Norah Jones really is friggin' cool

the Grammy's are usually so lame-o. Occasionally, they get it right. Norah Jones is one of those artists who got props from the musical establishment. She deserved it. Her music was classy, accessible without being schmaltzy or purely an exercise in histrionics. She isn't the Jimi Hendrix of pop music, but she proves that timeless, good music sometimes does get recognized by the mainstream. Her first album was divine pop/country/folk that translates across all age groups. That in itself is worth of celebrating. Simply put, her music will hold up for many years to come. She isn't god's gift to music, but she makes classy, memorable music. Embrace it naysayers!! Her last album really wasn't that good, i recognize. The first two are great. Until the next album sucks, I will not bad mouth Norah Jones.

Norah Jones -- Wish I could

Wish I could

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New York was Great

When I'm in New York, the Flatiron district is sort of my unofficial home base. Having relocated to Boston from the Naptown, my closer proximity to the Big Apple has given me the opportunity to visit more often. Here's a couple of thoughts i had had.

The juxtaposition of the cleanest water and the finest food combined with the dirtiest streets...this city needs a trash czar. (Walking my dog down 6th Avenue Rockie's coat became the lighter shade of gray in roughly 4.3 seconds.) And stay the hell away from anywhere near Times Square just after Christmas, it is clusterfuck of gigantic proportions.

Every Raveonettes album has its share of rock-solid mid-tempo pop-rock tunes with a snappy rhythm combined with evocative lyrics and vocals. "New York was Great" is representative of those midtempo rockers.

The Raveonettes -- New York was Great

New York was Great

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Bon Iver -- Your Love

My brother and editor-at-large, Jacob, is a huge fan of the Bon. A couple of weeks ago, a good friend of mine invited me and the wifey to see Bon Iver at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston. I had seen them open earlier in the year for Naptown's finest (and unfortunately named), Margot & the Nuclear So and So's. And they were good, but at the sold-out Boston show I saw a band, no longer an opening act, they had added two extra band members and showed far more self-confidence. In short, Bon Iver are a band on the rise, and the crowd adored them. Apparently, they've been covering "Your Love" at lot of shows recently, and, while the original is pretty damn cheesy, Bon Iver polished it up and made it sound beautiful and wistful again.

http://hoovesontheturf.com/200812/bon-ivers-the-outfield/ (The blog where i got this tune requested that his site be posted along with the song or else i be cursed. And I don't need that kind of bad karma in this economic downturn.)

Bon Iver -- Your Love (Live from Williamsburg, VA)

Your Love (Bon Iver covered this '80's hit at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 12, 2008)

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HAPPY CHANUKAH DAY 3 FROM THE SHIMM DOT COM

Albert Einstein once said, "The third day of Hanukah is obviously my
favorite night of Chanukah. Mrs. Einstein gets so randy."

R.E.M. -- Murmur

R.E.M. are revered, and rightfully so, for their singular, brilliance in the first 8 years of their career. While R.E.M. would produce some great albums and produce a bevy of great singles, I agree with the critical consensus which says it never got better than Murmur. Anyone that ever bought this album in middle school or high school likes to think they "found" it. Still, it begs for more attention. It defined indie-rock and reflected pop and folk music of yesteryear. Derivative? Maybe, but R.E.M.'s Murmur was the pinnacle achievement of D.I.Y. indie-rock movement of the 1980's.

R.E.M. -- Murmus Reissue

We Walk

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R.E.M. -- Murmus Reissue

Shaking Through

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Spiritualized -- Baby I'm Just a Fool

Spiritualized are one of several dozen bands that would not exist if the Velvet Underground had never come around. Spiritualized's heroin/Jesus/pop/blues/painful withdrawal equals mental clarity obsessions bear a tangential similarity to the Velvets. Simply put, lead singer and guitarist Jason Pierce's bands Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized have produced some of the finest experimental rock of the 1990's. The pinnacle was likely Spiritualized 's Ladies and Gentlemen were Floating in Space and their subsequent Live from Royal Albert Hall. They were some of the most important albums I purchased in college and remain vital to this day. Spiritualized's newish album Songs in A&E isn't exactly a return to form. In truth, it's a bummer of an album with few transcendent moments. "Baby I'm Just a Fool" just recently caught my attention and reminds me why I liked Spiritualized--it's a lil' depraved and alternately religious but its tuneful. In the end, if it's not tuneful, i would not post it on theShimm. You, dear reader, know that of course. Give this song 45 seconds maybe a minute you'll know what I'm talking about. Happy Chanukah day 2.

Spiritualized -- Baby I'm Just a Fool

Baby I'm Just a Fool

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Happy Chanukah from TheShimm

The music posted doesn't have much to do with Chanukah or Hanukah or Hanukkah, but "That's What Counts" has been kickin' around my iPod for at least a half a year and kind of got ignored (like many artists towards on my iPod toward the end of the alphabet unless they coms up on the shuffle). And finally "That's What Counts" came up on the shuffle enuf times to get my attention. And now I am digging it. Are those faux-horns? Well, i dunno but i dig it. And the vocals reminds me slightly of Squeeze, which is one of the slightly unsung (on this side of the pond, anyways) New Wave-pop-rock bands of the 1980's. Great tune, check it out.

We are Scientists -- That's What Counts

That's What Counts

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Hot Shimm! Best Songs of 2008

"Worst...list...ever"

73. "Touch me I'm going to scream Pt. 1" -- My Morning Jacket
72. "Rooibus/Palm Wine Drinkard" -- The Stills
71. "Papercut Hearts" -- Jason Collett
70. "Good Days Bad Days" -- Kaiser Chiefs
69. "I'm Yours" -- Jason Mraz*
68. "You Dress Up the Armageddon" -- The Hives
67. "Stella Hurt" -- Elvis Costello & the Imposters
66. "Charity Case" -- Gnarls Barkley
65. "Hercule's Theme" -- Hercules & Love Affair
64. "Another Day" -- Jamie Lidell
63. "In the Rushes" -- Islands
62. "Reflecting" -- Kelley Stoltz
61. "The Ark" -- Dr. Dog
60. "Down to the Market" -- the Kooks
59. "Meeting Place" -- The Last Shadow Puppets
58. "White Winter Hymnal" -- Fleet Foxes
57. "31 Today" -- Aimee Mann
56. "Plasticities Remix" -- Andrew Bird
55. "Ghost of York" --As Tall as Lions
54. "Modern Guilt" -- Beck
53. "Hiroshima (BBB Benny hit head)" -- Ben Folds
52. "American Boy" -- Estelle feat. Kanye West
51. "Fractured Air (Tornado Watch)" -- Calexico
50. "Strawberry Swing" -- Coldplay
49. "Herring Bone" -- Department of Eagles
48. "Move" -- Q-Tip
47. "Take Me Back to the City" -- Snow Patrol
46. "Man-Sized Wreath" -- R.E.M.
45. "Fix It" -- Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
44. "Big Easy" -- Raphael Saadiq
43. "Self Portrait with Electric Brain" -- Stereolab
42. "Gettin Up" -- Q-Tip
41. "Daisy Click Clack" -- Stereolab
40. "A Manner to Act" -- Ra Ra Riot
39. "Ol' Blackbird" -- The Moondoggies
38. "First Light" -- Matt Pond PA
37. "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out" --- Mayor Hawthorne & the County
36. "One hundred yard dash" -- Raphael Saadiq
35. "Sex on Fire" -- Kings of Leon
34. "Music Moves My Feet" -- Liam Finn
33. "Never Miss a Beat" -- the Kaiser Chiefs
32. "Sour Thumb" -- Fujiya & Miyagi
31. "Ballantines" -- Aimee Mann
30. "What is Happening" -- The Alphabeats
29. "Please Don't Stop the Music" -- Rihanna
28. "Stolen Shoes & a Rifle" -- Blitzen Trapper
27. "The Contender" -- Menahan Street Band
26. "Viva La Vida" -- Coldplay
25. "I never want to go home" -- The Whigs
24. "Gamma Ray" -- Beck
23. "God & Suicide" -- Blitzen Trapper
22. "No one like you" -- Al Green
21. "Down the Mountain" -- Annuals
20. "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" -- Radiohead
19. "Al Eluardian Instance" -- Of Montreal
18. "Mirando" -- Ratatat
17. "I woke up today" -- Port O'Brien
16. "Dying is Fine" -- Ra Ra Riot
15. "Shiller" -- Ratatat
14. "Baby I'm just a Fool" -- Spiritualized
13. "Too Much Too Often" -- Phantom Planet
12. "I will possess your heart" -- Death Cab for Cutie
11. "Wannabe in L.A." -- Eagles of Death Metal
10. "Being Here" -- The Stills
9. "17" -- Kings of Leon
8. "Reckoner" -- Radiohead
7. "Time to Pretend" -- MGMT
6. "Oh, La" -- Ra Ra Riot
5. "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" -- Vampire Weekend
4. "Id Engager" -- Of Montreal
3. "Long Time Coming" -- The Moondoggies
2. "No one does it like you" -- Department of Eagles
1. "Family Tree" -- TV on the Radio
0. "Mykonos" -- Fleet Foxes
-1. "Something More" -- Kelley Stoltz

This list is bound to be incomplete and possibly infuriate. I know it was the year of Lil' Wayne, but it wasn't for me.

*in a subway station in Boston, some young, college-aged busker was playing guitar and singing "I'm Yours." At that moment, i realized that "I'm Yours" was one of the songs that even grandmas like. The song is great, but Mraz's scatting is totally unnecessary, annoying and cheesy and sort of ruins the experience for me. But if I was a contestant on American Idol and had the right kind of voice, "I'm Yours" might be the song I'd sing. Or maybe if i was trying to sell dockers or soap, "I'm yours" might be song. But please, pretty please, Mr. Mraz, never scat again. Quit ruining a perfectly mediocre song with whatever you call that dogshit vocal improvisation you're doing.

First Annual Best Music of 2008 List

Top 42 Albums of 2008
42. Islands -- Arm's Way
41. Eagles of Death Metal -- Heart On
40. Menahan Street Band -- Make the Road By Walking
39. Stereolab -- Chemical Chords
38. John Mayer -- Where the Light Is -- Live in Los Angeles
37. Sea and Cake -- Car Alarm
36. Wye Oak -- If Children
35. Young Knives -- Superabundance

34. The Whigs -- Mission Control
33. The Kooks -- Konk
32. 28% of My Morning Jacket's Evil Urges
31. Liam Finn -- I'll Be Lightning
30. Dr. Dog -- Fate
29. Matt Pond PA -- The FreeEP
28. Beck -- Modern Guilt
27. Kelley Stoltz -- Circular Sounds
26. The Last Shadow Puppets -- The Age of the Understatement
25. Ra Ra Riot -- Self Titled EP
24. Thievery Corporation -- Radio Retaliation
23. Aimee Mann -- F%#kin' Smilers
22. Coldplay -- Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
21. Phantom Planet -- Raise the Dead
20. Q Tip -- The Renaissance
19. Helio Sequence -- Keep Your Eyes Ahead
18. Studio -- Yearbook 2
17. Blitzen Trapper -- Furr
16. What Made Milwaukee Famous -- What Doesn't Kill Us
15. Kaiser Chiefs -- Off With Their Heads
14. The Virgins -- Self Titled
13. Raphael Saadiq -- The Way I See It
12. Ratatat -- LP3
11. TV on the Radio -- Dear Science
10. Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm -- A Black Man's Soul
9. Ra Ra Riot -- The Rhumb Line
8. Fleet Foxes -- Sun Giant EP
7. The Moondoggies -- Don't Be a Stranger
6. Annuals -- Such Fun
5. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin -- Pershing
4. Department of Eagles -- In Ear Park
3. Vampire Weekend -- Self Titled
2. Fleet Foxes -- Self Titled
1. Radiohead -- In Rainbows

Young Rival

Young Rival hails from Hamilton, Ontario, which makes them Canadian. Uber-blog Stereogum.com raved about this band in July of this year. I'm just starting to sing their praises now. It's indie rock, nothing too crazy. While the term indie rock continues to evolve (or devolve into meaninglessness), "4:15" (a.m. i presume) is production-wise, somewhat of a throwback, reminding of me of early Sebadoh albums, but the dreary-gray pall of the production befits its song title. The vocals and the songs themselves are vaguely reminiscent of current British bands like Ambulance Ltd.

Young Rival -- 4:15

4:15

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Jay Z with the Dap Kings

check this out. this is sick shimm! you will not be disappointed.

Jay Z with the Dap Kings -- 99 Problems

99 Problems

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Allston, Mass's finest instrumental funk-afro-beat band

"....Who knew lurking in this crusty section of Beantown ten white dudes would form the finest soul-funk-afro-beat instrumental orchestra the residents of Allston, Massachusetts would ever know...Wayne Manor...Yowza!"

--overheard somewhere in Boston

The Macrotones -- Hitchin' to Bristol

Hitchin' to Bristol

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The Macrotones -- Book It!

Book It!

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Week in Review Still on Hiatus: Finals Suck

I'm struggling to find some new music worth posting. But in order to keep you guys coming back for more, I gots to post something. Allen Toussaint is perhaps not even the in the top 5 of New Orleans music legends, but he's my favorite (anybody from the Big Easy read this blog and care to comment on that statement.) While he may not be a household name outside of New Orleans, his influence during the 70's was quite pronounced. Back then, he was the producer if you wanted that sweet Nawleans soul-funk sound. "Goin' Down" is one of my favorites. On a cold-a$$ winter day like this one, let Mr. Toussaint warm up your boogie shoes. Allen Touissaint is one of those artists that deserves another day in the sun. This shimm is just too much fun.

Allen Toussaint -- Goin' Down

Goin' Down

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Great Lake Swimmers

This "Bodies and Minds" single came out in 2005, but it feels so fresh, fresh to these ears anyways.

Great Lake Swimmers -- Bodies and Minds

Bodies and Minds

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Raphael Saadiq -- Kelly Ray

Raphael Saadiq's The Way I See It is quite simply a fine soul album. Perhaps inspired by his Dap-Kings backing band (solidifying their status as finest backing band, bar none), there are three different versions with bonus tracks on each. "Kelly Ray" comes off the iTunes version. "Kelly Ray" sounds like some long-lost Al Green b-side from the mid-70's. And the lyrics fit the music, instead of raunchy R. Kelly-esque pillow talk, Saadiq's talking about holding Kelly Ray's hand for the first time. Kind of amazing this album isn't being sold at Starbucks right now in time for the holiday season, or is it?

Raphael Saadiq -- Kelly Ray

Kelly Ray

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New Matt Pond PA

The FREEEP is Matt Pond PA's gift to its fans--as it's name suggests, it's available for free on their website http://www.mattpondpa.com/?page_id=41. Matt Pond PA are extremely prolific, and sometimes that's not always a good thing. Or it's too much of the same thing. "First Light" off The Freeep is one of the best MPPA tunes i've heard in some time. I'm keeping posts short this week as I need to study for finals. But if you are too lazy to download the whole mini-album or have become jaded about the prospect of listening to another MPPA album, then download "First Light."

Matt Pond PA -- First Light

First Light

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