Seven Spanish Angels is a duet sung by Ray Charles and Willie Nelson, and was recorded at Padernales Studios, Willie’s home studio. Willie describes the song as a story about “gunfights and death on the lonely Southwestern frontier.” The was the most successful of Charles’ eight hits on the country chart, spending one week at number one and a total of twelve weeks on the country chart.
Short Cuts: The Best Songs Heard On January 21, 2018 From The Indie World
The Lifers
Front Door
led by sisters Liv and Anita Cazzola, this art-folk/rock collective from Guelph, ON should easily find their place on CanCon-driven radio, especially at the folk/world/blues festivals that are meshing into one giant genre onto itself, and that’s a good thing. A bit of Sinead, a touch of Doroles from The Cranberries, and tight rocking guitars make them absolutely one to watch.
Nikö Blank
1, 2, Hello
Out there for his most notable remix to date – Flume “Never Be Like You” Remix, reaching the #1 spot on Hype Machine – he goes on his own this time around. The symphonic strings, energizing drums and sweeping synths show he’s only a few singles away from EDM stardom.
Van Der Neer
Everybody Knows
Back in the 90s, this would be all over MTV with their super-friendly hard-rock pop with a riff Jimmy Page would give a wink towards. A crunchier song than, say, Def Leppard or Bon Jovi would write, but they’d easily take them on as an opener. Let’s hope it happens.
Cassie Marin
Candy
This is a pure glimpse into the superb production, a simple but effective melody and never throwing more than it needs to in the studio. A dreamlike trip into another dimension that works perfectly.
Sure Sure
Giants
From the sunny piano melody to the blustery percussion, the beautiful harmonies peaks alongside their positive lyrics, “Giants celebrates the simple joy of life. Their chorus doesn’t even make it close to over-whimsical, and adds to this glorious track. If you dig Squeeze, this is absolutely for you.
Fly By Night
Complicated (Avril Lavigne cover)
A surprisingly hopping version that stands out and suits Owl City fans nicely. Inside this group is a pop band ready to make their mark alongside The Chainsmokers.
Laice
Independence
Born in Colorado and raised in Cambridge Massachuttes, the young artist and songwriter delivers R&B-tinged-Pop music with power and nuance well beyond her years. She’ll follow in the footsteps of Rihanna across the free world if she continues to deliver.
Nicolas Maul
Haus am See
Nicolas Maul is a German artist living in Frankfurt am Main who publishes exclusively via the internet. His sparce but punchy melodies and guitar will remind you of Franz Ferdinand and will slip into your car-driving song playlist.
Mushroom People
On The Road
From their recent release, On The Road, he song was inspired by electronic artists such as Kasbo and ODESZA. What you hear isn’t a trumpet, but a fluegelhorn, a rare instrument from the bugle family played by Woody Herman, Chet Baker and on Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey by Paul McCartney and Wings. It’s a dazzling display of the instrument in a song Imagine Dragons would have been proud to write.
The Olympic Symphonium
Comedy
The self-produced video was shot by Fredericton filmmaker F. Chris Giles. Beauty In The Tension comes out February 9 via Forward Music Group. They’ve got a beautiful, smooth, that sails through almost 5 minutes worthy of this big ballad finding a home on the radio. CBC can playlist this now.
Watch Prince Get Even Sexier With Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”
Watch Prince perform Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love on his 2003 home video Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas. In his glorious fashion, he doesn’t perform the entire song, though – he mostly does away with the lyrics after 39 seconds and then goes through the next four minutes with his guitar-playing genius.
https://youtu.be/_4i7gO7pQ_8
Will Ferrell on his Favorite Movie, ‘SNL,’ and LeBron on the Lakers
HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by this week’s SNL host Will Ferrell to discuss the NBA Finals (4:00), the cable TV domination of ‘Step Brothers’ (13:00), the amount of denials before ‘Anchorman’ was made (19:00), working on ‘Old School’ while on ‘SNL’ (26:00), flubbing his first line on ‘SNL’ (34:00), his favorite ‘SNL’ sketch (40:00), the modern ‘SNL’ format with big-name actors (48:00), filming a Lifetime movie with Kristen Wiig (53:00), the way his kids act with Will Ferrell as their dad (1:01:00), Lonzo Ball on the Lakers (1:11:00), and the chance LeBron comes to L.A. (1:15:00).
Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’: An Oral History
Hear the story of how Thom Yorke and his Radiohead bandmates came to create their 1997 classic ‘OK Computer.’
How To Turn A Carrot Into A Recorder
BuzzFeed’s Nifty web series shows you how to turn a carrot into a musical recorder with a large carrot, a baby carrot, a kitchen knife, a drill, and a large drill bit.
Michael Jackson, Joan Jett, ELO, Phyllis Diller, Kristy McNichol And Dozens More Battle in The Rock ‘N Roll Classic From 1978
OK, sports and music fans, get ready for the Rock ‘N Roll Sports Classic from 1978. This actually aired on television, featuring (take a deep breath)… Michael Jackson & The Jacksons, Joan Jett & The Runaways, Lionel Richie & The Commodores, Kenny Loggins, ELO, Boston, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Earth, Wind & Fire, Seals & Crofts, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr., Rod Stewart, Tanya Tucker, Alessi Brothers, Michelle Phillips, Freddy Fender, Anne Murray, Barbi Benton, Joe Smith, Susan Anton, Ed McMahon, Kristy McNichol, Fred Travalena, Sha Na Na, The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and Leif Garrett.
Events include cycling, basketball, swimming, track and field. The main takeaway is that the Runaways kick ass, with both Joan Jett and Sandy West winning events. Michael Jackson appears in the 60-yard dash, but his brother Jackie wins that event. In soccer, Rod Stewart defeats ELO bassist Richard Tandy in a penalty-kick competition. The roster of announcers is nearly as long and impressive as the list of performer-athletes: Ed McMahon, Sandy Duncan, Phyllis Diller, Susan Anton, Kristy McNichol, Barbi Benton, and Alex Karras. It’s a prime example of the nexus of music and television that only the seventies can supply, and well worth watching for connoisseurs of televised weirdness.
https://youtu.be/O2l294-e26E
The Unreleased 18-Minute Film, Intersection, Featuring Todd Rundgren and Wolfman Jack From 1972
This is an experimental film that was made while Rob Skelton was an undergraduate at the UCLA Film School in the early 1970s. He writes, “Nobody was combining motion picture film with rock and roll for theatrical release in those days. ” Shorts” were the little pictures that were seen in-between the feature films. We were dismissed as CRAZY invaders from San Francisco by our LA colleagues. The audio was made for quad-theaters (very hot in 1972) and thus takes some work to reduce 35 separate audio tracks into this format. It was mono in the car and blasts to quad when Wolfman or Todd hits the screen. We did a fantasy reveal on Wolfman in this short…due to the fact that very few people had ever seen him.
“This short is about 4 solitary guys spinning around in Los Angeles at a very creative time, the 1970s. Each one is at the top of their game and the games are quite different. George and Ms. Bobby are two lonely souls heading into the sunset…. on Sunset Blvd….listening to the radio. They collide on the boulevard.”
Siskel and Ebert Review Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” Music Video In 1991
Back in 1991, Siskel & Ebert actually reviewed a music video. Wait…what? The movie guys? Sure did. The music video for Black or White premiered on MTV, BET, VH1, and Fox (giving them their highest Nielsen ratings ever at the time) as well as the BBC’s Top of the Pops in the UK. The video was directed by John Landis, who previously directed Thriller, and with an audience of 500 million viewers, it was the most ever for a music video.
Erasure Announces World Tour For 2018
ERASURE (Andy Bell and Vince Clarke) have announced a collaboration with Echo Collective, the Brussels-based collective of post-classical musicians best known for their ongoing collaborative work with A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Johann Johannsson, Dustin O’Halloran and Stars of the Lid.
The collaboration sees the entirety of Erasure’s latest album, World Be Gone, given a post-classical rework. World Beyond was recorded over ten days by Andy Bell and seven performers from Echo Collective: Margaret Hermant (violin, harp), Neil Leiter (viola), Thomas Engelen (cello), Jaroslaw Mroz (double bass), Gary De Cart (piano) and Antoine Dandoy (vibraphone, glockenspiel).
Watch a short film filmed during the recording sessions at Jet Studio in Brussels below.
The album was produced by Echo Collective, mixed by Gareth Jones and arranged by Echo Collective’s Gary De Cart, Margaret Hermant and Neil Leiter. Neil Leiter from Echo Collective explains, “The process of this project was really deconstruction and re-purposing. We started by listening to each track layer by layer, and then, using the layers that inspired us or we found essential, we reconstructed the tracks instrumentally. Each of the instruments in the band setup were chosen for their inherent capacities and roles. Often choosing which layer to put with each instrument was a question of matching roles and colors. By stripping so much away, we were able to find a new space for Andy to fill. The text of the songs became much more important in the overall construction of the songs, and Andy was free to explore more dynamics and vocal range.”
The tracks featured on World Beyond show award-winning songwriters Vince Clarke and Andy Bell in a more reflective mood, giving the world and recent political upheavals a thoughtful examination. This new collaboration gives a new dimension to the tracks – including fan-favorites “Still It’s Not Over”, which tackles the LGBT rights movement post-Stonewall, and “Lousy Some Of Nothing”, a ballad for our post-truth age – but the band’s optimism about the future remains clear and bright. Andy Bell explains: “…the reinterpretations have brought such enormous context to the songs, it has created a new place for them.”
The original idea for the album developed from Vince Clarke, who initially suggested that a single from World Be Gone could be given an orchestral reinterpretation, but as the idea expanded and took shape, he spoke at length to Echo Collective ahead of the recording. “It was great to talk through ideas with Echo Collective and then see how their arrangements took shape. The collaboration has given elements of the album a whole new feel and Andy’s vocals remain as powerful and uplifting as ever,” says Clarke.
The collaboration is a natural progression from 1987’s The Two Ring Circus, a companion EP for the band’s second album, The Circus, which included several orchestral interpretations.
Erasure embark on a headline tour through Europe in January 2018 with support from Bright Light Bright Light before heading across the Atlantic for a massive North and South American tour.
ERASURE 2018 WORLD TOUR
January 29 – Dublin, Ireland – Olympia (SOLD OUT)
January 30 – Dublin, Ireland – Olympia (SOLD OUT)
January 31 – Dublin, Ireland – Olympia (SOLD OUT)
February 2 – Dundee, Scotland – Caird Hall (SOLD OUT)
February 3 – Edinburgh, Scotland – Usher Hall (SOLD OUT)
February 4 – Newcastle, England – City Hall (SOLD OUT)
February 6 – Liverpool, England – Philharmonic (SOLD OUT)
February 7 – Hull, England – City Hall (SOLD OUT)
February 8 – Manchester, England – O2 Apollo (SOLD OUT)
February 10 – Cambridge, England – Corn Exchange (SOLD OUT)
February 11 – Birmingham, England – O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)
February 12 – Nottingham, England – Royal Concert Hall (SOLD OUT)
February 14 – Ipswich, England – Regent (SOLD OUT)
February 15 – Southampton, England – O2 Guildhall (SOLD OUT)
February 16 – Cardiff, Wales – St David’s Hall (SOLD OUT)
February 18 – Aylesbury, England – Friars Waterside Theatre (SOLD OUT)
February 19 – Brighton, England – Dome (SOLD OUT)
February 20 – Guildford, England – G Live (SOLD OUT)
February 22 – Norwich, England – UEA (SOLD OUT)
February 23 – London, England – Eventim Apollo (SOLD OUT)
February 24 – London, England – Eventim Apollo (SOLD OUT)
February 27 – Cologne, Germany – E-Werk (SOLD OUT)
February 28 – Hamburg, Germany – Mehr Theater (SOLD OUT)
March 1 – Berlin, Germany – Columbiahalle (SOLD OUT)
March 3 – Leipzig, Germany – Haus Auensee (SOLD OUT)
March 4 – Munich, Germany – Tonhalle (SOLD OUT)
March 5 – Frankfurt, Germany – Batschkapp (SOLD OUT)
March 7 – Hanover, Germany – Capitol (SOLD OUT)
March 9 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
April 21 – Guadalajara, Mexico – Roxy Fest
April 22 – Tijuana, Mexico – El Foro
April 24 – Nuevo León, Mexico – Palestino Libanes
April 25 – Mexico City, Mexico – Pepsi Center WTC
April 27 – Quito, Ecuador – Agora De La Casa De La Cultura
April 28 – Bogota, Colombia – Chamorro Music Hall
April 30 – Medellín, Colombia – Chamorro City Hall – El Rodeo
May 2 – Lima, Peru – Anfieteatro Del Parque De La Exposicion
May 3 – Santiago, Chile – Movistar Arena
May 5 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Luna Park
May 6 – Rosario, Argentina – Metropolitano
May 8 – Asunción, Paraguay – Paseo La Galeria
May 10 – Curitiba, Brazil – Teatro Positivo
May 11 – São Paulo, Brazil – Espaco Das Americas
May 12 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Vivo Rio
July 6 – Miami Beach, FL – Fillmore
July 7 – St. Petersburg, FL – Mahaffey Theater
July 8 – Orlando, FL – Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
July 10 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
July 15 – New York, NY – Beacon Theater
July 17 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
July 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Merriam Theater
July 20 – Washington, DC – Warner Theater
July 22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Byham Theater
July 24 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theater
July 25 – Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe Live
July 27 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
July 29 – Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre
July 31 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat
August 1 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
August 3 – Dallas, TX – Toyota Music Factory
August 4 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre
August 5 – San Antonio, TX– Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
August 7 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Live
August 10 – Denver, CO – Opera House
August 12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kingsbury Hall
August 14 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
August 15 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theatre
August 19 – San Francisco, CA – Masonic Auditorium
August 21 – Santa Barbara, CA – Arlington Theatre
August 22 – San Diego, CA – Symphony Hall
August 26 – Los Angeles, CA – Wiltern Theater