Phil’s Faves: Songs, September 28, 2014

Posted on October 20, 2014 by PhilMaq

This will be a weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best songs that I listened to the previous week. Most songs will be current, but there are no boundaries. I’ve already stated on this web site that I am obsessed with music. I am constantly hunting it down whether it’s online, on CD, from my personal collection, from a library (Yes, I think the library is a great source of music–especially for music that you aren’t sure about.), TV, or radio. Since most of these sources mostly emphasize new music, the odds are pretty good that most of the songs on this list will be new. But in my search, I don’t use any boundaries for the other sources. I am just looking for good music that I haven’t heard, or happened to forget about. Everyone, including myself, has forgotten way more great music than they can ever remember-even if they are also music fanatics.
Also, there will be no rules concerning songs on this list. A song can show up or drop off a number of times. This will be the most volatile of my lists. It all depends on how much music I am exposed to during the week and what I find interesting. On really obscure stuff, I will try to include the source, if I know it.

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Top Ten Songs for the Week of September 28, 2014

1. Kids Place—Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
2. Swingin’ the Night Away—Rosewater
3. Cement Shoes—Ruby Keeps Burning
4. Dime—Jan King and Medicine Ball
5. Fun With Hydrangeas—Gladshot
6. Hope for the Future—Paul McCartney
7. Summer of Ska—Bim Skala Bim
8. Radio Dream—The Orchids (with Jan King)
9. The Time Is Now—Billy Brandt & The Sugaree’s
10. This Time Around–Cane Corso (With Jan King)
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Phil’s Faves: Videos, September 28, 2014

Posted on October 19, 2014 by PhilMaq

This will be a weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best videos currently available on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus mostly on current or recent videos. For this category, I am also going to include any live performances on talk or variety shows that I see during the week.

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Top 10 Videos and Performances for the Week of September 28, 2014

1. Jan King Live on “Theme Attic” at WHFR Studio Jay, September 24, 2014, Dearborn, MI
2. Shake It Off—Taylor Swift
3. Somethin’ Bad—Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood
4. River Bank—Brad Paisley
5. Sky Full of Stars—Coldplay
6. All About That Bass—Megan Trainor
7. Day Drinking—Little Big Town
8. Habits—Tove Lo
9. Cool Kids—Echosmith
10. Black Widow—Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora (Just the video, NOT the song)

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Phil’s Faves; Albums, September 21, 2014

Posted on October 19, 2014 by PhilMaq

I’m starting a new list. Over time, my listening habits have changed and at the moment I usually listen to albums completely through. I haven’t done that in years, but it’s actually very rewarding—particularly when the album is good. Every album that will be on this list will fit that category. It may also give some insight as to what I might be playing in the near future on my radio show, “Theme Attic.” Once again, it’s another peak into my listening habits—which is a goal of mine. If you want to know where I’m heading or what I think about some new music, you will find it here.

I’m going to leave this particular intro at the beginning of this list up for awhile because my first few listings will be unfair to some of the albums on my list. Many of the albums on here would have had a pretty good run at the top for a good part of the year, but they are still on my mp3 player because they are far better than almost anything out there. I honestly don’t expect there to be much volatility on this list because these albums are what I have been basing many of the sets on my show.

Once again, there will be no boundaries. I will go wherever my musical muse takes me.

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Top 10 Albums for the Week of September 21, 2014

1. Shotgun Wedding—Rosewater
2. Particles—A Science Experiment
3. Dime—Jan King
4. Animals—Bend Sinister
5. The Rutles—The Rutles
6. Mac Abbe et le Zombie Orchestra—Mac Abbe et le Zombie Orchestra
7. Crazy Blues—Mick Clarke
8. Good Egg—Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
9. Beer…and Booty—Travis Whitelaw
10. Atlas—Real Estate

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Phil’s Faves: Songs, September 21, 2014

Posted on October 19, 2014 by PhilMaq

This will be a weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best songs that I listened to the previous week. Most songs will be current, but there are no boundaries. I’ve already stated on this web site that I am obsessed with music. I am constantly hunting it down whether it’s online, on CD, from my personal collection, from a library (Yes, I think the library is a great source of music–especially for music that you aren’t sure about.), TV, or radio. Since most of these sources mostly emphasize new music, the odds are pretty good that most of the songs on this list will be new. But in my search, I don’t use any boundaries for the other sources. I am just looking for good music that I haven’t heard, or happened to forget about. Everyone, including myself, has forgotten way more great music than they can ever remember-even if they are also music fanatics.
Also, there will be no rules concerning songs on this list. A song can show up or drop off a number of times. This will be the most volatile of my lists. It all depends on how much music I am exposed to during the week and what I find interesting. On really obscure stuff, I will try to include the source, if I know it.

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Top Ten Songs for the Week of September 21, 2014

1. Swingin’ the Night Away—Rosewater
2. Kids Place—Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
3. Fun With Hydrangeas—Gladshot
4. Cement Shoes—Ruby Keeps Burning
5. Summer of Ska—Bim Skala Bim
6. Dime—Jan King and Medicine Ball
7. Viva Mexico—Travis Whitelaw
8. Weary Traveler—Ernest Troost
9. Hope for the Future—Paul McCartney
10. The Time Is Now—Billy Brandt & The Sugaree’s
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Pre Show Fun: Gavin Mee!!!

Posted on October 15, 2014 by PhilMaq

Singer/songwriter Gavin Mee, from Ireland) visits with me in-studio on today’s show before his Trinity House (performance) tomorrow night! Here’s an animated video of “Mosquito Chicks” from his album “Meemantras”!!:

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Local Stars and International Fun: George Bedard, Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys, Mac Abbe et le Zombi Orchestra!!!

Posted on October 8, 2014 by PhilMaq

Ann Arbor guitar great George Bedard is presenting Volume 2 of his leisurely stroll through American music this Friday at The Ark calling it “From Delta Blues to Chicago Blues.” Last year’s show was my favorite concert of the year! Here’s a clip of George and pianist Daryl Davis performing “Cold, Cold, Feeling.” The song also features George’s longtime drummer extraordinaire, Rich Dishman, and Pat Prouty on bass. Although Daryl won’t be there this year, George will be performing this T-Bone Walker classic again during this year’s show!:

Another band with local connections has a show this Sunday night at Livonia’s Trinity House. Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys (Lindsay Lou, Joshua Rilko, Mark Lavengood, and PJ George), fresh off their successful Kickstarter campaign for their new album, “Ionia,” are always changing things up and are unafraid to play the “new stuff.” Here they are with one of those, “Show Me a Brick Wall”:

And now something for the holiday season (Halloween): I’ve been playing a French band called Mac Abbe et le Zombi Orchestra that likes to really put on a show when they play live! Here’s a song from their self titled album which came out a few months ago. It’s called “La Quete,” and it’s an upbeat swingin’ jazz number with a lot of references to American music–a mixture of styles just like all of the other songs on the album. It’s also tre cool!:

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Phil’s Faves: Videos, September 21, 2014

Posted on October 5, 2014 by PhilMaq

This will be a weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best videos currently available on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus mostly on current or recent videos. For this category, I am also going to include any live performances on talk or variety shows that I see during the week.

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Top 10 Videos and Performances for the Week of September 21, 2014

1. McCarty & Friends Open Jam With Jim McCarty, Emmanuel Garza, Marvin Conrad and Phil Maq, Sunday September 21, 2014 at The Blue Goose Inn, St. Clair Shores, MI
2. Shake It Off—Taylor Swift
3. River Bank—Brad Paisley
4. This Is How We Do—Katy Perry
5. Come Get It Bae—Pharell
6. All About That Bass—Megan Trainor
7. Sky Full of Stars—Coldplay
8. Somethin’ Bad—Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood
9. Roller Coaster—Luke Bryan
10. Black Widow—Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora (Just the video, NOT the song)

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Bringing the Big Beat: Viola Smith with Frances Carroll & Her Coquettes, Jan King and Medicine Ball, and The Beatles!!!

Posted on October 1, 2014 by PhilMaq

After last week’s show, Jan king, Tami (drummer for Medicine Ball), and myself continued to talk music for the next 90+ minutes before we wrapped things up. There was a trading of musical ideas and artists that typically happens when music people get together. One of the people that Tami recommended was this incredible drummer from the Big Band years who is still doing her thing! Viola Smith was one of the first female drummers pounding away on a drum set that would make most male drummers suffer from “drum set envy!” Here she is with Frances Carroll & Her Coquettes doing “Snake Charmer!”:
https://youtu.be/o5c_XZaArH4
Of course, it’s only right to show Tami and Jan King and Medicine Ball doing what they do best! Here the are on the blues classic, “Smoke Stack Lightning!”:

And since I know Jan King is a huge Beatles [Hall of Fame] fan, here’s “Thank You Girl(s),” as my way of saying “Thank you!” for being on my “Theme Attic” show!:

Posted in Hall of Fame, The Beatles, Video "Q"sings | Leave a comment

Phil’s Faves: Albums, September 14, 2014

Posted on September 28, 2014 by PhilMaq

I’m starting a new list and it’s long overdue. Over time, my listening habits have changed and at the moment I usually listen to albums completely through. I haven’t done that in years, but it’s actually very rewarding—particularly when the album is good. Every album that will be on this list will fit that category. It may also give some insight as to what I might be playing in the near future on my radio show, “Theme Attic.” Once again, it’s another peak into my listening habits—which is a goal of mine. If you want to know where I’m heading or what I think about some new music, you will find it here.

I’m going to leave this particular intro at the beginning of this list up for awhile because my first few listings will be unfair to some of the albums on my list. Many of the albums on here would have had a pretty good run at the top for a good part of the year, but they are still on my mp3 player because they are far better than almost anything out there. I honestly don’t expect there to be much volatility on this list because these albums are what I have been basing many of the sets on my show.

Once again, there will be no boundaries. I will go wherever my musical muse takes me.

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Top 10 Albums for the Week of September 14, 2014

1. Shotgun Wedding—Rosewater
2. Animals—Bend Sinister
3. Particles—A Science Experiment
4. Beer…and Booty—Travis Whitelaw
5. The Rutles—The Rutles
6. Dime—Jan King
7. Crazy Blues—Mick Clarke
8. Mac Abbe et le Zombie Orchestra—Mac Abbe et le Zombie Orchestra
9. Atlas—Real Estate
10. Good Egg—Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights

Posted in Phil's Faves: Albums | Leave a comment

Phil’s Faves: Songs, September 14, 2014

Posted on September 28, 2014 by PhilMaq

This will be a weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best songs that I listened to the previous week. Most songs will be current, but there are no boundaries. I’ve already stated on this web site that I am obsessed with music. I am constantly hunting it down whether it’s online, on CD, from my personal collection, from a library (Yes, I think the library is a great source of music–especially for music that you aren’t sure about.), TV, or radio. Since most of these sources mostly emphasize new music, the odds are pretty good that most of the songs on this list will be new. But in my search, I don’t use any boundaries for the other sources. I am just looking for good music that I haven’t heard, or happened to forget about. Everyone, including myself, has forgotten way more great music than they can ever remember-even if they are also music fanatics.
Also, there will be no rules concerning songs on this list. A song can show up or drop off a number of times. This will be the most volatile of my lists. It all depends on how much music I am exposed to during the week and what I find interesting. On really obscure stuff, I will try to include the source, if I know it.

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Top Ten Songs for the Week of September 14, 2014

1. Fun With Hydrangeas—Gladshot
2. Swingin’ the Night Away—Rosewater
3. Kids Place—Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
4. Summer of Ska—Bim Skala Bim
5. Lovin’ Heart—Mick Clarke
6. Cement Shoes—Ruby Keeps Burning
7. Steady Road—Mick Clarke
8. Gee Baby—Joe and Ann Taylor
9. Dime—Jan King
10. Tied Down to You—Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys
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