was time to play Before these whiskey days
Trapped inside 4 walls And the window is crying The bottles empty turned over And I know you’re not coming back this time All I have left is your picture, And the edges have faded Take a step outside Let the rain kiss my forehead Turn your picture over Gonna rely on memory instead
My last offering to you is the other song that made me realize I had moved beyond EKe. While "Whiskey Days" was more Country-Rock, I think "Layover in Louisville" lands in the Alt-Country category. What I love about this song is not the song itself, but the recording. The dynamic shifts are powerful, Brian's lead is probably the most aggressive and eager lead that has ever been on one of my CDs, we worked the feedback like a ghost violin, Benjamin and I using a cheap keyboard and two Pods where able to create one of the best B3 sounds I have heard recorded, and while all this cacophony was developing, Woody was content to lay back and let it flourish rather than over power it. For those of you that know Woody from his time with Alvin Jett and Phat Noiz or The Lucky Old Sons or All Roostered Up, know what an incredibly sick drummer he is, part of that is his ability to hold back and then explode when the moment calls for it. He is kind of like a suicide bomber; he is the quiet neighbor that you would never expect to display that kind of behavior, and then one day...BOOM!
Alright, quick recap. You have caught me in the middle of a blog series based on my favorite track(s) from each CD I have recorded. Caught may not be the best word, it is not like my hand is deep in the cookie jar with only my elbow exposed as I fish out the last chocolate chip. Of course maybe it is worse, blog after blog of me talking about songs I have written and why I like them, could I be more of an egocentric prick? Possibly, but for a quick refresher, this is how all THIS got started.
It wasn't me, someone asked.
the reality of monday morning was very much a pinnacle yet transitional CD for me. It was the last CD EKe would ever record, but by many opinions the best CD I have ever recorded. It sold the most units, was the most favorably reviewed, received the most radio play...heck it even landed me my first gig at Mississippi Nights, a venue I had been trying to play since I moved to St. Louis.
I will never forget that call. I had recently sent press kits to every venue, radio station, and magazine in the area. I was sitting at my desk on a lunch break and my cell went off. I answered. On the other end I heard, "Hey this is Tim Weber (I may have pissed myself at that moment) from Mississippi Night." In my head I was screaming fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck it's Tim Fuckin' Weber - I cuss a lot when I am in shock. You have to understand this was my forth CD, and I had sent him everyone. My ex even walked Lost Angel into his office. I didn't think I would ever get this call. "Man, I have to tell you I NEVER do this, but I really like this CD, and I would like to set-up a show for you here."
This CD, the reality of monday morning, featured EKe v2.3. We were on our 3rd bass player, Mat Haynes, second drummer, Brian Sigmund (former percussionist), and had switched from guitar/keys to a dual guitar format with the leads being held down by Scott Allen, and Scott changed everything. He was (is) amazing. He played with soul and texture, and when required he would kill a lead. We became more jammy and somewhat Southern Rock. This was also the first CD without Rob Woerther. I decided it was time to move to a big boy studio, so we went to Smith Lee to track and the Double J Ranch for vocals and overdubs. John John engineered and produced the CD.
When I was going over the tracks on this CD, I immediately knew what my favorite track was. Although I love them all, "Been Down" had to be the pick.
"Been Down" received more radio play then any other song I have recorded. We were working with a radio promotion company at the time, and received lots of international play, as well as regional and local play. I know this sounds very David hasselhoff, "I am huge in Germany," but "Been Down" was actually the most requested song 2 weeks in a row on a small station out of Perth, Australia. I've always assumed they thought Been Down was like Down Under, but whatever. It was a cool feeling.
The song is actually about a movie I saw in 7th grade, The Town That Dreaded Sundown. Something about that movie stuck with me, so I wrote the song from the perspective of one of the victims. The story teller is outside himself watching the events occur. I let the girl get away.
Been Down
Intoxicated ignorance on a catfish Friday There’s lovers in the parking lot calling his name Bodies gyrate beneath my cherry glow Beneath my cherry glow
There’s a cross swingin’ from the rearview Tornado siren across the lion wind Energy in the air but Momma I’m still alone Oh Momma I’m still alone
Been down so long, oh my Momma I’ve been down Momma, I’ve been down Been down where the grass don’t grow no more I’ve been down Momma, I’ve been down
Wet steal tapping glass The crucifix pauses for a moment He looks in and she looks up Yes she looks up
Her torn dress disappears into night There’s fire and lead across Emmanuel sky My head it burns, I’ve got scarlet stains I’ve got scarlet stains
Been down so long, oh my Momma I’ve been down Momma, I’ve been down Been down where the grass don’t grow no more I’ve been down Momma, I’ve been down
There is another song that I really wanted to share. It was the closing track, "Time Disappears." By itself is a great song. It has timing shifts, a solid groove, and probably the best all out jam on the album. What it also has is a back-end hidden track. That is kind of a signature trick for me. I really like to hide tunes so those that are really listening get a little gift. What is so special about this hidden track is it was completely improvised. The band didn't even know we were going to do something. When they thought we were done tracking. I told them to throw a groove,and I would make up lyrics over it thanking all the people that had been supporting us. All I had was a list of the names of people we wanted to thank. To come off the cuff with music and lyrics and have it actually work is pretty damn impressive. It is long, so grab a beer, and give it a spin.
A happy Saturday to you all. Today, my Favorite Track series moves from solo CDs to band CDs with Left Side of the River by my first band the Eric Ketzer experiment, EKe. This recording actually occurred during EKe v1.2.5. We had lost our original bass player, added a percussionist, and the keyboardist that played on this CD quit before the production was done. It was a very trying time for me. On this CD you will hear me on guitar and vocals, Tim Brosch on drums, Mike McDade on bass, Joe Sherrell on keys, and Brian Sigmund on bass.
This is not my best CD. I am just going to come out and say it. EKe was my first band and we had barely been together for 6 months when we started to record this. I was just so excited to be in a band that I rushed the process.
Allow me to backtrack and paint a picture: 1987, dark winter months, glass fogged from the marriage of poor insulation and brutal Chicago cold. In his room stands a sandy haired kid, skater shoes, french cuffed jeans, and a dingy Vision Street Wear t-shirt. Strapped around his neck by an old frayed shoestring was a hockey stick that he strummed as if he was Randy Rhoads. And with the full throat of a 12 year old he sang, "Wine is fine but whiskey is quicker, suicide is slow with liquor."
This is all I have ever wanted. Sure there were dreams of playing professional football, but lack of height and insane slowness thwarted those efforts. Music has always been my core, my escape, the one thing I knew I wanted to do for the rest of my life. When I finally formed a band, I thought all those years spent in dreams were finally going to come to fruition. Five bands later, I know how silly I was, but in that moment, I felt we needed a CD that reflected the band's sound. Once we had that the skies would open and a chariot with flying Pegasus would take us to MTV where girls would grovel at our feet and media moguls would pronounce us the best thing since Pearl Jam.
Left Side of the River is definitely rough around the edges, but it is also very pure. Almost the entire CD was one tracked. Accept for some bass fixes and adding in some lead parts, this was all captured on one Saturday in a basement studio of a friend of a friend. Again, Rob Woerther was at the helm. Together we can be dangerous because we are both so fringed and willing to try anything. When I was like "lets crank the bass and make it feel like a live show." Rob one-upped me with, "lets add some sub-freqs to it." Of course all I could do was throw up the Rock fingers. The whole things was a learning experience for me. Still we did capture some good stuff.
We added this note when we realized we had mixed the CD so bass heavy that it sounded rough if you were pushing the bass on your system too. "Impressions of Dance" is one example of the great stuff that got captured at these recordings. Lyrically one of my most academic yet sincere songs. The first song I wrote for my ex who I met in college. She was a Dance major, and I was obsessed with all the arts. Having spent time in G.A.T.E. where they taught the singers to dance, dancers to act, actors to sing, etc. I had so much appreciation for her art form, and I used it as my muse. At the same time, I was familiar with the love story of Degas and Cassatt. Degas the famed Ballerina sculptor, and Cassatt his mistress who would never bare children, so she painted them as lovingly as a mother holds her own child. Musically, I was really beginning to understand effects, understand how placement in the change can create different sounds. On this track I was running a Vertigo Vibe with a back-end distortion and used a Wah to add accents on various parts. All these spinning influences stopped, and this song was born.
On point I see you reaching the heavens Arms extended you touch seraphim The embrace of cherubs purified your heart In dreams your wings are revealed to me
And waking you pirouette through my mind Like so many Degas I’ve seen And resting you bow your innocent head Like Mary Cassatt’s child
You create abstract worlds with perfect lines Movement of grace dissect dimensions Bridge together by omnipresent spirit And I try to deconstruct your mystery
And waking you pirouette through my mind Like so many Degas I’ve seen And resting you bow your innocent head Like Mary Cassatt’s child
Impressionist visions Formed by my thoughts And I clutch you like Pyle’s Mermaid
Modern motion usurps reality Hypnotized by your fluid performance As the curtain falls I remain entrances Your essence gives me wind
And waking you pirouette through my mind Like so many Degas I’ve seen And resting you bow your innocent head Like Mary Cassatt’s child
Back Tray: Inside Cover: There was one additional thing that happened on this CD that I just have to share. I always include poetry on my CDs. Poetry/Spokenword are my roots, so I feel like I need to pay homage to the bridge that got me here. This time Rob and I concocted something truly special. Using acid loops Rob made the tune, and I did the poem. One of my favorite things I have ever recorded.
Lost Angel, my second and last solo CD, to this day, is still probably my favorite CD that I have recorded, not my best, but my favorite. Let me explain the difference.
For me, best is an indicator of quality. Favorite, is indicative of enjoyment. This is not to say that the CD is not quality. The recording is spot on. But, I was still so young, had only played guitar for 5 years at this point, my writing was still developing, and my voice just continues to get better. When I listen to this CD, the tone of my voice is still thin, sharp, and lacks the maturity that I hear when I listen to my more recent recordings. However, when I listen to Lost Angel I am really pretty amazed at what Rob and I were able to accomplish.
Again, it was Rob Woerther producing and recording the CD in his studio. But if Unfulfilled Desires was a nice thin crust pepperoni pizza, Lost Angel would be a hand tossed, pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeno pie with Ranch and Tapatio dipping sauce. I had a clean disc, a very earthy, folksy, disc, but at that stage in my career, that was not my style. I have always been a fan of effects and layering, so when we mapped out this CD, we decided to tear down walls...push boundaries. Rob was a new pro-tools devotee, and we were going to use every little trick he had learned to make the recording unique. Plus, I had now been in St. Louis for a few years, entrenched myself it the scene, so I was able to bring in a few guest musicians. Donald Williams (Sinister Dane, Sugardaddy, Getaway Car) played bass on a few tracks and brought a groove to those songs that I never knew was possible. Tim Moody (Sunny Daze, Naked Groove, Schwag) lent his lead capabilities to a couple tracks, and Joe Bingham (Autumn's Child) also contributed some guitar to one song. On top of that, Rob and I played anything and everything we could. "Desolation Angel," the opening track, actually had some distorted beat-boxing that we used to give it more rhythm. Musically Lost Angel, was the perfect representation of what I hear in my head. I'd think it, and Rob would make it happen. Inside Cover...das Ketzer Collage
As you can tell, the layout was much better quality as well. This CD would signify the first time Nathan Hutchison did the design and layout for me. He would do the next 3 for me, as well. He also did half the photos. My ex shot the other ones.
Inside Fold...Angie shot this of Emily Turay back stage at a Dance Concert, and I loved the expression on her face so much that I had to use it.
All that back story to get here, the point where I reveal my Favorite Track. Because I knew I had committed to this blog series, I spent a few days this week listening to the CD, and I really struggled with picking my FAVORITE track. There are just a bunch of great recordings on the disc, but what I kept asking myself when listening is, is it a great song or a great recording. What I ended up with was one of the least produced songs on the CD, very little flash, guitar and vocals upfront, Rob added some pads to fill in the bottom end, and we brought Joe Bingham in to drop a nice acoustic lead on it, but what stands out for me are the lyrics, the story. I wrote this song as a wedding present for my college roommate, Billy Casseau. It was quite an exercise for me, one of the first times I stepped outside of myself to write, to paint someone else's story. The gift was more for his bride-to-be, Patti, so I sat down with Billy, got some details of their courtship (yeah, I said courtship...I am old school) and "Starting Today" was the result.
And I remember the first time our eyes they said hello You were in copper skin your bare feet on the Aztec sand In the soft distance you know I can still here that Mexican wind blow The smell of the salt see and the taste of my cerveza There are no sandy beaches in old Missouri
Starting today well my forever lies with you Starting today oh my forever is found in your eyes Starting today my forever lies with you Starting today oh my forever is found in your eyes
Even after all these years I still look at you with innocent eyes Like your second graders you know I’ve got my hands in the finger-paint again And I use your inspiration to create my destiny It’s the softness of your kisses; it’s the gentleness of your touch It’s the way I feel inside tonight; it’s the way I feel when you wake up next to me
Starting today well my forever lies with you Starting today oh my forever is found in your eyes Starting today my forever lies with you Starting today oh my forever is found in your eyes
Many years, you stood by my heart Many tears, you know they were cried for love Many fears, well I’m gonna kiss them all away Many years, ‘cause forever is in your eyes
And as the Eiffel Tower you know it stares down upon me awake and lonely I image the beautiful Arch is staring down on you It’s the kiss of the moon; its light brings me near you Across the great ocean and beaches where heroes died Somehow we’re together, somehow when I close my eyes
Starting today well my forever lies with you Starting today oh my forever is found in your eyes Starting today my forever lies with you Starting today oh my forever is found in your eyes
Yes, I know it was a six minute song, but I was painting a story that went from first introductions to the wedding. I am not going to smash 6 years into 3 minutes because some radio exec wants to sell an ad for hemroid creme. I hope you enjoyed the read and the listen. Stay tuned for next week and my favorite track from Left Side of the River.
Under the Tray:
Back of Disc, me and Rob...I had a small obsession with Hawaiian prints...
I was sitting around with some buddies after the So Much Closer New Year's Eve show at Luna Lounge, just talking music and motion, women and whiskey. Typical night. One of my friends was saying how impressed he was that we pulled off 3 hours of original tunes. Being that So Much Closer is barely a year old, and we only did 3 songs from my previous bands, it is pretty cool. However, after making some humble appreciative remark, my mind was thinking three hours is nothing. If we did every song every band of mine has done, we are talking an easy 5 to 6 hours. Then the question came, "Of all the songs you have written, which is your favorite." Wow!
That question is daunting. I have probably written close to 75 songs, maybe more. I know I have 4 notebooks filled with song breakdowns and lyrics. To pick a favorite seems impossible. So, I decided what I could do is pick a favorite by album and make a blog series out of it.
Before I dive in a few caveats. I am not starting with my first recording but the first CD I sunk money into. The first CD that I bar coded and someone else did the duplication and production. That CD was Unfulfilled Desires, recorded in 1999 and released in 2000.
Yes...yes, make fun of the uber cheesy photo shoot. I was barefoot and in a sports coat. I was confused, fragmented, a Cali kid that thought to be a singer/songwriter and appeal to a more mature demographic I needed to be upscale. Remember this was 1999. There were very few singer/songwriters getting attention around St. Louis. There was one production company that was bringing in solo performers for shows out at the Viking, and the crowds were older, so I thought that was the demographic I was trying to court. I did show more of myself on the inside, however.
Shorts and a button up. If you see me play tomorrow, that is pretty much what you are gonna get. Although I wear shoes now, after an incident at Cicero's with a broken bottle on stage. OUCH!
Unfulfilled Desires was recorded by my good friends Rob Woerther. I met Rob when he was hosting an open mic at Sally T's. There was instant chemistry between us and shared musical appreciation. At the time Rob was doing a lot of home recording. He had a nice ADAT set up and good mics, so I traded him a Gibson ES-120 for some recording time, and we went to town. There is a warmth on this CD that I have never been able to duplicate. This is also the only CD I have recorded where Pro-Tools or some form a digital program was not used. It is pretty sparse. I really just wanted something clean that I could use to book shows. For the most part it is me on guitar and vocals, Rob filling in the bottom with synth bass, and we brought in Ryan Spearman to play mandolin on a couple of tracks.
As I was going through the CD, listening to each track, reliving those moments it was a struggle to pick my favorite song. Part of me gravitated to "The One" primarily because the opening line, "You could have been the one, coffee eyes and careless curls." I can instantly see my subject, and I know the lyrics were soundly inspired by Tom Waits and his magical use of everyday images as descriptors...and the sky turned the color of Pepto-Bismol. But, as I listened to the song, I realized I had no idea what I was playing, there was no way I could play that song today. How could my favorite song from a CD be one I didn't even care enough about to remember. With that concept firmly ingrained, I decided to go with my go-to song, "Railroad Affair."
For years this was the song that I would play when I couldn't think of what to play. It holds a very special place for me because of its back story, the significance of influence, and the return to simplicity that it represents. As a young songwriter that had never really learned to play guitar, my first songs were very creative because I had no idea what I was doing, just moving fingers to make new sounds. Then as I learned more everything got extremely complex...lets finger pick, arpeggiate, and flat pick all in one song, AND let's throw meter completely out the window, each song must have a verse, a chorus, and a bridge, and lets go ahead and make all three completely unrelated. "Railroad Affair" is 4 chords. The entire song is 4 chords. There is no bridge, and the chorus and verse are the exact same progression, just a different attack. Yet, it works. Also, this is also the first song I wrote where St. Louis was represented as my home. Enjoy!
Three hundred nights I sleep alone in this broken down bed These tracks are long and winding and they end in you
I hear the whistle blowing it’s not my stop I peer through the cabin window, and I envision you
So many days I feel I am losing time Seduced by the land and this railroad affair
Mile high in Denver and on to the San Diego coast I see the lights rollin’ by, and I am calling out to you
Next stop the Frisco Bay, I wander these streets beside myself I look in every storefront in search of you
So many days I feel I am losing time Seduced by the land and this railroad affair
Across the empty plains I see the buffalo roaming I watch the clouds form pictures of you
As the midnight moon descends upon Rivercity I step from train and I hold on to you Yes I hold on to you
Unfulfilled Desires was a short run and soldout quickly. It was the first CD that gave me hope that one day this would be my life. That has yet to happen, but the hope still burns, and I still love playing "Railroad Affair."
Inside cover shot at Sally T's at one of my early shows.
Well, it is that time again, time to let you a little closer to my heart, time for you to see what has been moving me this year. Unlike last year when I allowed some external influences to shape my views, this year I am only rating CDs that I actually purchased, CDs that I took the time to load into my iPod, CDs that have spent time in the Saaby shuffle, CDs that I genuinely think are the best of 2010.
#10 So Much Closer – Felt Not Seen I know, big shocker right? I guess the shock is either that I rated it so low or that I had the audacity to list it in the first place, being that it is my band, but bear with me for a moment. This list is about MY Top 10 albums, if Felt Not Seen didn’t make it into the list, I would be concerned. Who invests a serious amount of time and money into creating something that they think is crap. The reality is I really do love this album. It has been played more than any other CD this year, as for months we tweaked it to present a product we were proud of. Lyrically it reflects some of my best work, and sonically, outside of Lost Angel, it is the truest representation of what I hear in my head. I rated it at the very bottom because I thought any higher would be inappropriate. Highlight track, “1-2-3-4,” yes it is a 17 minute mash of two songs, and the media hates anything over 4, but when I listen to Zepplin, Allman Brothers, Hendrix...they all had tracks that expanded beyond what someone more interested in getting paid for commercials than music said was acceptable.
#9 Black Keys – Brothers I am sure I just incensed the diehard Black Keys fans by ranking this as #9, and while it is obviously a great album, its departure from their core caused it to fall for me. I also believe I was victimized by the hype. I did not purchase this the week it came out or the month for that matter, so I sat through months of listening to people suckle Auerbach’s teat and praise Carney’s development, and while both may be warranted, to me, Brothers was not as good as Magic Potion. For those reasons I rated it at the bottom of the list. Please understand it is a great album, I just think there were albums this year that were better. Highlight track for me, “Sinister Kid,” has a great groove, the additions actually add to the overall composition, and the guitar tone is fierce.
#8 Kings of Lean – Come Around Sundown Yes, yes, yes I am Kings of Leon Fan Boy, so what. Believe me, after the bird shit incident I was ready to write them off. Although I was actually watching Sara Bareilles that night, and it was hotter than rubber soles melting on a July concrete, I just could not image calling a show at a venue like Riverport regardless of what poop hit me, but a friend of mine took me to the make-up show, and they were amazing. Being good live means so much to me because I know that anyone can be made to sound good in the studio, but to pull it off live takes talent, and KoL has that. Come Around Sundown seems to me an extension of Only by the Night like b-sides that had the same layers and depth but lacked the sonic energy, so they were chopped from their master piece. While “Radioactive” may have been the lead single. The Highlight track for me is “The End.” The solid underbelly groove textured with atmosphere guitar expansions creates a tapestry of sound that allows the listener to sink into it.
#7 Sean Renner – Sekhmet About 80% of you just went, “Who?” It is no secret that I see a lot of shows and fully support the local music scene in St. Louis. While we are all looking for that break, we rely on each other to continue to develop and grow as musicians and writers. I met Sean a couple of years ago while I was hosting the Open Mic at the St. Charles Coffee House. He immediately blew me away. He was unapologetically sincere. His voice was gifted from God, and I could immediately tell what a thoughtful musician he was. Sekhmet is a true work of art, recorded in the house he was living in in South St. Louis and created entirely using live instrumentation and physical effects. When listening to the CD, you cannot help but be captivated by the lush landscape of sound Sean and company create. I cannot pick a highlight because this CD is needs to be experienced using the gestalt principles. The whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
#6 Kate Nash – My Best Friend Is You Kate Nash was one of those Pandora finds, and the song I heard was so moving that I immediately bought everything I could find from her. Little did I know that “Nicest Thing” was really a departure from her median style. Still, what I discovered was something completely intriguing and intoxicating. My Best Friend Is You is full of energy, wit, sass, and danger. Each song provides something instrumentally unexpected, and Kate’s voice is just so damn distinctive, it’s jarring and alluring, refined and rough…it is a complexity that I cannot fully understand, only appreciate. Lyrically she is ridiculous. She is not hiding things in metaphor, she opens her heart and dares your to look inside. Without a doubt “Mansion Song” is the highlight track for me. Completely raw and painful, intense spoken word shouted over a haunting backdrop of sound.
#5 Eminem – Recovery Eminem is one of the controversial geniuses. You either hate him or love him, and I am part of the love camp. Besides Nas, he is definitely my favorite rapper. Lyrically he is brilliant. His timing is impeccable. His voice is distinct and immediately recognizable, and Recovery is a return to his glory days. It hits hard, is reflective and sincere, yet still features some of the Shady humor we have grown to love and expect. While “Not Afraid” was the perfect lead single, completely intense and intrapersonal, the highlight track for me is “Cinderella Man.” Within 20 seconds of it beginning, I am bobbing to the deep groove. The hook is optimistic, and Eminem’s flow is absolutely inspired.
#4 Samantha Crain – You (Understood) I can honestly say I would have never imagined this happening, an artist, any artist, back to backing on my Top Ten list. To be able to put out back to back CDs, while touring, is so completely impressive to me. Samantha is a great writer and obviously prolific. Her voice is unique and expressive and immediately recognizable. She just standouts out. All that accounted for, what I love about this album is the instrumentation. In parts she presents a nice raw Alt-Country/Americanaesque vibe, but in other sections, she is really experimenting with tones and textures. Some of the arrangements are very complex and require multiple listens to really appreciate everything that is going on. I bounced through this CD several times trying to decide what stood out the most. They are just all so good. I ended up landing on “Holdin’ That Wheel” because it is a perfect example layers and movements bringing tension and release to a song. Plus it opens with a fantastic line, “You make wonderful patterns with your breathing when you sleep, but it’s so shallow and slight you look like you are dying.”
#3 Beth Bombara – Wish I Were You This is my third St. Louis artist, and I am concerned that people reading may think I am biased. Of course I am to a point, but this album is good enough to be on any Top Ten list: Local, Regional, National…doesn’t matter, this is a great album. I think for those that only know me from So Much Closer my relative obsession with Alt-Country/Americana may come as a surprise. What you need to understand is it really is the sound of our region, created by Uncle Tupelo out of Belleville and carried forth by countless numbers of bands, including my last band Whiskey Daydream. The album is full of tones that I love, lots of pedal steel (my all time favorite sound, by the way), B3 filling in the perfect spaces, solid country bass and drums, just enough raunchy guitars to please the rocker in me, and Beth’s voice is another one of those that just makes you listen. Now, how/why is a relative unknown ranked so high on my list? “Lately.” In my opinion “Lately” is the best song of 2010. It is the perfect marriage of everything I love about music, tension, movement, texture, layers, all topped with resounding vocals and great lyrics. It is simplistically complex giving each instrument space to breathe, and nothing is more beautiful than breath. Beth Bombara - Lately
#2 Sara Bareilles – Kaleidoscope Heart If you are a frequent reader, you may remember a post I did back in July after seeing Sara Bareilles. If not, go get your read on HERE. I think if I have shown anything through this blog, my musical tastes are extremely diverse. I do not pigeonhole myself into certain genres and don’t discount music that, on the surface, is sugary. There are several tracks on Kaleidoscope Heart that seem so sugary sweet you feel like you need a dentist after listening to them, but Sara’s brilliance comes in juxtaposing catchy tunes with thoughtful and well written lyrics. “Gonna Get Over You” is a perfect example, then the next tune “Hold My Heart” will break you down, if you are not ready for it. My listening requirements follow my progression as an artist. I was a singer first, then writer, and finally a musicians, and they is really how I listen to music: Vocals, Words, Instrumentation. And there is no discounting the fact that Sara has an AMAZING voice and is a great lyricist. This disc is genuinely a great listen from beginning to end. You can pop it in, drop the top—if you are fortunate enough to own a convertible—turn ‘er up, and just go. Highlight track, “Breathe Again.”
#1 Spoon – Transference I do not think I am eloquent enough to describe Spoon, there are not words for what they do, other than brilliant. I found them through Pandora. After the 2nd time hearing “The Beast And Dragon, Adored” I knew I had to buy CDs, little did I know that was from their 5th CD. How had I not heard of them? How did they escape me for 12 years (their first CD was released in 1996. I found them in 2008)? I snagged Gimme Fiction and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga immediately and waited for their next burst of inspiration. My friend Josh picked Transference up for me on the day it was released. What was interesting was how our initial experience was different. Josh is like my go to for undercover music. He had probably been listening to Spoon since the very beginning, and he was only 5 then. Although he liked it, Josh felt it was a little loose. They are known for being extremely calculated, and Transference gave him the impression that they were less restrained during the recording process. On the other hand, when I put it in, I immediately knew this was going to be the best album of 2010. Transference strikes the perfect chord of simplicity and complexity. The builds are inspired, and the hidden elements make you want to listen with headphones. The bridge in “I Saw the Light” was enough to get the album on the Top Ten list, but every song has something special to it. Highlight track for me is “Who Makes Your Money.” There is just something magnificent about the perfect bass tone accented by a simple keys and drums with flourishes of ear candy throughout.
There you have it. To be honest, I cannot imagine anyone having the same list as me, and frankly that is okay. We all love music in our own way. If you are doing a list this year, please drop a comment with a link to your post so I can check it out.
Everyone has a home, but the word home means something different to everyone. Is it the four walls and a roof that protects you at night, the place where your parents live, maybe for you it is grandparent's because that is where you recall your first memories. For me it is none of those things. My family moved a lot as a child, so the concept of home is not slaved to a particular house rather it is a city, and it is not a city that has any association to my family, but it is the city where I became a man, where I applied all the early life lessons from my mother, where I learned that my pen had a voice and my fingers could make music, where I hung with heroes, grew into an artist with Scott Church, learned from Lizzie Wann and Chris Vannoy, became inspired by Steve Harris, where I became me. San Diego.
Every time I go home my dormant pen wants to talk to me, as if it remembers the hours spent in coffeehouses learning to paint pictures in words.
Here is a draft that came from a recent trip home, and an opportunity to see Steve Harris play with the Styletones.
Mommy I am Home
I saw her Like I have seen her many times before Drenched from December’s Pineapple Express Dirty rivers rushing towards drains rarely used Foreigners want the façade The shiny happy people The palm tree sunshine The white foam glistening on a south shore break But this is the mother I love Soiled and authentic
Driving down 6th Reminded of carless journeys From Hillcrest home to Tarawa’s pier Screaming down dimly lit street Howling with hobos moving about the sleeping city Wind whistling through helmet Headlamp struggling to light path Banging a left on Harbor Downhill momentum through dicey areas Smiling at mural announcing Chicano park Passing zombies herded toward dry docks Can still hear the slowed
Tick
Tick
Tick
As I coasted on base
Remember walking transient streets Searching for the next collection of words That would shape the artist Dharma Bums next to Shampoo Planet Gems hiding in disorganized shelves Original copies behind glass Clerks needing to shower and shave Xers milling about Discussing what the words What the words meant to them And I would listen Still shy in my intellect Still scarred from words of teachers That didn’t understand I was high Not stupid Teachers more concerned With my argumentative mouth Than the growth of my grey matter
Remember stumbling into a used CD shack Young black man Heartfelt scowl and innocent eyes Abusing an old dreadnaught Opened his mouth And I Realized symbiotic relationship exists Between beauty and pain No shared experiences But I felt
Every
Word
He sang
He Like me Left the womb I went east He north To embrace activism through art Then crossed the country to commune with Seminoles Before finally returning to his mother’s side
And tonight I have come home too Returned to the womb Walked her soiled streets And worshipped her At the amplified alter of my brother
Singer/Songwriter/Poet. I genuinely love music more than most love life, without it I am a sad puppy with wet nose on cold glass watching my owners drive away.
Whiskey Daydream was formed in November of 2005 and ended in June of 2007. It was short lived but powerful. We were nominated for the Best Americana Band in St. Louis by KDHK and Playback:STL. We got second place in the Battle for the Ark which helped us fund this CD, and played a LOT of shows, going as far north as Michigan, holding residency at Ten Mile House and made a second home at Off Broadway. It featured Corey "Woody" Woodruff on drums, Brian Ruby on leads, and Benjamin Ash on anything we asked him to play (primarily bass).
I knew going into this week that I could not pick one song. I just love this CD too much, so what I have selected are the 2 songs that were really the catalyst for the creation of Whiskey Daydream. The songs that once written made me realize I was operating from a different place, and I needed to embrace it.
