For the next few weeks, I'll be posting songs for a break-up mix. The blues seemed like a natural place to start. And who better to sing a soft, velvety blues song than the one and only, Lou Rawls.

The Lou Rawls Live!  album is a hidden gem in Rawls' long, and sometimes overly sentimental, career. It is a flawless record, with highlights that include Rawls' impromptu monologues and stirring, souful performances. One reviewer writes, "When Rawls sings, everybody wants to absorb the lyrics." But I wouldn't stop there. I want to become the lyrics. Wrap myself up in his silky songs. Lap up the piano notes. Roll naked in his crooning baritone. Okay, maybe not naked.

In 1962, Rawls was signed to Capitol Records. His first solo release on Capitol was Stormy Monday. The Live! album was recorded in a studio (which explains the awesome sound quality), but with a live audience. The experiment could have gone horribly, but Rawls pulls it off. When you listen to these tracks, you actually feel like you're sitting in a smokey, dark club right alongside the other patrons. I hope you enjoy!

1.  Stormy Monday - Lou Rawls

2.  St. James Infirmary - Lou Rawls 

3.  A World of Trouble  (with monologue) - Lou Rawls 

-- Jess

The first thing I noticed when I first saw Smoosh was that both of the sisters in the band are taller than me. This wouldn’t be that odd if it weren’t for the fact that one of them was fifteen (Asya, keyboard and vocals) and the other thirteen (Chloe, drums and vocals). Next, you can tell that they are class act individuals; filling in the empty space in front of the stage for the opening band, the postmarks, and keeping beat with their opener despite them giving a rather underwhelming performance.

It’s amazing to think that this band already has several records out, having put out music since 2002, and they are definitely worth paying attention to musically. When you open for bands like Sufjan Stevens, recently dismantled Sleater-Kinney, Cat Power and Pearl Jam you know there is something special there.

The music is simple: drums, piano and voice, though there are a variety of keyboard effects and styles that go into the music. And their sister a Smoosh member-in-training, and she couldn’t be more than 8, even filled in on bass for three tracks, including a well performed cover of Bloc Party’s “This Modern Life”. One of the aspects I most appreciate is the diversity in the sound that the band produces, which can be noted on the band’s most recent release Find a Way. It can range from straight up pop (“Find a Way”) to ballads with a folk-edge (“Waiting for Something” or “Slower than Gold”) to straight out rock (“Rock song”). The best part is that there is always an element that keeps the music driving forward and exciting. There’s a diversity to the sound that stops the band from writing the same song over and over again, which a sign of maturity as a band. I enjoy this particularly in the drum beats, which demonstrate a variety of styles when a less creative player might strip down the beat or embellish it too much depending on the track. Asya is a surprisingly good lyricist and very good to know her range when she sings, which she does well; I think her voice has elements of an early Liz Phair.

You can tell the band enjoys what they do, you can catch them smiling at each other on stage or when they see people dancing in the audience. And on their heavier material you can watch, particularly Chloe on drums, rock out with the best of them. That just makes it more enjoyable to watch and listen to when you experience it live.

The encouraging thing, naturally, is the youth of the artists. If they can produce music like this now, we can look forward to a lot more in the future as well.

Smoosh - I Would Go

Smoosh - Rock Song

Smoosh - Waiting for Something

photo credit: Kate Merrick