Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Rocky and Balls

We Like Cake And Beards And Stuff Cover Art
I'm going to step away from old vinyl music sharing for a bit so I can introduce you to some terrific new music.  Rocky and Balls released a new album this week, available on their Bandcamp website in a limited edition CD and a not-limited edition download.  Rocky, aka Hannah-Rei, and Balls, aka Sophie Madeleine, are a pair of young, lovely, and superbly talented English musicians.  Apart, they have given us some excellent music (Sophie has the happiest music video ever - "You Are My Favorite").  Together, they have given us a collection of beautiful, witty, and entertaining songs that will make you smile and laugh.

Since the heart of Merry and Bright is Christmas music, I'll call special attention to a little bit of Christmas in May from Rocky and Balls - "The Christmas Song Song".  Catchy.  Hummable.  Oh-so-Christmassy.  Here's a link to their music video:

Rocky and Balls - The Christmas Song Song

If you like this, please visit their website, buy the CD (hurry!) or the download.  You can listen to their music on their site, too.

Sophie and Hannah, er, Rocky and Balls, are two of my favorite new musicians.  I think you will like them too.

Rocky and Balls

Sunday, May 22, 2011

J-J-J-J Jamie!

Equaling the thrill of finding Wanda Jackson's "Right or Wrong" in the record store was finding this gem of an album while rifling through the hundreds of "new" records in the store.  This is a record by Jamie of "Js with Jamie" fame, and it is fantastic.

Readers of Christmas music blogdom may be familiar with "Js with Jamie".  Jamie and the Js recorded a handful of truly excellent Christmas songs, far too few in my opinion.  Thanks to the world of the Internet, these songs resurfaced over at WMFU's Beware of the Blog.  Other Christmas music bloggers picked up on the shares and spread the word of these remendous recordings.



So, finding this record of Jamie and the post-Js J. Silvia singers was indeed a treat.  The record is in beautiful condition, which shows in the quality of the rips (in my humble opinion).

Searching the WMFU Blog will lead you to several (perhaps all) of Jamie's records, including the Christmas songs.  Old friend Ernie rates the Christmas songs as the best of the year, in a past post.

In an interesting Internet-enabled tale, Jamie's daughter found the WMFU links and commented.  Through these and other posts, Jamie's daughter tells us that Jamie is pleased that her recordings are being enjoyed by a new audience.

Please enjoy my rip of "Encore" by Jamie and the J. Silvia singers.  And visit WMFU to collect the rest.

download link

Wanda Jackson #2

As promised (or implied) long, long ago (Der Bingle is having a tough time staying active in the off-season), here is another great album by the amazing Wanda Jackson. 

First of all, I *love* the album cover.  Caught my eye as soon as I walked into the record store, and even though it was a tad more than the usual 99 cents, I had to have it.



Second, the music is fantastic.  "Who Shot Sam" is a marvelously entertaining song from the "Rockin' Side".  "The Window Up Above" is a sordid tale of cheatin' from the "Sentimental Side".  And, much to my surprise, my 9-year old daughter started singing along to "Stupid Cupid".  Apparently, it was featured in the film "The Princess Diaries". 

A great album from a great music legend.  Please enjoy Wanda Jackson's "Right or Wrong".

<link removed>