Tuesday, January 10, 2012: Emmylou Harris - The Road

Yesterday, we talked about an artist who I claimed had staying power because she has been making records since 1999.

So, now let's get real. Here's an artist who's been making records since 1970.

That, friends, is staying power.

In April, 2011, mulit-Grammy Award winning musical Icon Emmylou Harris released her 26th studio album, Hard Bargin.

For this album, the entire musical personnel are only three people:

Emmylou Harris – Acoustic guitar and vocals
Jay Joyce – Electric guitars, Acoustic guitar, Hi-string guitars, Bass guitar, Synthesizer, Piano, Omnichord, Ganjo, Mandolin
Giles Reaves – drums, Wurlitzer piano, Djembe, Picked piano, Pump organ, Vibraphone, Synthesizer, Marimbula, Moog bass, Rhodes, Organ, Piano. Shaker

How about that for keeping it simple?

Here is her ode to the late Gram Parsons, her musical mentor who died in 1973.

Cool, friends, hardly ever sounds better than this.

Monday, January 9, 2012: Britney Spears - How I Roll

Welcome to the "2011 Year In Review" Week her on CSOTD.

OK, so that's not entirely true. There won't be some detailed timeline running down the important events and musical releases of this past year. This won't even be one of the ubiquitous "Best Of" lists that are all the rage for the entire month of December. No, this is going to be more of a carefully chosen, yet still somewhat haphazard selection of 2011's cooler tracks, tunes, hits and overlooked gems.

So, let's start from the top, shall we?

Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone Magazine named How I Roll by Britney Spears as the #1 Song Of 2011

Now, to be fair, he claims these are his 25 "favorite" songs, not necessarily the "best" or "most popular" songs.

As did everyone else, I too scoffed when I first heard about Mr Sheffield's choice for #1.  Then, something strange happened.  Something magical.  I actually listened to the song.

Over to my left, gentle reader, are the stacks of song choices I keep written down for this humble blog.  Stacks of paper.  I have an entire sheet devoted to 2011 songs I needed to sort through to make up this 2011 Year In Review.  No other song, not one, has stuck in my head the way How I Roll has.

There are plenty of great songs that were released last year, hopefully I've found a couple of cool selections for you.  But, believe me when I say, none will have the staying power that this song has.

Which is a perfect analogy for Ms Spears career, if I'm honest.  Yes, I was mocking her too when she looked chubby and disoriented on the VMA's.  Yes, I too have yawned through her divorce, kissing Madonna and the obligatory drug rehab. The thing about it, though, is this.  Her first record was released in January, 1999.  How many other artists from that era are still making music?  Decent, quality music?  How many artists from that era still matter?

Ricky Martin?  Creed?  TLC?  Len?  Korn? Backstreet Boys?  Smashmouth?  Sixpence None The Richer? Jewel?  I could go on (and on, and on, and on), but you get my point.

As it was so wonderfully illustrated over at HotPopTV, here is the froof that she is the Princess of Pop forever..

90's - BRITNEY SPEARS vs CHRISTINA AGUILERA
2004 - BRITNEY SPEARS vs HILARY DUFF
2005 - BRITNEY SPEARS vs FERGIE
2006 - BRITNEY SPEARS vs BEYONCE
2007 - BRITNEY SPEARS vs MILEY CYRUS
2008 to 2011 - BRITNEY SPEARS vs LADY GAGA

So many have come to challenge the Princess of Pop, but there can only be one...

It's Britney, bitch.

Sunday, January 8, 2012: Happy Birthday, Elvis!

Usually, there's no blogging on a Sunday, but we here at CSOTD just can't let January 8th go by without a special mention of The King's Birthday. So, here's to you, Elvis, take it away!

Saturday, January 7, 2012: Save Ferris- Come On Eileen

Let's keep with the upbeat theme as we go into the first proper weekend of 2012

Yesterday was General Public, an 80's group with founding members from one of the greatest Ska bands ever - so let's keep with the Ska theme, and 80's theme, and put 'em together with for this great 90's mash up

I love you Monique Powell!

Friday, January 6, 2012: General Public - Tenderness

Wow, a lot of negativity to start the year.

Apologies, gentle reader. Maybe I'm just looking for a little Tenderness (where is it?)

I do hope you find yours this weekend.

Thursday, January 5, 2012: Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock

I need to just clarify something about 2012.

I was pretty dismissive in my last post about this upcoming year being the end of the world.

While I certainly cannot believe that the next 12 months will roll up to the end of history, the present and any future, I must stress that they probably ain't going to be any picnic either.

We'll see if the Euro Zone will collapse, we'll see if this climate change is the real deal, we'll see if there are any more horrific earthquakes, tsunamis or volcanoes biding their time until they are ready to explode.

We'll see what politics and the American Presidential Election will dredge up. Or, better, will keep down. We'll see if the 99% will do something with the momentum started by the few of the faithful believers, or if people would just rather keep on keeping on the Xbox and Boob Tube.

We'll see.

So, will 2012 be the end of the world? I'm betting no. But, will there be bodies in the streets, poor people dead at random? I can't help but say yes.

Let's just hope that, out on the streets, they'll still have the balls to call it murder.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012: Public Enemy - Don't Believe The Hype

It's supposed to be the end of the world in 2012.

We'll see. But, as per usual, I'm siding with Chuck D and Flavor Flav.

Don't believe the hype, it's a sequel, as an equal, can I get this through to you

But here's to a year of my ninety-eight's boomin' with a trunk of funk

All the jealous punks can't stop the dunk

BOYEEEEE!!