God's Away on Business - Tom Waits

I've been becoming more and more frustrated with the state of affairs lately. It's been bad for a long time - the lies, the deceit, the betrayals - but the last couple years it seems to me to be getting worse. Our power-hungry leaders are taking away more of our freedoms, driving us further into debt, creating deeper divisions between us, while the voting populace stands by, shaking their heads with a sense of defeated apathy. And it's not just here in my own American backyard. I've been watching the whole world jumping into that nasty little hand-basket to hell. Perhaps Mr. Waits is right. Perhaps God really is away on business. Leave a message at the beep. Beep.

God's Away on Business by Tom Waits from 2002 album "Blood Money"



Tom Waits website

More Human Than Human - White Zombie

This song brings back some happy memories. I'm not going to share them with you, 'though. But they are VERY happy memories. I think my husband would agree. 'Nuff said.

Based in New York City, White Zombie was founded in 1985 by Rob Cummings, better known as Rob Zombie. The band turned out 4 studio albums, 5 EPs, 1 live album and an album of remixes and won 4 Grammy awards before disbanding in 1998.

More Human Than Human by White Zombie from the 1995 album "Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head"



Rob Zombie website

Rob Zombie on Twitter

Amari Szi Amari - Juana Ghani

Our mandolin player got married last week to his long time love. This is for them.

Amari Szi Amari by Juana Ghani



Juana Ghani on Bandcamp

Juana Ghani on ReverbNation

Juana Ghani on Facebook (and the Fan Page)

Juana Ghani on MySpace

Juana Ghani on AmazingTunes

Juana Ghani on Twitter

Le Pistolet - Mama Rosin

Bottom line: This is just plain hot. It's one of those songs that dances its way into your consciousness and makes itself at home. And with such an infectious group as this zydeco trio from Switzerland, that's not a bad thing at all.

Le Pistolet by Mama Rosin from the 2009 album "Brule Lentement"



Mama Rosin on MySpace

Mama Rosin on Facebook

Mama Rosin on Last.fm

Iyansa - Faun

We've had wind, rain and snow today ... and it's not even time for lunch, yet. Perfect day, if you ask me, for a song invoking the Afro-Brazilian goddess of wind.

Formed in 2002, German pagan folk band Faun is known for playing old instruments and singing in German, Latin and Scandinavian languages.

Iyansa by Faun from the 2005 album "Renaissance"



Faun website

Faun on MySpace

Faun on Facebook

This Is My Life - Firewater

Just try to listen to this and not dance! The infectious rhythms of this song (the whole album, for that matter) drive right out of your seat and set your whole body moving. Tod A is brilliant! Lyrically, musically, rhythmically, energetically brilliant.

This Is My Life by Firewater from the 2008 album "The Golden Hour" (one of my all-time favs!)




Firewater on MySpace

Firewater artist page on Bloodshot Records

Леприконсы - Девчонки Полюбили не Меня

OK, so I don't know what they're saying, but I don't really care, either. This is a fun song! It definitely got my blood pumping this morning. I love finding music from countries I've never visited sung in languages I don't understand that still moves some part of me. To me, it's just more proof that music IS the universal language. If it strikes a chord in you or elicits an emotion, pleasant or un-, or just plain ol' makes you want to get up and dance, it has done its job.

I did a little online translating and found the name of this band is Leprikonsy. I even managed to find their website (which I also used the online translator to read) and found out these guys are from Belarus and have been playing together for about 14 years.

Девчонки Полюбили не Меня (Girls do not love me) by Леприконсы (Leprikonsy) from the 2010 album "ДЕСЯТИЛЕТКА"("Ten Year")



Leprikonsy website (unless you read Russian, you'll need a translator for this)