Hot And Hotter Weekend
Monthly Music Touch Up
30C before 11 AM.
Summer has come late to this part of the world. But it will be close to 40C for the next 3 days. The beach is not on the cards until maybe later when the earth is not on fire as it feels now.
Some new music for you to ponder or dance or sing to over this long weekend. Well, it is a long one here in Victoria. I have some friends out at the Golden Plains Festival this weekend. I do hope their arms do not burst into flames and that there is plenty of shade.
Buffalo Nichols-The Fatalist-Modern day blues/folk from Carl Nichols. I do like the name Buffalo because if you know your coins, the buffalo was on the back of the 5-cent piece in the USA. That coin is known as a nickel.
An album splashed with the past but rooted right here in 2024. Recorded and produced at Buffalo’s home in Milwaukee.
Itasca-Imitation Of War-Itasca is a 19th-century pseudo-Ojibwe place name and portmanteau of the Latin words for “truth” (veritas) and “head” (caput).
Itasca is the musical identity of Kayla Cohen. Guitarist and songsmith Cohen gives us dreamy and moody music that at times reminds one of a more folk-like Cowboy Junkies. Check her out, might be perfect for a hot summer day on the couch or a late night around the fire.
Cohen has explained in interviews that she wrote Imitation of War under the influence of Carl Jung, the Swiss psychoanalyst, and mystic, theorist of dreams and archetypes. From him, she took the idea that a song can be an “alternate reality” accessible through a “trance state.”
Matt Mitchell Music Co-Obvious Euphoria- Finger-picking and a loose Americana vibe kick us off. Lyrics that tug at your soul and memories, Mitchell has a sweet little gathering of 9 songs here.
“They say the best songs come from the worst of times/I think I’m ready for the limelight/It might get worse and I might write a better tune/Best thing you’ve ever heard and the worst thing I might ever do/I am an hourglass halfway filled with sand/Turn me over I want to go back to the beginning”-Hourglass-Matt Mitchell
William Elliott Whitmore-Silently, The Mind Breaks-Whitmore comes from Iowa and at times you can feel the land in his songs. Tales of humanity, spirit and the land, but certainly not urban stories. Folk music for the thinking person.
”I take 3 steps forward, and 4 steps back, I get a little ahead, then way behind….I wanna break even before I die.”
Brittany Howard-What Now- The title of this album can mean many things. The songs are the same. I would highly advise just jumping into this record, headphones might be good, and see what it evokes for you.
Ms. Howard is not just one with an amazing voice, you may recall her from Alabama Shakes, but she can work that guitar too. Having performed with Macca and Prince, this woman has pipes.
This record has soul and continues to grow on me with each listen.
And last but not least…..I really, really think you should listen to this one of all the others listed here.
Let me know what you think?
Hurray For The Riff Raff- The Past Is Still Alive-Alynda Segarra has hit the jackpot with this album. Their travels in their childhood in NYC and hitting the road to play music and live on the rails of Amtrak and the like come to life via these songs. This is the most autobiographical record they have done.
Segarra is maturing and evolving and this listener is digging watching the journey.
“I think that what I'm learning about grief and my early stages of this journey are that there are gifts that come with this suffering. And one of the gifts that I was given was a freedom of fear: "Well, the worst has already happened." I felt, well, now all that's left is to tell the truth. What am I going to be afraid of?”-Alynda Segarra
The past is always alive, you know.
See ya soon with some updates on life and times down here amongst the wombats.
Something I wrote before it got HOT today…
Sunrise
Waves
Summer St. Kilda and the morning is as cold as winter in Sydney
Sing the song about all the seasons in a day
Yellow hoodie and light blue Converse compete with the natural beauty
Nature trumps fashion
Everyday
Walking for joy
Prayers along the shoreline
Prayers along the shoreline
Not looking for answers
Just prayers along the shoreline