Saturday, March 27, 2010

Home James...


A Day Off 
In The Life of James Beard:
Dark (K)night 2:00 - 4:00 am


Song # 114: The Majestic Arrows - If I Had A Little Love [Rehearsal Cut]
(can't play the song?)

My legs are beat but my feet have slippers on. One more song to unwind to. This ones another Eccentric Soul song, this time on Volume 2: The Bandit Label. It's about the most perfect song. So good in fact that it only appears in this rehearsal form on the album. Just a group of friends, together, enjoying each others company. Genuine love. The song would be sad if not for the hopeless romantic that refuses to not shine through. I like to reflect on that thought as I go back to sleep. Goodnight Moon.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Midnight


A Day Off 
In The Life of James Beard:
Midnight 12:01 am-2:00 am

Song # 113: Vampire Weekend - Taxi Cab

Have a smoke before I head home. Flying high, a little buzzed, missing everyone and no one at the same time. Slow cruise home, taking my time. The band says this is their California album, but it worked so well during the winter in this city. I especially love the percussion and rhythm section throughout. Energetic and a little spastic but weighed down by an atmosphere of melancholy.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Very Best

A Day Off 
In The Life of James Beard:
Evening 6:00-9:04 pm


I only have seven songs, so there's some missing downtime hours. Let's imagine some smooth jazz playing...baba doo ba ba, ba ba, doo ba ba, ba ba. baba doo baba doo ba doo ba ba... yeah. Feeling fine, red wine time.


Night 9:05 pm-12:00 am

Song #113: The Very Best- Julia

Here are some lyrics from a Magnetic Fields song called "Nothing Matters When We're Dancing" that nicely define the right night.
Dance with me my old friend
Once before we go
Let's pretend this song won't end
And we never have to go home
And we'll dance among the chandeliers

I wanted to put this Very Best song here though because they are in fact the very best. Put this on and fall into a wall of sound full of warm african vocals and blasting mashup beats. Really makes you want to move in that core primal way where you're not paying attention to what you're doing, just moving and having fun.

Speaking of The Very Best, one night walking home with two friends, one suggested they stop at my place and hang out and listen to this album, "Warm Heart of Africa". It was the first time I heard this terrific group and these people are two of my favorites whom I dont get to see that much and even less so now. So it was a nice moment in time and a great musical find I'd like to thank them for.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Mighty Mike

A Day Off 
In The Life of James Beard:
Mid Day 3:00-6:00 pm

Song #112: Michael Liggins- Standing On The Corner 
(can't play the song?)
This song pretty much speaks for itself. A great way to spend the day is to just wander aimlessly throughout the city drinking too much coffee and bird dogging hipster chicks.

This song comes from a compilation album from the Numero Group called "Eccentric Soul Volume 5: Mighty Mike Lenaburg". It was one happy day when I was introduced to the Numero Group. All great funk, soul, and r&b from smaller markets that got lost in time until unearthed by this amazing team. Pretty much all I listened to in 2007 and '08.
Check them out @ their website here.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

BEARD TAKEOVER Part III


A Day Off 
In The Life of James Beard:
Afternoon 1:00-3:00 pm


Song #111: Queen - All God's People

My dad told me once that a Russian tradition done before a trip, is for everyone to stand together in one room in silence for a minute to gather themselves before all bursting into conversation and out into the world in the blink of an eye. In the case of today, its me alone on my stoop enjoying a smoke and trying to get Top Cat to not squirm away as I pet him. I tell him I hope he has a great day and hop on my bike to ride into the city. Getting over the bridges can really suck some days but thats why songs like this were made. It just makes me feel alive. Freddy Mercury's voice warms my soul. You can hear endless joy, even though this is on their last album when he already knew he was dying. If the day is bright and shining, listen to this song and all you'll want to do is reach for the sun.


Monday, March 22, 2010

BEARD TAKEOVER Part II

A Day Off 
In The Life of James Beard:
Late Morning 11:00 am-1:00 pm

Song #110: Bruce Springsteen- O Mary, Dont You Weep No More

I dont really like the Boss at all. I understand the appeal him and appreciate others enjoyment but its just not stuff Im ever in the mood to listen to. Except for his album of music popularized by Pete Seeger entitled "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions". Its one of the best summertime driving albums and this song is the perfect example of its wonders. Loud and powerful, with a gospel wail. Its better than any cup of coffee.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seeger_Sessions:
The second paragraph of the history is such a funny description.

RASTA MON DAY BONUS TIME EVERYONE!

I know Matt just had a Toots song recently, but its my blog this week and this is one of my all time favorite songs. So any of you haters can just sit right down.


BONUS SONG: Toots and the Maytals - Sit Right Down

Sunday, March 21, 2010

BEARD TAKEOVER!

Hey all! For the next week, Every Day, Another Song will be taken over by a good friend of mine James "The Beard" Beard. He is holding it down in Brooklyn right now before he sets off to tour Thailand for a month. Since this site is really about the feeling music creates among an international community of people, I decided to let him use my site as a soundboard and then spread the word on his exotic travels. I will see you guys next week with some straight fire. And now the Beard Takeover Begins...
Get your Beards On



A Day Off In The Life of James Beard:
Morning 9:05-11am

Let's give a round of applause to Matt for his great site and for giving me the opportunity to share a little of my life with you beautiful people. I wanted to have a theme for my week and thought it would be fun to treat the entire week as if it was one day in the life of me. So each day I'll share a new song with you that corresponds in my mind to the various times throughout the day. So today will be a morning song, and Saturday will be a go to sleep song. Hope you enjoy.

Song #109: Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan

This is my song to conquer the world to. As my mind re-emerges into reality, it starts rolling along a little slow at the draw. Yet it contains a driving force that gets the gears in my body moving until it explodes into a full blown sunrise. But just like the rest of the morning, the explosion moves in a subdued crawl. See you tomorrow for more...