I hiked my first 14er yesterday, under a nearly cloudless mid-day Colorado blue sky. I saw little children and “older” 60-somethings hiking it as well. I was dressed appropriately for radical changes in terrain and weather. Many were not, surprisingly. Now seriously, Mt. Bierstadt isn’t what you’d call a hard climb. My hiking guide is also one of my longest and best friends, and my lead guitar player in Goatz!, Chris Jackowski. He’s hiked and/or climbed many 14ers, and assured me this was the next more challenging after Mt. Sherman, which is thought to be the easiest. But for my first such effort, this was strenuous enough.
I learned that like skiing, which I tried a couple of times as a younger man, I’m not much of one for such activities. I’m more the casual hike, bike ride, fishing kinda guy … that and music events in the summer are the limits of my desire. And now that the summer is almost over, it’s time for some early fall fishing and a couple of nice long drives to see the fall colors – which were breaking out nicely at higher elevations yesterday.
There was not a lot of new music to share this week. But I did feature some covers — notably, Congo Square (Sonny Landreth) from Chris Daniels & The Kings, Comes A Time (Neil Young) from Coral Creek featuring Bill McKay, Take the Long Way Home (Supertramp) from Drew Emmitt (Leftover Salmon), Tell Her No (Zombies) from Tennis, Messin’ with the Kid (Junior Wells) from Bill Frisell, and Happy Together (the Turtles) from the Jeff Jenkins Organization.
So, why am I highlighting covers? Well, to be honest, it was because I’m getting increasingly frustrated. It’s generally accepted that original acts do covers. However, by and large, cover bands get a bad rap; unnecessarily so, IMHO.
It’s quite okay to be a “tribute” band, but to be a cover band is an anathema to many. Songwriting (and/or arranging), like playing an instrument or singing, is a skill that not every singer or instrumentalist develops. Equally, like there’s a marketplace for original acts, there is also a marketplace for cover acts. I hope we don’t ever forget that regardless of whether someone is a songwriter or not, music matters.
There is room in our venues for all types of music expression. It ALL does not have to be done by those who write the music.
That said, I’ll have new music next week from OneRepublic, the Fray, Post Paradise, Tennis and others .. make sure to tune in.
THE TRUSTED EAR SCENE REPORT
A couple of weeks ago we launched a new segment called the Trusted Ear Scene Report … if you missed it in the show, you can catch it here every week … hosted by Dave Herrera at thetrustedear.com
BEST of 2016??
I got the entire new self titled album from Paper Bird last week. Immediately I posted that it was in consideration for Best Album of 2016. I’ll leave it for you to decide. No longer a straight-up folk-rock band, Paper Bird dives straight into the sound enunciated best by the likes of Fleetwood Mac on the classic rock side of the dial, with enough modern overtures to satisfy the most ardent lover of modern adult rock, all while paying incredible homage to the past.
I also listed several other considerations, including:
Edison – Familiar Spirit
Eros and the Eschaton – Weight of Matter
Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda – All the Little Things
The Bright Silence – Time Is New
The Lumineers – Cleopatra
The Motet – Totem
SHEL – Just Crazy Enough
Elephant Revival – Petals
Darryl Purpose – Still the Birds
Sound of Ceres – Nostalgia for Infinity
I’ll leave it to you .. but here is the YouTube Pick of the Week – the entire new album from Paper Bird.
PLAYLIST S10 EP33
HOUR 1
Chris Daniels & the Kings “Congo Square” from Live Wired! (1995)
Coral Creek “Comes a Time” from Coral Creek (2015)
Drew Emmitt “Take the Long Way Home” from Long Road (2008)
Tennis “Tell Her No” [single] (2011)
(D) Augustus “Mercury” from The Mercury EP (2016)
Dubskin “Release Me” from Release from Fear (2011)
Angie Stevens & the Beautiful Wreck “Heaven Knows (Revisited)” from Beautiful and True (2016)
Science Partner “Child Stars” from Rocky Mountain News (2012)
Subdudes “Town Square” from Flower Petals (2009)
Todd Adelman & the Love Handles “Sorry” from Todd Adelman & the Love Handles (2009)
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club “Mother’s Daughter” from Always Say Please and Thank You (2000)
Jeff Jenkins Organization “Happy Together” from The Arrival (2015)
HOUR 2
The Reejers “Coffee Grounds” from Erased (1995)
Bonnie and The Clydes “It’s Gonna Fall” from Dear Somebody (2016)
Cary Morin “Together” from Together (2016)
Bill Frisell “Messin’ with the Kid” from Guitar In the Space Age (2014)
(N) The Bright Silence “Wake” from Time is New (2016)
SIR “Go” [single] (2016)
Medic “Room to Run” from Olympia (2016)
Five Iron Frenzy “It Was a Dark & Stormy Night” from Engine of a Million Plots (2013)
Andy Thomas’ Dust Heart “Reckless Abandonment” from Reckless Abandonment (2015)
Grim & Darling “Congratulations World” from Beauty Through Pain (2015)
Montropo “Follow Me” from Follow Me (2015)
Annie Booth “Tiger Dance” from WANDERLUST (2014)
A HUGE THANK YOU to Oskar Blues Fooderies! They are the new sponsor of “IN COLORADO MUSIC HISTORY,” the segment that runs at the top of each hour of the show. Oskar Blues Fooderies includes the Original Brew and Pub in Lyons, and Homemade Liquids and Solids,CHUBurger, and Cyclehops Bike Cantina in Longmont,Hotbox Roasterscoffee, and coming soon to Denver (under construction in RiNo and LoDo).
The Mishawaka Amphitheatre is celebrating its 100th Anniversary. Sept 9 & 10 with Keller Williams and his Compadres ft. Keith Moseley (The String Cheese Incident), Jay Starling (Love Canon), Bridget Law (Elephant Revival), and Jeff Austin (Jeff Austin Band) with special guests Trout Steak Revival TICKETS https://mishawaka.ticketforce.com/
GOATZ! News and Shows
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Friday Sept 16 = CO-bill with Kerry Pastine & the Crime Scene at Avogadro’s Number (Fort Collins). FULL BAND = last show of the year with Chris Kennison on pedal steel. $10 / $15 dos
Friday Sept 30 = 3-Goatz! (Chris K, Chris J and Richard). Tasty Weasel Brew Pub Longmont. 6PM-8PM
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 