The Isley Brothers: A Funky Family

It was the summer of '79, and Tucson’s disco radio station, 13-KHYT, just couldn’t play the Isley Brothers often enough. It seemed every time I tuned in, there was the churning funk of “I Wanna Be With You,” with its vocoder hook repeating the title over and over, alternating with a semi-whisper of the Isleys chanting “You and me, babe, gettin’ it on, you and me.” Even though I loved disco, I grew to hate the tune, and generally avoided the Isley Brothers’ music whenever I could.

Jim James - Regions of light and sound of God

I have written previously about music that triggers emotions or memories (in this post about Trip Hop), but I find myself revisiting this theme again as I ponder why I love Jim James' voice so much.

For those who aren't familiar with Jim James by name he is a songwriter and lead singer for the band My Morning Jacket. The library had recently acquired his solo album Regions of Light and Sound of God, an album which revisits a sound similar to My Morning Jacket's earlier albums. It is calm and methodical, focusing mainly on vocalization rather than intricate instrumentation. In my opinion, this album is more akin to the classic rock contemporaries like Eric Clapton and Van Morrison than to My Morning Jacket's dynamic sound, although Jim James' influence is clear in both.

Who is Harry Nilsson?

Ah, spring in Tucson...

The days are finally getting longer which means I have more time to get things done- like working through my backlogged Netflix queue! Recently I happened to watch a wonderful documentary about a music industry great you may not have heard of: "Who is Harry Nilsson, (and why is everybody talkin' about him?)"

This documentary explores the roller coaster life and career of Harry Nilsson. Nilsson released eighteen albums of varying popularity, but this isn't the story of an overnight success. In fact he kept a job working nights at a bank for years after working in the industry in order to make sure he could get by

For those who may not be familiar with the name Harry Nilsson or just 'Nilsson,' you have probably at least heard his music. Harry Nilsson was prolific. He wrote many well-known songs for his own albums, and was a lyracist for other bands. One of the most catchy and popular songs would be the earworm "Coconut," but Nilsson also wrote the love ballad "Without You," "One" for the band Three Dog Night, "The Lord Must Be In New York City," and many others. 

A Crazy Horse's Psychedelic Pill

Neil Young with Crazy Horse

Psychedelic Pill

One of two albums Neil Young released with Crazy Horse last year, Psychedelic Pill finds the group in its distorted and feedback-drenched mode.  Reminiscent of their early '90s classics like Ragged Glory and Weld, this double CD set is very much worth your while if you like your rock served with lots of noise.

Mums the Word: How Folk Rock Conquered the Charts

Name: Mumford & Sons
Genre: Folk Rock
Sounds Like:  Calexico, Fleet Foxes, Avett Brothers
Listen to: "The Cave," "Winter Winds," "I Will Wait," "Lover of the Light"

Chances are you've heard of Mumford & Sons at some point in the past few years. The English folk rock band scored a string of monster hits with the growling apology song "Little Lion Man," the self-reflecting "The Cave," and the most recent smash "I Will Wait." The band has been nominated for multiple Grammies, their CD Babel is the fastest selling album of 2012, and lead singer Marcus Mumford recently wed An Education star Carey Mulligan...call it an understatement to say the band is in full view of the public eye!

So for anyone who has yet to listen to a Mumford song, allow me to convince you: Banjo solos. Big, booming sound. Catchy hooks. Relatable (if somewhat average) lyrics. Mumford & Sons write crowd-pleasing folk music that makes you want to stomp your feet on the dance floor. Last year I saw the band headline the fantastic Railroad Revival Tour. For their entire set they kept the energy high, with the crowd dancing and hollerin' along to every song!

Light up your life with The Lumineers!

Name:  The Lumineers
Genre:  Folk Rock
Sounds like:  The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, Of Monsters and Men, The Avett Brothers

Judging from the large number of holds on their self-titled CD and a sold out show at the Rialto Theatre this past Thursday, it seems that many people are as excited by The Lumineers as I am! One of my favorite new bands, The Lumineers are a folk rock band from Denver whose rapid rise to stardom is underscored by the simple beauty of their songs. As guitarists Jeremiah Fraites stated in an interview earlier in the year, "We're not reinventing the wheel...the ideas themselves are very simple." Those of you looking for blistering guitar solos might try a different band, but anyone who craves songs about hopes and dreams, loss and love, would do well to give this band a listen!