Our ongoing search for reasonably priced recorded major label music continues. Tonite, one of my favorite new artists of recent years: Jack Johnson. If you like folk- and blues-inflected pop or surfers/singer-songwriters, than this is your boy. Its $10 bucks, so step up and buy one. Both of these are must haves.
Also in tonites very short list: Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend. Its the only CD that is not under $10 this week ($10.99), but I included it because 1) it is one of the best discs to come out in the past 15 years; b) it shows you how braindead the major labels can be — A&M Records dropped this prior to its release, only to watch it become a Gold record (idiots); and iii) its available used for about $3. If you like undeniably great songs and alternative/power pop, this is a must have.
Excellent call on “Girlfriend.” It came out shortly after I graduated college and is part of that era’s soundtrack for me. Thanks for adding these musical interludes to the regularly scheduled market musings!
And here I thought I was the only one who listened to Jack Johnson….nice call, Barry.
I’ve liked Jack Johnson since watching the Curious George movie with my daughter.
Girlfriend is still overpriced. That’s a lot of money for one good song, the title track. And I own the album. Buy it off iTunes for 99 cents.
You’re right about Jack Johnson, but I much prefer Miles’ Jack Johnson Tribute album originally released in 1970 w/ John McLaughlin, Sonny Sharrock, Herbie, Billy Cobham, and more. Edgy, captivating music.
This blog originally turned me on to “Brusfire Fairytales” when it was listed in the “listening to” column on the right – he’s now a favorite of mine.
If you’re a fan, look for the “Jack of All Trades” 2-cd B-side & outtakes collection on any of your local BT-boot-trackers. There’s also a site – something like “internet archive” (i forgot the url) that tracks can be downloaded from in lossless goodness.
The anime video for Matthew Sweet’s “Girlfriend” is awesome, too.
Girlfriend is a great album. So is Blue Sky on Mars and 100% Fun. Sweet was also on the Golden Palominos’ Blast of Silence which also features Syd Straw and others – an excellent disc as well, if you can find it!
If you like “sweet” harmonies and catchy tunes, check out The Thorns with Matthew Sweet. It was a one-off album released in 2003 featuring Sweet, Pete Droge and Shawn Mullins.
Best song is probably “Think It Over”, an anthemic country-folk rocker reminiscent of Buffalo Springfield that no doubt would have been a #1 hit had it been recording in 1969-1971 instead of 2003.
All cuts available on iTunes.