The National Parks were one of my favorite discoveries of 2014. Its not just because of my love of the great outdoors and the first song I heard had the Great Tetons in the chorus but because they make great music! And no not all their songs are about National Parks. Although I’m sure if they wrote songs for Yellowstone, The Grand Canyon, and Glacier they would be just as beautiful and catchy as “As We Ran”. It’s fitting this song would be about the Great Tetons. An often overlooked National Park because of its famous Neighbor to the north (Old Man Yellowstone) the Grand Tetons provide breath taking scenery without the crowds. The National Parks / Breathtaking Music / Without The Crowds (For now)
Been listening to this album a lot lately. It makes me want to drink heavily and put my head down on the bar which is a high compliment for a country album. I would love to see Miss Rebel at a dusty smokey cowboy bar out west while sipping whiskey out of an old glass. But for now I’ll listen to this album. My favorite track would be “Toast”
“Spent his days in a bar room haze/ With ex lover and thieves/ Broken down old cowboys/ Forgotten beauty queens/ Cigarette smoke stains the walls/ That old jukebox plays the same sad song ”
“Your The Devil” “Money On Booze” “Alone Ain’t A Bad Place” & “It Couldn’t Hurt” are the other standout tracks but the whole album is a great listen straight through. Bandcamp link is below. Give a listen and let me know what you think!
There is still great country music out there. You just need to look a little harder to find it since you likely won’t hear it on country radio with the influx of “Bro Country” out right now. So if you dislike Luke Bryan I think you might dig this. From the Pacific NW to your ears here is Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers.
PS If you don’t have time to look for new music follow my blog!
I have listened to Phosphorescent for a while now and saw him live at Lincoln Hall in Chicago a few years back so when I heard “Song For Zula” in 2013 off his album Muchacho it was immediately in high rotation on my iTunes. Songs can’t stay in high rotation forever so when I heard a familiar song while drinking an Export Gold at the Blue Pub in the sleepy summer town of Methven, New Zealand this past week it grabbed my attention. At first I couldn’t make out the song since it was a cover but as I listened to the lyrics (below) and searched my memory when I heard the line “And we race out on the desert plains all night” it clicked that I was listening to a cover of “Song For Zula”. Not only was it a cover but a great one with elements that I am a real sucker for like steel guitar and harmonizing! I immediately grabbed my phone to Shazam it but then realized I didn’t have internet and couldn’t get the wifi from the bartender in time to use the App. So I had to go old school and write a note in my phone to search for the song later. Once I had internet I did a search on Spotify and sure enough I came across “Song For Zula” by Ronnie Fauss. Now that I am back in windy, snowy, and cold Chicago I keep listening to the Ronnie Fauss version and it takes me back to summer 4 days ago in New Zealand and our amazing trip. I love it when music can provide the soundtrack for happy moments in life.
“Some say love is a burning thing
That it makes a fiery ring
Oh but I know love as a fading thing
Just as fickle as a feather in a stream
See, honey, I saw love. You see, it came to me
It put its face up to my face so I could see
Yeah then I saw love disfigure me
Into something I am not recognizing
See, the cage, it called. I said, “Come on in”
I will not open myself up this way again
Nor lay my face to the soil, nor my teeth to the sand
I will not lay like this for days now upon end
You will not see me fall, nor see me struggle to stand
To be acknowledge by some touch from his gnarled hands
You see, the cage, it called. I said, “Come on in”
I will not open myself up this way again
You see, the moon is bright in that treetop night
I see the shadows that we cast in the cold, clean light
My feet are gold. My heart is white
And we race out on the desert plains all night
See, honey, I am not some broken thing
I do not lay here in the dark waiting for thee
No my heart is gold. My feet are light
And I am racing out on the desert plains all night
So some say love is a burning thing
That it makes a fiery ring
Oh but I know love as a caging thing
Just a killer come to call from some awful dream
O and all you folks, you come to see
You just stand there in the glass looking at me
But my heart is wild. And my bones are steam
And I could kill you with my bare hands if I was free”
Phosphorescent Verison
Ronnie Fauss Version
Hard to pick a favorite here so I will just continue to enjoy both.
Seattle Seahawks vs Denver Broncos, Washington vs Colorado, Pacific NW vs The Mountain Time Zone, #1 Defense vs #1 Offense, Legal Weed vs Legal Weed. However you stack it this is going to be a great game and I am thinking there will be chip shortages in both Colorado & Washington. Munchie Bowl Prediction Seattle 27 Denver 24. In honor of these two great place and the big game I thought I would post a couple great songs. First in honor of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest there is “Northwestern Girls” by Say Hi. Another commercial song from an REI spot a few years back. For Colorado is “Colorado Girl” performed by Ben Nichols of Lucero. Enjoy the songs and enjoy the game!
Another day and another artist I discovered thanks to a commercial. Back in 2009 Dawn featured Joe Purdy’s “Wash Away” in a very touching oil spill ad. Not only did the ad get me to go out and purchase the Dawn bottles with the baby duck on it but it also got me to download Joe Purdy’s music. “The Pretenders” is a song about 2 lovers who go on a little trip to the ocean and every time I hear it I think of past trips with my wife. I really love the line “What a beautiful girl/ And I know in this world/ The good ones are so hard to find.” That couldn’t be more true and every time I hear it I think of Amanda.
I discovered Radical Face when ESPN showed a commercial for the University of Oregon which featured “Welcome Home” by Radical Face. This was 3 years ago and I have been hooked by his music ever since. “Welcome Home” is a great song to hook you and make you want to discover more and believe me you will discover more great songs. “Ghost Towns” is one of them.
I was at the Empty Bottle drinking last Friday checking out the Farewell Milwaukee show when I got a text from my sister asking if I was watching “Shark Tank”? Since I was at the show she told me about a company named Nuts ‘N More that were on the show doing their pitch and that they had a Pumpkin Spice flavored Peanut Butter. My family likes to think that I have three loves. Owls (long story), peanut butter, and pumpkin anything. Well this combined 2 of the 3! Maybe they can put on owl on their packaging in the future for the trifecta but thats a pipe dream. I told my wife about the company and she immediately took out her phone to check out the website and before I knew it she had ordered Pumpkin Spice PB and Chocolate Almond Butter and after shipping we dropped $30 on our order. This was clearly a drunken order but I am so happy we made the purchase. Both flavors are delicious and the Pumpkin Spice will be worth the price for any Pumpkin lover out there! They also mix in whey protein (14 grams a serving), flax, and Omega 3’s with no added sugars. So while it may be a little pricey if you want to treat yourself check it out!
I have heard of Gregory Alan Isakov (GAI). His name comes up in similar artists searches and his music is played on my Pandora stations. I always liked hearing his music but for some reason I never downloaded any of his songs. Fast forward to August after spending 3 days backpacking in the Colorado Wilderness me and my buddies sat down at a pizza place in Crested Butte for a well deserved meal. There was music playing in the restaurant throughout our meal but only one song really stood out to me. So I Shazam’d it and sure enough it was Mr. Isakov’s “Stable Song”. I took this as a sign and as soon as I got home I downloaded some of his music and I am so happy did. To me his music is best heard in the fall as the evenings grow cold and the leaves turn gold. I probably think this cause I discovered him in late August and listened to his songs 743 times since with a bulk of the plays coming in September and October. If you discover him through this post you will probably think Winter is the time for GAI. He is really just good in any season. Brandi Carlile is not so bad herself either 🙂 Enjoy!
PS Here is me hiking in Colorado. If you ever get the chance hike the backcountry of Colorado…its true beauty
I was watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty the other day with my wife and I found myself using my Shazam App throughout the film. Eventually I decided just to google the album when I got home and I must say it is a very solid soundtrack. This effort made for the soundtrack by Jose Gonzalez is the highlight and different from what we have grown accustom to from Jose. After seeing the movie you are going to want to travel and live a more adventurous life. This song just keeps hammering that message into your head with every listen. So “Step Out” see the world and enjoy the adventure that is life.
PS I dare you to find someone who doesn’t like this song
drinkplentyofwater 