AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Malajube

Artist:Malajube

Song:Luna

Album:Labyrinthe

Malajube was an indie rock band very similar to Super Furry Animals except for one thing. They are from Quebec and sing in French. That's probably too much of a barrier for most folks. But they almost broke through in English Canada and internationally. Too bad they aren't around anymore. They could have been the French Coldplay. Malajube lived in Montreal. But they were from the Southwestern Quebec city of Sorel-Tracy, PQ. The band members were Julien Mineau on vocals and guitar, his brother Francis Mineau on drums, Mathieu Cournoyer on bass and Thomas Augustin on keyboards. Julien Mineau wrote the song lyrics. They signed with the local indie label Dare to Care Records and released their 2004 debut album Le Compte complet. The album was produced by Marrtin Delland of The Dears. The album was positively reviewed and well received by Quebec radio stations. Malajube toured Quebec to support it. With the 2006 album Trompe-l'oeil, Malajube was starting to get attention in English Canada and the US. They were nominated for a 2006 Polaris Music Prize and they won three Felix awards in Quebec. Pitchfork positively reviewed the album. They signed a European deal with the German label City Slang. There was always talk about Malajube possibly releasing an English album. That was music industry wishful thinking as Julien Mineau always said that the band had no interest in recording in English. Their albums were released on the indie label Sub Pop and they toured in the US. Luna is from the 2009 album Labyrinthes. By this time, the band was self producing. The album is available as a digital download. Could Malajube make it in English speaking countries? We're never going to know because after the 2011 album La Caverne, Malajube went on hiatus. Part of the problem was Dare to Care was sold. They did a reunion concert in 2015. But Malajube is finished. Francis Mineau released an album in 2013 and has been in the band Axlustade. Julien Mineau released a 2014 album as Fontarable. Thomas Augustin is in the band Penny Diving. They released an album in 2020. Here's the video for Luna by Malajube. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass

Artist:Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass

Song:Take the A Train

Album:Again!

Canadian jazz trombonist Rob McConnell is best known as leader of the big band The Boss Brass. Of course they were famous in Canada. But they toured the world for many years. The cream of the Toronto jazz and studio scene was in The Boss Brass. McConnell was born Feb. 14, 1935 in London, ON. He took up the valve trombone in high school and started playing professionally in the 50s. He studied with Clifford Brown, Canadian jazz bassist Don Thompson, Canadian bandleader Bobby Gimby and trumpeter Maynard Ferguson who is also Canadian. In the 60s, he was in the band Nimmons 'n' Nine led by clarinetist Phil Nimmons. The formation of The Boss Brass in 1968 came out of the Toronto studio scene. There were originally 16 pieces with a horn section but no saxophones and a rhythm section. Saxophones were added in 1970. By 1976, there were 22 members. McConnell conducted the band and also played trombone solos. McConnell first recorded for the Canadian Talent Library (CTL). They were a non profit that were supposed to help radio stations meet CRTC Canadian Content regulations. Peter Appleyard and Moe Koffman recorded for CTL. Though CTL records were available in stores, there was no promotion budget. In the mid-70s, McConnell recorded for United Artists and Attic Records. When McConnell had difficulty signing with a label, The Guess Who producer Jack Richardson started Umbrella Records and produced the 1979 Boss Brass album Again!. Of course McConnell was arranger and conductor and played valve trombone. Other musicians were Ian McDougal, Bob Livingston and Dave McMurdo on trombone, Ron Hughes on bass trombone, Sam Noto, Arnie Chycoski and Erich Traugott on trumpet, Bruce Cassidy and Guido Basso on trumpet and flugelhorn, Rick Wilkins and Eugene Amaro on tenor sax, Moe Koffman and Jerry Toth on alto sax and flute, Gary Morgan on baritone sax, Jimmy Dale on piano, Ed Bickert on guitar, Brad Warnaar and George Stinson on French horn, Don Thompson on bass, Terry Clarke on drums and Marty Morell on percussion. These are all veteran jazz and studio musicians. This album is available on CD. McConnell recorded for a few other labels until he signed with Concord in 1986. He remained with Concord until 1998. McConnell recorded and toured with a stripped down version of The Boss Brass called The Rob McConnell Tentet for the Canadian jazz label Justin Time. It looks like he retired in 2005 and died on May 1, 2010 at age 75. Here's Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass performing Take the A Train at Ontario Place in Toronto 1980. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Glen Hansard

Artist:Glen Hansard

Song:Winning Streak

Album:Didn't He Ramble

Irish singer songwriter Glen Hansard is best known for winning an Oscar for the song Falling Slowly from the 2007 film Once. That was when he was one half of the duo The Swell Season with Marketa Inglova. Since they split up, Hansard has recorded as a solo act and has had success as an album and touring act in Ireland and other European countries. He was born Apr. 27, 1970 in the Dublin suburb of Ballymum, Ireland. Hansard wasn't a very good student. So one of his teachers who knew of his interest in music thought he might be a good musician. So he quit school and busked on the Dublin streets for five years. He formed the band The Frames in 1990 and they had success in Ireland. Hansard appeared as guitarist Outspan Foster in the 1991 film The Commitments. The Frames continued until Hansard formed The Swell Season with Marketa and they starred in the 2007 film Once. He was only supposed to write songs for the film. But the film producers talked Hansard into appearing in the film. The film was a big success and Hansard won an Oscar. But as with The Commitments, Hansard thought the film distracted from his music career. So he ended The Swell Season and started working on a solo album. He signed with the indie label Anti- Records and has released five albums. Winning Streak is from the 2015 album Didn't He Ramble which was Hansard's second album. Hansard wrote all the songs. The album was produced by David Odlum and Thomas Bartlett. Bartlett played piano on the album. Other musicians are Rob Moose on mandolin, Brad Alberta on bass and Ray Rizzo on drums. They all seem to be studio musicians. There are strings and horns on some songs which were arranged by Moose. This album is available on CD. The album won a Best Folk Album Grammy. Hansard's latest album All That Is East Is West of Me Now was released in 2023. Odlum is still his producer. Meanwhile, Hansard had promised Marketa that he would produce another Swell Season album. That album was released in 2025. Hansard has a new album coming on Apr. 24 called Don't Settle. He's just finishing up some US dates and will tour Europe after that. Here's the video for Winning Streak by Glen Hansard.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-White Lung

Artist:White Lung

Song:Below

Album:Paradise

The Canadian band White Lung started out as an all female punk band or as it is called "Riot Girrl". By the time the 2016 album Paradise was released, they weren't really a punk band anymore nor were they all female. White Lung disbanded in 2022. They were formed in Vancouver in 2006 by lead singer Mish Barber-Wray, Natasha Reich on guitar and Anne-Marie Vassilou on drums. They hired bassists for touring. The band name White Lung is slang for the disease that bakers get when they inhale flour. A friend who worked in a bakery suggested the name. After releasing two albums for the local punk label Deranged, White Lung signed with the much larger British indie label Domino. Meanwhile, Natasha left the band in 2008 and was replaced by Kenneth Williams. The 2010 album It's the Evil was named punk album of the year by Exclaim! magazine. They were also named Punk Group of the Year at the 2011 Canadian Music Week Indie Awards. The 2014 album Deep Fantasy was their first album for Domino. Though they were still receiving critical acclaim, Mish believed White Lung was stereotyped as a punk band and they should soften their style to increase record sales. Domino may have also suggested this. Mish also wanted to show musical growth and that she could really sing. I don't think she liked the punk stereotype. So the 2016 album Paradise is not a punk album. They also brought in producer Lars Stalfors who produced Cold War Kids. He helped White Lung with songwriting. The album received mixed reviews. The main criticism was they sounded like just another pop band. Paradise is available on CD. I think the album is way too short. White Lung recorded the album Premonition in 2019. The release was delayed by the pandemic until 2022. And by that time, the decision was made for White Lung to disband. Mish Barber-Wray now lives in Los Angeles with husband Austin Barber of Saviours and their kids. They keep her busy. She has been writing for Vice and Penthouse. So none of them have continued in the music business. Here's the video for Below by White Lung.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Aerosmith

Artist:Aerosmith

Song:Come Together

Album:Aerosmith's Greatest Hits 1973-1988

Aerosmith recorded this cover of The Beatles classic Come Together for the 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. They also performed it in the film and the film's DVD distributor Shout Factory has posted that clip on YouTube. Come Together charted but it was only released on the soundtrack album. So that means it's a discography orphan. It was also Aerosmith's final hit single before leaving Columbia for Geffen in 1984. At the time, there was trouble in Aerosmith mostly due to lead singer Steve Tyler's drug addiction. It got so bad that Joe Perry and Brad Whitford left Aerosmith. Columbia was also unhappy and they declined to renew Aerosmith's contract in 1984. Of course that looked like the end for Aerosmith. But Tyler went to rehab, Perry and Whitford returned and later they had a career resurgence. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was a jukebox musical saluting The Beatles. It was based on an off Broadway musical. The film was produced by RSO Records owner Robert Stigwood. Of course he managed The Bee Gees and they had just had a lot of success with the film Saturday Night Fever. So he let them do whatever they wanted. The problem was when the film was released, the critics lambasted it and no one went to see it. Aerosmith's recording of Come Together was the most successful thing in the film as it reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also their final hit single on Columbia before they went to Geffen. So the best place to get this discography orphan is on the 1980 comp Aerosmith's Greatest Hits. This album was rereleased and expanded in 1997 and is now called Aerosmith's Greatest Hits 1973-1988. It's available as a budget CD. Here's Aerosmith performing Come Together in the 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Charles Brown

Artist:Charles Brown

Song:Black Night

Album:The Charles Brown Collection 1947-57

Singer songwriter and pianist Charles Brown was an important bridge between the blues and R&B in the early 50s. I'm sure most folks have heard his Christmas classic Merry Christmas Baby as as it is still played on radio today. Of course there's more to him than that and many experts consider Brown to be very influential. He was born Tony Russell Brown Sept. 13, 1922 in Texas City, TX. His mom died shortly after his birth so he was raised by his grandparents. Brown took piano lessons as a child. After graduating from high school, he earned a degree in chemistry at Prairie View A&M College in 1942. He worked as a chemistry teacher, a mustard gas worker and an apprentice electrician before moving to Los Angeles in 1943. At the time, a lot of blacks were moving to Los Angeles. And there was a need for clubs to entertain them. Nat King Cole started out performing in Los Angeles clubs. When he began to tour nationally, he was replaced by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers featuring Brown on piano and vocals. The Three Blazers signed with Exclusive Records and the 1945 single Drifting Blues was on the Billboard R&B chart for six months. The problem was Moore refused to sign an exclusive contract with anyone and records were released by Exclusive, Philo and Modern. The Three Blazers had some success but it was limited by not having an exclusive record deal. So Brown left the band and signed with Aladdin Records (formerly Philo). Brown's trio was with Eddie Williams on bass and Charles Norris on guitar. Brown immediately had success on the R&B charts with hits like Trouble Blues in 1949 and Black Night in 1951. Black Night topped the Billboard R&B chart for 14 weeks. The songwriting is credited to Jessie Mae Robinson. But most experts believe Brown wrote the song. It was not unusual in those days for songwriting credits to be hidden to avoid declaring it as income. Jessie Mae Robinson was a legit songwriter. Brown continued to have chart success until Rock 'n' Roll became popular in the mid 50s. Brown continued to play clubs. But he didn't want to perform Rock 'n' Roll. This 2CD comp from the British reissue label Acrobat has all his Aladdin hits. Brown recorded for Imperial and King and continued to perform until the 90s. But he never charted again. But his influence looms large. Charles Brown died on Jan. 21, 1999 at age 76. Here's Charles Brown performing Black Night in the 90s.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Neal Francis

Artist:Neal Francis

Song:Can't Stop the Rain

Album:In Plain Sight

Neal Francis is an R&B influenced singer songwriter who has had success in the Adult Alternative market. He hasn't had any hit singles and fortunately he's on a record label that doesn't require hit singles. He was born Neal Francis O'Hara Sept. 4, 1988 in Livingston, NJ. But he grew up in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, IL. He learned piano by mimicking sounds he heard on TV. Then he took classical piano lessons followed by lessons from boogie woogie pianist Erwin Helfer. He had a band in high school called Reverend Funk Connection and he sat in at Chicago blues clubs. After briefly attending college, Francis continued to play clubs most notably with Muddy Waters' son Larry "Mud" Morganfield. He joined the band The Heard and got fired when drank too much. After getting sober, he recorded his debut solo album Changes and released it on the indie label Karma Chief in 2019. The album was praised by critics and that led to Francis signing with Dave Matthews' label ATO Records. Matthews is not looking for hit singles and that's good for the kind of music that Francis wants to record. Can't Stop the Rain was the first single from the 2022 album In Plain Sight. Francis wrote all the songs. And the album was produced by guitarist and recording engineer Sergio Rios who produced Francis' first album. Musicians were Kellen Boersma on guitar, Mike Starr on bass and Collin O'Brien on drums. This was Francis' band at the time. Derek Trucks played the slide guitar solo on Can't Stop the Rain. This album is available as a budget CD. Francis released his latest album Return to Zero last year. He is working with the same musicians. He is currently on tour until November. So if you like his music remember there is no pressure on him to go mainstream. Here's the video for Can't Stop the Rain by Neal Francis.