When Stephen Malkmus made the rounds and talked to journalists about his 2018 album with the Jicks called Sparkle Hard, he routinely made reference to a solo, keyboard-centric album that he had in the can. In fact, he revealed in a 2018 Washington Post interview that he had submitted this album to his label MatadorContinue reading “Stephen Malkmus Series: “Forget Your Place””
Tag Archives: Neil Young
Stephen Malkmus Series: “Cast Off”
“Cast Off” is the lead-off track of 2018’s Sparkle Hard, the last album that Stephen Malkmus released with the Jicks: The song and album open with a dramatic chord and then Jicks’ keyboardist Mike Clark plays a beautifully gentle passage on the piano, which is repeated a few times with variations to create a senseContinue reading “Stephen Malkmus Series: “Cast Off””
Stephen Malkmus Series: “Senator”
In 2011, Stephen Malkmus, with his backing band the Jicks, released Mirror Traffic. The album contains an arresting cover image of three Black men, two of whom are watching something in the distance while the third is zipping and hiking up his pants. With the album’s release, Malkmus did an interview with Pitchfork breaking downContinue reading “Stephen Malkmus Series: “Senator””
“Don’t Spook the Horse” & the Mountain Funk of Neil Young
In 1995, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam inducted Neil Young into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Vedder’s induction speech was a revelation at the time because the public persona created by the media was that he was a no fun, killjoy. Instead, the speech showed Vedder ripping jokes about Ticketmaster and telling warContinue reading ““Don’t Spook the Horse” & the Mountain Funk of Neil Young”
The Last 20 Seconds of “Cinnamon Girl”
The lore surrounding the song “Cinnamon Girl” by Neil Young and Crazy Horse is extensive. Recorded and released in 1969 on Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, it is one of Young’s most beloved songs and an unassailable classic. Stories about the song abound, such as how it was one of three songs written in aContinue reading “The Last 20 Seconds of “Cinnamon Girl””
Roadhouse
A few months ago, I took to social media to officially pronounce my separation from the word “choogle.” For those unfamiliar with the term, it’s a musical description — some even may refer to it as a genre — that originated with Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1969 song “Keep on Chooglin’.” During the song, John FogertyContinue reading “Roadhouse”
Dirty Three’s Love Changes Everything
Nick Cave famously called Dirty Three his favorite live band. He went on to say about the Australian instrumental band composed of Cave’s fellow Bad Seed violinist Warren Ellis, guitar player Mick Turner, and drummer Jim White: “When I watch them, they ignite something, I start having grand plans and hundreds of lyrics leap intoContinue reading “Dirty Three’s Love Changes Everything”
2024 Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN – March 22, 2024
Click here to find all of Recliner Notes’ coverage of 2024 Big Ears Festival. The following is a conversation between a middle-aged father and his 21-year old daughter overheard at on Friday, March 22, 204 at the 2024 Big Ears Festival: Daughter: “I don’t mind free jazz, as long as it’s good.” Father: “But allContinue reading “2024 Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN – March 22, 2024”
“I Have Loved You So Long”: Neil Young, Leonard Cohen & “Greensleeves”
In 1974, at the height of their songwriting powers, both Leonard Cohen and Neil Young recorded their own versions of “Greensleeves,” each with new lyrics to the folk song standard. Their draw to the song is understandable as its words of lost love and beguiling melody have been played and recorded hundreds of times. TheContinue reading ““I Have Loved You So Long”: Neil Young, Leonard Cohen & “Greensleeves””
Neil Young & The Santa Monica Flyers, Chicago, IL – November 20, 1973
On November 20, 1973 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, Neil Young and his backing band The Santa Monica Flyers performed a rendition of “Tonight’s the Night” for 34 minutes and 53 seconds. That night in Chicago was the penultimate concert of the tour which had started in Toronto on October 29, moved onContinue reading “Neil Young & The Santa Monica Flyers, Chicago, IL – November 20, 1973”
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