Brenton Wood: Brenton Wood's 18 Best

Many of you would recognize Brenton Wood from the first track, "Gimme Little Sign", on this record. That does not mean you should stop there! This record, originally released in 1991, portrays the strong careers that Wood had when he hit the R&B scene in 1967. Inspired by singers like Sam Cooke, Wood gained attention with his single, " The Oogum Boogum Song", that reached #19 on the Billboard charts. This record is 18 tracks of solid soul music. This is a great record to take in since you will know, at least, a couple of tracks but I am sure more will grow on you when you have a listen. Spring is has finally arrived and what better way to welcome it is with some upbeat soul in your ears.

"Baby You Got It" by Brenton Wood

Brenton Wood: Brenton Wood's 18 Best

Gillian Welch: The Harrow and The Harvet

Her first record in eight years is set to come out on June 28. The Harrow and The Harvest, produced by long-time musical companion David Rawlings, is coming out on their own label Acony Records. I have to admit I am greatly looking forward to this record. Her albums have always delivered and I am sure this new record will do the same.

Conan O'Brien Documentary (Trailer)

Always Adopt

Animal Humane Society

Time Lapse of Airplanes Taking Off

A Book to Enjoy

For the last year I have been wanting to read The Kennedy Assisnation -- 24 Hours After: Lyndon B. Johnson's Pivotal First Day as President and finally grabbed it from the library last night. I started reading it last night and could not put it down. Author Stevn M. Gillon takes a new approach on such a historical event in American history. Gillon looks into the relationship between Johnson and John and Robert Kennedy. The style of writing is far from the dry, textbook style of so many history books, this one moves like a narrative. I have always been fascinated with this tragic American event and Gillon sheds light on the short amount of time when one president was killed and another had to be sworn in a few hours later.

WTF with Marc Maron

I have to admit I had not given this incredibly, entertaining podcast a chance until this past Sunday. Going for a stroll on a gorgeous spring day, I decided to give it a try. To be honest, a podcast with the name "WTF" does not make me want to stop everything I am doing and give it a try.  "This American Life" had already been heard so I wanted a nice, hour-long length podcast to enjoy. I am so happy I did. Essentially the format of this podcast is Marc Maron, a veternan comedian, rants about any random event going in and around his life for about five minutes or so. Afterward he interviews someone in the garage. And these someones are often incredibly talented comedians. Since I jumped head first into this podcast I have listened to Andy Dick (my favorite episode so far), Conan O'Brien, Ed Helms and Rob Corrdry. He has a ton of episodes more to enjoy so if you have not listened to this very candid and absorbing podcast, do so now by checking them out here.

Medeski, Martin & Wood on WNYC

Yesterday Medeski, Martin & Wood came by WNYC to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band. The band met with John Schaefer, the host of Soundcheck, to talk about early years, how they grew as a band.

A Bunch of People Cover Woody Guthrie

Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and Old Crow Medicine Show are on the Railroad Revival Tour together, touring the country by rail. TwentyFourBit pointed out that VH1 met up with the tour down in Austin, Texas and caught the band outside their train to perform a nice long rendition of the Woody Guthrie song "This Train is Bound for Glory". You cannot help but see how much joy these three bands are getting out of this tour together. I have never been a huge fan of any of these bands but after watching this performance I wish I was this tour. It also reminds me of the when the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band and others hit the rails on a tour through Canada.

My Morning Jacket Performs Circuital

My Morning Jacket Documentary (Preview)

Here is a preview of the 30-minute documentary "One Big Holiday" about My Morning Jacket that is included with the deluxe edition of their new album Circuital.

Peter Gabriel Covers Tom Waits

I came across The Voice Project  via TwentyFourBit. The Voice Project raises awareness and funds to help women in Uganda by filming musicians covering other musicians. As mentioned, this is Peter Gabriel covering Tom Waits' "In the Neighborhood" solo on the piano. 

Wye Oak Covers Danzing

A.V. Club 

Music to Enjoy

Sleepy Man Banjo Boys

For the record, the banjo player, Jonny Mizone, is only 8-years-old.

Sleepy Man Banjo Boys

Soulwax: Any Minute Now

I watched "Part of the Weekend Never Dies", a documentary about Soulwax, this evening. To say the least I did not know how much music this group, specially brothers David and Stephen Dewaele, actually put out. There are so many layers to this group that its almost hard to digest it all. I do know, after watching this documentary, that these guys are so deeply invested in the music they almost come off as a group of mad scientists with their, what seems like, endless touring whether it is a group or as a DJ set. After watching "Part of the Weekend Never Dies" you cannot help but think that your everyday life crawls at a snails pace compared to how hard these guys hit the road crossing the globe, making people go ape shit every night they play.

Soulwax: Any Minute Now (2004)

Simon & Garfunkel: Live 1969

Compiled from six concerts recorded throughout 1969, this record shows the beautiful collaboration between two childhood friends. 

Simon & Garfunkel: Live 1969

DFA Records(Radio Mixes)

I came across a great website consisting of various members of the DFA Records family holding it down on the ones and twos, whether it was recorded on the radio, at home, in concert, there is a fairly large collection of great mixes put together, from 2005 to 2010, all for you to enjoy. All the mixes are available to download for free. There are a couple sets from 2005 where it is James Murphy spinning at his home in Brooklyn, NY that aired on BBC Radio One. 

Check out the collection of mixes by clicking here. 

Man Man

Man Man is releasing their new record, Life Fantastic, on May 10. I was informed of this by reading a review of the the album on Pitchfork. To be honest I have slowly moved away from this band even though I was a massive fan a few years back. From what I have heard, it certainly has a more polished sound than found on previous albums. If you would like to stream the record before the release you can do so by clicking here. 

Minutemen: Double Nickels on the Dime

A great album of short, quick songs covering so many genres. This is an album people should be familiar with. Formed in 1985, broken up in 1989 due to the death of guitarist D. Boon, Minutemen are often regarded as the pioneers of alternative music. Given the band insists that their name does not reflect their song lengths, most songs come out to around two minutes. The double album is packed with so many great songs to enjoy. 

Minutemen: Double Nickels on the Dime

Nirvana & Flea

I never knew this happened. As Nirvana played "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in 1993 in Brazil, Flea joined the band to play trumpet and jump around the stage.

"Bill Cunningham New York"

See, if you don't take money they can't tell you what to do.
- Bill Cunningham

This documentary follows the New York Times fashion photographer and delves into his personal life, something that many people who have known him for decades know little about. The joy that Mr. Cunningham gets from snapping photographs, capturing street fashion in New York, Paris and beyond is impossible to not feel. It is fascinating to watch a man who rubs shoulders with the most elite live a beyond simple life (he does not have a kitchen at 89-years-old), reminding the viewer that having more does not necessarily bring happiness. If you are in the mood for a documentary that leaves you wanting more, then this is a documentary for you. 

RJD2: Live at The Rave

I just came across this video of RJD2 performing "Let There Be Horns" recorded at The Rave in Milwaukee via Some Kind of Awesome. RJD2 is releasing a live audio and video recording from this performance. Its quite fun to watch him man a few turntables, drum machines, samplers and whatever else his doing up there on stage.

Sonic Youth: Sister

The first track on this 1987 album, "Schizophrenia", has been rattling around in my head, resulting in me humming it for the past week. Sister is a record where the band took their odd-tuning, wide array of various distorted sound and created an album of more structured songs than they did with their previous records. There is no question that this record moves, with Steve Shelley holding down thick, quick beats all covered in distortion and sporadic squeals, but the songs are not just a collage of sound. The record follows the formula to make a well-crafted song. There are wonderful loud/quiet moments where the band slows the movement of the song in that slacker-type of sound that slowly builds, growing louder and louder, resulting in foot taping and maybe the occasional fist pump. This is a rock record that deserves a listen if you have not done so recently. It is almost impossible to not hear how certain bands were greatly influenced by this record.

And if you are looking for more SY fun while listening to Sister, here is Thurston Moore's blog.

Sonic Youth: Sister

Les Savy Fav

A good friend of mine shot a piece for Flavorpill and Puma called Stomping Grounds. The piece follows the Brooklyn-based group to some of their favorite spots around town. It is entertaining to watch the band play skee-ball and play with trash found on the street. Enjoy and please feel to toss this video around the interweb if you'd like.