Songs You May Have Missed #709

14 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: ,

Marisa Monte: “A Primeira Pedra (Ao Vivo)” (2016)

Brazilian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marisa Monte’s legendary status in her native country hasn’t exactly made her a household name in the US–at least not yet. But then again, she doesn’t pander to American audiences with English-language records a la Selena, Shakira or even Juan Luis Guerra.

But her divine, operatically-trained voice does translate. And the melodies of her compositions, inspired by classical, Brazilian soul and bossa nova music, certainly can touch the heart even if the words of the song (in this case “The First Stone”) are a mystery.

One of the great singers, one of the great talents of her generation.

Video of the Week: John Stewart on Writing “Daydream Believer”

14 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Video of the Week Tags: , ,

Songs You May Have Missed #708

14 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: ,

Ghost: “Life Eternal” (2018)

Sweden’s Ghost inhabit–haunt, really–a world of their own on the musical landscape. Inspired by Alice Cooper’s sense of the theatrical, Opeth’s dark vibe, Dio and BOC’s riffs, and ABBA’s songwriting, Ghost create their own uniquely creepy stew of something I want to call Halloween Rock.

The final track of 2018’s Prequelle LP is a ballad, and stands alone as such, even if a listen to what precedes it–a bombastic metal conceptual album revolving around Europe’s black plague–lends it some dark undertones.

The bell tolls and pipe organ don’t hurt, either.

Ghost’s best work is dark, twisted and creepy. But also beautiful, inspired and thrilling.

See also: https://edcyphers.com/2019/11/23/songs-you-may-have-missed-644/

See also: https://edcyphers.com/2025/12/24/songs-you-may-have-missed-809/

Let’s Shine a Light on “The Midnight Special”

13 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in General Posts Tags:

(Via Culture Sonar) by John Visconti

Before MTV, VH1, or, for that matter, YouTube and Vevo, chances to watch footage of your favorite musicians in action were fairly rare. Sure, bands would occasionally pop up on The Dean Martin Show and Sonny & Cher or lip sync on American Bandstand or Soul Train, but one of the only showcases for live rock was NBC’s weekly late-night series The Midnight Special (1973-81). While there are DVD compilations from the show, frustratingly no easy streaming of the entire series exists. Below are six videos — from the “Legendary Performances” DVD set — suggesting that someone needs to stream these shows in their entirety pronto. Who owns a DVD player nowadays?

Read more: https://www.culturesonar.com/midnight-special/?mc_cid=630faa8ece&mc_eid=754259b4e6

Love Never Felt So…Familiar

12 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in General Posts Tags:

 Photograph: Rex Features

At the 2014 “debut” of the new/old Michael Jackson song “Love Never Felt So Good”, most people heard the Jackson/Paul Anka composition for the first time.

The re-worked 1983 demo then appeared on Jackson’s poshumously-released Xscape album.

But the song had seen previous release. After Jackson failed to make a finished version of the song in ’83, Anka re-worked the lyrics and sent it to Johnny Mathis, who included it on his 1984 A Special Part of Me album.

The 1984 production of the song bears a strong relemblance to Japanese singer Junko Ohashi’s “I Love You So”, also released that year.

Compare the intros of the two songs.

Video of the Week: Mashing Up the Genius of Weird Al and Frank Zappa

12 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Video of the Week Tags: , ,

This fan-made video made to accompany “Weird Al’ Yankovic’s “Genius in France” only sharpens one’s view of the incredible genius of our greatest and most ambitious song parodist.

His roughly nine-minute Zappa parody hits the bullseye again and again as the veteran comic rocker (with a little help from Dweezil Zappa, who plays the opening guitar solo) nails one idiosynchratic Zappa musical and vocal moment after another.

The second-most amazing thing–after the fact that anyone would bother writing a nine-minute Zappa parody–is that vocally Yankovic singlehandidly parodies the parts of Zappa and various lead and backup singers. Male and Female.

Some speculate that the premise of the song references (allegedly) comic actor Jerry Lewis, whose lowbrow comedic acting was better received in France than in his home country of America. Definitely the type of thing Zappa would have written a song about.

If you’re a fan of Zappa’s work, every ridiculous note of this will prove what a Mother of Invention “Weird Al” Yankovic is.

Genius indeed.

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