It was a mix of old and new...some current songs as well as classic. Much of the music did include those of the decade just passed. One of the staples of music in that category is Amy Winehouse's "Rehab". I included that song on the playlist, but it was just moments later when I saw an item on my Facebook News Feed, that Ms. Winehouse passed away at the age of 27.
I let out on big OMG! But I had to admit that I shouldn't have really been too surprised that it happened as she was well on the way to self-destruction, still it caught me by surprise.
It was just last month, during my blog on E-Street Band saxophonist's Clarence Clemons' death at age 69, I was concerned that Winehouse may be joining him soon, especially after her pitiful performance at a concert in Belgrade, Serbia the week before, slurring her words to the point that the music was unrecognizable. Little did I realize that I would be that prophetic.
While they still don't know "officially" the cause of her death last Saturday morning, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that drugs played a part. Her "Rehab" song was all too real, and even when she tried to take it seriously and check in, it didn't go too well; a lot of outside influences, including her estranged husband probably didn't help matters.
But whatever the means, we had lost a very talented singer/song-writer who made a significant contribution to recent music history. There are those who don't think it was a big deal; after all she had only one big hit ("Rehab" hit #9 in 2007), and one hit album Back to Black, and two overall (Frank was released in 2003), and she's been pretty much silent since. But that couldn't have been further from the truth.
Great artists inspire other artists, or at least pave the way for their success. It's been noted that Winehouse is now another member of the "27 Club", a noteworthy list of famed musicians who passed away, by one means or another, at that age: That includes legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Brian Jones from The Rolling Stones.
Another one who was added to that list in recent years was Kurt Cobain, the frontman for grunge band Nirvana who shot himself in 1994. His band, with their success with the album Nevermind, including their hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit", paved the way for the grunge movement in the early 90's, and bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains soon followed. Grunge inspired the "post-grunge" genre, with bands like Stone Temple Pilots, Bush, and of course drummer Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters. Today, Nirvana is considered one of the cornerstones bands in rock history.
Amy should be in this category too, in spite of her limited output. After all, Nirvana only put out three albums themselves. But Amy introduced (or maybe more accurately RE-introduced) a soulful, retro sound styled in a 1960's approach with sensibilities of the new millenium. Some may argue that this was ground covered by such Brit pop thrushes of that era like Petula Clark and especially Dusty Springfield, but, more than forth years later, many thought it was a lost art.
But here's a case for Amy. Who did she influence, or at least pave the way to a new invasion of success? Soon after "Rehab" and Back to Black found gold, we had Duffy with "Mercy" and others, Lily Allen with "Smile", and, especially Adele, arguably the hottest singer on the planet. Loaded with talent, do you think Ms. Adkins would have sold this many recordings had Ms. Winehouse not been there first? It's no secret that Adele, with four songs currently on my SoundRaves survey, is one of my favorites; it's because of the similar style and approach that Amy took. Add to that other acts like LaRoux, Florence & the Machine, VV Brown (all with top 10's on my chart), and even extended that to male acts like Plan B, or, at the extreme, even American soul groups such as Fitz & the Tantrums, well, that's one hell of an influence.
Unfortunately, Amy Winehouse cannot build on that talent as it was wasted and gone, she, along with the others in the "27 Club" lived their lives with reckless abandon and paid the ultimate price. We do have one track to look forward to, that being a duet with legendary crooner Tony Bennett on his upcoming Duets II album. Winehouse said in an interview after the recording that she hoped to tell her grandkids about singing with the legendary Bennett.
Alas, not here in our lifetime.
SOUNDRAVES 100: It's Rachel Allyn one more time at the top as "Say Hello to Goodbye" stays in the lead for a third week, holding off some formidable competition as the top 5 songs are very strong and likeable. It breaks a string of #1's that lasted two weeks, the first time since Florence + the Machine's "Dog Days Are Over", which was on top for a single week back in May. More importantly, the song is being played this week on Renegade Radio Nashville ( http://www.RenegadeRadioNashvi
There is one new entry in the Top 20, the second entry from Portugal. The Man, 'Got it All". This one is from their new album "In the Mountain In the Cloud", released last week. (Their earlier hit "People Say" was from the Portland band's 2009 effort "The Satanic Satanist"). The band played New York City as well as the Mountain Jam at Hunter Mountain back in June, but are now touring the west.
Some big movers worth talking about include, as mentioned last week, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, which I played at the Belmar barbecue that I DJ'd at this past Saturday. One of my friends had mentioned that this band was either hit or miss with their songs over their long history (actually that's occasionally the case even within one song!), this song is more mellower than some of their raunchier early material, but still a good song. While Foster the People continue at the top of the Alternative chart (and fast moving up the Hot 100 ) with the year-old "Pumped Up Kicks", "Helena Beat" is starting to make inroads at #28.
Also making a big move is "Moves Like Jagger", an uptempo number from Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera. It's the fourth single from the band's Hands All Over set, and the band's first top 10 from it (#8). The first single, "Misery" reached the top 20 on the Hot 100, and #21 on SoundRaves. The next two singles "Give a Little More" and "Never Gonna Leave This Bed" landed lower on both charts, but it looks like the collaboration is the big hit from it. Augilera and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine both appears as coached on the hit reality show The Voice and performed this song on it. Finally, the last big mover is "16 Monkeys" by Los Lonely Boys, best known for their 2004 hit "Heaven". They've cooled off considerable since then, but this song, the second off their Rockpango set, is a departure and very catchy. The understated vocals are somewhat reminicent of Beck, and the rhythmic backing is so infectuous. A welcome change of pace for the Tex-Mex rockers and worth checking out.
Finally, three strong debuts hit the chart, led by Wilco's "I Might", from an upcoming album to be released September 27. The Chicago band, which evolved from alt-country act Uncle Tupelo has continued to move further from that area with the lead single from their upcoming album The Whole Love. I can think of three songs that it reminds me off, two of them from the magical summer of 1966, "The Pied Piper" and "Black is Black". Add a bit of Van Morrison's "Real Real Gone", and maybe some others and you have the gist of "I Might".
Another big debuter is the latest Fitz and the Tantrums single "Don't Gotta Work It Out", which I had held back for a few weeks, but as the track is making inroads at Triple-A stations (and with "Dear Mr. President" slipping a notch to #4), I thought it was a good a time as any...once again, the soulfulness oozes out of the track. Song should keep FATT's momentum which started with "MoneyGrabber" going strong. The last biggie is the new Lykke Li single "Rich Kids Blues" which offers yet another dimension of the Swedish singer whose "Get Some" made my top 5.
Two of my faves are playing in this area if you want to catch them. West-coast based Avi Buffalo, currently at #7 with their latest, are playing at the Rock Shop in Brooklyn on Wednesday July 27; Danish duo The Raveonettes will be at South Street Seaport this Sunday, and Maxwell's in Hoboken on Monday, August 1.
The SoundRaves 100 for the week of July 25, 2011:
This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
1 | 1 |  RACHEL ALLYN "Say Hello To Goodbye" (Single Only) (3 weeks at #1) | 9 |
2 | 4 | Plan B- Love Goes Down | 5 |
3 | 2 | Katy Perry - Last Friday Night | 7 |
4 | 3 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Dear Mr. President | 7 |
5 | 5 | Florence + the Machine - You Got the Love | 11 |
6 | 7 | Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean | 11 |
7 | 8 | Avi Buffalo - How Come | 5 |
8 | 6 | Train - Save Me San Francisco | 12 |
9 | 9 | My Morning Jacket - Holdin' On to Black Metal | 10 |
10 | 18 | Best Coast - Something In The Way | 6 |
11 | 12 | The Strokes - Taken For A Fool | 11 |
12 | 19 | Adele - Set Fire To the Rain | 4 |
13 | 11 | Adele - Rumour Has It | 14 |
14 | 14 | Adele - Rolling In the Deep | 33 |
15 | 16 | Foo Fighters - Walk | 7 |
16 | 15 | Lady Gaga - The Edge of Glory | 7 |
17 | 17 | The Black Keys - Everlasting Light | 7 |
18 | 21 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK  PORTUGAL. THE MAN "Got It All" Album: In the Mountain in the Cloud | 7 |
19 | 13 | Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi-Two Against One | 16 |
20 | 10 | Lykke Li - Get Some | 11 |
21 | 23 | Neon Trees - Your Surrender | 14 |
22 | 26 | Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall | 8 |
23 | 22 | The Raveonettes - Apparitions | 9 |
24 | 39 | Brilliant Colors - How Much Younger | 3 |
25 | 20 | Kate Voegele - Heart In Chains | 11 |
26 | 24 | Fleet Foxes - Battery Kinzie | 11 |
27 | 25 | Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs - Repo Man | 10 |
28 | 48 | Foster the People - Helena Beat | 3 |
29 | 63 | Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie | 2 |
30 | 37 | We Are Augustines - Chapel Song | 6 |
31 | 82 | MOVER OF THE WEEK  MAROON 5 featuring CHRISTINA AGUILERA "Moves Like Jagger" Album: Hands All Over | 2 |
32 | 32 | Paramore - Monster | 8 |
33 | 34 | Shontelle - Say Hello to Goodbye | 9 |
34 | 44 | Cee Lo Green - Bright Lights, Bigger City | 4 |
35 | 45 | Wild Flag - Romance | 5 |
36 | 31 | Adele - Someone Like You | 14 |
37 | 36 | Gomez - Options | 9 |
38 | 38 | The Lonely Forest - We Sing In Time | 6 |
39 | 47 | Generationals - Ten Twenty Ten | 4 |
40 | 42 | Arcade Fire - Month of May | 11 |
41 | 90 | Los Lonely Boys - 16 Monkeys | 2 |
42 | 46 | Zac Brown Band f Jimmy Buffet - Knee Deep | 12 |
43 | 62 | The Kooks - Junk of the Heart | 3 |
44 | 30 | Drive-By Truckers - Everybody Needs Love | 13 |
45 | 27 | Cage the Elephant - Around My Head | 13 |
46 | 52 | KT Tunstall - Glamour Puss | 5 |
47 | 61 | Beastie Boys - Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win | 3 |
48 | 56 | Sleeper Agent - Get It Daddy | 5 |
49 | ---- | TOP DEBUT:  WILCO "I Might" Album: The Whole Love | 1 |
50 | 29 | The Wombats - Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves) | 15 |
51 | 33 | Cold War Kids - Skip the Charades | 11 |
52 | 51 | Kenny Chesney f. Grace Potter - You & Tequila | 8 |
53 | 28 | Death Cab for Cutie - You are A Tourist | 16 |
54 | 54 | Scotty McCreery - I Love You This Big | 9 |
55 | 43 | Rachel Allyn - Gettin' By | 28 |
56 | 40 | Christina Perri - Arms | 10 |
57 | 57 | Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks | 27 |
58 | 58 | Arctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down "Cause I Moved Your Chair | 9 |
59 | 59 | Brett Dennon - Comeback Kid | 7 |
60 | 41 | Peter Bjorn & John - Dig A Little Deeper | 11 |
61 | 68 | Yacht - Dystopia | 5 |
62 | 66 | Young the Giant - Cough Syrup | 4 |
63 | ---- | Fitz and the Tantrums - Don't Gotta Work It Out | 1 |
64 | 35 | Lady Gaga - Judas | 12 |
65 | 67 | Linkin Park - Iridescent | 6 |
66 | 69 | Lenny Kravitz - Stand | 3 |
67 | ---- | Lykke Li - Rich Kids Blues | 1 |
68 | 50 | Dom - Living In America | 16 |
69 | 49 | The Kills - Future Starts Slow | 9 |
70 | 71 | Kings of Leon - Back Down South | 7 |
71 | 76 | Michelle Branch - Loud Music | 3 |
72 | 53 | Foster the People - Houdini | 13 |
73 | 74 | The Head and the Heart - Lost In My Mind | 5 |
74 | 92 | PJ Harvey - Let England Shake | 2 |
75 | 64 | Florence + the Machine - Dog Days are Over | 21 |
76 | 72 | The Naked and Famous - Punching In A Dream | 6 |
77 | 55 | The Vaccines - Post Break-up Sex | 20 |
78 | 65 | Rise Against - Make It Stop | 7 |
79 | 60 | Sam Roberts Band - The Last Crusade | 10 |
80 | 86 | Goo Goo Dolls - All That You Are | 3 |
81 | 87 | Colbie Calliat - Brighter Than the Sun | 3 |
82 | 73 | Givers - Up Up Up | 7 |
83 | 85 | Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight Tonight | 6 |
84 | 75 | Sublime with Rome - Panic | 9 |
85 | 81 | Bon Iver - Calgary | 4 |
86 | ---- | SuperHeavy - Miracle Worker | 1 |
87 | 84 | 10 Years - Fix Me | 8 |
88 | 89 | The Band Perry - If I Die Young | 4 |
89 | 77 | Scars on 45 - Give Me Something | 23 |
90 | 91 | Mat Kearney - Hey Mama | 4 |
91 | 83 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Money Grabber | 34 |
92 | ---- | Grouplove - Colours | 1 |
93 | ---- | The Decemberists - Calamity Song | 1 |
94 | 95 | A Day to Remember - All Signs Point to Lauderdale | 2 |
95 | 94 | The Belle Brigade - Losers | 6 |
96 | 96 | Incubus - Promises, Promises | 2 |
97 | 70 | Ke$ha - Blow | 10 |
98 | 78 | Ben Harper - Rock n' Roll is Free | 16 |
99 | 88 | 311 - Sunset in July | 8 |
100 | ---- | Trevor Hall - Brand New Day | 1 |
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