2006: Can You Hear It?

Nearly five months gone and its been a TOP year in music. WOOZradio continues to thrive with more listeners than ever (we thank you), all a result of the propensity of hot shit being produced in studios, garages, bathrooms and digital vacuums worldwide.

Now that its summer — and its forecast to be the best summer ever — I’m privileged to present the following aural assistance. Thanks again for listening.

* The Stills – “In the Beginning” from Without Feathers [buy]

* Phoenix – “Long Distance Call” from It’s Never Been Like That [buy]

Dig. More to follow.

The “Old Man” is Getting On

Neil YoungThere’s been a bigtime buzz in the air since last week’s news that Neil Young is to release a “war” album including a track titled “Let’s Impeach the President.”

Wait no longer, the sneak peak is here in full, and apparently it’s a must-hear.

Revealed in today’s New York Times:

Critic’s Notebook: Neil Young’s ‘Living With War’ Shows He Doesn’t Like It
By JON PARELES

Mr. Young’s new album, which is available to download for free online, is irate, passionate, obstinate and definitely worth a click.

The Canadian-born Young told the Times:

“If you impeach Bush, you’re doing a huge favor for the Republicans,” he argued, speaking by telephone from California. “They can run again with some pride.”

They can run, but they can’t hide.

Young’s official website is streaming Living With War, the Living With War Blog has extended coverage, including a CNN interview.

DJ Bobby D

Bob SimpsonYou heard about it earlier in the year — and now, the Observer UK has capitalized on an exclusive preview of Bob Dylan’s first DJ set for XMradio. This article gives the complete rundown, including the playlist. A second article adds even more — hello American media, Bob Dylan DJ-ing is worth at least ONE column, right? Get over the David Lee Roth / Howard Stern muck-fest.

The articles give a few examples of Dylan’s DJ persona, for example, the second article quotes his segue after playing Muddy Waters’ Blow Wind, Blow:

‘Chicago is known as the Windy City, but it’s not the windiest city in the US; the windiest city is Dodge City, Kansas. Other windy cities are Amarillo, Texas; Rochester, Minneso-taaa … all of which beat Chicago.’

The one hour weekly show, dubbed The Theme Time Radio Hour, launches May 3rd at 10am EDT on XMradio ch. 40. The British musicologist Charlie Gillett adds, “It draws you in and you never for a moment think he’s playing games, which he’s supposedly notorious for doing.”

One surprising fact mentioned in the article is that the program will apparently be broadcast online to U.S. internet users, via XMradio Online (a service that is noticeably absent from Sirius). Trial passes are available here.

Expecting Rain provides a key to access a preview of the show. (First entry under April 23).

In celebration of my recently expanded bandwidth, Here’s a cut from a recent Dylan performance: