Root Down in the Shadow

So, it has been a crazy summer for me, turning into a fantastic fall.  I can honestly say that life has been going well enough that I have much better things to do than to write about music.  Don't get me wrong I still love music.  After a concert free August, it's been a pretty solid month, catching Justin Townes Earle, William Elliott Whitmore, the Low Anthem, and this Friday catching Brown Bird opening for Dark, Dark, Dark. After months of heavy writing earlier this year, I am finally getting asked on a regular basis, "Dude, what's up with the blog?"  I guess everyone is caught up now?!?   I had too much for folks to keep up with before, but the amount I felt was necessary to make the blog successful.  Well.. 100 posts later.. I've earned about $5.  Picked up a few awesome free albums, and would have been put on a list for a show, if the event was big enough to even have a list. The best feedback I was given, was "Don't give up.  You k...

this post is just a shell of what I wanted it to be.. I ran out of time to write more, and I don't want you to miss out on more free awesomeness... pardon the brevity..  FREE MUSIC:   Where to begin.  This is probably the biggest reason I haven't written for a month.  Everywhere I look, folks are giving away a single, or a compilation.  I'll start with my previous sources #1 Spin Magazine You must get the Nirvana Nevermind Tribute before it's gone. September Compilation (TBD) August Compilation (GONE) Sleeper Agent - Get it Daddy Bandsite Freebies Diamond Doves Melissa Ferrick Felice Brothers http://www.thefelicebrothers.com/poughkeepsieprincess/ Blitzen Trapper - Love The Way You Walk Away by subpop *************** DAILY PODCASTS KEXP - Grieves, Jeff the Brotherhood, This has nothing to do with music, but I had to share. Check out Episode 1 (and now Episodes 2&3) of Gotham Buddies ...

LAST CONCERT: Newport Folk Festival. Go to NPR.org and search Newport Folk Fest for many live shows available for FREE. The rest can be obtained via the NPR: Live Concerts from All Songs Considered Podcast, (search All Songs Considered Podcast in the iTunes store) Here's a rundown of each day: On Saturday, we got in a little late missing Sallie Ford , and the Felice Bros . We caught Freelance Whales, who played a great set matching up the enthusiasm and crisp vocals from their album Weathervanes . I had my doubts whether they could pull this off, after hearing their Daytrotter session , but they succeeded. Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three were fantastic.  A special surreal occurrence happened as I was expecting my friend to come over to the stage to catch some of the show, just then Ryan Koenig , washboard & Harmonica extraordinaire, blurts out (somewhat over Pokey) "Hey there's Matt" I thought nothing odd at the moment to look stage left myself...

 This latest entry in the COVER SONG OF THE WEEK is a rare bird, as it was honoring a cover itself. According to the Muppets Wiki the song was originally done in 1963 written by Johnny Cymbal . My beloved version was done in 1977 and featured on the class Muppets Show cast album. Floyd of the Electric Mayhem with Scooter - the Muppets Show - 'Mr. Bassman' Sondre Lerche has a revision featured on the new Muppets : The Green Album .  The song follows the same basic structure as the Muppets classic featuring Scooter the Gopher and Floyd as the Bassman.  The lyrics stay the same, there is a lead and a bass man, and bass.  The "bass man" is subdued in the new version.  Also added are acoustic guitar to start and midway through is a rampant electric guitar possibly mimicing the original's saxaphone. The best song on the album is Alkaline Trio 's 'Movin' Right Along', beating out the Fray's looser variation of 'Mahna Mahna' and ...

Part of the ongoing series of 'Molly Songs': a weekly look featuring songs that our children will love, but more importantly parents can enjoy as well. In most cases, Molly songs are child focused or rather upbeat.  In this case, 'Charlotte's Web', is neither, rather a captivating song that Molly has loved for the last year and a half.  The child like attraction to the opening track of Annie Lynch & the Beekeepers 2007's self titled album is two fold.  First, for some amazing coincidence Molly refers to the song as "Piggy Song".  Obviously someone had to have mentioned this connection to the children's book, but it wasn't my wife nor I.  Second, Molly has been having quiet time or falling asleep to the Annie Lynch albums since I've picked them up in April 2010. Except for one rousing track on 2009's Squid Hill Sessions led by Mat Davidson vocals instead of Annie Lynch, the albums are incredibly consistent and captivating.  Yo...