HUGE THANKS to everyone who’s been visiting the site, buying and downloading records, and leaving comments. We had a MASSIVE first week here (easily bigger than the biggest days at the previous sites) and now it seems we’ve directed most of our traffic over here from other locations.  Bookmark it if you like and continue to spread the word about the new music that’s streaming. Additionally, I’ve updated all the media players with new tracks at our myspace and facebook pages as well.  Funny how my attitude has changed over the years about all this web stuff.  Remember that rant from December of ’06 that started the last blog?  Me ‘neither.  I can thank Ryan M. Wines from Pet Marmoset and Lady Unfazed for helping shift my attitude over time.

Remember in Shakey, that crazy-thick biography of Neil Young, when author Jimmy McDonough recounts Young’s mom Rassy telling Neil that she just heard his new song “Horse With No Name” on the radio and she thought it was a great track?  Crazy huh?  Her own son.  Is it weird to be a huge fan of America and Neil? Can we love the originals along with the imposters?

Which leads me to the Beatles.  When’s the last time you actually put on an album by the Beatles?  Even with the killer re-mastered albums that came out recently I still rarely, if ever, grab a copy of Rubber Soul and drop it on the turntable or take  Revolver on disc to listen to in the car.  If anything, I really only listen to solo albums by the fab four – McCartney’s self titled album or Ram or really anything by Lennon.  Lately though, I’ve been going one step further and spending tons of time with my favorite Beatle imposters – specifically the great Emitt Rhodes and the recently re-issued Massachusetts garage-psych band Lazy Smoke.

Rhodes’ self titled LP from 1970 is the greatest solo McCartney-sounding record that McCartney never made.  It’s song after song of gorgeous piano-pop slabs.  ”Fresh As A Daisy,” “Somebody Made For Me,” and “Live Till You Die” are the standouts but the entire album is essential.  Whereas Rhodes takes McCartney songcraft and refines it even more, Lazy Smoke’s Corridor of Faces breaks down Lennon to his bar-room roots.  It’s like if John fronted a shaggy American garage band in ’68.  Sounds awesome huh?  It is.  It’s pretty damn awesome.  Jackpot Records finally re-issued the LP this month…  And oh yeah, nevermind Ringo, who’s the greatest George imposter?

Emitt Rhodes – “With My Face On The Floor”