Neil Young fans seem to like the fact that Neil Young can get away with anything he wants. So they really oughta like Neil's new album, Americana.
He's back with Crazy Horse this time around. And this album puts the "crazy" in Crazy Horse.
Neil says these are songs you remember from kindergarten, but rearranged by his band.
I can hear the quote now from Neil Young fans around the world: "Hey, it's Neil being Neil, whaddaya want?"
Imagine Late Night's Jimmy Fallon parodying Neil's sound and coming up with a rousing version of "Oh Susannah" or "Clementine." And that's just about what you get on this album.
Then just when you think you've figured out what's going on, they throw in the inexplicable cover of the classic Silhouettes doo-wop song "Get a Job." Complete with the sha-na-na-nas and dip-dip-dip-do-wops. What?
"Oh, that's just Neil being Neil."
I kind of do like their version of "Gallow's Pole" better than the Led Zeppelin/Robert Plant version. In fact it's all kind of growing on me. I love Neil so much, HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS!
The album is out now.
Maybe Neil's next project should be an album of covers of Willow Smith (Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's daughter).
by Verlo's Mr. Mattress,posted May 31 2012 11:02AM
Are you any good at guessing people’s age?
Some new research says you probably are, if your nose is working well.
The study shows that young and old people do give off distinctive odors. They’re not sure why, but researchers say people can reliably distinguish the body odor of elderly people from a whiff of the young or middle-aged. But they go on to say the odor of the elderly is actually pretty neutral. And it's a lot more pleasant than the body odor coming from younger to middle-aged guys, who tend to smell the worst.
OK. So this means the thing about Grandma's house having an "Old Person Smell" is all in my mind?
You know what's also a freaky statistic? No joke. An older mattress will tend to gain weight over the years. It's because they accumulate things like dirt, skin and hair. Think about that the next time you sleep over at Gradma's house.
Today's free download is from a local band on the rise: Phox. Hop on the bandwagon early, my friends - this talented group is quickly gaining fans, and you should be one of them. Fronted by the fantastic female vocalist Monica Martin, Phox features brothers Matt & Davey Roberts, as well as Matt Holmen, Cheston Van Huss, and Jason Krunnfusz. All six members have Baraboo roots and have been previously involved with other bands. Last fall, these hometown friends came together to form Phox, and you can download their trio of demos for free here.
If you're thinking that these will be shoddy garage demos, you'll be pleasantly surprised. The phoxes are a talented group of musicians, each yielding multiple instruments to craft a creative, folky sound. It's enough pop to have you singing along on the first listen, and it's enough rock to keep your ears interested. "Evil" is a catchy gem that you'll want to immediately play again. Go ahead, take a listen.
You're addicted to that irresitable intro already, aren't you? Guess what the best part is - they sound this good live. See for yourself this Friday, when Phox opens for Company of Thieves at the Majestic Theatre.
Flatpicking folk musician Doc Watson is being remembered today for his amazing flatpicking guitar style that influenced many, and intimidated others. And his smooth baritone voice was nothing to sneeze at either.
Blind since the age of one, Watson first learned how to play the harmonica at age 6, and learned banjo at 11, on a guitar his father made with the skin of the family cat who had died at age 16. (Creepy, or cool?) He learned to play guitar at a school for the blind in Raleigh N.C. on a Stella guitar his dad bought him for $12.
Hey, my first guitar was a Stella too...his must have had some magic in it for him to learn to play that well. Or he practiced, one of the two.
A lot of folks first heard Doc Watson's music on the amazing Will the Circle Be Unbroken album, a three album set that came out in 1972. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band got together all these old country and bluegrass performers and basically let them go..with most songs recorded on the first or second take, with delightful stage banter included.
So many of those performers have passed on (Earl Scruggs, Mother Maybelle Carter, Merle Travis, Roy Acuff), perhaps they're having a big old jam on the other side!
I'm lucky enough to have seen Doc Watson play the Madison Civic Center in the 1990s, and I was impressed at his ability. And I have to thank my boyfriend Mike for exposing me to his music. Mike said that Will the Circle Be Unbroken album was the one present he asked for in 1973, and he listened to it over and over again. Had I never met Mike I may have missed out on that music entirely.
Wow! it's Wednesday already. Don't you LOVE the short work weeks? And now it's caption day!
Please give me your best caption to this photo. The winner WILL receive FABULOUS prizes!!! REMEMBER TO PUT YOUR NAME IN THE SUBJECT LINE TO GET CREDIT AND WIN A PRIZE.
Everyone loves a good nap. Good news is that many recent studies have expounded the benefits of naps on creativity, mood, productivity, and overall health. A 60-minute nap can boost alertness for up to 10 hours and a 45-minute nap can improve memory and learning. Naps have also been thought to reduces stress and lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke, diabetes, and excessive weight gain. No nap is a bad nap, but knowing when and how long to nap can achieve various results.
Limiting naps to 45-minutes or less will enhance alertness and concentration. This may also get you into REM sleep, which enhances creative thinking and boosts sensory processing. Any longer and you may drift off into slow-wave sleep, will result in grogginess upon waking.
Taking a nap between 90 and 120 minutes will get you all stages of sleep, providing all the previous benefits as well as catching up on sleep. This will also get you a full sleep cycle, which reduces grogginess upon waking.
When you take your naps can also be important. Most mammals, humans included, are physiologically programmed for multiple rounds of sleep per day. One in very early morning, and another in early afternoon. For best results, night owls will want to take a nap around 2:30 or 3pm while early rises will want to shoot for 1 to 1:30pm.
So don't feel bad if you feel a little sleepy mid day, it's only nature! Lay down, curl up, and catch a few z's to have a more creative, productive, and energetic day.
A great way to start going green is to buy local! Getting food from local sources cuts down on carbon emissions from transportation and processing. But what's better than that? How about growing your own food! While starting a garden may sound daunting to some, it doesn't have to be a chore. Even if you don't have a green thumb, that are some vegetables you can grow that don't require constant attention and will keep you fed year after year.
Asparagus grows best in full sun and dry, sandy soil. Like the rest of these vegetables, it is a perennial so it will return every year if you're good to it.
Bamboo shoots are a less used perennial. Bamboo can be great if you're careful. Some forms of bamboo aren't edible or tasty and can be invasive species.
Bunching onions grow in bunches and can be fairly hardy even in cold weather.
Garlic is a mainstay in many gardens, but most of the time is not considered a perennial. By allowing a garlic plant to grow and seed, you can harvest garlic without needing to replant.
Horseradish will return every year if harvested correctly. Great for use as a spice for condiment.
Kale and Collard Greens will grow in many climates and are considered some of the healthiest foods you can eat.
Radicchio is a red, leafy vegetable that is great on salads or grilled.
Rhubarb is a staple of many gardens here in Wisconsin as it grows well in colder climates and will come back every year without fail. Great in pies, jams, sauces, and breads.
As we head into the unofficial start of Summer, I offer these fine captions for your entertainment. Starting with our honorable mentions:
I like this one because I think Johnny Depp is the prettiest man on the planet Callie M I KNOW I saw a Johnny Depp one around here somewhere...
We can always count on Kraig to be clever Kraig When you find yourself having a Marie Antoinette day, stop on by Marley's Head Shop. We've got just what it takes to set your head straight.
Play on words ALWAYS works for me Tammy A Adam knew he was much more than 2 faced. Why couldn't anyone else see it? John C. My favorite store is Head Bath & Beyond.
Too true, too true. Patrick Dieter This is the LAST time I drop acid before going shopping at Wal-Mart!
A cautionary tale… Gary Charles the Lost & Found Department in Paris' Place de le Revolution.
Any Mel Brooks caption works for me! Jeff Which one was it that I was looking for.....Abbey something.....Abbey Normal.....
And our WINNER of a 5 pack of very cool CD’s is Eric, who needs to contact me to get his prizes.
Eric Sheppard Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner is excited to finally go shopping for a head.
Have a safe and fun weekend!
Sure, we joke that Memorial Day weekend is a great time for mattress sale, a day off, or a cookout. That doesn't mean we forget about the real meaning of Memorial Day.
Just a reminder to take a moment this weekend to remember the service provided to us by the members of our armed forces. We do appreciate what you do.
The Broadway musical Wicked has flown back into town, thrilling fans at the Overture Center now through June 9th.
I got a chance to see the production for the 2nd time last night, and once again was blown away. Even though I saw Wicked in 2010, I had...
Today we traveled back to 1975 for a Rendezvous with The Hudson Brothers. This song didn't make it to high on the charts, but Kitty enjoyed it. Her favorite brother was Brett. She also loved their television show. We've included a skit from...
I'm not sure why Pete Yorn decided to name his new music project after a European cave dwelling aquatic salamander, but if he stops by to play us some songs in Studio M, we'll have to ask him.
The Olms is a collaboration between Pete Yorn and...
Today's song was written by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. It was inspired by the 1957 novel Doctor Zhivago. No one was inspired by the song this morning. It was rejected by almost all the listeners.
Today is World Goth Day, a day to celebrate the post-punk, anti-establishment, dark clothes-wearing subculture.
I'm pretty sure I was a Goth for at least for little while, for two reasons.
1) I almost hardly ever wear pastels.
2) I used to...
Hello to all from Nfusion. Another round of challenges has moved beyond us all. Congrats to those of us lucky enough to have survived to this point. Sad to see the others eliminated as they were all very creative and talented. Good Bye to our new friends...
This morning it seemed like just about everyone was in the mood for some Funky Cold Medina...except Kitty. This ridiculous song made it all the way to number 3 in 1989. Jonathan says any song that references advertising dogs from the 80's has got...
Madison's summer music festival season kicks off this weekend with Brat Fest at Willow Island, where there are more bands than you can shake a bratwurst at! Check out the Brat Fest website to plan your itinerary.
Next up is the Marquette...
Are you any good at guessing people’s age?
Everyone loves a good nap. Good news is that many recent studies have expounded the benefits of naps on creativity, mood, productivity, and overall health. A 60-minute nap can boost alertness for up to 10 hours and a 45-minute nap can improve memory and learning. Naps have also been thought to reduces stress and lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke, diabetes, and excessive weight gain. No nap is a bad nap, but knowing when and how long to nap can achieve various results.
A great way to start going green is to buy local! Getting food from local sources cuts down on carbon emissions from transportation and processing. But what's better than that? How about growing your own food! While starting a garden may sound daunting to some, it doesn't have to be a chore. Even if you don't have a green thumb, that are some vegetables you can grow that don't require constant attention and will keep you fed year after year.
Sure, we joke that Memorial Day weekend is a great time for mattress sale, a day off, or a cookout. That doesn't mean we forget about the real meaning of Memorial Day.
