TOMORROW ON OUTQ: POP!

Tomorrow morning on SIRIUS XM OutQ show The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick, I'll be talking about some of the big pop records of the season. And by "pop," I mean big records.  Sonically, these records don't have much in common, but they all feature really catchy songs. 

I've only heard one song, "Well, Well, Well" from Duffy's new album, Endlessly, but I love it. Her album was produced by Questlove and features the guys from The Roots playing on many of the tracks (I'm told). I'm really looking forward to hearing the rest of this album. Larry was one of the first people in America to play Duffy's debut album, and she knows that, which is really cool.

Kings Of Leon just released their latest album, Come Around Sundown. I've never bought into them the way so many others have. I saw them on one of the small stages at the Austin City Limits Music Festival a few years ago (maybe 2003).  They were hyped, and I liked their sound and the way they looked. But their songs didn't stick with me.  A few years later, I saw them open for U2, and I was bored. But on their new album, they're really swinging for the fences, and there are some good songs there.  For my money, I prefer The Drive-By Truckers by a long spell.

Larry kind of told me about The Zac Brown Band last year.  I'd read about them, but on Larry's recommendation, I checked them out.  I think this Zac guy is pretty talented.  He's kind of mainstream country, but also appeals to the jam band crowd.  I think he could end up being like Jimmy Buffett. His new album You Get What You Give could be a really big album.

Bruno Mars is kind of outside my usual arena, but he is a talented kid.  He co-wrote and produced one of the best songs of the year, Cee-Lo Green's "Fuck You," as well as hits for other pop artists including Ke$ha, B.o.B., Flo Rida and Travie McCoy. He just released his own album, Doo-Wops and Hooligans, and I dig a few of the songs, "Grenade," "The Other Side" (which features Cee-Lo and B.o.B.) and "Liquor Store Blues" (featuring Damien Marley).

We may also talk about P!nk's new song "Raise Your Glass," which I didn't like... until I saw the video.  It's really a celebration about people who don't fit in.  Say what you want about P!nk, but she has the spirit of rock and roll in her.

Oh, and also, we'll talk about Mark Ronson's new album Record Collection, which I just wrote about.

GRAMMY PREDICITONS

As promised, here are my Grammy predictions in the big categories, as well
as predictions by Keith Price, the ebony, chunky, funky co-host of The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick on SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio. On Monday morning, we'll see how well we did, and discuss the show.

Record of the Year
Adele’s “Chasing Pavements”
Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”
Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love”
M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes”
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss’ “Please Read The Letter”

No Expiration says: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss should win, it was a phenomenal track from an incredible record that gave two career artists a new career highlight. Record of the Year is also an award for the production: Robert Plant recorded the song ten years earlier with Jimmy Page, produced by Steve Albini. The new version, produced by T-Bone Burnett, casts the song in a new light. I also think it will win, this is the kind of record that Grammy voters love, and all of the younger artists will cancel each other out.

Keith Price saysAdele should win, but Leona Lewis, a favorite of Larry Flick, will win.

Album of the Year
Coldplay’s Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter III
Ne-Yo’s Year of the Gentleman
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand
Radiohead’s In Rainbows

No Expiration says: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, again, should win, although Radiohead’s album is great and Coldplay’s is the rare “rock” record to have a long shelf-life with lots of single, and Lil Wayne’s sold over three milli. But I think Wayne and Ne-Yo cancel each other out, and Radiohead and Coldplay cancel each other out.

Keith Price says: Coldplay will win, but Robert Plant & Alison Krauss should win.

Song of the Year
Estelle featuring Kanye West: “American Boy”
Adele: “Chasing Pavements”
Jason Mraz: “I’m Yours”
Sara Bareilles: “Love Song”
Coldplay: “Viva La Vida”

No Expiration says: there’s no clear cut winner here, but Jason Mraz shouldn’t have been invited to this party, with all due respect. I liked a lot of these songs, but I voted for Coldplay, and I think that is who will win (which isn’t why I voted for them).

Keith Price says: “American Boy” will win, but “Chasing Pavements” should win.

Best New Artist
Adele
Duffy
The Jonas Brothers
Lady Antelbellum
Jazmine Sullivan

No Expiration says: Duffy should and will win. Yes, The Jonas Brothers sold tons of records and film tickets and concert tickets and deserve recognition for that, plus they write songs and play instruments. But the Grammys don’t want to become the American Music Awards. Duffy’s album is a great debut by a career artist that had the old-fashioned slow build, and she never seemed like she was getting overexposed.

Keith Price agrees!

BEST OF '08: DUFFY'S ROCKFERRY

Duffy's Rockferry was my favorite debut of 2008. Lots of hate towards this album, because some dismissed her as a prettier, more well-behaved, less angst-ridden version of Amy Winehouse. I think her album stands on its own. It was that rare commercially successful launch of a credible artist. I personally first read about her in Mojo magazine, my favorite music publication. Then, I saw that her single "Mercy" was being given away for free at Starbucks and on iTunes. Everything seemed to go very slowly and gradually for her, but now she's sold a lot of records and well on her way to becomming a star.

But forget all that, Rockferry is a great album. Duffy collaborated on the album with Bernard Butler, formerly of the British band Suede (a band I always found very boring). I think they sort of hit on a timeless sound that recalled early '60s England, without coming off too retro.

Duffy has recently re-released Rockferry in England, with an extra EP of new tracks. ("Stop" is particularly cool). But hopefully she'll have a new album in 2009. I remember watching her perform on Saturday Night Live, and not being too impressed - mainly I was annoyed that they appeared to be using pre-recorded backing vocals. But I was lucky enough to see her perform a two-song set in a radio studio this week (the new song "Fool For You" and my favorite Rockferry track, "Stepping Stone") and she was great. Not only great, but she seemed to lead her backing group with confidence. I think Ms. Aimee Duffy is going to be around for a long time.

NARAS DISSES SPRINGSTEEN AGAIN

OK, I'm going to sound like a middle aged New Jerseyite here, but for the second year in a row, the Grammy nominations have dissed Bruce Springsteen big time. There were some really good nominations: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Raising Sand did really well, and the nominations will likely expose even more people to a classic album. And all the nominations for R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan will no doubt expose her to new fans, regardless of whether or not she wins anything (I downloaded two of her songs on iTunes tonight and liked them a lot). I am glad to see Adele do so well (I was shocked that she got more nominations than Duffy). I won't even complain about Lil' Wayne getting more nominations than anyone else - he isn't for me (although "Swagga Like Us," featuring Wayne, Kanye West, Jay-Z and T.I. is probably the best hip-hop song of the year, even I can admit that).

But "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" is a classic. I like Sara Barielles' "Love Song," but it is really that good? Is Jason Mraz's song "I'm Yours"? Who decides this stuff? Both were nominated for Song of the Year. "Girls..." is also an incredible production. But apparently not as good as Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love." "Girls..." did get two nominations in the rock category. I also felt that Al Green's Lay It Down should have gotten more nominations than it did, and in the top three categories (all of his were in R&B).

Ah well, Bruce will be fine, so will the Reverend Al. And I'm glad for Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, they have my vote in every category they're nominated in.

COOL NEW MUSIC

I always say that I am a big fan of the album format: a bunch of songs recorded together, released in a specific order. But I also love the freedom that singles offer. Back in the day, I used to love 45"s, then "cassingles," then CD singles. These days, I love iTunes, and being able to just buy a few songs here and there. Here are some singles that I recently purchased that I've been enjoying.

The first two are from Randy Jackson's Music Club album. Yes, that Randy Jackson. Back off, son, he played with Bob Dylan. OK, it was on Under The Red Sky. And with Bruce Springsteen. On Human Touch. Both underrated albums, stop hating. Anyway, his album features him producing (and probably playing bass on) tracks for other artists. One is with Joss Stone: "Just Walk On By" (not to be confused with "Walk On By"). People also hate on Joss, I like her, and this is a nice pop song. The second track is a cover of "Wang Dang Doodle," written by blues god Willie Dixon. It features keb'mo, whose voice I always love hearing, Angie Stone, who I'd love to hear more blues from, and Sam Moore of Sam & Dave (Randy produced his comeback album two years ago). Not the grittiest version, but still fun.


Next: Duffy. I first read about her in Mojo, which is the most credible music publication in the world, in my opinion. She is a soulful, white British girl from Wales, whose record has a very modern-slash-retro feel. Like a certain Ms. Winehouse. But Duffy is better looking and less angst ridden: better for the record label, but it automatically puts her at a big disadvantage when it comes to music critics. People are definitely gonna pile on. I just heard this one song, "Mercy," offered as the free single of the week on iTunes. I like it.

Jim White's "Crash Into The Sun": this one makes me want to hear more of this guy. He reminds me a bit of James McMurtry.




Kaki King's "Pull Me Out Alive": I know of her because NPR Radio stations play her a lot. And she played guitar on on the new Foo Fighters album's "The Ballad Of The Bakersfield Miners." This one also makes me want to hear more.




Ashton Shepherd's "Taking Off The Pain": Very mainstream country. She has her wedding ring in one hand and a beer in the other. You can figure out the rest. I don't love modern country's conservativism - politically and musically - but on the plus side, most of the artists are just about songs. Even the most mainstream country singer can land a great song, and this is a good example.


Kathleen Edwards reminds me (and probably other people) of Lucinda Williams. That's as much of a double edged sword as being called "The New Dylan." Big compliment, impossible to live up to. She has written some great songs, though. I love "In State" from her last album. She just released a new album, Asking For Flowers, and I like the new song "Buffalo."



I bought two tracks from an album by a guy named Jeffrey Lewis, 12 Crass Songs. In this case, "Crass" is a noun, not an adjective. Actually it's both. The album is 12 covers of songs by anarchist punk band Crass. "Do They Owe Us A Living?" and "I Ain't Thick, It's A Trick" are worth hearing. I don't know much about Crass, but the album's folky sound delivers the lyrics in a much different way than the originals (I've heard a few of the original versions). It's at least thought provoking.


The Black Keys' "Strange Times": They're a dirty sounding gritty blues/rock duo, but they sound nothing like The White Stripes. Apparently, Danger Mouse used them on some Ike Turner recordings that he was producing, and then they decided to have them produce thier new album. Pretty cool song. Speaking of Danger Mouse...


Gnarls Barkley has a new album, The Odd Couple, and I got "Run" and "Going On." I tend to think that Danger Mouse is a bit overrated. That said, that "Crazy" song was pretty great, as was their cover of The Violent Femmes' "Gone Daddy Gone." I like both of the new songs that I picked up, but I don't know if I'd buy the album based on them.



The Kills' "Cheap And Cheerful" makes me want to hear more from this duo.






Justin Townes Earle's "Far Away In Another Town": Yes he is you-know-who's son. Sounds a bit like him. As if that wasn't enough pressure, he's also named after Townes Van Zandt. That's like being named "Jakob Marley Dylan" or something. Anyway, this song is pretty cool, and I'll be checking out more of his music for sure.



That's it for now. I'm looking foward now to hearing the new R.E.M. which comes out next week, along with the latest live album from The Rolling Stones. But if you trust my musical taste and want to check out some lesser known artists, you should try some of the above (not that Randy Jackson is lesser known, but you know what I mean).