Michael Jackson: Dangerous
Thriller was the first album I bought in Germany (for Luis), and Michael Jackson, the boy who refused to grow up and died a few days ago, is one of the reasons I spent so much time in discos back then. He may have remained a boy while we grew up (or tried to), but […]
Michael Franti and Spearhead: Say hey
Everything is broken, from Iran … to my bank account … to our family summer plans … to my teeth … to my brain … to the weather. Do you have days when you wish you hadn’t gotten out of bed? Well, this is some sweet barefoot sing-and-dance-along music by Michael Franti to get my […]
Wailin Jennys
The angelic Wailin Jennys from Canada are the darlings of the roots music scene. Their name is a play on Waylon Jennings, an influential country musician. Here is an capella song of parting. Poor Neda Agha-Soltan studied philosophy and took singing lessons; a bold thing to do, because officially Iranian women are not permitted to […]
BossHoss/Elvis: Wolf Call
The Boss Hoss, the great Berlin band that reinterprets classic American rock, country and blues tunes with more than a touch of zany humor and energy, all decked out in cowboy gear and playing under names like Hoss Power (lead singer and guitarist), Russ T. Rocket (one of the guitarists) and Hank Williamson (mandolin, banjo […]
Rachel Goodrich’s sublime shake-a-billy
She might become “your new favorite singer“: From Miami Beach, Florida, Rachel Goodrich has been playing music and writing songs since age 12. Her instruments include the guitar, the ukulele, the piano, the xylophone, the kazoo … and spoons. Her MySpace page says her influences include Joni Mitchell, the Grateful Dead, Tiny Tim, Bob Dylan […]
Madeleine Peyroux: River of Tears
What is it about the phrase “River of Tears” that turns it into a top title across all genres? Chris recommended Madeleine Peyroux, an American jazz singer who simply must be a reincarnation of a cat … like Billie Holiday was, you know? OK, so you don’t believe in reincarnation. Doesn’t matter. If you like […]
Melissa Laveaux: Needle in the hay
Canadian songwriter Melissa Laveaux – her voice! her percussive guitar! – comes recommended by Julija on Aurgasm, the music blog. Here Laveaux sings a song by Elliott Smith, a gifted, deeply depressed songwriter addicted to drugs who killed himself in 2005, and she turns it into a song of sympathy and regret and farewell. The […]
