2007 RMAS Mix CD Liner Notes

I am currently working on compiling a new mix CD for an additional RMAS Mix CD Project that I am participating in. Since I never posted last years CD notes I thought I might as well publish it here as I have decided to keep this blog updated.

2007 RMAS Mix CD - Final Cut

Creating compilation CD’s are always hard, almost as hard as creating a ‘best of’ list. What songs to include often depend on how the tracks flow from one to the next. Choosing artists is only half the battle, and often it is just easier to omit a group than decide which one of their tracks to include. Take The Beatles for example. Choosing one song out of their amazing catalog to include here was too difficult to even try, as so many of them could fit, and choosing one would must make me question why it was chosen over others. So, I consulted a dynamic list I have been keeping lately and picked songs from there to include, putting them in an order I believe flows very nicely. I am sure you have heard most of these songs before, but not in the same context that I am submitting to you. I hope you enjoy this collection. While some of these would be included on an all time favorite list (if I ever had the guts to try to create one), there are plenty of others that would not, but just fit in with the flow of the music. I hope you enjoy it and welcome any and all comments, positive or negative.

Colorful – The Verve Pipe, The Platinum & Gold Collection. The first time I heard this song was when I saw Mark Wahlberg ‘sing’ it with his non heavy metal band at the end of the movie Rock Star (which is a move I happen to like). The song immediately caught my attention but it took me a couple of years to take the time to identify the name of the song and who really performed it. There is something about the song, and quite possibly how it was used at the end of the movie, that caught my attention. With the slow start and gradual build-up, this is a song I wish I could write, and one of those songs that I love playing on the piano. The lyrics are meaningful as well, with the line “I know I can be colorful, I know I can be gray. But I know this losers living fortunate. Cause I know you will love me either way” showing us that none of us are perfect and that we are often lucky to find the love that we have.

Big Railroad Blues – Phil Lesh & Friends, NJPAC 11/22/05. I was very close to including a Grateful Dead song but really had a hard time making a final decision and coming up with a song that fit in perfectly. Most people think the Dead died with Jerry, but Ratdog and Phil Lesh & Friends have carried the torch nicely, and have even turned it up a few notches. This one will certainly make you take notice.

Let It Ride – Ryan Adams, Cold Roses. To me, Ryan Adams is one of the those artists that 20 years from now we are going to look at his amazing body of work and just say wow, as long as he doesn’t self-destruct before it occurs. There are so many songs of his I considered for the compilation and I kept on coming back to this standout from Cold Roses.

Suddenly I See – KT Tunstall, Eye Of The Telescope. One of my favorite releases of 2006 and one of my favorite new artists I have recently started to listen to. This woman is an amazing talent and this song showcases what she can do. If you haven’t picked this release up yet, I highly recommend it.

In State – Kathleen Edwards, Back To Me. The Tom Petty influence is key to this song, and that is a good thing. The guitars sing, and Benmont Tench’s organ creates a swelling undercurrent of sound as Edwards sings a warning to her man that he better straighten himself out or else, because she knows where the cops hang out and maybe some time in prison will change his mind.

Welcome To Struggleville – Edwin Mccain, Lost In America. Originally written and released in 1996 by the Vigilantes Of Love, Mccain takes this song up another level on his latest release. There is unbelievable guitar work here that is strong, yet does not overpower the very descriptive and poignant lyrics.

Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again) – Wilco, Summerteeth. I just ‘discovered’ Wilco about 18 months ago. Since then I have seriously made up for lost time, and have been lucky enough to see them once in a small venue here in Jersey (Starland Ballroom). I wanted to include a Wilco song and there were a gazillion and a half songs of theirs that I considered for this compilation, including my favorite song of theirs Jesus, Etc. However, none of them fit musically and I wanted a bit of a poppy type song that will bridge the opening set of songs with what amounts to a bit of time travel back to some of rock’s roots with the songs that come next.

My Pledge Of Love – The Joe Jeffrey Group. Found on Beg, Scream & Shout, Disc 5. Catchy lyrics, soulful horns and an amazing rhythm section. Upbeat and catchy, the perfect song to follow the pop song that precedes it here.

The Monkey Time – Major Lance. Found on Beg, Scream & Shout, Disc 5. Bruce Springsteen included the first couple of lines of this song as an introduction to Mary’s Place during The Rising Tour. I had never heard of this song until then and when I finally stumbled upon it on this box set it quickly became a big favorite of mine. Too bad Springsteen didn’t sing the entire song, that would have been a lot of fun.

Ordinary Joe – Terry Callier – I recently stumbled upon this song when listening to the Mojo Chess Classics compilation that came with the August 2005 issue of Mojo Magazine. I still don’t know much about Callier but by Googling him I can see that he has had a long and well respected career. A lot of soul, with some folk thrown in. This song will make you sit up and take notice from the beginning.

The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show – The Band, Rock Of Ages. There are so many songs that you can pick by The Band. However, this one from one of my favorite live albums of all time just had to be included on this compilation. This song was one of those from this set that include a five member horn section that absolutely rocks and brings out the soul and early rock sounds that influenced The Band. If you never heard this song before, this is your chance to sit up and take notice.

Rumble In Brighton – Brian Setzer Orchestra, Guitar Slinger. I wanted another song with a lot of horns in this slot, and this was the first song that came to my mind. It is a gutsy move to take a song from your original band, add some more ‘meat’ to it (in this case sensational swinging horns) and turn it up a few notches. Setzer does his and then some on this song and this is the perfect fit after the great horns of the previous song.

Even Better Than The Real Thing – U2, Zoo Europa, 8/28/93, Dublin Ireland. This is from my favorite and (I think) the best sounding bootleg from the Zoo TV tour. This is also one of my favorite U2 songs. When they went into the studio to record Achtung Baby, one of their goals was to re-discover their rhythm section, as the band felt that was a little lost with their previous studio release The Joshua Tree. Listening to Achtung Baby and the subsequent tour, you can hear that they more than re-discovered it, but brought it out with full force. Listen to how Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen sound like a well tuned factory running with reckless abandon and you can almost picture machines at work. And, even more importantly, about 2/3 of the way through the song listen to The Edge’s unbelievable slide guitar work.

I Am Mine – Pearl Jam, 7/9/03 Madison Square Garden Official Bootleg series release. Quite possibly my favorite Pearl Jam song. Starting off slowly, with an amazing build up, a great melody, and a sensational guitar solo at the end. This is a prefect song for this compilation.

Get That Girl – Joe Jackson, I’m The Man – Almost buried as the second to last track on Jackson’s second album, this track is often overlooked when compared to the ‘hits that came off of this album (On Your Radio, It’s Different For Girls). However, this is the track in which I think his band really shines as Jackson sings that if he is lucky he is going to get the girl at the club who has more in common with him than her boyfriend that she is with.

I Found A Love – Eric Clapton – Crossroads, Disc 3. A previously unreleased track recorded in September 1974 during sessions for the There’s One In Every Crowd album. Very un-Clapton like in which there is very little true ‘Clapton like’ guitar until the very end. To me, the draw of this song is the amazing rhythm brought out by the drums and piano, along with Claptons passionate plea like singing.

Be True – Carrie Newcomer, Regulars And Refugees – I actually don’t own this album yet but will soon. I ‘discovered’ this song on the Paste Magazine 18 compilation and just had to include it here. Newcomer has an amazing voice that just has to be heard and shared. The first time I heard this song I was stunned by it, and it has since become one of my favorite songs of the last couple of years.

I Believe In Miracles – Pearl Jam, Live At Benaroya Hall. This semi-acoustic show of theirs is one of my favorites, as it showcases how good this band can be even when not rocking out. They have performed this great Ramones song many times, but there is something about this “almost unplugged” version that makes it different enough that you want to sit up and take notice. Definitely a keeper.

Fall On Me – REM, MTV Unplugged, April 10, 1991. From the Hitting The Note Acoustika bootleg. My favorite REM song and my favorite version of it. Stripped down to its simplicity, this song still powerful.

You’re A Big Girl Now – Bob Dylan, Blood On The Tracks. Almost lost in an album of amazing Dylan classics (Tangled Up In Blue, Simple Twist Of Fate, Idiot Wind, Lily, Rosemary…), this song opens starts out with some beautiful acoustic guitar accompanied by soft piano and percussion. After about 40 seconds, Dylan’s voice starts to tell us a story about a love found and then suddenly lost. In my view, this is one of his greatest works.

Take Me As I Am – October Project, 1993 self titled debut. Probably a band you have never heard of. Even 13 years later I still think this is their finest release, and one of the most overlooked releases of the 1990’s. And the lyrics of this song in particular have always had more meaning than others, with the line “Even if you shine a light into the mirror you won’t see me any clearer” being so profound that I just had to not only include this in this compilation, but make this the last song.