The Friday Five

All right, everyone....it's time for the second installment of the Friday Five!  Let's see what my little shuffle button has in sotre for us today:

Gypsy Rose - Ben Kweller, Changing Horses

Okay, well I just bought this album like, two weeks ago.  And suffice to say, I like it.  I've only listened to it a couple of times through, but it's really pretty good.  I find him to sound a little Dylan-ish, but fresher.  I first heard his name when I read about The Bens.  A few years ago, he got together with Ben Lee and Ben Folds (who I really like) and did a short tour together.  I always kind of kept my eye open for one of his albums ever since which, as I mentioned, I finally just picked up at Blackbyrd Myoozik.  Anyway, his talent for songwriting is evident...this song is the first song on the album, which sets a tone for what you're in store for.



Guyute - Phish, The Story of the Ghost
This album is largely improvisational, which is different for a studio album.  I think it would also be considered one of Phish's "funkier" albums.  This song would qualify as an epitomic Phish tune.  Very operatic and winding.  Love it!  The opening line, "Guyute was the ugly pig..." acts as a call to action for fans at a live show to "dance a jig".  This is a song that will typically induce long improv jams during a live show as well, due to the ever changing tones, time signatures and pace in it's original album format.

Time Tough - Toots & the Maytals feat. Ryan Adams, True Love

Well, Toots is a legend on the reggae scene and this album from 2004 was entirely done in duets with a different artist on every track.  Time Tough, features Ryan Adams, who has a pretty good solo career going on right now, after a great many albums with Whiskeytown.  This album with it's duets really demonstrates the diversity of reggae, as it matches with any other genre of musician.  Others to take part in songs on this album include Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Ben Harper, Bootsy Collins, Keith Richards and of course, Trey Anastasio.  Adam's Americana vocal drawl fits right in!

Eat Your Heart - Micachu, Jewellery

Probably considered one of the weirder albums I have in my collection...but I like that kinda thing.  Micachu is the stage name of Mica Levi.  Together with her band, The Shapes they prodcue largely experimental music, mostly featuring her playing an acoustic half-guitar in alternate tunings, a ton of distortion and using noise from everyday found objects.  It's awesome!  Apparantly she's also known for often making homemade instruments.  Sounds to me like the kind of person I would like to see live!

Ramblin' Man - The Allman Brothers Band, Best of the Allman Brothers

What can you say about a classic song like this from such a classic band?  Everyone knows this one and has to be on everybody's playlist when they take a highway trip.  This band, with Gregg & Duane Allman are the stuff legends are made of.  Duane died in a motorcycle accident early in the band's career, but they decided to carry on.  Dickey Betts filled into Duane's spot and definitely made his own footprint on this band.  They're still playing and touring today with another couple of legendary guitarists; Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks.  Being a guitar fan, this band always made it's mark with that instrument and continues to do so. 


Okay...I gotta run!  Happy Friday everyone!