Today’s highlight is definitely the new very special tribute to Jim Dickinson, created by his sons, friends and sons of his friends entitled Luther Dickinson & The Sons of Mudboy. Listeners of The Little Lighthouse are very well familiar with Jim Dickinson’s ad-hoc supergroup called Mudboy and the Neutrons – one of the best bands that ever came out of Memphis, well known for their chaotic covers of standards and traditionals. Now, using the same idea but with a layer of sorrow surrounding the passing of Jim, Luther Dickinson and the Sons of Mudboy put out an excellent album called Onward and Upward. This record is a magnificent farewell to the imposing figure that Jim Dickinson used to be on the Memphis rock’n’roll scene. We also check out the newest album for the Swiss zydeco band Mama Rosin (Black Robert) and the new album for the singersongwriter Freedy Johnston (Rain On The City). Also, please check out our new bonus podcast below that we will receive weekly from Igor Mitic in Pancevo. Look for the panther logo and title Sympathy for Rock’n’roll!
Javier Escovedo – Just A Dream;
J Mascis – I Want you Bad;
NRBQ – I Want You Bad;
Freedy Johnston – I Want You Bad;
Freedy Johnston – Don’t Fall In Love With A Lonely Girl;
Big Drill Car – Let Me Walk;
The Radiators From Space – Television Screen;
Mama Rosin – Ti Moreau;
Mama Rosin – J’ Arrive Pas a Dormir;
Bobby Charles – Save Me Jesus;
Rolling Stones – Wild Horses;
Luther Dickinson & The Sons Of Mudboy – Angel Band;
Mudboy and the Neutrons – Angel Band;
John Paul Keith and The One Four Fives – Secondhand Heart;
The King Khan & BBQ Show – Tryin’;
Gentleman Jesse – No Rest (For the Wicked);
Wayne County – Flip Your Wig;
The Astorians – I Walk.
Today we say goodbye to the rock’n’roll pioneer Bobby Charles who died on January 14. Bobby Charles is one of those authors that kick-started the entire rock’n’roll, the way we know it today. After Bill Haley with his Comets recorded Bobby’s See You Later Alligator rock’n’roll ghost was out of the bottle forever. In 1972, Bobby Charles resurfaced and recorded a masterpiece record with Rick Danko and The Band. Songs that Bobby wrote will stay forever. This show is dedicated to him. We also presented some new records here at The Little Lighthouse. Miro Kusacic of Messerschmitt is back with a new band Junkers 5, fronted by the new name on the scene – Elizabeta Petric. Sarah Borges covered Clive Gregson’s Yesterday’s Love and Javier Escovedo had a really great new record in 2008, but for some reason, it fell through the cracks and I only got a chance to hear it now. It’s called City Lights and it’s truly exceptional.
Today’s show is dedicated to Jay Reatard and Vic Chesnutt. These two important characters on the modern rock’n’roll scene died recently. Jay Reatard died in his sleep on January 13 this year and Vic Chesnutt died from a muscle relaxant overdose on December 25. Jay was 29 and Vic was 45. We lost much more than just two rock’n’roll musicians. We lost leaders of the scene, relevant guys who moved and shook things around with every record they put out. On the other hand, the two are diametrically opposite. Jay wrote short, loud songs, did great singles and recently injecting some healthy dose of reformation of the rock album format. On the other hand Vic was a leader of the loose pack of new folk authors and singer songwriters, finding a new way to tell the old stories of despair and pain. They left shoes that will be impossible to fill in.
We begin today’s show by listening to Kurt Vile from Philadelphia who had a very good album called Childish Prodigy last year. The rest of the show is filled with our favorite short forms of 2009 (eps, singles, single downloads…) and compilations.
Our award for the best musical Internet project in 2009 goes to the Australian singer songwriter Paul Kelly. Throughout 2008 and 2009 he ran a continuous Internet project in which for each month of the year he posted several songs re-recorded in the “unplugged” variants. Each month, one letter of the alphabet was covered (except V and X). This was a wonderful project in which Paul Kelly recorded over 100 hundred songs and posted them for free download at http://www.paulkelly.com.au/. In todays show, we cover at least one song for each letter of the alphabet, and for the other 80 plus songs, visit Paul Kelly’s website. Happy New Year by the way!
 Here we are at the end of another year in rock’n’roll. It’s behind us… We entered it hoping it would be an exciting one, and for the most part, musically, it did bring a few exciting moments. We’re taking time right now to rediscover these moments in our year end list of best albums in 2009 at The Little Lighthouse. Chris Cacavas took the cake this year without too much contemplation, at least in this microcosm that we call The Little Lighthouse. Take a chance to review the rest of the list, read my reviews and of course – take a listen at the show. Exit 2009, enter 2010…
Today we showcase several new names at The Little Lighthouse: John Paul Keith, Eichmann Family, Sweet Apple, Â The Hex Dispensers, Smith Westerns and D. Charles Speer. John Paul Keith comes from Memphis and has a band called The One Four Fives. About a year ago he put out the record called Spills And Thrills and it’s such a beautiful record, I can’t believe I missed until now. John Paul Keith’s band opened for Jack Oblivian in Cleveland and even more than that – they played the role of the Tearjerkers that night. John Paul Keith was also one of the Snake Eyes – the last band for Jim Dickinson before he passed away. Eichmann Family is another garage rock band from Zagreb – there are several very good ones over there. Sweet Apple is the new band for John Petkovic and Tim Parnin from Cobra Verde and J. Mascis and David Sweetapple form The Witch. Supergroup for the new millenium, isn’t it? Hex Dispenser are garage magicians from Austin Texas. Smith Westerns is a new band from Chicago and D Charles Speer and his Helix are from New York City – two new names that come from big cities, but sound much more provincial (which is a good thing at The Lighthouse!). And the last, but not the least, our favorites from a few years ago, Bassholes have a new LP, and it’s untitled again.
This show goes to all the gig-goers in Cleveland. I made it inspired by a busy week in which I saw live shows by The Meat Puppets, Ian McLagan, Dinosaur JR and Jack Oblivian. I had to miss Reigning Sound, but from what I hear, it was a great gig. We also have some new stuff. We represent two bands from a new generation of Zagreb rockers. My Buddy Moose, who we know from their self-titled album a few years ago and The Revolts. My Buddy Moose has a new album coming up next year and we hear exclusive tracks from it while they are searching for a publisher. Mike Watt has a new project called Il Sogno Del Marinaio with Italian musicians Stefano Pilia and Andrea Belfi. We also introduce The Revelators for the first time at the Little Lighthouse, although they’ve been around for some time.
Here is one good straight-forward rock’n’roll episode! We check out the newest works of King Khan, Brimstone Howl and Jack Oblivian. All of them have some new stuff out. We explore the history of Cleveland’s underground scene by digging out a 1979 unreleased tune by the group called The Radiation Factory. Los Lobos have a new album where they cover Disney tunes. We also hear one tune from the latest Tom Waits live album called Glitter and Doom. I secretly hoping that Eagles of Death Metal cover Goin’ Out WestM one time in their career…
Today we begin with a block of Los Angeles garage bands and we choose the songs from the latest Nuggets compilation, called Where The Action Is. We take a chance to reflect especially on Sky Saxon, legendary member of The Seeds who passed away earlier this summer. Rickie Lee Jones has a new album out called Balm In Gilead and it’s filled with smoky, intimate, slow tempo tunes. We also check in with Marshall Crenshaw and his new album called Jaggedland and with the Drive-By Truckers guy Patterson Hood who has an exciting new solo album out called Murdering Oscar.