Hi folks. I am up to my eyeballs in boxes right now, but I figure I have time for a quick Pop Rock Nation post as I unpack all the stuff I should have thrown out years ago. Some of my readers know that my husband is a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have never been LDS, but my husband’s brief affiliation with the Mormon church has caused me to learn more about it. It’s not often that my interests in music collide with Mormon culture, although I have found that a lot of Mormons and former Mormons have really good taste in music.
Anyway, this week I was very surprised to read a news article about rapper LL Cool J, otherwise known as James Todd Smith, and the Mormons. It seems that this week, LL Cool J tweeted “Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.” Then he attributed the quote to former LDS president, Gordon B. Hinckley. Hinckley served as the Mormon church’s living prophet from 1995 until his death in 2008.
It’s not that I don’t agree with Hinckley’s quote or LL Cool J’s decision to tweet it. It’s just that I went through a very brief LL Cool J phase back in the mid 1980s. I bought a copy of his 1987 album, Bigger and Deffer and remember the songs on it because I used to listen to it all the time. Let’s just say that I never would have guessed that LL Cool J would be interested in anything Mormon. Granted, I know that people change and I’ve seen evidence that LL Cool J is not quite the same guy he was back in the 80s and 90s when he rapped songs like…
“I’m That Type of Guy”
And
“Kanday”
And
“Around The Way Girl”
And
“Mama Said Knock You Out”
Wow… I haven’t heard these songs in ages and now I’m thinking it’s time to revisit them. I’m not a big rap fan, but I do like LL Cool J.
LL Cool J definitely has a way with a groove and I hear he’s a decent actor, too. But none of the songs I’ve heard by him suggest that his work and Mormonism have anything in common. He is getting older, though, and maybe he’s becoming more conservative. LL Cool J has been around for a long time now, which means he must be doing something right. I’m sure hard work has a lot to do with his success, too. I gotta start paying more attention to Twitter. Sometimes it yields some fascinating insights into the lives of famous people.
Anyway, back to unpacking. Have a great weekend, everybody!
Bluegrass star Ron Block has just come out with a new album called Walking Song…
I discovered Ron Block’s music when I discovered Alison Krauss and Union Station (AKUS), a band that has made bluegrass stylish. Ever since the hit 2000 film O Brother Where Art Thou?, with its very bluegrass inspired soundtrack, more and more people are listening to bluegrass and its hybrids. Ron Block is a singer, songwriter, banjo player, producer, and all around neat guy. He’s written a lot of songs for AKUS, but he’s also nurtured talent, his own and up and coming star, Sierra Hull, who performs on Block’s brand new album, Walking Song.
Knowing about Ron Block’s music, I was especially excited to hear about Block’s new album Walking Song. It had been too long since his last effort. Back in 2007, he released DoorWay, which I bought and loved. Six years prior to that, he released Faraway Land, which was also well-received. Though he stays busy, Ron Block seems to be stuck in a six year cycle when it comes to putting out his own music.
Even though I was in the midst of a big move when Block’s Walking Song hit the shelves on July 31st, I made sure to order it as soon as I could get to a computer with Internet access. It got to me this past Saturday and, I have to say, Ron Block has done it again! Joined by the likes of AKUS bandmates Alison Krauss, Dan Tyminski, Jerry Douglas, and Barry Bales, Block also has his protege Sierra Hull playing mandolin on several tracks. He’s also enlisted Suzanne and Evelyn Cox of the Cox Family to sing harmony on a few songs. Well-respected artists like Stuart Duncan, Sam Bush, and Rob Ickes also put in performances, populating this album with some very high quality musicians.
Ron Block co-wrote most of the songs on this album; there are a couple of traditional numbers as well that Block has skillfully arranged. The lyrics on this album were contributed by Rebecca Reynolds. I am not very familiar with her work yet, but I have a feeling I’ll be learning more about her now. She really has a way with words.
I couldn’t wait to pop my new CD in my computer and give it a spin. Here are my thoughts on Ron Block’s Walking Song so far.
The music on Walking Song
The first song is the very pleasant title track, “Walking Song”. Block’s tenor is comforting as he sings alliterative lyrics by Rebecca Reynolds. Kate Rusby offers warm, feminine harmony vocals on this charming love song. “Walking Song” features clever lyrics that creatively turn phrases into a love story. Matched by Block’s expressive music, the words come to life and turn the title song into a fine introduction.
The tempo picks up for “Devil In The Strawsack”, which is a traditional instrumental romp arranged by Block and played by Ron Block, Barry Bales, Sierra Hull, and Stuart Duncan. I love these instrumentals on bluegrass albums because they’re egalitarian. Everyone has a chance to shine and they’re just a lot of fun to listen to without the complication of lyrics.
“Jordan, Carry Me” is another collaboration between Ron Block and Rebecca Reynolds. Stuart Duncan plays a haunting fiddle intro which breaks into a somber melody featuring Dan Tyminski singing harmony. It’s no secret that Ron Block’s music is often spiritual. While I am not particularly religious, I appreciate well-written songs, regardless of the subject matter. Tyminski and Block sound great together and Reynold’s lyrics are very intelligent and impressive.
Gentle acoustic guitar kicks off the pretty song, “Ivy”. This song has a very traditional sound, though it was written by Rebecca Reynolds and Ron Block. Block sings and skillfully accompanies himself on acoustic guitar. I really like this song, with its simple melody beautifully played on Block’s guitar. It reminds me of an Irish tune, complete with sweet lyrics about coming home.
“Summer’s Lullaby” is a lovely, gentle song in waltzing rhythm. Kate Rusby sings a sweet harmony vocal to Ron Block’s lead. If you’re looking for a bluegrass styled lullaby, this is a good one to drift off to sleep to.
Banjo accented “Nickel Tree Line” has the sound of song that could have just as easily been recorded by AKUS. Indeed, Alison Krauss lends her sublime soprano to the harmony line and fellow AKUS players Barry Bales and Jerry Douglas join in. Stuart Duncan’s fiddle blisters on this very strong track. I like it, but it makes me miss AKUS. It’s nice to have this song to tide me over until the next AKUS release.
Ever since I heard Alison Krauss and The Cox Family sing on 2004’s I Know Who Holds Tomorrow, I have really admire The Cox Family. Suzanne Cox joins Ron Block on “Let There Be Beauty”, another song that sounds very Celtic complete with subtle whistles on the chorus.
Next is a gorgeous arrangement of the spiritual, “What Wondrous Love Is This?”. Block plays banjo, National Duolian, and guitar, while Jeff Taylor contributes accompaniment on the pipe organ and accordion. The end result is a hauntingly beautiful treatment of a very classic song.
“The Fields of Aidlewinn” is another dramatic song featuring Dan Tyminski singing harmony and Sierra Hull playing mandolin and octave mandolin. John Joe Kelly’s bodhran drum and Jeff Taylor’s subtle accordion give this track sort of an Irish world music feel. I follow Ron Block on Facebook and I know he spent time in Scotland and Ireland recently. I can really hear the influence on this album.
“Chase Me to The Ocean” is another pretty song inspired by Block’s spiritual side. The melody is lovely, with its lullaby quality and vivid lyrics, again penned by Rebecca Reynolds, whose obvious songwriting talents are growing more and more impressive to me. Kate Rusby is back, singing a very soothing harmony. Block obviously wanted her peaceful sound on the songs that have that lullaby quality meant to relax listeners into restlessness. I am smiling as this song ends.
Right about now, it’s time for another bluegrass romp. This time, it’s a traditional number called “Shortnin’ Bread”. This is a lot of fun to listen to and it sounds like Block and his band had a ball recording it. I dare you to try to resist tapping your toes!
“Colors” is another languid track featuring acoustic guitar and accordion. Dan Tyminski plays mandolin and I am caught up again by the interesting lyrics. I get the sense this is a song about down and out people trying to survive an impersonal city through music and the company of misfits.
“Sunshine Billy” is sort of an upbeat bluesy track with perky accordion accents that make me think of France. Suzanne Cox is back on harmony and Buddy Greene plays a sizzling harmonica solo. This is a fun song that sort of offers a contrast to the more serious numbers on Walking Song. I think this is my favorite song on this album.
The last song is “Rest, My Soul”. Written by Ron Block and Rebecca Reynolds, this song sounds like a very old and traditional hymn. It’s pretty and graceful, with a waltzing rhythm and lush, warm, harmony vocals by Evelyn and Suzanne Cox. This track gives me goosebumps. It’s just gorgeous.
Overall
I really like Walking Song. I think I was more impressed by 2007’s DoorWay, but that’s probably because it was the first of Block’s solo efforts that I paid a lot of attention to. DoorWay also features the stellar and wise track, “Someone”, which I just love. I think Walking Song is as strong an effort as DoorWay was. They are different in that Walking Song seems more traditional and Celtic, while DoorWay had some fantasy elements. I will have to listen to Faraway Land again to see which of Block’s three albums I like best. Let’s just say that I think if you enjoy Ron Block’s music, you will enjoy this latest effort. Walking Song is a well-crafted and very enjoyable album.
After over a week of being in transit, the eagle has landed in Converse, Texas…
Hi folks. I am finally in a house again after having vacated our home in North Carolina last month. My husband Bill and I set off for the San Antonio area last Saturday. Silly me, I had been looking forward to the road trip, not realizing how exhausting and exasperating it can be to drive on America’s interstates. I am now sitting at my desk, which we wisely decided to bring with us instead of having the movers pack it. Unfortunately, we unwisely did not decide to pack other things for our immediate use, like a small table and chairs, trash cans, or margarita glasses.
Incidentally, this move has been by far the worst yet in terms of irritations and mishaps. I won’t go into detail about that in this post, since if you know me on Facebook or have read my other blogs, you may have already been exposed to my bitching about all that. One thing that did come from this long ass road trip was exposure to music. I listened to my iPod the whole way and it’s fairly bursting with over 11,000 songs from a wide variety of genres. Though I thought I would have made a point to listen to some of the epic road tunes I blogged about last time, my playlist was surprisingly lacking in those big songs. Maybe if I hadn’t been driving, I might have made a point of playing classic road anthems like “Born To Run” and “On The Road Again”. But as it was, I was too busy trying to prevent people from flipping me off and running me off the road to select much music.
Here are a few songs I did listen to as I made my way from North Carolina to Texas.
Friend of the Devil by Rice, Rice, Hillman, and Pederson
This is a great bluegrass version of a classic song by The Grateful Dead. The video is not mine; so no one needs to worry that I was filming while driving. Still, this turned out to be a great driving tune.
Diamonds by Rihanna
I don’t usually listen to Rihanna’s music, but I became acquainted with this very cool song during my big road trip. It’s definitely not bluegrass. I could become a fan.
1973 by James Blunt
I actually really like this song by James Blunt. It reminds me of living in Germany. It was popular when we moved there in 2007 and has always stuck in my head as a great pop song. It’s aging well, too, even though it’s six years old now.
You Can’t Please Everybody by Rose Royce
Here’s a little old school funk from 1977. I love Rose Royce. I was introduced by their brand of funkiness by my older sister, Sarah, who owned their album In Full Bloom on vinyl. This song is spunky, sassy, and sure to make you want to press on through the worst traffic jam… even if someone does shoot the bird at you (like a biker did to me in Alabama).
Watch Your Step by Carlos Santana
Here’s another blast from the past. A little Santana never hurt any long drive and my big road trip is no exception to that rule. It’s fun cruising through Louisiana bayous to this song.
You’ve Got A Friend by Carole King and James Taylor
I am aware that Carole King and James Taylor released a great live album a few years ago called Live At The Troubadour. I included the above clip because it’s from 1971 and I happen to own a great Carole King live album called The Carnegie Hall Concert- June 18, 1971. On that album, she invites James Taylor to join her on “You’ve Got A Friend”. That was the version that played as I made my way through Alabama. But the Troubadour version is also very special and would also fit right in on this list.
Someday Sarah and Crazyboutya by Dave Barnes
I discovered the ultra smooth stylings of Dave Barnes by watching Army Wives on iTunes when I lived in Germany. I liked his music so much that I went on a mass downloading spree; consequently, his songs pop up a lot when I drive. Luckily, I think he’s awesome and his music is fun to drive to.
If You’re Gonna Play in Texas, You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band by Alabama
Yes, sometimes I do listen to mainstream country music, though my preferences are really for more classic stuff. And since Alabama was biggest in the 80s, maybe they qualify as an oldies act now? This song happened to come on as I crossed the Texas border.
Baby I’m Burnin’ by Dolly Parton
Another classic country hit, this time from Dolly Parton. Since it’s been over 100 degrees here, I think this song is an especially appropriate road tune for Texas in late July.
So there you have it. The eagle has landed and hopefully won’t be flying anywhere new anytime soon… unless it’s to a home of our very own. Until next time, keep on truckin’.
