Five Songs, 2/22/2022

Neat! Lookit all the twos!

The Supremes, “Baby Love”

I don’t usually have a ton to say about these iconic Motown hits, based on my assumption that people have all heard them a thousand times and are intimately familiar with them. But I’m not sure how true that is, as I reflect on it. Did the generation after me have oldies stations on in cars, restaurants, and other public places as they grew up? I’m not sure, and it’s possible this stuff is more novel. Well, anyway, enjoy!

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Five Songs, 12/16/2020

Dr. Ring-Ding & The Senior Allstars, “Call Di Doctor”

Just a reminder: this is a white dude from Germany.

Sly & the Family Stone, “Poet”

Sly & the Family Stone’s 1971 record There’s A Riot Goin’ On is a landmark of soul, rock, and funk, even as it’s essentially impossible to put into any of those categories. The band’s optimism on previous records had essentially evaporated, and this record also marked the point at which Sly Stone’s drug issues and interpersonal problems starting affecting the music. The album was recorded with overdubs in the studio, with Sly handling most of the playing, instead of the rest of the band playing it directly. It’s murky, dark, and often strange, and it’s completely compelling.

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Five Songs, 4/23/2018

Some great songs today.

Wilco, “ELT”

You know, this might be the first time I’ve had a song come up on Five Songs after I had listened to it by choice earlier that day. This is not an interesting fact.

Anyway, Summerteeth is fantastic. Tweedy made a basically clean break entirely from the alt-country that had been present on all of his albums up to this point, and made just a straight up pop record. And it’s so good! Lush and orchestral at times, slow and contemplative at others, it’s a tour de force.

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Five Songs, 12/21/2017

I’m not entirely sold on this new version of Ghost Blog that I’ve installed. I feel like the editor is worse. Oh well. Music here!

Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans, “12th Street Rag”

My oldest daughter started learning the clarinet in school last year, so I wanted to get some music in the house to give her some examples of the possibilities with the instrument. Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans was suggested as a possibility, so I picked up this album.

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