Buried Treasures and Opinions on Madonna
Jim and Greg share some of their favorite under-the-mainstream-radar tunes during this installment of Buried Treasures. Then they review the new album from the Material Girl.
Music News
One of the highest profile court cases in the music industry has been going on for nearly a year and half, and finally we have a verdict. A federal jury in Los Angeles on deemed that Robin Thicke, TI and Pharrell Williams's 2013 hit "Blurred Lines" was indeed similar enough to Marvin Gaye 1977 song "Got To Give It Up" to award the Gaye estate $7.3 million. Greg notes that while it's a huge win for the Gaye estate and one that will impact future copyright decisions, there will surely be an appeal. Howard King, Thicke's attorney said, "We owe it to songwriters around the world to make sure this verdict doesn't stand."
Pioneering documentarian Albert Maysles died on March 6th. Maysles, and his brother David, made a huge contribution to the film world with their cinema verite works like Grey Gardens and 1964's What’s Happening! The Beatles in the USA. But for music fans like Jim and Greg, Maysles made his biggest impact with the 1970 rock doc Gimme Shelter, which showed the Rolling Stones during their 1969 US tour and the tragic death during their concert at the Altamont speedway. Maysles was 88.
Buried Treasures
As the weather starts to heat up, radio stations will start to play an endless loop of the same summer jams by the same big name artists. But there are much more deserving records that won't get that kind of attention. Jim and Greg share their latest cache of Buried Treasures: hidden musical gems that everyone ought to hear.
Greg
- Soft Science, Detour
- Dengue Fever, The Deepest Lake
- Lightning Bolt, Fantasy Empire
- Wind Burial, We Used To Be Hunters
Jim
- The Bama Lamas, Going Up?
- The Dodos, Individ
- Numero Group, Local Customs: Cavern Sound
- Thelonesomekid, iamthelonesomekid
Rebel Heart Madonna
In the early '80s, people questioned whether pop diva Madonna was just a girl of the moment or here to stay. While her music has been the soundtrack to our lives, her work in the 21st century has received mixed reviews. Plus in the Internet age, Madge experienced issues when she was forced to release her 13th studio album, Rebel Heart, early after tracks leaked online. Greg thinks that Madonna is at her best when she's being introspective, like on 1998's Ray of Light. The more experimental and honest tracks on the latest record outshine the dance pop numbers that are usually her specialty. He argues that Rebel Heart is half of a good album and gives it a Try It. In Jim's opinion, Greg is being kind to the Material Girl, and thinks "Holy Water" is probably Madonna's worst song ever. He perceives the confessional songs as inauthentic and her attempts at provocation as tawdry. He gives Rebel Heart a Trash It.
Featured Songs
- Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell Williams, "Blurred Lines," Blurred Lines (Single), Star Trak, 2013
- Marvin Gaye, "Got to Give It Up," Live at the London Palladium, Tamla, 1977
- The Rolling Stones, "Under My Thumb (Live at Altamont)," Gimme Shelter (1970 film), N/A, 1970
- The Rolling Stones, "Gimme Shelter," Let It Bleed, London Records, 1969
- Soft Science, "Feel," Detour, Test Pattern Records, 2014
- The Bama Lamas, "Sambuca," Going Up!, Dirty Ugly Records, 2014
- Ratking ft. Despot and Princess Nokia, "Steep Tech," 700 Fill, XL, 2015
- Dengue Fever, "Rom Say Sok," The Deepest Lake, MRI, 2015
- The Dodos, "Bubble," Individ, Polyvinyl, 2015
- Lightning Bolt, "The Metal East," Fantasy Empire, Thrill Jockey, 2015
- Cavern Sound ft. Aunt Marie, "American Sound Limited," Local Customs: Cavern Sound, Numero, 2014
- Sannhet, "Revisionist," Revisionist, The Flenser, 2015
- Wind Burial, "Crown of Bones," We Used to Be Hunters, Snowdrift Records, 2015
- Wind Burial, "Sleeping Giant," We Used to Be Hunters, Snowdrift Records, 2015
- Thelonesomekid, "Funnels," Iamthelonesomekid, N/A, 2014
- Madonna, "Living for Love," Rebel Heart, Interscope, 2015
- Madonna, "Joan of Arc," Rebel Heart, Interscope, 2015
- Madonna, "Holy Water," Rebel Heart, Interscope, 2015
- Madonna, "Jump," Confessions on a Dance Floor, Warner Bros., 2005
- Brenda Lee, "Ring-a-My-Phone," Ring-a-My-Phone, Decca, 1958
- Howlin' Wolf, "Highway My Friend," Heart Like Railroad Steel, Blues Ball, 1979
- The Walkmen, "Thinking of a Dream I Had," Bows + Arrows, Record Collection, 2004
- The Jam, "News of the World," News of the World (Single), Polydor, 1978
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