Thursday, Jul. 23, 2009
Podpicks for July 23, 2009
This week Pod Picks features a bit of sibling rivalry as Joey DeGraw, big brother of more famous singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw who already sat in the guest Pod Picks chair, recommends three tracks for downloading (legally, of course) to your iPod or other personal media device. Interestingly, both bros picked a tune by Chris Whitley.
“Her Furious Angels” by Chris Whitley – Often referred to as the idol of the idols, artist extraordinaire, Chris Whitley, created a new sound that was recognizable with a simple breath. Although he never had mainstream success, he directly influenced many who did...including Dave Matthews who said, "My music, I am critical of, Chris Whitley’s music, I have a fervent religious devotion to.” Well said Dave, I feel the same way. I was lucky enough to have been friends with Chris. He died in 2005. I feel like this song is one of many that captures on a record the uniqueness, originality, and power that came off the stage.
“Help Somebody” by Jeffrey Steele – Jeffrey Steele is the biggest legend you’ve never heard of...although you’ve sang his songs many times over with Rascal Flatts (“What Hurts The Most,” “These Days”) Faith Hill (“When the Lights Go Down”) and Montgomery Gentry (“My Town”). The only thing that outweighs his songwriting abilities, are his live performances. I would suggest taking time to listen to where all these classic songs come from by getting into Jeffrey Steele.
“Another Mistake” by Joey DeGraw – Running the risk of tooting my own horn ... I originally wrote this song for the British singer Joss Stone to perform. Her last record seemed to be a bit too urban for this track to fit comfortably on, so I recorded it myself. The song seems to have struck a chord with the ups and downs of people’s relationships. It is lyrically empowering, particularly for women. Give it a whirl and tell me what you think.
Joey DeGraw’s new album “Say Something Strong’’ issued by National Underground Records hits shelves on Aug. 18. For more information about him, go to www.joeydegraw.com.
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