TVD's Parting Shots

Mega-talented Minnie Murphy returns to TVD after her 'First Date' appearance a few weeks back with a list of some favorites to kick start your weekend. Take 'er away Minnie:

The Steeldrivers – If It Hadn't Been for Love (Mp3)
The Steeldrivers are the best thing going on in Nashville right now! The lead singer Chris Stapleton is an incredible singer and the songs are really powerful. This one is one of my favorites but all of their work is great!

Amy Winehouse – Wake Up Alone (Mp3)
It takes a lot for me to buy an album these days but as soon as I heard Amy I felt a depth from her music that made me want more. I love the line, "This face in my dreams seizes my guts, he floods me with dread."

Aerosmith – Jaded (Mp3)
Steven Tyler is another astounding vocalist. This song just makes you feel good. It's like speeding down a highway in the summertime with the windows down. I love him!

Bjork – Venus As a Boy (Mp3)
Bjork is truly my idol. I think there's a lot of people that don't get her because she is so different but I absolutely love her. This song is so cool because it's almost got a reggae twist and her voice is just amazing!

James Brown – I Got the Feelin (Mp3)
James Brown is such a musical giant. Even if you can't dance you can't help but want to move when you hear this song!

Alison Krauss – Could You Lie (Mp3)
"Could you lie and say you love me just a little?" What a heartbreak. Alison is the best and her arrangements are always gorgeous.

Vince Gill – Pretty Little Adriana (Mp3)
Vince Gill is a living legend in country music. I feel so blessed that he is singing harmony on my first single "Take Me To Texas Tonight." He is such a humble artist who's only motive is blessing people with his music. This song was inspired by the tragic killing of a young innocent girl.

Todd Rundgren – Johnee Jingo (Mp3)
"Johnee Jingo" comes from the "A Cappella" album Todd Rundgren released in 1985. I literally grew up dancing and playing with my brother to this album. Thankfully, my mom was bit of a hippie in her day and had great taste in music. I also love this song because it's about a soldier.

Bob Dylan – I Threw It All Away (Mp3)
Bob Dylan is an awe-inspiring songwriter. This is my favorite song from his country album, "Nashville Skyline."

Jeff Buckley – Grace (Mp3)
Jeff is one of my all time favorite artists and even though his body of work is small due to his unfortunate young death, his work is incredible and seems to make up for that in a way. I still listen to the album and song "Grace" all the time. He was an incredible artist with a beautiful and innovative style.

TVD | Friday @ Random

I was thrilled to be asked by TVD alum Leerone to contribute to her blog after her two previous appearances here at TVD. If you recall, Leerone was our very first 'First Date' and DJ'd the start of your weekend two weeks ago.

I have to confess that for a moment though, both topically and thematically, I was at a bit of a loss regarding what to post on another blog besides my own. Hell, sometimes I'm at a loss as to what to post HERE, so I found myself taking a bit longer than normal to put together my thoughts.

Frankly, I needed to clear my head. I poured a glass of wine and meandered around TVD HQ the other evening, ...then it hit me.

But you need to head on over to Ms. L's blog to find out just what it was indeed that freed me from the fevered confines of my own cranium. (If you're guessing it was the wine, well - you're half right.)

I anticipate my post over at Leerone's place will be up shortly, but in the meantime, here's a bit of what to expect when blogs collide:

The Clientele - Isn't Life Strange (Mp3)
I Am Kloot - Over My Shoulder (Mp3)
Bedroom Walls - In Anticipation Of Your Suicide (Mp3)
Danny Wilson - Pleasure To Pleasure (Mp3)
The Blue Nile - She Saw The World (Mp3)

New Order reissues plagued with sound problems

A music label renowned for its elaborate reissues of vintage albums has annoyed British rock group New Order and its fans with a flawed package of the group's classics discs.

Rhino Records reissued "collector's editions" of New Order's first five albums, which all originally came out in the 1980s. Each one features a bonus disc, with 7- and 12-inch versions, instrumentals and remixes.

But alert fans quickly complained of about 300 errors, mostly relating to poor sound quality on the bonus discs. The pops and crackles on many of the tracks suggest they were transferred directly from commercially available vinyl recordings rather than from the original master tapes.

The discs were released in Britain last month, and music magazines there, such as Q and Mojo, did not mention any of the technical shortcomings in their rave reviews.

But Peter Hook, the bass player with the defunct group, said in his MySpace page that the reissue project was a "mess." He blamed the label for not sending out advance copies so that he and his former bandmates could do some quality control.

Despite the discontent, Rhino released the discs in the United States last Tuesday, and U.S. fans noticed the same problems. Rhino, an affiliate of Warner Bros. Records, plans to reissue the reissues, and will allow fans to exchange their dud CDs.

Read the rest here. (Via Reuters)