Enjoy this take on a traditional American tune. Neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it.
New Netflix Series
I’ve heard from a few online friends in the last couple of days that this is worth a look. Any of you bastards checked it out yet?
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.
New PTA
This looks fantastic. The lead is Cooper Hoffman, son of Philip Seymour.
Bill, Post Cowsills
https://youtu.be/JzDKWKY62So
Sickeningly talented dude. Bill Cowsill was in Blue Northern from 1977 until they broke up in 1982.
Cowsill moved from Calgary to Vancouver as of 1977, and became a fan of the local band Blue Northern. He began sitting in with the band on a regular basis, and not long after he became a member. In 1979, the group released Blue, a four-song, 12″ EP. Two of the songs were written by Cowsill, who also produced the record. The band’s self-titled album was released on Polydor Records in early 1981, and was co-produced by Cowsill. The band broke up in 1982, notwithstanding continuing public interest, as well as Juno Award and Canadian Country Music Award nominations.
The Blue Shadows was his band from 1992 to 1996.
In 1992, Cowsill became the co-lead singer, with Jeffrey Hatcher, of The Blue Shadows. Cowsill and Hatcher became known for their Everly Brothers-like harmonies. Cowsill regarded his association with The Blue Shadows as his most positive experience as a musician, to that point in his career. In 1993, The Blue Shadows were signed to Sony and released their debut album, On The Floor of Heaven receiving positive reviews. The group found itself at the forefront of a Canadian Alt.country movement. In 2005, Cowsill stated that he considered the title track to the album to be the best song he had ever written.
I’m down the rabbit hole …
Blood Harmony
I haven´t listened to the podcast yet, but have been thinking about the concept a lot. Even when relatives sing the same line without harmonies, it´s a great double track. And with harmonies, magical. Some of my favorites:
Let´s not leave out twins:
And any excuse to mention Mother Maybelle, June, Anita, Helen:
At UT Hootenanny! Did they ever play with Renfield?
I’m In!
You had me at Joel Coen and A24. Christmas!
From writer/director Joel Coen and starring Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Corey Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, and Harry Melling. The Tragedy of Macbeth – In Theaters December 25. Streaming on Apple TV+ January 14.
Goodbye, Least Favorite Season
It’s a classic!
I Got The Big D
Wet Leg, new buzz band from the Isle of Wight.
I like it!
Just My Speed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V1rQdXXXyI
Two old guys, a Manhattan apartment building, the New Yorker font.
I’m one episode in, on the Hulu. Looks promising.
More Old Stuff
Paul Revere and The Raiders wore Minutemen uniforms, acted silly (a requirement following A Hard Day’s Night and Help), had a teen idol in singer Mark Lindsey, and perhaps suffered overexposure as the house band on the weekly pop music TV show, Happening ’68. Earlier they were regulars on Dick Clark’s Where The Action Is, so they were all over television for a couple of years. All that made them easy to dismiss later as tastes changed and bands were expected to dress more like hippies and act more seriously, or at least like they were on harder drugs. That’s too bad. They were a great band, and the proof is in the grooves. There’s the Stonesy song posted above. Just Like Me , Steppin’ Out, and Hungry are among the best 60’s garage-rock songs. Good Thing gets more sophisticated with the Beach Boys vocal bit in the bridge, but the blistering instrumental track takes no prisoners. They earned their chops grinding it out in the Pacific Northwest club and teen-dance circuit, and you can hear it in Good Thing (no doubt some Raiders songs employed the Wrecking Crew, but this one sounds too unhinged to be the WC). Kicks features an unforgettable twelve-string riff, and its chorus is a textbook on how to write and produce a simple, effective hook. There’s nothing extraneous in that chorus, it just pounds in the hook. It also pulls the amazing stunt of being a cool anti-drug song. Does another even exist?
The Raiders ended up sort of like Max Baer post Beverly Hillbillies: once Jethro, always Jethro. They did manage one hit with a new beards-and-blue-jeans look, but it wasn’t any good (it’s called Indian Reservation, if you really must). Just how the ball bounces. This decade’s stars, next decade’s has-beens.