Michael Hedges

How's this for a story from Will Ackerman, founder of Windham Hill Records...

I was accosted on the street by Randy Lutge of the New Varsity Theater. He said, "Look, I’ll give you two free tickets to the movie tonight and dinner if you’ll come hear this guy play." I’m hearing that all the time and I’m thinking, "Oh God, but two free tickets and a dinner, that’s pretty good." So he takes me to that little upstairs room overlooking the courtyard, and Michael was there playing for just a handful of people. At the time, he was playing most of the stuff that’s on Breakfast in the Field [his first album, 1981], obviously some pretty impressive stuff. I started writing out what I could remember of a contract on a napkin and had him sign it. It was a way of saying to Michael how completely overwhelmed I was and how sincere I was about wanting to work with him. That was one of the quickest propositions in the history of Windham Hill.

Writing a contract on a napkin?!

"Michael" is Michael Hedges an American guitarist who revolutionized the acoustic guitar. Using alternate tunings, percussive tapping and a phenomenal technique, he had a huge sound which would leave you wondering how one person could get so much music out of one instrument. In short, he revolutionized the acoustic guitar.

His defining CD's are: Breakfast in the Field from 1981 and Aerial Boundaries from 1984.

Live on the Double Planet was recorded on tour in the US and Canada. A close look at the program notes from that CD, and you'll see that two tracks, All Along the Watchtower (great cover of the Bob Dylan classic) and A Love Bizarre (from Shelia E) were recorded live at the University of Maine at the Hutchins Concert Hall. And, as I write this, in an act of total geekdom, I get to tell you that I was actually in the audience that night. That's right, my applause is on the CD. Seriously, the live feel of this CD is great and it totally captures the mood of the concert that brisk night in Orono, Maine. Hearing the song Silent Anticipations live (also on Breakfast in the Field) will leave you speechless. Be prepared to be wowed.

Michael Hedges - Music You Need to Hear

Indio

This is a bit of a departure from previous entries but I wanted to share this story because it speaks to the power of music, not to mention movies, and the internet.

So I'm spending time with my mom seeing movies in New York that I would never have an opportunity to see otherwise. As I flip through reviews, Into the Wild catches my eye. The movie is based on the best-selling book by Jon Krakauer and was directed by Sean Penn. I won't recap the story, but if you're not familiar with it, do check out the movie website, or, better yet read the book. (Into the Wild has appeared on many critic's Top 10 lists of movies for 2007 and, for what it's worth, I really liked it as well.)

Curious, I look up the movie online, to view the trailer. As the site is loading, music from the soundtrack begins to play. Turns out Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam fame) wrote most of the soundtrack except for the song Hard Sun which turns out to be a cover from a band named Indio.

Indio released only one CD in 1989 titled Big Harvest. They did a short tour, and then, for the most part, fell off the map. It turns out the CD was revered by many. Big Harvest is out of print and sold used on eBay with prices starting between $60 and $90. On Amazon it ranges from $114 to $229. To read just how much Big Harvest continues to be loved by people today, click here and here.

From that CD, Hard Sun is just a great song period, never mind that Eddie Vedder's cover (iTunes) is quite good also. It's just one of those songs that you have an immediate reaction to and there's something about the lyrics, the music, that strikes you right away. When the chorus hits, it like an anthem that reaches into your psyche. Oh yeah, Joni Mitchell sings the backing vocals as well -- turns out her husband was the bass player in the band. I can't speak for the rest of the CD as I just got it myself, but as you read from the posts in the link above, Indio's Big Harvest clearly touched a lot of people.

Was Indio a one hit wonder with Hard Sun? For me, I can't say, as the CD is new to me as well. Whatever you do, right now, go download the entire out of print CD here, judge for yourself, and enjoy the music.

Indio's Hard Sun - Music You Need to Hear

Christine Lavin

Whenever I hear music from singer-songwriter Christine Lavin come around in my iTunes library, I always smile.

Somehow, she finds remarkably creative ways to tell poignant, funny and touching stories. There's Sensitive New Age Guys when she asks a bunch of men "Who's concerned about your orgasm?" (...and the men don't answer). To the song Shopping Cart of Love: The Play which tells about the time she got a goodbye note from her boyfriend who left her for her roommate...then she went to the supermarket console herself with junk food...then had too many items in the checkout line...then fell in love with the guy behind her who offered to take some of her items in order to avoid a near riot in the store. The song is nearly nine minutes long and worth every second.

The two songs referenced above are from Attainable Love, one of her early CD's. But Lavin has 19 solo albums and I admit looking at her discography, I've got a lot of catching up (and probably laughing) to do.

I mean, how can you not at least be curious about songs titled:

Tom Cruise Scares Me
The Tacobel Canon
Making Friends With My Grey Hair
If You Want Space, Go To Utah
Getting in Touch With My Inner Bitch
Please Don't Make Me Too Happy
Prisoners Of Their Hairdos
Roses From The Wrong Man
Nobody's Fat in Aspen

Christine Lavin - Music You Need to Hear

Voice of the Beehive

Can you picture music that's sugary, brash, feminine, sassy, saucy, full of catchy little barbs, and original? If your answer is no, then listen to Voice of the Beehive.


Let It Bee is the group's quintessential work. Released in the late 1980's, this album, (at least in the U.S.) came out of nowhere and ended up charting as high as #11 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart. The harmonies, guitar arpeggios, and lyrics all make for very enjoyable listening. I Say Nothing is instantly catchy and a great intro to the band. Personally, my favorite is Sorrow Floats, but don't overlook the dreamy Man in the Moon, and the Beat of Love either. All of the aforementioned songs are four or five stars on my iTunes.

If that weren't enough, anyone who writes a song titled There's a Barbarian in the Back of My Car from a feminine point of view, is okay by me.

The group's website has a great bio of the band. They have an up-to-date page on MySpace as well. All of their music is available on iTunes.

A reviewer on Amazon sums it up perfectly:

"I wouldn't rate them as a classic or an all-time great, but I agree with the sentiment of the other reviewers. If you want a band that gives you a really alive, fresh feeling when you listen to their music, Voice of the Beehive will do it."

Nineteen years after Let it Bee was released, that feeling is still alive.

Voice of the Beehive - Music You Need to Hear

Pianosaurus

Pianosaurus is the first all toy instrument band. Yes, you read correctly.

This is like nothing you ever heard before. First of all, it's hard to get toy instruments to sound good period, let alone get several together and use them in a band. Yet somehow, someway, it all comes together.

Here's a bit of band history. Their only official release is Groovy Neighborhood.

Highlights include the utterly charming Love Is a Two-Way Street and the easygoing Downtown. Also, don't overlook Thriftshoppin', and Memphis (a great rendition of the Chuck Berry classic).

Pianosaurus - Music You Need To Hear

Ray Lynch

In the late 1980's, I was in college at the University of Maine. One weekend, I decided to visit Bar Harbor, a charming coastal town and home to Acadia National Park. So I walked into a gift shop and there was this music playing. And I took notice right away because the song (even though a different genre), sounded a bit like Call Me by Blondie. But the song and the entire CD, was decidedly New Age and yet I couldn't get it out of my head. There's was just something about the the rhythm and feel of this CD that stuck with me.

That song was Celestial Soda Pop from a CD titled Deep Breakfast.

Deep Breakfast to date has sold 1,256,814 copies. It was the first independently released album to reach Platinum status (over 1 million copies sold).

It's music from a man who has, in total, sold over two million albums, won three Billboard Awards, and yet, he's never made a music video and doesn't go on tour.

That man is Ray Lynch.

Ray Lynch - Music You Need to Hear

RX

"In this world, direct communication is a ticket to success."

Whether you agree with his political stance or not, RX creates great mixes using samples from popular songs and (among others) President Bush. Although I suspect the songs might be more entertaining if you subscribe to his (anti-Bush) sentiment.

My Name is RX (the 5th song from the top - can be downloaded) is a brilliant mix of the Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil and President Bush. It works musically and goes beyond catchy. It'll also get your feet seriously moving if you listen to music when walking or exercising.

RX also a great job with U2's Sunday, Bloody Sunday. He's found the sound clips that literally make Bush sing the song.

All of his songs represent, TONS of work. It's easy to forget about that part since his mixes sound pretty good.

The links on the mp3's on the RX website are outdated, so aside from the links above, you need to do some Googling to find his music.

RX - Music You Need To Hear