Before The Goldrush: Covers and covers

So, here's a pretty damn nifty album that required a bit of licensing, organization, compiling and permission (perhaps)begging.
Before The Goldrush is a compilation album paying homage to mentors, teachers, and singer-songwriter artists of the 60s, 70s who influenced the music of today. Supposedly, an open call was made to all current singer-songwriters in an effort to cover some damn beautiful songs for the compilation. All the profits from the digital-only full album download from Amazon are going to Teach For America and is also tax deductible, if you're already itching for the $19 deduction before the close of 2008.

Before The Goldrush, released from A Nest of Eggs, is full of 26 covers ranging from some artists I guarantee you've never heard of to some break-outs of 2007/8 such as The Swell Season (remember Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of the movie Once?...it's their group), Okkervil River and Neko Case. Who are they covering? Here's the line-up

Here are two of my favorites that do the original great justice.
The Swell Season - Into The Mystic

Pete and J

Happy 4th! Now get your American on

So, it's not that I'm lazy, I promise...it's that I think you are - which is completely fine on a day off, mind you. You should be out of the office like me, playing in the hills, listening to music and drinking coffee with friends and family. So, if you are reading this, thank you very much. But, listen to the songs, smile and then get back outside. Nonetheless, Happy 4th of July! I'll post on two songs today that have roots in the heart of America. No, I'm not talking Cougar Mellencamp's Midwest. I'm talking New York and New Jersey, the core of America's melting pot.

It would be anti-American if I were to post on American rock and roll with a reference of the east coast with out highlighting The Boss. What is the single act one can do to prove he or she is the MOST AMERICAN? Simple. Go put on some trashed Levi's, a white v-neck and drive a convertible Ford Mustang down route 66 with an American flag on your antennae - all while blasting Bruce Springsteen over your speakers. Extra points if you stop for a vanilla shake and some Freedom Fries at the diner along the way.

Bruce Springsteen - Born In the U.S.A.

I can admit that my generation doesn't see Simon and Garfunkel as the quintessential American music icons like The Boss. hell, high schoolers nowadays probably think Kid Rock or Fall Out Boy as true American rooted rockers. Yikes. I will say that Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel have influenced American Music deeper than most realize through their writing, Latin and folk infused styles, coupled with the era in which they drew upon and sang about. As told to me, they owned and formed much of the 60's culture as the most successful folk-rock duo. "America" was written by Paul Simon and released in 1968 on the album Bookends. It dances around the notion of a fictional trip of discovering or finding America (the social trends and inner-culture) with Kathy Chitty, Simon's girlfriend from his time in England. We can dig deeper to cover references to the Beatles, Dylan, Diamond and more, but it's the 4th of July so I'll let you peruse should you feel so inclined. I chose a version of "America" from Simon and Garfunkel's album Old Friends: Live On Stage, that captured live performances in New York and New Jersey in 2003.


Simon & Garfunkel - America (live)