Definitely The Right Thing

A recent post reminded me that it's been an unmentionable number of years since I was "up in the club" - not the easiest thing to mesh with the demands of a young family. Well, and I'm asleep before the doors even open most nights.

But that's alright. Today I'm bringing the club to me with this thumpin new discovery and that suits my schedule just fine.

SBTRKT (pronounced Sub-Tract) a hot London-based producer is mixing up the funky bass-driven, jungle beats that used to keep me on the dance floor til the wee hours. Now I'm more interested in his prowess to just keep me on the treadmill.

Loving the whole album but the track below featuring Jessie Ware is definitely the right thing!

Download SBTRKT Right Thing To Do

The New Stevie Nicks Is Up In The Club

Mention Lana Del Rey and you'll likely hear more about her flubbed SNL performance than her real talent. I hate to say it, but I smell player haters. What's not to hate? She's drop-dead gorgeous, young, rich and really talented - at least I think so.

This album, Born To Die, delivers on the bluesy, brooding, pop ingénue meets Portishead thing and it deserves several plays for sure.  But if you're more in the mood for dancing than musing, I would give this remix of Blue Jeans by Penguin Prison a spin.

I agree with this guy - "Basically, the new Stevie Nicks is up in the club". Now, I ask you - what could be wrong with that?

Neo-Soul Is Still Soul To Me

Woo - Anthony Hamilton by RCARecords

Love the sweet sound of these Soul legends - Bill Withers, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Teddy Pendergrass? Not afraid to admit that somewhere on your playlist there's a song or two by more-cheesy-less-legend material like Maxwell or Babyface?

I say yes and yes. I'm definitely not ashamed to profess my love of all things Soul and R & B - even when it's described as neo-soul. I love Anthony Hamilton's new release - Back To Love, and I think you will too. Although I know some of you will never actually fess up and that's okay - I'll catch you humming the lyrics sooner or later.

Woo, woo, woo...

Old Favorites & New Discoveries

I would not say I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan - well, with the exception of this album which is firmly at the top of my desert island picks. 

What I am is a huge sucker for covers that improve upon already near-perfect songs - especially when it leads me to a new discovery like Charlotte Gainsbourg. This track is from her latest release Stage Whisper but there's some good stuff on this LP too.

And speaking of good stuff, old favorites and new discoveries, I love how a click or two lead me to The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams  - featuring Dylan, Jack White, Lucinda Williams and more rocking Hank's previously unreleased material.

I'm Giving Thanks for The Love of Music

I know it sounds silly and trite to say that but it's true. We've all had moments, hours, maybe even days when we desperately need to "change the channel" and really good music has that power. As a matter of fact, nothing can transform the moment and/or my mood faster.

While I have a host of reasons to be thankful - family, great friends, good health, happy, healthy children - a really nice life all in all. Still, today I am struck by an overwhelming sense of gratitude for a deep and genuine love of music.

I'm grateful that it's a passion I share with my husband. I'm thankful we have such incredible access to live music here in the SF Bay Area, but most of all I'm just thrilled it's part, a very large part, of what I look forward to each and every day.

Here's a playlist of a few of my favorites as highlighted in MFT so far.

 Happy Thanksgiving!