Category Archives: Connections

Django Django, Go Go’s & Duran Duran

There aren’t many bands with name names, but new music from Django Django (“the D is silent”) and Belinda Carlisle of the Go Go’s is in the news.

Django Django has a stripped-down sound (check out the drum kit on the video below), and their eponymous first album was named to Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the best 50 albums of 2012.

Belinda Carlisle was the lead singer of the early-80’s hit machine the Go Go’s. The band had the beat everyone danced to in that era, and in the first single she’s released in the U.S. in over 15 years Belinda updates her dance sound and shows that her voice hasn’t lost anything in the last few decades

Likely the most popular name name band of all time is Duran Duran.  Drawn from a character in the bizarre Jane Fonda sci-fi vehicle “Barbarella”, the band’s name was apparently inspired by the night club Barbarella in their hometown of Birmingham, England.  After watching the Duran Duran video, feel free to send in a comment about your favorite name name band, or place an order for a wedding dress!

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Great Music in Any Language

People around the world listen to music with English lyrics whether or not they understand the language.  Great music comes through regardless. The links below will likely challenge your language skills, but the great music certainly comes through regardless.

Japan is chock full of great rock bands, and one we’d love to see tour the U.S. is Asian Kung-Fu Generation.   AKG wrote lyrics in English for their first EP in 2000, but most of their catalog is in their native language.  The track translated “Blue Train”, performed live in the clip below, was a hit single from “Fan Club”.  It shows off their nifty rhythms and song structures.

Thandiswa Mazwai is a South African singer/songwriter who wins music awards regularly in her home country, and who also performs internationally.  The track below appeared on “Zabalaza”.

“Buena Vista Social Club” was a worldwide sensation when it was released in 1997.   American guitarist and musicologist Ry Cooder brought together many of Cuba’s greatest musicians to record what would become the biggest selling Cuban album of all time.   The first track, “Chan Chan”, was written by Compay Segundo.

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The Avett Brothers and Jackson Browne – Folk Rock Now & Then

Folk rock is getting plenty of attention these days.  With Mumford & Sons taking Best Album honors at the 2013 Grammy Awards, and John Mayer recalling the influences of the Laurel Canyon artists of the late 60’s and 70’s in his 2012 release “Born and Raised” (see our post from January 27 John Mayer), acoustic music and heart-felt songwriting are back.

The Avett Brothers were 2013 Grammy nominees for their sixth album “The Carpenter”, a Rick Rubin production.  We don’t know if the Avetts would claim him as an influence, but Jackson Browne’s 1974 classic album “Late for the Sky” shares some of the moods and breadth of “The Carpenter”, and Browne was among the central figures of that Laurel Canyon era.  Enjoy listening to “Winter in My Heart” from the Avetts and the title track of “Late for the  Sky”.

A nice set of interviews with the Avett Brothers and some unplugged performances appeared on CNN.  Start here:

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Frank Ocean’s and Stevie Wonder’s Best Albums

“It’s the future of soul music being invented in real time” said Rolling Stone of Frank Ocean’s second album “Channel Orange”.  Seems that others agree, voting it Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards.  Ocean performed the track “Thinkin Bout You” backed by a trippy guitar arrangement (that looks like John Mayer in the shadows, stage right) on Saturday Night Live.   See if you find some similarities to “Visions” from 1974’s Grammy winner for Best Album, Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions”.

If you like “Innervisions” era Stevie Wonder, you’ll probably also like the arrangement of Ocean’s “Sweet Life”.

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Allen Stone and Daryl Hall Bring Blue-eyed Soul

The buzz about Seattle blue-eyed soul singer Allen Stone is growing by the day.  He’s just been signed by Dave Matthews’ ATO records, and he’s been making the late night TV circuit.  Enjoy the living room performance of “Unaware” from his 2012 self-titled CD, then watch him perform with blue-eyed soul icon Daryl Hall on Hall’s web series “Live at Daryl’s House” (the link will take you to episode 59, then pull up “Celebrate Tonight” from the menu).

http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/currentep.html?ep_id=74

And if you’d like to hear what Daryl was doing in his 20’s, listen to “Sara Smile” from the 1975 album “Daryl Hall and John Oates”.

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