The Best Music You Haven't Heard (Yet) - Jonny Lang

I remember when I was a young lad growing up in North Dakota, I saw a news report about another young North Dakotan playing a concert at the state fair. The kid was only a year or so older than me and yet the voice that was coming out of his body was that of a much older, much more grizzled and experienced blues singer. That kid was Jonny Lang.

Well, it's been almost 20 years since, and that kid that came out of Fargo is still going strong. Proving that it wasn't some kind of gimmick or schtick, Jonny keeps cranking out real, legit rock 'n' roll/blues music. True child prodigies come along perhaps once in a generation, and Jonny is ours.

His voice is what will grab you. The songs and the playing are what will keep you there. Jonny, unlike other popular "blues" artists (ahem!), doesn't tend to hold back on his albums. He lets loose, tearing up the record with soaring vocals and screaming guitar solos. He has a appreciable dedication to the music itself, writing the songs that he wants to write, regardless of what might or might not fit on a radio station rotation. Thus, you won't find Jonny getting spins on Clear Channel stations anytime soon, but you will find him out on tour. And if you think the albums are stellar (they are), the live show will blow you away.

Jonny is just past 30-years-old, but he brings with him a historical understanding of the music that he so marvelously creates. He is remarkably old-school for being so young, and his sound is a breath of fresh air during a time when music heritage is being lost due to the unyielding pursuit of the three-minute ear worm. No matter where you start with your listening, Jonny will not disappoint. You might want to begin early in his career, with albums like Lie To Me or Wander This World, which will get you to the ripe old age of 17. Or, if you'd rather move towards a more mature and diverse presentation of Lang's musicality, dig into Long Time Coming or the unrecognized masterpiece Turn Around.

Happy listening, people.

Seeing Music - Robert Doisneau

Musician in the Rain by Robert Doisneau

'House' Gems

House, MD will conclude it's fantastic 8-season run next Monday night. That it's been my all-time favorite television drama is an observation that doesn't require Dr. House's remarkable talents in order to make. So, in honor of what House has meant to me, I present to you some of the musical gems that I was fortunate to discover by tuning in.

Hope you enjoy them as much I have.

~     ~     ~

Songs of the Sea

I am not a sailor. My dad is not a sailor. I have no real desire to become a sailor. Except for a few short toddler years (that culminated when I was five), I have never lived anywhere close to the ocean. I have no sea legs to speak of and when I do go out on boats, I tend to get a bit queasy (at least initially). Nevertheless, songs about the sea have a unique power to absolutely captivate my imagination. Here's Sting singing one of my all-time favorite nautical tunes, Why Should I Cry For You?

A thought on Wednesday

"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go."
- William Feather

I've always been mystified by how people perceive the ascension of successful musicians. In most cases, it seems as though people think rock stars appear out of the sky, sent into our world by beings from another universe for the satiating of our entertainment appetites. That is to say, most people don't give it a lot of thought and think it just... sorta... happens.

Believe me. It's not like that.