The Curse of Sophistication

A good Wednesday evening to the collected masses.  Today is a special day in Ideological Cuddle land, as it marks the 56th birthday of one of the 2 or 3 greatest songwriters alive today - Declan Patrick MacManus, aka Elvis Costello.  He is right at the top of my favorite artists list, next to the likes of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan.  The thing that sets Elvis apart from those visionaries is his constant ability to try, and succeed at, new styles.  He's the ultimate musical chameleon, going from literate punk, to R&B revivalist (Get Happy! is clearly the music snob's choice for best Costello album - I agree completely), to country music jester, to straight rock and roller, to torch song savior, to Nawlins preacher, to alt-country crooner, and everywhere in-between.  His discography is the blueprint for hyper literate, catchy songwriting.  Josh Ritter, Joe Pernice, Ted Leo, Billy Bragg, Ray LaMontagne, Nick Lowe, even his contemporary in the British punk scene, the legendary Joe Strummer - they all have written in the style that he perfected.  Each of his albums have their own charms, but I'd select This Year's Model, Armed Forces, Get Happy!, Imperial Bedroom, and King of America as the 5 best (in no particular order).
For the vinyl obsessed (ooh ooh! me! me!), his original picture sleeve singles on the Stiff Records label are highly collectible and quite affordable.  The parade of collectible picture sleeve singles continued upon his switch to Radar Records in the UK with "Radio, Radio" and "(I Don't Wanna Go To) Chelsea" being favorites.  The ultimate 45 from the early E.C. collection, might be his 1979 red vinyl Valentine's Day single of "My Funny Valentine" - knock-off copies exist, so buyer beware.
I could go on for hours about dear old Mr. McManus, but the best way to celebrate his birthday is to listen to some of his music.  Below, you'll find live versions of many of my favorite Costello tunes (yes, I know that "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself is a Burt Bacharach song).  All are of beautiful quality and most are acoustic versions (many with just Elvis and Steve Nieve, The Attractions' virtuoso piano player).  Enjoy:
UPDATE - LINKS REMOVED
"Temptation" (Live at Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, 1996)
"Little Triggers" (Live on the Elvis Costello/Steve Nieve Tour, 1996)
"(I Don't Wanna Go To) Chelsea" (Live on the Elvis Costello/Steve Nieve Tour, 1996)
"I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" (Live on the Elvis Costello/Steve Nieve Tour, 1996)
"The Other End of The Telescope" (Live on the Elvis Costello/Steve Nieve Tour, 1996)
"Riot Act" (Live on BBC Sound Stage with The Attractions)
"45" (Live on The Tonight Show, 1999)

And last, but certainly not least, his best known song with some beautiful transitions to some Motown classics (including "The Tracks of My Tears" and "No More Tear-Stained Makeup") :
"Alison -> Tears Medley" (Live on the Elvis Costello/Steve Nieve Tour, 1996)

Until next time, celebrate the musical gifts of Mr. Declan Patrick MacManus, and listen...

Another Song, Another Mile

A good Sunday evening to everyone out there.  It was quite the eventful weekend here in Ideological Cuddle land, as it was packed wall-to-wall with concerts, sporting events, dinners, even reunions with old friends (glad to have you back, Big Sexy).  Tonight's post is the next in the Cuddle's series of Top 5s and involves some great music and one of our favorite movies.

The Ideological Cuddle Top Five:
     Songs That Should Have Been In Almost Famous
                   (But Would Have Been Anachronistic If They Were)

1. The Black Crowes - "Wiser Time" (Live on VH1 Unplugged, 2008) - This one is easy.  The best "travelling band, being on the road" song of the past 20 years, the Crowes write what they know.  It's easy to see a little bit of the Crowes in the fictitious Stillwater from the movie (especially since Jason Lee seems to channel his inner Chris Robinson throughout the film - in look and demeanor).  I could easily see this tune replacing "Tiny Dancer" in the scene on the bus after Russell takes a bit too much acid at a party in Kansas.  Might not have the sing along power of Elton John's smash hit, but would hammer home the stresses of being in a band, travelling across the country with your best friends who so easily can become enemies.  The acoustic version above highlights the guitar breakdown in the center of the song - the perfect section for the scene mentioned.

2. My Morning Jacket - "Golden" - Another travelling song, this one's not so specific to the band, but still highlights the loneliness of the road.  Jim James' haunting voice propels the song on beautiful acoustic guitar/slide guitar lines.  I can picture Russell, again on the bus, strumming this song to himself as the rest of the band listens in.

3. Wilco - "Monday" - I can picture Jeff Tweedy and the rag-tag group of musicians who have made up Wilco over the years starring in an Almost Famous-type film.  In effect, they've already documented their quasi-demise and subsequent rise in their excellent documentary, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.  Any music fan, especially those who love Wilco owe it to themselves to check it out.  This song, off of Being There, is a rollicking throwback of a song, documenting life on the run.

4. Blitzen Trapper - "Stolen Shoes and A Rifle" - Total 1970s country-rock throwback.  There's no other way to describe this standout track from Blitzen Trapper's breakthrough Furr record.  Play it for the uninitiated and they'll swear it was written and released sometime in the early 70s.  Maybe not the perfect song for Stillwater to play in the movie, but something that its lead singer, Jeff Bebe would be found listening to.  Lazy vibe, vintage sounds.

5. Drive-By Truckers - "Outfit" (Live and acoustic at Cooley's House, 12/29/03) - OK, this one is almost too perfect.  A definite masterpiece in the Trucker's canon, Jason Isbell's song of fatherly warning is cautionary, yet encouraging.  A father sings to his rock front-man son, telling him not to fuck up the gifts that he's been given.  "Do you want to grow up to paint houses like me?  A trailer in your yard 'till you're 23?  Do you want to feel old after 42 years?  Keep droppin' the hammer and grindin' the gears."  Daddy sets it out nice and plain, while encouraging his son - "Don't sing with a fake British accent, a Southern man tells better jokes" and "Have fun and steer clear of the needle".  One could imagine Russell or Jeff's father singing this to them on the phone after calling home during a bender.

If any of you out there haven't seen Almost Famous, do yourself a favor and go out and grab a copy now.  It's likely the greatest love note to rock and roll that the silver screen has/will ever seen.  Grab a copy, look, and listen.

Nobody's Listening, My Friend

Good Evening.  Tonight, we are happy to introduce a new and (hopefully) recurring feature at The Ideological Cuddle.  I had the idea recently to throw some quick hit posts out there, highlighting Top 5 lists (everyone likes lists, right???).  There are tons of ideas bouncing around in my head (and further suggestions are always welcome... leave a comment).  Here's the first :

The Ideological Cuddle Top Five:  Unexpected Covers

1. The Afghan Whigs - "Miss World" - This might be my favorite cover of all time.  Greg Dulli manages to boil the punk roots of the Hole original down into a dirge - comprised of slow marching piano, pleading trumpet, sax, and trombone only.  Courtney Love's lyrics of self-loathing are taken from declaration of independence into funeral rite.  Originally released on the "Somethin' Hot" single, it is well worth seeking out.

2. Elvis Costello - "Beautiful" - Recorded for and initially heard over the end credits to an episode of the TV show House, Costello's take on the Christina Aguilera hit is surprising for its unadorned beauty.  It can be found on the soundtrack to the same show.

3. My Morning Jacket - "Tyrone" (Live on KVRX Radio, October, 2000) - This one shouldn't come as much of a surprise to those of you familiar with MMJ's sound.  Fans know that the band can stretch out into funk territory with the best of them.  Their reworking of Erykah Badu's classic is very faithful, funky, and fully-realized.  Jim James' gentle falsetto sits front and center.  The band has been known to pull this one out of their bag of tricks from time to time live in concert.  Keep an eye out for it (and click above for the real thing).

4. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings - "Black Star" (Live at Bonnaroo, 2007) - I hope everyone out there has heard the Radiohead original of this song, as it's a beautiful, guitar-driven ode to relationships on the brink of disaster, and one of the band's true underrated gems.  Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, alt-country troubadours to be sure, strip away the noisy layers of guitar and feedback, leaving the beautiful, acoustically strummed melody unadorned.  Their voices intermingle beautifully, leading to a stunning performance.  Not to be missed.

5. Ted Leo - "Since U Been Gone > Maps" (Live in Studio) - OK, not only does this track include two covers, but it shows Ted Leo's range (or possibly his insanity... maybe both).  Not many indie rock superheroes would dare cover something as mainstream as a Kelly Clarkson song, but Leo pulls it off with aplomb, showing the song to be a stunningly catchy tune.  His ability to go seamlessly into the Yeah Yeah Yeahs lone hit, "Maps", shows not only his range, but the scary similarities between the tunes.

BONUS COVER!!!  Ted Leo - "Spirit of Radio" (Rush cover Live In Studio) - The awesomeness of this track just speaks for itself - Ted Leo + Rush = Indie Fan Boy Wet Dream (and shit can Ted play guitar).

Until next time, drop your thoughts on future Top 5 lists below, or just feel free to share some of your favorite Unexpected Covers... and don't forget to listen...

I Got A Head Full of Sermons and A Mouth Full of Spiders

Greetings, dear readers.  Today, a glimpse into one of the world's hardest working and least appreciated bands.  For 20 years now (with a couple of hiatuses mixed in), The Black Crowes have been criss-crossing the globe bringing their own brand of dirty rock and roll to the converted masses.  Functioning like a modern-day biblical fable, the rambling, shambling crew that has comprised the Crowes lineup over the years has always been helmed by the brothers Robinson - Chris and Rich.  They fight, they make up, they write, they fight again... and so it's gone for twenty plus years.
To many, the Black Crowes will always be that band that covered Otis Redding, got famous, opened for a bunch of big rock stars, got thrown off more than one tour, wrote "She Talks To Angels", put out a couple more albums, copped the Stones' 70s sound, and disappeared into anonymity.  This couldn't be further from the truth.  Although many mainstream music fans would like to assume that the Crowes disappeared, they clearly have not.  They boast a fan base as committed to their live experience as the most fervent deadheads.
The Black Crowes came screaming out of Georgia in the late 80s boasting a sound that was quite passe at the time (rock 'n roll throwbacks to the previous decade) and made it their own calling card.  Those of us lucky enough to see them live in concert on multiple occasions were never disappointed - they always brought their best, night after night.  As a bonus, they're a taper-friendly band and recordings of shows circulate widely (lately, the band has taken to recording and releasing all of their shows themselves, a la Pearl Jam).
The back-to-back punches of Southern Harmony and Musical Companion and Amorica in the first half of the 90s might be the finest that the decade has to offer in the rock field.  The songs have aged tremendously well and sound like they could have come from any of the past 4 decades.  "Wiser Time" wins the award for "Song Most Likely to Have Been Included in The Soundtrack for Almost Famous Had It Been Written in the 1970s".  Substance driven?  Sure.  But if it leads to art this good?  What the hell...
The Buffalo area has been lucky enough to host some of the band's most transcendental moments - their Spring 1995 Amorica Tour show at Shea's in downtown Buffalo, the band willing a thunderstorm through Darien Center at their July, 1997 Further Festival headlining slot (their version of the legendary B-side "Feathers" followed by the Exile On Main Street classic "Torn & Frayed" that night is not to be missed), the band's triumphant reunion tour as it burned through the Kool Haus in Toronto in 2005, the packed house at The Town Ballroom in 2008 as the Crowes preached the gospel, and the emergence of "I Ain't Hiding" - what can only be called disco-Crowes - at the Harbor concert series last summer.
The stage has been set for a final "farewell" this fall - "Say Goodbye To The Bad Guys" with The Black Crowes is being billed as the bands last hurrah.  The faithful has heard this one before, and the boys always seem to make it back.  This time, it feels like it could be the real thing - none of the members are getting any younger, Chris Robinson has his hands in production (he produced Gary Louris' excellent solo record, Vagabonds, among others) and guests on many records, and Luther Dickinson seems primed to head back to The North Mississippi All-Stars with his brother.  Whatever happens, we, the faithful, have years of recorded concerts to pour over and reminisce with... Here's just a taste...and each is taken from a bootleg source...

The Black Crowes - Live In Concert (sorry... don't remember where each of these are from...)
"Remedy"
"Wiser Time" - The Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY 2008
"Dreams" (Allman Brothers cover)
"High Head Blues"
"Midnight From the Inside Out"
"Movin' On Down The Line" - The Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY 2008
"Wounded Bird" - The Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY 2008
"Black Moon Creeping"

Until next time, raise a glass to the hardest working band in Rock 'N Roll, The Black Crowes, and listen...

I Can't Define Love When It's Not Love

Well readers, this little blog (which I thought that no one actually read) received some complaints over the past week regarding some of our posts.  We seem to have been nicked for posting some mp3 files from bands who don't appreciate that kind of thing.  In response, I'm trying to find a way to still provide those of you who faithfully read the posts in my corner of the universe with some music that I love.  My current storehouse of files doesn't have the capability to share streaming versions of the songs, so I'll be working on that soon.

In the meantime, I'd still like to share some music that I've had kicking around for a while.
The Talking Heads are the first band that I can remember worshipping.  I was well-known among family circles for doing a spot-on impression of David Byrne in the "Once In A Lifetime" video.  I have been known to break out that dance when the occasion is right and I have enough liquid courage surging through my veins.  The band's music mutated over the years - starting with the blueprint for classic NYC post-punk, morphing into MTV-friendly pop, and finally exploring world rhythms.  Their entire canon is excellent and their music doc Stop Making Sense is commonly regarded as the finest of the genre.
Here's a taste of 1979 Talking Heads, recorded live in Los Angeles:

"Stay Hungry"
"Love > Building on Fire"
"Psycho Killer"
"Life During Wartime"
"Take Me To The River"

Until next time, be careful what you listen to and where you find it (a hard lesson for those of us here, I guess), and listen to some Talking Heads...

So Drunk In the August Sun and You're The Kind of Girl I Like

'Sup peoples. Another scorching, sticky hot day here in B-lo. No rain as promised. What does the area need? How about a breeze? The next in the series...

IDEOLOGICAL CUDDLE BREEZY SUMMER MIX 2010
1. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - "Mondo Bongo" - What could be better than one of music history's most enduring voices backed by gentle acoustic guitars, fiddle, and percussion in a bossa nova vibe. I truly feel that The Mescaleros albums that Strummer made didn't get nearly enough attention. The records celebrate a global sound, blending Caribbean sounds, Aboriginal rhythms, Indian ragas, and street music, all baked together with the crust of Strummer's punk roots. Each of the albums is recommended, but, for the summer vibe, Global A Go-Go is the way to go.
2. Carlos Santana & John McLaughlin - "Naima" - OK, I'm sure many of you out there had no idea that this album existed. Here's the back story - Santana and McLaughlin, two of history's greatest guitarists, and devotees of Sri Chinmoy and his teachings decide to make an album together called Love Devotion Surrender. They decide to lean more toward McLaughlin's jazz roots, but celebrate Santana's furious rock sound as well. The songs are a combination of Coltrane covers ("A Love Supreme" must not be missed; the above song we'll discuss more in a bit), devotional songs, and originals. Upon its initial release, the album pleased critics, but alienated Santana's fans, being too "jazzy" for many. Further inspection over the years has revealed the album to be a genius amalgam of Santana's love of Miles Davis fusion while adding his own touches. While most of the album is loud and electric, "Naima" is quiet, sedate, and an acoustic guitar duet. It is positively beautiful.
3. Gary Louris - "Angelyne (Live, Solo, Acoustic)" - The original version of this song appeared on The Jayhawk's near-perfect 2003 album Rainy Day Music. Louris and his buddies in the oft-imitated, never-duplicated Alt-Country kings came strolling out of the Minneapolis region in the late 80s and put out a string of beautiful albums that touch on country rock, Byrdsian folk, and straight country, presented with Louris and Mark Olson's beautiful harmonies. This track, taken from a solo acoustic performance earlier this year, is a beautiful performance of a true classic. It includes a gorgeous harmonica part and the entire show is worth hunting down from Cuddle favorite, nyctaper.
4. Imperial Teen - "Ivanka" - A perfect example of indie power pop and another great band from the Merge stable, Imperial Teen struck gold with this track from 2002's On. It is the album's lead track and starts with a classic "1, 2, 3, go..." count-up. This is the soundtrack to heading to the beach, head full of ideas of what's to come. Compelling stuff.
5. Robyn Hitchcock - "I'm Only You (live at the Drake Hotel, Toronto, 6/12/10)" - As outlined in a previous post, I was lucky enough to be present at this show, an intimate affair, during which, Hitchcock presented his considerable songwriting and guitar playing talents. The original version of the above track can be found on Fegmania!, one of Hitchock's excellent 80s albums with The Egyptians. "I'm Only You" showcases Hitchcock's guitar skills and is a perfect example of his sometimes bizarre but always affecting lyrics. Just let the ascending/descending guitar line burrow into your brain and let it live there for a while...
6. Neko Case - "In California" - There are so many choices from Neko Case's catalogue that would be appropriate for this mix, but this song seemed to grab me, not just for its gentle pace and powerful vocal, but feeling of reminiscence that it creates. Sometimes summer isn't just fun and games. Sometimes it's tears and loss. What better way to celebrate that element of summer than swimming around in Neko's voice for 3 minutes?
7. The Magnetic Fields - "Come Back From San Francisco" - A short little ditty from The Magnetic Fields' classic 3 disc monster, 69 Love Songs, "Come Back From San Francisco" is a song of longing - the kind of song that Stephin Merritt was born to write. The song is sung by Claudia Gonson, The Fields's drummer, who is able to bring a special touch to the song.

8. The Faces - "Glad & Sorry" - Easily one of the best songs in The Faces catalogue, "Glad & Sorry" is a Ronnie Lane composition, not one of Ron Wood or Rod Stewart's efforts. The gentle piano line is what snags the listener and the lyrics express regret and thanks. The song is breezy and quiet, pushing Stewart to the background, and Lane to the fore. It's been covered many times, most notably by Billy Bragg, Golden Smog, and The Black Crowes.
9. Josh Ritter - "Lark" - One of contemporary music's greatest songwriters and most talented lyricists, Ritter returned to the fold this year with So Runs the World Away, a typically strong set of tunes. "Lark" wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Paul Simon record (such as Rhythm of the Saints or Graceland). "The Curse" might be the album's best track, but it doesn't fit this mix's goal very well (waltzes + mummies NOT breezy summer).

10. She & Him - "Thieves" - Those who know me, know of my love for all things Deschanel (except her marriage to that dweeb, Ben Gibbard). Her collaborations with M. Ward - 2008's Volume One and this year's Volume Two - are studies in throwback 60s AM radio pop, with Deschanel's beautiful, summery voice front and center. Ward's gentle guitar playing and careful arrangements suit her voice perfectly. "Thieves", the clear stand-out on Volume Two, wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Roy Orbison Sun side from the 50s. The song rolls along on a shuffling, classic pop guitar line, augmented by gentle strings and Zooey's beautiful voice. Ward's backing vocals are barely there, but wonderfully furtive. Perfect for swaying along with your favorite girl, watching the sun set.

11. Pavement - "Gold Soundz" - The prototypical breezy Californian indie band with their prototypical breezy summer song. It needs no further introduction, as it's as perfect as indie rock gets.
12. Tallest Man On Earth - "Graceland" - For those who haven't experienced Kristian Matsson's voice, by all means, click on the above link. You'll find two things. First, his voice hits you like a brick - something akin to Dylan circa Nashville Skyline while inhaling helium, his achy croak is an experience unto itself. Two, his stripped down version of the Paul Simon classic opens the listener up to lyrics that may not have grabbed your attention on the original. The mix puts his voice right in your ear, and primes the listener for a close inspection of Simon's prose - here's a news flash, the subject material isn't as sunny as you'd think.

13. The New Pornographers - "Silver Jenny Dollar" - A Dan Bejar-penned song from The Porno's latest piece of power pop perfection, this year's Together, "Silver Jenny Dollar" is the story of a female rocker who is the singer's unattainable love interest (well, I think that's what it's about... can we ever be sure with a Dan Bejar song?). The outstanding feature of this gem is the insistent "Whoa whoa whoa whoa-wa-wa-wa"s that punctuate the chorus behind Bejar's lead vocal. You really can't go wrong with any New Pornographers records - quintessential summer music.
14. Richard Hawley - "Remorse Code" - Ah, Ideological favorite Richard Hawley. Our love for all things Hawley was professed in THIS post from September, 2009. At that time, Truelove's Gutter was released to rave reviews. One of the centerpieces of that album, "Remorse Code", was re-released as the lead single on the False Lights From the Land EP (on 10" vinyl) which was available from Amazon.co.uk as recently as last week (when I picked up my copy), but seems to be sold out now. Secondary market will have to be the way the rest of you pick it up, and it's well worth seeking out. The EP is a collection of songs that revolve around the theme of the sea, with "Remorse Code" spelling out the addiction of the singer's friend in an allegory of being lost in a shipwreck. Heavy subject material, but the 9+ minute epic rolls along on a gentle acoustic guitar line punctuated by Hawley's trademark Gretsch solos. As with all of his best tracks, Hawley's barritone carries the day.
15. George Harrison - "Any Road" - Our favorite Beatle, George Harrison was taken from us much too soon. His post-Beatles output is deeper, more soulful, and more joyful than any of his colleagues. Last year's greatest hits compilation, Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison compiles a generous collection of his best. "Any Road", from Harrison's swan song, 2002's Brainwashed, is a perfect amalgam of what summer is all about - "Any road can take you there"...
16. Camera Obscura - "French Navy" - I know that their subject matter seems unfit for a breezy summer mix (with album titles like My Maudlin Career and Underachievers Please Try Harder and enough songs about lost love to fill any depressive's play list), but Scotland's Camera Obscura, much like their countrymen Teenage Fanclub, are a summer band. "French Navy" is purely addictive summer bliss.
17. Fleet Foxes - "Drops In The River (Live on Daytrotter)" - Fleet Foxes are an easy choice for this mix, as all of their songs evoke a Summer/Fall natural vibe. Their acoustic sound is the perfect soundtrack for sitting on a porch in the hot sun with friends and a cold beverage. "Drops in the River" starts with beautiful harmonies, but explodes with sound after its opening salvo. This Daytrotter session was recorded prior to the band's ascent to indie folk darlings.
18. Wilco - "The Thanks I Get" - A legendary "bonus track" from Sky Blue Sky (and famous for its inclusion in a Volkswagen commercial), "The Thanks I Get" is a swaying, rollicking tune, and typical for Jeff Tweedy's propulsive songwriting. Many Wilco tunes could fit on this mix, but this one feels just right.
19. Blitzen Trapper - "Lady On The Water" - A song that can only be compared to the best of 1970s Laurel Canyon/Neil Young/AM Radio soft rock (and that's a good thing!). A Blitzen Trapper record is always guaranteed to surprise with every track - psych-rock on one, gentle finger-picked country-rock the next.
20. Big Star - "Thirteen" - We have to end this mix with a total classic. Alex Chilton's ode to teenage love is chill-inducing every time I listen to it. It's a perfect way to end a date... or a breezy summer mix.

Until next time, spend some time with friends out in the summer sun, cool off with this breezy mix... and listen.

UPDATE - LINKS REMOVED DUE TO COMPLAINTS... sorry, you'll have to seek these songs out for yourself... trust me, it's worth the work...

For Someone Half As Smart, You'd Be a Work of Art

Good Evening, dear friends and faithful readers.  Tonight, I reflect upon one of my favorite artists and just how much he has in common with my city.  The panoramic view of the gorgeous-looking skyline above is none other than down-on-its-luck Buffalo, taken by yours truly from the deck of the Miss Buffalo cruise ship as it ferried myself and 70 other friends up and down the shores of Lake Erie this past Friday.  Gazing out on my city made me realize, again, how beautiful it can be, yet made me sorrowful for all of the architectural beauty that our city has lost - by neglect or plain ignorance.  A similar neglect and ignorance plagues the memory of Elliott Smith.
On a gloomy October evening, nearly seven years ago, I was hard at work at a busy shift in the emergency room of the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo when word began to trickle down of "another depressed junkie musician suicide".  My co-workers that evening derided and mocked this "sad-sack" musician who had apparently stabbed himself with a knife, close to the heart.  Only after some of the initial hub-bub had settled down did I find out that the identity of that musician who died by his own hand that night was Elliott Smith.  It was very difficult for me to finish my shift, as Smith's music had kept such a special place in my consciousness.  I knew he was fragile - his depression and drug abuse were somewhat legendary - but his music constantly seemed like a cry for help; a narrative to a deeply scarred man's life.  He was also deeply shy - one look at his live performance of his Oscar-nominated "Miss Misery" on the Academy Awards ceremony in 1998 drives this point home strongly - and was famous for shyly and rarely interacting with his audiences at live shows.  It might have been that shyness or that fragility that led him not to seek further help in the dark days leading up to his suicide.  He has left a recorded legacy that seems to parallel that of another deeply flawed and internally wounded singer/songwriter - legendary British folk troubadour, Nick Drake.
Although our city isn't dead, Buffalo has been on life support for decades, now.  Like Smith, our city has wonderful potential, yet it somehow gets flitted away year after year - each capable of great beauty, yet always seeming sad and downtrodden to those who consider it/him.  Fortunately, our city has hope (just as Elliott did prior to plunging that dirty knife deep into his chest) - there are signs that the "brain drain" that so famously takes our doctors, lawyers, and professionals tutored at the University at Buffalo away from us is slowing.  Our housing market hasn't taken the plunge as so many cities' markets across the country have, and our downtown area, slowly but surely, makes a little more of a comeback every year.
As years have passed, it seems as though the memory of Elliott Smith has faded slightly, as has the memory of Buffalo's storied past.  His songs are as powerful as any in the last 20 years - for their message of loss, addiction, hope, and struggle.  The photographer Autumn de Wilde released a beautiful posthumous photograph book entitled Elliott Smith in 2007.  Some photos from the book are available for viewing at de Wilde's website - HERE.  The book is an intimate photographic look into an artist who constantly tried to avoid intimacy.  I encourage each of you to check it out (a copy proudly lives in the Ideological Cuddle's archives). 
It would truly be a shame for those of us who care so deeply about music to allow his legend to disappear.  Although each of his albums are wonderful, the most affecting songs Elliott Smith ever committed to tape tend to be those that are stark and spare - just his wounded voice and a guitar.  Below, you'll find a collection of solo acoustic songs that Elliott recorded in February of 1999 live in studio for broadcast.  It contains two of Smith's most heartfelt and affecting songs - "Baby Britain" and "Waltz #2 (XO)", each found in studio form on his breakthrough record, XO.  I truthfully had no idea I owned this music, but I'm proud to share it with all of you out there.  The songs are bleak on the surface, but give them a chance - Smith's light will shine through (and one day, so will Buffalo's).

Elliott Smith - Live at Glen Sound Studios, Seattle, WA - February, 22, 1999 :
"Happiness" (please excuse the annoying radio host at the outset of the track)
"Son of Sam"
"Baby Britain"
"Everything Reminds Me Of Her"
"Rose Parade"
"Waltz #2 (XO)"

Until next time, remember the good things about The City of Good Neighbors, find some Elliott Smith, and listen...