Some folks just get hipper when they get older. Case in point there is me…and then there is Tom Jones, whose new 7” single recorded at Third Man Records with Jack White on guitar and in the production chair, bears some of the most stripped down virile sounds to emanate from the Welshman in some […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “I Got You” by Split Enz
Like Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, Split Enz started out as a visually stunning progressive rock band that dressed up in wild costumes and performed elaborate stage shows, with the original lineup of Phil Judd, Tim Finn, Mike Chunn, Robert Gillies and Noel Crombie. They formed in 1971, but it wasn’t until 1980 that the band found […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Party People” by Alejandro Escovedo
There’s not much of a market these days for meat ‘n’ potatoes journeyman rockers, and that’s unfortunate when you’ve got a talent as big as Alejandro Escovedo. The musical terrain is scattered with great artists like Willie Nile, Garland Jeffries, Ian Hunter, Graham Parker et al who’ve had periods of white-hot success in the past […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Chicago” by Tom Waits
He’s become more and more reclusive as the years go on, rarely performing in public. When he does tour, he sporadically makes one theater stop per city and then you don’t see him again for many years. Last fall, several TV appearances were booked concurrent with the release of Tom Waits’ first album of new […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Left Alone” by Fiona Apple
Forget the on-stage breakdowns by an “artiste” with a capitol “A”, forget the record company’s penchant for rejecting records every time she turns one in, and certainly forget the pretentious 20-word album titles…the question one must ask regarding a new Fiona Apple record is was it all worth the wait? In the case of her […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “I Learned How To Pray” by Squeeze
As was the case with Lennon and McCartney before them; the whole was way more than the sum of the parts with Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford. Together, the songwriting team behind the group Squeeze composed some of the greatest pop songs of the late ‘70s and 1980s: “Tempted,” “Pulling Mussels From A Shell,” “In […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “New Lace Sleeves” by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Most people’s introduction to Elvis Costello on American shores occurred with a late 1977 appearance on “Saturday Night Live” when he and The Attractions were asked to fill in as a last minute replacement for The Sex Pistols whose visas would not let them into America. It was during this performance that EC and company […]
Song Of The Day – “Get A Job” by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
This ain’t your daddy’s doo wop…nor is it your sister’s “American Recordings” by Johnny Cash. What we have here are four crusty guys digging up some crusty old tunes and playing them the only crusty way they know how to. Nothin’ fancy…one take and done. You can practically feel the camaraderie and familiarity these guys […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Memories Can’t Wait” by Talking Heads
Former art school students have a funny way of expressing themselves. Like naming an album “Fear Of Music” and including a song like this one that conjures deep seated feelings of dread and ill will. But it doesn’t end there…Byrne numbly mumbles throughout this record asking himself questions like “What is happening to my skin? Where is […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “I Can’t Stand It” by Chris Whitley
Chris Whitley’s short, restless career encompassed folk, noise rock, jazz, country, mainstream rock and the blues. He was discovered by producer Daniel Lanois who helped him score a major label record deal with Columbia Records in 1988. His first album, “Living With The Law” was a mainstream rock affair with good songs that gave him […]
