Katie Toupin - Magnetic Waves

I have been on a huge Katie Toupin fan-boy kick. Within the last month I have "discovered" who she was via a Facebook or Instagram advertisement that crept on my feed, learned about her previous band, watched some videos and plugs for her upcoming album, saw her perform live at Soda Bar in San Diego, bought the CD and had her sign it, and finally listened with pleasure to her music at home.

The first thing you notice about Katie is that she has a great voice. It sounds familiar to me and yet it is unique. How to describe it? There is a little bit of Gwen Stefani / Amy Winehouse in her voice. Please don't think she is in anyway imitating those artists, however. She is not. However, to some people there will be some resemblance. When it comes to the music, Katie writes great melodic pop like the opening song, Magnetic Waves, to tender ballads like As Good As It Gets.  Another favorite of mine is I Need You which contains a great vocal hook.

Here is a link to and acoustic performance of I Need You. Enjoy.

Various Artists - That'll Flat...Get It ! Vol. 14 (Rockabilly from the Vaults of Sun Records)

I love roots music. That is, I like music that is real and that is original. Naturally, this leads me to rockabilly. I have been collecting this rockabilly series for a little bit and I have about 19 volumes of That'll Flat...Get It but the problem is that there are 32 volumes out! Ha! This series also issues rockabilly from other labels but Vol. 14 is dedicated to the Sun vaults. For those not in the know, Elvis Presley got his start at Sun. I hope that this is not the first time you heard that.

Vol. 14 specifically focuses mostly on recordings that were never actually issued on Sun but either recorded at Sun or sent to Sun as a demo. It appears that someone at the label heard these recordings and for some reason or another decided that they were just not up to par. It is a shame because some of these recordings are pretty good. Actually, having listened to the songs released here, I am pretty sure that these recordings could have easily been released on other labels at the time.

This is pure rockabilly and they all seem pretty good to me. Unless you are a serious rockabilly collector, which I am not, I can't imagine that you will find too much at fault with Volume 14. To get a sense of what you get, listen to Johnny Powers play Me and My Rhythm Guitar. Enjoy.

Book: In The Distance by Hernan Diaz

I try to read books that others consider great in large part because I am not as up to date on current novelists.  In the Distance was a book I chose to read because it was a finalist for a major award and, after reading it, I can see why it was a finalist. The basic story is that of a young Swedish man trying to get to NYC to meet his brother but ends up on the wrong ship out of England and sails all the way to San Francisco instead. The book then provides detail on this man's journey as he tries to make his way to NYC from San Francisco at a time when the most of the U.S. west was still a territory. The book has a Cormac McCarthy feel to it which I mean as a compliment. The description of the western U.S. and desert life is rich and one not only feels the heat and the thirst but also the isolation. Highly recommended.

Jon Brion - meaningless

Finally got my hands on this CD after a long search. Released in 2000, this is an excellent showcase of a very talented songwriter and musician. Brion is mostly known for his work on soundtracks to films like Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, I Heart Huckabees, and Lady Bird. However, I first became aware of Jon's brilliance was when he was a member of The Grays (along with the equally phenomenal Jason Falkner). The Grays were a blast of fresh air when there (only) LP came out back in 1994. The Grays album, Ro Sham Bo, was filled with hooks, guitars, and mature songs that hit all the right spots. Many of the songs on this album sound like they could have been part of that classic LP. I even get the same vibe when listening to this album as I did when I listened to The Grays LP (at least for the Jon Brion songs!). That is a good vibe! If you find this album, get it. Here is a taste of the song Meaningless.

Various Artists - Bunny Lee : Dreads Enter The Gates With Praise (2019)

A new 3LP reggae various artists album on Soul Jazz will always get my attention. Soul Jazz reggae albums are always well packaged and usually of top-shelf quality. In fact, Soul Jazz's Studio One series is a must have for any true fan of reggae music. This set, however, places its focus on the work of legendary reggae producer Bunny "Striker" Lee. While Bunny Lee started producing in the late 60s, this collection contains output from the 70s when Bunny Lee was one of the premier (if not the premier) producer in Jamaica. The 70s reggae scene in Jamaica gave us what is known as "roots reggae" and it just happens to my personal favorite era of reggae music. If you have never heard roots reggae then this is not a bad place to start. The sound is sparse and heavy, slow and moody.

As the title implies, 70s roots music is mostly associated with songs about Rastafari (e.g., praising him, following him) and the struggles faced by the poor (sufferers) in Jamaica. Hence, many of the titles here reflect that. For example, see titles like Enter His Gates with Praise (Johnny Clarke), So Jah Seh (Jackie Edwards), Real Born Africa (Jah Stitch), Natty Dread Have Ambition (Shorty the President), and You Should Be Thankful (Mighty Diamonds). So, for those that are new to reggae, this is not Three Little Birds by Bob Marley. Buyer beware.

Dreams So Real - Gloryline (1990)

Hailing from Georgia, Dreams So Real was from the same scene that gave us bands like REM (and other bands from Athens, Georgia). This is their third album. The first two, Father's House and Rough Night in Jericho are excellent. There is a toughness to Dreams So Real and also a darkness. However, this band is always so melodic. Barry Marler's voice is muscular with a bit of gravel. Yet, his voice fits perfectly the mood of the music. For a taste, here is a bit of the title track. Another good one is Overton Park/Faith or Here Comes The Train

Various Artists - Try A Little Sunshine: The British Psychedelic Sounds of 1969

I am only half way through this amazing 3 CD box set (clam shell box) of British psych from 1969 but I am already in love and I need to post about it. This box set is provided by Grapefruit Records (a division of Cherry Red Records) and it continues their great series of similar box sets of British Psych from 1967 and 1968, respectively (all a must!).

Not sure if it is my mood or my current state of life but 1969 seemed to have been much more consistently melodic than 1967 and 1968. Maybe it is just my ear. However, one is really caught off guard by how pretty the melodies are on some of these songs. Some of the groups appearing on this set I am familiar with (e.g., The Move, Procol Harum, The Pretty Things) but the vast majority are new to me (e.g., Strawberry Jam, Balloon Busters, Paper Bubble). Easily 98 percent of the songs on this collection I have never heard before. Look, I am not a hard-core British Psych music collector but this box set certainly hits the spot and it is very reasonably priced! I think it is a must have and a great sampling of British Psych from 1969!

Wynn Stewart and The Tourists - Something Pretty

More Wynn Stewart on my turntable. I picked this album used for about $5 at Jupiter Records in San Diego. This is just pure Bakersfield country music. There is something so satisfying about music that is so honest and pure. This is from 1968. Here is a taste of the song, One More Memory. If you are ok with this you are going to love Wynn Stewart.