Best Music Videos of 2014

Posted on February 6, 2015 by PhilMaq

This year end category is usually pretty simple but may be the most difficult to do correctly. It has to be a match between music imagery and a visual perspective. Rarely is it done to a point that it actually matters. I love music and I love movies but I usually don’t have much of a response for most music videos.

This list is different. These are the ones that I can watch over and over and not get tired of seeing them for plenty of different reasons, but they are also individual pieces of art! CONGRATULATIONS!

BEST VIDEOS OF 2014

  1. Ashes—The Belle Brigade

  1. Blank Space—Taylor Swift

  1. River Bank—Brad Paisley

  1. Heartbeat—Jillian Rae

  1. Under Control—The Honeyrunners

  1. Girl in a Country Song—Maddie & Tae

  1. Shake It Off—Taylor Swift

  1. All About That Bass—Meghan Trainor

  1. Day Drinking—Little Big Town

  1. It Can’t Be Simple—Secret Colours

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2015 Freshness: Wendy Webb, Paul Kelly, and The History of Apple Pie!!!

Posted on January 28, 2015 by PhilMaq

Wendy Webb has that warm singing voice that reminds me of Carly Simon. [Hall of Fame] I don’t use that phrase lightly. There’s some other ones in there, too. Some have been using Norah Jones. I prefer Carole King and Laura Nyro. [Hall of Fame] But no matter how you reference it, it’s all good company. “This Is the Moment” (her album title), as Wendy sings “Venus Is Rocking in the Cradle of the Moon”:

Australian rocker Paul Kelly has a new album out called “The Merri Soul Sessions.” Although this version of “Sweet Guy” is not on that album, it gives you a good idea where he comes from.:

The UK band, The History of Apple Pie, put out a very catchy album towards the end of last year called “Feel Something.” Their pop tendencies are very contagious and “Jamais Vu” is just one slice of the many ultra cool songs on their album!:

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Winter, Women, & Work: The Doors, The Everly Brothers, and Jim Croce!!!

Posted on January 21, 2015 by PhilMaq

I think that one of the best songs about Winter has been pretty much forgotten. My favorite is “Wintertime Love” by The Doors. [Hall of Fame] This isn’t an official video from the band, but it feels right!

Even though this clip is from the reunion that was many years after the song was a hit, one of the things that I remember most about The Everly Brothers’ [Hall of Fame] “Claudette” was the innovative (for its time) hi-hat action by the drummer. This version still includes that little section. (And the boys sound great as alaways!):

And since the North American International Auto Show is in process until Sunday, I thought that it might fun to include a Jim Croce song about cars because you still have to get your favorite one. “Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues” could also be considered as a commentary on today’s “Sate of the Union!:

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Tattoos, Hope, and January: Weird Al Yankovic, Paul McCartney, and The Decemberists!!!

Posted on January 14, 2015 by PhilMaq

I don’t think there’s anything that Weird Al Yankovic [Hall of Fame] can’t do. Here he takes B.o.B.’s song, “Nothin’ on You,” and turns it into a song about a getting too much ink. I really like this trippy, “Another Tattoo” video!:

Paul McCartney [Hall of Fame] finally got around to putting a video together for his “Hope for the Future” single. He looks a little “Obi Wan” in it,but it’s still very cool!

It’s no secret that my favorite January song is “January Hymn” by The Decemberists. Here is Colin Meloy and The Decemberists in a live version!:

 

 

 

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The Hot 100 Songs of 2014

Posted on January 13, 2015 by PhilMaq

I am very proud and honored to share my Top 100 songs of 2014! Each one means a lot to me, and I feel they have made the world a better place. Congratulations to all of the artists, songwriters, producers, arrangers, promoters, record labels, significant others, mothers, fathers, grandparents, friends, and every one else who was involved to make these works of art possible!

The Hot 100 Songs of 2014

JIllian Rae

 

  1. Helpless—Jillian Rae (From “Heartbeat”)
  2. Swingin’ the Night Away—Rosewater (From “Shotgun Wedding”)
  3. We’re Big We’re Small—A Science Experiment (From “Particles”)
  4. Dime—Jan King (From “Dime”)
  5. Kids Place—Joanie Leeds and The Nightlights (From “Good Egg!”)
  6. Blue Baby Blue—Billy Brandt and The Sugaree’s (From “The Time Is Now”)
  7. Corp Safe—Gladshot (From “Maxwell’s Cool Demon”)
  8. I Got Love—Bend Sinister (From “Animals”)
  9. The River Jordan—Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys (From “Here Between”)
  10. The Life I Live—Chris Emmerson (From “It’s So Easy From Far Away”)
  11. I Always Get Lucky With You—Suzy Bogguss (From “Lucky”)
  12. Bones—The Honeyrunners (From “EP II”)
  13. Hope for the Future—Paul McCartney (Single)
  14. Rock Show—Birth of Joy (From “Prisoner”)
  15. Teacher—Bend Sinister (“From “Animals”)
  16. Pretty White Pantsuit—The Dives (From “Magnificent Desolation”)
  17. Fun With Hydrangeas—Gladshot (From “Maxwell’s Cool Demon”)
  18. Sugardown—Fathom Lane (From “Fathom Lane”)
  19. Stop Your Crying—Lake Street Dive (From “Bad Self Portraits”)
  20. Lovin’ Heart—Mick Clarke (From “Crazy Blues”)
  21. Call to the Moon—Feather—Bright (From “Feather—Bright”)
  22. Tight Black Dress—The Hatchetmen (From “Tight Black Dress”)
  23. Idyllwild—Mia Dyson (From “Idyllwild”)
  24. Free to Be…You and Me—Jason Didner and Suzi Shelton (Single)
  25. Justine—Randy Tessier (From “Hold Me Close”)
  26. Wonderin’—Erez (From “Erez”)
  27. Cement Shoes—Ruby Keeps Burning (From “Ruby Keeps Burning Demos”)
  28. I Got a Man—Sara Jean Kelley (From “The Waiting Place”)
  29. Shootin’ Beer Cans Off My Fence—Travis Whitelaw (From “Beer…and Booty!”)
  30. Debout Les Morts— Mac Abbe’ et le Zombie Orchestra (From “Mac Abbe” et le Zombie Orchestra)
  31. Mad Men—Birth of Joy (From “Prisoner”)
  32. Particles—A Science Experiment (From “Particles”)
  33. On the Spot—The Dives (From “Magnificent Desolation”)
  34. Talkin’ ‘Bout Love—Rosewater (From “Shotgun Wedding”)
  35. Fault Line—Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (From “Hypnotic Eye”)
  36. City Slicker—Secret Colours (From “Positive Distraction”)
  37. Heartbeat—Jillian Rae (From “Heartbeat”)
  38. Dimestore Hearthrob—Black Pistol Fire (From “Hush or Howl”)
  39. Heartbeat—Linda Doherty (From “In a Heartbeat”)
  40. Get to the Sun—Secret Colours (From “Positive Distraction”)
  41. Shake It Off—Taylor Swift (From “1989”)
  42. Under Control—The Honeyrunners (From “EP II”)
  43. Black Gold—The Dan Sheehan Conspiracy (Single)
  44. Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore—Bill Grogan’s Goat (From “Second Wind”)
  45. See Ya Later Alligator—Mick Clarke (From “Crazy Blues”)
  46. Use Me Up—Lake Street Dive (From “Bad Self Portraits”)
  47. Just Like a Bird—Jan King and Medicine Ball (From “Dime”)
  48. Booty Call—Travis Whitelaw (From “Beer…and Booty!”)
  49. Let Her Down—Billy Brandt & The Sugaree’s (From “The Time Is Now”)
  50. Sunny Afternoon—Tripping Souls (From “Don’t Waste Your Life”)
  51. Wedding Day—Rosewater (From “Shotgun Wedding”)
  52. The Time Is Now—Billy Brandt and The Sugaree’s (From “The Time Is Now”)
  53. The Mind Is Dreaming of Us All—Jan King (From “Dime”)
  54. Had to Be Near You—Real Estate (From “Atlas”)
  55. Shadow—Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights (From “Good Egg!)
  56. Bad Self Portraits—Lake Street Dive (From Bad Self Portraits”)
  57. Through the Week—Bend Sinister (From “Animals”)
  58. All About That Bass—Megan Trainor (Single)
  59. Hold Me—The Honeyrunners (From “EP II”)
  60. Devil’s Delight—Mark Lavengood (From “No Part Of Nothin’)
  61. This Kind of Week—A Science Experiment (From “Particles”)
  62. Your Love Will Be My End—Of Clocks and Clouds (From “You”)
  63. C’que T’es Belle— Mac Abbe’ et le Zombie Orchestra (From “Mac Abbe” et le Zombie Orchestra)
  64. So Real—Simon Townshend (From “Denial”)
  65. Hangin’ On—Jillian Rae (From “Heartbeat”)
  66. Roadhouse Boogie Woogie—Duffy Kane (From “Dead Man Walkin’”)
  67. La Quete— Mac Abbe’ et le Zombie Orchestra (From “Mac Abbe” et le Zombie Orchestra)
  68. No Harm Blues—The Rich Hands (From “Out of My Head”)
  69. Food Fight—Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights (From “Good Egg!”)
  70. Just Like Fire Would—Bruce Springsteen (From “High Hopes”)
  71. Love Me Anyway—Jillian Rae From “Heartbeat”
  72. The Best of You—Bend Sinister (From “Animals”)
  73. Alcool— Mac Abbe’ et le Zombie Orchestra (From “Mac Abbe” et le Zombie Orchestra)
  74. While My Guitar Gently Weeps—Chris Emmerson (From “It’s So Easy From Far Away”)
  75. September—The Tripping Souls (From “Don’t Waste Your Life”)
  76. Muse—The Honeyrunners (From “EP II”)
  77. The Runnin’ Kind—Suzy Bogguss (From “Lucky”)
  78. Run Rabbit Run—Black Pistol Fire (From “Hush or Howl”)
  79. Let’s Go Outside—A Science Experiment (From “Particles”)
  80. Blank Space—Taylor Swift (From “1989”)
  81. Drank Beer, Got Drunk, Went to Jail—Travis Whitelaw (From “Beer…and Booty!”)
  82. L’Amour— Mac Abbe’ et le Zombie Orchestra (From “Mac Abbe” et le Zombie Orchestra)
  83. Seventeen—Lake Street Dive (From “Bad Self Portraits”)
  84. Perfect Day—Fathom Lane (From “Fathom Lane”)
  85. Germs—Joanie Leed and The Nightlights (From “Good Egg!”)
  86. Back On Track—David Reinstein (From “Welcome to the Planet”)
  87. Steady Light—Gladshot (From “Maxwell’s Cool Demon”)
  88. Young Love—Rosewater (From “Shotgun Wedding”)
  89. Longtime Boogie—Birth of Joy (From “Prisoner”)
  90. Baby Ruthless—Black Pistol Fire (From “Hush or Howl”)
  91. You Go Down Smooth—Lake Street Dive (From “Bad Self Portraits”)
  92. Smoked Ham Blues—Mick Clarke (From “Crazy Blues”)
  93. Radin—Mac Abbe’ et le Zombie Orchestra (From “Mac Abbe” et le Zombie Orchestra)
  94. Seventeen—Bend Sinister (From “Animals”)
  95. When We’re Older—Mia Dyson (From “Idyllwild”)
  96. George From Across the Street—A Science Experiment (From “Particles”)
  97. Thought Balloon—Gustafer Yellowgold (From “Wisdom of Tooth”)
  98. He Was Strange, But I Needed a Ride—Travis Whitelaw (From “Beer…and Booty!”)
  99. Weary Traveler—Ernest Troost (From “O Love”)
  100. Mosquito Girls—Gavin Mee (From “Meemantras”)

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Preface for The Hot 100 List of 2014!

Posted on January 11, 2015 by PhilMaq

When I was growing up, the thing that made the holidays tolerable was the year-end lists, usually a list of songs from 80 (CKLW) to 113 (WKNR). I would be riveted to the radio listening to the playback of songs to see where my favorites landed.

Now I get to do the same thing and that’s why I settled on 100 songs. This list could have easily been larger, but I thought a hundred was a nice round number. Just like the lists I listened to, some artists have multiple entries. That’s what I, as a listener, would expect from a good album. I’m not going to let you know the scientific method that I used to derive my list and, therefore, show how unbiased my list is. As a serious listener, I would find any list like that to be very disappointing. It wouldn’t have any heart. It’s the idiosyncrasies, to me, that makes a list interesting.

My list is biased and I’m proud of that fact. Why not? My thumb was on the scale when I selected the songs to play, so why shouldn’t that show through in my choices? But I put a lot of work into it. I estimate that I listened to, conservatively, approximately 2500 albums this year. Averaging 10 songs per album, that means that I’ve heard in the area of 25,000 songs. I think that’s more than most reviewers even attempt to listen to and is a pretty good sample size.

I estimate that I’ve listened to the songs on this list at least 100 times apiece. I find them to be fascinating and fun and amazing and so many other things. And the song itself is different from the process of making an album. A good song is a gem that needs to get a message across in usually 3 to 4 minutes. Most listeners these days won’t hang around even that long. But a good song is a good song is a good song! I have maintained lists throughout the year that show how I felt about what songs I’ve been listening to. There is a consistency here.

The one thing that I really, really like about this list that’s different from the lists I heard growing up: I like every song on this list!

If you like what you see, don’t forget to “like” my Facebook page!:

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Pre Show Wake: Joe Cocker, Bobby Keys, Little Jimmy Dickens, and Alberta Adams!!!

Posted on January 7, 2015 by PhilMaq

A lot of artists have passed away recently, so it only seems fitting to send them off in a big musical wake!

First up is Joe Cocker. The unique British singer got his biggest break when he toured with Leon Russell [Hall of Fame] as part of the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour (one of the first, that I can remember that actually had a name.) FM radio was inundated with tracks from this album for probably at least a year. As much as I liked The Box Tops’ version of “The Letter,” I was unprepared–and pleasantly surprised, when Joe’s version came out. Please note that the sax solo is performed by the legendary Bobby Keys–who played with everyone from Carly Simon to The Rolling Stones, who also is no longer with us!:

 

 

One of the funniest guys in Country Music over the past 60+ years was Little Jimmy Dickens. He seemed to be loved and appreciated by every performer, but he also had his own musical legacy. Here he is in his prime on “The Bobby Lord Show,” singing his big hit, “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose!:

 

 

 

I was lucky enough to see Alberta Adams the last time she played the “Concert of Colors” in 2010. It’s hard to believe she was 93 at the time. Alberta passed away on Christmas Day. She was always considered to be the Queen of Detroit Blues. Here she is doing a song written for her by Pat Proughty that pretty much summed up her feelings for the city that she spent most of her life. Here’s “Detroit is My Home.”:

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Countdown Pre Show Fun: Jillian Rae, Birth of Joy, and Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys!!!

Posted on December 31, 2014 by PhilMaq

One of the best vocals on any song this year is on Jillian Rae’s “Helpless” from her “Heartbeat” album. Here, she demonstrates that it wasn’t studio trickery that produced 0n an all out rocker:

“Birth of Joy” put out a phenomenal album called “Prisoner.” This band from The Netherlands turned the volume knob way past “11” on this one–at least to “15,” on Rock & Roll Show!”

 

 

 

Turning to the quieter side of this year’s countdown, Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys turn in their usual heartfelt performance on May Erlewine’s song, “The River Jordan.” The album is featured on the Michigan band’s EP, “Here Between.” I will never grow tired of them or this song!:

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Christmas Eve Fun: Deborah Allen, Jonathan Coulton, and Joe Bonamassa!!!

Posted on December 24, 2014 by PhilMaq

I always thought Deborah Allen looked pretty cute and hot in this sexy little Christmas song, “Rockin’ Little Christmas!” Still sounds pretty good and the sax solo is still pretty cool!:

“Chiron Beta Prime” by Jonathan Coulton is still a favorite around the Maq household. The video and music still makes me laugh!:

Joe Bonamassa has a new charity Christmas song and video this year, “Lonesome Christmas.” If you download it for free, Joe will contribute on your behalf to his favorite charity. Sounds like a great deal to me!:

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Rock and Soul Action: The Honeyrunners, Eric Burdon & The Animals, and…The Beatles!!!

Posted on December 17, 2014 by PhilMaq

Ok. I like to keep things upbeat and positive, but be forewarned that the next video, may not be what you’re used to seeing here. But it is impressive. Not since “Willie” by Nora Jane Struthers earlier in the year, have I picked such a dramatic video. I’m not quite sure I’ve figured it out, but don’t worry about that. Pay attention to the tight rocking grooves of The Honeyrunners on their song “Under Control!”:

Up next is more rock and soul from a band that were living examples of the term. Eric Burdon & The Animals put out this hypnotic track about the “Godfather” of all rock festivals: “Monterey.”[Greatest Song Ever Recorded] I don’t know that Eric Burdon ever looked better than he does in this video. Excellent video effects from the CBC show “Let’s Go!” Way ahead of its time!:

Another band that was pretty good at the rock and soul thing, (even though we don’t normally think of them that way, but they do have that R&B influence) have been celebrating a year long “observance” of “Beatlemania.” Well, at least, I have! Here’s a clip of The Beatles [Hall of Fame] doing one of my favorite songs at the time, “Tell Me Why.” {Greatest Song Ever Recorded] [Greatest Video] I particularly like the way the camera pans around the band and the viewer ends up pretty much in Ringo Starr’s (Newly elected to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!” Congratulations, Richie!)  drum seat. It’s like you get a chance to play along with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison! I love that shot! (Sorry for the abrupt ending on the video. It’s the best I could find.)

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