The 17

Posted by Chris Campbell at Wednesday, March 31, 2010 0

In my effort to complete my coast-to-coast mix CD box set exchange of the ages, having found out that my buddy-in-tunes made so many mixes that I'd have to buy a local Office Max to match her, I figured I'd add to my smaller collection by putting together a mix of my favorite songs. Now, I know this is impossible, and such an exercise is almost silly; however, these songs are so damn f'n great. I basically just went from memory and listens and crap like that. And I'm sure I've skipped many-a-favorite. All that said, I present:

*Thunder Road : Bruce Springsteen
4am : Richard Buckner
Colorado Girl : Townes Van Zandt
Front Porch : Slobberbone
Jesus Christ (demo) : Big Star
Formula, Cola, Dollar Draft : Marah
Gun : Uncle Tupelo
Bring It On Home To Me : Sam Cooke
Random Rules : Silver Jews
Clay Pigeons : Blaze Foley
Catch You Alive : Damnations TX
Hundred Dollar Pocket : Chappaquiddick Skyline
Question : Son Volt
One of These Things First : Nick Drake
Range Life : Pavement
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall : Bob Dylan
Casino Lights : Richmond Fontaine

*This is the greatest song ever. There simply is no argument.

1997 Revisited

Posted by Chris Campbell at Thursday, February 19, 2009 0

Given that it's only mid-February and we're already seeing strong records from M. Ward, Neko Case, Chip Robinson and The Gourds, you have to wonder if this is going to be a stellar year in music. With most of the year still to come, we're looking at likely 09 releases from Bob Dylan, Wilco, Son Volt, Josh Ritter, Bob Mould, Tim Easton, Iron & Wine, Gillian Welch, Josh Rouse, The Wrens, New Pornographers, The Strokes (?) and on and on.

I often cite 1997 as the best year of music in my lifetime. Here's just a snippet of what came out that year:

Whiskeytown Strangers Almanac
Richard Buckner Devotion & Doubt
Old 97's Too Far To Care
Richmond Fontaine Miles From
Steve Earle El Corazon
Matthew Ryan May Day
The Jayhawks Sound of Lies
Son Volt Straightaways
The Handsome Family Through the Trees
Freedy Johnston Never Home
Bob Dylan Time Out of Mind
Elliott Smith Either/Or
Pavement Brighten the Corners

1998 was basically as good with fantastic releases by Bap Kennedy, Son Volt, Lucinda Williams, The Gourds, The Pernice Brothers, Neutral Milk Hotel, Silver Jews, Wilco/Bragg, Richard Buckner and many more.

I have a feeling about this year. It's barely gotten underway yet 2009 is prime for a resurgence in great music. Let's hope.

Photo for BPB's "Beware!"

Posted by Chris Campbell at Monday, February 02, 2009 0

I really, really can not wait for this record. March 16th.

The Waiting Is (Almost) Over - Springsteen To Re-Issue Darkness

Posted by Chris Campbell at Friday, January 23, 2009 1 comments

Forget about the upcoming release of the sub-par Working on a Dream, the whole Wal-Mart thing, and his fast-approaching appearance at the Super Bowl. If Springsteen fans are looking for the treat of the decade, here it is: Billboard reports that a re-issue of the 1978 classic, Darkness on the Edge of Town, is in the works. The record will be remastered and will include a "making of" DVD.

If you look back on my Top 50 Records of All-Time, you'll see that Darkness checked in at #2. On any given day, this record jumps a slot to the top of the list. Friends and I have been discussing the need for this re-issue for decades. Looks like it's finally happening.

2008

Posted by Chris Campbell at Tuesday, December 23, 2008 0

Of all the great music, books and trips, nothing from 2008 can compare to the joy I felt at this moment. I have chills from head-to-toe every single time I watch any clips from that night.

Thanks

Posted by Chris Campbell at Wednesday, November 26, 2008 0

To/For:

-Barack Obama.
-the greatest girlfriend in the World - someone who inspires me, makes me laugh and always says the right things.
-people who choose good over money.
-the near 65 million folks who voted for our president-elect.
-the musicians who continue to put out great music, despite the minimal economic benefits.
-my friends near and far. oh it's corny, but you enrich my life on a daily basis. you probably collectively comprise about 50% of who i am. (wow, that sounds kinda weird.)
-dogs.
-Mark Oliver Everett.
-my family. you've supported me through many ups-and-downs.
-Will Oldham and Emmett Kelly for putting on one of the best shows i've ever witnessed.
-endless, endless, endless music.
-having my grandfather's wallet. when he passed away he had $6 and a driver's license.
-barbara's fantastic gifts.
-my buddy and owner of my local coffee shop, mike.
-the road.
-country music.
-gram parsons.
-our trip to chicago.
-okkervil river.
-volunteers for Obama.
-cards.
-the beauty of California.
-records.
-the good breaks i've been afforded.

oh, and so much more. but here are the two most inspiring and beautiful videos from this year.

None of You Stand So Tall

Posted by Campbell at Tuesday, July 22, 2008 0

Listening to Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left, Pink Moon and Bryter Layter in one sitting is perhaps the closest I've ever felt to spirituality. This is music, poetry, landscapes, art, nature and dreams all wrapped into songs. It's quite possibly the most beautiful music ever made.

Take What You Have Gathered From Coincidence

Posted by Campbell at Monday, June 02, 2008 0

Essential Bob Dylan
Visions of Johanna
All I Really Want To Do
She Belongs To Me
Song To Woody
It Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
Mississippi
Girl From the North Country
Just Like a Woman
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
Tangled Up in Blue
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
Not Dark Yet
Shelter From the Storm

One Hundred Songs

Posted by Campbell at Sunday, April 27, 2008 0

I have just under 15,000 songs in my iTunes library. I've attempted to cull the top 100 songs into the greatest playlist known to mankind. Here it is:

Isolation : John Lennon
Black Eye : Uncle Tupelo
Catch You Alive : Damnations TX
You and Your Sister : Chris Bell
The Way : Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Big Brown Eyes : Old 97's
4am : Richard Buckner
Two Hearts : The Jayhawks
Formula, Cola, Dollar Draft : Marah
Black : Okkervil River
Norwegian Wood : The Beatles
Troublesome Kind : Tim Easton
Poncho & Lefty : Townes Van Zandt
Wrong 'Em Boyo : The Clash
The Lucky One : Freedy Johnston
Powderfinger : Neil Young
Fuel : Damian Jurado
Backstreets : Bruce Springsteen
Via Chicago : Wilco
Lost Cause : Beck
Return of the Grievous Angel : Gram Parsons
Triggers and Trash Heaps : Centro-matic
Violence in the Snowy Fields : Dolorean
Bled White : Elliott Smith
Lip Service : Elvis Costello
Tear Stained Eye : Son Volt
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues : Bob Dylan
Impossible Germany : Wilco
Waitin' for a Superman : The Flaming Lips
Rise : Josh Rouse
Long Gone Lonesome Blues : Hank Williams
Jackson : Lucinda Williams
Right Moves : Josh Ritter
Trying Your Luck : The Strokes
Range Life : Pavement
The Harder They Come : Jimmy Cliff
Chickamauga : Uncle Tupelo
Every Grain of Sand : Emmylou Harris
No Matter What : Badfinger
September Gurls : Big Star
Jerusalem : Steve Earle
There She Goes : The La's
New Slang : The Shins
Migration : Jimmy Buffett
If Not For You : George Harrison
Losering : Whiskeytown
Someone To Pull the Trigger : Matthew Sweet
Stay With Me : The Faces
Sister Jack : Spoon
Orangeworker : For Squirrels
I've Been Loving You Too Long : Otis Redding
Not Dark Yet : Bob Dylan
I Shall Be Released : The Band
Misunderstood : Wilco
Thunder Road : Bruce Springsteen
Oklahoma, USA : The Kinks
Mostly Water : Bap Kennedy
New Brookland : South San Gabriel
I Can Hear the Laughs : Freedy Johnston
Cyprus Avenue : Van Morrison
Squeeze Box : The Who
Orphan Girl : Gillian Welch
Metal Guru : T. Rex
True Love Will Find You In the End : Daniel Johnston
God : John Lennon
Driving the View : Son Volt
These Arms of Mine : Otis Redding
Before the Deluge : Jackson Browne
Climbing To the Moon : Eels
Front Porch : Slobberbone
She Belongs To Me : Bob Dylan
Out of Time : The Rolling Stones
King of Carrot Flowers Part 1 : Neutral Milk Hotel
I'll Follow the Sun : The Beatles
Many Rivers To Cross : Jimmy Cliff
Settled Down Like Rain : The Jayhawks
Old Shoes : Tom Waits
Stolen Car : Bruce Springsteen
Ft. Worth Blues : Steve Earle
A Damn Good Disguise : The Mendoza Line
One of These Things First : Nick Drake
Papercuts : The Havenots
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall : Bob Dylan
Sloop John B : The Beach Boys
Put the Message in the Box : World Party
Anything You Want : Spoon
Heroes : David Bowie
Black Cab : Jens Lekman
Fade Away : V-Roys
He's Misstra Know It All : Stevie Wonder
Pilgrim : Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band
Bring It On Home To Me : Sam Cooke
Billy and Bonnie : Steve Earle
Fly : Nick Drake
Tecumseh Valley : Townes Van Zandt
Jailbreak : Thin Lizzy
Lovesick Blues : Hank Williams
Gun : Uncle Tupelo
So. Central Rain : R.E.M.