Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Continuing my month long “Best of 2022 Idelic Hits,” episode 2 came to together by “flippin thru” my recently assembled “crate” of new albums and singles—all released over the last year. For this episode I abandoned “counting down” records 21-41, and opted instead for piecing these recent gems in an elegant fashion to create a luscious hour of music.
Hey, that’s what Idelic Hours are all about.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Funny girl, you look so unassuming / Right up until the room you’re captivating / Starts to fill with gut-busting laughter / And you’re transformed into a five-foot Cleopatra / Funny girl, your schedule’s pretty crazy / Doing interviews for the new live action Cathy / Could you pencil in an industry outsider? / Yeah, you’re young but, baby, you’re not getting younger
Funny girl / For once your timing wasn’t great / I must have missed you by a day / But, baby, things have turned out pretty good this way / And I don’t think either of us yearns to share the stage
Funny girl, you seem pretty indifferent / But you knocked me out when you charmed the pants off Letterman / Oh, I wish you’d flash that manic smile in my direction / And let me lead you to your seat like we were old friends
Thanksgiving marks the end of new music for 2022. For years, blogs and websites have competed to be the first on the block to stake their claim for their “Best Of” prominence. I’ve always been excited to “dig through crates” and review all of the new records I’ve listened to and shared over the year. The act of sharing music is really at the core of who I am. It’s my dairy, my life’s work.
Over the course of 2022, I’ve observed a few things:
The state of music is currently upside-down.
2022 had more releases by known artists than any single year I can remember.
In a world of streaming services, there is no such thing as “Best of” lists.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
You’re heard enough / Of the blues and stuff / You’re pretty swell now / ‘Cause you’re pretty tough / But I don’t have to tell you / How hard it can be to get by
You never bothered / About anyone else / You’re well educated / With no common sense / But love, that’s one thing / You really need to get by
All your troubles / Come from yourself / Nobody hurts you / They don’t care / Just as long as you show them / A really good time
There is no greater day than the day your album comes out. Not that I’ve released many albums as an artist. Two actually, but being in the music business I’ve had the good fortune to share the joy of many album releases. Today is one of those days. In fact two artists I work with, Paper Idol and Jacklen Ro, released albums this week. Most of of the the week has been celebrating in the creative achievements of these fine artists.
In this day and age the process of releasing an album is so different—such a long digital “hike, climb, or march.” Maybe it’s why having a physical product, vinyl or cassette, becomes something to covet. I’m gonna hold onto the one cassette of my band I have and shake it and toast to the sky with joy.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Did she wake you up to tell you that / It was only a change of plan? / Dream up, dream up, let me fill your cup
Yesterday was Veterans Day. No school for the kid so it was more quiet than most. These canyon mornings have been very cold, so I chose to have coffee in bed and read the iPad and listened to ol’ Neil’s Harvest album.
Over the past few weeks it’s dawned on me more than once that Neil Young songs are no longer available on Spotify. Have you ever looked closely at your old copy of Harvest? The original package concept was to have it entirely biodegradable. The album, now 50, has a distinct California wintery, stoney, reflective quality that I found as smooth as my my morning brew.
I recall an early ’90s Neil solo, acoustic show. My good pal Barry (aka The Double B) and I were seated in the fourth row among many friends. I think Rick (Rubin) and Anthony (Kiedis) were next to us. Neil came out and sat on a stool surrounded by acoustic guitars. He picked one or two up and hit a few strings until he found a “friend” tuned to his liking. Then he simply busted into a spot on version of “Old Man.”
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
From the dew-soaked hedge creeps a crawly caterpillar / When the dawn begins to crack / It’s all part of my autumn almanac
Breeze blows leaves of a musty-coloured yellow / So I sweep them in my sack / Yes, yes, yes, it’s my autumn almanac
Friday evenings, people get together / Hiding from the weather / Tea and toasted, buttered currant buns / Can’t compensate for lack of sun / Because the summer’s all gone
La-la-la la la la-la la-la la-la la-la / Oh, my poor rheumatic back / Yes, yes, yes, it’s my autumn almanac / La-la-la la-la la-la la-la la-la / Oh, my autumn almanac / Yes, yes, yes, it’s my autumn almanac
There is a chance everything will work out. Why not? I think I’ll roll with that in mind this week. I know the times are a changing, and so am I.
Sometimes I’m scared to admit change makes me edgy. I get frustrated and feel old. Time has told me summer turns to fall and fall into winter. Some friends stick around and some fade into moonlight.
This week will be some of the darkest and coolest nights our canyon has seen this year. Funny six weeks ago was some of the hottest.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Our band could be your life / Real names’d be proof / Me and Mike Watt played for years / Punk rock changed our lives
We learned punk rock in Hollywood / Drove up from Pedro / We were fucking corn dogs / We’d go drink and pogo
Mr. Narrator / This is Bob Dylan to me / My story could be his songs / I’m his soldier child
Our band is scientist rock / But I was E. Bloom and Richard Hell / Joe Strummer, and John Doe / Me and Mike Watt, playing guitar
Hearing Dee Boone’s words rocketed me back to age 20. Oh, those were days filled with rocking fun times.
By the way, has the pandemic and fentanyl bummed your Halloween? Certainly more so than AIDS and ecstasy? The holiday and time of the year has always been my favorite, so I’m trying to keep my “boo” and “hoos” apart.
This said, I found it way more appealing to pull a few “cry in your soups” into the mix than the usual spooky tunes. The forecast is for absolute ideal weather in the canyon so I’m sending good vibes for all you kids out there.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Northampton, Exeter, Egypt / It won’t do to cry about it / I’ve seen a rat / I’ve seen a guy cautioned by police for rollerblading / Let’s smoke and drink and get fucked I don’t know / Let’s eat pancake / You could take control of my mind or body anytime / Why do I trust you? / The answer is I don’t and I never will / Let’s eat pancake / I’m bored but I get a kick out of buying things / Autonomy can be found at the shops / For me! / For me!
Dry Cleaning is one of the more fascinating bands to come out of the pandemic. With Florence Shaw’s deadpanned narrations, framed by intelligent and powerful sounds, the band seems to have walked straight out of the audience and into the rock ‘n’ rock spotlight.
They remind me of the way Black Flag walked onto the stage at their first New York show at Club 57. At one moment I was standing with some dudes waiting for the band, and the next thing I knew those same dudes were on stage playing a brand of music I never experienced.
So “just don’t touch my gaming mouse.”
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Now my hair gets longer as the beat gets stronger / Wanna tell Chuck Berry my news / I get my kicks outta guitar licks / And I’ve sold my steel-toed shoes
As October gives way to shorter and cooler days, old Joe Biden reminded us last night, “It’s gonna be a dark winter.” Mercury is in retrograde and they say it’s an opportune time to “clean your desk.” I’m taking this as a metaphor and taking it to heart.
During Covid I’ve been meditating. During my sessions it’s dawned on me that the time has come to let the past go, and I’m talking all things! As a record collector, it literally pains me to part with any rock ‘n’ roll relic, but this was the week. I parted with my ’59 Les Paul Jr and my well worn pair of 32-year-old custom engineer boots.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
I forgot my book / At the fountain stairs / At a chapter on symmetry / Nobody cares / And I had a smoke / While I traced the squares / Put my finger to concrete / Felt the autumn air
When I look around / I can feel it spinning / Feet on the ground / Head on the ceiling
Sun on my shirt / Sweat on my hands / All falling in retrograde / Cancel all my plans / And I had to look / At the marching band / Skip across the pavement / Nobody’s there
Rolling through the week, taking it step by step. For whatever reason this week’s playlist is dominated by new female artists. This week’s “Idelic Hit” is from a group called “Men I Trust.” Right on, I’m applying for that position.
Those celebrating “indigenous” or Columbus Day—yikes what a paradox. I say, just keep stepping forward. In feet I trust.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Sunday morning / Sun shining from your eyes / Sleepy face / Smiling into mine
Sunday morning / Lots of time with nothing to do / Lots of time to spend with you / On Sunday morning
It’s so quiet in the street / We can hear the sound of feet walking by / I’ll put coffee on to brew / We can have a cup or two / And do what other people do / On Sunday morning
Sunday morning, Sunday morning, Sunday, Sunday / I love Sunday, Sunday morning
It’s actually rare these days that I’ll create a straight up “theme based” Idelic Hour set. This week however, “Sundays” fell out of my head. As a muse, a Sunday morning seemed too little to do with many of the new songs a fresh crop of baby bands have been creating.
The challenge of “standing,” a Margo Guryan classic, next. To the latest Nafets release, it’s really the entire point of doing The Idelic Hour week after week.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Sitting at this party / Wondering if anyone knows me / Really sees who I am / Oh, it’s been so long since I felt really known
Fragile in the morning / Can’t hold on to much of anything / With this hole in my hand / I can’t pretend that we always keep what we find / Oh, yes, everybody splits apart sometimes
Living in the wake of overwhelming changes / We’ve all become strangers / Even to ourselves / We just can’t help / We can’t see from far away / To know that every wave might not be the same / But it’s all apart of one big thing
Oh, it’s not just me, it’s not just me / It’s not just me
New from Weyes Blood. These lyrics are a motherfucker—a really great reflection and I relate.
This week if felt like our city dodged the crossfire felt in cities around the world. The weather that I love to chat about was classic LA Indian summer conditions. Personally, I had a bump in my road. I had a bad reaction to my covid booster and was out for almost two full work days with a splitting headache.
For those hours, all of the things that keep me going—music, food, TV—were just too much for my consumption. I didn’t panic, but can’t help reflecting upon how grateful I am to be back to my computer, listening to music, and eating crunchy day-peppers and cucumbers.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
It’s so easy, but I can’t do it / So risky, but I gotta chance it / So funny, there’s nothing to laugh about / My money, that’s all you want to talk about / I can see what you want me to be / But I’m no fool / It’s in the lap of the Gods
I can see what you want me to be / But I’m no fool / No beginning, there’s no ending / There’s no meaning in my pretending / Believe me, life goes on and on and / Forgive me when I ask you where do I belong / You say I (you can do it) / Can’t (you can do it) / (You can go and set it free) set you free from me / But that’s not true / It’s in the lap of the Gods
Last weekend it rained. There I go talking about the weather again, but a few things happened last week and a big one was that it rained and our heatwave broke. We went to a cool party and walked in the rain and got wet.
A few other now novel things happened. Some of us had birthdays, and in England they are burying the Queen. Not sure why it means so much to so many, but I can feel the winds of change in my bones. Such is the beauty of September and October. So, enjoy a playlist of cool news songs and a few more dedicated to the ol’ mum.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Makin’ believe this is what you’ve conceived / From your worst day (I’m takin’ a dive) / Oh, movin’ in line, then you look back in time / To the first day (I’m takin’, I’m takin’)
And you and your sweet desire (don’t you do it, don’t you do it) / You took me, oh (higher and higher, baby)
It’s a livin’ thing / It’s a terrible thing to lose / It’s a givin’ thing / What a terrible thing to lose
God Save the King. God Save the US. Stay cool.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
When it’s time to go / You’ve got to let Me go away / And face the world / Say goodbye, cry some tears, don’t worry / When I hit the city / I’ll build you a house / Right down the street from Mine / Have some faith in Me / And I’ll show you why
This week finds me clinging to my Idelic music favs: Hazlewood, Bacharach, with a big dose of Chuck Berry. Although the world feels wobbly, week’s end finds me enthusiastic.
Such is the summer of ’22. No need to make sense of it. A rollercoaster both epic and no big deal. Smell the mint, cucumbers, basil, and roses. Eat your favorite ice cream. Savor each bite, and cruise to the beat of the sun.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
And if the way I hold you, can’t compare to his caress / No words of consolation will make me miss you less / My darling, if this is goodbye, I just know I’m gonna cry / So run to him before you start crying, too
And make it easy on yourself / Make it easy on yourself / ‘Cause breaking up / Is so very hard to do / Oh baby, it’s so hard to do
This morning I drove down the canyon and dropped my kid off for his first day of high school. Truly not an occasion for a break up song, but all said, sentimental thoughts have invaded my Idelic playlists for much of this month.
Why am I not surprised I’m reaching for favs like Scott Walker and Burt Bacharach as comfort?
