Sunday Spotlight - Bess Rogers

This week brings the solo debut from Bess Rogers to the Sunday Spotlight. If you’re not familiar with Bess’ name, she’s a consummate performer who’s been involved with music since she was a little child, listening to her mother playing harpsichords that her father built, and learning to play them herself at age 6. As she hit her early teens, Bess started writing her own songs, and then went on to study music at SUNY’s Conservatory of Music.

Since then, she’s played guitar for artists such as Jenny Owen Youngs and Ingrid Michaelson, and is a member of the synth-pop band The Age of Rockets. Although she clearly has loads of experience under her belt, Decisions Based on Information is her debut solo work and just came out earlier this month. Its recording started back in 2006 and has continued here and there amongst her other projects.

Bess was kind enough to take the time to talk about Only One, the sixth track on the album. As usual, writing in red is hers and questions in black are mine.

Bess Rogers - Only One : Decisions Based On Information

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Only One was one of the first songs on my record to be recorded and actually the last to be finished writing-wise. I had written the chords and melody and had the line "see you're the only one like me", but for the duration of the recording process my producer and I had to listen to most of the song with "doo doo doo's" instead of lyrics. Those "doo doo doo's" actually hold a very special place in my heart. When we were flushing out the song, I recorded scratch guitar and vocals to use as a reference. But when we went back to it a few days later, something got messed up with the sampling rate. The result was that my vocals remained the same in speed and pitch but the sound of my voice was dramatically lowered so I sounded like a drunk transvestite singing these bizarre sultry "doo doo doo's". It was hilarious! And it stayed that way until we recorded final vocals, almost a year later. We both became so attached to them that we even considered, for a brief second, leaving it that way. Then, luckily, we realized we had been in the studio for way too long and were probably just going insane.

But on a serious note, this song is one of my favorites on the record and was really fun to record. The melatron sound in the beginning of the song is actually me playing the flute. I have been playing the flute since 4th grade and to Dan Romer's (producer) and my delight, I have not gotten much better since then. The result is that when quadrupled and low-fi'd, my flute playing sounds a lot like a melatron (that Strawberry Fields sound) but somehow different. The part that the flutes are playing is basically exactly what I was playing on guitar. We transcribed it all and I played each note individually and on separate tracks so it would have more of a carnival calliope sound to it.

Ben Harper - Strawberry Fields Forever (Beatles cover) : I Am Sam Soundtrack

I got the idea of the song from something that I think about quite often and it always boggles my mind a bit: the fact that when I and someone else are looking at the color red, I really have no idea and never will have any idea whether or not that person is seeing the same red as me. Or whether I see a completely different color than the rest of the world does. You can pretty much apply that to everything, including relationships with people and that's what this song is about. There's a bit of denial involved when you say that you've found someone who is exactly like you, because you can never get completely into someone else's head. That's where lines like, "bending my mind to see you're the only one like me" came from. You have to play pretend a little bit and you're probably better off for it in the end.

And now for a few questions for Bess:

1.) Is this song (Only One) biographical at all? Is there a particular person you are thinking of when singing about "bending your mind?"

This song wasn't written about a specific person - but it does deal with a specific feeling that I have experienced in my life. I think, at times, everyone has that sinking feeling that they are essentially alone in life and I wanted to express that in a way that other people could relate to. Expressing that theme through a relationship allows the listener to put themselves in those shoes... I hope!

2.) This album was put together over the last few years in pieces when you were able to get into the studio. Do you see yourself shifting your focus to your solo career with this album under your belt or will you continue to primarily work with your band (The Age of Rockets) and other artists?

My focus has always been my solo career and will continue to be. I play seriously in 3 other bands aside from my own and they are all very important to me. But the thing I work the hardest on and consider the most vital is my own music/career. I really enjoy playing in all of the bands that I do and would love to multi-task like this forever, although I think it will eventually become impossible. I'm just doing my best not to think about that right now and enjoy the ride.

3.) Visually speaking, the packaging of the album and your picture on the front is very librarianish. Should we assume that you’re an avid reader as well as music-maker? What’s next to your bed right now that you’re reading?

I would really like to answer that question in the affirmative... but unfortunately I can't consider myself an avid reader. I love to read but I just find I don't have enough time in the day to do it as much as I'd like to. The only time I really have to read is on the subway. (If I read on the road I will throw up in the car!) But right now I am (slowly) reading South of the Border, West of the Sun by Murakami.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

I think what I love most about this song, and the album in general is its philosophical turning of the world on its side, its approach to such common subjects as love in a manner quite out of the ordinary. As a whole, the album covers a wide range of musical ground, and one gets the feeling that Bess perhaps is trying to define her work as her own, as opposed to the music she’s been a part of working with others.

Although a guitarist, this album is certainly not an album revolving around her guitar playing. There’s an eclectic exploration here of sounds employing a wide range of instruments, but never are they the centerpiece of the songs. Instead, you’ll find yourself focusing on Bess’ voice and lyrics. Even the style and feel of the songs varies from alt-country to alt-waltz, and everything in between.


Bess Rogers - I Would Never : Decisions Based On Information

Bess Rogers - Only One : Decisions Based On Information

Visit her website and become her friend on MySpace.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Upcoming tour dates

04/22 Somerville, MA @ Johnny D’s
04/24 New York, NY @ National Underground
05/06 Brooklyn, New York @ Luna Lounge
06/13 Providence, RI @ Brooklyn Tea and Coffee

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am : Girls and Boys

Jenny Owen Youngs - Drinking Song : Batten the Hatches

Happy Merry Passover!

"Jewmongous is really just an extension of my bar mitzvah, simultaneously embracing and rebelling against my heritage."
-Sean Altman

Sean Altman, half of the now defunct comedy duo What I Like About Jew, is back, and although this time performing under the name Jewmongous, he's still having fun with his religion. And as his website proclaims, he's here to play unkosher comedy songs, and you'll find plenty of them on the album. You'll find bubble-gum rock, circus waltzes, an Irish shanty, big band swing, a jazz ballad, blues, a klezmer cover of the Ramones' I Wanna Be Sedated, and so on and so on. There is something here for everyone (so long as they can laugh a little).

And for today, Sean has cooked up They Tried to Kill Us (We Survived, Let's Eat) in the spirit of Passover! Think of Jewish version of They Might be Giants set to every imaginable musical genre available and you'll come close to Taller Than Jesus, this outrageous collection of 15 tracks

Jewmongous - They Tried To Kill Us (We Survived, Let's Eat) : Taller Than Jesus

Visit his website and become his friend on MySpace.

Chillin' with Mohanski

I really know next to nothing about Mohanski. Let me sum it up:

Fact #1 = I do know they're from England.
Fact #2 = They're re-releasing their oddly titled debut album Hotdog Chihuahua on April 29th.
Fact #3 = Said debut album has a cleverly designed cover that I dig (but strangely enough, lacking canines of any breed) .

And now for the conjecture:

Guess #1 = Based on their pics, I'd guess they're a 4 piece band, but in reality they have five members - Perhaps the fifth member is taking the picture?.
Guess #2 = They've obviously watched a lot of westerns because they know to have the sun at their back.

That's it. That's all I got. That being said, I suppose I should talk about the album now, and not them. It's totally got a laid back chill groove to it with organs funking and tambourines shaking. Imagine The Doors meet The Beach Boys, mixed up with your favorite jam band, Brit-pop-icize it (think Beta Band - try Airwolf below if you don't believe me), and then plug them in with some electronic exclamations snuck in between. It's completely an album to kick back with and contemplate the atomic weight of air.


Mohanski - Airwolf : Hotdog Chihuahua

Mohanski - I've Been Sold : Hotdog Chihuahua

Visit their website, their label Ugly Nephew Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

Record Store Day

So tomorrow is Record Store Day. What does that mean? It means you should get off you lazy, iTunes downloadin' arse and walk/bike/ride a horse/skydive/teleport yourself to your local small time music retailer and buy some music. Not just mp3's, but real solid honest-to-goodness music. Cassette, vinyl, CD, 8-track, I don't care what it is, just buy it. Lots of it. And before you do, talk to the guy or gal behind the counter and ask them what they recommend, because they love music even more than you do and might just have some suggestions that I might fail to make here on MISB.

Want to know more about it? Head over to the official Record Store Day Website where you can see if your local music dealer is in on the buzz. And while you're waiting for tomorrow to come, here is an mp3 for you to listen to!

Twilight Hotel - Viva La Vinyl : Highway Prayer

Think of One

There is a lot of really good music out there, and when I say out there, I don’t mean in Los Angeles (or Canada for that matter). If you think about it, most Americans stick to American music, or every so often get crazy when there’s a new British Invasion. It’s a shame really, as there a lot of different traditions out there that could add to our musical palette. In face, if you look back in history you’ll realize that other countries have been much more accepting of our music than we have been of theirs. For example, think of the massive exodus of jazz greats to Europe. Then again, we do listen to Irish drinking songs on St. Patrick’s Day.

At the turn of the month, Belgium collective Think Of One released their latest creation, Camping Shaâbi. The group is organized around leader and composer David Bovee, and whereas their last album was flavored with Brazilian music, this album circles around a collective love of Moroccan shaâbi. If you’re not familiar with shaâbi (and I wasn’t before hearing this album), it’s a modern day popular style of music that’s derived from traditional Berber music. To imbue it with a sense of authenticity, the group has brought five Moroccan musicians into the fold to collaborate with.

The product has an exotic flair to it that refreshingly feels most definitely UN-American. Instead of just copying a cultural tradition though and recording it as their own, Think Of One mixes in other diverse elements to claim it as their own. There are jazzy horns here and there to make exclamations, note altering electronica, and dub and hip-hop influences as well. On top of it all are vocals sung in Flemish, Arabic, French, and some English here and there (try below). If you’re at all familiar with OppressorZap Mama (who coincidentally is also Belgian), Think Of One is working of the same page.

Think of One - J'étais Jetée : Camping Shaâbi

Think of One - Oppressor : Camping Shaâbi

Visit their website, their label Crammed Discs, and become their friend on MySpace.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Zap Mama - Yelling Away : Ancestry In Progress

The Soul of Danielia Cotton

You know how usually most albums are somewhat top heavy? Typically the first few tracks are the ones that stick with you the most, and as you get deeper into the album, especially at the end, it often feels like filler. When I first played Rare Child, the second album from Danielia Cotton, the first few songs struck me as good, but didn’t really completely grab me. It wasn’t until I got into the middle of the album that my ears really started perking up and paying total attention.

There are two things I take away from listening to the album in its entirety. First, and foremost, is Cotton’s voice. It’s the kind of voice that seems like would easily overwhelm a microphone if the singer really got up on it. It’s full, it’s powerful, but it still is graceful and feminine. It’s the kind of voice that I could picture singing gospel solos sans mic and still completely filling a room. Don’t think I’m simply suggesting it’s loud; that’s most definitely not the case. Even with its intensity, it still carries rich emotions and shades of subtlety.

The second aspect of the album which I enjoy, and which complements and even lifts Cotton’s vocals, is the blues tainted soul sounds that the music carries. While some of the tracks rock nice and loud, others convey a hushed intimateness. Regardless, both tones feel equally familiar with Cotton’s spirit.

Returning to my original observations about Danielia’s voice, she was raised listening to the jazz and gospel music that her mother and aunts sang, which could account for that strong presence her voice carries. The album is the follow-up to her debut, Small White Town, which came out back in 2005, and hits shelves on May 20th.

Danielia Cotton - Bang My Drum : Rare Child


Danielia Cotton - Running : Rare Child

Visit her website, her label , and become her friend on MySpace.

Mainstream turns TWO!

(looking in the mirror and practicing...)

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my mom, my great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Franklin, the four great artists in my brand new banner (especially Vanilla Ice for proving a white man really can roll in a 5.0), all Harlem Globetrotters (past and present...and future while I'm at it), the Dalai Lama (I'm not buying all that hype China's trying to sell us), Soul Train...

But seriously, it's really hard to believe that this party has been rolling along for two years now. This here is post # 537! Along the way I've told you about my first concert (Motley Crue - who coincidentally is coming around for Crue Fest 2008 this summer - anyone want to go?), confessed I love romantic comedies, and shared a whole boatload of music. I'm not going to get all gushy with you - that's not how I roll here at MISB. Instead I'll just thank you all for swingin' through.


Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - 2:22 : Nothing But the Water

Belle & Sebastian - Dirty Dream Number Two : The Boy with the Arab Strap

Bruce Springsteen - Two Hearts : The River

Wally Pleasant - Two For One Coupon : Hoedown

Page France - We Remain as Two : Come, I'm a Lion!

Ben Lee - 2 Sisters : Something to Remember Me By

Tricky - Carriage For Two : Angels With Dirty Faces

Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two : Profilin' the Hits

Johnny Cash - Two Timin' Woman : Unearthed I: Who's Gonna Cry

William Bell - Tryin' To Love Two : Tryin' To Love Two 7" (get it on Greatest Hits, Vol. 1)

Bitter:Sweet - Take 2 Blue : The Mating Game

Elvis Perkins - Moon Woman 2 : Ash Wednesday

Gemma Hayes - Two Steps : The Roads Don't Love You

The Fiery Furnaces - Two Fat Feet : Gallowsbird's Bark

Call The 900 Number

You probably don't recognize the name 45 King. That's cool - consider this your lesson then, because if you consider yourself a hip-hop fan..ESPECIALLY an old school fan, you need to get educated. His name comes from the fact that he cooks up beats using 45's - some obscure, others well known. King got his start as the "record boy" for Bronx-based rap pioneers the Funky 4. This gave him an inside peak, and the savory taste, of what could be spun to pump out the breaks that initially kindled hip-hop as a genre unto itself. He's been spinning vinyl himself since the mid-80's, but the beat he's probably most famous for dropping is one that he took a looping tenor sax solo from Marva Whitney's Unwind Yourself for and used it in his track The 900 Number, which was in turn sampled by DJ Kool in his track Let Me Clear My Throat back in 1996.

Fast forward to 2008, when 45 King's beat has been brought back to life, this time with DJ Pase Rock laying down some brand new lyrics on the 2k8 version which you can hear below. Listen closely, and you just might catch on to the fact that the entire song is pieced together using lyrics and song titles from other songs opening up with Tag Team's Whoomp! (There It Is), and going on to Arthur Conley, Loose Joints, James Brown, Montell Jordan, Stardust, Ludacris, Mylo, Freddie Jackson, Outkast, Timbaland, Nelly, Eminem, M.I.A., Afrika Bambaata, The Beastie Boys, Eric B and Rakim, Fedde le Grand, 50 cent, East 17, Kanye West, LL Cool J, Kylie Minogue, Usher, Kanye West, P Diddy, Will Smith, Maze, Dr. Dre, Mims, Trick Daddy, R Kelly, This is Justice, Fat Joe, Chaka Demus, DJ Khaled, and Snoop Dogg. I know I'm missing some here - but I'm pretty sure every line comes from someplace else.

In addition to the re-worked 900 Number tracks (there's a remix of the new version as well), 45 King's new EP includes a few new tracks as well featuring Pase Rock, Wale, and 4th Pyramid. All of this comes together thanks to Scion, the same folks who put out the Ghostface Killah tracks I wrote about last week. Here's the 900 track, along with some of the songs that are referred to in the lyrics.

45 King Vs. Pase Rock - The 900 Number (2k8) : Scion A/V Remix - 45 King

DJ Kool - Let Me Clear My Throat (live) : Let Me Clear My Throat

Tag Team - Whoomp! (There It Is) : Whoomp! (There It Is)

Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It : Def Jam's Greatest Hits

Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock (Old School Classic Mix) : Planet Rock Remixes Vol. 1

LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out : All World - Greatest Hits

Visit 45's website and become his friend on MySpace.

Become Pase Rock's friend on MySpace.

In the Name of Love

“Paul and I wanted to develop an easy entry point for the growing global community where they could get more involved and learn something deeper about Africa. It’s really a focus on the key successes of several regions, and the African artists who originate from these areas. It’s our goal for the public to learn more about all the good that’s happening in Africa . We are trying to garner excitement about the culture, in addition to drawing people toward the struggles of Darfur , etc. This is a project which celebrates Africa !”

-Shawn Amos, In the Name of Love producer

Say what you will of Bono and U2's music, whether you like it or not, you can't argue with the band's involvement with the world around them, the charitable work they've performed, and the money and awareness they've raised for issues of all types.

In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 is an album that serves two purposes: to pay homage to Bono for his efforts, and to showcase the talent of some current African artists, both known internationally and others who are not. In pursuit of these goals, twelve African artists (both solo and groups) have taken twelve U2 tracks (some well known, others not so) and interpreted them through their particular cultural prism. What comes out are covers that retain some familiarity while at the same time boldly jaunting off into original territory.

Besides the music, another appealing aspect of the album is the liner notes, which include background information on each artist such as their country of origin, its date of independence, population size, main export, major issue facing the region, recent actions taken to improve its current state, and relevant websites with additional information. Here's the page for the first track below, an interpretation of Mysterious Ways by Angelique Kidjo, which is performed multi lingually.

Each artist has their own page in the liner notes, allowing the listener to connect with more than just the sounds from the album. Not only is this a wonderful collection of music, but a portion of the album's proceeds will directly benefit The Global Fund. For far too long Africa's issues have been ignored and unresolved. Educate yourself, buy the album, support change.

Angélique Kidjo - Mysterious Ways (U2 cover) : In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2

Soweto Gospel Choir - Pride (In The Name Of Love) (U2 cover) : In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2

Visit the album's official website.
Visit The Global Fund's website as well to educate yourself.

Sunday Soul - The Soul Clan

You want to talk about a Dream Team? Forget about basketball - instead think of the Soul Clan. Formed in 1968, it included Solomon Burke, Ben E. King, Arthur Conley, Joe Tex, and Don Covay, five heavyweights of soul at its artistic height. Originally Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett were going to be on board as well - can you imagine that line-up, damn?!!? Unfortunately, by the time the project kicked into gear Otis had died in a tragic plane crash and Wilson mysteriously pulled out.

The group got together and laid down just one 45 RPM single, two tracks, before dissolving and becoming the stuff of legends. Soul Meeting, the A-side, can be found on Solomon Burke's The Definitive Soul Collection. The B-side, That's How I Feel, was recently released with a slew of other dusty gems on Atlantic Unearthed : Soul Brothers. But to truly experience the magic, listen to the songs the way they were meant to below - on vinyl!

The Soul Clan - Soul Meeting : Soul Meeting 7"

The Soul Clan - That's How I Feel : Soul Meeting 7" B-side


Solomon Burke - Got to Get You Off My Mind : Got to Get You Off My Mind 7"

Solomon Burke - Peepin' : Got to Get You Off My Mind 7" B-side

Try Live At The House Of Blues to get a taste of Solomon doing what he does best - working a crowd.

Ben E. King - I (Who Have Nothing) : I (Who Have Nothing) 7"

Ben E. King - The Beginning of Time : I (Who Have Nothing) 7" B-side

Get the A-side on The Very Best of Ben E. King.

Arthur Conley - Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack : Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack 7"

Arthur Conley - Is That You Love : Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack 7" B-side

Get a great collection of Arthur's songs on The Platinum Collection.

Joe Tex - Show Me : Show Me 7"

Joe Tex - A Woman Sees A Hard Time : Show Me 7" B-side

Skinny Legs & All has the A-side and a fine collections of Joe's songs from the 60's when he was in top form.

Don Covay - Seesaw : Atlantic Gold: 75 Soul Classics From The Atlantic Vaults (Disc 2)

French Kicks kick again

"On this record, we hoped to capture the joy of friends playing together in a relaxed way. We used a lot of first and second takes and tried to preserve a sense of immediacy and discovery that comes from putting things down before you really have a chance to think too hard. It's bolder, and at the same time more intimate, than anything we've done."

-Josh Wise, French Kicks' guitarist/vocalist

The French Kicks are not new to the scene, but with the release of Swimming, they've created perhaps their best album yet. I know that's a pretty heavy boast, and not one that I make lightly, but ever since I first spun the album, it's hooked me. As with their previous work, the album is very strongly percussively driven. The beat is strong and central to driving most of the tracks on the album. Not only is that beat ever present, but the album as a whole sounds, and feels, fuller, more complex, more complete. I enjoyed Two Thousand, but I'm LOVING Swimming. There's a lot of really catchy material here - and I don't mean in a Macarena kind of way.

It's already out digitally, but you'll have to wait until May 20th to pick up a physical version.



French Kicks - Abandon : Swimming

French Kicks - Carried Away : Swimming

and a few older ones:

French Kicks - A Delicate Hang : Roller EP

French Kicks - Knee High : Daytrotter Session

Visit their website, their label Vagrant Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Upcoming Tour Dates

4/15 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
4/24 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
4/25 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
4/26 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
4/27 Asheville, NC @ Bald Eagle
5/15 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
5/16 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
5/18 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
5/19 Sacramento, CA @ Blue Lamp
5/22 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
5/23 San Diego, CA @ The Casbah

Hve you listened to Van Morrison lately?

R&B, jazz, blues, country, Celtic folk - Van Morrison has been an artist who's played them all by his own rules since he first started making music back in the 60's, and he's not stopping any time soon. Ever since his first band, Them, and it's long-lasting, oft-covered Gloria, Van Morrison has created music that stands out as both unique and artistically diverse, with no regard as to popular trends or acceptance. On April 1st he release the aptly titled Keep It Simple, his first album of all new material since 1999.

The album opens up with the 100% pure blues track How Can A Poor Boy? (which you can listen to below). Morrison's love of the blues is common knowledge; listen to his 1993 album Too Long In Exile where he pairs up with blues' legend John Lee Hooker for proof. From there Morrison shift through his broad repertoire of genres. Try Song of Home for a different flavor, one of some clean country gospel.

There's not necessarily anything revolutionary here, just thoroughly solid music that Morrison continuously works to get as close to perfection as possible. And amazingly, after being at it for over 40 years, his voice still smoothly descends, ascends, and enticingly pulls you in like a gypsy fortune teller. The album has comfortably familiar warmth to it for Morrison fans, which some might interpret as staleness, but when you have such a unique and inimitable style, why would you want to lose that?

The album is already out, so enjoy the two tracks below for a preview, then head to Morrison's website to listen to the rest of the album and decide if it's a required addition to your collection.



Van Morrison - How Can A Poor Boy : Keep It Simple

Van Morrison - Song of Home : Keep It Simple

Visit his website, his label Lost Highway Records, and become his friend on MySpace.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Van Morrison, Sinéad O'Connor & The Chieftains - Have I Told You Lately : Live On Letterman: Music From The Late Show

Them - Gloria : Gloria 7" (get it on Them Featuring Van Morrison)