I’ve always liked this movie, Redford’s character as an incredibly driven loner from a small town, who is drawn to the spotlight and Europe is a good role for him – the cinematography of the skiing and small towns is incredible (filmed on location providing a great snapshot of small European towns circa 1969). I …
Month: November 2014
Should you brine your turkey if it’s been injected with a solution? No. Most turkeys in the grocery stores are injected now. This is something cooking shows rarely mention when they talk about brining. The only place I’ve seen it mentioned is the Amazing Ribs website: “Meat that is labeled ‘enhanced’ or ‘flavor enhanced’ or …
Powerpacked, feedback-overloaded, garage-born Seattle blues rock dynamo, My Goodness, have some upcoming shows. From the video above you can tell their live show features loud, angry rock from the good old days. Below is a stream of their recent album and below that is their cover of the Rod Stewart song, “Young Turks.” My Goodness …
Here’s a catchy little tune and a really likable voice. Rabbi Steven Blane has written an all-holiday-inclusive (Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa) tune and accompanies himself on the ukulele.
Toronto-based youth band Rebel Coast release their latest single, “Lonely Christmas” just in time for the holiday season. The song, written by the five band members; Curtis Smith, Kyle McVea, Ryan Hawken, Angelo Moretti and Amer Dhaliwal, serves as the first single from the band’s upcoming holiday EP, Home For The Holidays. Produced by the …
ARIANA GRANDE has delivered her brand new original holiday single, “Santa Tell Me”. Sunday, ARIANA lit up the stage at the 2014 American Music Awards in Los Angeles. First, she delivered a sizzling medley of hits including “Problem”, “Break Free”, and “Love Me Harder” with The Weeknd. Watch the stunning performance here. Then, ARIANA’s “Bang …
GENEVIÈVE BELLEMARE is yet another young Canadian-born woman who has moved down to LA to find success in the music biz. She lived in Oregon for a while (McMinnville by way of Corvallis and won Eugene band of the year several years ago as Voudoun Moi) and found a boyfriend and a guitarist here but …
America’s most musical family CIMORELLI have released their first-ever holiday EP, Christmas Magic [Awesomeness Music/Republic Records], on November 24 via all digital retailers. For this special collection, the six sisters interpreted five seasonal classics, seamlessly adding their own spirit to each. The EP arrives hot on the heels of their fifth and latest EP, Renegade, …
Jordan Klassen is a singer/songwriter with a pop sensibility and a soulful voice. According to his online bio, “Jordan Klassen is a leader of the Peter Pan generation: a comforting voice for the lost twentysomethings of the new millennium. Only difference is – he’s found his way. A seasoned songwriter from BC, Klassen views the …
This is precious. The email below rolled in to East Portland Blog this morning purporting to be real, but it must be a spoof or a Portlandia skit. The group’s video is above. This is too Portland even for Portland. To outward appearances, this is a crowd source funding campaign for a proposed hostel in …
This was released yesterday and every few hours it’s had a million more Youtube views. You gotta love the part where she dials her foot like a phone (2:35) and the “fresher than you” rant (3:20).
Listening to the new Robert Plant album Lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar and while it’s not nearly as captivating as 2010’s Band of Joy (which ranks with Plant’s best work ever) – this new one, at this stage in his nearly 50 year career is fairly fresh and different from previous work. Quality-wise, I’d slot …
In our church, it’s the local obstetrician who can be counted on to bless the congregation by singing a spirited version of this song during the Advent season. (My lovely wife and I call him “Dr. MaryDidYouKnow?” and have often marveled at his spectacular sports car in the congregational parking lot.) I’ve always assumed he …
Moms and Dads will remember this groove. Very 80s. Mucho irresistable.
Check out NYC-based soul-pop artist Shilpa Narayan and her newest video “Baby Go Home,” off her upcoming EP, set to release early 2015. Vibe Magazine named her “Artist to Watch,” while Carson Daly himself selected Shilpa’s submission for a chance to audition for The Voice.
I’m standing in front of the piece of paper on which David Bowie wrote his lyrics for “Heroes,” with tears falling down my face. This is a must see exhibit for anyone at all interested in the miracle of the creative process: David Bowie Is at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Sometimes when …
The Grammy and Billboard award-winning trumpeter and bandleader, Irvin Mayfield, has put out his first album of holiday music with A New Orleans Creole Christmas, a collection of timeless holiday classics reinterpreted by the widely-recorded cultural ambassador of New Orleans. With his 12th release on the New Orleans source for jazz, Basin Street Records, Mayfield …
Here’s a new song from Los Angeles singer/songwriter Hana Kim bringing to light human trafficking around the world and supporting Saving Innocence, a Los Angeles based nonprofit fighting against child trafficking. “Piece by piece you bought and sold / you’re trading me now in for gold / I was never yours to hold,” “Heaven Sees …
The new “Cat Stevens” album isn’t as good as I thought it would be – it’s about 20x times better! Also pleased to hear “Cat” questioning some of his spiritual beliefs and most surprising, blues music with the likes of Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica. And fellow traveler Richard Thompson makes an appearance. – Pat Thomas …
On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an unarmed 18 year old African American citizen of Ferguson Missouri, was shot multiple times in cold blood during daylight hours by a white police officer. The teen’s body laid in the street for FOUR hours because police labeled the shooting a crime scene instead of sending the victim …
From the soon to be released album, Avonmore. Sure, we’ve heard this from Bryan Ferry before, but it’s been a long time since we’ve heard the like of this. And the video is both posh and unnerving. At NPR.com, reviewer Tom Moon compares Avonmore favorably to the 1982 Roxy Music classic, Avalon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGl27SxsGgo
When I decided to write fiction set in the days of Charlemagne, I knew very little about the Middle Ages but was certain of one thing: medieval people didn’t bathe. I recall being told by teachers that the folk thought it was unhealthy. As an author, all I needed to decide was whether the characters …
Guy Pearce is a fantastic actor, one of the greats of the last quarter century. He was awe-inspiring as the playboy king in The King’s Speech and spot on as an ambitious detective in LA Confidential. Now the English-born Australian is bringing his talents to pop music with excellent– dare we say Roxy Music/Brian Ferry-influenced– …