September 15, 2017

Late Bloomers, Filthy Friends & Little Dragon

Some say that making music is a young person's game, but several artists beg to differ. Jim and Greg share some of their favorite "late blooming" musicians – artists that didn't achieve success or even start music until later in life. Plus, a review of the debut album from rock supergroup Filthy Friends and a Hooked on Sonics from Swedish electronic band Little Dragon.

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Invitation Filthy Friends

The indie rock supergroup Filthy Friends initially formed in 2012 as a cover band. Led by Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, along with Kurt Bloch, Scott McCaughey, and Bill Rieflin, the group has released its debut album of originals, Invitation. Jim is skeptical of all supergroups, but thinks that Filthy Friends gels as a real band. He finds the guitar interplay to be a joy and loves the little allusions the band makes to their musical heroes. Jim calls Invitation a fun ride worthy of a Buy It. Greg, however, finds the album to be a tentative effort. Tucker's vocals are uncharacteristically restrained, he says, and the record lacks any musical surprises. According to Greg, the album is pleasant enough, but he can't imagine listening to it a year from now, so all he can give it is a Try It.

Late Bloomers

It's not where you start, it's where you finish! Jim and Greg are showing their love for the late bloomers of music - artists who either didn't achieve success or even start their careers until later in life.

Jim

Bill Withers
Sharon Jones
Sheryl Crow
Debbie Harry of Blondie

Greg

Peaches
Robert Pollard of Guided By Voices
Bettye Lavette
Charles Bradley

Hooked On Sonics: Little Dragon

Swedish band Little Dragon has been churning out catchy electronic soul since 2006; but their connection to soul music started much earlier. Lead vocalist Yukimi Nagano and drummer Erik Bodin told us about the song that helped Yukimi to embrace her own unique voice in the latest edition of Hooked on Sonics. A fan of American soul music, it was the voice of Aaron Neville of The Neville Brothers singing Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" that blew her mind.

Jim

This week's Desert Island Jukebox pick is an earworm that just might get stuck in your head. That's because Nikki Sudden & Dave Kusworth of the British band Jacobites crafted one of Jim's favorite pop songs ever with their 1984's Shame For The Angels. A song about unrequited love, Shame For The Angels might not be on your radar, but Jim thinks it ought to be.

Featured Songs

Filthy Friends, "The Arrival," Invitation, Kill Rock Stars, 2017
Filthy Friends, "Any Kind of Crowd," Invitation, Kill Rock Stars, 2017
Filthy Friends, "Come Back Shelley," Invitation, Kill Rock Stars, 2017
Filthy Friends, "Invitation," Invitation, Kill Rock Stars, 2017
Filthy Friends, "Windmill," Invitation, Kill Rock Stars, 2017
Bill Withers, "Moanin' and Groanin'," Just As I Am, Sussex, 1971
Peaches, "You Love It," Impeach My Bush, XL, 2006
The Cover Girls, "Better Late Than Never," Coming to America, ATCO, 1988
Sharon Jones, "Ain't It Hard," Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Daptone, 2002
Guided By Voices, "Tractor Rape Chain," Bee Thousand, Scat, 1994
Sheryl Crow, "All I Wanna Do," Tuesday Night Music Club, A&M, 1993
Bettye Lavette, "Before the Money Came (The Battle of Bettye Lavette)," The Scene of the Crime, ANTI-, 2007
Blondie, "Rip Her to Shreds," Blondie, Chrysalis, 1977
Charles Bradley, "Heartaches and Pain," No Time For Dreaming, Daptone, 2011
Little Dragon, "Ritual Union," Ritual Union, Peacefrog, 2011
The Neville Brothers, "A Change is Gonna Come," Yellow Moon, A&M, 1989
Nikki Sudden & Dave Kusworth, "Shame For The Angels," Shame For The Angels EP, Pawn Hearts, 1984
The Glories, "Don't Dial My Number," I Worship You Baby (single), Date, 1968
Carlos Kleiber/Dresden Staatskapelle , "Liebestod," Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, Deutsche Grammophon, 1982
Gary Glitter, "Rock and Roll Part 2," Glitter, Bell, 1972
Steely Dan, "My Old School," Countdown to Ecstasy, ABC, 1973

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