Time Creeps Up On Us...And On All Pearls No Swine, As Well

Tempus Fugit, friends. We're still a number of volumes away from being in real time with this series, but until now most volumes had been years old, the first volumes starting out as a hobby during Covid times. Which often meant that when relistening to these compilations, I was sometimes surprised (not always pleasantly) at some of my sequencing choices or mix of music on these. This volume was compiled last year, as time catches up to All Pearls, No Swine, so these newer volumes feel less like they can surprise myself. But they steer the course that was charted more than two years ago - I totally forgot to celebrate this site's second birthday at the beginning of the month. This volume, as the earlier ones set in the 2000's, are a little different from their 70s and 80s siblings, in that I'm not really bringing up hugely obscure stuff, but stuff that has fallen through the cracks, or, occasionally, are fun variations on stuff that people may know. And considering that the 2000s had the last gasp of rock music as any kind of culturally significant role, the cracks between me and the contemporary music scene are obviously becoming bigger the closer this series creeps to the modern day. 

As usual, there's a ton of different stuff, and this time even a bona fide hit! Santana's All-Star comeback Supernatural was fussy and frankly boring in long stretches, but "Smooth" was everywhere on the radio for months. But the second single "Maria Maria", was funkier and much better, Surprisinly, on this live track, the vocalists, known as The Project G&B, are fantstically on pitch, despite hopping around on stage, which I thought warranted inclusion as a hidden gem. Also - and somewhat surprisingly - in the groove department: The comp's opener "You Are The Best Thing" by Ray Lamontagne. I had followed Lamontagne throughout his first two albums, yet I remember what a pleasant surprise it was, when I first heard that song, with Lamontagne channeling his iner Otis Redding. I mean, his sad and moody ballads are great, if you are in the mood for that kind of thing, but what a welcome change of pace. The album Gossip In The Grain that I picked up afterwards showed that "You Are The Best Thing" was a true outlier, but still, what a song. 

Eclectic is the word of the day here: Besides rap/latin rock and neo-soul we also have power pop thanks to The Dexters and "Recover", alt country from The Handsome Family covering Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down", neo-synth pop from Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes, from his surprisingy good solo debut 4 Chord Of The Apocalypse and more 80s references in the form of chunky synth riffs from perennial One Buck Records favorites Midlake on the single b-side "Mornings Will Be Kind", representing their fabulous fusion of folk and 80s synth sounds that they did so well on The Trials Of Van Occupanther. Speaking of favorites: Neal Casal shows up here, too, supporting Ryan Adams on guitar and harmonies for a beautiful duo performance of "Let It Ride", the best song off Adams' Cold Roses.   

There's country rock from Aussie Dan Brodie, countrified noise-rock by Lift To Experience and weirdo Josh T. Pearson, jangle-pop from Marc Carroll, folk rock from the inimitable Mark Kozelek, here under the moniker Sun Kill Moon, with the beautifully flowing "Pancho Villa", guitar rock from alt country adjacent Steve Wynn and the poppiest emorock you'll ever hear thanks to Dashboard Confessional, here ably assisted by Eva Briegel from Juli on "Stolen". And that is still not all! The late, great Jason Molina shows up with his band project Magnolia Electric Co. (formerly known as Songs:Ohia) and the magnificent "O! Grace". KT Tunstall's beautiful version of Beck's "The Golden Age" found a place on my reworked alt version of Drastic Fantastic, but it was put here first. 

And finally we have a bunch of veterans showing up: Susan Taylor, now better known as Taylor Pie, with "Cypress Lake", John Howard with the beautiful reminiscence of "A 1970s Song" and old folkie Ian Tamblyn with "Apple Blossoms/Dafffodils". Seriously, when I say there is something for everyone, I mean it!

So, smorgasboard of goodies of all types, shapes and colors. Have at it, folks!