“Q: Bombs: July 1, 2012

Posted on July 8, 2012 by PhilMaq

A “Q” Bomb, like an “H” bomb, will be my term for a music video that I consider to be subpar in music, video, or both. This will be a recurring weekly list that will focus on the worst videos that are currently on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus on solely on current or recent videos.
I hate to be so negative about music, but when an artist takes a “bad” song and then brings more attention to it by creating a “bad” video to support it, it will appear on this list. I honestly hope, and it could happen, that this list will be less than 10 items, but I have serious doubts that that possibility will happen. We are, after all, talking about an industry that uses art for huge profits. The companies can’t help themselves.
However, at this point, I will not do a 10 worst music list. I see absolutely no reason to waste time reemphasizing bad music. Once is enough.

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The reign of “Drive By” has ended! Not long live the “Payphone.”
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Worst Videos for the week of July 1, 2012

1. Payphone—Maroon 5 with Wiz Khalifa
2. Drunk on You—Luke Bryan
3. 5-1-5-0—Dierks Bentley
4. Springsteen—Eric Church
5. Over—Blake Shelton
6. Never Go Back—Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
7. Let’s Go—Calvin Harris and Ne-Yo
8. Scream—Usher
9. Wanted—Hunter Hayes
10. Titanium—David Guetta and Sia

1) “Payphone”—I have a feeling that this one is going to stay on top until it falls off. It’s just …bad……………………….
2) “Drunk on You”—Luke Bryan should thank Maroon 5 and Adam Levine for having a lousier video and song than he does………………….
3) “5-1-5-0”—Look. The actual footage of Dierks Bentley’s video is OK. The song is just stupid—and not in a good way…………………
4) “Springsteen”—I think I shall refrain from making any more disparaging remarks on this Eric Church video just because Bruce Springsteen’s name is involved. He can’t help who he inspires……………………………….
5) “Over”—I can’t believe that Blake Shelton didn’t watch the video for “Remind Me” by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood a zillion times since this video looks almost exactly like that one. Can we please leave Death Valley alone and use some other setting for new videos?
6) “Never Go Back”—Considering how much I like “Never Go Back” by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, the video is visually unsettling and upsetting…………….
7) “Let’s Go”—I think I’m just getting tired of dance songs and videos right now. The song isn’t bad………………………………
8) “Scream”—Ditto the explanation for “Let’s Go”………………………..
9) “Wanted”—I’m getting used to the song, so this Hunter Hayes video may be falling off soon………………
10) “Titanium”—Honestly, the same explanation as to why David Guetta’s video appears here is pretty much the same explanation as Nos. 7 & 8 on this list. “Titanium” just came out sooner than the other two………………………….
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Phil’s Faves: Songs, June 24, 2012

Posted on July 8, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal 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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“Pontoon” sits at the top of both of my faves lists! I just love it when all of the stars align!
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of June 24, 2012

1. Pontoon—Little Big Town
2. Wild Weekend—Tinsley Ellis & The Heartfixers
3. Turn Your Head—Savage Grace
4. Banjo—Rascal Flatts
5. Ridin’ With the King—John Hiatt
6. Never Go Back—Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
7. Angel Eyes—Love and Theft
8. The Garden Song—Pete Seeger
9. Give Your Heart a Break—Demi Lovato
10. Sunglasses—Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights

1) “Pontoon”—I like this Little Big Town song even without the video! Just like the old days!
2) “Wild Weekend”—This Tinsley Ellis doesn’t have the lo-fi charm of the original, but it sounds so GREAT!
3) “Turn Your Head”—This might be the last gasp for one of the greatest songs ever recorded! I don’t think this will be the last time it appears………………………
4) “Banjo”—This Rascal Flatts tribute has really made the first half of the year in music truly enjoyable!
5) “Ridin’ With the King”—The king just keeps rollin’ but this week may be the end for this John Hiatt blues blast!
6) “Never Go Back”—Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have put out a mid-tempo track that just sneaks up on you! The video is another story though………………..
7) “Angel Eyes”—I really like the Everly Brothers style harmony on this Love and Theft single!
8) “The Garden Song”—For the first time in many years, there is a garden in my back yard. This Pete Seeger song may have contributed to that happening!
9) “Give Your Heart a Break”—Demi Lovato has a very catchy melodic song that I really like!
10) “Sunglasses”—This is another one of those peppy wonderful upbeat pop songs that Joanie Leeds and The Nightlights pump out! This one is turning into a “simbie” for me!
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Phil’s Faves: Videos, June 24, 2012

Posted on July 7, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal 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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“Pontoon” by Little Big Town knocks off “Banjo,” but it was a clean fight, and both are worthy adversaries…………………………
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Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of June 24, 2012

1. Pontoon—Little Big Town
2. VH1 Storytellers—Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
3. Angel Eyes—Love and Theft
4. Banjo—Rascal Flatts
5. Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck—Kip Moore
6. Call Me Maybe—Carly Rae Jepsen
7. (Kissed You) Good Night—Gloriana
8. Give Your Heart a Break—Demi Lovato
9. Lights—Ellie Goulding
10. Good Girl—Carrie Underwood

1) “Pontoon”—Well, it’s about time! I know pontoons don’t go very fast, but this song took its time to officially make it to the top!
2) “VH1 Storytellers with Grace Potter & The Nocturnals”—Cool! I keep catching this when it’s on VH1. My second favorite performance is “Nothing But the Water!”
3) “Angel Eyes”—OK. I think I’m starting to understand this one now. The guy is taking out both of the preacher’s daughters and at the end the father is finally asking the guy, “What’s up, dude?” The guy, of course, can’t decide between the two.
4) “Banjo”—The honor of the banjo has been protected—just like in the video.
5) “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck”—I’m starting to like this Kip Moore video a lot. I think my brain cells are being warped by the excessive heat…
6) “Call Me Maybe”—Now, I’m curious if Carly Rae Jepsen has a follow up in her..
7) “(Kissed You) Good Night”—Gloriana’s new single and video is starting to burn a hole in my brain..
8) “Give Your Heart a Break”—I really like this Demi Lovato song and video!
9) “Lights”—The lights are absolutely ready to go out on this one for me even though it made it all the way to the top on VH1’s video list……………
10) “Good Girl”—Well, Carrie. Sometimes good isn’t good enough, but I really enjoyed this video!
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“Q” Bombs, June 24, 2012

Posted on July 7, 2012 by PhilMaq

A “Q” Bomb, like an “H” bomb, will be my term for a music video that I consider to be subpar in music, video, or both. This will be a recurring weekly list that will focus on the worst videos that are currently on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus on solely on current or recent videos.
I hate to be so negative about music, but when an artist takes a “bad” song and then brings more attention to it by creating a “bad” video to support it, it will appear on this list. I honestly hope, and it could happen, that this list will be less than 10 items, but I have serious doubts that that possibility will happen. We are, after all, talking about an industry that uses art for huge profits. The companies can’t help themselves.
However, at this point, I will not do a 10 worst music list. I see absolutely no reason to waste time reemphasizing bad music. Once is enough.

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“Drive By” sets the new record of 10 weeks on the “Q” Bombs list making it the worst video ever since I started doing this list. Thanks for sticking around..I think……..
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Worst Videos for the week of June 24, 2012

1. Drive By—Train
2. Why Ya Wanna—Jana Kramer (From CMT “Listen Up”)
3. Payphone—Maroon 5 with Wiz Khalifa
4. Springsteen—Eric Church
5. Drunk on You—Luke Bryan
6. The Fighter—Gym Class Heroes and Ryan Tedder
7. 5-1-5-0—Dierks Bentley
8. Wanted—Hunter Hayes
9. Burn It Down—Linkin Park
10. Titanium—David Guetta and Sia

1) “Drive By”—Well, Train hung around long enough to break the lousy record and I have to respect them for that. Prepare for the big drop off, though……………..
2) “Why Ya Wanna”—I can’t believe that another video would arrive that could be so inept as to challenge “Drive By,” “Payphone,” and “Springsteen,” but this one-dimensional borefest has the necessary ingredients………….
3) “Payphone”—OK. I’ll say something nice about this one this week. The woman in the video resembles Jan Smithers from “W.K.R.P. in Cincinnati.” I always liked her over Loni Anderson!
4) “Springsteen”—Ho, hum…………………
5) “Drunk on You”—Luke, Luke. I would much rather write good stuff about you. Give me something to work with, dude……………………
6) “The Fighter”—The workouts must be working for Gym Classs Heroes because “The Fighter” is getting better stamina…………….
7) “5-1-5-0”—I like Dierks Bentley, but come on. 5-1-5-0/Someone call the po-po. Dierks. What happened to ya, buddy?
8) “Wanted”—Hunter Hayes is now in the Top Ten on CMT. Why this one and not “Storm Warning?”
9) “Burn It Down”—Linkin Park’s new video appears to be pretty non-interesting………
10) “Titanium”—A precious metal but a not so precious video……………….
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Phil’s Faves: Songs, June 17, 2012

Posted on July 7, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal 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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“Banjo” has returned triumphantly one more time like Napoleon from Elba. That one lasted a hundred days. Rascal Flatts’ run will be a lot shorter………………………
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of June 17, 2012

1. Banjo—Rascal Flatts
2. Turn Your Head—Savage Grace
3. Wild Weekend—Tinsley Ellis & The Heartfixers
4. Pontoon—Little Big Town
5. Call Me Maybe—Carly Rae Jepsen
6. Ridin’ With the King—John Hiatt
7. Let the Rest of the World Go By—Jimmy Wakely
8. My Wife Thinks You’re Dead—Junior Brown
9. Never Go Back—Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
10. The Garden Song—Pete Seeger

1) “Banjo”—Well, whadayaknow? “Banjo” still had enough fight left to take the top spot one more time!
2) “Turn Your Head”—I’m so sad to see this one start to drop, but since part of the requirements of this list is that I have to have heard it during the week covered, and since I’m the only one playing this song, I knew going into this that it couldn’t have a long run. But “Turn Your Head” is still as GREAT as the day it was recorded!
3) “Wild Weekend”—I thought this one might have gone higher this week, but maybe my interest has peaked………………….
4) “Pontoon”—Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” seems to be taking its time getting in to the dock. I am perplexed.………………
5) “Call Me Maybe”—I don’t know. Carly Rae seems to be so cute, I almost hate having this song disappear. But cuteness can’t keep this one afloat. It may leave abruptly….
6) “Ridin’ With the King”—Yes! I didn’t know we’d be going for aride with John Hiatt and the king. This is a pleasant surprise!
7) “Let the Rest of the World Go By”—I am unfamiliar with Jimmy Wakely. The only thing I know about him is that he was a singing cowboy. But “Let the Rest of the World Go By” is one of the best songs ever written. (My dad said it was his favorite song, so I may be biased on this one. I don’t think I am.) The song is delivered in a very laid back waltz tempo and references going out west looking for a piece of land known only to God where you can start your family with the woman you love. For my dad, west happened to be Detroit, Michigan from Pennsylvania, but I think we all have a little bit of cowboy or cowgirl in us—especially if you’ve ever been on the prairies or mountains of the majestic west. This song can make me tear up for a lot of reasons. It sounds sentimental to begin with. But I also know it had the same effect on another guy in the same room when I was listening to it. So, the song is GOOD!
8) “My Wife Thinks You’re Dead”—Junior Brown has a deadpan singing delivery that fits this song perfectly! It’s about a happily married guy whose crazy ex-girlfriend shows up and he has to tell her to leave him alone because, among other things, he’s already told his wife she’s dead! The video for this song mimics a Harold Lloyd short and is just great!
9) “Never Go Back”—The first single from Grace Potter’s new album is very catchy. It reminds me of The Motels’ “Suddenly Last Summer,” but this one’s a jillion times better!
10) “The Garden Song”—This Pete Seeger song may be my favorite by him. I know. Out of so many choices, this is the one I would pick? Well, maybe it’s my favorite at the moment. The song is so peaceful and heartwarming even with Pete picking and strumming his banjo. (Hey! There it is again!) All I know is that when I listen to this song, I am transported to this garden where it is lovingly planted inch by inch. Many other artists have covered this song, especially for children. This one is the best of all of them!
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Phil’s Faves: Videos, June 17, 2012

Posted on July 6, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal 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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“Banjo” returns to the top one more time for what may be its final swansong! Let’s enjoy it while it’s in its full beauty!
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Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of June 17, 2012

1. Banjo—Rascal Flatts
2. Pontoon—Little Big Town
3. VH1 Storytellers—Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
4. Angel Eyes—Love and Theft
5. Call Me Maybe—Carly Rae Jepsen
6. Lights—Ellie Goulding
7. Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck—Kip Moore
8. Good Girl—Carrie Underwood
9. Give Your Heart a Break—Demi Lovato
10. Back in Time—Pitbull

1) “Banjo”—That CMT Awards performance gave me new respect for the video! Probably the last hurrah for the banjo—at least the video….
2) “Pontoon”—Little Big Town is movin’ up fast and breathing down the neck of the banjo. Get it. Banjo….neck… The banjo has a neck… Never mind.
3) “VH1 Storytellers with Grace Potter & The Nocturnals”—As much as I like this concept of the artist explaining the inspiration or events that lead to some of their own classic songs, very rarely do you learn anything that’s truly special from an artist. This hour long performance is the exception. Wearing a white suit, ala John Lennon, Grace Potter and the band go way beyond any perceived expectations. She wears her heart on her sleeve as she details old relationships that were turned into songs, spiritual studio experiences, and incredible background stories for the new album. I’ve already watched this show several times, and I will continue to watch it every time it’s on. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show where the artist just exposes herself or himself to such raw emotion. My favorite song is the title track to the new CD, “The Lion, The Beast, The Beat,” but there are plenty more to choose from.
4) “Angel Eyes”—Maybe it’s just me, but I just can’t figure this video out…yet I still like it! Does the preacher have two daughters—one wild, one tame? Is it the same daughter being two different people?
5) “Call Me Maybe”—Less and less people may be calling you now Carly, but I would!
6) “Lights”—The lights are still glowing strong on this Ellie Goulding vid!
7) “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck”—Yeah, this one is just a feel good summertime song!
8) “Good Girl”—Carrie is still going strong on CMT, but she’s coming to the end here……
9) “Give Your Heart a Break”—In this upside down and backwards kind of year, I can now admit that there is a Demi Lovato video and song that I like! Man, I hope I wake up soon where things are normal again………..
10)“Back in Time”—It’s so good to hear the opening guitar line from Ian & Sylvia’s “Love Is Strange” that mixing it with Pitbull and movie footage from MIB 3 seems like the right thing to do!
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“Q” Bombs: June 17, 2012

Posted on June 24, 2012 by PhilMaq

A “Q” Bomb, like an “H” bomb, will be my term for a music video that I consider to be subpar in music, video, or both. This will be a recurring weekly list that will focus on the worst videos that are currently on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus on solely on current or recent videos.
I hate to be so negative about music, but when an artist takes a “bad” song and then brings more attention to it by creating a “bad” video to support it, it will appear on this list. I honestly hope, and it could happen, that this list will be less than 10 items, but I have serious doubts that that possibility will happen. We are, after all, talking about an industry that uses art for huge profits. The companies can’t help themselves.
However, at this point, I will not do a 10 worst music list. I see absolutely no reason to waste time reemphasizing bad music. Once is enough.

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Nine weeks at the top for “Drive By” ties it with Gavin DeGraw for ineptness. Will it set a new record next week?
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Worst Videos for the week of June 17, 2012

1. Drive By—Train
2. Payphone—Maroon 5 with Wiz Khalifa
3. Springsteen—Eric Church
4. Why Ya Wanna—Jana Kramer (From CMT “Listen Up”)
5. Drunk on You—Luke Bryan
6. The Fighter—Gym Class Heroes and Ryan Tedder
7. Wanted—Hunter Hayes
8. Safe and Sound—Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars
9. Titanium—David Guetta and Sia
10. Burn It Down—Linkin Park

1) “Drive By”—There is big movement downward for Train and that means there’s hope this video and song will disappear. I wonder if it will happen before they break a record………
2) “Payphone”—Alright. I keep coming back to the part of the video where he has his stolen race car in the desert and he can’t outrace a group of police cars!(?) Really? Where did you learn how to storyboard videos from? The guys who did the plots for Elvis Presley’s race car movies? I take that back. I actually liked “Viva Las Vegas” and “Spinout!” and Maroon 5’s video can’t stand up to either of those. And those were made in the payphone era. I’m sorry. I’m just rambling now…………………….
3) “Springsteen”—Well, a bad video droped off so Eric Church moves back up……….
4) “Why Ya Wanna”—If they had done this video with cardboard cutouts, it probably would have been more interesting…and allegorical……………..
5) “Drunk on You”—OK. I made the mistake of trying to reassess this Luke Bryan video again. Maybe I was being too harsh on it. Then I heard the line about “you make my speakers go boom boom” and I started to think I’ve been too easy on it! So, here we go again…………….
6) “The Fighter”—Gaining in popularity, but Gym Class Heroes have done way better stuff……….
7) “Wanted”—Hunter Hayes continues to move up and I’m happy for him. I just don’t like this video…………………..
8) “Safe and Sound”—The Civil Wars and Taylor Swift are fading now. Woo-hoo!!!
9) “Titanium”—David Guetta and Sia team up for an overblown video……..
10) “Burn It Down”—I haven’t seen this one enough, but my initial reaction is negative……..
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Phil’s Faves: Songs, June 10, 2012

Posted on June 24, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal 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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Turn the clock back. Savage Grace rules my faves list this week and it has an incredible group of songs to surround it!
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of June 10, 2012

1. Turn Your Head—Savage Grace
2. Banjo—Rascal Flatts
3. Wild Weekend—Tinsley Ellis & The Heartfixers
4. Call Me Maybe—Carly Rae Jepsen
5. Pontoon—Little Big Town
6. I Know You By Heart—Eva Cassidy
7. Ridin’ With the King—John Hiatt
8. Ships in the Night (Live)—Be Bop Deluxe
9. Linda Paloma—Jackson Browne
10. Over You—Miranda Lambert

1) “Turn Your Head”—I have been hooked on this classic since I heard it again! Of course, an incredible live performance by the current version of the band at The Magic Bag in Ferndale didn’t hurt it! The band did an amazing ensemble performance! If Savage Grace (Detroit Band featuring Al Jacquez) ever shows up at your town, run to see them!
2) “Banjo”—I thought that maybe the banjo might regain the top spot one more time, but I think that competition is going to start forcing this one down…………
3) “Wild Weekend”—I did not expect to have this song on the list for more than a week, but just like last year’s “Nut Rocker” by George Bedard, this Tinsley Ellis remake is hitting a nerve with me!
4) “Call Me Maybe”—I think this song stayed around longer than it probably should have just because Carly Rae Jepsen seems to have a universal appeal that cuts across demographics.
5) “Pontoon”—Ah, this Little Big Town sleeper will probably end up being my favorite song for the summer!
6) “I Know You By Heart”—This is the penultimate Eva Cassidy song, and it can make me cry every time I hear it. The vocal has so much emotion as it ebbs and flows between almost whispers to full throated sustains! The arrangement is perfect with muted background gospel humming, acoustic guitar, and a string arrangement that reminds me of “Long, Long, Time” by Linda Ronstadt. Her voice flits about like a butterfly in a meadow that goes to each flowered note sipping nectar. Sometimes she stays on this flower a little longer than you’d expect and just grazes the next one. It’s only the wind of the melody that pushes her along. I cry because Eva’s voice is so beautiful and it’s so unfortunate that she died so young from an untimely illness. (You can look it up if you want to. I only want to write about her music.) I don’t know that she would have been hugely successful, but I think she would have had a long career. I can only dream about the duets that never happened or the songs she didn’t sing. I hope to see her some day, if that is possible. Until then, we’re left with her beautiful songs that she made and released before they were even finished—but I know her by heart, and this one’s the best!
7) “Ridin’ With the King”—Nick Lowe’s thick fat funky bass line that anchors this song and pushes the boundary of acceptable recording limits like The Beatles and Paul McCartney did with “Paperback Writer” is only part of the greatness of this John Hiatt tribute about Elvis Presley! The first several times I heard it, I thought he was black—so obviously, great vocals! The song is punctuated by great full organ work! You can tell it was pretty much an open jam. Eric Clapton and B.B. King covered it years later and changed some of the words, thereby altering its effect. The original raw version is where it’s at! Proceed brothers!
8) “Ships in the Night (Live)”—Taken from Be Bop Deluxe’s “Live in the Air Age” album, this version updates an earlier forced sounding studio track. This one moves much faster and has a slight ska feel to it. Not only does it feature Bill Nelson’s swirling guitar riffs but there is room at the end for a very nice keyboard solo. This is probably my favorite live track by the band and it makes me wish I had seen them in person!
9) “Linda Paloma”—Buried amidst some great songs on the Jackson Browne’s classic “The Pretender” album you’ll find a very mariachi-flavored song about someone named Linda Paloma. The narration takes it time pulling the listener in. You know you’re lost in the song if when he gets to the part where he describes the wind, you can feel the desert breeze as the fiddles simulate it. The song is constantly punctuated by some great harp work—the classical kind. The song builds as Linda Paloma (the Mexican dove), prepares to fly away. Jackson tries to reach up to keep her as the notes keep going higher. Beautiful!
10) “Over You”—Wow! This song should feel honored for being considered in this group.
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Phil’s Faves: Videos, June 10, 2012

Posted on June 23, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal 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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It’s the battle of the century: Banjos vs. Pontoons. Well, not exactly. But two versions of each video show up on this week’s list knocking poor Carly Rae Jepsen from the top spot. But I’m sure she’s getting a lot of phone calls now……………………
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Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of June 10, 2012

1. Pontoon—Little Big Town on CMT Awards Show
2. Banjo—Rascal Flatts on CMT Awards Show
3. Banjo—Rascal Flatts
4. Pontoon—Little Big Town
5. Call Me Maybe—Carly Rae Jepsen
6. Lights—Ellie Goulding
7. Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck—Kip Moore
8. Angel Eyes—Love and Theft
9. Good Girl—Carrie Underwood
10. The Goat Rodeo Sessions Live on PBS

1) “Pontoon”—Wow! This was a difficult decision to make. I thought both performances by Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts at the CMT Awards Show were exceptional, but I chose “Pontoon” because of the impressive stage setting creating a vibe where you actually felt like you were on a pontoon with the band!
2) “Banjo”—Ashley Campbell, Glen Campbell’s daughter, traded her lacy white dress in for a hot red one and proved to everybody that doubted her banjo ability that she actually could play. This call was so close but I downgraded the performance because Rascal Flatts dumped Ashley in mid-song and finished the show doing “Don’t Stop Believin’” with Journey and its mini Steven Perry clone. Bad choice….
3) “Banjo”—I have even more renewed apreciation for the banjo after the CMT Awards show!
4) “Pontoon”—I didn’t think that Little Big Town could come out with a video that could make me forget “Little White Church” so fast. Happily, I was wrong!
5) “Call Me Maybe”—As I predicted, I think this video is going to fall pretty fast when the novelty wears off. But for now Carly Rae is in pretty good shape.
6) “Lights”—It falls a little more this week, but I still like watching it!
7) “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck”—Now that Easton Corbin’s video has disappared, Kip Moore’s song gets to corner the market on videos where a silly but beautiful woman dances around while the country singer does his song.
8) “Angel Eyes”—Just hooked into this one. It’s definitely a good song and the video seems…interesting!
9) “Good Girl”—Eventually, even a good Carrie Underwood video will have to fall off the list……….
10)“The Goat Rodeos Sessions Live on PBS”—I accidentally stumbled upon this show on Sunday afternoon. This basically was a live performance of one of the best “classical” albums from last year. The band consists of Stuart Duncan, Chris Thile (The Punch Brothers), Edgar Meyer, and Yo-Yo Ma. It’s an interesting mixture of classical and bluegrass as well as structured versus improvised song interpretation. Yo-Yo Ma, for example has to have his material written out and does not “jam.” The performance was filmed before a very enthusiastic crowd who “got it.” One of my favorites, “Here and Heaven,” features Aoife O’Donovan on vocals performing a haunting Appalachian song that The Civil Wars could learn from on how to do them right.
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“Q” Bombs: June 10, 2012

Posted on June 16, 2012 by PhilMaq

A “Q” Bomb, like an “H” bomb, will be my term for a music video that I consider to be subpar in music, video, or both. This will be a recurring weekly list that will focus on the worst videos that are currently on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus on solely on current or recent videos.
I hate to be so negative about music, but when an artist takes a “bad” song and then brings more attention to it by creating a “bad” video to support it, it will appear on this list. I honestly hope, and it could happen, that this list will be less than 10 items, but I have serious doubts that that possibility will happen. We are, after all, talking about an industry that uses art for huge profits. The companies can’t help themselves.
However, at this point, I will not do a 10 worst music list. I see absolutely no reason to waste time reemphasizing bad music. Once is enough.

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“Drive By” stays on top for an eighth week. Two oldies but baddies drop off but two more take their place……………
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Worst Videos for the week of June 10, 2012

1. Drive By—Train
2. Payphone—Maroon 5 with Wiz Khalifa
3. I Won’t Give Up—Jason Mraz on VH1 Storytellers
4. Springsteen—Eric Church
5. Safe and Sound—Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars
6. Brokenhearted—Karmin
7. The Fighter—Gym Class Heroes and Ryan Tedder
8. Wanted—Hunter Hayes
9. Drunk on You—Luke Bryan
10. Why Ya Wanna—Jana Kramer (From CMT “Listen Up”)

1) “Drive By”—Train are stuck in a loop and continue to go around the block………
2) “Payphone”—What is Adam Levine’s next big song about? “Popcorn Popper?” “I have the oil and the popcorn/ Now where’s the popper?”
3) “I Won’t Give Up”—Please give up…………….just the video………..
4) “Springsteen”—So cruel to keep hanging around…………..
5) “Safe and Sound”—Hopefully, this graveyard lullabye will go to sleep..forever………
6) “Brokenhearted”—Wow. A big fall this week. Here’s hopin’………………..
7) “The Fighter”—Doesn’t do anything for me…………..
8] “Wanted”—Personally, I want this Hunter Hayes video to disappear………
9) “Drunk on You”—I’m way past tired of writing stuff for this one……….
10) “Why Ya Wanna”—The original video for this Jana Kramer song is cute and colorful. The pedestrian live performance is dull and boring……
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