thesarahshay reblogged
For Townes Van Zandt’s birthday I sang “Snow Don’t Fall”.
Noah Segan, ladies and gentlemen. Gentleman, scholar, Townes Van Zandt-appreciator. I would not object to having an mp3 of this.
thesarahshay reblogged
Mumford and Sons—Not in Nottingham (cover from the disney movie Robin Hood)
ooh!
Oh, this. This is just fantastic.
Mandy Moore, "I Can Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week" (acoustic demo) I'll say it loud and proud: I love Mandy Moore. Her last two records, Amanda Leigh and Wild Hope, are just great pop records, and her live show is fucking fantastic. I got free tickets to one of her shows when working at a record store in 2008, and a friend and I went on a lark, thinking it would be funny. The joke was on us: by the end of the show, we were both completely charmed. This track, off Amanda Leigh, is the best song for pumping yourself up before a date, job interview, etc. The music just says, "That's right, I am fucking amazing and I will blow your mind. Are you ready for this? I don't even care, I'm coming anyway." The acoustic demo version is even more delightful.
The Mongrel Jews: Live, in your ears!
Exciting Mongrel news! We just learned that the Mongrel Jews' performance at the 2011 Northwest Folklife Festival was recorded, to our surprise and delight! I'm really glad they didn't tell us they were recording it, in all honesty. That day was extreme stressful, and somehow, despite that, we played one of our best sets ever. If I'd known they were recording it, I perish to think of how my stress level would have soared. But they didn't, and as such the recording sounds pretty goddamn awesome. Perhaps the most exciting part of this is that we now have recordings of several songs we had never recorded, notably "Love Theme From The Mongrel Jews," "The Lamentable Ballad of Puss Flanagan," and "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight." It can be listened to in full on their website (their player gave me trouble; if you have the same, the mp3 is here).
And today, in the "Songs You Never Expected to Speak Emotional Truths" category: The Preserves, with "C'mon, Man (We're In Vegas)."
thesarahshay reblogged
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside - Against the Law
This song is eminently bluesable. I must get this album and then trick someone into letting me DJ their party.
thesarahshay reblogged
Frank Turner - English Curse Sarah, I think you know that this one’s for you.
Mmm, what don't I love about this? A capella ballads and sexy young Englishmen. You know me so well, my Fool.
"Inexorably," by Zoe Boekbinder. The last time I fell really stupidly in love, this song was the soundtrack. When he didn't want me and I had to climb that long, steep hill called Getting Over It, the song that helped me along was "The Future Soon" by Jonathan Coulton (oddly enough).
thesarahshay reblogged
Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show cover) - Mumford & Sons
I’m usually not a fan of “mama” as an endearment, but in this context it is alllllll right.
Even Mumford & Sons know this song is the modern folk equivalent of Freebird. Every band has to learn it; it's compulsory.
As much as I'm enjoying their cover, it's really disconcerting to hear this song with an English accent. You can't sound that proper when you're singing "Caught a trucker outta Philly, had a nice long toke"!
FUN FACT: When my band covers this song (as we must), on that line we all try to overshout each other: Aaron and Annie do the real line, while I sing, "Told a nice long joke!"
Corpus Callosum, "Only Blue Eyes." This is my song, tonight. Only imagine me singing it, about half-speed, sounding much sadder and drunker than I actually am. Well, drunker anyway. Hear the train cryin', sounds lonesome as I am Must be pinin' away for a lost love And hear the whistle blowin' It sounds so alone Must be a song for the girl that it dreams of She must have blue eyes Only blue eyes can break your heart that way...
Robert Sarazin Blake performing the old Scottish ballad, "Annachie Gordon" from his album A Long Series of Memorable Nights Forgotten: The Belfast Sessions.
This is not exactly a traditional take on the song, but I have been listening to it non-stop lately. I need to learn more folk ballads.
thesarahshay reblogged
"The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God," by J Milton Hayes, read by Bransby Williams and recorded in 1911. I found this recording on one of those cheap JSP boxed sets called A Night at the Music Hall. A strange little story, and oddly mesmerizing.
"One For Them and One For Me," by Mike Phirman. George Formby would approve.
Source: music.mikephirman.com
thesarahshay reblogged
MIDNIGHT RADIO from Hedwig & The Angry Inch by Stephen Trask
Here’s another cover I RECorded a little while ago. Been waiting to post it until today.
Believe it or not, BURNING dAN was not always the tremendously extroverted swashbuckler he eventually became. Most of his life, he was pretty shy. One of the first times I remember seeing him dress up loud was to play Sgt. Luther Robinson along with a midnight show (sorta like Rocky Horror) of Hedwig.
We celebrated his 30th birthday six and a half years ago, just me and him talking all night. I miss him. But that’s one thing about becoming a tremendously extroverted swashbuckler. He made himself real easy to recall.
My favorite song from Hedwig, and Joe sings it beautifully. A perfect song for Dan, I think.
"Holding Hands Still Counts When You're Wearing Gloves," by Nathan Johnson & Seth Kent. It snowed tonight, probably five or six inches. I listen to this song every winter, but tonight was the first time I learned it was true.
thesarahshay reblogged
From 12 month-ago archives, the saddest Christmas song you’re likely to hear this year:
That’s All. I’m not gonna call, but if you’d come home soon, you could be here for Christmas. Okay, fine, I’ll call … um, but one time is all. I never really thought I’d miss ya But you left last fall. Your photo’s on the wall. Holidays sure make for distance. And I’m at the mall where, a year ago, I bought you that white pair of mittens. And the tree is tall, and lights are all burning, but I still feel listless. White blankets of snow, and mistletoe… you know, for things like kisses. And my telephone wants you to know that it’s lonely, and that it wishes you’d call … That’s all.
Music Monday! - That’s All by Zachary Johnson
It’s holiday time and we’re getting in the spirit. So for the next couple of weeks I’ll be going through the holiday vaults. Beginning with this gem.
Zach is often my partner in musical crimes, and he comes back to Colorado tomorrow. In honor (and in excitement) of him returning, here’s a little piano tune he wrote. We recorded this a couple of years ago for the (now defunct?) Elephant Hug Annual Christmas Compilation. I swear, we can’t make a record of anything without both of us cracking up at some point during the recording.