Music Recs

Interesting music is something hard to pin down. It's more than fun stuff like The Skygreen Leopards, Psapp or Peachcake--it's something like Beady Eye's 'Dreaming of Some Space and Start Anew', heard on Elementary, the USA Sherlock Homes tv show.

Now just because there's a big reversal and almost concept in that piece doesn't mean that's what's great--it just happens to be at work in a great song. The song 'O Death' by Jen Titus [heard on Supernatural] was also one I thought neat. Be sure to listen to the older vocal, gospel-bluegrass version that is the origin of her great work.

Another piece with a totally different flow is 'Lily Dreams On' by Cotton Mather. In a more upbeat vein is 'Sitting on the dock of the bay' by Otis Redding, which was well placed in the background in Top Gun.

Many film scores also have great tracks, like HBO's Rome when Julius Caesar rolls through in one of his official triumphs. The Romans supposedly had a man ride beside the victorious general's chariot whispering that he was but mortal. Be sure to listen to The Tudors tracks by Trevor Morris, like 'Henry and Anne', 'Wosley's end' and 'A historic love'.