So this past Saturday, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals appeared on BBC Radio 2’s Dermot O’Leary show… and man, what a treat we were in for.

It was a short and sweet slot, with only 2 interview segments, and two songs, but those two songs were pure magic. The first was the always-stunning “Fix It” (by the way, if you haven’t seen their performance of this song on Letterman, then head here. Seriously, you need to watch it)… and then straight out of left-field comes a cover of Foo Fighters “Times Like These”. I’m loving the way they perform the song, and it’s actually reminiscent of a way I used to play it at various open mic nights, which probably lends itself to a greater connection with me.

Anyway, I’ve included the entire show including interview segments below, but at the very least, listen to “Fix It” and “Times Like These”. Sheer beauty.

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Live on Radio 2

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Chat I
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Fix It
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Chat II
Ryan Adams & The Cardinal – Times Like These

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Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, in the BBC Studios

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1. Chris “Spacewolf” Feinstein, Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Bassist Dies
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3. Another “Best Albums of the Decade” (2000 – 2009) List…

So, I realised the other day that this blog has now been live for over 6 months on this domain (not including the few months I was on a Wordpress hosted domain), and I thought now was as good a time as any to take a step back, and look at some of the tunes we’ve heard in that time.

I like to think that in the past few months, I might have possibly introduced you to a tune or two that might have struck a chord with you; that did something for you. And, seeing as I recently came across the Mixwit site, I thought… why not? It’s mixtape time.

Below I’ve compiled a mix tape of some of the songs I’ve featured on the blog over the past few months. Please note that, of course, it’s not all the songs, as that would be ridiculous. In particular, I haven’t included many (if any) songs from my “South African Bands you NEED to hear!” post, or the “Things I should have told you in 2007” post – as both of those would deserve a few hours on the mixtape themselves – so I suggest you give both those posts a separate read, as there are some real pearls tucked away there.

That said, I hope that the playlist below gives some kind of overview to the past few months here on Burgo’s Blog. I’ve included the playlist, with links through to the individual posts, underneath the “tape”. Just click the “play” button on the tape to start listening… it’ll stream from there. I hope you enjoy.

Most importantly, I’d like to thank all the readers who come by this blog. Thanks for the comments, thanks for the emails. They keep me going.

Listen. Love. Support.

1.) City & Colour – Body In A Box
2.) Matthew Ryan – Gone For Good
3.) Josh Ritter – Thin Blue Flame
4.) The Tallest Man on Earth – It Will Follow The Rain
5.) Ray Lamontagne – Crazy (Cover)
6.) Obadiah Parker – Hey Ya (cover)
7.) Billy Bragg – Sing Their Souls Back Home (live)
8.) Destroyer – Foam Hands
9.) BARR – Untitled
10.) Farryl Purkiss – Time Like These
11.) Monkey Swallows The Universe – Sheffield Shanty
12.) The Damnwells – Down With The Ship
13.) The Damnwells – Golden Days
14.) Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s – Children’s Crusade on Acid (live)
15.) Stephin Merritt – A Nun’s Litany (live)
16.) Death Cab For Cutie – The Ice Is Getting Thinner
17.) The War on Drugs – Arms Like Boulders
18.) Bodies of Water – I Guess We’ll Forget the Sound, I Guess, I Guess
19.) Bon Iver – The Wolves (Act I & II)
20.) Stereophonics – Best Of You (cover)
21.) Samamidon – Saro
22.) The Kooks – Tick Of Time
23.) Brett Dennen – Aint No Reason
24.) The Republic Tigers – Buildings & Mountains
25.) The Old Romantic Killer Band – Lovers Pass
26.) Blind Melon – Wishing Well
27.) Tokyo Police Club – In A Cave
28.) Julian Velard – Jimmy Dean & Steve McQueen
29.) Radiohead – House Of Cards (live)
30.) Malcolm Middleton – Blue Plastic Bags
31.) Electric President – Insomnia
32.) Andy McKee – Rylynn
33.) Chris Bathgate – Serpentine
34.) Gomez – Chasing Ghosts With Alcohol
35.) Nathaniel Hoho – Nightmares
36.) The New Frontiers – Black Lungs
37.) Jay Clifford – Mexico
38.) Robert Francis – One by One
39.) Romantica – Ixcatan
40.) Jon Foreman – Behind Your Eyes
41.) Gregory Page – Sleeping Dogs
42.) Will Conner – Home
43.) Brett Young – Remember Me This Way (live)
44.) Toothpick – Scars (remix)
45.) Jeremy Fisher – Lay Down (The Ballad of Rigoberto Alpizar)
46.) Need To Breathe – Washed By The Water
47.) Ozomatli – Afterparty
48.) Matt Costa – The Ballad Of Miss Kate
49.) Langhorne Slim – Restless
50.) Brendan James – Hero’s Song
51.) Jack Penate – Torn On The Platform
52.) Jamie T – Sheila
53.) The Broderick – Bells
54.) Mystery Jets – Flake
55.) The Heavenly States – The Race
56.) U2 – In A Little While (live)
57.) Faker – This Heart Attack
58.) Patrick Park – Here We Are
59.) The Foxboro Hot Tubs – Ruby Room
60.) Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Modern Mystery
61.) The Dodos – Ashley
62.) Wild Sweet Orange – Wrestle With God
63.) Yeasayer – 2080
64.) Roger That – Chasing The Sun
65.) Patrick Sweaney – Hotel Women
66.) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Almost Cut My Hair
67.) Rivo Drei – She Amazed Me (The Dilbert Sessions)
68.) The Wombats – Let’s Dance To Joy Division
69.) David Vandervelde – Nothin’ No
70.) The Raconteurs – Carolina Drama
71.) Tin Bangs – Your Sky Is Falling
72.) Frightened Rabbit – Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms
73.) State Radio – Camilo

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Burgo’s Blog – A Retrospective Mixtape

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I’m in serious mourning here. Somehow, the fact that Howie Day was in Brisbane – or even Australia, for that matter – opening for Whitley completely flew under my radar, and I only found out after it was too late. To put this into perspective, Howie Day is one of my ultimate “hope and pray to see live” musos… and to this date I haven’t managed to accomplish that feat.

My pain is only intensified by the fact that some work colleagues went to see Whitley, and then – get this – DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO GO WATCH THE OPENING ACTS. Sigh. Can you say, “Philistines”? I can.

Howie Day performing live. Sigh… for now I’ll need to content myself with a Live Music Friday.
Pic: Javier Izquerdo

Anyway… I found it highly coincidental that I only found this out yesterday, while I was putting together a Live Music Friday post. And considering that Howie’s known for his live performances, I found it only fitting that I commiserate my misery by posting a Howie show.

I have many live Howie Day shows. In fact, I can unequivocally say that Howie Day is the reason I got into tracking down rare live shows. Anyone who has seen the 30-minute DVD that was attached to his “Madrigals EP” release can attest to what a force he is live. Looping guitar lines and vocals through his trusty POD6, performing percussion on the body of his guitar and laying down some fat bass lines, Howie Day manages to string all the elements together in loops and build up to a full sound – all while performing solo – that far eclipses even that of a full band.

It’s something that has to be seen to be believed, so I highly recommend that you get the Madrigals (Bonus DVD) set. It truly is the quintessential Howie. Here’s actually a taster, that I see someone has uploaded to Youtube. Best watch this fast, as I doubt they had permission to upload this from that DVD.

[youtube]fD4iNx6HA7U[/youtbe]
Howie Day performing “Bunnies” live.

In the last few years, Howie’s moved away from this solo looping and more towards performing with a full band. While it’s an understandable development, I know that many fans hope that one day he returns to his roots full-time.

This performance is from 2001, at a Howie/John Mayer performance at the House of Blues. At times Howie sounds like a younger Mitch Hedberg; considering this was before his trip to rehab, however, this isn’t too surprising. The sound quality on this recording isn’t great; the lows bottom out, and it needs more treble. In addition to that, it includes perhaps the clumsiest outro on “Ghost” to “Beams of Light” that I’ve ever heard Howie perform.

So after all this derision, why am I posting this show, of the many that I have of Howie?

Because it finds Howie at his most passionate. It finds Howie at his most personal. It finds Howie at his most cathartic. Listen to “She Says”, and you’ll know what I mean. But the main reason?

Because it has that song. That moment. The moment when Howie and John get up on stage together. Fans will know which one I’m talking about.
Howie Day and John Mayer performing a killer version of “Sorry, So Sorry”. And while that track seemed to make it’s way around the internet a few years ago, the show in it’s entirety is a bit of a rarity. So I post it here for the true fans, who want to add it to their collection.

I’ve also posted a remastered version of “Sorry, So Sorry” as a separate download, for those who need better sound quality (albeit only slightly).

Oh. And if Howie, or his publicists come across this post, please know that I’m sorry for missing the gig. Now come back to Brisbane soon, ok? I’d pretty much resigned myself to never seeing him play live when I lived in South Africa, and now that I’m in a country that he actually visited and simply didn’t know about the gig… well, it’s killing me. So come back. Seriously.

Listen. Love. Support.

Howie Day, Live at the House of Blues, 22/6/2001

1.) After You
2.) Morning After
3.) Ghost
4.) Buzzing (Africa)
5.) Madrigals
6.) Sorry, So Sorry (with John Mayer)
7.) She Says (One)

Extra:Sorry, So Sorry (with John Mayer) (remastered version)

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Live Music Friday – Howie Day live at The House of Blues. (Or, I’m in mourning. I missed the Howie Day gig.)

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Time for another Live Music Friday! Following on from our Alex & Angela Dezen post here, and The National Black Sessions post here, today we’ll be following up with a Bob Schneider show from 2002.

Bob Schneider, live at Antones, 2002

Bob Schneider… always an electrifying live show…

Bob Schneider is, quite possibly, one of my favourite singer-songwriters of the last decade. The man’s writing is… prolific, to say the least. In fact, I recall reading an interview with him once, where the interviewer asked him how it was possible to produce – consistently – so many hit tunes. To which Bob replied something to the effect that, if you’re in the habit of writing at least two songs a day, every day, you’re bound to strike it lucky occasionally.
While that answer is typical of Schneider, trying to shrug off the accolades with an easy smile, it really is needless modesty that underplays the brilliance of Schneider’s poetic, hauntingly beautiful songs. He truly is – in my eyes, at least – nothing less than a lyrical genius.

Anyone who has heard more than one song of his will be impressed with his versatility; some songs are witty, whimsical and naughty; stuffed with double-entendres and straight-forward raunchiness… most often these are the songs that come about as a result of his playing with his sometime band, “The Scabs”.
Other times, the songs are remorseful; chilling; unsettling; winsome and things of pure, unsullied beauty. It’s when Bob enters his more contemplative mode that he truly shines, for me. Really, it’s perfection.

This set, a show from December of 2002 at Antone’s in Schneider’s hometown of Austin, Texas, is perhaps one of my favourites of the many live shows I have of his. There’s a nice interplay between the flippant songs, and the more serious fare that makes for a nice entry point to Bob’s music. And the fact that he’s playing with long-time collaborator, Mitch Watkins, only sweetens the deal. It’s a long set, at 33 songs, so make sure you’re comfortable.

If nothing else, please make sure you listen to the track “Queen UK”. Please. As someone who used to play in a band, it breaks my heart every time I hear it.

The only thing that could have made the set better, for me? Including “King of the World”, “Tokyo” or “Gold in the Sunset” in the setlist. Still, you can’t have everything I suppose…

Listen. Love. Support.

Bob Schneider & Mitch Watkins, Live at Antone’s, 7 December 2002

1.) Intro
2.) Horses and Ponies
3.) Blood
4.) Round and Round
5.) Queen UK
6.) Down The Dark Stairs
7.) Cornflakes and Sodium Pentathol
8.) Pencil Me In
9.) Somewhere Over The Rainbow
10.) Spacesuit
11.) Captain Kirk
12.) The Other Side
13.) “Booger”
14.) Devil Was My Only Son
15.) Jingy
16.) Metal and Steel
17.) Cashville, TN
18.) Let It Go
19.) Losing You
20.) “One in ten chance”
21.) Batman
22.) Big Blue Sea
23.) Honeybomb
24.) 2002
25.) Sideshow Tornado
26.) All I Want For Christmas Is My Methadone
27.) Montana
28.) World Exploded Into Love
29.) Good Life
30.) If I Only Had A Brain
31.) Jimmy The Trucker
32.) Spend Some Time
33.) C’mon Baby

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Live Music Friday – Bob Schneider at Antone’s, 2002

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Billy Bragg recently performed a live set on PRI’s “Fair Game”

Billy Bragg, the “working class hero”, recently performed a set on one of my favourite shows, PRI’s “Fair Game“. And it was stunning.

I truly feel that Bragg has been responsible for some of the best protest songs that we’ve heard in the last 30 years… just listen to his EP “Between the Wars” to see what I’m talking about. Couple that with the fact that Nora Guthrie – daughter of Woody Guthrie himself – asked Bragg to set some of her father’s unrecorded lyrics to music (side note: can you imagine how intimidating that would have been? Woody Guthrie, a giant in the folk protest song world, “this machine kills fascists” on his guitar Woody Guthrie? Man… that can’t have been an easy act to follow), and it becomes clear why I have such a tremendous amount of respect for the man.
So it was with much excitement that I listened to his latest show on “Fair Game” last week. We were treated to a collection of three songs, which I’ve included below. The first, “Sing Their Souls Back Home“, is a sad, but ultimately hopeful song… in the best tradition of protest. The second, “I Keep Faith“, has been getting a panning from music critics recently, but I’m a huge fan of this Van Morrisonesque sounding tune. There’s just something about the song that recalls “Into the Mystic” for me, and I’m not sure why. But it’s a good thing.
The final tune is a more upbeat number, and is a cover of the Bob Dylan tune, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right“… and what a great way to close a set it is.

Billy Bragg’s new album, “Mr Love & Justice” went on sale last week.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Billy Bragg – Sing Their Souls Back Home (live on Fair Game)
Listen: Billy Bragg – I Keep Faith (live on Fair Game)
Listen: Billy Bragg – Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (Bob Dylan cover, live on Fair Game)

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Billy Bragg – Live on Fair Game

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After almost a week off from the blogosphere, there are a few songs that I haven’t told you about… so we’ll just jump right in…

Matthew Ryan – American Dirt & Gone For Good

Matthew Ryan has – for the most part – flown under the mainstream radar, even though he’s been releasing albums for more than a decade now. In fact, a quote on his Myspace page even reads, “Don’t call it a comeback; I’ve been here for years“. And the lack of mainstream exposure is absolutely shocking, as Matthew Ryan’s output over the years has been nothing less than consistently brilliant. I suspect, however, that 2008 will be the year that he finally hits the big time.
There’s just something about Matthew Ryan’s voice; it has the very real ability to reach right into your soul and tug on it until it wakes up.

I’ve included two songs here: the first, “American Dirt“, is off his latest album, “Matthew Ryan Vs. Silver State“, and is a ball of seething rage and purpose. The song smothers you in it’s intent, which is more steely than anything I’ve heard from Matthew Ryan before. Matthew Ryan Vs. Silver State came out on April 1, and I seriously suggest you check it out. Ryan is on top form with it.
The next song, “Gone For Good“, is off his 2007 release, “A Late Night High Rise“, and is a slow, delicate number that displays Ryan’s versatility. There’s a Bon Iver kind of vulnerability in his breathy, pleading lyrics here, that absolutely breaks me every time I hear it. A must-listen.

Listen: Matthew Ryan – American Dirt
Listen: Matthew Ryan – Gone For Good

Josh Ritter – Thin Blue Flame

Stepping back in time a bit here, to Josh Ritter’s 2006 release, “The Animal Years“, and it’s standout track, “Thin Blue Flame“. A 10-minute track of epic proportions, it’s like something out of Revelations… really, it’s a 10 minute opportunity to re-examine your life, and the way we live.

I wondered what it was I’d been looking for above.. Heaven’s so big there ain’t no need to look up. So I stopped looking for royal cities in the air — only a full house gonna have a prayer.

Only a full house.
- Josh Ritter, “Thin Blue Flame”

Josh Ritter — to me at least — is still one of the best songsmiths in contemporary music. Point blank. And Thin Blue Flame is no exception. It’s a direct plea to his listener… and one that I can’t turn away from.

Listen: Josh Ritter – Thin Blue Flame

New Atlantic – Apologise

One of my guilty pleasures last year was One Republic’s tune, “Apologise”. As cheesy and formulaic as it was, there was something about the song that I just dug. So this is included here, really, as just another guilty pleasure. New Atlantic can produce some interesting stuff, but their cover of “Apologise” is a nice, cheesy, formulaic cover. Heh. But it’s cool for a spin.

Listen: New Atlantic – Apologise (One Republic cover)

The Kooks – Tick of Time

The Pete Townshend-beloved Kooks are back, and I’m really digging where they are going with their second album, “Konk“, which came out last week. This song, “Tick of Time” is a ridiculously catchy closer to the album, and shows them in their best light… a band, just having fun.
I’ll admit it, I was sceptical that The Kooks would be able to deliver — again — on their hype. But this song clinches it for me. Well played lads, well played.

Listen: The Kooks – Tick of Time

Ps. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for an inaugeral “Live Music Friday” post… starting off with some Damnwells tunes!

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Thursday Music Round-up – Matthew Ryan, Josh Ritter, New Atlantic & The Kooks

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As promised, here is the video clip of Cat Power performing “Silver Stallion” live on “Later… with Jools Holland”:

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Cat Power – Silver Stallion (Live)

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One of my favourite music shows, “Later… with Jools Holland“, has just reached a milestone this month, broadcasting it’s 200th episode.
Times Online has a great article about the night in question, and also a bit of background information on the show:

The cake has been sitting all day in the middle of Studio 1 at BBC Television Centre. But only ten minutes before the 200th episode of Later with Jools Holland is due to be recorded does someone realise that lighting 200 candles – and keeping them lit while the studio audience sings Happy Birthday – is easier said than done. The urbane ringmaster of terrestrial music television doesn’t fancy his chances of blowing them out either, at least not without singeing his trademark dapper suit.

Fire extinguishers are mentioned before someone authorised to pronounce on these things decides that “it would be too dangerous”. Top rock combo Radiohead confer in a manner that suggests they didn’t get to where they are today without learning a thing or two about health and safety. Soul diva Mary J. Blige, obviously nonplussed by the drama, walks over to Holland – with whom she appears to be very friendly – and engages him in intense conversation. Meanwhile, in the far corner, two poster girls of alternative America – Cat Power and Leslie Feist – guffaw long and hard at something on Feist’s phone.

And what a cracking guest list they put together for the big occasion. Performances were given by Radiohead, Mary J Blige, Robyn Hitchcock, Cat Power and Feist. The good news is, we’ve managed to snag some of the performances. The bad news? Due to the embedding nature of the BBC videos, if causing some problems with my post. As such, I’ll have to release the videos is separate posts each.

First up will be Radiohead’s performance of “House of Cards” (from their In Rainbows album) – which only actually happened after the recording of the show had wrapped – is absolutely scintillating.

Radiohead performed “House of Cards” live.

Secondly, Cat Power’s cover version of “Silver Stallion” is another clip that didn’t actually feature on the main show. Instead, this clip was filmed during a break in rehearsals. Every time I hear her voice, I fall in love with Chan Marshall all over again.

Cat Power performed “Silver Stallion” live.

While I would love to include an mp3 of Cat Power’s “Silver Stallion” (which appears on her Jukebox album), her record label is fully against this, which is unfortunate as it’s a cracking tune.
However, I have managed to locate an mp3 version of Radiohead’s live video, “House of Cards”, and you can get this below.

Listen: Radiohead – House of Cards (Live, “Later… with Jools Holland, 1/2/08)

***

And don’t forget… the videos will be following as two separate posts!!

***

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Later with Jools Holland celebrates in style…

Possibly related posts:

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So, following on from yesterday’s post, there are two more quasi-hip-hop songs that I think you should hear. The first of those was here, and now the second (pushing the bounds of the term “quasi-hip-hop songs”), is:

Ray Lamontage – Crazy (Gnarls Barkley Cover)

Ok ok… it may not be a strictly hip-hop song, but I had to include this here. Ray Lamontagne is a ridiculously talented artist, yet one that still seems to be criminally underrated outside of the “music critic” scene.

He has a soft, raspy voice, but one that still cuts like a razor. And, backed just by an acoustic guitar here, that voice is able to shine.

As with any great cover, it’s not simply a remake; it’s a retelling, with different ingredients.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Ray Lamontagne – Crazy (Cover)

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Ray Lamontagne – Crazy (Cover)

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So, following on from yesterday’s post, there are two more quasi-hip-hop songs that I think you should hear. And the first of those is this one:

Nina Gordon – Straight Outta Compton (NWA cover)

Nina Gordon may still be most well known for her days with Veruca Salt, but since leaving the band in the 90s, she’s had a string of great releases.

One of my favourites was a stripped-down, acoustic version of “Straight Outta Compton“, originally by NWA. It’s weird. At first, it seems funny… hearing those lyrics, with that voice. But, as that wears off, it just becomes beautiful.

This song, and many others, are made freely available on Nina Gordon’s site, in her “Sights and Sounds” section. You really should check it out, and support artists who take this route.

Below; the mp3. Obviously, explicit lyrics follow. Please tell me you knew that, right?

Listen: Nina Gordon – Straight Outta Compton

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Nina Gordon – Straight Outta Compton (Cover)

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