With a resume that includes writing the lyrics to some of the greatest songs of the 20th century including “Goody Goody,” “I’m An Old Cowhand,” “Too Marvelous For Words,” “Hooray For Hollywood,” “You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby,” “Jeepers Creepers,” “And The Angels Sing,” “Sweet Georgia Brown,” “G.I. Jive,” “Day In Day Out,” “I […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Michael Praytor, Five Years Later” by Ben Folds Five
It’s been 13 years since Ben Folds, Darren Jessee and Robert Sledge recorded together as Ben Folds Five. Last year, the trio got back together to record three new songs for the Ben Fold’s retrospective three-disc set “The Best Imitation Of Myself.” Having found the experience pleasing, the trio regrouped this year to record “The […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “True Thrush” by Dan Deacon
Somewhere between the robotic synchronicity of Philip Glass and the electro-crunch of LCD Soundsystem that threatens to dance yerself clean, lies the sound of Dan Deacon’s latest record “America.” Some categorize it as electronica…others contemporary classical…I just listen and marvel at one of the truly original artists making music today. Case in point is this […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “I’m Sorry” by Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee was 15 years old when she recorded her smash hit and Decca Records held back the release of the single because they thought she was too young to be sorry for, well, anything. When it was finally released on a single, it was the flip-side to the up-tempo hit “That’s All You Gotta […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Labrador” by Aimee Mann
Aimee Man has been creating articulate character sketches in song since the 1980s when she was MTV-marketed as part of the group ‘Til Tuesday and could regularly be seen (heavily made up) singing “Voices Carry” sandwiched between Milli Vanilli and Culture Club videos. After the demise of ‘Til Tuesday, Mann set out on a solo […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Love (Can Make You Happy)” by Mercy
This slice of easy listening splendor hit the number two slot on the Billboard charts in 1969. At the time Mercy consisted of artists signed to the small Sundi Record label from Florida, and centered around member Jack Sigler, Jr. Once the song began to take off on the charts, Sundi rush-released an album with […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Ruin” by Cat Power
I don’t know what it is about Charlyn Marie Marshall, the artist we now know as Cat Power. Every music rag I pick up amply pours the accolades on like maple syrup and, of course, I feel the need to eat it up. As a result, I’ve purchased several of her records and find that, […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Me And The Wind” by XTC
They were a band with two very distinct songwriters…Colin Moulding wrote some of their biggest early hits (“Making Plans For Nigel,” “Life Begins At The Hop”) that were typified by stop-start rhythms, big drums and infectious melodies, while Andy Partridge was the guy who was responsible for some of their prettiest, most pastoral recordings (“Summer’s […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Montauk” by Rufus Wainwright
The self-described “Gay Messiah” got back into the game this year with his most seventies-esque album called “Out Of The Game.” Under the tutelage of producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse), Wainwright delivered a record sonically more in line with classic Steely Dan than the baroque, rococo sound of his last few releases. Wainwright has said […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “The Trouble With Candyhands” by Deerhoof
Emanating from San Francisco (Greg Saunier & John Dieterich) by way of Japan (Satomi Matsuzaki), Deerhoof have released 12 albums of unpredictable music with a sound that would have made Yoko Ono proud and John Lennon jump for joy. It has finally come to pass that the ingredients of Yoko Ono’s recordings circa “Double Fantasy” […]
