What I am Listening To: Squirrel Nut Zippers - Christmas Caravan

It's that time of year: holiday music. If you are looking for something other than what you have heard for decades, this is a nice change. It takes the the swing sounds of Squirrel Nut Zippers and add some holiday cheer and sentimental mood. I wear this one out during the holidays and even sneak a listen in the summer. How can you go wrong with Christmas music that makes you want to get up and dance.

What I am Listening To: Gerald Friend - Radio Friendly

Not to be confused with the serial rapist and kidnapper. Gerald Friend is a Austin Native who has played in several bands over the decades of all flavors of music.  Gerald Friend continues to write great songs influenced by his wide range of tastes. This collection of songs was produced and engineered by Brian Beattie of Glass Eye. Gerald takes us on an emotional ride through all sorts of feelings starting with "Happy Crappy" and ending with the "Second Saddest Song Ever" (I wonder what the first is). Gerald also rips through some Blues chops in "Who am I" and "White Boy Blues". His cover of "Walking on the Moon" is like no other as it is played on bed springs stretched over a chair. What is truly Austin is his song "What Would Jesus Do?" that was inspired by a brief conversation with Leslie Cochran one day on Congress and should be an Austin anthem. This album is tricky to find but if you ask me, I can hook you up. "Que Sera Sera"

What I am Listening To: Alan Lomax Archive

The Alan Lomax Archive has been made available online for listening. It has been cleaned up and sounds awesome. You can hear "Poor Lazarus" as heard in "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" on the Mississippi Prison Recordings amongst other great chants to pass the slave work day. Vera Hall singing "Stagolee". Big Bill Broozy singing blues in Paris. Music from around the world. Or if you can't decide what to listen to, just listen to the playlist. But you must hear "Old Joe Clark" from the 1966 Newport Folk Festival
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Old Joe Clark

What I Am Listening To: Jack White - Blunderbuss

Jack White has stepped up with a solo album after playing many years with the White Stripes and then following with Raconteurs and Dead Weather. His record label: Third Man Records, has kept him very busy, but the songmaster still managed to crank out an album which has a strong odor of Nashville. silky smooth tunes, old school 50's style blues, soul searching with pedal steel. It's all very entertaining and rich with analog tones that are pleasing to the ear. You have done well on your first outing alone, please let me know if there is a secret gig after ACL this year. I will be there for sure.

What I am listening to: The Civil Wars - Barton Hallow

Joy Williams and John Paul White met at a songwriting camp in 2008. Since then, their performances have gained attention of the world. They have toured with Adele, and played at almost every big event in 2011 when this album came out. This album won Grammys for best Country duo and best folk album. I caught their very brief performance and was stunned at how great they played together. I finally picked up the album and these two have great songwriting chemistry. With the help of Producer Charlie Peacock, The Civil wars have created a stunning album with so much ear candy it's hard to take it all in at once. All the delicate nuances have been picked up as if the players are circled around the listener. Please enjoy.

What I am Listening To: The Life Aquatic

Wes Anderson fans know this quirky movie about Steve Zissou, an aquatic explorer who is reunited with his estranged son and together they search for the shark that killed Steve's his best friend. The soundtrack drew me in with numerous David Bowie songs done by Bowie and Seu Jorge. Seu Jorge is the Portugese speaking guitarist that appears at the end of many of the scenes playing Bowie. Somehow to me, Bowie in Portugese is awesome. What surprised me is the original music is composed by Mark Mothersbaugh. Mark has become an established composer after years being the front man for DEVO. His original songs are well written and fit the scenes perfectly.  Mark's website has some portfolio work and a really cool interface: Mark Mothersbaugh

Gear Review: ModTone Aqua Chorus II

I recently received the ModTone Aqua Chorus II hoping it would replace my Danelectro FAB pedal. The flier stated that it has vintage chorus sound and great leslie effect. I hooked it up to my Fender Blues JR II playing my Silvertone 63. I was hoping for a really wet and wacky sound, but all I got was a very soft, gentle chorus effect. No matter how far the I turned the knobs, it would reciprocate with a gentle chorus or rotating leslie. I believe this is because the pedal only offers two knobs: Rate and Depth. No mix or tone knobs limit its capabilities. That said, the sound is fine for a simple chorus: safe and normal. If that's all you want, I am not sure why you wouldn't just pickup the Boss Chorus which can probably be found used anywhere on the planet for cheap, and it has stereo and more controls; but if you must have "boutique" this one is a good one to go with. It keeps it simple. Sometimes that is nice.