Rickie Lee Jones – At 55, No Limits

Nov 30, 2009 Boys With Guitars, CD Reviews

Rickie Lee Jones
Balm in Gilead
Fantasy. 10 Tracks.
Rating: 3½ stars (out of 5)

2009 marks the 30th anniversary of Rickie Lee Jones’ self-titled debut album. It’s a weighty milestone when you think about it. That debut, stocked with boss tracks such as “Coolsville,” “Danny’s All-Star Joint” and her lone Top 10 hit, “Chuck E’s in Love,” clearly defined Jones’ unique jazz-pop vision and hinted at momentous things to come. Indeed, that vision has filtered down to a new generation of hipster warblers, including Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux and Corrine Bailey Rae, whose “Put Your Records On” in particular sounds like it was plucked straight from the R.L.J. catalogue.

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Puck’s Glee Tribute

Nov 23, 2009 Boys With Guitars

Mark Salling filmed this sweet ode to the cast and crew of his new hit show.

        

Pickin’ and Broodin’

Nov 11, 2009 Boys With Guitars

British folk-rockers Mumford & Sons do the impossible: They actually make the banjo sound cool. Check out “Little Lion Man,” the single from their new album “Sigh No More.” (Thanks, BV!)

        

Them Crooked Vultures album cover

Nov 10, 2009 Boys With Guitars

Kooky! Also a little creepy. Album out Nov. 17.

        

Cindy und Bert

Nov 8, 2009 Boys With Guitars

Wacky German re-working of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid,” from 1969-ish. The best part? The dog.

        

The Swell Season – Once Over Darkly

Nov 5, 2009 CD Reviews

The Swell Season
Strict Joy
Anti-. 12 Tracks.
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

For Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the swellest season of all must be a drizzly late autumn. You know, the time of year when the leaves lay in sodden clumps on the ground and one turns one’s pea coat collar up against winter’s encroaching chill whilst wandering rain-slicked streets and brooding about so many lost loves, so many regrets. They’re misery mongers, is what I’m saying.

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BWG’s Thuper-Thpooky Halloween Countdown

Nov 1, 2009 Boys With Guitars

#1. “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” Bauhaus. Undead, undead, undead! Happy Halloween, y’all.