Category: Uncategorized

482. Waylon Jennings

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(March 2023) Episode 482 is WAYLON JENNINGS, arguably the most iconic figure in Outlaw Country, one of the least unpalatable subgenres of country music.  His dirt-encrusted baritone is all-American and one of the most recognizable, if not widely imitated, voices in country.  He recorded prolifically, including numerous collaborations (most famously with Willie Nelson), soundtrack and theme songs (“Dukes of Hazzard”).  On side comment: covering songs is a staple of country recording artists, especially of each other. Occasionally they extend to pop and rock. I found Waylon’s covers of beyond-genre songs particularly cringy, with examples listed below. 

Favorite album: Lonesome, On’ry and Mean

Favorite song: Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: A sampler will do for the casual listener. The early 70s albums are the peak of his outlaw output, but the late 60s recordings are good too.

Cringy covers: MacArthur Park (Richard Harris), Do It Again (Steely Dan), Norwegian Wood and You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (The Beatles), Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac), Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty), Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond), I’m on Fire (Bruce Springsteen), Hold On! I’m Comin (Sam and Dave)

480. Gong Gong Gong 工工工

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(MArh 2023) Episode 480 is GONG GONG GONG 工工工. This is a Beijing-based duo (one from Hong Kong, one from Canada) who turn amplified busking into a surprisingly mesmerizing distorted groove.  Inversely, the guitar keeps the rhythm while the bass does the melodic work, with occasional vocals that give a regional flavor, done in Chinese (I can’t tell if it’s Mandarin or Cantonese) in the pentatonic style. It’s primitive but it captures you  – that’s the essence of rock n’ roll, right?

Favorite album: Phantom Rhythm 幽靈節奏

Favorite song: Notes Underground

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: try it. It’s great motivational music for household chores and other activities

472. Orchestra Baobab

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Episode 472 is ORCHESTRA BAOBAB. A big-time African band in the 1970s and Senegal’s biggest musical export until Youssou N’Dour. You get the expected goodness of afro-beats but there is such a strong Cuban influence you might think they were from Cuba if not for singing in Wolof and French (but with some Spanish too). I especially love the groovy and psychedelic guitar bits.

Favorite album: Pirates Choice

Favorite song: Sibou Odia

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: I’m not a “world music” connoisseur so I can’t make a comparative recommendation, but I like this for its authenticity and groove

445. Sturgill Simpson

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(October 2022) Episode 445 is STURGILL SIMPSON.  I’ll never be a country music fan but I’m trying to expand my knowledge. In conventional mode, Simpson evokes outlaw country and Merle & Waylon (much better than hot country which I loathe), and nails bluegrass and ballads too. But he also goes iconoclast on a couple albums with electronic sounds and distorted guitars for an alt rock sound.

Favorite album: Metamodern Sounds in Country Music

Favorite song: Fastest Horse in Town

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: if you’re into country you’re probably already into him; if not, give it a try

410. Blind Lemon Jefferson

~ ernopepper ~ 1 Comment

(May 2022) Episode 410 is BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON, known as the Father of Texas Blues.  He recorded a hundred songs in the 1920s, and was popular at the time for his distinctive voice and guitar playing.  He was rediscovered in the 1960s as lots of artists covered his songs. Allegedly Jefferson Airplane took their name from him.

Favorite song: Matchbox Blues

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: yes, for awareness of original blues

397. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

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(April 2022) Episode 397 is CARL PHILIPP EMANUEL BACH. His music bridged the era between high baroque, represented by his father J.S., and the classical era of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, all of whom were inspired by C.P.E.  He was known for being inventive, even quirky, but to my 21st Century ear it can come off as unexciting. Perhaps he unfairly suffers by comparison, falling between my favorites: Bach’s mathematical beauty and Beethoven’s passionate lyricism.  He was quite prolific, with almost 900 works to his name (of which I captured about three-quarters, which took 10 weeks), many of which featured the relatively new piano.

Favorite piece: Cello Concerto in A major (H. 439)

Favorite keyboard sonata: C major (H. 163)

Favorite keyboard concerto: F major (H. 470)

Favorite symphony: E flat major (H. 654)

Favorite trio sonata: G major (H. 583)

Favorite short piano piece: L’Aly Rupalic in C Major

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: it’s a pleasant listen but won’t get you out of your chair

276. The Jesus and Mary Chain

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(August 2020) Episode 276 is THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN. Another band whose influence was greater than their sales, their biggest mark is planting the seed of Shoegazing with the fuzzy noise of their stunning debut album.  But they chose not to stay and till that ground, instead meandering through many alt forms from the late 80s through 90s.

Favorite album: Psychocandy

Favorite song: Degenerate

Compared to expectations: same

Psychocandy

275. John Coltrane

~ ernopepper ~ 3 Comments

(August 2020) Episode 275 is JOHN COLTRANE. It’s hard to be cooler than Coltrane.  Although I have a mixed relationship with jazz and saxophone is far from my favorite instrument, I appreciate him for his talent, innovation and influence.  I agree that A Love Supreme is his best album and see why My Favorite Things is his most popular song, but I find myself drawn to the sound of his later-career free-form recordings.

Favorite album: Ascension

Best album: A Love Supreme

Favorite song: India

Compared to expectations: same

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263. Georg Philipp Telemann

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(May 2020) Episode 263 is GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN. I do love me some baroque, but this was like an overdose. Perhaps the most prolific composer ever, Telemann wrote some 3,000 pieces, half of which survive, and I was able to find and listen to about half those — still about 800 pieces. Thanks to self-isolation, I did in 7 weeks what would have taken 7+ months. But his quantity isn’t matched by quality; while it isn’t fair to compare anyone to Bach, Telemann’s music can’t match his friend’s magic and melodicism. It’s all very nice though.

Favorite piece: Concerto for 2 Violins in C major

Favorite chamber piece: Overture-Suite in C major “Wassermusik”

Favorite cantata: Wie liegt die Stadt so wüste

Favorite big choral piece: Magnificat in G Major

Compared to expectations: same

Telemann