Year end list, part the 1
In no particular order, these songs stuck in my head this year, even though several I've owned for a while (Coltrane, Ciccone Youth, Tosh, etc.).....
Steve Earle - John Walker's Blues
Wilco - Ashes of American Flags
Fairport Convention - Si Tu Dois Partir
The Minutemen #1 Hit Song
Warren Zevon - My Shit's Fucked Up
B.O.C. Cities on Fire with Rock and Roll
John Coltrane - Afro-Blue/live @Birdland
Per AMG
The track is a strong civil rights statement in the form of a musical prayer as well as a rededication of the concurrent struggle and commitment of those being so racially oppressed not only in Alabama, but throughout the south-eastern United States as well. McCoy Tyner’s (piano) opening rumble provides a mysterious, foreboding and noir bed over which John “Trane” Coltrane (tenor sax) is able to weave a respectful dirge. Proceeding that mournful introduction ‘Trane leads the combo through a mid-tempo groove with supporting soulful riffs and counterbalance provided by the formidable rhythm section of Elvin Jones (drums) and Jimmy Garrison (bass). Their contributions yield some engaging ensemble work and are evident between the solos as they fill the pockets with double-time inflections and spontaneous melodic inventions. As if projecting the long road ahead for African-American equality, the opening theme returns to reprise the uneasy hopefulness and angst that the future ultimately held. Of historical note is that less than a week after “Alabama” was recorded, one of America’s most unifying voices for racial harmony -- President John F. Kennedy -- would be assassinated, adding to the already macabre poignancy inherent in the composition
Hank Ballard Work With me Annie (Finger Poppin' Time)
Chemical Brothers Where Do I Begin
Sonic Youth aka Ciconne Youth - Into the Groovy
