Bishop Allen - "The News From Your Bed"
This audience, this StG readership, this is probably old news to you by now. Bishop Allen is making an EP per month for twelve months, ending in an album. And this isn't even from a new EP, it's from February. But this song is so much better than anything else I could tell you about today, just hold my hands and listen for a second. I just bought Mutual Appreciation (which apparently you can't do anymore, until later) and now, despite thinking it impossible, I've gained even more affection and interest and rosy-cheeked, almost embarrassed, love, for Bishop Allen's songs. This song is as simple as a door opening and closing, as tidy as your first homework assignment for the year, as Eleanor Rigby as it can get today without just crying all day. We tried that first kind, that was so dark it was cold to touch. This is a warm back, spiny bumps under your fingers. [Buy]
Leo Kottke - "The Train and the Gate: From Terry's Movie"
I kind of look at these posts as little singles. Like mini releases that we are putting out every day. I think it's an easy transition to make, I mean, look at the catbirdseat. So yeah, my point is this second song always feels like a b-side, and this is the kind of b-side that you ignore at first but keep coming back to. Leo Kottke performing his song from Days of Heaven (not the original, though if you have it, I would love it) with eight hands and one giant thirty-stringed guitar. He's singing as well, only all his energy is focused into his hands, so his vocal chords aren't able to vibrate. It's for the best, the lyrics are only reiterating what the guitar is jumping up and down and yelling.
[Buy The Essential Leo Kottke, or Days of Heaven]
Leo Kottke has recorded a number of virtuosic and clever tunes. This is not really one of them. It's atmospheric and appropriate as music for the film it was in. It falls flat just sitting out there naked, though, clattering along in three chords. To hear what Kottke can really achieve in terms of interesting melody and harmonic construction, while still being accessible, I would recommend Regards From Chuck Pink. That album may have been his peak, and I don't think there's a dud on it.
Posted by eric at April 10, 2006 9:10 AMThe Kottke song sounds very familiar, although I've never heard it before. I suspect it's because he's recycling material (cf. the riff repeated from :20 through :55) -- this isn't necessarily a bad thing though, because the majority of his material is brilliant.
I'm a big fan of his singing, but I know lots of people can't stand it. 'Greenhouse' and 'Peculiaroso' are fun albums.
Posted by Sam at April 10, 2006 3:45 PMWhat a way to start the week. I love both of these songs and I've never heard either one before. Thank you!! I've never listened to Leo Kottke before, I'm going to have to find more of this.
Posted by Karin S. at April 10, 2006 7:04 PMbest billy joel song in twenty years
Posted by arya at April 11, 2006 7:50 PM
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
