The Music of Roscoe - Songs to Hear While Camping (SoundRaves week of 5/30/2011)

The unofficial start of summer is now underway, being launched by the Memorial Day weekend (and with summer-like weather as well).   Many have picnicked or gone to the beach, but for me, it was a ritual I've been partaking in for the last 17 years:  Camping with friends, usually outside the town of Roscoe, NY, a small village out in Sullivan County in the western Catskills, a haven for fishing, hiking, camping...and music.

No, there weren't any festivals going on (at least those I know about), but you could make a case for an iPOD festival as myself and two others brought their tunes to the three-day party going on in Russell Brook, as is the case each year.

This is the first year since I started my SoundRaves chart that I've been to Roscoe, so it was interesting to take note of the actual music my friends were playing, and whether it matched any of the new stuff I've been exploring for the last nine month.    I shouldn't have been too excited.

Songs on my current SoundRaves 100 played by my friends over the weekend:   0
Songs on any of my SoundRaves surveys dating back to last August:  1

Having said that, however, some of the music was intriguing and was the center of discussions throughout the time we were there.    Last Thursday, I had set sail for Roscoe, my iPod set to first my top 20 currents, and later my entire top 100 songs.   Arriving at our site at the eastern end of Russell Brook Road (about five miles outside of the town of Roscoe) shortly after 10 in the morning, I set up camp, and started cranking up my tunes on my new Bose SoundDock Portable that my wife gave me for our anniversary.    Within a few hours four friends joined us (and two more in the early evening), as I began playing some of my current favorites.

Getting the biggest reception it seemed was "Recharge and Revolt" by The Raveonettes.  There was also a favorable response to "Tokyo" by The Wombats, and "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People.   The reaction to the new single by The Cars, "Sad Song" was "interesting".   As for Adele, who had three songs in the upper echelon, one friend asked "who is this whore?".  Okay.    Death Cab for Cutie's new song evoked a "oh cool, they have a new one out?".  "Money Grabber" (Fitz & the Tantrums) did invoke some whisting after the song was over.   "Dog Days are Over" by Florence + the Machine started a conversation of her debut song "Kiss With a Fist".  I tried to set up the surreal-sounding Fleet Foxes as "the official band" of Roscoe (playing the three currents, plus "Mykonos") but alas that didn't catch on.   

When my currents playlist was exhausted, it was time for my Roscoe mix.   This is what it's all about:   Santana's  "Soul Sacrifice" (as well as several other cuts from the band's first three albums), "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Whipping Post" by The Allman Brothers Band, 'Badge" by Cream, "I Put a Spell on You" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, plus songs by The Beatles and other 1960's classics.    A lot more would have been on tap, but around 10 PM, a severe line of thunderstorms hit the area with soaking rain and even hail.  So instead we headed to the Bait & Hook Inn in Roscoe for some drinks.   And yes, they had a jukebox:  I played "Tighten Up" by The Black Keys, as well as the aforementioned Foster the People song.     After which, we heard "Badge" once again.    By that time, I was so out of it, and we called it a night.

Friday came, and the sun came back out, and it was John Corso's turn at the DJ booth.    John is well versed in classic rock.  His favorites included The Who, Neil Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Offspring, just to name a few.   "Nowhere Man" by the Beatles showed up on both of our lists.

Later in the day, John's brother Alan showed up, and the real party began.    Alan is the official DJ of our Jets tailgate parties each fall, and you can call his music mix "interesting" to say the least.    Any type of music is fair game.    He set up his stereo system under the canopy and by dinner time, the tunes were underway.    You can hear anything from "Yankee Doodle Dandy" by James Cagney, to 80's dance songs, European National anthems, and even Broadway Show Tunes.   But Alan's primary interest is in new wave and alternative rock, so i was playing close attention to what he was playing.

Let's put it this way...he played a lot of great songs...except I didn't recognize any of it.   Yet, some of my other friends did and sung along.   Yeah, I remember the Cramps and Buzzcocks, but the other stuff?    I had to ask Alan "who did this one?"   Only "Christmas Song" by The Raveonettes was a song or band I recognized.   He mentioned that some of this stuff was relative new.  Where was I?   So much for following music!  Next time I'm taking my pen and paper and writing down this stuff.  Finally towards the end of the night, was some of his familar stuff, like The Ramones.  Another popular artist with both the Corsos was Jonathan Richman (with or without the Modern Lovers), my favorite track, "The Neighbors" was played.   It wasn't until 1 AM that Alan finally played a current band: MGMT, and a song that was on my list: "Flash Delirium", a song from my first SoundRaves list back in August of last year..   It was a great time nonetheless.

Saturday, I started the day with more of my Roscoe mix.    A new song, "Repo Man", by Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs is a perfect jam song that would fit well with the classic stuff I mentioned above.     Sometime in the afternoon, all ten of us (plus our friends at the next campsite) all headed down for a barbecue at Russell Brook falls, complete with trout and corn on the cob.     It was a blast, although there was no music involved.    Upon returning to the site, it was Alan's ballgame once again.   This time, it was some of the more familiar stuff that we've heard at the Jets tailgates.    Two songs worth mentioning:

• "Freakin' At the Freakers Ball" - Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show (1973).. this was from their Shel Silverstein era and was on the same album as their hit "The Cover of Rolling Stone"....worth many a chuckle if perhaps a bit politically incorrect.
• "Tessie" - Dropkick Murphys (2004).   Alan had played this many times before at Jets tailgates, but I assumed it was from some band from the new wave era of the early 1980's.   I had no idea it was of recent vintage from the Dropkicks, who I recently added their latest single, the ironically-titled "Memorial Day".   I also realized it was a Red Sox rallying song (released, presumably during their 2004 World Championship Run), interesting also, since Alan is a Yankees fan.

Other songs from the Saturday night party included everything from the 1960's ("Silhouettes" by Herman's Hermits, for example), to tailgate classics "Delilah" (Tom Jones) and "Who the F**k is Alice".    Many of us got to request songs.    The Cure also got some play as well.     Alan actually got his laptop computer set up and played songs from his iTunes library.    Whatever happened to "roughing-it" style camping?

Sunday, as we closed down the site,  both myself and Alan played a few more, and it was then time to leave.  An intriguing weekend, and that included the music.

TOP 100:  A very interesting week on my SoundRaves chart as the scenario was literally "Two Against One" as the duo of Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi force out Adele's "Someone Like You".  It was thought the latter would have a long run at the top given it's quick rise to #1 after 4 weeks, but "Two Against One" takes charge.   Jack White provides the vocals for this one.  Meanwhile, Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" takes a third week at the top of Billboard's Hot 100.

Two songs resurge within the top 20.   The Raveonettes' "Recharge & Revolt' moves back up to #3 after the favorable response from Roscoe.    The Danish duo now have three songs on the top 100 as the new single, "Apparitions" joins their hit as well as "Forget While We're Young".   The other, Rachel Allyn, moves back from #16 to #13 with "Gettin' By", as a result of seeing her perform last Sunday at The Jefferson House, for the first time this year.

Rachel is also at the forefront of another first.    Her new single,  "Say Hello To Goodbye" is the top debut and Pick of the Week at #45.   Another version of the song, by R&B artist Shontelle, also debuts this week at #82.   It's the first time two versions of the same song have landed on the SoundRaves list.  I'll have more on this "cover battle" of sorts next week.   By the way, catch Rachel in a free concert this Sunday as part of the Florham Park (NJ) summer concert series.

Florence + the Machine becomes the latest act to have two simultaneous songs in the Top 20 as "You Got the Love" enters.   Multiple appearances are increasingly common, as the Sniatkowski Song of the Week debuts as well: "Future Starts Slow" joins "Satellite" on the chart, as entries by The Kills.  The Mover of the Week is by My Morning Jacket, "Holdin' On to Black Metal".  This five-piece band from Louisville, KY has gotten a lot of publicity, with the release this week of their new album "Circuital", their sixth (yes, they've been around since 1999).   They will be one of the headliners at Hunter Mountain's "Mountain Jam" from June 2 to 5.

Finally, American Idol crowned their new winner last week, 17-year old Scotty McCreery, who beat out Lauren Alaina; however both of their coronation songs reach the national top 30.   Scotty's song, "I Love You This Big", enters my list this week.   


SoundRaves Top 100 for the Week of 5/30/2011

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	2	DANGER MOUSE & DANIELE LUPPI featuring JACK WHITE Two Against One Album: Rome	8
2	1	Adele - Someone Like You	6
3	4	The Raveonettes - Recharge and Revolt	9
4	6	The Wombats - Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)	7
5	5	Adele - Rumour Has It	6
6	3	Florence + the Machine - Dog Days are Over	13
7	8	The Vaccines - Post Break-up Sex	12
8	7	Adele - Rolling In the Deep	25
9	9	Death Cab for Cutie - You are A Tourist	8
10	11	Cage the Elephant - Around My Head	5
11	10	Dom - Living In America	8
12	14	The Drums - The New World	6
13	16	Rachel Allyn - Gettin' By	20
14	13	The Cars - Sad Song	10
15	12	Lucinda Williams - Buttercup	15
16	18	Foster the People - Houdini	5
17	15	Mt. Desolation - Bitter Pill	16
18	30	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:   FLORENCE + THE MACHINE "You Got the Love" Album: Lungs	3
19	20	Brother - Darling Buds of May	7
20	32	Lykke Li - Get Some	3

21	39	Train - Save Me San Francisco	4
22	19	Telekinesis - Please Ask for Help	8
23	17	Leila - Hush Little Baby	15
24	31	Lady Gaga - Judas	4
25	22	Bell X1 - Velcro	6
26	23	Michael Franti & Spearhead - I'll Be Waiting	10
27	26	Chk Chik Chick - Wannagain Wannagain	10
28	27	Ben Harper - Rock n' Roll is Free	8
29	25	Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks	19
30	33	Plan B - She Said	4
31	29	Rihanna - S&M	10
32	54	The Strokes - Taken For A Fool	3
33	42	Kate Voegele - Heart In Chains	3
34	38	Neon Trees - Your Surrender	6
35	48	Peter Bjorn & John - Dig A Little Deeper	3
36	82	MOVER OF THE WEEK:   MY MORNING JACKET "Holdin' On to Black Metal" Album: Circuital	2
37	21	TV On the Radio - Will Do	11
38	28	Foo Fighters - Rope	13
39	35	Scars on 45 - Give Me Something	15
40	45	Fleet Foxes - Battery Kinzie	3
41	43	Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise	7
42	24	Dark Sacrament - Realm of Unlight	8
43	44	Augustana - Steal Your Heart	7
44	57	Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean	3
45	----	TOP DEBUT:   RACHEL ALLYN "Say Hello to Goodbye" (Single Only)	1
46	34	Helvetia - Arise Pt 1	13
47	56	Middle Brother - Me Me Me	5
48	49	Drive-By Truckers - Everybody Needs Love	5
49	58	Cold War Kids - Skip the Charades	3
50	40	Cold War Kids - Louder Than Ever	21
51	50	Andrew Allen - Loving You Tonight	5
52	41	Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now	8
53	47	Alexander - Truth	9
54	62	The Kills - Satellite	11
55	66	The Raveonettes - Forget That You're Young	3
56	46	Redlight King - Old Man	7
57	36	Peter Bjorn & John - Second Chance	17
58	95	Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs - Repo Man	2
59	53	Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues	17
60	70	Interpol - Try It On	4
61	64	The Thermals - Not Like Any Other Feeling	4
62	37	Superhumanoids - Malta	10
63	55	Cake - Long Time	6
64	52	The Band Perry - You Lie	12
65	63	Fitz and the Tantrums - Money Grabber	26
66	96	Sam Roberts Band - The Last Crusade	2
67	51	Ra Ra Riot - Too Dramatic	17
68	61	The Holidays - Moonlight Hours	19
69	76	Eddie Vedder - Longing to Belong	5
70	----	The Raveonettes - Apparitions	1
71	79	Arcade Fire - Month of May	3
72	89	Ke$ha - Blow	2
73	65	Devotchka - 100 Other Lovers	12
74	78	Zac Brown Band f Jimmy Buffet - Knee Deep	4
75	59	Company of Thieves - Death of Communications	10
76	69	Acrylics - Sparrow Song	14
77	67	Kings of Leon - Pyro	18
78	68	Jack Johnson - From the Clouds	16
79	100	Christina Perri - Arms	2
80	86	Noah & the Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.	2
81	85	Boxer Rebellion - The Runner	3
82	----	Shontelle - Say Hello to Goodbye	1
83	71	Colbie Cailat - I Do	16
84	75	My Chemical Romance - Bulletproof Heart	8
85	84	Austra - Beat and the Pulse	3
86	----	Arctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down "Cause I Moved Your Chair	1
87	74	Yuck - Get Away	15
88	60	The Sounds - Something to Die For	10
89	----	Scotty McCreery - I Love You This Big	1
90	72	Richard Ashcroft - Are You Ready	11
91	77	Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know	17
92	----	Gomez - Options	1
93	92	Mumford and Sons - Roll Away Your Stone	2
94	----	The Kills - Future Starts Slow	1
95	73	Tamar Kaprelian - New Day	13
96	83	Incubus - Adolescents	6
97	81	He Is We - Happily Ever After	11
98	99	Los Lonely Boys - Fly Away	6
99	80	The Decemberists - This Is Why We Fight	18
100	----	Sublime with Rome - Panic	1