1-27-10 Top Ten Of The Week-New Radio, Old Radio

Clear Channel has dropped Sports at KMJM/1360 (Cedar Rapids) and debuted a Classic Country format in its place. Clear Channel also owns "95-7 Kiss Country" (KKSY Anamosa-Cedar Rapids), which competes with Cumulus' KHAK/98.1 (Cedar Rapids). Ironically, 1360 was the original home of KHAK. It became KTOF in 1995 with a Christian format, and then switched to KMJM with a Nostalgia format in 2001

Ah good old Clear Channel. Don't you just love Clear Channel? I didn't pay much attention to this till Steve at work told me about this station that switched over to classic country. In a perfect world, the classic country would have been on the Anamosa station but since Dyersville is close by with their own version of classic country it wouldn't work out. But country seems to be the main choice among forty somethings. Can't stand most new country out there, sounds like a cross of bad Hallmark nostaglia and bad poetry phasing. But I do like a listen to the classic country although KMJM seems to have a jones for Kenny Rogers. Long time ago KHAK was on 1360 and I remember hearing a wide variety of songs. Ever hear much from Tommy Overstreet? KMJM will play Gwen (congratulations). Hell they even played Eddy Raven's Who Do You Know In California. Gotta like that, so I did program 1360 into my car radio and when I'm in touch, I'll take a listen to it, but the signal goes off after 10 PM, I'll return to 650 WSM or AM 740 Zoomer Radio out of Canada. Kinda sucks when you can pick up Toronto better than the hometown stations. Hell, even Nashville comes in better.

Anyway I'm a month into here from My Space and my GF has deleted her My Space account. I have yet to do that basically hoping that my followers will come over here but so far that has been minimal. I still think that if word gets out and if I can still promote the lesser known stuff that I'll get more followers but I don't toot my horn all that much, but will post a link to this when I'm in twitter, and hearing the left bitching about the Right Wing Nut Jobs in congress. I won't do politics here, trying to keep this a music and regular lifestyle site if at all possible. But I'm not too keen on new music, can't get into the new Beach House album. KUNI has been playing and promoting that album but like Animal Collective its music geared toward the younger generation. And I hadn't paid attention to the Pop And Jazz poll of last year. Two years ago Jim Musser got me to review Jon Langford's Gold Brick and I played it twice and donated it to the Salvation Army after I couldn't sell it on EBAY. Two months after donating, it is still there. Guess nobody cares about the new music or best of 2008 eh?

The Top Ten Of The Week:

1. All Night Long-Rainbow 1979 This flopped as a single but it began the pop era of Richie Blackmore and company and featured Graham Bonnett as lead singer but egos got in the way and Graham was gone after Down To Earth, replaced by Joe Lynn Turner. Had this on album one time and traded it in but found the cd at 60 percent off at the liquidation sale of FYE at Coral Ridge Mall, who has been hosting the Pawnshop Favorite Series on Crabb Radio (check local listings).

2. Indecision-Carbon Leaf 2009 Didn't like their last album and part of the problem lies with Peter Collins, who sold Rush out in the late 80s. This time John Morand returns to the production chair and the band sounds a bit more inspired. I've heard Echo Echo remains the best Carbon Leaf album out there and perhaps some day I'll listen to that. How does one describe their music? Kinda reminds me of Sister Hazel's latest album Release. They used to call this jam music but this doesn't sound like that to me.

3. Sitting On Top Of The World-Grateful Dead 1966 The original jam band and while critics rag about their first album, I do find some pop charm in the songs that they did. Who would have thought that this song would only last for 2 minites?

4. A New Rock And Roll-Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush 1978 I swear you young whippersnappers and your GD rap music and your IPODs don't realize how great you got it made although your choice of music sucks to high heaven. It wasn't the dark ages for us growing up, we had something called underground FM and Frank Marino was one of the underground guitar heroes. Made three albums for 20th Century Records before moving over to Columbia and making his best selling album there called Live. The guy can play guitar (still does) but Mahogany Rush in their glory even outrocked Ted Nugent at California Jam 2. When CBS promoted this they used the great headline that anybody can make a 2 record live album, Frank needed only one. Perhaps the reason why was that CBS wasn't about to sing extra $$ in such a cult guitar player. Sure everybody had Double Live Gonzo but the cooler people had Frank Marino Live.

5. Overture-The Smithereens 2009 Yes they are still around although in the last five years they have made two Beatle tribute albums, a Christmas album, a Live album and now their tribute to The Who's Tommy, a rock opera album that the concept still remains murky but The Who pulled it off simply of having a great rhythm section and a good vocalist to boot. The Smithereens sound like they are having lots of fun on this record and you gotta give props to their record label to sign off on this. Surely EMI would have nixed this idea. But I don't forsee people playing 20 bucks for a tribute album when you can get the real thing for 12 bucks (or 10 bucks) at selected Best Buy stores? I bought this since it was 50 percent off at FYE. Great effort although why they even try is basically for the fun of making music.

6. You Got To Me-Neil Diamond 1966 Why isn't Neil Diamond in the RnR HOF? The guy was a great songwriter and could write some of the best pop songs of the late 60s. Overlook his hokey Columbia period and you still can make a great argument for his enclosure. Produced by the husband wife team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich (RIP) who also sang backup on this song.

7. Mannish Boy-Hindu Love Gods 1990 Warren Zevon and the guys from REM making a business man's holiday recording of chosen blues covers and other oddites. Another musician born on January 24th but also who has passed on to the other side of enternity. Yes, there's more to Warren Z than just Werewolves Of London.

8. Dry River-James McMurtry 2002 The decade's best artist, this comes from James' third and final album for Sugar Hill Records and after the first two produced by Lloyd Maines (Natalie's father, you know the chick from the Dixie Chicks), James self produced this one. Course it did help that David Grissom came back and played guitar on St Mary Of The Woods too. It also helped that John Mellencamp stayed home too.

9. Tubluar Bells-Mike Oldfield 1973 You either like or loathe this song which actually a bunch of songs in two parts on vinyl and was the best selling album for a while on Virgin Records, to which at that time was distributed by Atlantic Records. In some ways this reminds me of Tangerine Dream but TD had much more interesting albums and song cycles than this album. Is it new age? New Wave? Prog Rock? Noise? Sheesh, I don't know. Later Oldfield redid this and John Cleese replaced Viv Stanshall for the voice at the end of Part One. Why? Good Q.

10. To Understand The Sun-The Townedgers 2005 Yes, the lead singer was also born on the 24th of January as well but unlike the other 9 songs here, The Townedgers remain the best cult band that nobody hears much about. I doubt if their My Space site gets many hits but those who did listen to this band became fans. From the acoustic and moody Long Time Forgotten, it amazes me that it has been 5 years since this record came out. And where does the time go?

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