Such is the case with the outfit that I discovered at this year's Rosendale Street Festival in upstate New York in the town of Rosendale, near New Paltz. In July, my wife and I had been up there as my father-in-law had critical open-heart surgery at nearby Vassar Hospital in Poughkeepsie. As it turned out, the weekend of July 19 and 20 was the weekend of the festival. So close and yet so far. Since we were so close, I really wanted to go. The weather was warm, but not oppressively hot, so why not? For those you have never been to this, it's a great time; there are five stages dotting along the town's main street as well as offshoot streets and parking areas. Of course there are craft and food vendors lining the main street, and some "beer gardens" as well.
And there's the music. Two years ago I caught Ian Lloyd, formerly of the 1970's band Stories, who had a huge hit in the summer of 1973, "Brother Louie". He returned this year, although I didn't get to see him this go-round. He was one of 74 artists to play this weekend. A whole variation of musical styles was represented. One of my favorites was "Bob-Kat", formerly known as Bobby Kennedy and Still Undivided playing a great folk/acoustic set; the trio consists of Kennedy plus his two 20-something twin daughters, and always is a crowd pleaser.
But the act that swept me away this year wasn't even supposed to be on the bill. The Mountain Stage, the largest one in the festival gets the better acts; Patti Rothberg was the headiner at 8 PM. But it was only 4 PM, and Lindsey Webster was going to take the stage. OK, no problem, good, a chance to hang out and enjoy good music. Well, this band comes on stage, and they are jammin'. Reggae, calypso, ska, mixed with guitar driven rock and big-band-like horns. That can't be Lindsey Webster, whoever she is, can she? Anyway, they play great song after great song, people are dancing around, just enjoying the mood, and the all-day music vibe.
Finally, they finish playing and I go up and check out their CD as their front woman is there selling them. Turns out that the band is called The Big Takeover, and the name of their CD is Children of the Rhythm. As per the sounds I described above, the band is very diverse and all of the members contribute to its unique sound. Jamaican born NeeNee Rushie is at the center of all these exciting sounds; her charisma just adds to her music. Punctuated by a jamming horn section, guitar, bass and drums, putting them all together is what makes them special.
Based and playing mostly clubs and venues in the mid-Hudson valley, but also at other places along the east coast , the band was formed in 2008, and have two full-length albums to their credit. Their most recent effort, Children of the Rhythm is out, and I am jumping on the hot and heavy title track, which is my top debut at #46. I will post the song on my Facebook timeline; watch for it.
STILL "WEIRD" AFTER ALL THESE YEARS: The next highest debut on my list this week is by an artist you wouldn't expect to be on my radar. Then again, he's been in the spotlight now for thirty-five years. Remember "Weird Al" Yankowic, the parodist beyond novelties like "My Bologna", "I Lost of Jeopardy", "Eat It", "Like a Surgeon", "Smells Like Nirvana", and "Amish Paradise", just to name a few? Well, believe it or not, not only he's still around, but his latest album Mandatory Fun just became his first #1 album on Billboard. Hard to believe, right?
Novelty and parody has been as old as music itself, going back to the likes of Spike Jones, Daws Butler, Dickie Goodman, and Allan Sherman. Sherman, with his 1963 set My Son the Folk Singer, had been the last novelty artist to have a #1 album....until now. And it is amazing that Yankovic is still relevant, given his age, and even through all the musical changes and styles, he still knows how to make a good parody out of a current hit song. My friend Bob Groder, who I hung out with a lot in the 1980's, when Yankovic was initially popular, has continuously posted his videos up until the present day. And no, it's not nostalgia. In fact, his biggest hit to date was "White and Nerdy", a #9 hit from 2006.
Well, this time around has been special for him. During a week in July, he previewed one video each day for eight days. They included versions of Pharrell Williams' "Happy", called "Tacky", and a take-off of Robin Thicke's hit of last summer, "Blurred Lines", called "Word Crimes", which "examines" the current grammar "faux pas". That song became the single, and is my second-highest debut coming in at #58.
With Maroon 5 just releasing a new song a few weeks back, it's also time for their rivals Train to do the same. "Angel in Blue Jeans" debuts at #70. Unlike their last couple of albums, in which they have compromised their rock sound in favor of the latest pop trimmings (until their later singles), their first single adheres somewhat to their rock roots, although there are elements of pop laced about. A worthy start to their new album Bulletproof Picasso. The band has made my top 20 four times, including "Save Me San Francisco", which topped SNS for two weeks in the summer of 2011.
AT THE TOP: Foster the People has it's third #1 SNS song, as "Best Friend" jumps from #5 to the top, becoming also their second straight song from their sophomore Supermodel set to reach my zenith. Despite its hook, no small task after having one of the biggest singles from 2012 in "Pumped Up Kicks", but as mentioned in my last blog, pop radio didn't jump aboard. Actually, alternative wasn't too keen on it either as the song peaked at #15 on that chart. But I love it; it's reasons like this why I do a blog and have my own "chart", right? Another big mover is "Reverse" by SomeKindaWonderful, a song that went through my mind during my beach "chill day" in late July. It moves from #12 to #3.
FAST FACTS: The Vivian Girls', the Brooklyn NY-cum-Ridgewood NJ female trio, who enters my top 20 this week with the ultra-retro cool "Take It As It Comes", released in 2011 but being discovered now by me, have split up after three albums, effective earlier this year. Bittersweet in that I was hoping to hear more them, but there's a whole album to discover. They're not going anywhere here, anyway.....as my picked album track "6 AM" becomes their latest top 10 on my list, Fitz & the Tantrums have announced the third official single from More Than Just A Dream, "Fools Gold". As I did with "Keeping Our Eyes Out", a track following "Out of My League" and before "The Walker", I will wait a few weeks until "6 AM runs its course.
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100
July 27 - August 3, 2014
.
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
1
|
5
|
NUMBER ONE:
FOSTER THE PEOPLE
"Best Friend"
Album: Supermodel
|
11
|
2
|
1
|
MS MR - Think of You
|
17
|
3
|
12
|
SomeKindaWonderful - Reverse
|
13
|
4
|
2
|
The Hounds of Winter - Amy's World
|
17
|
5
|
4
|
Mac DeMarco - Chamber of Reflection
|
15
|
6
|
6
|
Calvin Harris - Summer
|
11
|
7
|
3
|
The Black Keys - Fever
|
17
|
8
|
8
|
Terraplane Sun - You Never Know
|
15
|
9
|
10
|
Lily Allen - Hard Out Here
|
13
|
10
|
17
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - 6AM
|
7
|
11
|
7
|
Anna Calvi - Eliza
|
11
|
12
|
14
|
Hozier - Take Me To Church
|
9
|
13
|
16
|
Tacocat - Bridge to Hawaii
|
9
|
14
|
13
|
Jack White - Lazeretto
|
15
|
15
|
11
|
Broken Bells - No Matter What You're Told
|
17
|
16
|
18
|
Avi Buffalo - So What
|
7
|
17
|
15
|
Lykke Li - No Rest of the Wicked
|
13
|
18
|
9
|
Junior Prom - Sheila Put the Knife Down
|
17
|
19
|
26
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
VIVIAN GIRLS
"Take It As It Comes"
Album: Share the Joy
|
7
|
20
|
19
|
Lucius - Turn It Around
|
32
|
.
21
|
25
|
Lana Del Rey - West Coast
|
13
|
22
|
28
|
Maroon 5 - Maps
|
7
|
23
|
30
|
Vampire Weekend - Step
|
7
|
24
|
23
|
Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High
|
15
|
25
|
21
|
Boyce Avenue - I'll Be the One
|
15
|
26
|
36
|
TOP DEBUT:
BRICK+MORTAR
"Lock In A Cage"
Album: Bangs (EP)
|
26
|
27
|
27
|
Kongos - Come With Me Now
|
26
|
28
|
29
|
Afghan Whigs - Algiers
|
19
|
29
|
20
|
Foster the People - Coming of Age
|
28
|
30
|
37
|
The Fresh & Onlys - Animal of One
|
5
|
31
|
33
|
Damien Jurado - Silver Timothy
|
17
|
32
|
22
|
Kings of Leon - Temple
|
34
|
33
|
38
|
Rachel Allyn - Restless Times Call for Reckless Measures
|
7
|
34
|
44
|
Jessica Lea Mayfield - I Wanna Love You
|
5
|
35
|
24
|
Pharrell Williams - Happy
|
23
|
36
|
49
|
The Orwells - Who Needs You
|
11
|
37
|
32
|
No - Leave the Door Wide Open
|
19
|
38
|
54
|
Dirty Heads - My Sweet Summer
|
9
|
39
|
47
|
Ray LaMontagna - Supernova
|
9
|
40
|
52
|
Nico & Vinz - Am I Wrong
|
11
|
41
|
48
|
Lorde - Glory and Gore
|
9
|
42
|
43
|
Man Man - Loot My Body
|
9
|
43
|
53
|
Caveman - In the City
|
7
|
44
|
42
|
Phantogram - Nothing But Trouble
|
11
|
45
|
55
|
Band of Skulls - Hoochie Coochie
|
15
|
46
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
THE BIG TAKEOVER
"Children of the Rhythm"
Album: Children of the Rhythm
|
1
|
47
|
40
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - The Walker
|
38
|
48
|
41
|
Kings of Leon - Wait For Me
|
13
|
49
|
46
|
Chromeo - Jealous
|
17
|
50
|
31
|
Young the Giant - Crystallized
|
17
|
51
|
39
|
Zedd f. Hayley Williams - Stay the Night
|
28
|
52
|
68
|
Dum Dum Girls - Rimbaud Eyes
|
3
|
53
|
81
|
Strand of Oaks - Goshen '97
|
3
|
54
|
61
|
OK Go - The Writing's on the Wall
|
5
|
55
|
69
|
Young the Giant - Mind Over Matter
|
3
|
56
|
77
|
Sam Roberts Band - Shapesifters
|
3
|
57
|
45
|
Young the Giant - It's About Time
|
35
|
58
|
----
|
Weird Al Yankovic - Word Crimes
|
1
|
59
|
72
|
The Kooks - Around Town
|
3
|
60
|
34
|
Hospitality - Going Out
|
26
|
61
|
57
|
Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better
|
19
|
62
|
----
|
Phantogram - Black Out Days
|
1
|
63
|
58
|
Bear Hands - Giants
|
23
|
64
|
67
|
Jenny Lewis - Just One of the Guys
|
5
|
65
|
64
|
The Neighbourhood - Let It Go
|
9
|
66
|
66
|
Phillip Phillips - Reging Fire
|
7
|
67
|
35
|
Cage the Elephant - Take It or Leave It
|
21
|
68
|
51
|
Paramore - Ain't It Fun
|
13
|
69
|
62
|
Capital Cities - One Minute More
|
9
|
70
|
80
|
Spoon - Do You
|
3
|
71
|
----
|
Train - Angel In Blue Jeans
|
1
|
72
|
70
|
Idina Menzel - Let It Go
|
13
|
73
|
78
|
Royal Bangs - Better Run
|
3
|
74
|
56
|
Rachel Allyn- Triggerman
|
26
|
75
|
75
|
Meg Myers - Desire
|
5
|
76
|
83
|
The Shins - So Now What
|
3
|
77
|
50
|
Temples - Shelter Song
|
27
|
78
|
76
|
Kongos - I'm Only Joking
|
5
|
79
|
82
|
Jungle - Time
|
5
|
80
|
84
|
Sam Smith - Stay With Me
|
7
|
81
|
----
|
The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt
|
1
|
82
|
59
|
Silversun Pickups - Cannibal
|
27
|
83
|
71
|
The Head and the Heart - Another Story
|
9
|
84
|
----
|
Linkin Park - Until It's Gone
|
1
|
85
|
60
|
Tired Pony - All Things All At Once
|
36
|
86
|
63
|
Haim - Falling
|
11
|
87
|
85
|
Broods - Bridges
|
5
|
88
|
89
|
David Gray - Back in the World
|
3
|
89
|
93
|
Horse Thief - Devil
|
3
|
90
|
----
|
Better Than Ezra - Crazy Lady
|
1
|
91
|
----
|
Conor Oberst - Zigzagging Towards Delight
|
1
|
92
|
----
|
ZZ Ward - Last Love Song
|
1
|
93
|
65
|
Wild Cub - Thunder Clatter
|
30
|
94
|
87
|
Vance Joy - Riptide
|
28
|
95
|
96
|
Milky Chance - Stolen Dance
|
5
|
96
|
79
|
Ingrid Michaelson - Girls Chase Boys
|
11
|
97
|
99
|
Slaptop - Sunrise
|
3
|
98
|
RE ENTRY
|
Iggy Azalea - Fancy
|
3
|
99
|
----
|
Rise Against - I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore
|
1
|
100
|
90
|
Haim - Forever
|
37
|
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