Laidback country pop singer-songwriterKURT VILE was invited by Spotify to cover
a Xmas song exclusively for the giant stream platform’s new Christmas compilation playlist.
Vile: I thought it was nice of them to invite me, but I didn’t know if I could pull off a Christmas song! Then my mind jumped to when John Agnello showed me the Bob Dylan version of “Must Be Santa” while we were making the Smoke Ring For My Halo record. Bob Dylan has a wig on, and someone goes flying through a window. All this time, I thought it was Bob Dylan’s song. It’s really catchy, and he makes it his own, as he usually does. I figured if I can do Dylan’s “Must Be Santa,” if that’s not taken, it’s a sign. I gotta be the next chapter in this version of a Bob Dylan song. Then I realized it was actually a classic Christmas song, and was written however long ago, but I still wanted to do it justice the way Bob did. I wanted to be the guy who attempted to pull it off.”
“It feels like a perfect circle, really. I thought I’d do an acoustic version and have my daughters sing backup, but then it turned into more of a weird synth version with their vocals, which is really the hook. I figured Bob wouldn’t hear it, but I still wanted to do it justice, and once I got my daughters singing with me I hoped he would at least like it. Now I know… he loves it. Merry Christmas, Bob Dylan!
Yes, it is Santa, folks.
.
That crazy Bob Dylan version (2009)
The original version.
Written by Hal Moore and Bill Fredericks.
First recorded/released by New York
artist Mitch Miller in 1960.
The 7th day is one to be lazy, to relax, to walk in slow-mo
from your bed to your couch, to have a glass of wine and
to listen to musings/reveries/ballads that massage your
ears and mind gently.
Turn Up The Volume picked 10 to create the fitting
atmosphere to lose yourself in a blissful trance.
NME said: “On this spacey and sprawling dream-pop adventure, the great modern
American songwriter exudes the wholesome, easy charm he’s always held. Vile has
always been the epitome of someone comfortable in their own skin, but he displays
that more than ever on this spacey and sprawling adventure.” Score: 4/5.
To promote his new work Vile performed 2 songs off the
LP on American TV on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
NME writes: “On this spacey and sprawling dream-pop adventure, the great modern
American songwriter exudes the wholesome, easy charm he’s always held. Vile has always
been the epitome of someone comfortable in their own skin, but he displays that more
than ever on this spacey and sprawling adventure.” Score: 4/5.
Turn Up The Volume: Kurt Vile is an expert in writing lazy songs for lazy moments
of lazy people. The problem is that almost all of the songs on all of his albums are
lazy. Therefore he didn’t manage yet to deliver a masterpiece. But to be honest, he
doesn’t fabricate bad albums either.
Sorry, I have to go now, I’m moving slowly now … towards
my couch. I’m lazy and I need lazy tunes. Hello Kurt?
Singles/clips: Like Exploding Stones / Hey Like A Child / Mount Airy Hill
Kurt Vile in an interview with NME: “My albums always progress from
one to the next just by me getting older physically and spiritually. I think
my last record [2018’s ‘B in an bottle It In’] was pretty epic, and on this one
I’ve had even more time to make it. I’ve got the energy of a new label, and
I don’t feel as much in a rush. I recorded more than enough songs and then
just put all the best ones on this album, so it’s perfect.”
Lead single Life Exploding Stones is a long wandering musing
bringing, yes, Kurt Vile to mind. Sparky guitar/banjo play and
laidback storytelling.
5. ‘Stayin’ Alive’ by LEE ROGERS (Northern Ireland)
Original by Bee Gees.
This warm Americana voice out of Northern Ireland slows
the classic down, drenches it in a nostalgic sepia bath, and
gives it a haunting and soul-stirring twist corresponding with
the somber lyrics. Compelling version!
From the massive covers compilation called The Metallica Blacklist
featuring no less than 53 artists interpreting a Black Album song, the
breakthrough LP that was released 30 years ago.
Every Sunday for about two years now, the famous British songstress and
her King Crimson husband Robert Fripp entertained us (and still do it) via
YouTube with covers of big crackers. Their performances were/are ridiculously
hilarious. Definitely the stand-up rock comedians of 2021.
Razzle dazzle punk and tattoo artist Frank Carter unleashes his 4th LP Sticky next week. Ahead of it, we can taste this new crashing cannonball
feat. loudmouth Cassyette.
Sometimes I wonder when Frank Carter‘s lungs will collapse. At times his vocal powerfulness is off the charts causing the impression that an explosion is in the
air. And when Cassyette joins the scream contest the decibels go up to an illegal
level. Holy smoke!
Yesterday these psych-rockers from down under released their 9th longplayer called, yes, 9. A surprising mix of bangers to fill dance floors with and reflective ballads. My standout favorite is Pink Lunettes. A kick-ass jackhammer that does your head in, the way you like it.
Fresh band, fresh blood. With their sharp-cutting debut single, they target the never-ending police ferocity/racism as we, unfortunately, know. It’s still a worldwide disease.
“It’s about the aggression and brutality towards people, predominantly BIPOC and
marginalized individuals, alongside the disregard of matters that call for REAL assistance.
We will stand with this message until real change is made in policing says the band.
This Blue Mob is a turbulent whirlwind storming, with no brakes, towards the
abrupt finish. Blustery guitars, quick-fire pace, and robotic vocals. Touchdown!
Songwriter Steve Prygoda describes what inspired the song: “Love locks, they call
‘em. You see them on fences, overpasses, bridges. In Paris, Amsterdam, or in your own
city. Padlocks encoded with secret messages from lovers, for viewing by strangers. They symbolize love, however transient or permanent.”
This tremendously rushing earworm made me smile instantly, so does the universal
story of expressing your romantic state of mind via a sort of all you need is love graffiti.
And when you embed these fervent feelings in an irresistible, adrenaline-driven stunner,
you want to go out in the street and scream your amorous heart out.
Although – in general – tribute albums are a tricky affair (certainly when you want to honor one of the most iconic bands in rock history), they’re several notable performances on this one. Like here with Kurt Vile doing a great job with one of the key tracks of VU’s classic.
6. ‘Mass Produce Your Revolution’ by FERAL VICES (Louisville, KY)
This rumbling rock tandem release a 5 song EP titled ‘With Offerings‘ on December 3rd.
About this EP’s taster: “The song is about how we give these massive platforms to people
who really don’t actually know all that much of what they’re talking about. The second part of the song is about how these ultra-rich business people or specifically celebrities are throwing their pocket change into something just for the press and getting even more money out of it than they put in and it all becomes this vicious cycle that we all participate in.”
‘Mass Produce Your Revolution reflects loud and clear what we can expect next.
The pithy pair balances somewhere in between The Black Keys and Royal Blood.
Boisterous, determinant, and with uncurbed force. Bingo!
Ongoing Krautrock jam spinning around in your head before you’re aware of it.
Magnetic, hypnotic and energetic. Closing piece from new album Ignorance To Enlightenment And Back Again.
The trip starts here…
TURN UP THE VOLUME 