 |
 |
The Game Of Love - Santana
The summer of 2002 saw the explosion of this collaboration between Santana and teenage siren Michelle Branch. At that time, I was in the Heather Dawn Band, and we picked it up as a new addition. The piano chords remind me of "You Get What You Give" by the New Radicals. |
 |
Bebela - Les Nubians
Heard this one first on John Eto's copy of the Left Bank/Le Groove mix by Restoration Hardware. Sweet Rhodes, atmospheric effects, and sultry French singing, over a tasty drum groove. I have NO idea what they're talking about, but that's beside the point. They know how to skate around the changes. |
 |
On A High - Duncan Sheik
Scott turned me on to this latest release from Duncan Sheik, and this song was the single. I plugged it into the mix after hearing it on "Alias". |
 |
Give It All Up - The Corrs
The other Irish quartet serves up saccharine pop with fizz to spare, and this song illustrates that just as well as "Breathless" or any of the other more prominent singles. The production is great, though, and it's simply not fair for a family blessed with such stellar genes to also sport this kind of musical prowess.
|
 |
Feelin' Good - Nina Simone
In a period of trying to re-expose myself to roots jazz while maintaining downtempo sensibilities, I ordered the Verve Remixed CD, which contained this track. There is tremendous remix keyboard work done (really, throughout the entire disc), and it's set to a slow 12/8 groove that burns. |
 |
Will It Go Round In Circles - Billy Preston
I'd heard Kenny Wayne Shepherd cover it. I'd heard Bruce Hornsby cover it. When I heard Gary Fiorino cover it, it was time to go to the source. Any keyboard player who sits in with the Beatles is good in my book. A piece of classic R&B gold. |
 |
Youth Of The Nation - P.O.D.
Another big hit of the summer of 2002. I don't usually have much to do with rap core, but this one had some nice chords, and it was featured in the movie "Blue Crush" (which wasn't a terrific movie, but not terrible either), along with Zero 7's "Destiny". Only when I picked it up did I tune into the dark, dark subject matter. |
 |
Daylight - Coldplay
As most reviews have preceded me in saying, A Rush Of Blood To The Head is a phenomenal album. Registering slightly lower on the radar than the radio hits "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" and the huge "Clocks" is this ironically dark, ominous tune, with a brilliantly simple melody over three haunting chords. The final mantra "slowly breaking through to daylight..." provides an excellent exit. |
 |
Notice The Ring - Chris Isaak
Chris Isaak released Always Got Tonight with several strong songs at the helm. This one rocks out considerably, and extols the virtues of integrity and commitment (with hopes that the ring may not signify a relationship). The stop grooves and trademark falsetto "hoo"s amplify the soul we know he already had. The minimalist usage of only two chords proves a song needn't be complex to rock. |
 |
Rikki Don't Lose That Number - Warren Hill
When St. Louis bass player extraordinaire Jay Hungerford held an post-remodeling open house, this medley of Steely Dan jazz covers was the soundtrack. This remake is splendidly colorful, tasteful, and it just feels good. I'm not much of a fan of recent smooth jazz (a drum loop and saxophone does not a record make), but this one has enough going on texturally to make it pretty sweet. |
 |
Target - Joe Jackson
The first time I heard this song, originally on Joe's 1982 masterpiece, Night And Day, I was sitting at his show at the Sheldon in St. Louis. Fantastic performance, and it is represented well on this recording. I don't know how a British guy who spearheaded the Angry Young Punk movement in the early 80s pulled off a Latin fiesta like this with such finesse. |
 |
A Time For Love - Bill Evans
I remember hearing this song before I knew what it was, and the sense memory of the beautiful melody washed over me when I picked of Evans' Verve VBO. Following "Target" in the mix, it's like hitting a wall after you've been driving so fast...but the pain doesn't last long once Evans bathes you in the lush chords that comprise this piece. |
 |
This Blue Hour - Vanessa Daou
Appropriately near the end of the Slow To Burn album (the place where many of my favorite tracks usually reside on most albums), "This Blue Hour" is incredible. Peter Daou, producer and husband, works the keyboards, and the changes are subtle, surprising, and oh-so sexy. |
 |
Trail Blazer - Acoustic Alchemy
One of the few redeeming tracks on this late AA release, who effectively sold out to the machine of smooth jazz which I summarily slammed earlier, this song boasts real drums (what a concept!) and excellent dueling guitar work, which AA fortunately retained through their transitions. I like my smooth jazz mellow, able to function in the background, but still pique my interest in pleasant ways. "Trail Blazer" succeeds on all of the aforementioned counts. |
 |
Eminence Front - The Who
After acquiring the Who boxed set a couple of years ago, and listening straight through to the tracks therein, this one stood out to me with its extension of the Who's oscillating synth work, laid over a good groove pocket. I had all but filed it away until Big Daddy G claimed it as his favorite song by the Who. |
 |
The Hong Kong Triad - Thievery Corporation
This sounds like a combination of Euro lounge sophistication and the "Knight Rider" soundtrack. TC's influences include Latin music, so the percussion is very welcome in this piece, and adds to the downtempo atmosphere. If I drank, I'd have a Martini to this one. |
 |
Lonesome Day - Bruce Springsteen
Anything released in the season of, or released because of September 11 is difficult to listen to. The opener to The Rising offers a hand of encouragement in the Boss' anthemic formula. Most certainly, it's what this country needed in the aftermath. "It's alright/It's alright/It's alright". |
 |
Digging Your Scene - Ivy
Doo-doo do-do-doooo. This song is like bubblegum on the beach. As it ends Ivy's excellent Long Distance disc, it also works very well to end this mix. It's got a fun, spunky beat, but it retains a level of sophistication (that of a 21-year-old schulmadchen....slightly above the teenybopper demographic). I particularly like the way Dominique Durand sings "I'm like a boy among men/I'd like a permanent friend." At first I thought she was singing, "I'm like a permanent friend," to which I thought, "Oh, that's nice." |
