Some bloghopping stops to entertain you while my next real post lingers behind schedule.

Make Kate's day by stopping by and wishing The Glorious Hum a Happy 2nd Birthday.

Heather loves The Swimmers almost as much as I do, get their live EP at I Am Fuel,You Are Friends.

Michael and Trip at Teenage Kicks share their excellent new discovery Jeremy Fisher.

Bruce does double duty bringing us Mary Louise Parker shaking the moneymaker on a pool table to Illinois on his new blog Philadelphia Freedom, and a taste of some exclusive live Spoon at Some Velvet Blog

Powerpopulist finds the good stuff for you so you don't have to

Heather's not the only show in Colorado, Julio at Cause=Time brings an endless stream of new and excellent music your way

And last but not least don't miss my trip back through high school as I guest blog with The Duke over at The Late Greats

MP3: Tommy Tutone - 867-5309 Jenny

Paying a bit of a tribute today to Mississippi, birthplace of the blues and home to many infamous juke joints like the one in the photo above where you could hear authentic blues music, drink, and dance the night away. Here's a few songs influenced by the deep south Mississippi sound.


MP3: North Mississippi Allstars - Goin' Down South
Buy Shake Hands With Shorty
MP3: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Missisippi Kid
Buy Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd
MP3: ZZ Top - My Head's In Mississippi
Buy Recycler


[PHOTO CREDIT]

Via Vanguard Records:
MUSIC ROYALTY COMES TOGETHER TO PAY TRIBUTE TO FATS DOMINO ON NEW CD
GOIN’ HOME: A Tribute to Fats Domino

LANDMARK RECORDING TO BENEFIT TIPITINA’S FOUNDATION MISSION OF SAVING THE MUSICAL CULTURE OF NEW ORLEANS

Icons from the world of rock, blues, reggae, pop and country music have joined together to salute the genius of legendary piano man FATS DOMINO for the upcoming double CD set, Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino.

Goin’ Home is set for a September 25th release on Vanguard Records. This stellar tribute to one of the cornerstones of rock n’ roll music will help raise desperately needed funds specifically earmarked for instruments to be donated to New Orleans’ public school children.

Monies raised from the sales of Goin’ Home will also go toward the rebuilding of Fats Domino’s home and to create a community center in the Crescent City’s still ravaged Lower 9th Ward. Proceeds of Goin’ Home will fund additional community related
programs.

The Tipitina’s Foundation, a 501 ©(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to preserving the cultural legacy of New Orleans through music education for the youth and providing programs that support working musicians of New Orleans and the Gulf Region, conceived and executive produced Goin’ Home.

The roster of music royalty contributing their interpretations of classic Fats Domino songs include: Sir Elton John (Blueberry Hill), Sir Paul McCartney (I Want To Walk You Home), Tom Petty (I’m Walkin’), Robert Plant (It Keeps Rainin’), Willie Nelson (I Hear You Knockin’), B.B. King (Goin’ Home) and Neil Young (Walkin’ To New Orleans).

Goin’ Home will also feature the late John Lennon’s version of Fats’ most popular song, “Ain’t That A Shame.”

In addition, some of modern music’s most prolific artists have contributed their time and talent including Lenny Kravitz, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Ben Harper with The Skatalites, Toots and The Maytals, Taj Mahal, Herbie Hancock and Bonnie Raitt. Up and coming stars such as Marc Broussard with Sam Bush, Corrine Bailey Rae and Joss Stone with blues master Buddy Guy have recorded their renditions for this unique compilation.

The participation of some of New Orleans’ greatest musicians has been paramount in the process of recording of Goin’ Home. Dr. John, Art Neville, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Galactic,Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Theresa Andersson, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Rebirth Brass Band and NOLA funk masters George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste, Leo Nocentelli and Henry Butler.

Goin’ Home is the brainchild of Tipitina’s Foundation executive director Bill Taylor. “The idea came to me last September when I was trying to come up with a way to thank Fats for donating the proceeds of his last recording, Alive and Kickin’ to our Foundation. I also wanted to create a project that could shine the spotlight on our city’s unique music culture”.

Kevin Welk, President and General Manager of The Welk Music Group stated, "We feel privileged to be involved in such a worthy project. Not only is this a great cause, it continues to raise awareness to a great city that needs all of our support."

Taylor adds, “Fats Domino is the cornerstone of New Orleans music, which in turn became the bedrock for R&B, Soul, Country, Reggae and Rock and Roll. Getting him back to his Lower 9th Ward house will send a clear message to his friends, neighbors and fans that we in New Orleans are coming back and Fats is leading the way.”


Some great new music for a worthy cause and a tribute to true legend. Here's a tasty sample to tide you over until September 25th rolls around.

MP3: Randy Newman - Blue Monday
MP3: Marc Broussard(feat Sam Bush) - Rising Sun
Buy GOIN’ HOME: A Tribute to Fats Domino

[VANGUARD RECORDS]

Sorry folks not the kind of leaks your thinking of, but the ones in my basement that require pieces of copper pipe and soldering. The ones that also ate up the portion of my day when I'd usually be preparing 5 on A Friday for you, so unfortunately it will be MIA today.

Here's one more taste of the amazing new Josh Ritter album The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter that hits stores tomorrow. Watch as Josh and the band get their inner Spoon on in a song that would make Britt Daniel proud. [Buy it]

Josh Ritter and the band perform "Minds Eye," from the Fall 2007 new album "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter." Filmed and edited by the folks of "Juan's Basement."

Today for Monday Morning blues, back to 1966, when Eric Clapton still played guitar like it really mattered. The John Mayall's Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton album is full of raw, incendiary, blues guitar playing and was the precursor to the formation of Cream.

Allmusic.com describes it thusly:

Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton was Eric Clapton's first fully realized album as a blues guitarist — more than that, it was a seminal blues album of the 1960s, perhaps the best British blues album ever cut, and the best LP ever recorded by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Standing midway between Clapton's stint with the Yardbirds and the formation of Cream, this album featured the new guitar hero on a series of stripped-down blues standards, Mayall pieces, and one Mayall/Clapton composition, all of which had him stretching out in the idiom for the first time in the studio. This album was the culmination of a very successful year of playing with John Mayall, a fully realized blues creation, featuring sounds very close to the group's stage performances, and with no compromises. Credit has to go to producer Mike Vernon for the purity and simplicity of the record; most British producers of that era wouldn't have been able to get it recorded this way, much less released. One can hear the very direct influence of Buddy Guy and a handful of other American bluesmen in the playing. And lest anyone forget the rest of the quartet: future pop/rock superstar John McVie and drummer Hughie Flint provide a rock-hard rhythm section, and Mayall's organ playing, vocalizing, and second guitar are all of a piece with Clapton's work. His guitar naturally dominates most of this record, and he can also be heard taking his first lead vocal, but McVie and Flint are just as intense and give the tracks an extra level of steel-strung tension and power, none of which have diminished across several decades.

MP3 : John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - Steppin' Out
MP3 : John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - Double Crossing Time
MP3 : John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - Key To Love

Buy John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton

This cd was first brought to my attention by a friend of the band, who is enamored by the idea that it synchs up with the 1972 film Solaris. Much in the same way Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon is purported to synch up with the Wizard Of Oz. I'll leave the final determination on that matter to the more "adventurous" of you out there.

The Lightning Bug Situation is the work of Brian Miller, who is one half of San Francisco's The Speakers along with Peter Musselman and also plays guitar in Jolie Holland's band. The new disc, A Leaf;A Stream is essentially Brian's solo project, but the album is filled out with contributions of many musical friends and family members.

Brian attached a sticky note to the copy of the disc cd he sent me which said "I hope you like it---I put my heart into it." It couldn't be more obvious upon listening, the album is an intense, intimate, personal portrait. You get an amazing sense of Brian's world from the spoken word recollections of his family members, interspersed with his atmospheric folk pop songs. The birth of his new baby, the emotional struggles with his partner Nancy, the heartbreak of losing their dog Topher, the emotions these events trigger are all laid bare in the music. To listen is to feel them with him, the music is it's own movie.

MP3: The Lightning Bug Situation - Topher's Last Song
MP3: The Lightning Bug Situation - Iraqi Man And Baby Daughter, 2007
Buy A Leaf; A Stream

[WEBSITE]

Here's some pictures from Friday night's Illuminea CD release party show at Johnny Brenda's. First up for the night was Whales And Cops who put on an amazing display of precision, They reminded me a lot of Battles or the new stuff from Minus The Bear. Then came BOS favorites The Swimmers who just keep sounding better evrytime I see them. It was also cool to hear a couple brand new songs in thier set, every bit as good as the stuff on Fighting Trees. The lovely Illuminea girls also joined them for a bit with some extra backing vocals and percussion. Illuminea then took to the stage opening with the title track of their excellent new CD Out Of Our Mouths and playing a mix of new and older songs including a incredible cover of Reach Out I'll Be There with The Swimmers returning the earlier favor on additional backing vocals. A fun night all around.

Whales And Cops The Swimmers

Bruce Springsteen's 'Magic' Set for October 2 Release on Columbia Records

'Magic,' Bruce Springsteen's new studio recording and his first with the E Street Band in five years, is set for release by Columbia Records on October 2, 2007. Produced and mixed by Brendan O'Brien, the album features eleven new Springsteen songs and was recorded at Southern Tracks Recording Studio in Atlanta, GA.

'Magic' Song Titles:

1. Radio Nowhere
2. You'll Be Comin' Down
3. Livin' in the Future
4. Your Own Worst Enemy
5. Gypsy Biker
6. Girls in Their Summer Clothes
7. I'll Work for Your Love
8. Magic
9. Last to Die
10. Long Walk Home
11. Devil's Arcade

'Magic' is the first new studio album by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band since 2002's GRAMMY Award-winning, multi-platinum, number one album 'The Rising' (Columbia Records), which was also produced by O'Brien.

Bruce Springsteen's longtime manager Jon Landau said, "'Magic' is a high energy rock CD. It’s light on its feet, incredibly well played by Bruce and the members of the E Street Band, and, as always, has plenty to say. It’s also immensely entertaining. 'Magic' is the third collaboration between Bruce and Brendan O'Brien and is a culmination of their very productive creative relationship."


Yes folks, you're reading that right, and no, it's not from The Onion. It's really called "Magic", and that press release really calls it "light on it's feet" and "immensely entertaining" .

[WEBSITE]

I don't often go back to the same record so quickly, but thanks to my inbox I can now bring you some more music from the gem that is The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter. I talked a little about Josh Ritter's new album before, but my little sysnopsis didn't really do it justice, you need to hear it. This is one of those records that just gets better and better with each listen. A best of 2007 contender for sure. It hits stores next Tuesday, August 21, when you should all rush out and buy it immediately. In the meantime here's another taste for you. This is the opening track called To The Dogs or Whoever. Listen as it opens with some M.Ward style noises, morphing into Dylanesque verses, which break into a chorus that'll have you singing along on the first go around. Oh and he's on tour too, dates here.

MP3: Josh Ritter - To The Dogs or Whoever
Buy The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

[PHOTO CREDIT] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals just released a widely acclaimed new album called This Is Somewhere, a title inspired by Neil Young's Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.

Guitarist Scott Tournet and drummer Matt Burr on the new album from the band's bio:

"It was our intention to make an album that sounded like it was
made in 1973, and we did it," says Tournet. "We wanted to make a record that was
intelligent, cohesive and accessible, like the records we love." Burr added, "We
were dreaming of albums like Neil Young's Harvest and the Stones' Exile on Main
Street, where they went into a comfortable environment with natural reverb that
wasn't necessarily built as a studio. That's where we were coming from, and
we're pretty psyched with the final product. It definitely captured the warmth
and vibe we wanted."

Lofty aspirations for any band, and they have succeeded on a certain level. Any of the songs on This Is Somewhere would feel right at home on 70's Top 40 radio. This is new music for classic rock fans. Solid blues based rock and roll it reminds me of bands like Heart, Pat Benatar or Linda Ronstadt's 70's output. Ah Mary is one of the more rocking songs in an album heavy on slower midtempo numbers. They have been steadily building their fanbase through endless touring and captivating live shows and have been readily embraced by fans on the jam band circuit. A devoted following that can carry a band a long way, if you can earn it, and they have.
Check them out if they come your way.

MP3: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals - Ah Mary
Buy This Is Somewhere

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

A random daily double today. Two from 1972. A couple of classic power poppers from The Rasberries to get you over the hump for this week. Think they weren't influential, listen to I Wanna Be With You and just try not to hear Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run, a song that would follow nearly 3 years later.
And now they're back for more, The Rasberries recently reunited for some shows and a hot new album, Live On Susnset Strip on Rykodisc which just hit stores a couple weeks ago.

MP3: The Rasberries - I Wanna Be With You
Buy Fresh Rasberries
MP3: The Rasberries - Go All The Way
Buy The Rasberries

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this at least once this week. This is the 30th annual Elvis Week commemorating his untimely death in Memphis on August 16th, 1977. Taking place from August 11th - 19th this year, with Wednesday the 15th being the night of the annual candle light vigil at Graceland. Back in 2001, I happened to be in Memphis during Elvis week and was able to witness this event firsthand. It's an outpouring of fan love and adoration that is pretty amazing to see.
[LIVE GRACELAND CAM]

The Candlelight Vigil
At 8:30 PM there is an opening ceremony at the gates of the Graceland Mansion property. Then, fans are invited to walk up the driveway to Elvis’s gravesite and back down carrying a candle in quiet remembrance. Free admission. No tickets or reservations. Gates remain open until all who wish to participate in the procession have done so, which typically takes until the early morning hours of August 16, the anniversary date of Elvis’s passing. Free secured parking at the Graceland visitor center complex after 6:00 PM. Prior to Elvis Week, posted here will be a link to the text of the special information and guidelines flyer for the vigil that is handed out at Graceland during Elvis Week.

[OFFICIAL ELVIS WEBSITE] [ELVIS WEEK] [SCHEDULE OF EVENTS]

Kim Richey "Jack and Jill"

I talked about Kim Richey's new disc Chinese Boxes a while back. Here's the newest video, for the song Jack And Jill. Sure, it lays it on a bit thick in it's hyper-literal interpretation of the song, but it's a damn cool animation and a great song. Reminds me a bit of that semi-animated video by the band A-Ha back in the 80's.

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [BUY Chinese Boxes]

Jimmy Smith
Some smoldering, bluesy organ sounds to start your week off on a good groove.

MP3: Ray Charles - Tell Me How Do You Feel
Buy The Birth Of Soul
MP3: Jimmy Smith - Tuition Blues
Buy Dot Com Blues
MP3: Deep Purple - Lazy
Buy Machine Head



More Info : [RAY CHARLES] [JIMMY SMITH] [DEEP PURPLE]

Brooklyn's The Boggs kicked off the show last night at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia and set the bar very high with a set of highly percussive double drummed indie rock. Amazing. A band I will definitley be looking to see again. White Rabbits were up next and were a bit of a let down, pretty much phoning it in for the first 3/4 of their set. After someone in the house bought the band a round of shots they played the last few songs like they really mattered. Blistering versions of The Plot from their latest record, and a cover of Bob Dylan's Maggie's Farm were amazing. Obviously they can pull it off if they want too, maybe next time.
Last up was The Cribs who I had extremely high expectations for after listening to ther great new record Men's Needs,Women Need's,Whatever. They blew threw my expectations ten fold and played with an onstage fury I haven't seen in a long time. The same type of energy level The Ramones used to put out, absolutely amazing, go see them if you can, they won't be playing small venues for long.
Here's a few photos from the show.
The Boggs White Rabbits The Cribs

Hey folks, do not fear, our normal 5 on A Friday feature will be up a little later today. Sorry ,this week' s been a little slack while I iron out the file hosting issues here. In the meantime don't miss some of the best of our artists of the day that were featured in my guest blogger spot on Break Thru Radio this week

Monday - The Swimmers
Tuesday - Chelsea Taube
Wednesday - Desmond Reed
Thursday - Creeping Weeds
Friday - 5 On A Friday - Bless 1, Saturna, Birds.Fled.From.Me, Elliot Jack, Morgan Ryan

Sorry folks, many of the older recent files are no longer available due to some bandwith issues I've been having at the moment . But fret not for the future, the problem should be gone for good in the next couple days.(Thanks HB!) Thanks for hanging in there !

If you're a fan, Josh Ritter and rock in the same sentence? you're thinking to yourself about now. Doesn't he write those nice, folky, singer songwriter type songs like Kathleen or Thin Blue Flame ? Yes that's him, but he obvously he must have been keeping some of that emotion bottled up inside because his new album The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter is rock and roll like Nick Lowe used to write in the late 70's and early 80's, (the Labour Of Lust /Rockpile period) that stick in your head for weeks after just one listen.
Check out the opening track To The Dogs Or Whoever which starts out as a Dylanesque ramble then bursts into an organ filled singalong chorus "I thought I heard somebody callin',In the dark I thought I heard somebody call" or the single, Right Moves, with its chugging motown bass line and try not to dance along. The whole album is one great song after another. Fear not lovers of his acoustic side there's plenty there to keep you satisfied as well, check out the brilliant Temptation Of Adam or Still Beating for a taste of that classic Josh Ritter storytelling.

MP3 : Josh Ritter - Right Moves
Buy The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter

Paste Magazine Presents
JOSH RITTER (full band tour):
03-Oct-07 Northampton, MA - Pearl Street Ballroom
04-Oct-07 Boston, MA Somerville Theater
05-Oct-07 Boston, MA Somerville Theater
06-Oct-07 Westport CT - TBC
09-Oct-07 Washington D.C. 9:30 Club
11-Oct-07 Charlottesville, VA - TBC
13-Oct-07 Lewisburg, WV - Carnegie Hall Performing Arts Center
14-Oct-07 Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage radio show
15-Oct-07 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
16-Oct-07 Chicago, IL - Park West
17-Oct-07 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center
18-Oct-07 Boulder, CO - Fox Theater
20-Oct-07 Boise, ID - Egyptian Theater
21-Oct-07 Seattle - Showbox
22-Oct-07 Portland - Aladdin Theater
23-Oct-07 Portland - Aladdin Theater
24-Oct-07 San Francisco - Bimbo's 365 Club
25-Oct-07 Los Angeles - El Rey
27-Oct-07 Tucson, AZ -Plush
29-Oct-07 Austin, TX - the Parish
31-Oct-07 Birmingham AL - Workplay
01-Nov-07 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
02-Nov-07 Nashville, TN - Exit-Inn
03-Nov-07 Louisville, KY - Headliners
04-Nov-07 Cincinnati, OH - Southgate House
0?-Nov-07 Carrborro, NC - Cat's Cradle - TBC
07-Nov-07 Philadelphia - World Cafe Live
09-Nov-07 New York - Webster Hall

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

Concerted by Jonathan Fischer - www.myspace.com/concertedcomic

Talking blues is a style that originated on the late twenties and is typified by sing speak vocals over top of a repeated guitar part. Woodie Guthrie used this style as the basis for a lot of his songs, and later Bob Dylan, as well as many others who continue to carry the style forward. Here's three fine examples for you today.

MP3: Bob Dylan - Talking World War III Blues
Buy The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
MP3: John Wesley Harding - Talking Return Of The Great Folk Scare Blues
Buy Dynablob
MP3: Todd Snider - Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues
Buy Songs For The Daily Planet

[PHOTO CREDIT]

Some photos from Friday night's incredibly good show at Johnny Brenda's In Philadelphia with Cartwright, Creeping Weeds, These United States, and the Adam Arcuragi Band

Cartwright Creeping Weeds


These United States
Adam Arcuragi Band