Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Lend Me Your Ear...For A New Sunday Setlist!


ToPlayOrNotToPlay
ThatIsThe(Real)QuestionVille


It's been a busy fall  'round here.

And, for me at least, it was capped by yet another trip in the cigar tube last week, this time to Ottawa.

But I'll leave the story of that debacle for another time, except maybe to mention that during the end of the week 'scattering of the pols' flight back to Lotusland the only one I noticed in steerage was Joyce Murray (and to her credit she was very gracious to both the attendants and the teachers sitting near her who had been flown out to the capital city to win prime ministerial commendations).

Anyway, getting to the matter at hand...

I've been tinkering all over the place with this latest setlist. And the delay was made all the worse because I've had this little tickle in my throat for about three weeks now.

But this weekend I realized that everything will soon change.

To the carols I mean.

So I figured I better get the darned thing in the can right now before it's too late.

(which is not to say that I don't love the carols and such)

So, this morning I sat down and did my best to get it all down in pretty much one go. It's just a wee bit stop and start choppy, mostly because Benny the Kitten kept attacking both my feet and the guitar, some of which you can hear in the background - The Whackadoodle, who normally keeps the Kitten otherwise occupied (see above), was over on the Island with C. and littler e.

Now...

I couldn't lay off the Springsteen completely, but I did my best to get a little more eclectic this time around.

See what you think.


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The List...

Heroes - It's that classic Bowie song, but...This is Tweedy'd-up version of the Jakob Dylan arrangement (that I really dig) slowed right down to a tempo that only a Timmins family junky can contemplate...Why?...Well, 'cause I can't (even remotely)do Bowie, and M. Ronson wasn't around to save the thing...And, yes, this was for my friend Ian.

Used CarMaybe one of the lesser remembered tunes from Nebraska, an album which is very much back in the public's (or at least the critics')collective imagination these days because of that new movie from Mess'rs Payne and Dern...And while stark, the reports that I have read so far indicate that the latter has nary a Starkweather in sight(if not mind).

Dead Sea - It's maybe the best of the tunes from those kids that so many of the kids and grandmas alike are into these days...And this is a hella version wherein they, like me, appear to dig ambient reverb.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - As I explain on the recording, I've always been a little ambivalent about this song, for all kinds of reasons...But, what with all the talk about the Gettysburg Address recently, I thought it was worth an airing...Of course, it has been covered by many...There are very few versions better than this one.

Home On The Range - When I play this tune the version that I'm always trying to approximate, at least in my head, is this one.

Star Star - One of my favourite of all the old Frames tunes...There is so much beauty in what is, essentially, a sparse little stream-of-consciousness lullaby that, when need arises, can be dressed up as an anthemic epic...Or...Well...You know.


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In case you missed it and/or are new around here... Most of the non-singing interludes on these little setlists/podcasts are meant for our oldest kid, Bigger E, who is away at school five provinces over.
The image at the top of the post is of the Whackadoodle and the Kitten (who is really owned by our other kid, littler e.)...Fast friends now...The former will put up with a lot from the latter... And even if she snaps, she's amazingly gentle with the little trouble maker...


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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the kitten uses, a lot of cheap shots on the dog.

So does Harper use cheap shots. However, the kittens cheap shots are all innocence. While Harper's cheap shots, are all evil.

RossK said...

Ya.

The kitten is amazingly gently with the dog's ears compared to my feet.

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Anonymous said...

Nice set list pops!
See, I read your blog!!
-littler e

RossK said...

e.!

(but only when I put up pictures of your cat?)

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e.a.f. said...

the cat and labadoodle look very cute! Run them for prime minister and priemer and the country will be better off.

RossK said...

eaf--

Ha!

Although I'm pretty sure Nick 'n the Boys could dig up some dirt on either or both that would stick.

Case in point... I'm pretty sure Benny the Kitten likes to bury his own poop. I can already imagine the attack ads and the outrage about the egregious outrage from the fine folks at the SNN...

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scotty on denman said...

Great set.

Keep Benny.

RossK said...

Thanks Scotty--

Ya.

He's a keeper.

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