Friday, November 30, 2007

OH YEAH AND BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON. . .
I just wanted to announce that, due to the fact that my finances at the moment are about to crawl under a duck, I will not be able to buy Christmas presents for everyone I'd like to this year. So be warned! Don't be buyin' me a present. After all, think about it . . . you REALLY don't like me that much ANYWAY. But. If you STILL insist on getting me a present, all you are likely to receive in return from me is a wet, sloppy kiss. OK, maybe a little tongue but that's it! After all, Christmas isn't really about getting gifts anyway, is it. It's about all the FOOD!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

HOLD ON TO THE FEELIN'. So yeah, as we all know by now, November is National Journey Month. Yes, Steve Perrytonitis is spreading worldwide and the naysayers are powerless to stop it! It's all the rage. Everybody's doing it. They're having Journey parties and people are naming their first born "Cookie Duster". (OK sorry, really obscure Journey joke there). So I thought I'd do my part by listing my top ten favourooney Journey songs. Now, you may notice the absence of powerhouse favourites like "Wheel in the Sky" or "Who's Crying Now". Well, that's because they're not on the list. Not in the top ten anyway. But here are the songs which ARE in my top ten:
#10 - POSITIVE TOUCH. Here we have an unknown album track from 1986's RAISED ON RADIO album -- you know, the one with the guy from American Idol playing bass. This one's pure silly 80's power pop and it's been known to cause a frolic.
#9 - FAITHFULLY. One of the old reliable 80's power ballads and still a good one. Smile for me, Philadelphia.
#8 - THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT. An actual single from RAISED ON RADIO this time. Endless road trip material. And yes, the RAISED ON RADIO tour was when I saw Journey at the good ole Spectrum. "They're still standing in the rain..."
#7 - RAISED ON RADIO. So, can you tell by now that this was a popular album with we road trippers?!? Here's a song whose lyrics consist solely of old song titles (Stagger Lee, The Locomotion, Lucille etc.) as Journey, much like Queen's RADIO GA GA, celebrates the history and power of rock & roll radio. And the harmonica sounds excellent!
#6 - LIGHTS. So you think you're lonely. Well my friend, I'm lonely too.
#5 - STONE IN LOVE. Those crazy nights I do remember; in my youth. I do recall those were the best times. . . But the best part comes at about 2:28 minutes into the song as we instrumental our way out. This technique would figure strongly in a later song that would win an award. . . Stay tuned to this list.
#4 - SEND HER MY LOVE. How it hurt so bad to see her cry. Terrific, terrific song. My favourite song on the FRONTIERS album. Broken hearts can always mend. And roses never fade.
#3 - WHY CAN'T THIS NIGHT GO ON FOREVER. Once again we revisit the RAISED ON RADIO album. This is the album closer - an incredible ballad in the FAITHFULLY mode. However, this one was even more powerful because, in fact, it was, for a decade anyway, Journey's final musical statement. All this and it contains my favourite lyric couplet: "city lights".
#2 - EASY TO FALL. Words unspoken. After a decade of silence, Steve Perry and Journey returned in 1996 with the TRIAL BY FIRE album. While not particularly a match to their previous work, this album contained this one song which is almost two songs; and this one song on the album made the wait worthwhile. As in the earlier mentioned STONE IN LOVE, EASY TO FALL's first half is a great power ballad -- then around the 3:35 mark we go into an incredibly floaty instrumental guitar part which is almost transcendent. To the shock of everyone, myself included, EASY TO FALL went on to win the Penguin Award for 1996 Song of the Year!
#1 - STILL THEY RIDE. Jessie rides through the night. And for some reason, I get all ferklempt. I haven't the faintest idea why this song should be at the top of my list but it is. If I was the sort who succumbed to "bic-lighting" I'd do it to this song. Still they ride on wheels of fire. They rule the night. And this rules the list.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FOLKS -- AND IT'S FINALLY NOW TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE NOMINEES FOR THE 2007 PENGUIN AWARDS.
The Nominees for SONG OF THE YEAR are:
BACK TO BLACK - Amy Winehouse
GOING TO A TOWN - Rufus Wainwright
GOLDEN SKANS - Klaxons
HATE ON ME - Jill Scott
HERCULEAN - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
HISTORY SONG - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
I'M HAPPY - Terra Naomi
THE LAST TEN YEARS - Kenny Rogers
LONG LIMBED GIRL - Nick Lowe
ME & MR. JONES - Amy Winehouse
NOT READY TO LOVE - Rufus Wainwright
PHILOSOPHIA - The Guggenheim Grotto
SAY IT'S POSSIBLE - Terra Naomi
SILENT HOUSE - Crowded House
SO MANY STARS - Jane Monheit
SOMEONE TO LOVE - Fountains of Wayne
PENGUIN AWARD NOMINATIONS FOR ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

AT MY AGE - Nick Lowe
BACK TO BLACK - Amy Winehouse
THE CRANE WIFE - The Decemberists
THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
LIVE EAST WEST - Jacqui Naylor
NINETEENEIGHTIES - Grant-Lee Phillips
RAISING SAND - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
RELEASE THE STARS - Rufus Wainwright
RODRIGO Y GABRIELA - Rodrigo Y Gabriela
TIME ON EARTH - Crowded House
UNDER THE INFLUENCE - Terra Naomi
PENGUIN AWARD NOMINEES FOR DUET OF THE YEAR:
Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Killing the Blues - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Through the Morning, Through the Night - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Well, I think it's safe to say that Robert Plant & Alison Krauss will pick up a Penguin Award this year. . .
PENGUIN AWARD NOMINEES FOR COVER SONG OF THE YEAR:
A Man In Love - Nick Lowe
Bitches Ain't Shit - Ben Folds
Chelsea Hotel No. 2 - Rufus Wainwright
Gimme Shelter - Patti Smith
Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Greg Laswell
Java Jive - The Puppini Sisters
Losing My Religion - Jacqui Naylor
Love My Way - Grant Lee Phillips
Overjoyed - Jane Monheit
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Patti Smith
So Many Stars - Jane Monheit
Stairway To Heaven - Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Under the Milky Way - Grant-Lee Phillips
Wicked Games - Deadsy
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - Amy Winehouse
Wuthering Heights - The Puppini Sisters
NOMINEES FOR BEST ALBUM COVER ART:
Awkward Annie - Kate Rusby
Desire - Pharoahe Monch
Exotica - Sven Van Hees
The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Release the Stars - Rufus Wainwright
Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Traffic and Weather - Fountains of Wayne

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

UNSPOOLED!!!
Orson Welles from CITIZEN KANE.
Faye Dunaway & Jack Nicholson from CHINATOWN.
Greta Garbo & Melvyn Douglas from NINOTCHKA.
Cary Grant & Ingrid Bergman from NOTORIOUS.
Paul Henreid, Ingrid Bergman & Humphrey Bogart from CASABLANCA.
Cary Grant & Jean Arthur from ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS.
Katharine Hepburn & Cary Grant from HOLIDAY.
Cary Grant & Irene Dunne from THE AWFUL TRUTH.
Farley Granger, John Dall & James Stewart from ROPE.
Bud Cort & Ruth Gordon from HAROLD AND MAUDE.
Jean Peters & Richard Widmark from PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET.
Lauren Bacall & Humphrey Bogart from KEY LARGO.
Lana Turner & John Garfield from THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE.
Audrey Hepburn & Gregory Peck from ROMAN HOLIDAY.
Cloris Leachman & Ralph Meeker from KISS ME DEADLY.