10.31.2013

the giddy vol. 12 - the halloween edition

wayne shorter witch hunt speak no evil
it took me a long time to get into wayne.  his sound was an acquired taste for me, one i couldn't get past in order to check out the music he was playing.  i always liked the tunes, just not his voice.  well, i've finally gotten over myself and now can dig back through the old stuff with the joy you find in trying on a vintage jacket that belonged to your dad.  this tune is often overlooked for other songs from this same period.  my favorite moment starts at 1:42, when elvin helps wayne kick open the front door, swinging quarters harder than you could fathom.

maria schneider dance you monster to my soft song evanescence
this album really shook me from the roots up.  there are plenty of great tunes on maria's debut record, but this song is a sleeper for me.  ben monder's guitar work throughout honestly re-calibrated my understanding and appreciation of jazz playing.  the writing here is thoughtful, thorough, and exciting.  my favorite spot hits throughout the tune - the insistent line that occupies the pianist's left hand and keeps the bari player busy.  

philip glass & the kronos quartet dracula
i've seen kronos a couple of times, and had the opportunity to catch glass himself in concert.  hey man - double thumbs up to guys who employ saxophonists for classical gigs! there are several variations of these themes, but this cut in particular captures the mystique of dracula - a steady and unsettling presence.  the second section, first appearing at 0:14, does it for me.

inxs devil inside kick
i got hoodwinked into acquiring this album by the sneaky folks over at columbia house.  you know how they do - lure you in with some ridiculous "11 albums for 1¢deal, then expect you to remember to return that postcard that says you don't want the featured record mailed out to you with their astronomical price tag.  this record actually has a bunch of good stuff on it.  the music videos that inxs put out were very cool, sending me into a multiple-month tailspin of wanting to grow up and be michael hutchence. (i guess if you gotta die, that's one helluva way to go).  my favorite thing about this track happens at 0:55 when michael croons "wonder, wonder".  so great.

johnny cash & willie nelson ghost riders in the sky vh1 storytellers
this is absolutely one of my favorite albums of all time. i grew up on old country western music, and these two guys lead the pack.  seriously - all of the tracks on this record are incredible.  the stories, the human element, the music.  if i could ever amount to a shred of what these guys have done, i'll consider my life a humble success. this track is the first on the album.  aside from their own salutations, i love it when johnny enters at 0:59 and later at 2:54 when he calls out "take it willie".


this is the best band out there, period.  you should get all of their records, go see them in concert as often as you can, and tell your friends.  the writing and playing and singing tug at my fan of 80s pop/ music aficionado/ lover of quirky lyrics heartstrings.  this record is their first, and it's lights out.  i love everything about all of these songs, but the corner of my smile draws upward at 5:27 on this cut.  it's worth the wait, i promise.


when i was a kid, my folks would deck me out in a cowboy costume and cart me around to talent shows.  i played pretty mediocre guitar and sang oak ridge boy tunes.  i think i pulled in a $25 gift certificate with a 2nd place finish on my rendition of this classic.  all of those grade school honeys went bananas when i hit 'em with the money making line, which first appears here at 1:00. dig that crazy beard and those clever music note decorations.  

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