Music Report

Howdy Pardners, glad to see you’re still tuning in.

You can’t swing a dead cat these days without hitting a piece of media praising HBO’s series The Wire. Aiming to capitalize on all that pub in its final season, the producers are releasing two albums of the show’s music: ...And All the Pieces Matter: Five Years of Music From The Wire and Beyond Hamsterdam: Baltimore Tracks from The Wire. The music is likely to be most satisfying for fans of the show who can recall the tense moments that correspond with each track. That notwithstanding, the albums contain a number of solid hip hop tracks alternating between gritty, angsty bangers and socially conscious opuses. The two albums overlap quite a bit with Hamsterdam probably superior musically but 5 Years of Music contains wonderful liner notes chock full of beautiful photos and insightful essays.
http://www.amazon.com/Wire-Pieces-Matter-Years-Music/dp/B000YDOOT6
http://www.amazon.com/Wire-Beyond-Hamsterdam-Baltimore/dp/B0010DJ1BU

Another album just released based on a television show is from The Simpsons. Entitled Testify, it collects 41 songs from seasons 11 through 18 including such smashes as Nelson singing “Poppa Can You Hear Me?,” “Everybody Hates Ned Flanders (Medley)” and “Lady” (sung by Ricky Gervais). Add this to your collection next to the previous discs Songs in the Key of Springfield, The Yellow Album, Simpsons Sing the Blues and Go Simpsonic with the Simpons.
http://www.amazon.com/Simpsons-Testify-Original-TV-Soundtrack/dp/B000TXZVGG

Tonight, Natalie Merchant is playing the intimate confines of Hiro Ballroom at the Maritime Hotel. If she plays “Carnival,” “Jealousy,” and “Kind & Generous” it’s totally worth it.
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00003F7C96917136?artistid=770622&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

Next Wednesday, Wyclef Jean will bring his stylings mentioned in last week’s Report, to the Nokia Theater. Opening up is smooth, sultry R&B vocalist Lyfe Jennings. Let’s just say when I listened to his single “Cops Up” it even got me a little wet.
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00003F7DF418C201?artistid=792240&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=3
http://www.myspace.com/lyfejennings

I want to close today with a couple more of my favorite sources of streaming radio, LA’s Indie 103.1, which is always breaking new Rock songs and artists, and AccuRadio which has a whole slew of different genre stations include Flock of 80’s, Hey, Hey We’re the 60’s and Check The Rhyme. Or you can design your own station.
http://www.indie1031.fm/
http://accuradio.com/