The Things We Do For The Music We Love

There was a time in my life where country music made me gag and sneer (sometimes at the same time.) Then I got older and more nuanced and realized the problem wasn't the heart of country music but the over produced image and mediocrity of what passes for it.

It turns out I didn't mind it when GOOD bands like Wilco or The Old 97s let classic country, roots music, and Americana influence their stellar songwriting.  The problem wasn't country, per se, but the delivery mechanism. 

That said, I found myself on CMT.com last week.  I felt a little dirty.  I felt like I had betrayed myself in some sort of indefinable way.  This was the belly of the beast.  It's amazing what you'll do to see good bands performing their great songs.  I blame this one on The Avett Brothers.  When you write songs as good as "The Once and Future Carpenter" and play them live for the first time on a hated website even I will swallow my pride and let CMT.com be on my permanent DNS record.

I present to you the evidence of my sweet shame:

Tags: The Once and Future Carpenter (CMT Unplugged), The Avett Brothers, The Avett Brothers Videos

Summer Mix

As everyone knows one of the most important parts of preparing for the summer is the proper playlist.

Here is mine (more or less):

Redemption Song - Bob Marley
Don't Carry it All - The Decemberists
Girl Is On My Mind - The Black Keys
Foxey Lady - Jimi Hendrix
Abel - The National
Un Dernier Verre (Pour La Route) - Beirut
I Was Born - Billy Bragg/Natalie Merchant
Just Like Heaven - The Cure
Crystal Frontier [Widescreen Version] - Calexico
Jesus Gonna' Be Here - The Blind Boys of Alabama
Born to Hum - Erin Mckeown
Heavy Lifting - Ambulance LTD
Everybody Needs Love - Robyn Hitchcock
Killer Queen - Queen
Flightless Bird American Mouth - Iron & Wine
Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine
Cello Song - Nick Drake
Our Story - The Judybats
Sec Walkin - My Morning Jacket
Damn, Sam (I Love A Woman That Rains) - Ryan Adams
Animal Shapes - Silver Jews
Transcendental Blues - Steve Earle
Since the Last Time - Arrested Development
Simple - Collective Soul
Baddest of the Bad - Reverend Horton Heat
Sister Havana - Urge Overkill
Blue Orchid - White Stripes
Filipino Box Spring Hog - Tom Waits
Mr. Grieves - The Pixies
Big Brown Eyes - Old 97's
It Goes On And On - The Avett Brothers

Too long to burn to a CD but not too long for my digital player.  Go technology.