Lost Highway: The Music of Hank Williams

I spent a great portion of this past weekend listening to the music of Hank Williams, most of which was on vinyl. His music is best listened to that way. There is something about the fidelity and rawness of the vinyl that adds to the experience. The light hiss and crackle of the record transports you to another time and place. That’s what I look for in music…to be taken away.

It was about six years ago when I first began to develop a real appreciation for Hank's music. His songs spoke to me with a raw honesty and vulnerability. His genre was mainly old country and western, accompanied by a touch of old southern gospel. The old country and western sound shares a close kinship to the blues, and Hank embodied that sound. Some of his songs are so haunting, introspective and dark it will take you to those depths and give you a keen insight to the landscape of his soul, and perhaps your own.

Even though Hank was a young man when he died at 29, in reality he was an old soul. He suffered most of his life with chronic back pain brought on by spina bifida. He lived a turbulent life marked with alcoholism and morphine addiction. As you listen to Hanks songs you see someone who is articulating his painful reality, but sincerely hopes for, and believes in, a brighter tomorrow. That is something I love and respect about him.

Whenever I’m downtown in Nashville I like to walk up 5th Ave, by the historic Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Ole Opry, where Hank was a regular. I will peer down the ally way and in the eye of my mind I will see him standing around out back. A flask of whisky in his hand, a smile on his face and a faraway look in his eyes. I like to picture him happy, doing something he loved, sharing his passion with those in attendance.

On January 1, 1953 he and a hired driver left Knoxville, Tennessee in a Cadillac convertible, on his way to perform a New Years Day concert in Canton, Ohio. Reportedly, he had injected himself with some morphine and was carried semi-conscious to the car. It was somewhere in West Virginia when he was determined to have died.

Whenever I hear “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” I can’t help but picture him curled up in the backseat of that old Cadillac. A body wracked with pain, seeking the only relief he knew… I wonder when he breathed his last breath if angels welcomed him; perhaps they were even singing one of his songs.

Sometimes, I picture Hank in the afterlife dressed in a white suit and signature cowboy hat. Its beautiful there and everyone is nice and happy. Hank takes the stage and with a smile on his face sings one of his sad songs. It’s not sad anymore though. For the mirror that he used to only see in dimly, now shows his true radiant, shimmering self.

Below is a playlist of some of Hank Williams’ finest. Take some time to get acquainted.

Lovesick Blues
Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
I Saw The Light
(I Heard that) Lonesome Whistle
Your Cheatin’ Heart
Mind Your Own Business
Lost Highway
I Won’t Be Home No More
Wedding Bells
I’ll Have a New Body (I’ll Have A New Life)
There’s A Tear In My Beer
I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive
Hey Good Lookin’
I Can’t Get You Off My Mind

“No shelter if you’re lookin’ for shade”: Songs of dissent…

Friday July 23, 2010 will be a special event in the annals of musical performances. The Los Angeles based rock band, Rage Against The Machine (RATM) will be playing their hometown for the first time in 10 years.

RATM is known for supporting causes, exposing injustice and being a champion for the oppressed. The catalyst for this show is SB 1070, Arizona’s controversial anti-immigration law. A law that if passed, will no doubt lead to racial profiling and unfairly target minorities, specifically Latinos.

To some people this is no big deal, but the fact of the matter is, that by default, it criminalizes a race. When we start targeting specific races we are in a dangerous territory. It can happen so easily and innocently. Soon we discover we have someone to blame, and someone to punish. Slowly a sentiment creeps in and we begin to view that group as less than, and at the darkest depths, inhuman. That is how easily a holocaust can occur. Like a cancer it can start out as just a tiny, isolated spot, lying dormant for months or maybe years, until it becomes aggressive, and metastasizes quickly…

RATM’s performance at the Palladium in Los Angeles will be epic. They definitely know how to put on a show. I saw them 2 years ago at Lollapalooza and it was amazing. Their performance was electrifying and properly known as “The Battle of Chicago”. There were well over 80,000 in festival attendance and reportedly barricades were stormed and hundreds more bum rushed the show.

My friends and I were about 50 yards away from the stage. There was a frenzied madness in every direction. The crowd surge was intense and mosh pits would explode sporadically, like a bomb, without notice. Bodies pressed together on all sides churning like a fierce and angry ocean. It was a sea of people, jumping in unison, singing along with Zack De La Rocha’s angry, lyrical rhetoric, while Tom Morello was working what can only be described as the darkest of mojo, on his guitar. All the while surrounded by a beautiful Chicago skyline.

We were young, unified, frustrated and angry. We had been lied to repeatedly. There were two ongoing wars with no end in sight. $5.00 per gallon of gas. There was government and corporate corruption at every corner, accompanied with an economy spiraling downward at almost free-fall speed. Rage’s incendiary performance was just a mirror reflecting the zeitgeist….and as a group we were emoting.

Unfortunately I can’t fly out to L.A. this Friday to experience the show at the Palladium. I will be there in spirit though. Standing in solidarity with my fist in the air, screaming: “Lights out…Gorilla radio…turn that shit up!”

In closing I will leave you with 3 thoughts:


1. Until we truly realize the divine spark within each of us, there will always be prejudice, inequality and bigotry.
2. As long as there are big profits to be made in war and chaos, we will always find an enemy.
3. When popular political platforms promote injustice, there must be voices of dissent.


Below I have put together a playlist that confronts injustice, intolerance and atrocity. Consider it a soundtrack for revolution and change. WARNING: Sensitive ears listen elsewhere, because “There’s no shelter if you’re lookin’ for shade…”

Testify – Rage Against The Machine
People of the Sun - Rage Against The Machine
Bulls on Parade - Rage Against The Machine
Ghost of Tom Joad (Bruce Springsteen Cover)- Rage Against The Machine
Calm Like A Bomb - Rage Against The Machine
Fight The Power – Public Enemy
Can’t Truss It – Public Enemy
Street Fighting Man – The Rolling Stones
For What Its Worth – Buffalo Springfield
Rockin’ In The Free World – Neil Young
Fuck Tha Police – N.W.A.
This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie
What Did You Learn In School Today? – Pete Seeger
Alice’s Restaurant – Arlo Guthrie
Revolution – The Beatles
Redemption Song – Bob Marley
Rise Up – Cypress Hill (featuring Tom Morello)
Masters of War – Bob Dylan
Blowin’ In The Wind – Bob Dylan
What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
No More – Eddie Vedder
Society- Eddie Vedder
Give Peace A Chance – John Lennon
Imagine – John Lennon

"Use two sticks to make it in the nature": Live music…

I love concerts. There is just something incredibly special about the atmosphere they produce. A synergy occurs between the performer and the audience, and you cannot help but get caught up in the magic of it all. I would honestly say that I’m at my happiest when I’m at a concert. Whether it’s a large-scale festival like Coachella or Lollapalooza, or a small club venue, the result is the same: superabundant, full-bore, ear-ringing bliss.

A natural intimacy occurs in a live performance and for a couple of hours a community is formed. Now, with the advent of mobile technology, it’s not uncommon to see people taking pictures, texting, or updating their Facebook and Twitter statuses regarding the show. Some of that obviously is just “look at me & the awesome stuff I do”, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, I believe that the greater intent is our desire to share the experience with those that we are close to that may not be at the show. We realize that something special is occurring and for a moment, however brief, we want to include them in this community.

Sometimes we can’t make it to the live shows. Fortunately, now we can watch a lot through live streams and Youtube videos, or live vicariously through our friend’s social media updates.

That wasn’t always the case though. There was a time when your only opportunity to experience the show was to either be there or maybe procure a poorly dubbed bootleg copy….or in the off chance the group was putting together a live album, you could wait several months for it to be produced and then buy it.

In the spirit of this I have put together a list of 5 great live albums. There is no ranking involved, nor by any means is this a list of the greatest live albums. To make this list I set up the following criteria:

1. The music had an influence on me.
2. It was an album I owned.
3. It couldn’t have already been covered in one of my previous blog posts.
4. The performance occurred prior to the advent of rampant, readily available mobile technology and social media.


Kiss Alive II

My musical indoctrination occurred early. From the ages of 4-7 there was no other band than KISS. For two Halloweens I dressed up as members of KISS, once as Paul Stanley, the other as Gene Simmons. My mom bought me many of their albums, among them KISS Alive II. On countless Saturday mornings (before watching cartoons) I would bring my little turntable into the living room and the couch would become a stage. I would alternate back and forth between air guitar and air drums. To be honest I doubt any other’s transition between the two could compare…it was that dynamic.

Side note: For a couple of years my mom felt somewhat guilty for this after a Fundamentalist friend handed her a poorly written pamphlet that made her aware of the evils and diabolical influence of rock music.

U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky

This was my first exposure to U2. This album had been out for a couple of years before I listened to it and at the time I didn’t know who Bono or The Edge were. Something in the performance connected with me. I was still a child and at the time I didn’t know what activism or social justice was. A seed was planted though, and I knew it was more than music.


Neil Young – Unplugged

Some people don’t like Neil Young, and I’m not here to argue that. He’s proven himself and his catalog stands on its own. His songs tell a story and usually the eye of your mind takes you to some lonesome highway out west. Hearing him wail on the harmonica will bring tears to your eyes.

John Denver - The Wildlife Concert

Growing up, John Denver’s music was a staple in my home, and from an early age I felt a kinship with him. He was a champion of nature and conservation. His songs spoke of happiness, simplicity and a genuine love for life. This live album is beautiful and captures some of the best versions of his greatest songs. He was a troubadour and poet. I was in college in 1997 when John Denver died in a plane crash, and I wept…

Rage Against The Machine Live at The Grand Olympic

Rage is true to their name. I can honestly say they woke me up to reality of things and kindled a fire for social justice deep down inside. Consider this a soundtrack for revolution…

Below is a playlist for the above albums:

Detroit Rock City – KISS
Love Gun - KISS
Beth – KISS
Sunday Bloody Sunday – U2
I Will Follow – U2
New Years Day – U2
Unknown Legend – Neil Young
Long May You Run – Neil Young
Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Rocky Mountain High – John Denver
Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Poems, Prayers and Promises – John Denver
Bulls on Parade – Rage Against The Machine
Bullet in the Head – Rage Against The Machine
Guerilla Radio – Rage Against The Machine

Here we are now, entertain us: The music of my generation…

I think everyone holds on to their “coming of age” music. Recently, I was sitting at the bar in a local pub and one of those VH1 shows featuring metal bands from the 80’s came on. A lady sitting a couple of spots down made the comment that 80’s rock was without a doubt the best. I hate it when people other than myself make definitive statements like that. I fought the urge to openly ridicule her. At times I feel the need to voice my opinion on music matters and I usually just end up offending people. I was nice and amiable though. The egocentric narcissist within did not prevail. I just nodded politely and made small talk about music from the 80’s in general.

The fact is we all hold dear to us the music that was significant to our generation. I once worked with a man who was straight-laced and dignified, but if The Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd or The Allman Brothers were brought up, his demeanor changed and he reverted into Matthew McConaughey’s character in “Dazed and Confused”. I loved it! And that’s ultimately why I gave the lady a pass in the bar. Aside from the fact we are entitled to our preferences, that music was no doubt significant to her, and was woven into the tapestry of her life.

We all have music that was playing in the background of our lives as we were coming of age; songs that provided the soundtrack for the significant moments, and rites of passage in our teenage and early adult lives. For me, it was the music of the 90’s.

The 90’s were a very special time and place in my life. It marked the high school and collegiate years of my story. All sorts of firsts occurred. There were first cars, dates, dances and proms. There were first college classes, roommates, road trips, parties and independence. There were girlfriends, sex, drunkenness and revelry. There was the loss of my father… all kinds of significant moments in my life. Some were awkward and angst-filled. Some were blissful and filled with happiness. There was innocence and corruption, passion and pain, agony and ecstasy. All in all, the halcyon days of my youth were beautiful and golden.

As I reflect on that time I cant help but hear the music in my mind. A song can come on now and it will instantly take me back to those moments. I realize now that the music was truly just as special to me as the moments themselves.

Below is a list of 10 albums that provided the soundtrack for that time in my life and played an important role in expressing the heart and soul my generation.

1. Blood Sugar Sex Magik – Red Hot Chili Peppers
This Rick Ruben produced album thrust the Chili Peppers into the mainstream. A teenage John Frusciante was added to the lineup as lead guitarist. His unbridled, inborn, preternatural talent accompanied with Flea’s funky base lines changed the face of rock music.

2. Nevermind – Nirvana
This is the album that defined my generation for good or ill. It set the new standard for rock music and made Kurt Cobain the reluctant spokesperson for my generation. The four-chord riff in the intro and chorus of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” put the final nail in the coffin of the 80’s metal hair bands. It assured us that gimmick rock, along with its Aqua Net and spandex was forever dead and there would never be another metal ballad written again.

3. The Chronic – Dr Dre
This is the album that legitimized rap music. Not only was it the introduction of Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre set the standard for rhyming and sampling with “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ thang”. All in all, no one can do it better.

4. Under The Table and Dreaming – Dave Matthews Band
This album truly introduced the world to a unique, eclectic sound. It is a blend of alternative, acoustic rock, and jazz-fusion.

5. 311 – 311
This self-titled album was their mainstream breakthrough. It’s a perfect blend of whiteboy rap-metal and reggae fusion.

6. Rock Spectacle – Barenaked Ladies
This live album perfectly exemplifies the bands noteworthy harmony. This is genuinely happy, feel-good music at its best.

7. Sublime – Sublime
The album is a multi-genre mix of reggae, ska, rock and hip-hop. Just listening to it makes you smell marijuana wafting through the air. This was their absolute best, but tragically was released two months after the death of their lead singer Brad Nowell, by heroin overdose. It set the standard for rebellion… “You cant fight against the youth, cuz’ were strong, and we’re rude, rude people”

8. Live at Luther College – Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds
Besides inspiring countless amorous hook-ups among college coeds, this album set the benchmark for acoustic sets. It was just two men, and two acoustic guitars. No one compares to Tim Reynolds when it comes to improvisation.

9. Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers
This album marked the sobriety of John Frusciante along with his return to the band. His backing vocals along with his trademark guitar licks and riffs had been sorely missed in their previous album. This is the Chili Peppers at their pinnacle. This album resonated with me probably more than any other and was the beginning of my kinship with the vast Pacific where the sun “…settles in its final location”

10. Enema of the State – Blink 182
This marked the closing of the decade and the ushering in of a new pop punk sound that would play a huge role in the next decade. This album was a culmination of the college experience. It was a harbinger that midterms, finals, and attending class hungover would soon be over. The days of showing up with a baseball cap pulled down low over the eyes were ending, and real life would be coming soon.

Below is a playlist for the above-mentioned albums:

Under the Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sir Psycho Sexy – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
Come As You Are- Nirvana
Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang – Dr Dre
Let Me Ride – Dr. Dre
Ants Marching – Dave Matthews Band
What Would You Say – Dave Matthews Band
Down – 311
All Mixed Up – 311
Brian Wilson – Barenaked Ladies
If I had $1,000,000 – Barnenaked Ladies
Santeria – Sublime
Jailhouse – Sublime
Say Goodbye – Dave Mathews and Tim Reynolds
Seek Up - Dave Mathews and Tim Reynolds
Scar Tissue - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
What’s My Age Again? – Blink 182
All the Small Things – Blink 182

Rock Goddesses: My penchant for the female lead

Someone once asked me what my weaknesses were, and I candidly replied:
"Bourbon, and tanned coeds with negotiable morals". To be honest not a lot has changed over the years. On more than one occasion the spirit of Kentucky has been the cause of my downfall, and many times I have been sidetracked by the scent of a woman. Those are just some of the tragic flaws that tend to rear their head in my life.

Over the past few years another vice has found a home in me, and that is my affinity for female musicians. The fact is you can take a marginally attractive girl who may not have gotten any play in school, strap a guitar to her and instantly a goddess is made. A transformation occurs that turns something ordinary into something heavenly.

Below is a list some of my favorite female artists:

Lissie Maurus

Pay attention when you listen to Lissie because you are honestly having an encounter with the Divine. Her vocals are powerful and her songcraft is exceptional. A blonde angel clad in flannel and jeans, with a voice soaked in cheap beer and cigarettes, she is truly a rare find. Although she has only released an EP so far, her singing has touched my soul. Definitely look up some of her performances on Youtube.

Brandi Carlile

I don’t know if Brandi will ever sell out an arena as a headliner, or if her music will be fully appreciated by the masses, however I would have difficulty naming a more talented musician and songwriter. When you hear her sing you get a glimpse of perfection. Her music is sincere and definitely comes from the depths of her being.

Courtney Love (Hole)

She’s known for her bizarre drug addled interviews. She falls down a lot. More often than not she is bruised and dope sick. Volatile. The fact of the matter is she is a rock goddess, and with a few days of sobriety strung together you would be hard-pressed to find someone who sings of California better…

Hayley Williams (Paramore)

Wearing skinny jeans, a t-shirt and Vans, Hayley is a petite, beautiful package with a vocal range so impressive that it may not have an equal.

Alison Mosshart (The Dead Weather)

When you see her clad in black, hair down over her face, cigarette in hand and perched atop the monitors, howling the lyrics into the microphone with her gravelly, bluesy voice, you realize she is probably the greatest among female lead singers.

Here is a must have playlist of the above mentioned artist

Lissie – Everywhere I Go
Lissie - Wedding Bells
Brandi Carlile – Turpentine
Brandi Carlile – The Story
Brandi Carlile – Folsom Prison Blues (Live- Johnny Cash cover)
Hole – Malibu
Hole – Skinny Little Bitch
Hole – Pacific Coast Highway
Paramore – Misery Business
Paramore – Brick by Boring Brick
The Dead Weather – So Far From Your Weapon
The Dead Weather – Hang You From The Heavens

Fighting Bieber Fever and the musical herpes known as Ke$ha: A mix CD for “Abbs”

Before I begin there are a couple of things I have to disclose. First, I’m often accused of being a music snob. Second, I form fairly strong judgments about people based on their musical interests. As I look at those sentences I can see how the latter justifies the former, but before I digress any further I need to get to the heart of this thing.

Recently I received a text message from my friend Kat that said, “hey abbs asks if u will make her a mix cd?” “Abbs” is Abbey, her 14 year-old daughter, who had enjoyed one of the compilation CD’s I had previously made for her mother. Sharing music is something that brings me immense happiness and when I do this it’s an act of endearment reserved for an elite few. Actually people rarely ask me to make them a cd…usually its just something I force on them, so when someone does ask its somewhat of a heady experience.

Immediately my mind was alert and the reality of it all began to sink in. I was going to play a role in the shaping of a young musical mind. This was my chance to fight back against Justin Bieber, Ke$ha and the resulting brain damage that top 40 radio is currently responsible for. This was my opportunity to play the role of a Jedi master. For a few moments I was powerfully intoxicated over the prospect of this but just like any drug the comedown came quickly and panic set in.

I had no idea what to put on this CD. I had been given some loose, marginally ambiguous parameters in a subsequent text stating: “pretty much anything, especially acoustic stuff. she just says no heavy metal stuff and if any country it has to be really good.” I began to mentally sort through my iTunes library and eliminated 80 percent of it right off the bat over the whole “no heavy metal stuff” thing. Not that heavy metal comprises the bulk of the catalog but the term tends to be subjective with most people so I opted to avoid it all together. Country was not an issue because most of it is devoid of any real intrinsic value with the exception of artists like Hank Williams, and she was just too young and not experienced enough in heartbreak to really get him.

After brooding for a while a calm gradually came over me. I realized I did not have to provide the sole musical education for this child, just merely supplement it with some grace notes. I know her parents, and they both have exceptional musical taste, so it was comforting knowing I was not going to have cover the basics like Bob Dylan, The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. A firm foundation had no doubt been laid and would be built on for years to come.

I gave myself some ground rules:

1. Avoid songs with profanity (Singer-songwriters actually use F%!k more often than you would think in their lyrics)

2. Avoid heavily emotional stuff (Don’t want the girl to end up on a ledge or become a cutter or anything like that)

3. Try to stick with obscure stuff or alternate versions of songs to make it a fresh experience.

After some deliberation Abbey’s Mix went as follows:

Everlong (Acoustic Version) – Foo Fighters
Hiding – Meiko
To Be Alone With You – Sufjan Stevens
Misery Business (Acoustic Version) – Paramore
Angel In The Snow – Elliott Smith
Wedding Bells – Lissie
Pretty (Ugly Before) – Elliott Smith
Fake Plastic Trees (Radiohead Cover) – Lori McKenna
Rain King (Slow Version – Live) – Counting Crows
Piano Song – Meiko
California – Phantom Planet
Blonde on Blonde – Nada Surf
The Heartache Can Wait – Brandi Carlile
Prayer of Saint Francis – Sarah McLachlan
We’re Going to Be Friends – The White Stripes
I’ll Back You Up (Live) – Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
Lay Me Down – The Dirty Heads
Crush (Live) – Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
Long December – Counting Crows
Into The Mystic (Van Morrison Cover) – The Wallflowers


Final Note:

This playlist is a proven tonic to fight Bieber fever and musical herpes. Use liberally and often after first signs of an outbreak appear….

Cover Me: The song remains the same…

I really enjoy cover songs. The beauty of the cover is centered around one artist recognizing the greatness of another, and paying tribute to that with their rendition. If I were a musician I couldn’t think of a greater compliment.

Cover songs offer a unique perspective and sometimes a complete re-imagining of a song. Below is a list of cover songs that I feel are beautiful and unique interpretations of their originals, and are a must have for any music collection.

Heaven (Brandi Carlile – XOBC EP - 2010)

This power ballad was originally released by Bryan Adams in 1984 and holds about as much amorousness as a mid-80’s high school dance with couples locked in a “cling and sway”, along with the subsequent groping that occurred in the backseat of a car afterwards. Brandi’s version revitalizes this song and makes it relevant. Her interpretation evokes the image of two lovers who realize they have truly found their other and have given themselves wholeheartedly with complete abandonment. With her beautiful pattern picking and subdued voice she makes this song her own.

Sea of Love (Cat Power – The Covers Record - 2000)

This song was originally released by Phil Phillips in 1959 and notably covered by The Honeydrippers in 1984. Both versions garnered acclaim on the billboard charts and along with most of the other covers maintains a strong late-50’s vibe and feel. Cat Power transforms this song into something modern, fresh and new. When listening you get a picture of young love and the feeling, both wonderful and sickening at the same time, that comes with the realization you have completely fallen in love with someone. The tone entirely portrays the vulnerability of being hopelessly in love. It’s a perfect mixture of passion and pain.

Jolene (The White Stripes – Live Under Great White Northern Lights - 2010)

This song was originally released by Dolly Parton in 1974 and is undoubtedly considered by many as one of her best. It speaks of the desperation of a plain housewife confronting the beautiful vixen that is attempting to seduce her husband. To hear her beg, “please don’t take my man” breaks your heart. Jack White takes this song and definitely adds a unique flavor and perspective. The powerful, wailing vocals are accompanied with the rising sound of Meg’s drumming and Jack’s heavy metal distortion that peaks at a complete fever pitch. Once you hear it you will realize why Jack White is a musical genius.

Wild Horses (The Sundays – Blind - 1992)

This song was originally released by The Rolling Stones in 1971 and is definitely one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. It is one of my absolute favorite Stones’ songs. Although it may be considered musical blasphemy, The Sundays version is better than the original. When listening you truly imagine someone who has found the one they love and are not going to let go. It’s hauntingly beautiful, and coming from The Sundays, believable.

Ocean Breathes Salty (Sun Kil Moon- Tiny Cities - 2005)

This song was originally released in 2005 by indie rock icons, Modest Mouse. The folk rock group Sun Kil Moon released this cover the same year. Although it uses the same lyrics, it is a completely different song. The dichotomy between the two is unparalleled. It is a testimony to the effect that rhythm, tone, tempo and inflection can have on a song. The Modest Mouse version has an upbeat and positive feel while the Sun Kil Moon version is marked with hopeless resignation. Although it’s sad, it’s still a terrific song.

Coming Up Roses: A very brief primer on Elliott Smith

I recently purchased Elliott Smith’s “from a basement on the hill” on vinyl from Amoeba records. For those of you not familiar with Elliott Smith, this was his last album, finished by friends and released posthumously in 2004. To say this is a treasure may seem pretentious and is probably lost to those with little or no knowledge of Smith’s work, however to the fan this is completely understood. My sentiment partially stems from the fact this was his final album and there will be nothing new from this musical genius (although some rarities and previous unreleased songs were put out in 2007’s “New Moon”).

His lyrics are a mixture of passion, pain, heartache, loss, and Johnny Walker (red), inspired by Kiwi Maddog 20/20 and accompanied with raw but beautiful chord transitions. His body of work is a cautionary tale to those who feel things a little too deeply…

If you are not familiar with Smith’s work take some time to listen and you just might hear him. Go into oblivion with his 1994 debut album “Roman Candle” to his 2004 swan song “from a basement on the hill” and everything in between.

Below is a playlist of exceptional songs to help you become familiar and hopefully a fan:

Between the Bars (Either/Or)
Say Yes (Either/Or)
Angeles (Either/Or)
Angel In the Snow (New Moon)
Miss Misery [early version] (New Moon)
Needle In the Hay (Elliott Smith)
Alphabet Town (Elliott Smith)
Somebody That I Used To Know (Figure 8)
Waltz, No. 2 (XO)
Twilight (from a basement on the hill)
Kiwi Maddog 20/20 (Roman Candle)

Final Thought:

Listening to Elliott on vinyl only enhances the experience. There is something quite beautiful listening to him through the light hiss and crackle of the needle against the record.