Paul McCartney "Get Yourself Another Fool"

Barbara and I got interviewed on Monday for a piece in Martha's Vineyard Magazine, about the radio stations that service the Island (us, WCAI the local NPR affliate and WVVY the Vineyard's Community Radio station).

We were talking about the history of the station and the evolution of the station's musical programming. And we got on the subject of how some songs last and some don't and the reporter asked an interesting question, "Is there any artist or song that surprised you?"

I don't know if I am surprised by any one song's longevity, but a few artists came to mind. Particularly this new track.

Paul McCartney has been known to release more than a few things that fans would call . . . lacking. But every once and a while he releases something that still has some magic.

It's natural for an artist's quality to drop over time. And it's okay. It's completely reasonable.

But it's surprising and wonderful, when an artist who has no reason to still be good, is still good.

Like Paul Simon's "So Beautiful Or So What" or Robbie Robertson's "How To Become Clairvoyant," the couple of tracks I've heard from McCartney's "Kisses On The Bottom" suggest that Paul latest effort is as inspired as Simon's and Robertson's.

Hooray for surprises!


Hear the song on Youtube.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Robbie Robertson "When The Night Was Young"

It's an office holiday Monday, so I'm staying at home with family today, but on Tuesday it's Nose To The Grindstone time, with only 4 days to go in the year.

I'm filling in for Barbara on The Lunch Hour this week, which means I've been thinking of some themes for "Essential mvy." And since we start our Top 25 Of 2011 countdown, I've got Year End thoughts on the mind.

So tomorrow during The Lunch Hour, I think I'm going to do a set of Welcome Comebacks.

There were a number of artists who returned, after long absences, with really strong efforts. I'll remind you of some of those on the show, Tuesday.

But perhaps topping the list of Welcome Returns is Robbie Robertson, who hadn't put out a solo record in over a decade.

I had an interesting conversation with Jess about this album, in relation to the Top 25 list.

I had said that originally, I loved the record, but my passion for it had cooled after multiple listens. I expected it to make the Top 25, but be on the lower end.

Jess said that she did not love the record on first inspection. But after subsequent listens, she was quite won over by it, and she expected it to be high on the list.

The difference between Jess and me? I'm a HUGE fan of Robbie Robertson and The Band. Jess is only a casual fan.

So our expectations, going into the record, are very different.

Which makes me wonder how the voters handled this record.

Were they more like Jess, or more like me?

We'll find out on Wednesday, when the countdown starts on mvyradio.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Robbie Robertson "Fear Of Falling"

Because the process of putting a song into regular rotation on mvyradio is so competitive, I don't give myself much room for regret or second guessing. I try to only choose songs that I feel certain are going to work for the station and our listeners.

I am never 100% right in my choosing, but even the songs that end up not quite working or catching on, I can usually deem worth the effort of giving a shot.

But I have had this creeping feeling about a new song on mvyradio, and I'm hoping my sense in not confirmed down the road.

LOVE Robbie Robertson. Love him.

Love the new record.

And when the second single, "Fear Of Falling" was released, it seemed like a no-brainer.

Hell, it's even got Eric Clapton AND Steve Winwood on it. So now it's not one but three guys who are older, but still capable of making great, great records.

So I added it.

But now I've been hearing it on the air for a couple of weeks and . . . I've got that creeping feeling. That feeling that I didn't make the right choice.

And I can tell you exactly when that feeling started.

It was the moment when I realized that this tune sounds a little too much like a particular Clapton song.

Oddly enough, it is one of Clapton's biggest hits. But it's also his song that I find the least interesting, the most generic.

"Change The World."

That track is fine. I'm not offended by it. It's just kind of middle-of-the-road-pop-craft boring. Co-written by Babyface, it's a cake baked for mass-consumption.

Clapton can still kill it on guitar. Winwood's voice is still in top form. And Robertson has complete mastery of his atmospherics/production, and can still write incredible lyrics.

So maybe I've set the bar too high, if I find this song a little generic?

And maybe, like "Change The World," it will be a huge hit, in spite of, or because of, its accessibility.

Of course, as always, the real answer rests with you, the audience, to embrace or reject it, and let us know what you think, so we can continue to fine-tune our programming ears to bring you what you want to hear.


See the video on Youtube.


See the video on Youtube.