Big Eyed Fish
Bartender
Stay or Leave
Write a Song
Seven
Crush
Alligator pie
Shake Me Like A Monkey
#41
What Would You Say
Spaceman
Cornbread
Sister
Gravedigger
Why I Am
You & Me
Two Step
Encore:
Some Devil
Time Bomb
Watchtower
And 1/2 of Carter’s drum stick
A friend recently asked me what albums can I listen to all the way through and never get sick of. A tough question on the spot but nonetheless I was able to figure out a handful.
Bob Marley: Legend
Do I really need to explain this one? From beginning to end this CD is such an incredible compilation of music from an artist whose songs and lyrics are appreciated worldwide.
O.A.R.: The Wanderer
Those who know me are well aware that O.A.R. is my favorite band and those who know O.A.R. were probably introduced to them by the song “That Was A Crazy Game of Poker” like I was. While I can listen to their music day in and day out, this CD is definitely a chart topper for me, as it seemed everything just clicked when I listened to the album. From “Poker” and “Conquering Fools,” two favs and ending with “About Mr. Brown” and “Ladanday” this CD brings me back to my days at ASU when I first heard of the band and that first show at Nita’s Hideaway.
Donavon Frankenreiter: Self-Titled
He just rereleased this as Hawaiian-style but to me this was one heck of a debut album that had sweet tunes and beautiful lyrics on every track. Add guest appearances by Jack Johnson and G. Love and what you get is a remarkable album from a surfer turned rocker.
Bruce Springsteen: Essential Hits Vol.1
Hit after hit but to me, the best version of “Blinded By The Light,” “Rosalita” is a song that should be on everyone’s playlist and “Born to Run” is just legendary. You can’t go wrong with the Boss and this three disc set is fantastic but disc 1 takes the cake.
Dave Matthews Band: Under The Table and Dreaming
I remember when my brother gave me this CD and I think for an entire summer I didn’t listen to anything else. To think that this album spurred on my love of DMB and to know I could pop in the CD or play on the iPod and it would be like day one all over again.
Jurassic 5: EP
This EP is to me arguably one of the greatest hip-hop CDs of all-time. The lyrics are fresh and it was a breakout in the alternative hip-hop scene and aligning J5 with the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Kool Keith and Black Star.
Lupe Fiasco: The Cool
I’ve been a Lupe fan since I first heard “Kick Push” and after seeing him live I was amazed. When The Cool came out, I just really dug the sound and the lyrics he spits.
Caesars: Paper Tigers
You know that song from one of the first iPod commercials, “Jerk it out?” Well what if I told you that was the worst song on the entire album. This disc has a good tempo all the way through a definitely a great CD for a workout or road trip.
Kings of Leon: Youth and Young Manhood
The first disc from the fellas is raw and I love it. It’s just good clean rock and roll, also a must have for any KoL fan. They’ve definitely stepped up their game in the years but this disc is special.
Courtesy of NPR Music, click HERE to check out “Rise” from Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke’s solo effort The Boxer which was released earlier this summer.
Check out his www.iamkele.com for more information on the new album.
B.o.B. better be winning some awards* in the future because his LP The Adventures of Bobby Ray is turning into a debut album like Maroon 5’s Songs About Jane which had hit after hit after hit. “Magic” featuring Rivers Cuomo of Weezer is the latest from B.o.B. to strike gold in part thanks to a new Adidas commercial. Following “Nothing On You” featuring Bruno Mars and “Airplanes” featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore he is on quite a streak. If “Past My Shades” featuring Lupe Fiasco makes it next, I’ll be a happy camper but the whole album is one to have in your catalog.
* he has won a Teen Choice Award and is nominated for five MTV VMAs
With a successful first day at Mile High Music Festival I was definitely looking forward to Day 2 and the great line-up.
Overall Day 2 was a rousing success. I would have loved to have taken in the performances by Weezer, Z-Trip, Boombox and Atmosphere but just like Day 1, too much music and too many decisions to make.
Also pretty saddened of the Denver Post’s coverage of the festival since it was in their backyard and only sending one reporter to cover and not even given a fair shake to many of the 40 plus acts over the two days. I mean on Day 1 the reporter didn’t even arrive until after 4 p.m. surely missing some great performances. You can read the recaps here and here.
I saw this while in Denver for Mile High Music Festival and 100% believe it. Do you?
More notes from Day 1: Beta Beach was bumping great house music all day and provided a good place to cool off in the water playground; in Coors Country and Budweiser was the beer sponsor?; Whole Foods was easily the best vendor at MHMF with cheap (yes, really) food and drinks and an amazing deal on SIGG water bottles and Honest Tea refills for $1; Justin’s Almond Butter and Hazelnut Spread are amazing; TicketHorse is the future of purchasing concert tickets.
Less than 24 hours from taking flight to Denver and I am super stoked about Mile High Music Festival and completely jazzed about seeing Slightly Stoopid. Let’s forget the fact that I’ve seen them live eight times already and get ready to rock out to some of the best music around.
Blending acoustic rock with blues, reggae, hip-hop, ska and punk, their shows are some of the most high energy and fun live music events you could attend. By now everyone should know Slightly Stoopid but if you don’t, know this; they were originally signed to Skunk Records by Bradley Nowell of Sublime and continue to build an amazing following through no major record label instead choosing to release their albums under their own label, Stoopid Records.
They’ve played with everyone from Dave Matthews Band and G. Love to The Roots, Ozomatli and Pepper among countless others and are constantly touring and making new fans every day and in every city. And for all you hip-hop heads out there, last year the fellas co-headlined a tour with Snoop Dogg.
Two of my favorite memories are from several years back but too good not to share. In the summer of 2003 I went to the Sprite Liquid Mix Tour in Irvine; we’re talking The Roots, O.A.R., Robert Randolph, Talib Kweli and N.E.R.D., and on a small side stage there they were, Slightly Stoopid. First time I got a chance to see them live and thankfully we were outside because if we were inside, they would have blown the roof straight off the building. The vibe was unlike any other and everyone was getting down as if they were the headliners. My second favorite memory comes from Vegoose 2005 which was a music festival in Las Vegas that lasted three years. So the line-up comes out and I am adamant on seeing them no matter that they were the first act of the day and on mad early. We had been out til the wee hours the night before, rally together and head on down to the festival grounds only to find out that they are playing the main stage inside, Sam Boyd Stadium. With a football stadium as the backdrop it was music paradise and set the stage for an unbelievable festival.
So Miles, Kyle and the gang – see you Saturday.
Big ups and congrats to my friend and former colleague Adam Chen and his new band, Half Empty repping the D.C. and Baltimore area. Adam and two buddies have been working away on their debut album which you can get a listen to some tracks on their MySpace page here. If you like garage rock, you’ll definitely dig what these guys are doing.
Half Empty has a show coming up on August 21 in Baltimore at The Brass Monkey in Fells Point. Show time is slated for 10 p.m. so if you’re in the area, head on over and rock out with the boys and get your live music on. I’m also told that Fells Point is the drinking capital of Maryland so even more a reason to take a trip over and see Half Empty.
Cheers Adam and congrats on the new endeavor.
Do You Hear The Music? 