I'm Back!!!

Let’s try this again. 

Hey Folks, God damn, it has been a while.  Don’t worry. I haven’t forgot about you. I’ve just been so monumentally busy. But I tell you 1 thing and that’s for sure – I have not stopped listening to music. I have not stopped wanting to tell you fuckers about all this cool shit that has been going on. 

So today – I am just going to throw a whole hodge-podge of shit at you and let you figure this shit out.  I mean it has been a long time since I have done one of these. I have always had the goal to just show you things, songs, whatever.  You know, just stuff that I have heard recently, or thought of.  I mean I can only play so many songs in the garage, or in the car, after a while, it just stays in my head until I explode.

Hell, I am not really sure of how to do this anymore.  So, if the shit doesn’t seem right – It probably isn’t.  Send me a message on the facebook page – here - and let me know. 

Where do I begin? 

How about a concert.

Hobo Johnson and Jeffrey Lewis

I have this new thing going now, where I am able to take my oldest son to concerts with me and while we have only gone to two so far, I thought I would talk about the 2^nd one, which was a small but packed show in Milwaukee’s Rave.  I was arguably the oldest person there, aside from maybe some concerned parents in the back. But shit, even as the creepy old guy, I still had a blast.

So, let’s dive into Jeffrey Lewis – Jeffrey Lewis is one of the late 90s torch bearers of the “antifolk” scene.  Describing that scene however is difficult, as each artist has sort of morphed their own way of doing things.  Jeffrey Lewis doesn’t come right out and talk politics, unless you are viewing one of his short-illustrated stories.   To me, there is always a weird swerve or a different moral than what you were thinking. 

Consider my favorite Lewis song below.  The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song

If you stuck around for the whole song – first, thank you, secondly – How about the moral at the end.  I have loved that hopeful ending.  It’s just a great way to end a song.  I mean- maybe it’s just relevant for all of us hopeless romantics out there.  I always thought that I personally had these weird ideas for feelings for people who I’ve seen in passing – but shit, I would never have the courage to write a song about it. I guess someday I should.

Anyways – here is another one of my favorite of Lewis’s songs.   It has another swerve ending.  Which again, is what makes his folk songs “anti” to some.  I don’t know.  Maybe I just don’t get the concept.  I should ask my mom more about Folk (I mean, if I want to learn what anti folk is, I should learn what folk meant to someone in her age bracket {old})

So Anyways – Don’t be Upset

One last one – Broken Broken Heart

This one was played at the concert – with the newer band of Jeffrey Lewis and Los Bolts-  but this was recorded with The Junkyard.  Anyways, I still have the video of this song live from Milwaukee on my phone, I wonder if the teenage girl who filmed my excitement for this song on her phone.  Hell, maybe I am a viral star now, or maybe she wrote a song about it. 

I lied – I am sorry. This is really the last one – another Jeffrey Lewis and the Junkyard song 

Good Old Pig, Gone to Avalon

Now onward to Hobo Johnson and the Lovemakers

I had only heard Peach Scone before I decided to go to the concert – Truth is, I really only went to see Lewis who opened for Hobo Johnson.  But here is the cool part – Hobo Johnson blends rap and emo into a way that makes perfect sense to my mind.   Which also- my son could dig too. He likes rap, when he isn’t listening to Weird Al.

So here is Peach Scone

Demarcus Cousins and Ashley

I will admit, I don’t watch much basketball, so initially I didn’t know who this song was about.  Plus, who is Ashley?  Anyways – I still like the song. 

Like I said, it’s a blend of Emo and rap, the music contains elements of both.  So – yeah.  It’s definitely worth getting behind.  I promise.  One last song.

Father

Moving along.   Here is another song that I recently love.  This one feels biographical to my life.  True story – first time I heard this song, I had to stop walking and just sit and listen.  So, if you don’t know me well, or whatever.  Anyways – This is a band called Boris Smile.  They broke up in 2011 – so there’s not much to say.  I mean, there is, but do you really want to read more? Look it up for yourself.

True Colors

Have you ever thought about what songs you want played at your funeral?  No just me the fucking freak I am!

Anyways -My list has been Hallelujah – some version   and Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.  Well, in 2018 John Prine added another song to that list. 

When I get to Heaven

Speaking of John Prine and Heaven, have you heard this song?

Your Flag Decal won’t get you into Heaven Anymore

For the record – I must confess that I am a little too giddy to talk John Prine right now as I prepare to see him in 20 days.    I keep overthinking what a perfect setlist will be.  Certainly, it won’t include all my favorites.  But I can hope for a few of them.  Here’s one I hope he plays.  Hell, I will give it a standing ovation if he does.

The Other Side of Town

One last Prine song

In Spite of Ourselves

So, remember how I told you I was going to see John Prine? I forgot to say that Todd Snider was opening for him. 

I know – you have no idea who that is.  That’s fine, I didn’t at first.  But now I love him. In fact, just like Jeffrey Lewis before Hobo Johnson, I may be looking more forward to seeing Todd Snider than I am John Prine. 

Who is Prine you say?  Well he is certainly not the embodiment of this title, but rather somewhat the opposition. 

Conservative Christian, Right Wing, Republican, Straight, White, American Male

Todd put out a new album recently – Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3 available now through Aimless Records/Thirty Tigers here: https://toddsnider.net/cashcabin

On that album, you will find this little ditty below.

Talking Reality Television Blues

What can I tell you about Todd?  Not only is he a great songwriter, he is an incredible storyteller as well.  Some of his stories can go on for “18 minutes” as he says himself. 

Well this one is this –

The Ballad of the Devil’s Backbone Tavern

Lastly here’s Can’t Complain

I told you I was going to be all over the place and just pushing out videos, right?  Songs, whatever – Just shit that you might want to hear.   Shit that I can’t get out of my head.  This is my musical psychiatric couch, I guess.  I’m just lying down baring my musical soul.

Here. 

This might bring back some memories for anyone that knew me in like 96-99

Ok, Let’s talk about my new crazy love for Jimmy Buffett

My dad liked Jimmy Buffett, or at least he did when he was in a party mood.  Think like – racing days, or fun drinking days.  I don’t know.  Anyways.  I got back into it when I heard this.  Don’t watch the whole thing, but at least watch the first song. 

A Pirate Looks at Forty

This is slowly becoming my favorite Jimmy Buffet song, and I mean really, it’s relatable somewhat to the times still.  But also, as I approach 40, it’s a good reminder to look at your own body of work and see how you feel about it. 

That’s sappy – Try this for fun!

Why Don’t we Get Drunk…

So – here is a fan shot video of a moment I wish I could have been a part of.  This sort of became another Chicago tradition, as Jimmy and Patrick Kane would get together quite often.  Man, we need to get the cup back.

One last Jimmy Buffett song.

Son of a Son of a Sailor

Where do we go from here?  Have I shown you enough?  Man, Now I remember why I began to despise this blog.  I have to come up with words.  Someone should teach me how to make a fucking pirate TV station that I can use to just show cool old videos. 

Like this one

Jesus is my Friend

I love the guitar player’s enthusiasm- also, this is a very rare record to find.  It’s not valuable, just there’s not a lot of them out there.

Hey – Here is something that I haven’t watched in like 15 years, if not more.  This was one of the first songs I put on a CD R

Tiny Dancer

Ok – One last video and that is it for the day.  I am not sure if I have ever shown this one.  So here is the story.  Weezer had many fans, but Mykel and Carli Allan held fan club memberships 0001 and 0002.  They helped establish the fan club, they were just incredible.  Mykel is the female voice that you here on Undone – The Sweater Song. 

So, the Allan sisters were out following the weezer tour in 1997, with a younger sister Trysta when they were involved in a car crash, killing all 3.    This song was written much earlier as a tribute to their fandom and assistance.  Rivers would just call them and ask random questions until he had a song. 

Some say that the death of Mykel and Carli attributed to the hiatus, and it’s understandable.  It also makes sense that Rivers strays away from personal songs since Pinkerton.  This song changes meaning if you don’t realize that it was written pre 97.  Think of the bus as an Angel if you will.

Anyways – Here’s the video.

Mykel &Carli

That’s it for now – Thanks for reading, watching blah blah blah

As the Allan’s father stated – Please take care of one another.