Three friends and I have been working on lists of our favorite songs for a couple months now. All of us ended going off in our own direction. One did his 40 favorite cover songs. One did a list of his favorite songs from his ipod. Our most industrious member actually produced an ordered list of his favorite 500 songs. I stated with my top 6, then expanded to 40, and eventually 100. However, when I reviewed it, I realized it was really a list of the top 100 from my ipod, just like another member’s list. Anyway, and apologies if this is overly self indulgent, here is the list:

1. Do You Realize? – Flaming Lips 2. This Must Be The Place – Talking Heads 3. Redemption Song – Bob Marley 4. Surf’s Up – Beach Boys 5. Up With People – Lambchop 6. Step Right Up – Tom Waits 7. What’s So Funny ’bout Peace, Love, And Understanding – Elvis Costello 8. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd 9. Stardust – Louie Armstrong 10. Ghost Town – Specials 11. Just My Imagination – Temptations 12. The Bewlay Brothers – David Bowie 13. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic » Continue Reading.

Just read the Naming Children After Rock Stars thread. My interest on that issue ran a somewhat different direction. As a child myself, I was obsessed with the Japanese cartoon Speed Racer. Speed was looked after from afar by his mysterious older brother known only as Racer X. When our first child was born, I insisted that the name we gave to it be Speed Racer. My wife resisted furiously, and it took me months to wear her down. Finally I was able to introduce the world to Speed Racer, our beautiful baby daughter. When we adopted a daughter 7 years later, the same battle was fought. I thought that it would help my position that we call our new daughter Speed Racer by also insisting that we change the older daughter’s name to Racer X, thus avoiding any unnecessary confusion between the two. However, again months of argument ensued before I was successful. Now, I try not to be an unreasonable fellow. When my wife required a traditional girl’s name for our youngest adopted daughter, I was perfectly happy to accept the name of Speed Racer’s girlfriend Trixie. I would brook no argument about the name Trixie being old » Continue Reading.

I think a thread on this topic appears every so often, and has on every iteration of thisvenerable website. The always entertainig Paste Magazine recently posted the top 50 songs which they believed were superior when covered by another artist. What I found intriguing was that an artist who was thought to have covered a song better than the original performer often had another artist get the nod for covering one of their songs. Anyway, here is their list. Feel free to discuss their choices, or to offer up your own. http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/05/50-cover-songs-better-than-the-originals.html

Home today and tomorrow with my 12 year old, who broke her leg Sunday playing soccer. While she napped, I was reading Mark Adams’ book Meet Me In Atlantis, while playing a trip hop music channel on the TV as background music. Heard a song where, amidst the instrumental piece, the voices of John and George stated “And how old are you?”, “32”. I recognized that bit of dialogue from one of the Beatles Christmas singles, but by the time I put on my glasses to see the name of the song, album, and artist, it was ending. The only thing that I thought I caught was the name of the artist, which appeared to say Octet/something or other. Figuring that in this world of the internet it should not be hard to track this song down, I went to You Tube, where I found nothing. I googled Octet, trip hop, and several other seemingly helpful search terms, but have come up empty. Any member of the Massive have any idea who the artist or name of this song might be?

My dear friend up Yorkshire way has once again been good enough to send me the latest issue of his magazine, Barmcake, “Northern entertainment for the middle aged”. It is my window into the life of Northern England, which I have been unable to get back to since the late 90’s. This issue features lively articles on John Bramwell of I Am Kloot; The Record Cafe in Bradford; and a return to vinyl with the Glossop Record Club. If it is available where you are, you should most definitely pick one up. My last trip to York featured a tour of the city walls, a ghost walk, and an exhibit of Chinese dinosaur skeletons at the local museum. Glad to see that life goes on in a festive way there, even in my absence. Barmcake, get yer Barmcake!

I’ve been writing here about this festival for about 3 years now, and it is back again next week. I’ve obtained tickets for all 5 nights this time around. The first 2 nights are at the recently restored Woodward Theater in downtown Cincinnati. nights 3 & 4 are at the acoustic wonder known as Music Hall, with the final night back at the traditional setting of Memorial Hall. Here’s this year’s schedule: March 11 – Cloud Nothings and Will Butler (Arcade Fire) March 12 – Bryce Dessner (The National), Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire) with concert:nova March 13 – The National with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra March 14 – Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, and Nico Muhly with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, So Percussion, Timo Andres, and Lanzendorf March 15 – Perfume Genius, Lone Bellow, Mina Tindle

I’ll be doing reviews as the concerts go forward.

http://www.musicnowfestival.org/festival