So my beloved Muxtape is off line, whether by RIAA fiat or money troubles or both or whatever, I know not. That news kinda sucked although it was not unexpected, being and how the illegality of it was more or less blindingly obvious.

But a great idea and great for the music industry whether it knows it or not. But hark! In the dust of Muxtape, a new service launched called 8tracks which claims to do the same thing but -- gasp! -- legally. I've seen it called "Stracks" too, but I think the squiggly thing is offically an 8. I've signed up but haven't made a mux-er, a ... mix yet. There seem to be more restrictions that with muxtape -- you can't see the whole list before listening for instance -- which are presumably to keep it within the legal requirements. It does look like you can officially create multiple mixes and have them all up at the same time. Which is good, although I was kinda digging the zen-like process of destroying your mux before you could create a new one.

I'm encouraged that it looks uncluttered and simple, but also adds some functions muxtapes lacked -- I like the simplicity of "following" a user and also the ability to add comments to mixes. Will try and maybe get one up tonight.

Update: Did my first 8tracks mix. Painless process and one improvement on Muxtape is you can queue up all your songs to upload rather than have to do them one by one.

I finally got myself organised with a only slightly illegal US iTunes account (in your face, Neil Young) and it is so.much.better than the denuded Aussie version. Got some free TV shows, pre-ordered the new Randy Newman CD, downloaded Keith Olbermann's Countdown vodcast -- life is good.

Browsing the country section I was struck by an ad for a Kurt Nilsen duet with Willie Nelson. Kurt Nilsen ... that face ... that face .... yes! That hobbity Norwegian bloke who boggled the globe when he won the first (and only?) "World Idol" telecast? And, erm, Willie Nelson. Singing, erm, "Lost Highway." So I clicked the preview and ... it was pretty adequate! So I paid a buck for it.

You can see/hear it on YouTube.

Willie is Willie, dude can sing "Lost Highway" in his sleep and probably did. I like it OK, but think it'll go better after a few RTDs. Could really stand to lose some of the strings though.

Combined June/July eMusic downloads list, over the fold.

All the records on this late, lamented muxtape, except for the John Hiatt and Hayes Carll (will post about those this weekend at the latest). Listed here for completeness but notes o'er there. I put up a new muxtape of highlights from these acquisitions.

Country and Folk and Blues etc
Recapturing the Banjo-Otis Taylor
Creedence Country-CCR
Reunion Hill-Richard Shindell
Somewhere Near Patterson - Richard Shindell
From the Reach-Sonny Landreth The star studded (Eric Clapton, Dr John, Jimmy Buffet, Vince Gill, Robben Ford) new album from guitar hero sideman extraordinaire Landreth. I find it a bit generic. I mean, awesome guitar chops and all but it's just in that rock-blues groove that all sounds the same to me. You would think the track which features Dr John AND Jimmy Buffet (together at last!) would at least stand out with a distinctive style but it really doesn't. They're quite anonymous on it. It's perfectly pleasant background music and guitar nerds might get more out of it than me.
You Can Name It Yo Mamma If You Wanna-South Filthy
Hacienda Brothers-Hacienda Brothers RIP Chris Gaffney.
The Complete Sun Recordings-Little Junior Parker's Blue Flames I would say this is a must-have, so I don't know why it took me so long to get it. Historically important -- "Mystery Train" -- but also musically seven great cuts of rhythm and blues.
The Little Darlin' Sound of Jeannie C.Riley-Jeannie C.Riley Pre-"Harper Valley PTA" tracks finds Jeannie mining the sub-Loretta vein of country girl power. Nothing here matches Loretta output (goes without saying) but it's a very listenable collection of classic country. It's 60s but fewer strings and a little rawer than a lot of the Nashville sound. At least half the songs have Jeannie as the other woman, in the other half she's being dumped. Just how I like it! The album was originally released in 1968 as Sock Soul. "Sock Soul"? No, I can't imagine why either.
Now and Again-Daryle Singletary This is the third and last Singletary album there, a compilation of his mainstream hits or attempted hits (couple peaked at #2, another one in the top ten, the rest a fair way further back) back in the '90s. I really love the two later albums which are tradition hard core honky tonk, while still neo-traditional, this one doesn't quite have that edge. Still better than most anything I see when I turn on CMT though -- EXCEPT for the cover of that Bryan Adams Robin Hood song. Ufg. FAIL, Daryle.
Back to the Front-Bob Neuwirth I need to listen to this one more, he can be quite the intricate songwriter. Very good folk-country singer songwriter with a wry eye.
Afrissippi-Fulani Journey Guelel Kumba from Senegal (Fulani is the local lingo) hits the Delta with very fine results. Website. I'm gonna buy a t-shirt.

Rock and Indie etc
The Golden Hour-Firewater
The Monks-The Monks

Jazz etc
A Grand Night for Swinging-Mary Lou Williams
Roots and Grooves-Maceo Parker
Brilliant Corners-Thelonious Monk
Steamin' With the Miles Davis Quartet-Miles Davis
All Members-Don Sleet
The Sequel-Mulgrew Miller and Wingspan

African and Soul and Funk etc
Children-Famous L.Renfroe
Si, Para Usted - The Funky Beats of Revolutionary Cuba Vol. 1-Various I've been listening a bit to the podcast of the radio show Waxing Deep (click on "Radio"), whose presenter Dan Zacks produced this set. I tried sampling a lot of the jazz/soul/funk/afrobeat podcasts and found a lot of cool stuff but I think this is my favourite. Again, the downside of downloading is the lack of liner notes which for a lovingly assembled and niche topic like this are pretty essential. I'd pay extra for them in cases like this. In the end Ithink I'll end up buying the hard copy of the CD from their website. Very reasonably priced (including intl. shipping) and it's nice to support folks like this. The Jan 26 2007 show has some tracks from it.
Nigeria 70, Lagos Stomp-Various
Texas Thunder Soul 1968-1974-Kashmere Stage Band Not your mother's high school combo.
If Loving You is Wrong (I Don't Want to be Right)-Luther Ingram
African Rhymth and Blues-The Remixes-Mombassa I like these a lot, the "remixing" is done very sensitively.
Booiay!! A Compilation of West African Funk-Various Companian to The Danque!!! which I got last month. When I listened to the previews I liked that one more for some reason so I got it first but after listening to all of Booniay! it might be my favourite. You guys, I am so into African funk right now.

Classical and Shatner
Brahms: Sonate Für Klarinette Und Klavier Es-Dur, Op. 120 Nr. 2: II. - Peter Daum, Dieter Klöcker, Josef Suk & Werner Genuit
Exodus: An Oratorio in Three Parts- William Shatner Dude, it's the Shat reading from the Bible. As if I wasn't gonna get it.
Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra & Tod Und Verklarung-Andre Previn and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra I had two credits left and this was two credits (for 60 minutes of music.) I don' think I can take Also Sprach Zarathustra seriously really, or at least the famous 2001 refrain but Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration) sounds promisingly moody.

Somewhat busy, but today is traditonally* the day for a new Muxtape. Have no great plans as yet, but if you have a request for a genre or theme or something you'd like to hear my take on leave a comment with your suggestion!

* it must be a month by now.

In addition to Richard Shindell, another muso with his thinking cap on is David Byrne. It has pie charts!

I've made money, and I've been ripped off. I've had creative freedom, and I've been pressured to make hits. I have dealt with diva behavior from crazy musicians, and I have seen genius records by wonderful artists get completely ignored. I love music. I always will. It saved my life, and I bet I'm not the only one who can say that.

What is called the music business today, however, is not the business of producing music. At some point it became the business of selling CDs in plastic cases, and that business will soon be over. But that's not bad news for music, and it's certainly not bad news for musicians. Indeed, with all the ways to reach an audience, there have never been more opportunities for artists.

I don't require musicians I like to be rational, sane, compassionate, intelligent, thought provoking and in general good people. But it's awfully nice when one of them turns out to be so. The superb singer/songwriter Richard Shindell has some thoughts here and more here on being an artist in the age of illegal downloading. He speaks sense.

While I think a lot of anti-piracy measures and attitudes have been hamfisted, insulting and obnoxious (and I don't use P2P myself), I don't make my living from music so I can't begrudge those who do their strong feelings on the matter. Still, when he talks about the "better angels" attitude, and respect between consumer and artist, that makes sense to me. I think there are lots of things that can be done to turn pirates into people who support artists -- not least of which is "the passage of time" and "embiggening of musical tastes" since (IIRC) it's teens/uni-aged kids who do it on the grandest and most unthinking scale, and it's mostly directed towards the more top 100 end of things. eMusic's corporate line has long been that it pitches the long tail and independent acts to "mature" music fans who are vastly less likely to fileshare. This was actually borne out when Random House tracked piracy of it's eMusic DRM-free audiobook files and found ... none. (can't dig up the thing I read about this, will add link later.)

Richard still thinks it's important the artist gets paid (in this case, him) but he's actually doing some constructive, realistic things about it. Go, Richard!

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.

I bought an eviiiil chocolate confectionary product -- which happened to have a Free iTunes Download promotion attached.

Leave a comment with the song you absolutely think I need to hear and I just might download it.

Picture from here.

New Elvish photos found. I like the cape one.

My assessment of the 70s output remains: fracking grouse to the power of infinity. I think that sums it up. That iTunes deal is still available BTW and there are some tasty tracks from it on my muxtape, left.

I sampled a couple of the lesser legal digital download services last week. OK, I sometimes grab a single song from an MP3 blog and sometimes augment my own posts with music. But I never download whole albums or just go grab whatever I want from bittorrent. Although as this article shows you could P2P every minute of the day for the next thirty years and still not be a fraction of the thief the major record labels have been, I still think you have to support the models that are adapting to the real world. And no, I don't include those dodgy Russian sites. Anyway. I already have two accounts on eMusic for 190 tracks a month and there's nothing out there that competes with it for price and range, but have found some interesting things.

First up, WE7. The model here is that each song can be downloaded free but has a short ad at the beginning. After a month you can go back and download the songs (still free) without the ad, to a maximum of 20 songs a month. Like all these services offering DRM-free tracks and trying to shake up the models, the problem is getting content, especially from the majors or bigger indies. WE7 has a very sparse country selection but a pretty good blues one. My first 20 downloads are below. I really don't get Patty Griffin in any deep way but I'm told the fault is entirely my end so I'll keep trying.

The number of downloads is unlimited, but you can only ad-strip 20 a month. CNET says it's doomed. I don't mind the ads, and they seem a lot shorter than 10 seconds to me. However all the ads thus far are for ... WE7 itself which makes me wonder how they're travelling in the whole "attract advertisers" side of things. Last week they made a show of promoting the capital they have raised so we'll see. Another obvious problem is that it's extremely simple to snip the ads from the tracks yourself. How to assure advertisers they're even being heard? But that is for counters of beans other than my own. Meantime: music free and legal.