Ladysmith Black Mambazo: Always With Us

Paul Simon‘s one-and-only Graceland is the defining album of my childhood. More than any other music, those 11 tracks transport me back to our rickety Volkswagen bus: the brothers “grab-assing” as we slowly traversed the arid Central Valley – Yosemite so close, yet so far for an incorrigible seven-year-old. From 1986 on, there was one […]

John Darnielle: Short Song for Justin Bieber’s Paparazzi

The readers of the PaisleyJournal are most likely not tracking the day to day affairs of Justin Bieber. I, for one, hold everything produced by the tabloids at arms length, with two pinched & horrified fingertips, as if disposing of some rank and bloody maggot infested carcass. I cannot stand the soul-sucking leaches and whorish media trolls […]

Ella & Louis: The Complete… On Verve

What I’m Listening to Tonight: Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong: The Complete Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong On Verve. While this is something that I have had for a while (late 90’s I think), I shouldn’t always have to talk about new music should I? ShuaibaJ told me that I need to type at least […]

Randy Newman: Good Old Boys

The deeper I delve into Randy Newman’s discography, the more I am struck at the incredible extent of his talent. February 1st, 1973: Newman recorded a heavily annotated, 13 track demo for a new concept album he was interested in producing, the kernel being the life and thoughts of a (deep) southern everyman named Johnny […]

Smokey Robinson: Time Flies When You’re Having Fun

Oooooooooh, smooth. It’s Valentines Day, light some candles and dust off your Smokey Robinson records. While everyone else on the block is listening to Marvin Gaye, you’ll be kickin’ back to some ultra romantic Smokey. BUT!  Do not use this album lightly, Mr. Robinson does not mess around. His 2009 album, Time Flies When You’re […]

Paul McCartney: Kisses On The Bottom

McCartney hits a home run with his new album, Kisses On The Bottom, the sound is lightyears ahead of the garbage-rock work he did on 1971’s Ram. I’m not sure why I compare the two albums… I guess I just enjoy complaining about Ram any chance I can get. The McCartney-as-lounge-singer motif is perfect: a […]