HAIM - "That Don't Impress Me Much (Shania Twain Cover)"

HAIM is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles. The band consists of three sisters: Este Haim (bass guitar and vocals), Danielle Haim (vocals and guitar) and Alana Haim (guitars, keyboards, and vocals). In addition to their primary instruments, each member is also proficient in several others. The group's pop sound on their studio work stands in contrast to the more rock-based music of their live shows.

The sisters grew up in a musical family, and began playing instruments from an early age in the cover band Rockinhaim, fronted by their parents, Moti and Donna. The two elder sisters, Este and Danielle, began performing with the pop group Valli Girls in 2005. They released a few songs on soundtrack and compilation albums under that name, but left the group shortly after an appearance at the 2005 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. They formed Haim with younger sister Alana in 2007, but did not seriously consider it a professional career for some years. After Danielle became a successful touring guitarist, first with Jenny Lewis and later with Julian Casablancas, Haim reformed as a full-time operation in 2012.

The group's first release, Forever (an EP released as a limited-time download), combined with positive reception at the South by Southwest festival, led to a deal with Polydor Records and a management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation group in mid-2012. The band began recording material for their first album, Days Are Gone, in sessions between touring dates, including appearances at the Glastonbury Festival. The album charted in the top ten in several countries, including the number-one spot in the UK, and the group had won several "best of" awards by the end of 2013. The group was nominated for Best New Artist at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. Their second album, Something to Tell You, was released in July 2017. Their forthcoming third album, titled Women in Music Pt. III, is scheduled for release on August 21, 2020.

This was just a fun cover I heard today. A beautiful nod to the original while still giving it’s own twist.

So today, with a causal laugh, I choose HAIM’s cover of “That Don’t Impress Me Much” as my, laugh a little, cry a little, let the clouds roll by a little, song for a, we’ll be fine together, hands intertwined, smiling in the sunshine Friday.

Evan Monheit - "Metamorphosis"

My friends are talented. They constantly do things that awe, amaze, & inspire me. Evan Monheit is one of those incredible people. Evan is an accomplished media composer who has spent the past 17 years in Los Angeles tuning his mind and honing his craft.  Equally comfortable as a composer or editor (and frequently both), he takes immense pride in his collaborative nature, musical sensibilities and passion for story-telling.

His diverse music resume includes trailer music for 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros and Universal, along with commercial music for FX Network and Sketchers.  He has arranged music for composer John Ottman (X-Men: Apocalypse) and scored various short films and films, including 2015’s The Chosen (Terror Films) and three seasons of the award-winning show Bloomers, on YouTube. 

Beyond film and tv, Evan has composed theme park music for Agila: The EKsperience at Enchanted Kingdom, Philippines, as well as the entire score for Phantom Bridge, a hybrid video-game/escape room experience debuting on Princess Cruises’ brand new Sky Princess ship.

In addition, Evan has written 3 classical works for orchestra, fully produced and composed an animated short film “The Empress and the Thief”, collaborated with and provided music for dancer/choreographer Andrew Pearson and partnered with The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles to direct/film/compose an emotional short film on the healing power of music. 

This is a piece that is so beautifully crafted it carries the swelling dramatic inspiration I constantly dream is happening in my life. Few people have the ability to create something where there was nothing. As a music maker, Evan can do that in spades. I look forward to the day he wins his second Oscar for best score.

So today, with inspiration swirling in the wind, I choose Evan Monheit’s “Metamorphosis” as my, let it move you, let it move through you, let it move others for you, song for a, swell your heart, swell your chest, swell your soul, Thursday.

Mother Mother - "Family"

I was turned on to this band by a friend of mine, whom heard their music on a tv show. That seems to be such a way for new artists to be found these days.

Anyhow, I loved the sound and the vibe. More importantly, I loved the lyrics. Chosen family is STILL FAMILY. People all too often dismiss those bonds, but it is a vital part of the fabric of our society. Chosen Family is what holds our worlds together.

Mother Mother is a Canadian indie rock band based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The band consists of Ryan Guldemond on guitar and vocals, Molly Guldemond on vocals and keyboard, Jasmin Parkin on keyboard and vocals, Ali Siadat on drums, and Mike Young on bass. Longtime bassist Jeremy Page left the band in 2016.

In 2005, they independently released their self-titled debut album under the band name Mother. They later changed their name to Mother Mother, and re-released the album on Last Gang Records in 2007. Retitled Touch Up, the reissue also featured several new songs.

The band's second album, O My Heart, was released on September 16, 2008; their third album, Eureka, was released on March 15, 2011; their fourth album, The Sticks, was released on September 18, 2012; and their fifth album, Very Good Bad Thing was released on November 4, 2014, with an American release of April 7, 2015, on Def Jam Recordings. Their sixth album, No Culture, was released on February 10, 2017, with yet another Def Jam Recordings release in the United States. The seventh and newest album, Dance and Cry was released November 2, 2018.

So today, with bonds rooting deeper, I choose Mother Mother’s “Family” as my, open up the sky, let the love fall in with the light, hold on to the roots you’ve made, song for a, break off the broken bits, let new growth fill you in, you are worth repairing as many times as needed, Wednesday.

Beyoncé - "Ring The Alarm (Freemasons Club Mix)"

I mean shout out to Beyoncé for putting out a banger that’s so good that I’m still working out to it 14 years later. Seriously, she released this as part of her 2006 album B-day and it has been in my workout rotation ever since. Today this remix came on that I’d heard before but not paid attention to, and let me tell you, there is nothing like Beyoncé blasting in your ears to get you to push through that last 400 yard sprint!

So today, with legs to run and stamina to last, I choose Beyoncé’s “Ring The Alarm (Freemasons Club Mix)” as my, go on and ring it, do the damn thing, let the world wonder, song for a, change my mind, get to steppin’, one more day on the grind, Tuesday.

Lee Dorsey - "Give It Up"

Irving Lee Dorsey (December 24, 1924 – December 1, 1986) was an American pop and R&B singer during the 1960s. His biggest hits were "Ya Ya" (1961) and "Working in the Coal Mine" (1966). Much of his work was produced by Allen Toussaint, with instrumental backing provided by The Meters.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dorsey was a childhood friend of Fats Domino before moving to Portland, Oregon when he was ten years old. He served in the United States Navy in World War II and then began a career in prizefighting. Boxing as a lightweight in Portland in the early 1950s, he fought under the name Kid Chocolate and was reasonably successful. He retired from boxing in 1955 and returned to New Orleans, where he opened an auto repair business as well as singing in clubs at night.

His first recording was "Rock Pretty Baby/Lonely Evening" on Cosimo Mattasa's Rex label, in 1958. This was followed by the Allen Toussaint-produced "Lottie Mo/Lover of Love", for the small Valiant label in late 1960 (picked up by ABC Paramount in 1961). These efforts were unsuccessful, but around 1960 he was discovered by A&R man Marshall Sehorn, who secured him a contract with Fury Records, owned by Bobby Robinson. After meeting songwriter and record producer Allen Toussaint at a party, he recorded "Ya Ya", a song inspired by a group of children chanting nursery rhymes. It went to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Although the follow-up "Do-Re-Mi" also made the charts, later releases on Fury were not successful. Dorsey returned to running his repair business, but also released singles on the Smash and Constellation labels in 1963 and 1964.

He was then approached again by Toussaint, and recorded Toussaint's song "Ride Your Pony" for the Amy label, a subsidiary of Bell Records. The song reached no.7 on the R&B chart in late 1965, and he followed it up with "Get Out of My Life, Woman", "Working in the Coal Mine" – his biggest pop hit – and "Holy Cow", all of which made the pop charts in both the US and the UK. Dorsey toured internationally, and also recorded an album with Toussaint, The New Lee Dorsey in 1966. In 1970 Dorsey and Toussaint collaborated on the album Yes We Can; the title song was Dorsey's last entry in the US singles chart. It was later a hit for the Pointer Sisters under the title, "Yes We Can Can". With declining sales, Dorsey then returned to his auto repair business.

In 1976 Dorsey appeared on the album I Don't Want to Go Home by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, which led to more recordings on his own with ABC Records, including the album Night People. In 1980, he opened for English punk band The Clash on their US concert tour, and also toured in support of James Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Dorsey contracted emphysema and died on December 1, 1986, in New Orleans, at the age of 61.

Dorsey's songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Petula Clark and Johnny Hallyday ("Ya Ya Twist", a 1962 French version of "Ya Ya") and Devo ("Working in the Coal Mine"). "Ya Ya" was covered on John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll album. "Get Out of My Life, Woman" (1966) was performed often by the Byrds (who based their instrumental "Captain Soul" on it), the Jerry Garcia Band, also predated the boom bap beat of the 90s Hip Hop; and Robert Palmer had a hit with "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley". His version of the Allen Toussaint song "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)" is referenced in the Beastie Boys' song "Sure Shot", with the lyric "Everything I do is funky like Lee Dorsey." "Ya Ya" was spoken by Cheech Marin in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, as he was waiting for his girlfriend.[citation needed]

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Lee Dorsey among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.

So today, with a little less pull and a little more give, I choose the iconic Lee Dorsey’s “Give It Up” as my, find your own rhythm, seek your own funk, make the music that moves your soul, song for a, burn the bridges so they can’t follow, take the chances you can, opportunities only work if you’ve prepared for the possibility Monday.

Taeyeon - "Spark"

Kim Tae-yeon (born March 9, 1989), known mononymously as Taeyeon, is a South Korean singer. She has been a member of SM Entertainment's girl group Girls' Generation since 2007, along with other SM projects including Girls' Generation-TTS, SM the Ballad, and Girls' Generation-Oh!GG.

Before officially debuting as a solo singer, Taeyeon had recorded soundtracks for television dramas that proved successful on South Korean music charts, notably "If" and "Can You Hear Me" (2008). She released her debut extended play I in 2015, which includes the Gaon Digital Chart number-one titular single. Her second extended play Why (2016) peaked atop the Gaon Album Chart and spawned two Gaon Digital Chart top-ten singles, "Starlight" and "Why". Her debut studio album, My Voice (2017), yielded the top-five singles "11:11", "Fine" and "Make Me Love You".

Taeyeon has further released two Korean EPs, This Christmas: Winter Is Coming (2017) and Something New (2018), and a Japanese EP, Voice (2019). She was a main cast on the JTBC reality show Begin Again (2019). Her second studio album, Purpose, was released in October 2019 and featured the top-five singles "Four Seasons" and "Spark". As of February 2020, Taeyeon has received various awards and nominations including six Golden Disc Awards, five Seoul Music Awards, three Gaon Chart Music Awards, three Melon Music Awards, and three Mnet Asian Music Awards.

So today, with a little bit of fire in my belly, I choose TAEYEON’s “Spark” as my, stoke the embers, feel the heat, where there’s smoke, song for a, this is not how the light goes out, belief is the best fuel there is, one more dream for the doing, Friday.

We can do it. Together.

Bach - "Prelude BWV 998 - for Guitar"

When the days have worn you down a bit, and the stress of the world has your nerves frayed to pieces, sometimes, listening to something soothing can calm your weary nervous system. It doesn’t always work, some days you’re too keyed up to relax and hear the beauty, but on days like today, classical music is always my first defense from burnout.

So today, close to the edge, I choose Bach’s “Prelude BWV 998 - for Guitar” played by Ana Vidovic as my, like slipping into a cool stream on a hot day, like a sip of water after a long run, like the sweetest balm on burnt skin, song for a, hold on, you’re almost there, step back from the ledge love - it’s not that important, Friday.

Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton - "Islands in the Stream"

Kenny Rogers was a country music legend. His earthy voice, and smooth style made him famous in the 70’s and 80’s with hits like “The Gambler”, “Coward of the County”, and “Lady”. We lost him this week, on 3/20/20 he passed away and the music world will forever be changed.

Rogers embarked on a long and successful solo career, which included several successful collaborations, including duets with singers Dolly Parton and Sheena Easton, and a songwriting partnership with Lionel Richie. His signature song, 1978's "The Gambler", was a cross-over hit that won him a Grammy Award in 1980 and was selected in 2018 for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. He would develop the Gambler persona into a character for a successful series of television films starting with 1980's Emmy-nominated Kenny Rogers as The Gambler.

Rogers' albums The Gambler and Kenny were featured in the About.com poll of "The 200 Most Influential Country Albums Ever". He was voted the "Favorite Singer of All Time" in a 1986 joint poll by readers of both USA Today and People. He received numerous awards such as the AMAs, Grammys, ACMs and CMAs, as well as a lifetime achievement award for a career spanning six decades in 2003. Later success included the 2006 album release, Water & Bridges, an across the board hit, that hit the Top 5 in the Billboard Country Albums sales charts, also charting in the Top 15 of the Billboard 200. The first single from the album, "I Can't Unlove You", was also a sizable chart hit. Remaining a popular entertainer around the world, he continued to tour regularly until his retirement in 2017.

As a fun side note, this was the first song I ever “performed”. When I was about 5 or 6 years old, my best friend Emily and I would go into the little restaurant attached to the local swimming pool and sit on the bar (this was the 80’s and they still let kids do things like that) and we would sing this song over in over for anyone who would listen. I’m not sure if you can deem in child labor, but I’m pretty sure they paid us in Shirley Temples.

Reid & Emily 1987

For reference here’s a photo of the two of us.

So today, feeling a lot like an island these days, I choose Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton’s “Islands In The Stream” as my, sail away with me, to another world, we’ll rely on each other, song for a, this too shall pass, walk with hope, hold on to each drop of happiness, Wednesday.