h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

K'naan: "The Dustyfoot Philosopher" http://www.thedustyfoot.com
Best titles:
"Wash it Down"
"What's Hardcore"
"I Was Stabbed by Satan"

Tom Russell: "Raw Passions: The Tom Russell Band 1984-1994"
"Indians Cowboys Horses Dogs"
"Modern Art" ... Yes, I am addicted... http://www.tomrussell.com

Best titles (not necessarily from these CDs):
"Blue Wing"
"Purgatory Road"
"Hills of Old Juarez"
"Tonight We Ride"
"Touch of Evil"
"Big Water" (very timely, by the way, in regards to New Orleans)

My favorite local band is: Harris and Smith http://www.sunbleachedskulls.com/ They do solo and duo appearances as well as appear as part of the band "Sun Bleached Skulls". I have only seen them playing together but look forward to the solo shows at Amanda's Slip http://www.amandaslip.ca/

What I'm listening to way too much right this moment is a power saw. The neighbours are having a dead tree removed - which is wise, but driving me nuts when I'm trying to work!

I confess total, complete and abject ignorance of the music you are describing. I can't even tell what genre it is.

Parochial as my tastes are, I mostly listen to folk stuff, but confess to liking the sort of pop songs they plug on 'Smallville';

Also country before such things as Garth Brooks and Shania Twain were invented - George Jones singing 'The King is Gone' is about my speed. And David Allen Coe.

Tom Russell is sort of Classic country ballds (ala Gram Parsons, John Prine, Johnny Cash... even manages to sound exactly like Johnny Cash in a song or two).... Really stirring stuff. I'm not "into" country and CERTAINLY not into "New Country" but this stuff I LOVE.

K'naan is rap/hip-hop but more along the lines of poetry. K'naan is a Somalian refugee living in Canada and most of his songs are about the refugee experience and the life he lived and others still live in Somalia. "What's Hardcore" points out that "life in the 'hood" is NOTHING compared to the realities of life in a country where 8 year-olds carry AK-47s and 5 year-olds sniff glue, and where every checkpoint and roadblock is run by a different gang and each requires a bribe to pass through.

Unlike most rap, however, the lyrics are clear and concise and, while there is the odd "F"-word, it isn't about sex and it isn't about ganstas..... Trusy me, you haven't heard anything like it.....

Thanks - that all sounds really interesting. Years ago, I knew a Somali radio engineer in Germany. They are an impressive people, if he was anything to go by - smart and funny.

And anybody who sounds like Johnny Cash must be heard.

Do you like bluegrass? I love it when they 'bluegrass' other genres - makes me laugh.

Have you heard the Austin Lounge Lizards? PhDs who do drop-dead parodies of country music? I love 'Leonard Cohen's Day Job'.

Yes, I LOVE bluegrass.... I LOVE just about any music, which comes in very handy, as I do the music on Sunday's for our Fellowship (well. Every second Sunday, at least). It is amazing how well received the music we play is. We are dependent on recorded music, so having a wide range of musical tastes and a collection to go with it makes for a really varied programme.

I have played everything crom classical to jazz, bluegrass to Tuvaan throat-singers to Black Sabbath transtlated into Latin and played on mediaeval instruments and ALL of it has gone over very well with a congregation that is, on average, 50+ years.

My frined and I have been going out a lot to the place I mentioned in the first post, Amanda's Slip which is a terrific restaurant which has music on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons. There is a lot of folk and bluegrass played and it is terrific.

There used to be a place in Ottawa clled "Le Hibou" (The Owl, in French) which was a coffee house. It was open from some time in late 50s up until the 70s (my father was a regular in the early 60s and I was there in the 1970s). It was THE venue for a lot of musicians in Canada such as Bruce Cockburn, Leonard Cohen, etc. However, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez played there, as well, as did a lot of the renowned folk musicians of the day. Unfortunately, we don't have places like Le Hibou anymore. I am hoping that someplace like Amanda's can pick up and run with the idea.

Sounds way , and I love Tuvan throat singing. The steppes must be a rockin' place!

Mudhooks, and anybody else, check out Soyna Kitchell, a young (16!) Massachusetts jazz/pop singer in the Norah Jones vein. She is sooo good. Terrific pipes and a great songwriter. In my professional opinion (and I am actually a professional music critic, it says so on my business cards) this young lady is definitely going places.

"it says so on my business cards"

Note to self: Do not let the Rev. hear me sing... EVER....

Sonya, even???

http://www.sonyakitchell.com/

She is, indeed, terrific.

Lovely voice. Nice song. (Matched my mood, anyway.)

I signed up to be on her "street team". I can always do with some freebies and I am friends with the owner of the best independant CD shop in town.... Could be fun.

There's a lengthy interview with her on my blog at
http://kevinswoodshed.blogspot.com/2005/09/mature-jazzy-soul-sounds-from-teen.html

cough!blogwhore!cough!

anywhose...Sonya does mostly east coast U.S. stuff - mainly clubs and festivals. I could picture her at the Ottawa Folk Fest

Indeed!

She could also fit into Amanda's really well!

thanks for checking out the blog, Ms. 'hooks, hope you liked the story - next time leave me a comment!

I liked the interview and will leave a comment to that effect!

comments, Yay!

other things in heavy rotation at home:
The new Rolling Stones album - their best in years

The New Pornographers "Twin Cinema"

both reviewed here:
http://kevinswoodshed.blogspot.com/2005/09/in-your-ear-kevin-wood-daily-yomiuri.html

"Pussycat" - the latest from the Asylum Street Spankers (my favorite band)
http://www.asylumstreetspankers.com/home.html

and Steely Dan's "Katy Lied" and "Pretzel Logic"

And I am listening to the usual tunes in my head.

as long as its "tunes" and not "voices"