4 adults, 3 fish tacos, 2 brisket sandwiches, 1 baby with a granola bar. Add in the Scud Mountain Boys version of “Please Mr. Please” on the way home and you’ve got yourself a successful trip to Alamo BBQ.
Scud Mountain Boys — “Please Mr. Please” [Spotify/iTunes]
Happy Easter weekend! A few news and notes items to crack open before you go hunting for eggs:
Happy Friday!
A much longer thing needs to be written about the relationship between Daniel Bachman’s style of composition — how he introduces themes and variations on top of a drone — and springtime, in all its genetically varied, ground-splitting, frost-fighting glory. For now, I’ll just say this: Bachman’s music is excellent company on a cold, early spring morning.
I got this handmade CD-R album at an in-store performance a few years ago, and while I can’t provide a sample of any of the songs on it — don’t see any on the interweb — here’s “Won’t You Cross Over To That Other Shore,” from his recent River album.
Daniel Bachman — “Won’t You Cross Over To That Other Shore” [Bandcamp/iTunes]
Happy tournament y’all! Crazy first day of games. Early exits for Baylor, Arizona, and Purdue… should be a fun weekend. Until then, a few news and notes:
Whether you’re out and about or glued to the TV like I’ll be, I hope your weekend is a [dribbles up to the basket and unleashes a 360-degree windmill jam] slam drunk. [Winks]
I picked up a copy of collector/producer Chris King’s latest project (pictured above) at Steady Sounds two Sundays ago. While I was there, I also picked up King’s signature (pictured below), a completely delicious slice of baklava, and a copy of the Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume III, which I learned about from Amanda Petrusich’s book Do Not Sell at Any Price, which I bought at a signing that was hosted by Steady Sounds and DJ’d by… Chris King. Pretty sure the universe folded in on itself. But in a good way.
I decided I’d wait to play Why the Mountains Are Black until Mrs. YHT and I could whip up a proper Greek feast. Could not recommend the full experience highly enough. Made sure to snap a few crappy iPhone photos:
Back cover
Beginnings of a Greek salad
Baked feta with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and a bunch of olive oil
Marinated shrimp, grilled halloumi, pita
Mythos, which someone who won’t be named drank lots of while traveling in Greece with Mrs. YHT
I’ll spare you the selfie I took while wearing the Kosta Koufos jersey I bought while we were in Athens. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find on Why the Mountains Are Black:
“Kalamatianos” (“Dance of Kalamata”) [Spotify/iTunes]
This is where I hopped on the Fiona Apple wagon. Been a happy, devoted passenger ever since. I still get that displaced, uncanny feeling during certain Extraordinary Machine songs, like the leaked version of the album I first heard was the real one and these tracks are remixes, but it’s been a really long time since I heard the leaked stuff — not even sure I still have it — so that feeling is more faded than ever. Like a ghost that just kinda shrugged its shoulders and started walking away.
Speaking of giving things up, I gave this to Baby YHT to hold while we were walking out to the car this morning and she refused to give it back. I buckled her into her car seat and calmly said “If you want to listen to this music, you have to let go.” And she did. What a kid. Either she:
A. Is getting easier to bargain with
B. Really likes Fiona Apple
C. Really hates Morning Edition
D. Knows that it’s her mom’s copy and desperately wanted to cling to anything mommy-related because mommy being in a different room or somewhere else these days is ABSOLUTELY A REASON TO PANIC WHY AREN’T YOU PANICKING TOO DADDY WE’VE GOT A REAL SITUATION ON OUR HANDS HERE
Fiona Apple — “Not About Love” [Spotify/iTunes]
What a batshit crazy week. I need a nap. Some good/fun/tuneful stuff did happen, however:
And I hope all y’all have a great weekend!
Mrs. YHT comes from a family of devoted WXPN listeners. Her parents still listen regularly despite having moved from Harrisburg, PA to Northern Virginia, and Robert Drake’s “Night Before” Christmas music marathon has become a really fun tradition. Every year, my brother-in-law manages to garner an on-air shout-out via Twitter, which means that every time Drake pauses the marathon to list songs and make announcements, everything stops. Abruptly. Whoever is talking is aggressively shushed and we wait to see if he’ll mention us. (Keep in mind there’s a fair amount of red wine involved.) It’s hilarious. “Shut up he’s talking!!!”
Mrs. YHT’s dad passed along this sampler CD a couple weeks back. The Langhorne Slim song on there is one I especially enjoy. Listen below.
Langhorne Slim & The Law — “Strangers” [Spotify/iTunes]
Another new feature for 2016! I always end up with posts I didn’t manage to finish throughout the week, so I’m going to make a list each Friday of stuff worth hearing/seeing/looking out for. Really hoping I can keep up with this one. We’ll see.
That’s all for now — happy Friday, y’all!
You Hear That 