Flop Eared Mule A Country Music Death Beast and Worker in the Dylan Industrial Complex | Sydney, Australia | Est. 2004

Taking my cue from Phineas and feeling like I need to impose some order on my acquisitions, here is about everything I downloaded from eMusic this month. It looks like a lot all listed out like that, and it is a lot but I found myself with 125 extra credits this month so it's rather more bloated than usual. I actually don't have much trouble giving everything a good listen. The jazz, say, I don't need to sit and intently listen to every track -- I just don't have the technical knowledge to make that worthwhile. But I know what I like, and I often have my jazz playlist on in the background at home, and if something stands out I can explore it further. Actually if I'm doing something that requires special attention I prefer instrumental sounds because lyrics totally distract me. And I've started making my iTunes playlists work for me, keeping them neat and updated so everything is close at hand and I can efficiently and enjoyably cycle through my new and old stuff. Basically all this cost me the price of a couple of new CDs.

Country/Blues/Rock
Straight from the Heart -- Daryle Singletary This month I did some exploration of the contemporary, mainstreamy country catalogue. Since eMusic doesn't have the major labels represented, these are the guys who've found themselves punted from the big boys and end up on small labels. I mentioned Daryle before, a very Merle Haggard voice.
That's Why I Sing This Way -- Daryle Singletary Mostly classic country covers with some cool harmony/duets including Dwight Yoakam and Rhonda Vincent. There's one more album of his there which I will definately be getting.
Different Things: The Acoustic Mixes -- Tracy Byrd On the slick side but the acoustic thing keeps it lean. "Cheapest Motel" is my fave, for all your stern sermonising needs.
Rollin' With the Flow -- Mark Chestnut The only thing here I wouldn't recommend. I love the song but Chesnut just recreates the Charlie Rich version without an ounce of the Silver Fox's swing or swagger. Only a single though, not an album, so only cost me one download to find out.
Coal -- Kathy Mattea Enjoyable new collection of coal mining songs in a roosty folk-country style.
Testifying -- Country Soul Revue I don't know about the "revue" part, just seems like a various compilation rather than a single project but can hardly go wrong with Tony Joe White, Dan Penn, Bonnie Bramlett, Donnie Fritts ...
Blues with a Message -- Various Phineas recommended this and it's a great collection, as you'd expect from the too-good-too-be-true annals of Arhoolie.
The Good Life -- Justin Townes Earle Still going strong, one of the most satisfactory albums of this year no doubt.
Blues de Musicien -- Pine Leaf Boys Energetic new Cajun.
On Your Sleeve -- Jesse Malin Covers of classic rock/pop songs. Nice enough.
Boris Grebenshikov: Russian Songwriter Grebenshikov was the lead singer/writer for Akuarium, one of the biggest underground rock bands in the Soviet Union. After the Fall, was a bit fashionable in the West for a brief moment (recorded an album with Dave Stewart or somesuch). Saw him and the band a few times in Moscow. BG has a very seductive voice and this is a very intersting and varied collection, but makes me sad my Russian is so hopeless.
"I'm A Lonesome Fugitive" from Bird Doggin': The Complete Challenge Sessions -- Gene Vincent Only this one track for now but may revisit for more (its a double album.)
Blues & Boogie Explosion -- Bob Hall, George Green and Ian Stewart Hot jams, lots of fun. Apparently a bit obscure which is strange, but Prof. Google gives up little info. I think I read somewhere Ginger Baker is also playing on it. Or was it Jack Bruce?

Jazz etc
West Side Story -- Andre Previn Where's my martini?
Charles Mingus Presents -- Charles Mingus No idea really, but it's a fun trip.
Fine and Mellow: Ella Fitzgerald Jams. I have quite a bit of swoonful Ella but what I'm really digging about this one is the real solid bluesy vibe at times. The whole thing is perfect.
The Song is You -- Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Jack DeJohnette
Gimcracks and Gewgaws -- Mose Allison Mose is a strange trip and I need to be in the right mood.
Live at the Village Vanguard -- Mary Stallings I've had "You're Sensational" from this for a while but went back for the rest. Jazz after midnight type stuff, which is according to the review " by far her best recording because she is at the height of her musical powers, four-octave range, and is singing songs that are intimate to her but speak to the soul in everyone."

African Most of these come from the songs on the African muxtapes I linked to earlier, plus browsing from those starting points. One of the interesting threads is how American musical forms with their roots in African music, are fed back into contemporary African music and reinterpreted. Wheels within wheels!
Succes Des Annees 50/60, Vol. 1 -- Grand Kalle & l'African Jazz
20eme Anniversaire - 6 juin 1956 - 6 juin 1976 vol.1 -- Franco Sounds like a Spanish name and indeed there are a lot of Latin flavours here.
"Osain" from Cafe Cantane -- 10pm
Congo Life -- Kékélé Where's my mojito?
Bookor Beats -- Bookor Band The muxtape I discovered these guys on mentioned their unusual use of harmonica as a lead instrument and it certainly lends the whole sound a wonderful and distinctive driving qualilty.
African Troubadour: Best of African Singer-Songwriters. This is quite an amazing collection, and a number of the artists are earmarked for full album downlaods.
The Danque!!! -- Various Heavy African funk sourced from obscure vinyl.
Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-76 -- Various
10 ans de succès - Bembeya Jazz National

Soul/Funk etc
Melting Pot -- Booker T and the MG's Pretty damn perfect. If you only get one Booker T and the MG's disk, this should probably be it.
With A Little Help From My Friends -- Steve Cropper The man who can make me disappointed I missed the last Guy Sebastian tour.
Soul Masters: My Aborable One -- Percy Sledge This is labeled "re-recordings". Maybe they are but they are phenomenal nonetheless. I just love his version of "I Still Miss Someone" which is on my current muxtape.
Searching For Soul: Rare And Classic Soul, Funk And Jazz From Michigan, 1968-1980 -- Various Still need to listen closely to this compilation and the New Orleans one below to draw out the individual songs but on cursory listening there's a lot to love. Funk has taken longer to grow on me but I think I'm getting it. I like the kind of funk that has screaming horns rather than the types that's just the wah wah bass thing.
An Introduction To New Orleans R and B -- Various Old skool. Haven't worked oout if and how New Orleans soul is different from Chicago or wherever soul. The piano?
Live at the Olympia -- Ray Charles
Protest Anthology -- Nina Simone Didn't get the whole album because a lot of it is interview tracks but it's NINA so I'll probably go back for those. I will tell you this though : the versions of "Nobody", "I Wish I Knew How It Felt to Be Free" and "Strange Fruit" are mind-blowing.