Friday 30 September 2016

What we're listening to. Marc Cohn.



We have a kinda' of a rule in Streamabout - keep your ears open. Music is so much a part of what we do for online video so you have to be music intelligent.

If you say, "I don't like Jazz" you miss out on Chet Baker or, "I don't like Reggae" you never get to hear Marley. Keep the ears open.

Now I hear you all groaning about this. For some unearthly reason, Marc Cohn is not considered cool and boxed away under the 'Curtis Stigers' cover set. Grossly unfair that is, because this, dear reader, is a classic.

Ohio's Cohn, started as a session head with people like Jimmy Webb, Tracey Chapman and actually he was shot in the head (survived, obviously) on tour with Suzanne Vega. He released this debut in 1991 with "Walking in Memphis" making it grammy huge and perhaps that's the song that pigeon-holed him. His Videos too are perhaps a little 'cheesy' but then, it was the 90's. 

But these are great songs.

Listen to 'Silver Thunderbird' about his Dad and it's really beautifully lyrically. It's featured at the end here. 'Strangers in a Car' is eerily magical reminding us of Randy Newman's 'Germany before the war'. 'Perfect Love' featuring James Taylor, is romantically superb and the arrangements throughout are first class.

'Ghost Train' is a terrific song, 'Saving the best for last' is a story about a NYC Cab ride, 'Walk on water' is excellent and so too as it ends with 'True Companion'. It's hard to think of another Album with such great songwriting, song after song. And boy can he play the piano.

Give March Cohn a go because this is simply, superb. Listen to this and think about the lyrics......the man with the plan and the pocket comb....you can keep your El Dorado's and the foreign car's absurd. 

Trust us.



Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill'.