What I am Listening to: Farmer Jason

 If these posts are ostensibly ‘what I am listening to this week’, then I guess I better mention Farmer Jason.

Having conversation about 2019’s Stand Tall, a close friend told me that if I liked Jason and the Scorchers and had small kids, I should check out Jason Ringenberg’s kid albums as Farmer Jason.

Needless to say, they have been a hit. 2003’s Day at the Farm with Farmer Jason has been an every day listen for the last six months with my newly turned five year old.

You can’t beat songs about the farm with kids and if I have to listen to kids’ songs, make them by someone with as much wit as Jason Ringenberg.

I would suggest that we are reaching the upper age limits of this record, but it’s been a hoot. Each song starts with an educational monologue which gets repetitive, but the songs are infectious and fun.

2006’s follow up Rockin in the Forest is a bit more *ahem* evergreen. It isn’t terribly different than his recent solo adult work. “Arrowhead” is a plaintive historical statement. While Punk Rock Skunk, Opossum in a Pocket and Moose on the Loose betrays that this is the same guy who led a band best known for ripping through Absolutely Sweet Marie and Take Me Home Country Roads.

I don’t know that I would listen to Rockin in the Forest if I didn’t have kids, but I also don’t know that I wouldn’t.

Outside of a Christmas album, the last we heard from Farmer Jason before his alter ego returned is 2012’s Nature Jams which is credited to Farmer Jason and Buddies with each song has a friend of Jason’s guesting.

Mike Mills, Tom Petterson of Cheap Trick, Iris DeMent, Brandi Carlile, Todd Snider and (most unexpectedly on Manatee) Hank Williams III and Tommy Ramone are some of the A-Listers who help out.

I also crowdsourced some music for my kids because I know some musicians have a career moonlighting with kids records. Between that and our regular listening habits- I thought I’d share some thoughts

I suspect everyone knows They Might Be Giants have been prolific in their Kids records (Five in 13 years). Adults have likely heard them on Mickey Mouse shows on Disney. Needless to say, these songs are huge in my household. Of course, as niche as TMBG are in their ‘adult’ records, it seems like it could be a blurry line between the two separate projects.

We are fans of the Amazon Prime series Pete the Cat. More musical than most, I always find it interesting that (for the first season, at least) Pete’s “parents” are Elvis Costello and Dianna Krall.

Jad and David Fair made an album called 26 Monster Songs for Kids in 1998 for Kill Rock Stars. I think it’s too out there for my boys currently but we will see.

In a similar direction, if you are so inclined check out the Wee Hairy Beasties. The kids don’t love it or hate it, but from an adult perspective, it is one of the most enjoyable Rated G records I have heard. Who are the Beasties? Well, they are the already genre-defying have-done-it-all Sally Timms and Jon Langford of the Mekons with Kelly Hogan and eccentric Chicago folk band Devil in a Woodpile.

There is surely more music now than one can imagine and don’t be surprised if a lost favorite (say Velocity Girl’s Sarah Shannon) is making kids music (in the Not-It’s in this case).

I did do something I normally wouldn’t, and did send Jason Ringenberg a short fan letter via social media for bringing so much joy in the last six months (and indeed 35 years) and was nice to have him have read it and thank me for it.

What I am listening to : Los Camaroes

 I would say I’m not particularly good at listening to World Music. Americans, in general, probably aren’t, as evident that we group up all non-English language music as “World Music”.

But most of that has to do with exposure. It’s hard enough for most any artist to get airplay in the first place. It has been helpful that established musicians like Peter Gabriel, David Byrne and Paul Simon moved the needle some. So needless to say, my World Music collection is pretty attuned to Rock ears. Fela Kuti, of course, and bands like Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra and OrchestraBaobab come to mind. Plus, of course, tons of reggae and ska, which generally gets thrown into the broader net of “World Music” if you want to throw that in there.

Fortunately, we live in unprecedented times and have access to so much music. One just needs to be ambitious to look. I generally am not that ambitious, but also taking advantage of the times, have dipped my feet in with friends’ recommendations. (As a side note, I used to catch the International show on the local college station, which was always interesting and certainly a different variety from what might normally get promoted on say, NPR)

So my ventures into what less concise programmers would call World Music is not only influenced by my likes but by friends, and to date, has been heavy on MPB (a genre of post- bossa nova Brazilian popular music with jazz and rock influences).

Anyway, definitely doing my best to keep my ears open. A great resource is Analog Africa- a German (via Tunisia) label that has been re-releasing some great “lost”African records from the past. For me, right now, I am really digging the Cameroonian band Los Camaroes. Resurrection Los from 1979 is considered a classic and I am really enjoying it.

It is pretty cool what they can do with guitar sounds and a dance beat, and I doubt I can describe it in anyway that does it justice, but Western ears will hear Jazz, Blues and Funk tinges as well. Check them out

What I am Listening To- David Bowie- I'm Only Dancing (The '74 Soul Tour)

 There’s so much to listen to with David Bowie. Even if you have listened to it all, there’s so much, that it’s an endless cycle to go back and relisten. Now with streaming, anyone can sit down and do it.

Even when I considered myself well versed in Bowie, I still had room to go, and I remember those times vividly. Dipping into Low and Heroes (seems the other day, but probably 20 years ago) and more recently Let’s Dance and Scary Monsters.

As it stands now, there really isn’t a major album that I don’t have a lot of familiarity with- except the two 80s clunkers and to a certain extent, Diamond Dogs and Young Americans.

There were always a ton of bootlegs, and even if you might have missed those, many seem to be getting released. Some hitting the market as Record Store Day promotions, others shared on streaming locations like Spotify.

Anyway, my current Bowie needle is pinned to I’m Only Dancing (1974 Soul Tour Live). It is the bridge from the two albums above from glammy Diamond Dogs to soulful Young Americans. It occupies a similar timeframe as David Live.

David Live is a rather unloved album, of course. It’s been remastered surely but my memory is of a rather unremarkable album of an otherwise once-in-a-generation performer.

I have to admit that part of what draws me to I’m Only Dancing is the unlikely covers -Knock On Wood, Love Me Do, It’s Only Rock N Roll, Foot Stompin, Shimmy Like Kate and otherwise Classic Bowie songs given makeovers.

I won’t suggest it’s for everyone. The David Sanborn solos might not go over well with those who’d otherwise loved Mick Ronson’s guitar. Still, if you’re picturing this as Bowie as a bloated crooner, you should check out say, Diamond Dogs or Suffragette City, to see how Bowie deftly navigates the genre changes while Slick, Alomar, Garson, Davis and the fantastic backing vocalists get things rocking. I find this a very interesting point in the most interesting of artistic careers, and a nice jumping on point for Bowie’s soul phase.

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