Video du Jour: “Dream Big,” Nils Lofgren

E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren breaks out the top hat, cane and tap shoes (I’m not bullshittin’ back here) for his new video “Dream Big” from his excellent new release, Old School. Lofgren has always been incredibly creative and he doesn’t disappoint here.  Check out Nils, Bruce and rest of the E Street Band tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. They are the only guests. Should be a good one.

Next week we look ahead to a big Springsteen week at SXSW in Austin where we will have complete coverage.

Nils Lofgren official website

Video du Jour: “Valentine,” by Nils Lofgren

 

As we eagerly await the “Wrecking Ball Tour,” here are Nils and The Boss from 1992. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Nils Lofgren Official Website

Review: “Old School,” by Nils Lofgren

Since 2007, Nils Lofgren has spent two years on the road with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, played the Super Bowl, had hip replacement surgery and lost close friends, E Street Band members, Danny Federici and the “Big Man” Clarence Clemons. Lofgren throws the emotions from these events and more life experiences into one pot and stirs up an excellent 12-track collection called Old School.

On the rockin’ title track, Lofgren gets a little help from former Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm and takes a shot at all those whiners who would rather complain than get out and actually do something. He takes us back to 1985 with “60 is the new 18,” a tune that shows a guy who is just hitting his stride at 60. “Miss You Ray” is a melancholy, country-infected tribute to the great Ray Charles and other lost loved ones who have affected his life. The celtic ballad “Irish Angel” with Lofgren on piano is outstanding and he gets a little help from the legendary Sam Moore on “Ain’t Too Many of Us Left.” The beautiful love song “Just Because You Love Me” has a nice smooth groove with a great hook and the Springsteen-esque “Why Me” has that unmistakable Lofgren tone on the guitar solo.

Nils Lofgren has always been underrated as a guitarist and a songwriter. Old School might not change all that, but it certainly should.

Nils Lofgren Official Website

“Old School” by Nils Lofgren (YouTube)

“Irish Angel” by Nils Lofgren (YouTube)

“Why Me” by Nils Lofgren (YouTube)

“Miss You Ray” by Nils Lofgren (YouTube)

Your Sister’s (Record) Rack: Grin

My big sister’s boyfriend works at a radio station, and he gave me a box full of albums by people you may have heard of.  In many cases these albums generated a radio hit or two, but today they are forgotten because the albums have been long out of print and the well-known songs are part of a greatest hits collection.  Then there are albums that had no radio hits – and were not big sellers at the time – but have taken on a semi-legendary status because they were early works by a well-known artist.

Today’s album falls into that latter category: Grin, the eponymous 1971 debut album for a rock trio starring singer/guitarist Nils Lofgren.  Lofgren is perhaps best known today as a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, with whom Lofgren has played since 1984.  But Lofgren’s recording career is even longer than Springsteen’s: as a teenager, he joined Neil Young’s band to help record the classic After The Gold Rush (1970).  Lofgren was also briefly a member of Crazy Horse, and appeared on that group’s first album in 1971; those two experiences helped Lofgren land a record deal for Grin.

Grin’s 1971 debut album presents an energetic rock band with much of the same commitment to basic rock and roll that Springsteen would exhibit on his first record two years later.  Producer David Briggs (also a Neil Young associate) would give Grin a polish that may be a little too slick for some tastes, but you can’t hide the exuberance that young Lofgren pours into rockers like “See What Love Can Do” and “Direction.”

Holiday Cheer from Nils Lofgren

E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren is finally off the road and in the holiday spirit. He’s offering a free download of three holiday tracks…”O Holy Night,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and “Silent Night” on his website.

Nils Lofgren Official Website

Play Ball!

At the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown NY

Starting pro baseball season in the middle of this big economic losing streak might be a good idea, or it might be a bad one.  Good idea – the simplicity and fun of America’s pastime might get our minds off our money woes.  Bad idea – we can’t afford a friggin’ ticket!

But we really have no choice: baseball has its own time, like the seasons.  It arrives, whether we are ready for it or not.  We will soon be wondering about lineups, starting pitchers, Manny, the damned Red Sox and lots more.

They should add a line to every player’s baseball card saying whether or not he took steroids.  They should have Bruce Springsteen play after one game in every ballpark in America.  And they should bring back Lee Elia.  Time to play ball.

MP3: “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” by the Hold Steady

MP3: “Who’s On First?” by Abbott & Costello

MP3: “Catfish” by Kinky Friedman

MP3: “Yankee Stadium” by Nils Lofgren

MP3: “Narragansett Beer” by Curt Gowdy

MP3: “Past Time” by the Baseball Project

MP3: “Go, Cubs, Go!” by Steve Goodman

MP3: “Hank Aaron’s 715th Home Run” by Milo Hamilton

MP3: “Baseball, Baseball” by Jane Morgan

MP3: “Baseball Bat” by Courtney Love

MP3: “Real Men of Genius: Mr. Designated Hitter” Bud Light commercial

MP3: “Centerfield” (live) by John Fogerty w/Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Clarence Clemons

MP3: “Get The F***ing Job Done” by Lee Elia

YouTube: “A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request” by Steve Goodman (Thanks Ken Shane, for the suggestion!)

Valentine’s Day

 

Have  a good day, both you and your loved one.   

MP3: “Valentine” by Nils Lofgren (w/Bruce Springsteen)

MP3: “Heartbeat” by Denny Laine (w/Paul McCartney)

MP3: “Two Hearts” by Graham Nash (w/Carole King)

MP3: “Hearts Against The Wind” by Linda Ronstadt (w/J.D. Souther)

MP3: “Wavin’ My Heart Goodbye” by the Flatlanders (w/Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock)

MP3: “Valentine’s Day Is Over” by Billy Bragg

MP3: “Love Stinks” by the J. Geils Band

MP3: “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” (Promo version) by Bob Dylan

MP3: “Cupid” (live) by Sam Cooke

MP3: “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye

 

“I Heard It On T.V.” – Finding New Music On the Tube

In 1999, I flipped on HBO to watch a new show called “The Sopranos.”  The opening sequence featured Tony Soprano driving through New Jersey to a very cool tune that I had never heard before. After digging around, I found out it was called “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3. Who? 

In one of the last scenes of Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise is running through what appears to be an airport to get home and here the now famous phrase “you had me from hello.” I always loved the haunting song in that scene, but never knew what it was. Then earlier this year I was watching the Showtime show “Californication,” starring David Duchovny. It’s the saga of a down-and-out writer who gets laid more than one man probably should.  One of the episodes featured the song.  I went to the website and found out it was “Through the Hill” by Harold Budd and Andy Partrigde of XTC. Who knew?  

 

Halloween Pot Luck

OK, we have a bunch of random stuff that doesn’t fit anywhere so we’ll just throw it up … For your Halloween weekend enjoyment.  Some rough language here; discretion advised. 

MP3: “The Grand Ole Opry (Ain’t So Grand Any More)” by Hank Williams III

MP3: “Woke Up This Morning/Why Do Men Fight?” (live) by Carbon/Silicon with Alabama 3

MP3: “Dalmation” by Nils Lofgren

MP3: “What’s Victoria’s Secret?” by Rick Springfield

MP3: “I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me)” by Mick Hucknall

MP3: “Can Your Grandpa Rock and Roll Like This?” by Albert Lee

MP3: “You Better Move On” by the Levon Helm Band

MP3: “It’s A Long Way To The Top” by Lucinda Williams

Free Download Alert! – “Yankee Stadium,” Nils Lofgren

Our friends at Backstreets have a story about Nils Lofgren’s new song “Yankee Stadium,” an ode to the final season at The House that Ruth Built. You can download it (and many other tracks) for free at nilslofgren.com. We will also offer it here until Friday. Nils’ solo work is really quite good. “Valentine,” a duet with Springsteen, “Secrets in the Street,” and the live acoustic version of “Black Books” on the Sopranos 2 soundtrack are perfect examples.

MP3: “Yankee Stadium”

MP3: “Black Books“