(April 2022) Episode 402 is BLIND WILLIE JOHSNON, one of the great gospel blues musicians, known for his bottleneck slide guitar and molasses-mixed-with-sand voice, sometimes accompanied by his wife. He had a short recording career between 1927-30, but many of his songs have been covered.
Favorite song: The Soul of a Man
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: for sure if you like pure, original blues
(April 2022) Episode 401 is BARRY WHITE. “If chocolate fudge cake could sing, it would sound like Barry White” – the baritone-bass voice that catalyzed countless romances. Smooth, soulful, iconic.
Favorite album: Stone Gon’
Favorite song: Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up
Favorite instrumental (could it get any more 70s in here?): Love’s Theme (credited to Love Unlimited Orchestra)
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: essential in any spin of 70s soul
(April 2022) Episode 400 is CYPRESS HILL. An essential and foundational rap group, particularly for cross-over appeal. Their first two albums are a lot of fun: super funky and smothered in pot-hazed humor. I credit them for continuing to innovate over the years by integrating rap metal, rock, Latin beats, Indian music, etc. But it’s also a reminder, for me, that I’m just not into rap music.
Favorite album: Black Sunday
Favorite song: The Phuncky Feel One
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: it’s worth a toke for casual rap fans, and a bowl for the committed
Episode 399 is ANNA CLYNE. A London-born, U.S.-based composer whose music covers a range of contemporary styles, from big boisterous sounds of conventional contemporary to unsettling moody works (I don’t know yet what to label this style) I associate with her mentor Julia Wolfe and others. The instrumentation and arrangements are mostly conventional with some electronic elements thrown in.
Favourite album: The Violin
Favourite piece: Within Her Arms
Favourite solo piece: Rest These Hands
Compared to expectations: ↑
Recommendation: an enthusiastic yes
(April 2022) Episode 398 is KRIS KRISTOFFERSON. An O.G. of outlaw country, he became a crossover superstar in music and movies (favorite: Lone Star). As good as his songwriting was, his voice was a weak spot, especially in the slicker mid-career albums. But it turned into an asset when he reverted to spare, soulful recordings later in his career, much as Johnny and Willie did.
Favorite album: The Silver Tongued Devil and I
Favorite song: Sunday Morning Coming Down
Favorite collaboration album: Full Moon (with Rita Coolidge)
Worst album: A Star is Born (soundtrack)
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: worth a listen as a solid 2nd-tier among country voices, but as a 1st tier for songwriting
(April 2022) Episode 396 is CROWDED HOUSE. It’s generally more soft rock than my taste, but I’ve always admired Neil Finn’s songwriting skill (kinda the kiwi Difford/Tilbrook). There are some pop gems in here.
Favourite album: Woodface
Favourite song: It’s Only Natural
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: their greatest hits album (Recurring Dream) is worth having
(March 2022) Episode 395 is ALICE IN CHAINS. I’m shocked I didn’t listen to them more back in the day, as arguably the heavy metal-est of the grunge bands. Maybe because they were ubiquitous on the radio (an amazing number of these songs gave me 90s flashbacks). Or because I never took to the dual low-range vocals, which is distinctive. But it has aged well, and it is heavy and enjoyed at volume.
Favorite album: Dirt
Favorite song: Grind
Compared to expectations: ↑
Recommendation: don’t exclude from your 90s mix
(March 2022) Episode 394 is REVEREND GARY DAVIS. Also known as Blind Gary Davis, he was one of the great finger-picking blues guitarists from the Piedmont tradition, as well as in a ragtime style. He became a minister and moved to New York City, so much of his songs have gospel themes.
Favorite album: Harlem Street Singer, Trying to Get Home
Favorite instrumental album: The Guitar & Banjo of Reverend Gary Davis
Favorite song: Samson and Delilah (If I Had My Way)
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: a quality way to listen to the blues
(March 2022) Episode 393 is THE BETA BAND. Like me, you may know them from that iconic head-bobbing scene in the movie High Fidelity. It’s hard to describe their esoteric mix of folk, electronica, loops, beats and experimental sounds, but it is generally enjoyable. I don’t know if it was intentional, but the “beta” in the name implies it’s not a finished project, and it sounds like it.
Favourite album: Hot Shots II
Favourite song: Dry the Rain
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: if you’re looking for something unconventional
(March 2022) Episode 392 is TANG DYNASTY, considered China’s first heavy metal band. While it’s generally not my kind of metal, it is better than I expected, especially the guitarists’ shredding and grooving. I also like how they incorporate Chinese ideas and myths, akin to the traditions of Nordic metal. Each album has its own distinct sound.
Favorite album: Epic
Favorite song: Zebra Crossing
Compared to expectations: ↑
Recommendation: try it, because you’ve probably never heard Chinese metal before
Opus Project 