Sufjan Stevens Xmas Song Exchange Results Are In!

The results are in and they sound great. Sufjan Stevens, one of indie music's most imaginative luminaries of the past few years, hosted a Christmas song contest last month. Being a Sufjan Stevens affair, it was not a garden variety contest. Instead, it was an exchange. Sufjan gives you one of his songs, he gets one of yours. An even swap, so to speak. Except he keeps his good name, his studio access, and his record contract/label. You, well, you get a Sufjan Stevens song that you can call your very own, I guess.

Besides the patently absurd premise, the contest yielded some beautiful results. And, thankfully, Asthmatic Kitty records, Stevens's label, has streamed some of the best entries via AKradio. I highly recommend that you check out these selections. So far, my favorite off of Asthmatic Kitty's stream is "Emily" by The Palace Flophouse, a delightfully juvenile narrative of a Christian boy longing for the attention of his Jewish friend's older sister on Hanukkah. Some of the pieces are stunning, and the production value on most tracks is impressive, considering that most of these are "home recordings." And the fact that most of the submitting artists are relative unknowns makes any "music in America is dead" argument turn to dust (not that I hear that all too often these days, but it was a common message not too long ago). The music industry may be hurting and in need of a tune-up, or, hell, who are we kidding, a full-on overhaul, but there is a diverse tapestry of talent making great art in the meantime.

Check out the winner and the top submissions here: http://asthmatickitty.com/news.php?newsID=243

Return

Christmas Day for those who don't celebrate (like myself) can be a quiet, isolating time. But Brooklyn was hopping today, which was great. The sun was shining. Folks were out walking their dogs, chatting it up with the neighbors. Coffee shops were open for business, and there were even seats to spare (a Park Slope rarity)! Even my favorite bagel place was open, much to my pleasant surprise. While I always love the bagels they serve, their choice of music frequently leaves me wanting. Today was no exception. I expected the usual Christmas fare, which would have been nice, in fact. I feel like I didn't get my usual share of "White Christmas," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," or "Silver Bells." But no, none of that was what I heard on whatever pop station they had on. Instead, I was listening to Jordin Sparks's new-ish single, "Tatoo." While it would have been foolish to have high expectations of someone who must be enslaved to the American Idol record contract gods for the next several albums, I was disappointed to hear a single that was no more than a regurgitated amalgam of all of the pop cliches of the past two or three years. It's as if the producers responsible for the work of Beyonce, Rihanna, and Mariah had a fire sale and Jordin's production team got stuck with whatever was left over at the end of the day. The sad part is that Sparks is being pushed into a dying star-centered music production system that she and her voice are not prepared for. She's young and she's green, which made her a great Idol contestant. However, the girl needs vocal training, a lot of it in fact. And while that was apparent on the show, it becomes glaringly obvious in the studio. While there are a host of production tools to make even a tone-deaf schlub sound pitch-perfect, the schlub's track will still suck because it'll likely lack the measured breath support, the nuanced lyrical interpretation, and the sheer performance value that makes a great vocalist's work, well, great. With all of that said, the girl isn't even 20 and by no means tone-deaf or a schlub, so I bet she can wiggle herself out of the Idol-based contract, gain some artistic freedom, make time for vocal coaching, and use her celebrity capital for some great music making. Best of luck to you, Jordin!

River to River: The Living Room Sessions

So I just got back from my second River to River 2007 experience and, as to be expected, there were highs, lows, and some veritable "whas?"

The bill featured regulars of New York's famed acoustic venue (of Norah Jones-fame, among others), the Living Room. I was drawn to the event to see Chris Thile, as I am compelled to see him whenever and wherever he is playing in New York. I have never, ever been disappointed with a Chris Thile show; no matter the circumstance, the guy is fantastic. He is the Paganini of the mandolin. But I have to say, Thile has an uncanny ability to look like a monkey (or some variety of primate) about to sneeze while he's working his mandolin magic. Sometimes his facial contortions make him look as if someone is pulling strings from behind the poor chap's face (if so, I'd love to meet the Japetto behind this act). So, as per usual, Chris was fantastic and stole the show, hands down. It is especially satisfying to witness the primarily intangible process of audience members becoming fans, but that never fails to occur at a Thile show.

The rest of the lineup included Living Room regular and guitarist Jim Campilongo, who seems to take a lot of his cues from legendary guitarist Bill Frisell. Campilongo's set was technically impressive but failed to inspire; his connection to the audience was tentative at best.

Ari Hest opened the show. I love his acoustic work. Looks like his new album is primarily acoustic, and he employs some beautiful chord progressions in his latest pieces. I enjoyed his set. I just hope he stops smoking (if he is, I'm not positive) before his (very special and distinct) voice fades out.

Martha Wainwright followed Thile and closed the show. It's sad, but hers was the most disappointing of all the acts. She came on stage looking disheveled, confused, and, quite frankly, strung out. I have never quite understood why so many people are devoted to Martha, sister of the exorbitantly talented Rufus, and daughter of the oft-underrated and brilliant Loudon. Her voice this evening reminded me of Bette Midler's abysmal performance on the latest season of American Idol (an evening all of us will need to manually blot out of our collective memory). However, each time I was ready to throw in the towel (and there were many times), plug my ears, and pray for the end of her set, she would burst out of her shell of mediocrity and let loose a glorious, throaty growl of a vocal line, or reveal a brilliant chord change. Martha struck me as part burn-out, part luminary, and part exhausted, over-toured musician. I think the latter element played a large role in her somewhat disappointing and incredibly confusing performance.

With all of that said, it was a nice (albeit rocky at times) balmy New York summer eve just off the Hudson at River to River.

Once - a triumph of musical realism

I apologize for the delay in posting. But I must admit, it is a great time to return to music blogging at a time like this; it is a glorious musical summer. With that said, I just saw a lovely musical motion picture, Once. The storyline is simple yet sweet, the characters lack specific names but have rich identities, and the piercing, aching, gorgeous music of Glen Hansard of the Frames is its focal point. Once is best described as musical realism in that its characters regularly break into song, but it is not contrived as in most traditional musicals; rather, the music is an intended and understandable happening. The music is, indeed, the star of this tale, and the very thing that brings Hansard and Marketa Iglova's characters, referred to as "Guy" and "Girl" together. Hansard and Iglova's songs serve as a loose guide to the quiet desperation, and sincere searching for a correct path of action that both "Guy" and "Girl" feels in their individual lives, "Guy" nursing his broken heart and his struggling musical career, "Girl" struggling to make a living and take care of her baby as a single mother/Czech immigrant living in Dublin. I feel like I have gone on too long already, but I can't recommend this picture enough. Check it out at the following link: http://www.myspace.com/oncethemovie

Spotlight on: The Cottars

One reason I started this blog is to share with others some of the finest music I feel has not received the attention it deserves. I always get a kick out of taking my friends to a show at a small venue around town to see a new talent and watching the series of jaws begin to drop with the first measures of a fantastic set. I think that this project could be like that, but perhaps on a wider scale.

With that said, I wanted to put a proverbial spot on The Cottars, a Cape Breton, Nova Scotia-based outfit of young musicians whose sound (for their age, no less) is stunning. The group of four is made up of two sets of siblings and their current musical focus is traditional Canadian Celtic. While I always love a good reel or jig, what strikes me most about The Cottars 2006 release, "Forerunner," is the vocal purity and the remarkable simplicity of the arrangements on covers of Ron Hynes's "Atlantic Blue" and Tom Waits's "Hold On." For musicians who are at the beginning of their careers, it is quite inspiring to see such mature production values (the group members took on the role of both producer (partial) and arranger for "Forerunner").

I look forward to hearing more from The Cottars and encourage y'all to give them a listen. Here is a link to their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/cottars

Let me know what you think!

Spring is here in Brooklyn!

Spring is busting out all over (not quite June, but it's around the corner), and we New Yorkers have a lot to look forward to. Not only are the flowers blooming and the trees sprouting, but we have some great (and free) musical events just around the corner (a listing of my recommended options is forthcoming). In honor of the newfound greens, yellows, and reds in my daily strolls, here is a springtime playlist of some of my favorite tunes to lighten your step and to accord your sounds with the sights. Feel free to add suggestions.

"I'm Waiting for the Man" Velvet Underground
"Every Part of Me" Sam Roberts
"Daphne" Django Reinhardt
"Spit on a Stranger" Nickel Creek
"New Shoes" Paolo Nutini
"Shirt" Peter Mulvey
"Moanin'" Quincy Jones
"It's the Nighttime" Josh Rouse
"Heavy Metal Drummer" Wilco
"Careless Love" Madeleine Peyroux

Paul Simon to take a Gershwin...

This just in, the Library of Congress has a music award! In fact, it has been instituted this year and it's called the Gershwin Award (I'm hoping it'll soon be termed the "Gershie" among the informal circles). Paste reports that Paul Simon will be the award's first recipient.

Simon has an extensive body of work, and much of it is both musically and literarily gorgeous. There Goes Rhymin' Simon, Simon's second solo project, is a fantastic way to get a sense of his impact on the American musical (and literary) landscape. "American Tune," a world-weary ode to a nation adrift from its ideological core, repeatedly reduces me to contemplative silence. While the inspirational "Love Me Like a Rock" and upbeat "Kodachrome" inspire me to look beyond myself and consider optimism, one of the more potent effects of listening to quality songcraft. And the soulful, finger-picked jazz chords (a Simon staple, jazz-inspired chords and quirky progressions) of "Something So Right" fills space like the warmest blanket on a frosty night. So, go, give a listen, and remember (or perhaps, discover) why Simon is one of our nation's finest tunesmiths and poets.