NYPL Blogs: Popular Music

OMG! I Love That Song! A Catchy Song Playlist

Anne Rouyer, Seward Park Library — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:33:58 -0400

Last year I wrote a popular blog post entitled "OMG! I Love That Song!: A Guilty Pleasure Playlist" where I confessed my song shame only to find out that many of you shared the exact same musical taste. Than this past February, several of my choices also ended up winning Grammys. I should have named that blog "A Not-so-Guilty Pleasure Playlist" instead. This year this post is once again a "no judgment zone" and I am declaring my love for the songs that I have on constant replay and can't get out of my head. Chances are they're on your player too and if they're not they should be. Okay, now I'm judging you.

Feel This Moment – Pitbull ft. Christina Aguilera

Off Pitbull's juggernaut of a party album, Global Warming, "Feel This Moment" is definitely catchy. I think I was singing along to it before I even knew what the song was or who was singing on it. Shout out to Lindsy for finally telling it was Xtina, who I have missed. So I yes, I love this song. A LOT! Bonus points to Pitbull for referencing Fifty Shades of Grey in the lyrics "She like books/ Especially about red rooms and tie-ups." Classy.

Mirrors and Pusher Love Girl – Justin Timberlake

JT is a Prince of Pop. When he announced his new album The 20/20 Experience I think I squee'd. I know I wasn't the only one. (Just admit it. You did.) But would it be any good? It's been years since he released his last album and now he's old and married! Would he have the same mojo? Luckily, he's still got major chops and there is not a bad song on the entire album. "Mirrors" is by far my favorite track and the catchiest and "Pusher Love Girl" is pure slow-jam groove.

C'mon, C'mon, Loved You First and I Would – One Direction

To say I love One Direction is an understatement. In truth, MY LOVE for Harry, Louis, Liam, Niall and Zayn can only be expressed in ALL CAPS and EXCLAMATION POINTS!! But I digress... I adore their second album Take Me Home and deciding which songs to highlight is very stressful for me. "C'mon, C'mon" is probably my favorite track on TMH. It's definitely one of the catchiest and the danciest. I've also recently become obsessed with "Loved You First" which is so lovely and boy-bandey and I add "I Would" because it has some of the wittiest lyrics on the entire album. Personally, I think their very best song is "Irresistible" but that can only be found on the special Target edition of the album. Natch.

Troublemaker and Army of Two - Olly Murs

This 2009 X Factor UK runner-up has plenty of white boy cool. His R&B tinged pop just makes me want to get up and dance. "Troublemaker" the first single off his third album Right Place, Right Time is bouncy fun with a cool vibe. I recently became enamored of the harder-edged track "Army of Two" which has the chorus lyric of: "soliders follow my lead / repeat after me / faith is the bullet / hope is the gun / love is all we need." Which I just think is money but that's just me. It's time he broke America folks. Lets help him.

I Knew You Were Trouble and 22 – Taylor Swift

I have a love/hate relationship with Miss Swift. There is no doubt that she is talented and can write catchy tunes but she drives me BANANAS with all her relationship drama—which she clearly encourages. Take "I Knew You Were Trouble"—she recently said that it was about her ex Harry Styles (of One Direction) when—according to their relationship timeline (which I have researched)—that is clearly impossible! (FYI It's about ex John Mayer) But gosh darn't if isn't super catchy and kinda awesome. The same can be said for the entire Red album, including, the girls-night-out anthem of "22"—in the video she wears Harry's usual outfit of a white tee and a beanie and it seriously bugs me. I seriously don't like that I like her music! Ugh, stupid Taylor! Stop writing such good songs!

Radioactive and How We Do - Rita Ora

Rita Ora deserves to be more famous in the States then she is. A protégé of Jay Z this Kosovo born UK singer has talent and a definite "It" factor. She's worked with Drake, Kanye West, Tinie Tempah, The-Dream among others. "Radioactive" is probably my favorite dance track of the spring. It begs to be danced to under strobe lights and a mirror ball. Her debut album Ora has a cool, dance vibe and you will probably recognize the track "Hot Right Now" which was big club song last year. Last summer, one of my favorite songs was the party anthem of "How We Do" which features the familiar Notorious B.I.G. refrain of "Party and B*llSh**". This particular song just begs to be sung from the rooftops or out the windows of a car.

It's Time and Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

Indie-rock band Imagine Dragons burst onto the Billboard charts last fall with their album Night Visions and first single "It's Time" and they haven't left. Their music is a mix of edgy rock with a pop sensibility or is it edgy pop with a rock sensibility? No matter, the entire album is full of catchy hooks and lyrics you want to sing along to at full volume. They are the 2013 equivalent of fun. and we all know how big they got.

Lego House and Kiss Me – Ed Sheeran

To be honest many people may know Ed Sheeran, an award winning British, singer/songwriter, more for his song writing collaborations with Taylor Swift and One Direction, than his own stuff, which just means they aren't trying hard enough. Ed has been around for years playing gigs with just his guitar and loop pedal but creating a HUGE sound. With his debut album +[Plus Sign] and hit single "The A Team" he is finally going mainstream. I love every song on +[Plus Sign]. Somehow he combines funk, hip-hop and rock with extremely personal and heartbreaking lyrics to create his own special sound and vibe. Every song has you singing along but I have a special place in my heart for both "Lego House" and "Kiss Me"—which P.S. will probably be played at a million weddings this summer.

Next To Me – Emeli Sande

Tell me if this sounds familiar: a big voiced UK singer with a retro sound singing about love and loss. Adele? Amy Winehouse? Nope. It's the Scottish born Emeli Sande. Who strikes it out of the park with her album Our Version of Events, which just won the Brit award for album of the year. In "Next to Me" Emeli stands by her man and has you dancing and singing along. There is no reason that Emeli has not made it big in the States except that maybe there isn't room on American radio for more than one UK singer with a retro sound. Are there really people out there who have yet to buy Adele's 21 and want to? It's time to move on people! It's time to put Adele in the box labeled 2011 and try something new.

Scream & Shout – Will.I.Am ft. Britney Spears

Confession: I hated this song when I first heard it song last fall. I was like, "What's the point Will?" and "What's with the monotone Britney?" Was Will.I.Am just crazy or a crazy genius? I think we all know the answer to that now. Off his upcoming album #Willpower, "Scream & Shout" is full of irresistible beats, hooks and bass lines that just have you dancing and moving. And that Britney monotone? It pretty much makes the song. I've learned my lesson: I'll never pre-judge Will.I.Am again.

Entertainment – Phoenix

The French alt-rock group is BACK! With their lush pop sound, the band just brings on sun, blue skies, and endless summer days. Their last album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009) spawned the hits "1901" and "Liztomania." With their newest single "Entertainment," off the brand new Bankrupt! (2013). they prove that their absence has only sharpened their pop skillz.

This is the New Year - Glee Cast

While my devotion to Glee cast member Darren Criss is well documented, I honestly hadn't planned on including this song. But yesterday I listened to it a gazillion times as I skipped down the street. True story. Decision made. A cover of the Great Big World tune, "This Is the New Year" is about acceptance, friendship, tolerance and is everything a a Glee song should be—namely, uplifting and catchy. The bad news? It has yet to be released on a Glee soundtrack but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying it!

Soul Music Tracks from the Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson Collection: "I Want You" and "Musical Massage"

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 06:33:06 -0500

I listen to many interesting things in my job, and I love it. As an AV cataloger at NYPL (Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound), I have listened to many archival recordings at the library for the past 8 years. Some of my highlights:

Sound effects tapes from plays in the New York Shakespeare Festival collection
Choral performances (more on that later...)
Radio programs from WNYC (Around New York, Spinning On Air, New Sounds, Music for the Connoisseur, etc.)
Interviews of Hollywood and Broadway stars for Brooke Hayward's memoir Haywire, and most recently...
Bach master classes taught by Rosalyn Tureck at the first Bach Tureck Institute Symposium (1983)

But my favorite audio gems nowadays are from the Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson collection; the rarer the better!

An excerpt from the biographical/historical notes of the finding aid of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson papers, 1975-1978:

"Although he was a multifaceted arranger, composer, conductor, pianist, and educator, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004) had a brief, but significant involvement with popular music, as an arranger for Motown recording artists in general, and Marvin Gaye in particular. Named after the Afro-British composer and conductor, Samuel Coleridge Taylor, Perkinson was born in in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and moved to New York as a child. He attended the High School of Music and Art, New York University, and the Manhattan School of Music. Perkinson's professional accomplishments would span a remarkably wide range of fields, including classical music, jazz, popular music, dance, film soundtracks, scores for television, and music education."

One of my all-time favorite aspects of the job is discovering the evolution of a Broadway musical, a play, a song, and in this case, movie/television music tracks and soul music tracks of the 1970s. These tracks are not polished. They are many takes upon recording takes, rehearsals gone awry, rare tidbits that never make it to finished commercial recordings. Some takes are renamed, reassigned to different projects and performers, and reworked completely.

I Want You

One noteworthy example of this is the audition demo tape and the rough instrumental tracks of Marvin Gaye's 1976 album I Want You, composed by Leon Ware and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, produced by Leon Ware and Marvin Gaye, with orchestral arrangements by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson.

So, as the story goes, Leon Ware was writing material for his own second album for Motown, which was eventually called Musical Massage. (More on Musical Massage later) After penning the songs, Ware and "T-Boy" Ross (who was also Diana Ross's brother), decided to make an audition demo tape of the songs to send to Berry Gordy. While I was listening to the copy of the music demos "I Want You," "All the Way Around," "By Loving You" and "Me and My Life", I realized this was the one of the few copies that helped to influence Gordy to take a chance on the material... by giving the songs to Marvin Gaye.

Personally, even though the audition tracks were rough and unpolished, as most audition demos tend to be, they were not that bad. I couldn't tell whether if Leon Ware or "T-Boy" Ross sang the lead vocals, but pleasant enough. (I put down "T-Boy" as the lead in the catalog record.) The backup singers were fabulous!

After listening to the rehearsals, rough mixes and instrumental tracks of the I Want You 1975 recording sessions, I will say that Marvin Gaye (along with Ross and Ware) is a consummate perfectionist in laying quality music down. Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson's arrangements of the songs adds incredible sensuality, soulfulness, yearning, and magnetism.

Musical Massage

After completing the phenonmonal 1976 hit album I Want You, Leon Ware continued on his second solo Motown album Musical Massage. According to Discogs.com, the album was originally issued under the Gordy label [Gordy 976S1] in September 1976. Some discographies note the album was scheduled for release on Motown 876, then it changed to Gordy. It was also issued in the U.K. as Motown STML 12050 in February 1977. No singles were issued from the album. However, the album was eventually remastered and reissued by Motown on September 29, 2003.

Hands down, Leon Ware is a genius songwriter and producer. And he has a fabulous voice. Why did it take so long for the public to know about this album?!

Since NYPL doesn't have the actual commercial release of Musical Massage in the catalog (sob!), it was really cool to discover the music from the album in steps:

Rehearsal piano and vocal excerpts: Leon Ware is singing and playing piano, and it sounds like Ware is still writing the songs as he is playing. Featured tracks are "Strange Love" (it eventually became the instrumental part of "Feel My Love Inside" from the I Want You album), "Turn Out the Lights" and "Journey Into You."
Orchestral selections final mix: music arranged by C.-T. Perkinson. Featured tracks: "Turn Out the Lights," "Strange Love", "I Wanna Be Where You Are" and "Journey Into You."
Instrumental track demos ; Musical massage (1975): These music tracks are unfinished recording cuts for the 1976 album Musical Massage. It is a close as we can get to the real thing, people...

In my next blog about the Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson collection, I'll talk about the film and television music soundtracks Perkinson has worked on.

Until next time!

The audio collection is now available in the catalog.

The biography of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004) is found in the finding aid.

Another great site about Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson is AfriClassical.

Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleridge-Taylor_Perkinson

The Neil Peart Reading List

Billy Parrott, Mid-Manhattan Library, Art and Picture Collections — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:43:48 -0500

I've always been curious about Neil Peart. You could say he's the George Harrison of the band Rush. He's the quiet one, but he is anything but silent. In addition to the complex time keeping duties the drummer extraordinaire is also the band's lyricist. With the song's varied themes ranging from philosophy to fantasy you have to assume he is well read.

As a librarian I am always fascinated to learn what books are the favorites of certain individuals. If you're familiar with Rush's music then there are certain books such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the work of Ayn Rand that you'd expect to find on Neil Peart's bookshelf, but what else is there?

Lucky for us Neil Peart maintains "Bubba's Book Club," a section of his website where he provides profound and insightful reviews for recently read fiction and non-fiction. His review for Jimmy Buffet's A Salty Piece of Land will make you laugh out loud. His comments on David Foster Wallace and Virginia Woolf are thought provoking. Take a look at all of his reviews. You will not be disappointed.

Below I have collected all of the books mentioned or reviewed by Neil Peart on his site with links to the Library's catalog. I've also included links to his reviews. Click here to see books by or about Neil Peart that are available at The New York Public Library. Lastly at the end I have provided a few "Billy's Book Club" recommendations for "Bubba's Book Club."

You may never be able to play drums like Neil Peart you can now at least read like him!

Enjoy!

Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe

The Man With the Golden Arm, by Nelson Algren

Inés of My Soul, by Isabel Allende (review)

Scattered Suns, by Kevin J. Anderson (review)

Metal Swarm, by Kevin J. Anderson (review)

Resurrection Inc, by Kevin J. Anderson

The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, by Ayi Kwei Armah

Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War, by Joe Bageant (review)

The Book of Ten Nights and a Night, by John Barth

More Die of Heartbreak, by Saul Bellow (review)

Henderson the Rain King, by Saul Bellow

The Adventures of Augie March, by Saul Bellow

Humboldt's Gift, by Saul Bellow

The Inner Circle, by T.C. Boyle

Drop City, by T.C. Boyle

Louis Riel, by Chester Brown

Bill Bruford: The Autobiography, by Bill Bruford (review)

A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson

A Salty Piece of Land, by Jimmy Buffett (review)

The Art of Travel, by Alain de Botton (review)

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon (review)

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, by Michael Chabon

Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and Regrets of A Husband, Father, and Son, by Michael Chabon

The Republic of Nothing, by Lesley Choyce

The Secret Agent, by Joseph Conrad (review)

Lord Jim, by Joseph Conrad

Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad

Victory, by Joseph Conrad

The Deptford Trilogy, by Robertson Davies (review)

Underworld, by Don DeLillo

The Old Curiosity Shop, bt Charles Dickens

Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Brothers K, by David James Duncan (review)

The River Why, by David James Duncan

The Alexandria Quartet, by Lawrence Durrell (review)

What is the What, by Dave Eggers (review)

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers

You Shall Know Our Velocity, by Dave Eggers

How We Are Hungry, by Dave Eggers

Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers (review)

Middlemarch, by George Eliot

The Mill on the Floss, by George Eliot

As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner

The Last Tycoon, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran Foer

Brighton Rock, by Graham Greene (review)

Journey Without Maps, by Graham Greene

The Lawless Roads, by Graham Greene

The Heart of the Matter, by Graham Greene

The Power and the Glory, by Graham Greene

Our Lady of the Forest, by David Guterson (review)

Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson

Rebuilding the Indian, by Fred Haefele (review)

Late Nights On Air, by Elizabeth Hay (review)

Under Kilimanjaro, by Ernest Hemingway (review)

To Have and To Have Not, by Ernest Hemingway

Islands in the Stream, by Ernest Hemingway

Green Hills of Africa, by Ernest Hemingway

A Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway

The Garden of Eden, by Ernest Hemingway

Pike's Folly, by Mike Heppner (review)

The Egg Code, by Mike Heppner

The Man Talking Project, by Mike Heppner (review)

A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby (review)

High Fidelity, by Nick Hornby

About a Boy, by Nick Hornby

How to Be Good, by Nick Hornby

Songbook, by Nick Hornby

Fever Pitch, by Nick Hornby

The Polysyllabic Spree, by Nick Hornby (review)

A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World, by Tony Horwitz (review)

After Many A Summer Dies the Swan, by Aldous Huxley

Frank Lloyd Wright, by Ada Louise Huxtable (review)

Until I Find You, by John Irving (review)

A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving

The World According to Garp, by John Irving

The Cider House Rules, by John Irving

The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, by Wayne Johnston (review)

The Custodian of Paradise, by Wayne Johnston (review)

Ulysses, by James Joyce

Critique of Religion and Philosophy, by Walter Kaufmann (review)

The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver (review)

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver

The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver

High Tide in Tucson, by Barbara Kingsolver

Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee (review)

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of A Human Obsession, by Daniel J. Levitin (review)

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London

White Fang, by Jack London

The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London

Martin Eden, by Jack London

The Way the Crow Flies, by Ann-Marie MacDonald (review)

Fall on Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald

No Country for Old Men, by Cormac McCarthy (review)

Child of God, by Cormac McCarthy

Blood Meridian, or, The Evening Redness in the West, by Cormac McCarthy

The Border Trilogy, by Cormac McCarthy

Atonement, by Ian McEwan

Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World, by Ewan McGregor

The Good Life, by Jay McInerney (review)

Bright Lights, Big City, by Jay McInerney

The Story of My Life, by Jay McInerney

Uncommon Carriers, by John McPhee (review)

Greasy Rider: Two Dudes, One Fry-oil-powered Car, and A Cross-country Search for A Greener Future, by Greg Melville (review)

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville

Unfinished Journey: Twenty Years Later, by Yehudi Menuhin (review)

The Emperor's Children, by Claire Messud (review)

A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry (review)

Fool, by Christopher Moore (review)

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore

French Revolutions, by Tim Moore

Paradise, by Toni Morrison (review)

Pale Fire, by Vladimir Nabokov

The Big Year, by Mark Obmascik

Going After Cacciato, by Tim O'Brien

The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien

In the Lake of the Woods, by Tim O'Brien

This Is Your Life, by John O'Farrell (review)

In the Skin of a Lion, by Michael Ondaatje (review)

There's a Trick With a Knife I'm Learning To Do, by Michael Ondaatje

Coming Through Slaughter, by Michael Ondaatje

The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje

The Motor Cycle Chums of the Northwest Patrol, by Howard Payson

The Perfect Vehicle: What It Is About Motorcycles, by Melissa Holbrook Pierson

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Pirsig

Zen and Now: On the Trail of Robert Pirsig and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Mark Richardson (review)

Barney's Version, by Mordecai Richler (review)

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, by Mordecai Richler

St. Urbain's Horseman, by Mordecai Richler

Birdwatcher: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson, by Elizabeth J. Rosenthal (review)

An Equal Music, by Vikram Seth (review)

Jupiter's Travels, by Ted Simon

So You Want to be a Rock and Roll Star, by Jacob Slichter (review)

The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein (review)

The Winter of Our Discontent, by John Steinbeck (review)

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck

Steinbeck: A Life in Letters, edited by Elaine Steinbeck and Robert Wallsten

Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness, by William Styron

Blinding Light, by Paul Theroux (review)

A Complicated Kindness, by Miriam Toews (review)

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain

Rabbit, Run, by John Updike

A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, by David Foster Wallace (review)

The Broom of the System, by David Foster Wallace

Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace

The Architects Are Here, by Michael Winter (review)

Billy's Book Club

The Poetics of Space, by Gaston Bachelard

Budapest, by Chico Buarque

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, by Raymond Carver

House of the Sleeping Beauties, and Other Stories, by Yasunari Kawabata

Soul of the Night, by Chet Raymo

The Braindead Megaphone, by George Saunders

Pastoralia, by George Saunders

The Man Suit, by Zachary Schomburg

Scary, No Scary, by Zachary Schomburg

Great Albums You May Have Missed: Dinosaur Jr's You're Living All Over Me (1987)

Shawn P Donohue, Learning & Development Specialist, Office of Staff Development — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 08:06:04 -0400

The mid/late '80s was a strange time for rock and roll. Pioneers seemed to be stuck in their own unique ruts, whether it was band friction, drugs and failing health, being fed up with the record industry or just plain bad albums. Glam Rock was at its zenith, video had killed the radio star, rap was in its fetal stage and a majority of people had no new acts to latch on to.

Then a small independent label called SST Records began putting out one interesting album after another. Starting with Black Flag and the Minutemen the label became one of the most influential of the '80s in any genre moving on to release some of the greatest works by bands like Sonic Youth, The Meat Puppets, Husker Du, the Bad Brains and today's focus, Dinosaur Jr.

These bands all were outside of the mainstream but for different reasons, Dinosaur Jr. (then known as simply Dinosaur) had already recorded and released one album and had grown into their power trio style when they released You're Living All Over Me. The group seemed to blend metal, punk, stoner haze rock, touches of country, doom and arena rock, often in the same song. Upon first listen it is the guitar work that simply blows you away, riffs that lumber from the depths, riffs that reign down from the heavens, riffs made of mud, riffs made of pure noise, J Mascis's guitar work is staggering (as is Wharton Tiers's layering and production work). Never mind the fact he started off as a drummer in Deep Wound, by his second album on guitar Mascis instantly established himself as guitar god in an era when those were extremely rare.

Starting with the raw-as-an-open-wound sounding "Little Fury Things," You're Living All Over Me grabs your ear with its pounding rhythm section and monster guitars. The lyrics are another beast however, where Mascis works magic on the six strings, the singing and lyrics are mostly reduced to mumbles and vagueness. Even the title of the first track mixed with the "rabbit" falling away from the listener can be misconstrued as a Furry thing instead of the Fury contained in the offering.

The punkish "Kracked" blares out quick before the song delves into what sounds like a jet engine inspired solo from J. The pumping bass of Lou Barlow and drums of Murph (Emmett Jefferson Murphy III) keep the song from soaring away into the ether as the low end constantly bounces forward. Their lock-step approach is crucial throughout, keeping things attached to a bottom that is just as powerful as the screeching highs, like the disk highlight "Sludgefeast" which comes next.

It is hard to put into words the guitar glory displayed here, starting with feedback the track lumbers and screeches everywhere; if you are reading this and want to get a sense of this album in just one song (which is closed minded but I know, you're pressed for time) check out these 5 minutes and 18 seconds of grandeur.

The fretboard gymnastics continue with "The Lung," which has tempo changes, ringing high notes and well-placed cymbal crashes over a minimal 2 sentence lyrical refrain which could be: "No where to collapse the lung/Breathes a doubt in everyone." J's lyrics are somewhat of a mystery but that only deepens the fascination with the album as each listen could bubble up a new word or phrase.

The next pairing of "Raisans" and "Tarpit" call to mind the bands namesake, if only instead of fossilizing when the giants of the past ceased to be, they would turn into behemoth songs. Containing oodles of guitar layers, and a gritty feel both contribute to and rise above the madness with a feel-good, if angst-fueled vibe. The creepy lyrics of "Raisans" get even creepier when you find out that the scream and distorted vocals were recorded by Lou Barlow at an old folk's home he used to work in... freaky, and somehow perfect. "Tarpit" is classic arena ready rock with a dirty coat of rust from the opening strums, catchy in its beats, chords, rip roaring solo and destructive finale.

With "In A Jar" you can see why the group called their "greatest hits" release Ear-Bleeding Country. There is a distinct jangle and weird disjointed lyrics that through a warped cosmic blender could be considered "classic country," dealing namely with loneliness and confusion. Barlow's two contributions are vastly different to end the album, "Lose" plays like a fired-up version of the songs that came before, with epic shredding while "Poledo" is an acoustic bit of weirdness that manages to make albums like this unique. The reissue copy that came out on Merge records might be the best of the bunch with a tacked on classic cover of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" that is frightening and touching; like the totality of You're Living All Over Me.For more on this great album check out Nick Attfield's fantastic entry in the 33 1/3 series that focuses on You're Living All Over Me, it is a stellar read for any fan of the band or the album. Also the original trio reformed back in 2005 and have been going as strong as ever (seriously), so be on the lookout for Dinosaur Jr's newest release titled I Bet On Sky due out on September 18th. You can get a first listen to the new album over here at NPR.

Preview some tracks from You're Living All Over Me online:

Please Note: online audio tracks are an excellent source for previewing, but are compressed and do not match CD quality audio.

Borrow Dinosaur Jr. from NYPL:

Great Albums You May Have Missed: Hasu Patel's Gayaki Sitar (1996)

Andy Wagstaff, Central Collection Development — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 07:28:27 -0400

When thou commandest me to sing,
It seems that my heart would break with pride;
And I look to thy face,
And tears come to my eyes.

—Rabindranath Tagore*

Hasu Patel’s collection of traditional ragas for sitar are little invitations to the world, invitations to reflect on the deepest concept known to humankind: The Divine — the nature of which we acknowledge, from our various traditions, exists somewhere beyond thought and imagination. They are exquisite examples of the evocative, inviting qualities of this tradition and this instrument. Played in a style that is lesser known in the west than others (which alone gives this collection real distinction), the mood she summons will just consume you! I still recall the first time I put on Gayaki Sitar (Preview here); I was sitting in my cubicle, in the library; surrounded by a sea of other cubicles; then suddenly, I was transported to the center of the universe, or realized I was there already; a cosmic deer trapped in God's headlights: stunned.

Now lovers of traditional Indian music, as well as genuine sitar players, must feel some fatigue from the frequency with which a discussion of the sitar in the west so often seems to start with George Harrison. This record has a skip in it, no? But cross-cultural influences and exposures do often have a starting point; and the reason this starting point is so revealing is that, although it popularized sitar in the west, it limited our exposure as well.

And so we know, it was 1965. George Harrison picked up a sitar off the set of "Help!" and played it on the Beatles song "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)." Providing a wonderfully exotic flourish to the song, it was the first rock record to use the sitar; and it set off a veritable craze in western rock music for the instrument.

Soon after that recording, Ravi Shankar invited George Harrison to India to study the instrument first-hand with an undisputed master. My completely unsubstantiated hunch is that Shankar heard Harrison's playing on the song and humbly thought, "Uh, yea, why don't you come on over to India so we can make sure you know that the sitar is not so much a weird guitar with exotic twanginess, but very much its own thing, with its own voice, technique... and purpose... and some first-hand exposure to real players may help you better appreciate that."

So George Harrison went to India to hang out with Ravi Shankar. And it did seem, rather quickly, that Harrison got pretty serious about learning the sitar, and even its spiritual implications. Compare, for instance, the transcendental allusions (or lack thereof) of "Norwegian Wood" to "Love You To," "Tomorrow Never Knows," or "Within You Without You" recorded only a year or two after. So I don't mean to dismiss this yearning of a western musician to understand; I think it should count for something. And onward from this point, the transcendental sounds of India would grow to become such an integral part of the hippy movement that it is hard to think of "psychedelic" music existing without them.

Indian musical influence had arrived in the west in a big way, and Ravi Shankar had become its unofficial ambassador. Though hardly unknown before, Shankar’s association with the Beatles skyrocketed him to international fame: playing sold-out tours around the world, the Monterey Pop Festival, and then Woodstock; to new fans prepped, albeit largely through psychedelic drugs, to fully appreciate the transcendental sounds of the Indian raga; and its invitation, in fact, to a deeper, or higher, realm of reality. How perfect is that for the hippies at Woodstock? Even Canned Heat, a straight-up, English blues band who would play what many considered the anthem of Woodstock, "On The Road Again," incorporated the Tampura, for its drony, psychedelic (and by association, therefore, "transcendental") edge. And this influence ‘flowered’ out into what would become known more generally as Raga Rock (the pinnacle of which I suggest to be Shocking Blue's "Hot Sand").

All this is great; Indian music had developed with such independence from western influences that it could not have sounded more unique and "exotic" to our ears: its instruments are different, it develops music in very different ways, has a much more varied tonal structure, and perhaps most importantly, approaches music with a spiritual respect rarely if ever matched in the west, certainly in pop or rock music. These overtly spiritual yearnings were compelling, and were welcomed by many in late '60s America. And though this deep and traditional respect in approach was bound to get a little unhinged when incorporated into rock, it seemed to work rather well. It became a cool and interesting way to add a little exoticism to the mix (did I already mention "Hot Sand"?)

But equally true is, how the sitar came to western pop culture also limited our ears and our experience rather than expanded them. The vast difference in western pop culture and traditional Indian culture is neatly highlighted by the hippy movement's use of LSD and its accompanying psychedelic experience, and the Indian, life-long practice of transcendental meditation. In many ways, the terms psychedelic and transcendental are synonymous; but the one term is fed through western pop cultural sensibilities and the other descended down from a centuries-old religious tradition. On a basic level they allude to the same thing, but from dramatically different cultural groundings. Am I stating the obvious?

Both have similar intentions; both share elements and goals and, dare I say, even results (to a limited degree). But one is done from a 'pop' state of mind, more akin, perhaps, to a rowdy teenager doing a cannonball off the highdive, accompanying him or herself with a scream of "let's do this!" The other, approached very slowly over a lifetime of serious dedication, with the utmost respect, more like slipping more calmly into a lake, at its shore, to experience the water without disturbing it. And when one approaches the transcendental in this way, one is simply more prepared, more aware of those goals, and more equipped to recognize the experience for what it was meant to be, communion with the Divine Presence, oneness with the universe: transcendence. For those hippies at Woodstock, I'll bet they got there too; but it was sloppy, less disciplined and informed by a lifetime of focusing the mind; and when they "came down," they were as sweaty, muddy, hungry and tired, as everybody else, as worldly as when they started. Well, probably not quite; those who attended Woodstock will pardon my oversimplification to prove a point. Because all that is to say, I love Harrison's sitar flourishes, I love Canned Heat, Raga Rock, and even doing an occasional cannonball off the highdive. And I really have little experience with these more traditional concepts of which I speak, outside of what this recording so beautifully insists is beyond dispute: that is, there is much more to it than that. I don't mean to overstep, but isn't it obvious that such a long and solemn tradition would get diluted when adopted by a culture that idolizes having a good time over everything else? So if you've ever enjoyed sitar, in any setting, why not ask yourself why it exists? It began as a poetic way of pointing to God. A recording like Gayaki Sitar seems to remind us that this cultural dialogue is a beautiful thing, but let’s not co-opt eachother’s traditions so entirely into our own that we forget their original, deeper, purpose and meaning.

But more interesting still is, with Ravi Shankar catapulted to the international stage via his association with the Beatles, and therefore western popular music in general, other great masters and playing styles of the sitar got eclipsed. And this is really what we are here to remedy.

There was another great master of the sitar in India, one who played in a completely different style and tradition than Shankar. His name was Ustad Vilayat Khan Sahib. He too spent a lifetime focusing on the purpose of inspiring a mood of devotion and surrender through his playing. He even redesigned the sitar to fill it with a deeper resonance; and he honed a beautifully distinctive style of playing, known as Gayaki Ang (literally, 'vocal style'), which aims at playing the sitar as if one were singing through it. It is an amazing approach, and one that even non-connoisseurs of the instrument can quickly recognize upon hearing.

Hasu Patel studied under the great Vilayat Khan starting as a young girl, and her collection of ragas offers a beautiful example of Gayaki Ang style. It was (and is) not at all common for a master sitar player to choose a girl as a student, but the master must have sensed something very special in young Hasu. And here, decades later, we can sense it too.

Another noticeably different approach in these ragas is her use of the Alap. The Alap traditionally begins as a slow and meditative improvised introduction to the raga, before the rhythms of the tabla join in. Here, there is no tabla, only an acoompanying drone on the tampura. Hasu simply stays with Alap for the entirety, which gives the music a more heavily improvised orientation, and an increased reflective quality. And this is really what her incredible style of playing does best; while on many sitar recordings the tabla adds a new dimension, here it would only distract.

What is most remarkable, and I don't say this lightly, but something here very powerfully indicates something more than itself. This music is merely a window: its real purpose is not to call attention to itself, but to invite you to look through it. I have never heard that indicated more powerfully, more undeniably, than on this recording. This is what separates this album from the piles of other CDs that litter my desk, something the very laws of physics insist is impossible: That something can in fact be more than it is. The sound clearly indicates this, and immediately renders the listener speechless.

Beyond her recording for solo sitar, Hasu has written two wonderful concerti for sitar and orchestra. Tabla fans can be comforted that, unlike her solo recording, there are some wonderful tabla rhythms incorporated here. Her concerti bring together elements of Indian and western music, and, In my opinion, they are the best attempts at this hybrid. Yet they are still not as widely known as they should be.

Ravi Shankar famously attempted to bring together the sitar and the concerto a few times. His were admirable attempts; but by retaining the recognizable structure of the concerto, the potential of the sitar to invoke, its raison d’être, seemed to be limited by this imposition.

Hasu does something with the music in her concerti that I believe has never been done before, and this is what makes these pieces just absolutely intriguing to listen to again and again. She uses the western orchestra in a way that compliments, rather than compromises, the structure of raga. That is, unlike Shankar, who inserted the sitar into the concerto form; Hasu has inserted the concert orchestra into the raga form. And so these concerti have the orchestral players echoing the tones of the raga, pairing instruments with the sounds of the sitar, tampura, and tabla, based on their respective sound qualities. It must have been such a creative challenge for the players of this orchestra to work with these very different phrases and changes; to play their instruments in ways they weren't used to playing them! The pieces begin with the Indian instruments, then develop with the unmistakeable fluidity and vocal quality of Gayaki Ang, seemlessly bringing in the orchestral instruments. I'm telling you, there is nothing like it! These pieces are so utterly organic in their raga-like development over time, it boggles my mind!

I sincerely hope you like them as much as I do.

Preview the recordings of Hasu Patel online:

Borrow Hasu Patel CDs from NYPL:

*Quote provided by the artist.

Free and Cheap Concerts and Comedy Shows in NYC!

Steve Herman, Stapleton Library — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:21:13 -0400

If you're a fan of live music and comedy, there is no better city to live in than New York City. Every day there is something exciting going on, somewhere in the city. More importantly, a lot of these events are free or very cheap. In the past year, I have seen Foster the People, MGMT, Santigold, Metric, Jimmy Cliff, Matt & Kim, Crystal Castles, the Roots and the Silversun Pickups for absolutely free! I have also seen Lewis Black, Jim Gaffigan, Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garofalo, Wyatt Cenac and many more perform stand-up for $5 or less! Even better, sometimes these events also have free food and drinks. Keeping in the spirit of the Library to provide excellent free or cheap resources, I have decided to share the best ways to attend these events with you. Read on, and I will tell you how you can take advantage of these free and cheap events in NYC.

One of the main tools I use to find free concerts is Twitter. I have an assortment of venues and sources for free and cheap concert news compiled into one Twitter list that I monitor frequently. One of my go-to resources on that list is MyFreeConcert. They know before anyone else when all of the free concerts and parties will take place. They mainly list two different types of events; large outdoor events where you just have to show up, and more intimate concerts that are either ticketed, require an RSVP, or are guest-list spots won in a contest.

RSVP and Ticketed Events

The RSVP and ticketed events are often parties thrown by companies to promote brand awareness. MyFreeConcert gives a great overview about why these companies throw these events. The RSVPs or tickets are usually done through filling out an online form, or emailing a certain email address. Sometimes RSVPs are only made available by winning a contest set up through an artist, a venue, or another third party. If you really want to see a certain artist, definitely follow them on Twitter or Facebook, they usually update their fans about free events. Some great general resources for free tickets, RSVPs and contests other than MyFreeConcert include Live on Letterman, Jimmy Fallon's Band Bench, Live Nation NYC, Bowery Presents, and My Social List. Andy Tickets also sometimes gives a good heads up about cheap tickets... I found out about a really intimate Hives show through him that was dirt cheap!

Most of the RSVPs allow you to bring a guest with you, because concerts are more fun if you go with a friend! The one thing that you should be careful about when attending these free events is that you must show up early! Most of these events are overbooked, and an RSVP is not a guaranteed admission... once the venue reaches capacity, they will stop admitting people. Most people get in line for these shows about a half hour before doors open. I usually show up an hour early to be on the safe side, and I always get in. I wouldn't want to get turned away, and take that sad ferry ride back to Staten Island, empty handed.

Outdoor Events

Many larger, outdoor concerts featuring very popular acts are often put together to be televised by the Today Show, or Good Morning America. Some recent and future performers on these shows include Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, Chris Brown, the Beach Boys, No Doubt and Pitbull. The Summerstage events that happen in parks all across the five boroughs is put together by the non-profit City Parks Foundation. Celebrate Brooklyn at the Prospect Park Bandshell, and the Williamsburg Park also have a few free outdoor events in Brooklyn this summer. All you have to do to get into most of these is show up. For most of these free outdoor events, I recommend that you arrive early, so that you can get the best view.

Comedy

If you like free or cheap comedy, NYC is full of great options, with amazing comedians. Just yesterday, I saw Lewis Black and several other comedians do great sets for only $5! Some cheap/free weekly shows I recommend include: Comedy at the Knitting Factory, Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen, Pretty Good Friends, Tell Your Friends (who just ended their 7 year run at Lolita in the LES, let's hope they find a new spot!) and Whiplash at the UCB Theatre. Sometimes the comedians at these shows are working out new material, so don't always expect their most polished acts. They're always a great time however, and you really get a sense of the process of a comedian developing his or her act.

Best of Patron Requests: Music (May 2012 Edition)

Andy Wagstaff, Central Collection Development — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 06:34:47 -0400

This list is a monthly compilation of my own personal favorite patron requests for music. I hope you will check out some of the great music that Library users have suggested we acquire!

Provided are some great preview tracks for each. Just click on the titles to be taken to the catalog.

Best of Hooker N' Heat by John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat

It might not be common knowledge, maybe because the blues ain't supposed to spring forth from a nerdy white guy from the suburbs of Boston who wore thick glasses, read books on ecology, and had the voice of a shy little school girl, but Alan Wilson of Canned Heat may have been the greatest blues harmonica player to ever live. The often hard to follow John Lee Hooker (due to his common disregard for known song structures) agreed, saying after the sessions, "you must have been listening to my records your whole life." Wilson penned the Canned Heat classic, "On the Road Again", which was considered by many to be the theme song, of sorts, to Woodstock. From the tambura drone to the undeniably legit blues roots, it seemed to encompass many of the musical influences of hippy culture. Now connoisseurs may note that it was not Wilson who played harmonica on this song at Woodstock, but Canned Heat's other founder, Bob Hite. That was merely to free up Wilson to sing and play guitar, a necessity of live performance, but on the studio version it's all Wilson! Both Hite and Wilson play duelling harmonicas on these sessions with the great John Lee Hooker, but Wilson pretty much takes the lead. From impressive overblowing techniques, to actually modifying reeds here and there, he got notes out of that harmonica other people just couldn't get. He's just freaking all over it! Unfortunately, Wilson died soon after these recordings. They were the last he ever made. There is such a great chemistry between "Hooker N Heat;" made more interesting by the different ways they came to the blues. Among other between-take comments on the recording, Hooker can be heard saying "I dig this kid's harmonica playin'...I don't know how you follow me but he do...you see, I can't lose you!" (PREVIEW)

Tago Mago (40th Anniversary ed.) by Can

Can are among the founders of what would become known as Krautrock, which would add, among other things, a considerable amount of psychedelic improvisation to the rock and rollers' bag of tricks. Can seemed to bring in all kinds of influences, just start playing and see where the groove took them. Sometimes it's almost straight ahead psych rock, more often even more experimental, but always letting things develop organically out of the collective noise. An alien race visiting earth could fully understand the entire psychedelic movement by listening to this 2-CD reissue. The 40th Anniversary edition, which has been tastefully remastered, includes a bonus disc of live performances not to be missed, including a 29-minute live version of "Spoon"! (PREVIEW)

Guitars from Agadez by Group Inerane

I love this term "ethnomusicology". It sounds so academic and smart and stuff...way too many syllables not to sound just a little pretentious, no? But don't let that scare you because when it's done right it's a beautiful thing, and folks over at Sublime Frequencies are showing us what it's all about. This is ethnomusicology at it's finest, most practical form: scouring the deep recesses of world for music both old and new that would not have made to "the west" were it not for some good old-fashioned exploring.

They've given us so much music nobody else could, or would, unearthing field recordings, old cassette tapes, and archived radio shows from past decades, to bring us some of the most original and unique, cross-cultural hybrids the world has ever seen: Princess Nicotine, Shadow Music of Thailand, and Harmika Yab-Yum: Folk Sounds from Nepal, just to name a few of my personal favorites. If you've never heard of the Tuareg Guitar Revolution (or, actually, even if you have), do yourself a favor and pick this one up. (PREVIEW)

Ssss by VCMG

Anyone remember Depeche Mode? Well here they are! Yes, at least two of them: Vince Clarke and Martin Gore of the original DM lineup collaborated on this album. And this here is beat-oriented, minimal techno done up proper. It's a voyage through the Kuiper Belt on a spaceship made of synths. I'm very certain with regards to what they are trying to do this album is as close to perfect as you can get, in this dimension anyway. (PREVIEW)

H-P1 by White Hills

OK, I don't know where you people find this stuff, but thanks to whoever just burned my eardrums up with this request! Can would be proud, and so would Hawkwind, Neu!, Helios Creed, and probably their moms. I doubt these guys would mind if I said their sound is reminiscent of that whole Krautrock scene, because there is no doubt this band adds a considerable amount of their own awesomeness to the mix. I quite literally cannot stop listening to this one song. No I mean, I don't know what to do! My ears are in control of my body. You've got to help me! I will not rest until I see these guys live. (PREVIEW)

Sitar Concerto Mangal Dhwani by Hasu Patel

Hasu Patel's solo sitar album, Gayaki Sitar, is so incredibly good that I'm saving it for its own "Great Albums You May Have Missed" post. This Sitar Concerto is equally impressive, though in a somewhat different way. It is Ms. Patel's own composition, and to hear those western instruments fit so seemlessly into very non-western structures, scales, and intonations is quite possibly the most interesting thing I've ever heard orchestral instruments do. Unfortunately I have no Preview track for this one, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

The Wanting by Glenn Jones

I probably make way too many comparisons when trying to describe music, but if you like John Fahey I'm sure you'll appreciate Glenn Jones. Solo guitar on the steel-string played to make you feel like your on the back porch and the days work is done. Also like Fahey, his playing abilities also make one wonder if he ever does anything else besides play guitar. (PREVIEW)

Rhythm-al-ism by dj Quick

Back in 1991, DJ Quick scored himself a record deal by releasing mixtapes of himself rapping over sampled beats. His first outing was Quick is the Name, a strong album well-represented by the title track. Rhythm-al-ism came 7 years later, after years of experience of production in the studio, and it shows! It hits with that same retro-freshness that Dr. Dre's The Chronic, and Snoop's Doggystyle had in the early '90s. Quick carries on that same dedication to revitalizing the grooves of Marvin Gaye, Parliament, Roger and Zapp... all that old-school funk stuff loaded into his drum machine and reworked into new contexts. If you appreciated Zapp's use of the talk box (no that isn't a vocoder!) on smash hits like "More Bounce to the Ounce". Then check this track out! (PREVIEW)

Cyrk by Cate Le Bon

Is this what "outsider" music is? Because Cate Le Bon seems to be doing her own thing, without apology and without pretense. I hear elements here from all kinds of influences, from garage rock to Calliope music; and somehow, so liltingly '60s throughout. An album so diverse in fact that this blogger refuses to supply just one preview. So here then:

(PREVIEW 1)
(PREVIEW 2)

— TUNE IN NEXT MONTH ! —

Lower East Side Heritage Film Series: the Eighties - "Smithereens" (1982)

Johanna Lewis, Seward Park Library — Wed, 02 May 2012 08:14:22 -0400

I went to high school in the East Village from 1983 to 1987. This might sound kind of punk rock. Unfortunately, I totally missed out on CBGB in the late Seventies (see also: Punking Out) and early Eighties. And let's face it, I didn't go inside any real club for most of the Eighties either — I was underage, and too busy studying for the SATs. But I remember how the outsides looked. The streets and lines. The cars, still squared off boats from the Seventies. Of course, three-card monte. And lots and lots of vacant lots. Dirty, over-painted apartment facades with broken front doorknobs. Vinyl miniskirts. Wanting to look like Debbie Harry, not Madonna.

Susan Seidelman hits every Lower East Side nerve in Smithereens. It's so repetitively evocative of the sights and sounds of outside-looking-in LES punk rock, you'd think it was filmed as a time capsule. Music by The Feelies hits every dirty, after hours beat. The story: abrasive Jersey girl with no talent wants desperately to break into punk rock. Lives in a crap heap. Hangs on to anyone remotely connected to the scene. What happens really doesn't matter. Come just to see (or remember) exactly what it looked like.

We are pleased to offer the following film on Tuesday evening, May 15, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. First part in the series:

Smithereens (1982, 89 min., VHS)

Susan Seidelman directs her first feature film: Wren is nineteen and determined to break into punk rock. The pieces of her world are scattered over Lower Manhattan: a grungy Lower East Side apartment, the abandoned train yards along the Hudson River, and the helter-skelter world of East Village rock clubs. It doesn't matter that Wren can't sing, write songs, or play an instrument. She's desperate to make the scene, and desperation makes people do dangerous things.

Starring Susan Berman, Bran Rjin, and Richard Hell. With music by The Feelies, ESG, and Richard Hell and the Voidoids.

Smithereens courtesy of the Reserve Film and Video Collection of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

This is a FREE monthly series held at Seward Park Library. Feature-length films (16mm, VHS, and DVD) shot on location in lower Manhattan are presented the third Tuesday of every month.

Best of Patron Requests: Music (April 2012 Edition)

Andy Wagstaff, Central Collection Development — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:13:06 -0400

This list is a monthly compilation of my own personal favorite patron requests for music. I hope you will check out some of the great music that Library users have suggested we acquire!

Provided are some great preview tracks for each. Just click on the titles to be taken to the catalog.

The Music of Vladimir Martynov by Kronos Quartet

FIND OF THE MONTH! I have this friend, and he orders CDs and DVDs for a major city library, and sometimes he gets fatigued by people requesting stuff that's not out yet, titles that rank somewhere far south of good, of patrons putting in multiple requests for things that are simply out of print, or of trying to guess just how many copies his library users will want of Saw 4, or the next "dumbass (his word, not mine) top 40 artist that will make some flash-in-the-pan talentless pretty face too much money that they'll probably spend on drugs and wind up in rehab." And sometimes he would roll his eyes and say, "oh brother."

Then one day a patron requested The Music of Vladimir Martynov by the Kronos Quartet. When the CD came across his desk, he popped it in, and all the frustration in his heart quickly melted away, and his soul was transported to heaven, where all the music was enjoyable, and all the movies were beautiful, all art and literature was culturally relevant and socially responsible, and he always bought the exact right number of copies to make everyone happy. And it was a magical place. He could see his grandmother's face, and she was happy and smiled at him like she always did. And it was so beautiful and sad and happy and wonderful. He held her hand and felt that everything was going to be OK with the universe after all.

Afterwards my friend felt very silly for all the times he felt frustrated with those patron suggestions, "because it's those same patrons that introduce to me, and to other users, music that is beautiful and that the library needs. And for that I am eternally grateful."

Anyway, he played the CD for me and indeed it really is incredible. And though I'm not as weird or touchy-feely as my friend, I swear when we were listening I thought I saw my grandmother's face too. And I got to be honest, I got a little choked up. You should check it out: (PREVIEW)

Tango Argentino by Trio Pantango

If I were to rank my favorite instruments, clarinet would be somewhere between the glockenspiel and the vibraslap; that is, before I heard this little gem. The clarinetist on this album is just brilliant! When combined with the wonderful guitar and the accordian players (with occasionally added double-bass and piano), it makes for a wonderfully listenable sampling of Tango music. But the overall sound here remains sparse, something you would here under the open air, not in a concert hall. If you've ever sat at a sidewalk cafe in Spain, Italy, or I have to imagine, of course, Argentina, and been serenaded by street musicians, you'll probably recall those memories while listening to this one. But these guys are nothing short of top notch and they won't even ask you for money afterward. (PREVIEW)

Mediterraneo by Miloš Karadaglić

Don't let the good looks fool you! Maestro Miloš was born in Montenegro, a country I often forget exists (how do you say "sorry" in Montenegrin?), with its population roughly the size of Boston. If you enjoy solo classical guitar, and it's hard for me to think of anyone hating it, I'm sure you'll enjoy this wonderful collection. His love of playing comes through so perfectly! This is what seems to me so impressive here. He was born to play guitar; he knows it; and you'll know it too in about 8 seconds after pushing play; but he seems completely unpretentious about it, humble even. Picking a good clip on line from this CD is like shooting fish in a barrel. This guy's playing will amaze you! (PREVIEW)

Electric Cable by Lightships

I'm not sure what's going on in Glasgow, but they sure are cranking out the top-notch, C-86 influenced indie pop bands like nobody else recently. Lightships is Gerard Love of Teenage Fan Club's solo project, if that means anything to you. It falls very neatly into a genre shared by other great, reflective pop bands like Camera Obscura, The Radio Dept., and Belle and Sebastion (who, along with the Pastels, appear on the album). And, well, it's just that these jangly yet melancholy guitar riffs floating above the lush, shoe-gazy orchestration makes me want to close my eyes and dream. I find it all fantastically emotive. (PREVIEW)

Seasons on Earth by Meg Baird

I'm staring at a computer screen, which I do for about 7 hours a day. My eyes are dry from the florescent lights above. The ceiling keeps the sun out; the walls, the world. My cubicle is made of synthetic materials that will be in a land fill 20 years from now: plastic phones, plastic printers, blinking harddrive lights, and a whirring fan to keep the machine cool. Outside there are skyscrapers, buses, taxis. A machine woke me up this morning; a machine brought me here; and in fact a machine is playing this song for me right now. But it doesn't matter, because now I am somewhere else, surrounded by humans singing songs about being human and the machines can't get to me now and my eyes are no longer dry.

Humans: 1 - Machines: 0

(PREVIEW)

Black Sands by Bonobo

Well, humans, I hope you enjoyed the lead while you had it, because I'm scoring this one for the machines. This right here is what we call Downtempo, electronic music; if that genre is unfamiliar to you, you'll do well to start right here. Complimented by an impressive array of perfectly chosen and executed samples and self-manufactured, ambient sounds; I believe Bonobo gets his inspiration on how to develop a beat over time from mimicking biological evolution itself. He is, after all, named after a monkey. These constant moments of fleshing out sounds, some elements take over while others disappear, yet all so seemingly organic, growing directly out of what came before, and anticipating what will come next. The CD, then, is nothing short of the abridged version of the history of life on this planet via digital sonification. Overstated? I think not! I guess machines, under the direction of proper human supervision, can do some pretty interesting things after all. (PREVIEW)

Portamento by The Drums

The first video that popped up with these guys was one of the most (purposefully) hilarious things I've ever seen, but after I stopped laughing I realized, as far as synthy, sassy, pop goes, it was quite a sweet little song about a guy who lost his best friend. I was intrigued. These folks must have been brought up on a steady diet of moldy bread, The Smiths, and The Cure... or think Joy Division with just a little ray of hope added. I like'em. They obviously have a sense of humor, I hope they keep at it. (PREVIEW)

Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music

DRC Music, or Democratic Republic of Congo Music, is the brainchild of a one Damon Albarn. It's easy to like someone like Albarn: someone who met with an impressive degree of "fame and fortune" in his days as the front man to Blur, then used that notoriety to bring attention to legitimate charities like Oxfam, and to share his social critique in interviews with quips like, "We need to dismantle very significant parts of our culture and really re-examine them. I suppose you start with the celebrity thing... I think for a start you have to get rid of things like The X Factor immediately." He's stated he would like to "get rid of 99% of the media" while talking to the media. Brilliant! But back to Kinshasa One Two, the whole thing was orchestrated by Albarn to not only benefit Oxfam's work in the Congo, but to bring more attention to many of the wonderful Congolese musicians one encounters in the streets there. Over 50 local musicians are featured here. Albarn acts as producer, playing around with the sounds in post-production: manipulating, looping, adding sounds here and there; but the original sounds of the Congo take center stage, and Congolese musicians are in no way strangers to adding electronic elements to their music. So it works out quite nicely. (PREVIEW)

Stronger Than Pride by Sade

Just... shame on me! Shame on me, that it took a patron request to remind myself of this album. There's just too much music swimming around the world, from the Congo to Argentina, every suburb and city of the States, classics not yet discovered, new talents emerging. And even if you spend the time to filter out whatever you subjectively think is not worth the time, you're still left with too much music to listen to in one lifetime. It's just like literature, or film; there's just too much humanity out there, and so many wonderful ways stories are told. But this here is an oasis; a beacon; like an ancient monument, half buried in sand yet still existent, made more poetic by its recording of the centuries of wind and rain on its stone facade. This album is almost 25 years old by now. OK, not quite an ancient monument yet; but the moment of humanity it recorded, its story, is still as vibrant, as visceral, as it was decades ago.

"Haunt me in my dreams if you please...
and if you want to sleep i'll be quiet like an angel
as quiet as your soul could be
if you only knew you had a friend like me."

(PREVIEW)

Sixth in Sixes by XBXRX

Warning: punk rock bands may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when listening to XBXRX: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bone pain; chest pain or discomfort; dizziness or light-headedness; fainting; bleeding of the eyes; general feeling of existential crisis and/or discontent with existing social mores; muscle pain or weakness; severe or persistent headache, nausea, or vomiting; sudden, unexplained rage; heart stoppage, swelling of the hands, ankles, or feet; unusual stomach pain or discomfort; unusual episodes of violence.

Do not take XBXRX if you are currently taking any of the following: Kenny G, Lady Gaga, Nickelback, McDonalds, Dancing with the Stars, Usher, Wal-Mart, rom-coms, Maroon 5, suburbia, and/or malls. This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. (PREVIEW)

— TUNE IN NEXT MONTH ! —

OMG! I Love that Song! A Guilty Pleasure Playlist

Anne Rouyer, Seward Park Library — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:22:48 -0400

Guilty pleasure: something you like, but feel guilty about liking, because you are aware that your fondness for said thing is a little embarrassing or not so great. Reasons for feeling guilty include: enjoying a silly pop song, liking a band for their hotness and not necessarily for their music, the genre of music is considered uncool, liking the artist makes you one of them — and you are sooo much cooler than that! But SO WHAT? WHO CARES? You like what you like. Let your cheesy, pop-song lovin', freak flag fly! Have long discussions about your favorite member(s) of One Direction! Just know that you are not ALONE!

"Call Me, Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen

This has to be one of the catchiest songs on the planet right now! Its beat practically begs to be danced to and the lyrics to be sung out loud as you walk down the street. I first heard it when my friend Sean sent me the video, featuring Rae Jepsen as she pines for the hot boy next door, then — PLOT TWIST — finds out that he's gay. It is perfect and charming, but almost even better is the viral video, featuring Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Big Time Rush, and Ashley Tisdale as they goof off to the song. Rae Jepsen was a Canadian Idol finalist and she can thank fellow Canuck Justin B. and his manager for signing her to a record deal. Listen to her two EPs Tug of War (2008) and Curiosity (2012 — includes "Call Me Maybe").

"One Thing" and "Tell Me a Lie" by One Direction

I love a boy band! I especially love a boy band with British accents, and this year we have two (!) British/Irish boy bands invading our shores (see Wanted, The below). One Direction has it all: catchy songs, sensitive ballads, great hair, fun personalities, and good fashion sense. I love that each member has his own fan base — Harry, Niall, Liam, Louis, and Zayn. Personally, I am torn between Harry with his fab hair and endless cheekiness; and Liam, the perfectly coiffed gentleman. According to this quiz I took, Liam is perfect for me, but I don't know... how accurate are these quizzes anyway? "One Thing" is my favorite song off their album Up All Night (2012), and "Tell Me a Lie" is probably my second favorite. There are days when I listen to the album on repeat during my commute. Do not judge me, you will do it too!

"Someone that I Used to Know" by Gotye (pronounced Go-tea-yay), featuring Kimbra

I wasn’t immediately in love with this quirky, plaintive cry of a break-up song, but it grew on me. So much so that I was listening to it on repeat. I am not alone in that impulse — the song, by the Belgian-born Australian Gotye, is a bona fide international hit — soaring to number one on the charts in countries all over the world. It’s not an obvious choice. How many songs containing a xylophone make it to the top of the charts? Off the album Making Mirrors, “Somebody…” has been covered by Glee and many, many others. Also, New Zealand singer Kimbra is featured on the track, who has her own album coming out soon.

"We Are Young" by fun, featuring Janelle Monae

I first heard this song performed on Glee last December, months before the song officially came out. Next thing you know, this NYC-based band and their song is EVERYWHERE. TV shows, commercials, the Super Bowl... all before its album Some Nights (2012) was even released. We Are Young is the quintessential sing-along party song. It embraces the joy of being young, prowling the city streets and getting into trouble with your friends. There is an artfulness to the song and lyrics — it's more than your average pop song. It will be a mainstay of dive-bar jukeboxes, high-school proms, and frat parties for years.

"Girl Gone Wild" by Madonna

I love Madonna. It's that simple and uncomplicated (I actually have a ticket to see her at Yankee Stadium this fall!). With her new album MDNA (2012), she announces that she is back with a vengeance, and the truth is, she never left us. I love it when she makes me feel good, but I love her even more when she makes me feel bad, and even a little wild. With this new song, a disco ball will float down — guaranteed — wherever you are. Colored strobe lights will start spinning and you will feel capable of being very bad indeed! The video is ridiculous and awesome and pure Madonna, and it has been banned for certain viewers on YouTube. Who knew she was still capable of shocking us?

"Glad You Came" and "Chasing the Sun" by The Wanted

Now we come to the second of our two British/Irish boy bands. Confession: I discovered The Wanted before One Direction, and from the first moment, I was a little obsessed. Is it the flirty performances? The addictive party tunes? Or maybe it's the lead singer, Max, with his thick, almost unintelligible Manchester accent, or Jay, with his mass of curly hair? Whatever it is, I am a now a huge fan of Siva, Jay, Tom, Nathan, and Max. There are differences from 1D — their ages for one (The Wanted is in their mid-20s), and their songs have a sexier sound too. 1D promises relatively safe, mostly domestic fun, while the songs off The Wanted (2012) album make you want to jet-set off to the Spanish party island of Ibiza (pronounced e-bee-tha) to dance and party until the sun comes up.

"Turn Me On" by David Guetta with Nicki Minaj

David Guetta is a musical wizard. With his 2011 album, Nothing But the Beat, he has had countless hits and one memorable song after another. "Turn Me On" is an infectious dance track that features the ultra-cool Nicki Minaj singing and rapping. Listening to this song just makes me feel cooler and makes me want to search for a dance partner. Someone recently asked me who NYC teens would rather meet: Nicki Minaj or the boys of 1D? Well, Nicki wins hands down. Who wouldn't want to meet her? Get wig tips, compare fake British accents, and explore a mutual love of day-glo moon boots... The 1D boys are more for a niche audience, whereas Nicki is for everyone.

"Good Girl" by Carrie Underwood

Newsflash: I like country music and you probably do too. Admit it: you are a closet Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and Lady Antebellum fan. I first listened to Carrie Underwood a few years ago when I heard her Some Hearts album. I didn't want to like her. Up until then, I had defined myself as someone who didn't listen to country music, but I was soon hooked. Favorite songs include: "Wasted" and "Before He Cheats" from Some Hearts, "Last Name" from Carnival Ride, and "Cowboy Casanova" and "Someday When I Stop Loving You" from Play On. "Good Girl", off her newest album Blown Away (2012), is a fun, country dance track that proves it's better to be a bad girl than a good girl getting played by a bad boy.

"Princess of China" by Coldplay featuring Rihanna

In the circles I run in, Coldplay is the ultimate guilty pleasure. How they became so reviled is beyond me, but I shamelessly love Chris Martin, Jonny, Guy, and Will. Plus, how could I not include a Rihanna track? That girl is everywhere! She has taken over the world from a constant string of hit songs, endless speculation on gossip websites, and starring in the upcoming action film Battleship — which combines the board game with an alien invasion. Somehow we are supposed to believe that she is an ensign in the US Navy?! Anyways, "Princess of China" is a favorite track of mine off the album Mylo Xyloto (2011). It's another break-up song that always brings to mind a rainy day in NYC. I think it's the lush synth sound and the yearning in Rihanna's voice as she sings,"You really hurt me."

Best of Patron Requests: Music (March 2012 Edition)

Andy Wagstaff, Central Collection Development — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:55:46 -0400

This list is a monthly compilation of my own personal favorite patron requests for music. I hope you will check out some of the great music that Library users have suggested we acquire!

Provided are some great preview tracks for each. Just click on the titles to be taken to the catalog.

El Duque de la Bachata by Joan Soriano
FIND OF THE MONTH!!! If you live in New York City, you've heard Bachata whether you know it or not. It's fun, it's tropical, and it often has a sound of a certain kind of longing. Well, this is by far the best I've ever heard! Like many types of music these days, the original appeal of Bachata can get lost in all that fancy production work. There is some great Bachata out there to be sure, some of it even heavily produced; but few strip away all the well-intentioned "sound engineering" so well as El Duque. This music was born on the streets of poor neighborhoods, and in the rural countrysides of the Dominican Republic, far from any music production facilities. Soriano conveys a desire to stay true to those roots, to let the music stand on its own merits because music is not "engineered" in some room behind a mixing board. It is "engineered" by humans who sing and play instruments. This one hasn't arrived yet, but I'll race you to the hold queue! Here they are featured on one of my favorite new music sources, NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts: (PREVIEW)

White Lunar by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
I'm familiar with Nick Cave, a founding member of the post-punk, goth rock band, the Birthday Party. That band was brilliant! They did whatever they wanted, experimenting and pushing boundaries and hitting on sounds and textures other bands had missed, much to the delight of their dedicated fans. Cave went on to form Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, yet another outfit that seemed to produce music outside of any formula. But it was only recently that it was brought to my attention that Cave has been churning out some pretty incredible soundtrack music with writing partner Warren Ellis. I've seen some of the movies and didn't even notice! Such is the curse of good soundtrack music: it's never meant to call attention to itself. In fact, when done right, when it properly enhances the evocative qualities of the film, it might be downright invisible! That is why CD soundtracks can make for interesting listening — it isolates the often wonderful music and allows it to take center stage. After spending time with this collection, I want to hear it all! I want to see every movie! I want to pay closer attention; not allow the music to be so purposefully invisible and realize just how responsible the music of a film is in drawing us into the story. But this music doesn't need any film to be evocative; it does it all on its own. (PREVIEW)

El Cant de la Sibil — La by Montserrat Figueras

Montserrat Figueras, a Catalan soprano who specialized in early music, is considered by many to be the undisputed priestess of the genre. May she rest in peace. Secondly, El Cant de la Sibil (or, the Song of Sibil) has been performed uninterruptedly in parts of Italy and Spain since Medieval Times (except a couple of decades in the 16th century, due to the Council of Trent). It is included in UNESCO's Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Here we have the Mallorcan and the Valencian versions, sung and orchestrated to exquisite perfection! If you are a lover of early music, or are unfamiliar and curious to discover more about it, I urge you to get this recording. But don't blame me if you wind up falling to your knees and begging for forgiveness, trembling for fear your soul will be lost at the end of days. It's that good.

Mother of God, pray for us,
You, the Mother of sinners,
May the sentence be merciful,
May Paradise be open to us.

You, who listen to everything,
Pray to God with all devotion,
With all your heart and fervour,
That we should be saved. (PREVIEW)

Fair Warning by Van Halen
I usually try to highlight things that are under the radar. Popular stuff just doesn't always need more advertising, and Van Halen, having recently re-united with hard rock's quintessential front man David Lee Roth, needs no additional hype. So go right ahead and sue me for this one! The flamboyant and charismatic Roth never let us forget that rock and roll was and is about having fun. If you take yourself too seriously all the time, you'll miss the point. And Eddie Van Halen?! The dude must have slept with that guitar. You'd have to to own your playing like that; and he really does play like he knows he could burn circles around any other guitarist in his sleep. When you get that good you can turn all your attention to, well, rockin' out. This is a great album! (PREVIEW)

...For the Whole World to See by Death
Where did this band come from and why did I not know about them? Oh, I see, Detroit; formed in 1971. This album was recorded in 1973 and released in 2009. You read it right — blame the record companies! Death was told to change its name and refused. This reminds me of Thin Lizzy at their best. Call it proto-punk if you must, but really, it's just straight ahead rock and roll. Definitely a solid album. (PREVIEW)

Dome by Johannes Enders
Now this is under the radar! It's some sort of mix of minimalism, free-form jazz, and a dieter's portion of electronics, yet atmospheric enough to warrant recording in a church in Bavaria. Organs, flutes, trumpets, saxophones, and warbly bass clarinets take turns floating over and above tastefully minimal percussion. Modern jazz, for me, always sits so close to sounding overly academic, crossing the line into, shall we say, unenjoyability. This album completely escapes that! It creates something that has a life of its own, never pointing back toward the virtuosity of the players. And every track takes a unique direction while fitting perfectly within the aesthetic of the whole album. But above being highly enjoyable, this recording is, put simply, interesting. (PREVIEW)

Mikal Cronin's self-titled debut
Cronin delivers on the jangly, retro-hippy, windows down-road trip, "garage-damaged guitar-pop." Did I jam enough adjectives in there? But of course what really makes this album is not the style, though that works very well to bring out the elements. What makes this album is that Cronin just writes catchy, cool, and enjoyable songs. Pick this up for your next road trip. (PREVIEW)

Warriors of Ice by Voivod
Remember when punk rock was a reaction against the all-consuming and oppressive machine known as "The Establishment"? When rock and rollers, sick of being co-opted by record companies, manipulated into a commodity, and dumbed down so as not to be overly offensive, would instead choose to put out their own albums, record in their garages, use artwork drawn by their friends, press up a 1,000 copies with scraped-together money, and rely on word-of-mouth distribution channels? This was before "punk" bands had major label record deals, charged $70 a ticket, had teams of stylists, were invited to play at the Grammys, and spawned Musicals on Broadway. Well, some people call Voivod heavy metal, but I think they come straight out of that anti-establishment punk tradition. This album was recorded live in 2009, decades after they took up the torch of punk. But if you ask me, they took the stage simply to remind us that if you're making some corporate suit money, you are not punk. (PREVIEW)

Fantasias for the Viols by Henry Purcell (with Jordi Savall)
Purcell is a musical genius on par with Bach. There, I said it! In addition, another interesting parallel exists between these pieces and Bach's Cello Suites: neither were widely known in their artists' lifetimes. Both were written more for contrapuntal study than for performance, and both were rediscovered almost by accident centuries later. Did these pieces sound like nothing more than musical exercises in the time of the Baroque? Did we need the Bombastic tensions of the Romantic Era to allow us to fully embrace the simple beauty of these pieces? It is easy to hear, centuries later, the undeniable influence of the Renaissance flowing through the harmonies, the continuity in the evolution of musical styles. Savall is a virtuoso of the Viola da Gamba, and, like his fellow Catalonian Montserrat Figueras (see above), loves early music so much that he has dedicated his life to bringing it to the world. Give this a listen, and you'll see why. (PREVIEW)

Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites by Skrillex
I tried getting through this month with no electronic music. I realize its fans are legion, but I consider it a guilty pleasure, because all my friends just think I'm weird for listening to it. I recently shared some favorite tracks with a friend who said, "I'd rather stick burning needles in my eyes than be subjected to more than 40 seconds of this music." Lord knows it's not for everybody. If you're into this sort of thing, you probably already know about this album. If not, it's actually pretty cool and over-the-top. And is that Jonsi on this preview track? I'll have to look into it. Enjoy! (PREVIEW)

— TUNE IN NEXT MONTH ! —

Lower East Side Heritage Film Series, Season 2, Part 6: Happy 90th Birthday Mingus!

Sean Ferguson, Seward Park Library — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:51:38 -0400

Happy birthday to Charles Mingus, who would have officially become a nonagenarian this coming April 22, 2012 — a word I am certain he could have cleverly crafted into a title. And to celebrate one of the most unique and gifted voices in not just the jazz world, but, in my opinion, the whole of 20th century music, we are projecting on 16mm this wonderfully insightful film capturing Mingus at a very specific period in his life. A must see for all fans of Charles Mingus.

We are pleased to offer the following film on Tuesday evening, April 3, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. Sixth part in the series:

Mingus (1968, 59 min., 16mm)

Thomas Reichman directs this 1966 interview with jazz musician Charlie Mingus at the time of his eviction from his lower Manhattan loft. With his five-year-old daughter Carolyn and amidst the clutter of his belongings, the famed double bass player, pianist, composer, and bandleader, addresses the camera and discusses his work, the discrimination he experienced in the United States and abroad, and the often complicated relationships of men and women. Mingus's monologue is intercut with footage of him performing at Lennies on the Turnpike, with numbers including "All the Things You Are," "Secret Love," and "Take the A Train." At the conclusion, Mingus is evicted from his home and arrested on a mistaken drug charge. His belongings are hauled away and his double bass is (albeit temporarily) abandoned on the city street.

Mingus is presented courtesy of the Reserve Film and Video Collection of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Mingus has been preserved with funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

This is a FREE monthly series held at Seward Park Library. Documentary and feature films (both 16mm and DVD) shot on location in lower Manhattan are presented the first Tuesday of every month.

Previously: Lower East Side Heritage Film Series, Season 2, Part 5. Follow us on Facebook: Lower East Side Heritage Collection

I Love Rock & Roll: Current Bands Worthy of Attention Part 4: The Raconteurs

Shawn P Donohue, Learning & Development Specialist, Office of Staff Development — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:40:08 -0500

I hear the phrase uttered often, "There are no good Rock & Roll Bands anymore" and there has been recent talk about the death of mainstream rock and roll. Over the next few weeks I will highlight 4 modern day groups that deserve attention from young and old fans of mainstream Rock and Roll.

If there were still great rock and roll radio channels for free out there these bands would be getting much bigger recognition then they already have. These aren't indie acts, they aren't no-names, they are just a reminder that there is some really great rock and roll music being produced and you will be able to grab all of it from our catalog.

Next up: The Raconteurs

We end this series with a look at perhaps the most well known of this month's groups, The Raconteurs who have headlined festivals, played surprise shows, been nominated for Grammys and still could use even more love as the band's albums and live shows are that damn good. Jack White was already a superstar by the time the band formed in 2005 having cemented his career in Rock and Roll with The White Stripes, but this is far from a mega-stars side project. What has developed over 2 albums and multiple live outings is a tour-de-force outfit that can go toe to toe with the best around.

White may have brought the biggest name recognition and star power to the group, but this outfit starts with their rock-solid low end of Patrick Keeler on drums and Jack Lawrence on bass both from the Detroit based retro rock band, The Greenhornes. Their thump and motor allows White and songwriting partner in crime Brendan Benson to flourish in the updated Lennon/McCartney roles.

Sure comparing these two to the greatest rock/pop songwriters is high praise but the duo works wonders. Benson has the charm and pop sensibilities, but on his solo albums come across as too saccharine sweet. White adds the weirdness to the outfit, but has a softer counterpart to bounce things off of. The combo is a fantastic one that breathes life into arena rock sized vamps or tender acoustic moments with equal ease.

While it is true that the group has been sidelined by other projects from the various other bands (Benson has recently released an album as have The Greenhornes and White seems to release a new project every few months) they did keep the dream alive for a third album with recent shows in New Orleans, Florida and Atlanta this past fall. Hopefully new material is ready to go as it would be a welcomed addition to the land of mainstream rock and roll, until that day though we can check out the groups past efforts:

Click here for the full Raconteurs collection at NYPL!

First: Consolers of the Lonely (2008, Warner Brothers)

Perhaps the best rock and roll record released in the first decade of the 2000's Consolers of the Lonely begins with thunder, ends with drama and in-between takes a listener on an amazing voyage that touches everything from Broadway pomp and circumstance to punk rock grit and grime. Tracks like "Salute Your Solution" and "Five on the Five" blaze high octane riffs while "Old Enough" brings in down home ease and biting lyrical work. "Top Yourself" is a track Led Zeppelin wish they wrote while the cover of Terry Reid's "Rich Kid Blues" shakes the walls with each listen. In a year end wrap up of 2008 Brian Stoltz (a smoking guitar player in his own right) praised the album saying: "This album slams. I can’t find one note on this record to criticize — nothing out there this innovative. In the land of noodles and white gravy, these guys are the saviors of rock ‘n roll." Amen to that.

Next: Broken Boy Soldiers (2006, Third Man Records)

The group's first release together has flashes of brilliance if it is a bit uneven in overall structure. The highlights far outshine the misses here though as the disk closing "Blue Veins" is dripping with blues while the first single "Steady as She Goes" bounces along light and free. "Intimate Secretary" has the force of an atom bomb behind it while "Together" is as nuanced and delicate as can be; these two are the perfect juxtaposition of White and Benson's talents. The sparseness that is here sounds a touch dated now as to how the band has grown into these songs in the live setting but it still is a good place to start for new fans of the band.

Thanks for checking out this series, here is part 1 part 2 and part 3, did we miss someone? Have another band that deserves some love? Feel free to comment below and Keep On Rockin' In The Free World.

I Love Rock & Roll: Current Bands Worthy of Attention Part 3: Band of Horses

Shawn P Donohue, Learning & Development Specialist, Office of Staff Development — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:46:57 -0500

I hear the phrase uttered often, "There are no good Rock & Roll Bands any more" and there has been recent talk about the death of mainstream rock and roll. Over the next few weeks I will highlight 4 modern day groups that deserve attention from young and old fans of mainstream Rock and Roll.

Next up: Band of Horses.

For the first part of the series we had a band who is in line with literary rockers of the past, our second act dealt more with pop rock leanings, and for our third part we mix in a bit of down home folk-y goodness to the rock and roll formula.

Band of Horses sound like long lost friends when they start playing their collection of hearty tunes, they have been called things like Southern Rock or Alt-Country, but in reality their sound takes from a little bit of everywhere making them true Rock and Roll mutts.

The band first became nationally known when they opened for Iron & Wine back in 2005 and played the Late Show with David Letterman here in New York shortly after. The band has withstood a few changes of personal especially in the early days, but the overall sound has remained consistent; soaring vocals, big guitars, anthemic drums all designed for arenas, balanced by delicate flourishes that reel the listener in.

Having a natural feel to their songs adds an organic sense of connectedness, but the band doesn't go that way with acoustic offerings, they can rev things up with boiling six-strings and thunderous drums in order to create palpable moods.

The group has an amazing vocal presence provided by lead singer/songwriter Ben Bridwell, who evokes a wide range of feelings through his voice and lyrics. While musically they are vastly different, comparisons can be drawn between Bridwell's singing/lyrics and David Byrne's. Both have wonderfully unique voices and tend to focus their lyrical matter on simple things, thus elevating them with elongated vocal phrasing or out and out spiritual proclamations. Neither lyricist will make you feel too much if you just read their work on a piece of paper, but when presented in their intended ways it can be magical.

Currently to go along with Bridwell, Tyler Ramsey plays lead guitar, Bill Reynolds on Bass, Creighton Barrett on drums and keyboard/guitarist/jack of all trades Ryan Monroe rounds things out. The band seems to be gelling more and more as a five piece with harmonizing, dueling guitar runs (sometimes three axes duking it out) and tender piano ballads all providing a sum greater than its parts.

Back in 2007 the group was already discussing increasing their fan base from Indie Rock insiders to a more broad base and with their recent show at Madison Square Garden opening for My Morning Jacket they are certainly fulfilling their goals. With a new album in the works this is a very exciting time for Band of Horses, but lets take a look back first at their past efforts that you can check out of the library.

The Full Catalog for Band of Horses @ NYPL

First: Cease to Begin (2007 Sub Pop)

The band shot to instant fame with their first release while living and playing in Seattle, then retreated back to Bridwell's native South Carolina to record their follow up, 2007's Cease to Begin. What spun out of that southern studio was easy rock that could kick up the crunch or ease down like a sunset or a backwoods breeze. Bridwell's reverb voice focused on daily life, but rarely have such simple songs rang so true. "No Ones Gonna Love You" is as basic as it gets and still packs quite a wallop for a ballad, while "Cigarette's Wedding Bands" crashes the party then waltzes around the room. The album just feels right in every aspect, a neat trick.

Next: Infinite Arms (2010 Brown Records)

After two successful albums on the famous Sub Pop label, the band went to work on their third without any assistance from a label — deciding to self fund the project instead. A Grammy Nomination and multiple worldwide tours later it is safe to say that was a wise investment from the band. The revolving nature of the group has eased and the current day 5-piece could get together and make a real band album. Again lyrics aren't going to bowl you over, but they are improving while the relaxed sound tilted even more to the south-west with this release. "Compliments" prove the band can still rock, but the group seemed to hit its stride with its back porch inspired numbers like "Dilly" with its circus like vocal harmonies and pulsing production, it even had a cool video:

The Rest: The Full Catalog for Band of Horses @ NYPL

Everything All The Time (2006 Sub Pop) The album that launched them on the scene, originally recorded with ex-member Mat Brooke the album has the roots of what the group does best. Glorious highs like on the first single "The Funeral" that simply soar when played in a live setting, delicate playing and vocal arraignments on "St. Augustine," and a grooving rocker that floats along in "The Great Salt Lake." Quite a way to kick off a career.

Stay tuned for the final installment of next week in this series, until then have any Band of Horses stories? Think we are way off base with this one? Feel free to comment below.

I Love Rock & Roll: Current Bands Worthy of Attention Part 2: Dr. Dog

Shawn P Donohue, Learning & Development Specialist, Office of Staff Development — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:26:48 -0500

I hear the phrase uttered often, "There are no good Rock & Roll Bands any more" and there has been recent talk about the death of mainstream rock and roll. Over the next few weeks I will highlight 4 modern day groups that deserve attention from young and old fans of mainstream Rock and Roll.

If there was still great rock and roll radio channels for free out there these bands would be getting much bigger recognition then they already have. These aren't indie acts, they aren't no-names, they are just a reminder that there is some really great rock and roll music being produced and you will be able to grab all of it from our catalog.

Up Next: Dr. Dog

The Philadelphia group of minstrels has been crafting some of the finest pop-rock around for the last decade-plus. When the term pop shows up these days it is a dirty word, but the group hearkens back to a time when popular did not mean bubblegum mass marketed dreck.

The group can be compared to three pillars of pop-rock royalty; The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and The Band. The three B's are lofty comparisons for any act, but Dr. Dog has earned it with well crafted studio albums, rambunctious live shows and stout song writing.

The vocal care with which they put together songs elevates them above many of their peers. While the song writing and lead singing duties go to bassist Toby Leaman and lead guitarist Scott McMicken the group as a whole works meticulously on the harmonies and background singing. Eric Slick keeps the beat while Zach Miller works the keys and Frank McElroy sings and strums along on rhythm guitar.

The group's democratic sense of unity is refreshing; the songs can seem individually constructed yet fit together perfectly to form a cohesive whole. Albums are tight with layers of sound that propel the tracks to float along with ease.

Like any band in this series Dr Dog is incredibly comfortable in the live setting having toured with everyone from My Morning Jacket to The Strokes in recent years. Gaining in popularity has seen the band also grace the stages of some of the biggest festivals (Bonnaroo, Coachella) in the country to rousing receptions. Pulling off their studio polish isn't always easy but the band soars when they take the stage.

Guitars, keys, plucky bass lines are all present behind the soaring vocals as the band oozes a laid back vibe that seems omnipresent on all of their tracks. The lyrics worm into your brain but the beats make you move your hips and can be just as infectious. Studio wizards and live magicians the group has it all, let's dig into their catalog.

Full Catalog of Dr. Dog here at NYPL

First: Fate (2008 Park The Van Records)

The album that turned the band from indie darlings to a force to be reckoned with world wide, Fate was a spectacular coming out party for the band. The group got their wry sense of irony on the forefront here but also nail some straight ahead joys, ("My Friend", "The Breeze"). When the meaty bass line from "The Ark" bubbles out it immediately gets the head bobbing and a winding trip into the forest via "The Rabbit The Bat and The Reindeer" makes the freak-out feel natural. It can be easy, or it can be twisted and complex, but what you have here is from start to finish a great disc.

Next: Shame, Shame (2010 Anti Records)

The first time the band has worked with an outside producer (Rob Schnapf) finds the group making perhaps their most accessible album yet. The disk works up to a fantastic ending with "I Only Wear Blue," "Jackie Wants a Black Eye" and the title track, but nothing beats McMicken's ode to his Philly friends via "Shadow People." A fantastic journey that rewards with every listen:

The Rest: Full catalog of Dr Dog here at NYPL

We All Belong - (2007 Park the Van Records) Psych-Pop expansion, the group relished the studio time and put together their first major opus here with the closing title track. There are some other great gems here as well like the hooky "Old News" and bumping "Worst Trip."

Stay Tuned next week for Part 3 until then do you have any Dr. Dog stories or comments?

I Love Rock & Roll: Current Bands Worthy of Attention Part 1: The Hold Steady

Shawn P Donohue, Learning & Development Specialist, Office of Staff Development — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:02:00 -0500

I hear the phrase uttered often, "There are no good Rock & Roll Bands any more" and there has been recent talk about the death of mainstream rock and roll. Over the next few weeks I will highlight 4 modern day groups that deserve attention from young and old fans of mainstream Rock and Roll.

Up first: The Hold Steady.

The Hold Steady Live 2-24-07
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikemikeThe idea of a sing along chorus, a connection to the follies (and glories of youth) and the ability to have a good time in the face of adversity. All have been the foundations of rock and roll, all are the building blocks of success that The Hold Steady pride themselves on.

The added something that separates The Hold Steady from their contemporaries is simple: fun. The band is all about having a good time while still making you think and feel. To many so-called rock bands look like they could care less about playing live, or singing their songs, they just want to act a role. The Hold Steady live the role because they are just being themselves and it shows.

This Brooklyn by way of Minneapolis outfit have been producing some of the best rock and roll over the last decade and have done so with a killer live act, detailed studio albums and deep connection with their fans.

Touring consistently has built up the crowds from small bars to clubs, festivals and arenas but the band has never lost touch. The riffs are just as massive as the nights and the stories seem to grow more entangled with each passing verse.

Front-man Craig Finn has developed a mythology around lyrics, re-using them at odd times to wrap the listener into his world, adding a special connection where fans feel like they are in on a secret. Characters will show up here or there album to album and fans get to check in with their adventures, usually from a hole in the wall hotel room or a killer party.

Certainly Finn's everyman vibe helps these tales along; unlike say the lead singer of The Darkness, Finn seems to have lived through these tales that he weaves and has come out OK. He may not be the sexiest front-man but he may be the most identifiable to the average listener. His lyrics have a literary edge to them (perfect for an NYPL blog) in the same way a great Film Noir might. Whether discussing hardcore matinee shows, townie bar fights, or just growing/hooking up, something seems to touch people.

While Finn keeps pumping that realness vital to creating lasting bonds the music is just as key. Tad Kubler rips into gargantuan sized riffs with his lead guitar over Bobby Drake and Galen Polivka laying down the low end on drums and bass respectively. Until the last album the piano/keyboards were patrolled by Franz Nicolay but recently they have been removed for a third guitarist Steve Selvidge.

Musically fans of The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles will all find something reminiscent of their heroes but there is also a Replacements vibe that adds to the grit and a Cheap Trick flair that sprinkles on a helping of catchy cheese. The group they are most often compared to however is Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band.

It is pretty easy to call them E-Street of the Blogging generation, but they are more then that; they are lifetime rock and roll fans who have taken from their heroes and created something new, unique, vital, just like their heroes did from the blues artists before them.

In dissecting the group's catalog each fan seems to have their own favorite and it usually corresponds to the album that first got them into the group. All albums are worth it, but here is the order I would dive into them and direct links in our catalog as to where to get them:

Full Catalog of The Hold Steady @ NYPL

First - Boys and Girls In America (2006, Vagrant Records) One of the best albums of the last decade BaGiA gives you the full Hold Steady package over the course of its running time. Full out rockers ("Two Kooks") to tender pleas ("Citrus") the band nailed it all on this career highlight. To preview here is the official video of the disk opener "Stuck Between Stations" in which the band opens over raging guitars with the line "There are nights when I think that Sal Paradise was right..." what's not to love?

Next - Separation Sunday (2005, Frenchkiss Records) An almost concept album following Holly, Gideon and a cast of others, but they might as well be me and you as their problems and loves are identifiable to all. The tone of the album is more pumping band with separate storytelling front-man but the disk pumps hard behind tracks like "Multitude of Casualties" and the arena ready "Stevie Nix." The band's closest thing to a hit off of the disk might be "Your Little Hoodrat Friend."

The Rest - Full Catalog of The Hold Steady @ NYPL

Heaven Is Whenever (2010, Vagrant Records) A grown up band tackles things a touch more low key but don't sacrifice many smiles or wonders as they play records and fall in love on bedroom floors or get stranded in the sweet part of the city. Stand Out Tracks: "Hurricane J," "A Slight Discomfort," The Sweet Part Of The City."

A Positive Rage (2009, Vagrant Records) A live take on the bands heartfelt tunes, as well as a few b-sides tossed in that are as good as anything the band has done before, "Ask Her For Some Adderall."

Almost Killed Me (2003, Frenchkiss Records) The roots of the band, still coming over from the Lifter Puller days, but there are some really great standouts here and the wordplay is setting the stage for more interweaving in the future. "Swish," "Killer Parties."

Stay tuned next week for part 2 of the series; until then, do you have any Hold Steady stories or comments?

Best of Patron Requests: Music (January 2012 Edition)

Andy Wagstaff, Central Collection Development — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:52:11 -0500

This list is a monthly compilation of my own personal favorite patron requests for music. I hope you will check out some of the great music that Library users have suggested we acquire!

Provided are some great preview tracks for each. Just click on the titles to be taken to the catalog.

Bollywood Bloodbath by various

FIND OF THE MONTH! Various soundtrack gems from Bollywood B Movies? Need I go on? Traditional Indian music elements mixed with reggae dub synth punches, washed out video game sounds, and mildly western-influenced pop song structures, all produced to sound like it's coming out of a little transistor radio in your dad's garage. Now I have to see if we can get any of the movies these are from. The end results have such unique and beautiful textures, they will astound and delight!
(PREVIEW)

Forbidden Planets, Vol. 2: More Music From The Pioneers Of Electronic Sound by various

Another great find! This collection is full of wonderfully bizarre sounds, mostly from the 1950s. Two CDs, with lots of big names, as well as some lesser-knowns, all tinkering with the then-still-new technology of electronically produced sound. Anyone working on a science fiction action/adventure show would do well to comb these tracks for samples. This one is far out!
(PREVIEW)

Faces in the Rocks by Mariee Sioux

Just when I thought I had heard enough bamboo flute in the subway system to last me a lifetime, this record proves it can be perfectly haunting when done well. Mariee Sioux is a young singer-songwriter who is accompanied by a flute player and her dad on mandolin. Her dad? It's just too cute! But truthfully, the first time I heard the song "Wild Eyes," I listened to it about 50 times straight. Though she fits neatly into the folk tradition of Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, there seems to me something very original here. The harmonies are laid in just so beautifully, and the poetry has a powerful and lyrical flow that indicates a real intuitive approach to combining words and music. And don't think her Native American flourishes are like going shopping for dream catchers and turquoise in Santa Fe. No, they are the exposed roots of her being. She takes you to the soul of the earth, where ancient spirits dance among the bones, weeping fire, "Trying to pull you back deep in their wooden womb of a hundred hearts hanging suspended, moth-eaten. Those muscles the size of your fist all floating around your head and throwing punches like we throw the stones to the bottom of river beds. Who knows who's next to watch from under the currents the rapids rapidly raging while we're rapidly blinking our wild wild eyes."

I'm listening again now — yes, it is still that good! I can't stop! Help! (PREVIEW)

Ancient Romans by Sun Araw

It's hallucinatory meditation for those not afraid to stare at the sun with their eyes open; the amplified sounds of bees making honey; the sonification of some far away orbital resonance; and a trip through time and space on a ship made entirely of effects pedals. Put all those together and you may just come close to this record. I could listen to this for hours!
(PREVIEW)

Weekend in America by Wolfgang Gartner

This is some solid electronic dance music here. If you like Deadmau5, or Plump DJs, you'll probably like this. Groovy and great!
(PREVIEW)

Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 by Earth

Earth is back with their latest fair of twilight-sleep music that creeps along in what seems to be a row boat moving through the Dead Sea. Famous for their hypnotic drones, here they show they can dabble in slow grooves and melodies and still keep it as locked in as ever. I'm going to go to sleep to this tonight. I'll probably dream of being a Viking or something.
(PREVIEW)

Family of Love EP by Dom

Electro pop music for the kids! What makes this stand out for me is the way these synthy pop tunes build in to a veritable juggernaut of sound by the end. It's catchy yet massive.
(PREVIEW)

Book of David by DJ Quik

This is oooold school legit. Throws you back to that 70s funk sound ala early 90s Death Row Records. I think if George Clinton was a rapper, it would sound a little like this. Catchy catchy tunes.
(PREVIEW) (NSFW y'all, but neither were the 70s)

H-P1 by White Hills

OK, everyone make the sign of the horns, raise 'em to the sky, and crank this proto-metal sounding non-stop onslaught of bottom heavy riffs and rippin wah-pedal guitar solos. It reminds me of Hawkwind (seen here with Lemmy of Motorhead singing) with a little Sabbath thrown in. It's just an in-your-face kind of an album. I've got to keep my eyes out for these guys coming through on tour. Now that would be something to see!
(PREVIEW)

Welcome to Condale by Summer Camp

If seeing how much production you can possibly shove into a CD of 40 minutes or so, this is for you. That sounds bad I guess, but I love it! It's pop, but aggressively and unapologetically so. Beyond that something in the sound throws you back to around 1988. Good times!
(PREVIEW)

-TUNE IN NEXT MONTH-

Dance Your Face Off!: A Party Music Playlist

Anne Rouyer, Seward Park Library — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:14:19 -0500

So it’s been a mild winter and maybe snow has only just fallen, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still imagine ourselves in a tropical paradise: sipping fruity drinks and dancing our faces off! But what thump, thump, techno beats would we be dancing to underneath the stars? Luckily, I have just returned from Mexico where I was doing just that, and here’s what the DJs were spinning:

Wepa — Gloria Estefan

From her dance album Little Miss Havana, this song title is PR slang for “Cool,” “Yeah,” and “Go for It.” Miami based singer Gloria Estefan has been around a long time, so it’s great to see her back with a new electronic dance album. As for the song, it is impossible not to dance to and is even better played at a very loud volume.

Love You Like a Love Song — Selena Gomez

While I don’t consider myself a big Selena fan, this song — from When the Sun Goes Down —is pretty darn infectious, especially if there is a dance beat behind it. Confession time: I did see her film Monte Carlo in the movie theater, although at the time, I said I was seeing it “ironically.” If you’re not a Selena fan yet, you just may become one after listening.

On the Floor — Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull

I never thought I would say this: I’m not a JLo fan (at all), but I found myself dancing my face, arms, and legs off to this beat (from her 2011 album Love?). In fact, I think I jumped up on a lighted cube in the middle of the dance floor and just went crazy. I bet it will make you want to do the same!

Hello — Martin Solveig featuring Dragonette

This is a song you probably already know, but you just don’t know you know it. It’s all over TV and film... but have you danced to it in a club full of sweaty strangers all waving “hello” to each other? FYI Martin Solveig is a French DJ and music producer. Find the song on the Ultra Dance 12 compilation album.

We Found Love — Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris

You can’t escape RhiRhi! Just when I think I am over her, she comes out with another incredible album (Talk that Talk) and single. How can you not love it? The video is insane! The remixes are sick! It’s the kind of song that pulls you onto the dance floor even if it’s 2 a.m. and you are wasted from dancing all night. So come on, feel the euphoria.

Domino — Jessie J

I’m feeling sexy and free/ Like glitter is raining on me
With its infectious beat and killer hook, Domino always gets me in the mood for a party. This British songstress first made a name for herself performing on Saturday Night Live last year with her song Price Tag (featuring B.O.B.). Check out her full album Who You Are.

Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) — Kelly Clarkson

This song will totally make you want to take on the world and the dance floor. From her new album Stonger, add this single to the list of K.C. anthems, alongside "Since U Been Gone" and "My Life Would Suck Without You," that make you want to pump your fists and jump up and down — almost against your will.

Last Friday Night — Katy Perry

I know this is so summer 2011 of me! But listen: this song takes on a whole new life as it is blasted into the starlit sky at full volume, and you and a hundred other people are loudly chanting “T.G.I.F.!” For the uninitiated, it's from her 2010 album Teenage Dream. For even more old school Perry fun, listen to the Kaskade Club remix of "Teenage Dream" found on Ultra Dance 12.

When I Get You Alone — Blaine and the Warblers

Baby Girl, you the s***/ that makes you my equivalent
This list wouldn't be complete without a little Glee. Mainly because I listen to a lot of Glee — I totally want to marry Blaine! So get in line. I am love with the Glee presents The Warblers soundtrack, especially this track, a remake of a great hook-up song by Robin Thicke.

Music: Express Yourself @ NYPL

Joanne Conte, Morris Park — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:51:18 -0500

Music is the language that we all understand. Whether it be rock, opera, jazz or hip-hop, it's all music if it causes you to tap your foot, sing along, or makes you feel emotions you can't explain. I don't really know of anyone who doesn't enjoy some type of music. Lately, I must confess, I've been listening to corny Christmas tunes like Dominck The Donkey and Alvin and the Chipmunk's "Christmas Hula Hoop" song. But now that "Auld Lang Syne" and "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" have been put away until next December 31, it's time to reflect on the best music from this past year.

My absolute favorite is Adele's 21. Her style is sultry and full of angst in the style of great jazz artists like Billie Holliday.

Next on my list is Lady Antebellum's Own The Night, followed up by Taylor Swift's Speak Now. A little bit of country music brightens my day.

From country music back to pop soul, my next favorites are Amy Winehouse's Back to Black and Frank. Her untimely death left a deep fissure in the music world. Like Adele, her style was similar to the great ladies of jazz — smooth and sultry. Her lyrics really made you think.

My list also includes one of the great older artists, Tony Bennett. Bennett has been entertaining us for many years, but he never grows old and neither does his music. His latest Duets 2 features artists such as Queen Latifah, Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, and Carrie Underwood.

Last but not least, I would like to recommend Andrea Bocelli's Concerto: One Night In Central Park. The concert was held this past September, and Bocelli, who crooned with Celine Dion and Tony Bennett among others, sang with accompaniment by Chris Botti's trumpet and The New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

The New York Public Library embraces music. It has copies of popular music on CD in all of its neighborhood libraries. You can also access digital music from the Sony Music catalog through the Library's subscription to Freegal Music. Use the service to get up to three DRM-free MP3s a week. In addition, many rare types of music can be found at the Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Louis B. Cullman Center, which is located at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza. Over 40,000 songs from Broadway shows can be found there. The Library also features many wonderful programs from the world of music.

Morris Park Library hosts many wonderful music programs as well. On Wednesday, January 18 at 3:30 p.m., it will host The Diller-Quaille String Quartet. For ages 5 to 12 and any adult accompanied by a child!

Happy New Year to all, and may 2012 be one filled with great music and happy listening. If you would like to add to my list, go right ahead and comment at the end of this post. I'm always looking for musical suggestions. Ciao.

Best of Patron Requests: Music (2011 Year-End Edition)

Andy Wagstaff, Central Collection Development — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:46:21 -0500

The New York Public Library's Office of Central Collection Development fields dozens of requests to purchase new material from our patrons each month. It is a great way to enrich our collections and cover lesser-known titles and areas of interest. This list is a monthly compilation of my own personal favorite patron requests for music. I hope you will check out some of the great music that library users have suggested we acquire!

Provided are some great preview tracks for each. Just click on the titles to be taken to BiblioCommons, the Library's catalog.

This year-end list leans almost exclusively to releases of 2011. And as I like to ponder all concepts of the divine during the holidays, you may find some of that coming through in my reviews. God help us!

Six Suites for Solo Cello by J.S. Bach, performed by Winona Zelenka.

FIND OF THE MONTH!

Honestly, outside of the Casals interpretations, I've never had the need for any other. I've tried, believe me, but they always just sent me running back to Pablo. It was he, after all, who had rescued the pieces from obscurity when, as a child, he found a beaten up old copy of the pieces in a thrift shop (no manuscript exists of these pieces); he who had practiced the pieces every day for decades before recording them; and he who had declared Bach "the supreme genius of music" and that music itself was God's way of communicating beauty to the human heart. But as much as I love every crackle and hiss of those early-era recordings, I wanted to find a newer interpretation of these pieces just to fully enjoy the transparency of more modern recording techniques. But what can I do when every interpretation I hear is immediately judged on the grounds of how it measures up to Casals? Well, patiently wait for the right one to come along I suppose. And now it has! In truth, Zelenka's interpretations are not far off from Casals. They have a similar dynamic range, similarly impressive organic phrasing, and similar wonderfully subtle variances of tempo between phrases. Though no one can beat Casals to the punch of a good double-stop, several have tried too hard to do so. Zelenka chooses to tone down the drama, not only at the double stops but throughout, which surprisingly adds a tangible flow and cohesion to the pieces as a whole, giving them softer edges. It works so beautifully! I have never before heard an interpretation of these pieces noticeably different from Casals, yet so artistic and enjoyable in their own right. This is indeed God's way of communicating beauty to the human heart. (PREVIEW)

Mazes by Moon Duo.

Moon Duo is Krautrock for the new century. Each song chugs along with such confidence, it just sounds like it's always been playing. I want to be in a car with my friends, between semesters, driving across the country to cities where we know people and can stay for free, eating out of cans we stole from our parents' pantries (I will never eat creamed corn again!), listening to this record with the windows rolled down. (PREVIEW)

The Music Scene by Blockhead.

Wait, did I already use the adjective "chug"? Oh man! OK then, how about trip-hop? Fringe beat? Groove train? Put together by New York's own Blockhead, it's got some out there samples, but it's all put together to make your head bob. Very catchy! And this video's going to massage your mind too. (PREVIEW)

Danger by The Lijadu Sisters.

This is a re-issue of an album put out by Nigerian twin sisters in 1976. It is in the Afrobeat tradition, which already combines elements of traditional African music with the more American sounds of jazz and funk; but this recording goes a little further in its borrowing from funk... and even disco! (PREVIEW)

Slave Ambient by The War On Drugs.

It's like being reminded of something, something vague, but you can't remember exactly what. It's more driving music... I've got to get me a car! (PREVIEW)

Bloodline by Tardy Brothers.

Hey remember when Jesus of Nazareth said "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts which never gave suck.' Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us;' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"

Well, these guys add distorted power chords and a few guitar solos to cut through 2,000 years of religious dogma and cultural drift; but the message, dear friends, is the same. Weep for yourselves and for your children! (PREVIEW)

What A Pleasure by Beach Fossils.

Whew — just in time! The Beach Fossils come along to rescue us from all that weeping in fear that the Tardy Brothers brought on. With their dreamy reverb and laid-back clang (I will swear right here and now, without even searching, that that guitar is a Fender Telecaster!), they remind me of a slightly more psychedelic, early R.E.M. You know... before whats-his-name got all holier-than-thou. It is a reminder that art can still be about making something beautiful, and beautifully simple. (PREVIEW)

Walk of Shame by Nikki Lane.

What?! OK, somebody is kidding me. This record came out in 2011. Recall the early 1970s, when country music was crossing over into the main stream? Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette, and Altman's Nashville? Well Nikki Lane does, and she miraculously pulls it off. I personally like a lot of country from that era, and if someone played this song without me knowing any better, I would have dated it to around 1973. (PREVIEW)

This May Be My Last Time Singing by Various.

Subtitled "Raw African-American Gospel on 45rpm 1957-1982," you can imagine the diversity you get on a collection that spans that much time. There are some surprises on here (like, is there a drum machine on this one?), but every track is really great. If somebody knows a church nearby that sounds like this, please let me know and I'll start going. It would make my parents very happy. (PREVIEW)

Glimmer by Jacaszek.

Michel Jacaszek is a Polish electroacoustic musician who combines traditional instrumentation with digitally evolving crackles and dust to evoke the first day of creation. The day God separated the land from the waters (or was that the second day?) ... or if you prefer, the day nature itself brought forth out of the primordial ooze the first breaths of organic life. It is haunting and foggy, dark and mysterious... like when the apostle Paul said, "for now we see through a glass, darkly." This is the audio equivalent of that. (PREVIEW)

Replica by Oneohtrix Point Never.

This is just some strange, ambient, electronic soundscapes... probably what robots listen to on their days off. (PREVIEW)

We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves by John Maus.

Gary Newman wishes he sounded like this! Maus has the same heavy use of synthesizers, but manages to somehow sound much larger and epic, projecting his voice to the lonely edges of the universe. (PREVIEW)

TUNE IN NEXT MONTH!