Lost on the River

For this Sunday- while I try to dream up a more original moniker than “Song of the Week”- I found an incredible tune. It’s a homecoming ballad by this great new band made up of veteran artists…who aren’t actually playing any new music.

I suppose I should clarify. None of these artists have written lyrics for this record. All of the musical compositions are a testament to the power of collaboration and just how fantastic a supergroup can be when a powerful shared vision exists among the members.

I’ll explain.

In 1966, Bob Dylan got into a wreck on his motorcycle and, reportedly, nearly died. After the crash, Dylan retreated out of the public eye while continuing to write music with his band in New York. Together, Dylan and his band penned and recorded nearly 100 new tracks, a few of which that would go on to become huge hits. The rest of the songs, referred to collectively as The Basement Tapes, were later released on their own record.

In 2013, several handwritten manuscripts of Dylan songs from The Basement Tapes were discovered. These tracks, for whatever reason, had not been recorded. To make a long story short, Dylan’s people sent the lyrics to a producer, who then assembled the greatest team of musicians ever known to man; a group whose powers, when joined together, constitute the last refuge of good taste in music. They are the defenders of the universe, protecting the unwary ear from encroachment by whiny boy bands and cringe-worthy covers of old classics. Seriously…this is like the Avengers of the music industry.

The collective is made up of (prepare yourself): Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and…wait for it…Elvis Costello.

Pause for a moment while I draw in a long, deep geek breath.

The making of the record was such a big deal that Showtime even did a documentary about it that included interviews with Dylan himself. Under the name The New Basement Tapes, this Americana supergroup put out an album filled with the gorgeous wordplay and longing nostalgia I’ve come to expect from Dylan. The music for each song was written and arranged by a different member of the group, resulting in tracks that are unique and varied. It’s an incredibly fresh take on a folk legend, and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Dylan’s songwriting.

There is one track that stands out on the album, and rightly so. It’s a rhythmic, head-nodding ballad about love, home, and moving on. Here’s the official Showtime clip. If you look closely, I’m sure you see someone you recognize, someone even more famous than the group members themselves.

I thought it couldn’t get any more exciting. Check it out.

A Smooth Ride

This post is a few days late. Let your mind take you back to Sunday morning, and you’ll be better prepared to listen to what I’m saying.

Ahem.

Today (remember, it’s Sunday) was the first day in a week that I can remember the sun coming out. Maybe it’s because Spokane has weird weather in the winter months, or maybe it’s because I haven’t left my basement for more than an hour all weekend. Who knows.

The sun is out. The air is cold and crisp and fresh and feels good to draw into my lungs. But I feel like crap. I haven’t showered in a day (but definitely not two days, right?), I have one of those annoying achy headaches that I know will slowly grow as the day goes on, and my stomach is begging for something other than granola bars and Raisin Bran.

Also, I’m pissed. I’m pissed because I’ve just lost a string of video game matches, and my utterly meaningless video game number has dropped lower and lower. I’m entirely inside my own head; frustrated and berating myself for failing so miserably. My room is a mess, I have a take-home final exam to work on, and we’re supposed to have company over and I haven’t done the dishes.

I don’t care that it’s sunny outside. I don’t want to go outside. I don’t want to study for finals. I don’t even want to shower.

What I need is a kick in the pants. I need to get outside; outside this basement and outside my head. I need something fresh. Something that will make me smile and dance and bestow upon my body the kind of energy that makes me feel like I can do anything.

Lucky for me, last night (remember, Saturday night) I watched a movie with some friends. The movie had a pretty good soundtrack, but this one tune in particular stuck with me. A lesser known (to me, at least) tune by an old standby. Turns out it was just what I needed. Give it a listen and tell me if it doesn’t do the same for you.

Lightning in a Bottle

I’ve been kicking around this totally unoriginal idea for some time. I suppose the only thing that has been stopping me is perceived lack of time and/or motivation. While this isn’t a blog about music in particular, I like to think tunes are a source of common interest for most people who might stumble onto this blog. And I want to, so there.

Without further ado, here is my first installment of Sunday Song of the Week (working title?). Disclaimer: I’m not a music critic.

I came upon this song randomly while on Spotify, and I like it for a couple reasons. The first is the the extreme catchiness, kicked off by the first line of the chorus: “Baby, you’re like lightning in a bottle.”

Oooowee. Yes you are.

Electric Love’s steady, head-nodding beat is infectious. There’s a sexy walk down in the first few seconds that’s repeated often throughout the song that makes me grin stupidly every time I listen to it. Bum-bum da bum-bum da bum-bum da bum-bum doodoodoodoodoodoo….love it.

I haven’t heard anything by BORNS before this, but I have to say if all of their stuff is as repeat-able as Electric Love, I’ll have to start listening to them more. Hope you enjoy it too.