This is the third edition of the The Barn’s These Are My Jams series. To see what this is all about, check out Volume One and for more jams, check out Volume Two.
1. It was just a few weeks prior to getting to see The Boss at Wrigley field, when "Rocky Ground" from his superb Wrecking Ball. Bruce has got to be the most relevant classic rocker when it comes to new and engaging material and this tune is evidence of why.
2. Thanks to site contributor, GeeForjay, my eyes have been opened to the world and history of Afrobeat. Antibalas has my vote for the foremost American group that is currently making this style of music and "Dirty Money" is quite the representative tune: catchy, complex, fun . Plus... PUPPETS!
3. I was a huge fan of Tame Impala's last album, Innerspeaker, so when "Elephant" was leaked as the first track of the (at the time yet-to-be-released) album Lonerism, it automatically became my jam. Frankly, I didn't think they could top it, but when the album was eventually was released, it was just one of several outstanding tracks. Then there's the live show - YIKES!
4. So much wonderful sound coming out of the instrumental duo El Ten Eleven. "Yellow Bridges" grows, evolves, and springs to life just like the tree in this inventive video.
5. I'm an unabashed fan of Willie Nelson. I'm also usually skeptical of nepotism in the world of entertainment. I decided to give Willie's son Lukas Nelson & The Promise Of The Real one chance and I'm so glad I did. You can hear echoes of Willie in the vocals of this tune, "Peaceful Solution", but the music has an entire life of its own, though it does share a raw integrity.
6. I fell head-over-heels for Dawes in 2011. In 2012, I was turned on Beachwood Sparks who make the same kind of retro-ish Southern California harmonic rock -- except much weirder. "Make It Together" was an interesting discovery. I thought they were a brand new band after hearing the brilliant The Tarnished Gold album. Turns out the band formed over ten years ago, but has been on a extensive hiatus since 2002. A youtube search delivered "Make It", the B-Side of their very first single from 1998. Who knew.
