2013 in Music
Thought it would be fun to write a bit of a blog post about my favorite music of 2013. This will be a bit different from most Best Music of the Year postings as not all the music on this list came out this year. But 2013 was the year I first heard some of it, so I’ll write about it below.
Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby – Cluck Ol’ Hen
I have been a Bruce Hornsby fan since The Way It Is. That was actually one of the first CDs my family owned, back when CDs were first invented. I have followed his career ever since and dig about 99% of the music he makes. I’m not a super huge fan of his jazz flavored music as that’s just not one of my favorite styles of music. But you know what is one of my favorite sales of music? Bluegrass. When I heard that Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby were doing a live album I knew I’d be picking it up. This CD is just fantastic from start to finish. Ricky Skaggs is backed by the amazing Kentucky Thunder and Bruce is right there along with them proving there is a place in bluegrass for the piano. The centerpiece of the disc is the over ten minute long version of The Way It Is which is just mind blowing. Was lucky to see Bruce and Ricky on tour a month or so ago and their live show was even better than this CD.
Steve Martin & Edie Brickell – Love Has Come For You
I heard the title track of this album while on tour with PuppetUp earlier this year. It was so good it was on heavy repeat especially during one super long bus ride one night from Idaho to Montana. I was never a huge fan of Edie Brickell but her work here has won me over. I bought the whole CD when it came out and from top to bottom it is really great. My favorite track is Sarah Jane and the Iron Mountain Baby. A classic fun, bluegrass story song. I love the lines: A civil war vet went to see if he could get a bit of timber for a new barn/The number 4 sped from the train overhead came the itty bitty newborn. Just great lyric writing there, in my opinion. Got to see this show at the Hollywood Bowl this year as well. A Steve Martin banjo show is just as funny as you’d expect. Can’t leave out praise for the Steep Canyon Rangers here as well. They support Steve (& Edie) and they were fantastic.
Neko Case – The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You
While I was in Toronto I blogged about Neko in my post about the music from that tour. Neko gets mentioned here because since this album was released I’ve listened to it a lot. Lots of great songs on here. The rocking’ Man, the mellow (but rocking’) Ragtime, the awesome City Swans, the mournful Night Still Comes, each track is better than the next. However my favorite is Calling Cards (below). This is a great CD to put on while working, writing, just doing errands. Good ‘soundtrack for life’ music.
This was an interesting year for me because it was a year in which my, all time favorite band, Barenaked Ladies released an album (which, as I type this I can’t even remember the name of) and the disc was immediately shadowed by the discovery of a new musician. And an album from 2009. Sorry, BNL, your latest just didn’t capture the magic of the past albums and, discovering Blue’s A Watched Pot at the same time was the death knell for your new disc.
Bleu – A Watched Pot
I HAD actually head of Bleu before, coincidentally enough, through Barenaked Ladies. BNL were on a For The Kids album and one of the other stand out tracks on that album was a song called Snow Day. It’s a great tune but I never really looked into Bleu further. As you probably know, I’m a fan of the band Jellyfish. On a Jellyfish discussion group someone posted that former Jellyfish-er, Andy Sturmer, sang on a song by an artist named Bleu. I clicked through and found this video…
I was already downloading this album while the song played in the background. A Watched Pot is one of those albums that I can play from start to finish, over and over. All the songs are great. Standouts are the track above, Boy Meets Girl, I Won’t F*ck You Over (This Time) and, my favorite, When The Lights Go Out. Discovering Bleu I checked out all his other stuff and it’s all just as great. Bleu did release an album this year, To Hell With You, but it is A Watched Pot that I listened to on heavy rotation this year.
Bleu did a pledgemusic.com campaign to fund To Hell With You, which I pledged to. For the campaign, Blue made, what I think, is the single greatest pledge video ever.
To Hell With You is a great album as well. The disc starts with a orchestrated overture! Yes, Bleu arranged and recorded a classic, broadway style, overture for his whole album. That’s worth the price of the disc along. The rest of the album features great songs as well. In My Own Little World, The Bottom of My Heart and It’s Not Over (‘Til It’s Over And Done) are all great, as is the rest of the disc.
And this song by Bleu, from an even earlier album, just rocks (the video is not for the squeamish though)…
I really urge you to check out Bleu if you like good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll with brilliant songwriting.
In the comedy music realm, my favorite disc of the year is NOMAD by Boothby Graffoe. Fun and funny from start to finish with a great version of one of my favorite songs of his, Baseball Playing Spider.
Finally, Jellyfish has a new album that just came out on December 10. It’s a disc of live radio performances. I’m sure it would have made this list but I haven’t heard it yet as it’ll, hopefully, be in a Christmas package from Santa.
So that’s the 2013 in music on my iPhone. Varied for sure, but all of it fantastic and on repeat in this neck of the woods.
What have you been grooving to this year? Let me know.
Shambling
Long ago, way back in November of 2004, podcasting was in it’s infancy. I always like to say there were about 300 podcasters back then and we all knew each other. That’s actually not far from the truth. Back there there was a site you could submit your new episode to and it created one giant feed to subscribe to. Something you couldn’t do today, for sure. Everybody knew each other and everybody was just having fun. There wasn’t a thought of monetization or social media, people were just enjoying producing in a new medium.
Back then I listened to a lot of podcasts. Listening to what other people were doing with this new fangled invention and one of the very first podcasts I remember listening to was GEEK FU ACTION GRIP hosted by Mur Lafferty. Who was this mysterious Mur? I had no idea. I knew she lived on the East Coast somewhere and I found the first episode I heard of GEEK FU ACTION GRIP absolutely hilarious. It was an essay about how she sort of had a crush on Steve from Blue’s Clues having watched it so much with her daughter. It was funny, well written and presented in a way where I knew I was going to subscribe. And I did.
Fast forward to today, December 2013, just over 9 years later, and I’m happy to say that this mysterious Mur is a good friend of mine. In fact, just moments ago we had a conversation via text about production on my Advent Calendar and her daughter, Princess Scientist’s. In the past 9 years Mur has become a friend and an inspiration. I’ve watched her pursue her dreams as a writer and go from selling a few article, self-publishing a novel and then, bam, landing a book deal. As I said, she’s a good friend and a creative inspiration. Proof positive that if you work hard you can achieve your dreams.
Back in May of this year, Mur’s first professionally published book, The Shambling Guide To New York City was released. Being a fan I, of course, pre-ordered and had it delivered to my door the day of the release. Unfortunately, with touring and other things going on my time to sit down and read is very limited. I got 6 books last year at Christmas and they are still on my bookshelf waiting to be read.
But Mur is amazing and, because she understands the value of podcasting, she actually podcaster the audio of her book. FOR FREE! You read that right! For FREE! Through the podcast I was able to ‘read’ the book and it is fantastic. And I’m not just saying that because Mur is my friend. I really did think it was great.
It is an ‘urban fantasy’ about a young woman who moves to New York and gets a job writing a guide book to the city. Except this guide book if for monsters visiting the Big Apple. Zombies, Vampires, Water Sprites, Dragons, if you have a favorite creature, chances are it’s mentioned in this book. It is funny and Mur has a great knack for writing some fun action sequences. I highly recommend this one to anyone who likes a fantasy set in present day.
And the great news is that it is the first book in a series and the second book comes out in March of 2014!
So, friends, check out this book. Below are links on where you can pick it up, and I highly recommend that you do! None of the links below are affiliate links, I just wanted to promote this really fun read.
The Shambling Guide to New York City
By Mur Lafferty
Podcast (Only available until December 15, 2013)
100 Word Stories – Police Blotter Story – Outrage!
Another 100 word story based on an item from the police blotter of my hometown of Burlingame, CA. Link follows the story.
Outrage!
By Grant Baciocco
“Well that is just absolutely insane.” Fumed Robert. “What were you doing when they pulled you over?”
“I wasn’t doing anything. The speed limit was 35, I was doing 30!” Roberta answered. “I know for a fact that I was going that fast because I looked at the speedometer when he flipped on the lights!”
Robert shook his head. “Well, I just don’t understand it. A $250 ticket for nothing!” Robert paced, wringing his hands together. The wooden floor echoing each step. “I know what I’ll do! I’m going to meet with that officer! Get to the bottom of this!”
—
Puppet Up Toronto Tour Diary – Epilogue – Puppet Up Playlist
I love music. When people ask hypotheticals about if they’d rather lose sight or hearing I think I’d have to go with losing sight first because audio is so important to who I am as a person. I love the way that something you hear can make you feel a certain way. It’s one of the reasons I love producing audio dramas. Finding the right sound effect or piece of music that fits perfectly for that part of the story will instantly put a smile on my face.
I also love music. Music can just make you feel some many things. The right song can make you feel incredibly happy or rip you to your very core. Puppetry is, obviously, a visual medium but music plays and important part in it. Puppet Up is no exception. There’s our opening and closing numbers, there’s our new finale piece called The End and there’s Windy, Java and I’ve Grown Accustomed To Your Face that play a huge part of in the show. Then there’s the underscoring that Dan, our accompanist, does. I always get a big laugh when Dan finds just the right song to play after the blackout of a scene.
But there is other music that I really associate with Puppet Up and that’s the music I’m listening to at the time or that I hear while on the amazing trips. For example, the first time I went on tour with the show was in 2011. I joined up with the tour in Florida for a string of five shows. Since I was meeting up with the tour I flew to Florida on my one and then got a taxi to the airport. While in the cab, Foster The People’s Pumped Up Kicks was playing. I’m not a terribly huge fan of the song, but when I hear it I always think of that feeling I felt, driving to meet up with the tour in Florida, ready for a week of adventure and shows.
I thought it might be of interest, to no one but me, to make sort of a record of some of the songs that I was listening to while on this recent Toronto Tour. Here’s ome of the more notable selections complete with YouTube links.
The Hellacopters – I’m In The Band
This is my ‘show song.’ I listen to this before every show to get pupmed up and ready to go on stage. This and Alcohol by Barenaked ladies really get me ready to puppet up.
Martin Solveig Feat. Dragonette – Hello
This one will always remind me of the Toronto tour, like Pumped Up Kicks will remind me of the Florida tour. This run we got brand new pre-show and intermission music and this track plays during intermission. Not really my type of song, but it’s poppy and fun. Ted HATED this song with a passion and would constantly say, “I think there should be a video of this song where the girl is just running away from that noise.” By the end of the run Brian had a whole dance routine worked out to it that he forcibly made me learn one night. Several times we got our intermission ‘places’ call and this song would come on as were standing backstage, ready to go for Act 2. Everyone would be dancing. Ted even danced one night.
Neko Case – Calling Cards
Neko’s new album has been on heavy rotation on all my music paying devices. So many great songs. This one is my favorite. From the first time I heard it. While in Toronto, I heard an interview with her on NPR and she talked about how it’s about being on the road with a band and missing other bands you play with and wanting to be with them. Love the line, “Looking like you just woke up from making songs.” Kind of a perfect song for being out on the road and away from home.
Jonathan Coulton – Space Doggity
I love me some Jonathan Coulton. The David Bowie exhibit was in Toronto while we are there. I’m not a huge fan but several of our group are and they went and saw it. There was a lot of Bowie talk and it got me thinking about this song by Jonathan. Such a sad song and a sad story. I’ve talked about it elsewhere on this blog. Listening to it a few times on this trip got me thinking that, someday, when I have the time and inclination, I’d like to create a puppet piece based on this song.
Bleu – Could Be Worse
Blue is my ‘artist of the year.’ I’ve had a song by him in my collection for awhile. A song I loved (Snow Day). I rediscovered him through a Jellyfish fan group as a member of Jellyfish sang on one of Bleu’s songs. Anyway, I love this song. Rocking, great lyrics. Good message.
Shawn Colvin – Wichita Skyline
While perusing my Twitter feed one morning I saw a tweet from Shawn Colvin with a picture of the real Wichita Skyline and it got this song in my head. Great song about being stuck in you life and unable to break out.
Dar Williams – It’s Alright
Listening to Shawn Colvin got me thinking about Dar Williams and this song. Listened to this several times while in Toronto. In the hotel and walking around the streets. THis is a great song and I’m glad I rediscovered now. Has a lot of meaning for me in this point of my life and things going on around me.
It’s time and I am changing,
Into something good or bad
Well, that’s your guess.
Something about this song just really hooks me deep inside. It’s about loss and moving on, changed, but “It’s Alright.” Listening to this song also got me onto Dar’s I Saw A Bird Fly Away. Another great tune.