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  • They Put Me In The Mix – JSlow 6: A New Beginning

    JSlow 6 means one thing for me. It means the birth of my first son Brian. The year was 1999. This was also the first JSlow that wasn’t recorded on audio tape. My wife at the time bought me a CD recorder.

    But back to Brian for a second. As I reflect back to when he was born, it really seems fantasy-like. It’s like he was born, and now he’s 9 years old. Where did all the time go? We have a pretty special relationship and he always knows how to put me in the right mood. I hope I do the same for him.

    Who knew Lark Voorhies was in this video?

    JSlow 6: A New Beginning (circa late 1999)

    1. Crazy Over You – 112
    2. One Day You’ll Be Mine – Usher
    3. My Love Is Your Live – Whitney Houston
    4. Silly Man – Tony Rich
    5. Don’t Rush (Take Love Slowly) – K-Ci & JoJo
    6. Right Here Waiting – Monica featuring 112
    7. These Are The Times – Dru Hill
    8. If You’re An Angel – Tony Rich
    9. Angel – Sarah McLachlan
    10. Ex Factor – Lauryn Hill
    11. When A Woman’s Fed Up – R. Kelly
    12. Never Say Never – Brandy
    13. Show Me The Way To Your Heart – Brian McKnight
    14. Ribbon In The Sky – Stevie Wonder
    15. Half On A Baby – R. Kelly
    16. To Zion – Lauryn Hill

    It’s funny looking back at these tapes and seeing what I was listening to back then. I’m not sure that I’ve listened to Monica’s version of Right Here Waiting in years. And that might’ve been the last Whitney Houston song that I liked.

    • Two Tony Rich songs? Dude was talented, but still, two Tony Rich songs?
    • Usher would go on to cut at least 10 slow jams that were better than this one.
    • That Sarah McLachlan song threw me for a loop. I forgot I had some SM on my slow jam tapes.
    • Man, when do the R. Kelly songs end on my tapes?
    • But at least I found a way to add some more Stevie.
    • Look at your career they said, Lauryn baby use your head, but instead I chose to use my heart.

      To Zion – Lauryn Hill (Featuring Carlos Santana)

    The next JSlow was a Jodecidal JSlow.

    Previous JSlows
    Jam Slow
    JSlo 3
    JSlow 4
    JS5 (JSlow 5)

  • Listen To Sonic Clash Radio – Episode 1

    Money Mike and I did a “test run” for Sonic Clash Radio, which is our foray into the world of podcasting. Just remember that it’s a test run. But we had a ton of fun and hope to do more episodes in the future.

    If you have any thoughts about the show in general, drop us a comment. Is the audio too low? Can you hear us clearly? Does it move too fast, too slow? What do you want to hear us talk about?

    You will get to enjoy:

    – My debut as a producer. No, there are no boards to be behind, but I get to play drops and put callers through (if and when we get callers).

    – Mike going through all the new releases this week, including thoughts on new albums from Common, Brandy, and Maroon 5.

    – Mike and I discussing Britney Spears topping the charts.

    – And a whole lotta news in the music world.

    As P. Diddy once said, just press play (below).

    To download the show, right click and save the link below.

    Sonic Clash Radio – Episode 1

  • Holiday Music That Won’t Kill You – Part 1: Christmas Present

    Holiday music sucks!  No, actually it’s only sappy overplayed Christmas music that gets annoying.  The listening environment counts too.  Anything played at Christmas Tree Shops while you are waiting for your mom to decide what size glass beads to buy will torture you.  Jimi Hendrix and John Coltrane could be jamming right in front of you but the stink of scented candles and the puddle of sweat inside your jacket will ruin everything.

    Relax.  The truth is there are some really great Christmas CDs available.  Here is a guide to some holiday music that won’t kill you.

    Part One:  Christmas Present

    Various Artists – We Wish You a Metal Christmas and a Headbanging New Year

    The obvious comparison is to Twisted Sister’s 2006 release Twisted Christmas. This is way better.
    The CD was produced by Ronnie James Dio’s wife/manager and one of the Kulick brothers.  (I can never remember which one is the producer and which was in Kiss, but it doesn’t matter for this review.)  It contains twelve very well-known Christmas songs performed by very well-known 70s and 80s metal and hard rock guys.  Here are just a few of the bands they were in:  Kiss, Motorhead, David Lee Roth (not him, thankfully), Alice Cooper (yes, him), ZZ Top, Foo Fighters, Black Sabbath, Dokken, Dio, Styx, Judas Priest, and Deep Purple.

    The lineup is what makes this CD so successful.  All the musicians are really good (much better than anybody in Twisted Sister), but it’s really the variety that makes this work.  The concept could get boring very quickly (Beatallica, anyone?).  A different lineup and singer on every track keeps things fresh.

    If you think you might like it, you probably will.  If not, read on…

    Enya – And Winter Came…

    Like the previous selection, this is exactly what you would expect.  Remember the song that goes “Sail away, sail away, sail away?”  No, not Randy Newman.  I mean the one that sounds like the music Jet Blue plays when it’s time to get off the plane.

    This CD sounds just like everything else Enya has done. If you like her ethereal vocals, orchestral synth playing and new agey Celticness, you will dig this.  Holiday CDs can frequently disappoint, but I think this one works because Enya put a lot into it.  She wrote ten of the twelve songs and came up with interesting arrangements for the other two.

    Many songs are not specifically about Christmas.  Some just refer to winter or the Star of Bethlehem.  Two songs are about time passing, which makes them really more appropriate for the Winter Solstice or New Years.

    James Taylor – At Christmas

    Smarm Sandwich.

    Various Artists – The Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs

    This new compilation showcases the new generation of female singer-songwriters. It’s mostly very good, but I find myself skipping some of the standards.  That’s to be expected from a holiday comp and I don’t think it’s a big problem, especially for people who really like this kind of music.  Many of these women are good songwriters and it’s the original songs that I find most compelling.  Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson, Brandi Carlisle, Lenka, Meiko, and Colbie Caillat all contributed very interesting songs.  Priscilla Ahn’s version of “Silent Night” is really cool and a couple lesser names handle their standards well.  KT Tunstall, Alice Smith, Katy Perry, and Nicole Atkins are among those who decided to turn their chestnuts into torch songs.

    Like the metal CD, if you think you’ll like this, you probably will.

    I’ll be back soon with Christmas Past and Future.  Shine on.

    Rock Dad is hoping whoever brings presents for the winter solstice brings him the Genesis 1970-75 box set and a good rock and mineral field guide.