"So, let us not be blind to our differences - but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal." JFK, June 10, 1963.
Go! Where you have been sent to!Go! To the bottom where you belong!Take all your zombies with you!Oh the ship, the ship "Moskva" burn in the hellish fire!Oh the ship, the ship "Moskva" burn in hell forever!
"The fact the flagship sank is very symbolic and good sign of where all this Russian military 'machine' and whole regime is going...", Vadym Krasnooky, lead singer of Mad Heads.
On 8 March, the Ukrainian postal service launched a contest in which artist Boris Groh's design received the most votes.[1][3]
The stamps feature a drawing of a Ukrainian soldier presenting the middle finger to the Russian cruiser Moskva.[4] The overall layout with the ochre land underneath the blue sea mimics the colors of the Flag of Ukraine. The special postmark accompanying the stamp shows the outline of Snake Island. The stamp design is available in both domestic and foreign version. President Zelenskyy had his picture taken with the stamps and commented that Russian warships should only sail in one direction.[5]
The soldier from whom the radio message is said to have come is Roman Hrybov. He and the head of the Ukrainian Post Office, Ihor Smyljanskyj, signed the first special envelopes with the stamps at the Kyiv Main Post Office.[1][6]
Moskva sank on April 14, two days after the stamp was issued.[7]
The Russian warship Moskva, sunk after being reportedly hit by Ukrainian missiles, has inspired a song by a popular Ukrainian rock star.Credit...Alexey Pavlishak/ReutersThe sinking of the Russian warship "Moskva" is being celebrated by Ukrainians as an iconic victory, including in a new song by one of the country’s most popular rock musicians.Vadym Krasnooky, the lead singer of Mad Heads, on Saturday debuted an acoustic version of “Cruiser Moskva” at a news conference. He said he wrote the song after the sinking of the "Moskva", the pride of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which the Pentagon confirmed Friday was struck by two Ukrainian Neptune missiles.Mad Heads, which has played rock, hillbilly and psychobilly music since its founding 25 years ago, had stopped performing when Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. Mr. Krasnooky appeared solo with an acoustic guitar in Lviv to perform the new song, which includes the refrain: “Oh the ship, oh the ship, "Moskva" burn! Burn! Burn in hell forever.”
April Is The Coolest Month: Cool, New Music Playlist, April 2022
ALBUMS
Kurt Vile. (watch my moves). BEST NEW ALBUM!!! New single out now: "Cool Water"
Jack White. Fear Of The Dawn.
Calexico. El Mirador.
Fontaines D.C.Skinty Fia.
Wet Leg. Wet Leg. Well, the big question was whether the artists who performed the novelty viral hit "Chaise Longue" were going to be able to produce an album worth of songs or just be one-hit wonders? Would all the songs be novelty songs? Or a dozen weak copies of "Chaise Longue"? The good news is it's not all carbon-copy novelty songs and features quite a bit of variety, which bodes well for their future.
Jon Spencer And The Hitmakers.Spencer Gets Lit.
50 Foot Wave. Black Pearl. Was pleasantly surprised to hear Kristin Hersh rock so hard at this point.
Helvetia.Dishes Are Never Done but Good Luck. On the new double album the band really shows their range.
The Vaccines. Planet Of The Youth. More pop and auto-tune than anticipated.
The Linda Lindas.Growing Up.
Yungchen Lhamo.Awakening. This Tibetan singer is indeed extraordinary. Please check her out.
Father John Misty.Chloë And The Next 20th Century. The deluxe version features the Lana Del Rey version of "Buddy's Rendezvous".
Simon Love. Love, Sex and Death Etc.
Christian Lee Hutson. Quitters.
ARCHIVAL
Pavement. Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal. The bonus disc of Pavement's 1999 swan song features 33 songs, most of which no one's ever heard before.
Linda Ronstadt.This Heart of Mine (Live Los Angeles 1976)
Captain Beefheart. Somebody in My Home - Live American Radio Broadcast (Live).
Prince.Prince Live: Naked In The Summertime, 1990 Broadcast Recording
Wilson Pickett. Waiting For Midnight (Live 1969)
Andy Irvine, Paul Brady.Andy Irvine, Paul Brady (1977). Irish folk at its best.
FREE UKRAINE!!!
SINGLES
Julian Lennon. "Imagine" (Stand Up For Ukraine). Song of The Week!!!
Phoebe Bridgers."Sidelines" (from the forthcoming Hulu series "Conversations With Friends")
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. "The Dripping Tap". 18 Minutes of King Gizzard madness as they tease a new forthcoming double album, said to be their White Album!
I’d often pass a mural of the late James Lee Lindsey Jr. on Main Street (in Memphis) which eventually led me down a rabbit hole to revisiting his body of work including watching the 2009 documentary filmed during his last days,Better Than Something. I was taken by how similar his story was to that of many other American icons that were ahead of their time and too-quickly rose from the bottom to the top, inevitably burning out. I read that his stage name, Jay Reatard, was worn as a badge of honor after years of being picked on in grade school—which may or may not be why on the cover of his seminal albumBlood Visionshe’s covered in blood as a nod to Sissy Spacek’s character inCarrie. Because of this I chose to begin the song by repeating ‘they’re all gonna laugh at you!’ When in the studio I pointed at the last Reatard’s album,Grown Up, Fucked Up, as a reference for what I was trying to achieve sonically.
Jay Reatard, Amoeba Records, 8/22/09, Haight St., San Francisco
Jay Reatard (May 1, 1980 – January 13, 2010) was an amazing performer who was just starting to take off when a tragic drug overdose ended his life prematurely. Thank you, Kevin for reminding us of this special talent who left us way too early.
Original Jay Reatard Photos and Video by Michael Donnelly for ThisSmallPlanet.com
Wet Leg. Wet Leg. Their debut album is almost out (4/8, Domino).
Jack White. Fear Of The Dawn. (4/8, Third Man).
The Linda Lindas.Growing Up. (4/8, Epitaph).
Father John Misty. Chloe And The Next 20th Century. (4/8, Sub Pop).
Kurt Vile. (watch my moves). (4/15, Verve).
Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder. Get On Board. (4/22, Perro Verde).
Fontaines D.C.Skinty Fia. (4/22, Partisan).
The Black Keys. Dropout Boogie. (5/13, Nonesuch).
Kevin Morby. This Is A Photograph. (5/13, Dead Oceans).
John Doe.Fables In A Foreign Land. (5/20, Fat Possum)
Bright Eyes. Three releases: Letting Off The Happiness: A Companion EP and Fevers And Mirrors: A Companion EP and A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995 - 1997: A Companion EP. Conor Oberst with guests Phoebe Bridgers (on the Elliot Smith cover "St. Ides Heaven") & Waxahatchee. (5/27, Dead Oceans).
Ukrainian punks Beton have recorded a new version of The Clash's "London Calling" called "Kyiv Calling" about the current crisis.
"Phony Putinmania has bitten the dust..."
KYIV CALLING: Howie Klein writes: "Little known fact: The Clash's Mick Jones, who co-wrote "London Calling" with Joe Strummer is Jewish and traces his roots back to Ukraine. When we were first getting to know each other in London before the band recorded Give 'Em Enough Rope, he told me about the Pale, a historical fact I had missed, even though that's where my grandfather was from. It was Mick who had to give permission for Beton to change the lyrics. I'm sure he did it with great joy..."
Wreckless Eric's beloved 1977 punk anthem "(I'd Go The) Whole Wide World" made an appearance at the Super Bowl this year, courtesy of an advertisement called "Stuff" (see above) from travel service Expedia and that Scottish actor from Trainspotting.
When I was a young boy My mama said to me "There's only one girl in the world for you And she probably lives in Tahiti"
I'd go the whole wide world I'd go the whole wide world just to find her
Or maybe she's in the Bahamas Where the Caribbean Sea is blue Weeping in the tropical moonlit night Because nobody's told her about you
I'd go the whole wide world I'd go the whole wide world just to find her I'd go the whole wide world I'd go the whole wide world To find out where they hide her I'd go the whole wide world I'd go the whole wide world just to find her
Why am I hanging around in the rain right here Trying to pick up a girl Why are my eyes filling up with these lonely tears When there's girls all over the world
And is she lying on a tropical beach somewhere Underneath a tropical sun Pining away in a heatwave there Hoping that I won't be long I should be lying on that sun swept beach with her Caressing her warm, brown skin And then in a year or maybe not quite We'll be sharing the same next of kin
I'd go the whole wide world I'd go the whole wide world just to find her I'd go the whole wide world I'd go the whole wide world To find out where they hide her
I'd go the whole wide world I'd go the whole wide world just to find her I'd go the whole wide world I'd go the whole wide world To find out where they hide her
So many artists have covered "Whole Wide World" over the years. Here's two videos we shot of Mikal Cronin's take on it, in concert in Portland and San Francisco:
Bob Mould. The Ocean (3-song EP). Three live acoustic numbers, two from 2020's Blue Hearts, and another from Bob's original band, seminal punk rockers Husker Du. Bob is iconic. We love him. This EP is nice to hear, reminds us he is not only still around, but in fact experiencing a late career renaissance. The lead songle from Blue Hearts, "American Crisis" is one of the most searing songs by anyone recently, much less from someone we've already been listening to since the 80s... Check out this EP and if you haven't previously heard 2020's "American Crisis", here it is:
Big Thief. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You. Young 2022 's Album Of The Year (So Far....).
Eddie Vedder.Earthling. Solo triumph for the Pearl Jam frontman. With a little help from his friends such as Ringo Starr, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder.
Father John Misty. Chloë And The Next 20th Century. Interesting orchestra pop from another era but somehow perfect for our era too. I am suspicious of the level of Father John Misty's artifice, but have to admit he is talented and intriguing.
Marsden & Richardson.Marsden & Richardson. Two members ofBand Of Skulls explore their romantic pop side.
Cate le Bon. Pompeii.
Midnight Oil. Resist. The Aussie political rockers are back... just in a nick of time!
Andy Bell. Flicker. The Oasis collaborator (not the Erasure guy of the exact same name) releases a nice collection of tunes well-worth checking out.
Jethro Tull. The Zealot Gene. I actually laughed out loud when I saw the publicity photo of the 2022 version of Jethro Tull. I had recently reflected that my 16-year-old-self's Tull fanboyism in the 70s was a great example of the terrible taste in music I once had. I mean, pretentious medievalist British music with flute solos... C'mon! So I had no intention of listening to this album until a Facebook friend, singer Mary Lou Lord gushed online how great the new album is, his voice, the words, the songs... So out of morbid curiosity I gave it a listen, and... it is actually surprisingly good.
The Cactus Blossoms.One Day.
Dan Andriano And The Bygones.Dear Darkness.
Rev. Gary Davis.Let Us Get Together. ("Lost" 1969 Concerts, Portland & Seattle).
"Too Much Information", R. Crumb 2022
SINGLES
Sharon Van Etten. "Porta"
Jack White. "Fear Of The Dawn" (Two new albums due in 2022).
Kurt Vile. "Like Exploding Stones" (New Album coming soon...)
Legendary gospel and blues artist Rev. Gary Davis (1896 - 1972) comes back to life via these two excellent live recordings from 1969, now available from Sunset Blvd. Records.
You can get a Double CD or MP3 version, or stream it here.
Davis, blind since infancy, played guitar in the 1930s on the streets of Durham, North Carolina with artists like Blind Boy Fuller and Bull City Red. He recorded a few songs in New York in 1935, and later moved there. He played at the memorial concert for Lead Belly in 1950, and as the folk revival blossomed in late 50s and early 60s, he found himself giving private lessons (for the princely sum of $5) to many young guitarists in the New York Metro area, including a young Harry Chapin and his brother Tom Chapin. He would play on the street in New York, show up at places like Izzy Young's The Folklore Center in Greenwich Village, and even the Sunday folk hang-out in Washington Square Park. He began recording again, and as his fame grew, played The Newport Folk Festival twice and toured the U.S. and Europe extensively.
His songs "Death Don't Have No Mercy", "Cocaine", "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down", and "Samson and Delilah (If I Had My Way, I Would Tear This Whole Building Down)" have been recorded by artists such as The Grateful Dead, Jorma Kaukonen, Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul And Mary, and Jackson Browne.
These two live 1969 shows (Disc 1 from Reed College in Portland, Oregon and Disc 2 from Seattle, Washington) show The Reverend in fine form, albeit it slowed by age and playing a 12-string guitar for a fuller sound.
Both long-time fans and new listeners will find these shows to be a delight.
In our communication age, disinformation is the problem. Ditch the misinformers. Find a good clean place to support with your monthly checks. You have the real power. Use it.
To the baby boomers, I say 70 percent of the country’s financial assets are in your hands compared with just about 5 percent for millennials. You and I need to lead.
In our age of Climate Chaos, I say ditch the companies contributing to the mass fossil fuel destruction of Earth.
For their continued funding of the fossil fuel damage even as the global temperature keeps climbing, I say take your money from the accounts of these American banks today:
Chase Citi Bank of America Wells Fargo
Join me as I move my money away from the damage causers or you will unintentionally be one of them. You have the power to change the world. We can do it together. Your grandchildren will thank you in history.
To the musicians and creators in the world, I say this: You must be able to find a better place than SPOTIFY to be the home of your art.
To the workers at SPOTIFY, I say Daniel Ek is your big problem - not Joe Rogan. Ek pulls the strings.
Get out of that place before it eats up your soul. The only goals stated by EK are about numbers - not art, not creativity.
Notice that EK never mentions the Medical Professionals who started this conversation. Look, one last time - at the statements EK has made.
Then be free and take the good path.
Editor's Note: Meanwhile, the former president also weighed in on the controversy... but perhaps only to grift off of it... Notice the prominent click-to-donate icon (DONATE TO SAVE AMERICA!) Trump helpfully included at the end of the message...
Trump calls on Rogan to "stop apologizing". We have to wonder if Rogan and Spotify will be thrilled by the former president's endorsement... or concerned that it will alienate half the country...
Even before the recent COVID denying and racist scandals, many people had real questions about how poorly Spotify compensated artists whose work they used and profited from so enormously. We were accustomed to hearing music on the radio and in concerts and nightclubs, and buying it on vinyl, CDs, and MP3s. Now many people get their music on demand via YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music or on satellite radio via Sirius. The transition to streaming, especially during the COVID era, which also put things like touring and nightclubs in limbo, happened before people could put protections in place for musicians and creators. The streaming services have made billions in a few short years. Perhaps we need new legislation now to guarantee that artists and creators are fairly compensated by the streaming services and other outlets for their work.
Spotify, based in Sweden, and primarily a tech company, rather than a music company, may be more interested in bottom line profits and less responsive to consumer demand for content free of racism, COVID denial, and baseless conspiracy theories.
American companies, like Apple and Amazon, seem more willing to listen.
And the more we learned about Joe Rogan, the less we liked him...
While Spotify appeared to be unwilling to quit him, so more and more artists are quitting Spotify instead... #BoycottSpotify
Miles Kane. Change The Show. British retro rock at its best.
James McMurtry.The Horses And The Hounds. Literary Western songs from writer Larry McMurtry's son. Liked his song "State Of The Union", released last year, which explored the red and blue divisions in rural American families.
Ryley Walker. So Certain (EP).
Black Country, New Road. Their second album Ants From Up There is due on Friday and it's good, but late breaking news reveals lead singer Isaac Wood has quit the band, and their U.S. tour has been cancelled. The band vows to carry on without him... Looks for their limited release EP Never Again featuring a cover of Abba's "Mamma Mia".
Elvis Costello.The Boy Named If. Sounds like classic Elvis. Love it.
John Mellencamp. Strictly A One-Eyed Jack. Not bad...
Pedro The Lion. Havasu.
Jake Xerxes Fussell. Good And Green Again. I like this but what I found really extraordinary was "The River St. Johns" from his Tiny Desk Concert:
Janis Ian. The Light At The End Of The Line. Awesome singer-songwriter; great new album. "Better Times Will Come", indeed...
Steve Gunn.Nakama (EP).
John Mayall.The Sun Is Shining Down. One of the original British blues rockers delivers a helluva album at the age of 88.
Beirut.Artifacts.
Destroyer.Labyrinthitis.
Yard Act.The Overload. Loud British sing-talking poem-songs about this and that. Good.
ARCHIVAL
Mike Bloomfield. The Bottom Line '75 (Live).
PJ Harvey. Let England Shake Demos. The informative demos for this 2011 classic, a meditation on war (you know, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.) and what it does to people.
Faces.Live at John Peel's Sunday Concert, 13 May 1971. Classic.
The Beatles.Get Back (Rooftop Performance).
Linda Ronstadt.This Heart Of Mine (Live, Los Angeles '76).
Harry Chapin. Some Wisdom (Live Ohio '79). Great!
Lowell Goerge, Bonnie Raitt, John Hammond, Jr. Blow My Blues Away (Live Long Island '72)
Rare Earth. Different Strokes. (Live California '74). "I Just Wanna Celebrate" another day of living...
Parquet Courts. "Watching Strangers Smile" (SINGLE OF THE WEEK!!!). They just released an album not long ago, and this single wasn't on it. Return to form? Got their Mojo back? Seems to be the case...
Highly Anticipated February Releases:
Big Thief. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (February 11, 4 AD).
Spiritualized. Everything Was Beautiful (February 25, Fat Possom).
Johnny Marr. Fever Dreams Pts. 1 - 4. (February 25, New Voodoo Limited).
The Deluxe Edition of Valerie June's excellent The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers is out now. It contains several interesting bonus tracks, including a version of John Lennon's "Imagine" and this cover of the Nick Drake classic "Pink Moon"...
UPDATE:Conor Oberst is re-releasing his first three Bright Eyes album, along with three "companion" EPs (May 27/Dead Oceans), featuring newly reworked versions of some of the old songs, with friends like Phoebe Bridgers, M Ward, and Waxahachee...
"Contrast and Compare" [ft. Waxahatchee]
"Haligh, Haligh, a Lie, Haligh" [ft. Phoebe Bridgers]
A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997: A Companion EP:
01 Driving Fast Through a Big City at Night 02 Solid Jackson 03 A Celebration Upon Completion 04 Falling Out of Love at This Volume 05 Exaltation on a Cool Kitchen Floor 06 Double Joe (Simon Joyner cover)
Letting Off The Happiness: A CompanionEP:
01 The Difference in the Shades 02 The City Has Sex [ft. Waxahatchee] 03 Contrast and Compare [ft. Waxahatchee] 04 Kathy With a K’s Song [ft. M Ward] 05 St. Ides Heaven [ft. Phoebe Bridgers] (Elliott Smith cover) 06 June on the West Coast [ft. Becky Stark]
Fevers and Mirrors: A CompanionEP:
01 Haligh, Haligh, a Lie, Haligh [ft. Phoebe Bridgers] 02 A Scale, a Mirror, and Those Indifferent Clocks [ft. Phoebe Bridgers] 03 Arienette 04 Hypnotist (Song for Daniel H) (Lullaby for the Working Class cover) 05 When the Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass [ft. Phoebe Bridgers] 06 A Spindle, a Darkness, a Fever, and a Necklace [ft. Phoebe Bridgers]
