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T Bone Burnett strikes again!

John Mellencamp recently release an album produced by the prolific Bonester (T-B0ne). I think you can recognize the Burnett production style by, among other attributes, an organic, live sound, product or recording live, with the whole band playing, rather than capturing each player’s tracks separately.

The result for Mellencamp, as it was for Kraus and Plant and others, is a musical maturity, a respect for the music’s roots, and a willingness to create within a tradition – in Mellencamp’s case, down to earth country rock. If you’re looking for the right pigeon hole for this album you could argue it fits nicely in alt country, with the Drive By Truckers and Wilco (without Wilco’s extensive experimentation).

OK, I’ll shut up now. Enjoy the music.

Works for me.

Remember American Idiot? The song and the album by Green Day that presented a vision of post modern USA in decline and decay?

Well, Arcade Fire has stepped onto that visionary turf. The latest album from AF is not just a collection of songs, but a look at North American culture at war with itself. The title (The Suburbs, remember?) is a clue to how this Montreal band diagnoses our continent’s spiritual illness.

I don’t know if The Suburbs is a candidate for Broadway musical or rock opera, but it maintains a musical and lyrical integrity throughout. So far, I can’t get enough of it. Enjoy the title track.

Although it’s been out for three years now I have just acquired Raising Sand, a delicious collaboration between Alison Kraus and Robert Plant. This is maybe the most widely heard track from the album.

It is a song that is hard not to live.

The rest of the tracks take the same velvety approach, but don’t let the languorous pace or the sonic smoothness fool you. Both Plant and Kraus bring a quiet intensity to the record and they both display plenty of vocal and instrumental chops throughout.

It’s a buy it all the way from me, Greg.

Here are Jeff and the boys sounding a lot like post Rubber Soul Beatles. I don’t know who did the animation, but it works with the music I do believe.

Been soooo busy chasin ultra bucks lately, no time for fresh posts for you, dear reader.

To make up for my absence how about a nice little musical tid bit from K’naan.

This song makes me cry. But from hope, not sorrow.

Here’s the full production studio version.

And here, follow the bouncing ball:

WW III, WW III, WW III, don’t you bloody see? WW III
It doesn’t matter what you say, you won’t make it no bleedin way
You haven’t got any choice, you really haven’t got any voice
Preventive measures have been taken, it’ll really help against
nuclear rapin
No streets, no people, left on the land, the policy ran out on our
plan
That’s right…
World war, lotsa fun
People in a panic, on the run
World war, lotsa fun
White House is aimin the gun
World war, lotsa fun
People in a panic on the run
World war, lotsa fun
The kremlin’s aimin the gun
We’re pawns in the middle, sittin ducks with no acquittal
They’re gonna make us fight, protectin oil is our right
Unlock them now on the flag deck, Soviet bombers you’re gonna net
It’s breakin up the Richter scale, bombs away, they’re gonna sail
No human lives stand in the way, cause we’re on our way to a new
clear day
That’s right…
CHORUS
I really don’t want to die, World War III
With A-bombs droppin from the sky, World War III
Don’t give me your reasons why, World War III
Just know I don’t wanna die, World War III
Give’em any chance they’re gonna take it, give’em any rules they’re
gonna
break it
It really ain’t no riddle, I just know it ain’t gonna be little
We haven’t got a clue on what we’re gonna do
So we’re just pawns in the middle, sittin ducks with no acquittal
End up dead, end up dead, end up dead
End up dead, end up dead
World War III, World War III, World War III, World War III
Give’em any chance they’re gonna take it, give’em any rules they’re
break it
It doesn’t matter what flag you hoist, you really haven’t got any
choice
No human lives stand in the way, cause we’re on our way to a new
clear day
We’re just pawns in the middle, sittin ducks with no acquittal
World war, world war
World war, I don’t want it
World war, I don’t need it
World war, I won’t take it
World war, world war, world war

Woody Guthrie meets Celtic music. Deeeelicious!!

She is Zooey Deschanel. Him is M. Ward.

Change is hard. Ain’t it the truth.

Here’s a tune I’ve been working on with the garage band. Fun to play and fun to hear (despite the sad lyrics).

I like the New Pornographers – and not just cuz I used to live in Vancouver.