Root Down in the Shadow

It may seem that my site has been taken over by Amazon lately with the overload of links.  But with a post (2 actually, 1 more is coming), have I gone over the top?  I offer an explanation for what appears to be pandering.  The purpose of my blog is to help people get exposed to new music, that they might otherwise not get the chance to see or hear about.  I like to bring to the forefront opportunities to hear, see or purchase new music.  Amazon has recently upped their efforts to do the same thing in my opinion. For one, they make it super easy for me to link a source for fans to purchase albums.  But this isn't the record store that I grew up with.  When something is popular, it seems like prices are going down.  Before Amazon.com started their $5 albums, the best sales were Best Buy & Target discounting albums on the first week of release, and a variety of sites free materials.  However, Amazon brings out the $5 albums after people have had a chance to get to know an album

Dave Matthews & Co stole a page from the Perry Farrel book of festivals (Lollapalooza) and did him one better.  This year, Dave Matthews Band is hosting four three day weekends of music across the U.S. Rather than tour across the country and only get to have one or two openers, he's bringing the country to him and sharing the stage with many deserving acts.  The A.C. and Chicago dates are completely booked up with the bands, the Governors Island NY & the Gorge (George, WA) shows are still being filled out.  Both Chicago and Atlantic City have G. Love, Ray LaMontange, Dave Matthews Band 3x, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Michael Franti & Spearhead, O.A.R, Amos Lee, and David Gray. Atlantic City seems to be the bigger party, with Fitz & the Tantrums, Guster, Damian Marley, Dr. Dog and Carolina Chocolate Drops,  While also having a folk side with the Head and the Heart, Delta Spirit, and Lisa Hannigan, However, Chicago seems to have the heavyweights with th

10. Bonnaroo Turns 10! What a line up! I'm not going, but my next favorite activity after thinking about what to do with lottery winnings that I haven't won, is thinking of bands I would see at festival that I can't afford to go to. THURSDAY: Hayes Carll, Freelance Whales, Best Coast, Sleigh Bells & Deerhunter FRIDAY: Jessica Lea Mayfield, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (the original lineup), Freelance Whales, the Decemberists, (and I would be in two places at once to also see Ray Lamontange), Florence + the Machine, Primus, Arcade Fire, and to cap off the night Big Boi! SATUDAY : the Low Anthem, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Portugal the Man, Mumford & Sons, the Black Keys, Buffalo Springfield, Eminem, Scissor Sisters **EDITOR NOTE** how effing cool is it that A. Eminem is playing Bonnaroo, but that the Scissor Sisters go on after? What a party!!!!!!!!! ******** SUNDAY: The Head and the Heart, G Love & Special Sauce, Nicole Atkins & the

' Crazy ' is one of those songs, that you love from the moment you hear it.  The smash hit from 2006 brought Mr. Cee-Lo Green to the forefront of music that summer; including a set I caught during Virgin Fest in Baltimore, MD.   The song instantly made it to all the weddings and formals.  Looking back, it was loud and clear at my wedding in NJ, in the midst of one hell of a party! A live take of 'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley The problem with the song is that it when you're dancing you barely pay attention to the words.  I really had no idea about the personal strength Cee-Lo was writing about, until I had heard this awesome cover version.  Ray LaMontange.  The song slowed down, shows off the beauty of the lyrics much more.  From the second half of the song: Come on now, who do you Who do you, who do you, who do you think you are? Ha ha ha, bless your soul You really think you're in control? Well, I think you're crazy I think you're crazy I