MUSIC

cover of my 2nd album
"I'm singin' for the love of it... have mercy on the man who sings to be adored."--JOSH RITTER

    I like several genres of music, just as I like multiple flavors of pies. My favorite type of music is "singer-songwriter," which is sort of contemporary folk music--less polished and commercial than pop, more lyrical than rock, similar to country but with a wider range of subject matter and again less polished/ commercial.

Listening online:

Other musical links:

    Lyrics to folk and pop songs
    The encyclopedic All Music Guide site
    The number one songs on Billboard's pop chart for any date in history... along with the number ones in Britain
    A handy classical music reference site
    Great place to hear local and travelling singer-songwriters is Brewed Awakenings Coffeehouse, 1271 1st Av SE (across from Coe).   
    Another interesting musical venue: CSPS, 1103 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids: big name acts in an intimate atmosphere, an art gallery, and local talent performing in an occasional Saturday night Out of Bounds series.
    Local musicians:

My annual list of Ten Notable Albums of 2012 along with Favorite Tracks of 2000-09

Top 20 Most Played on iTunes:
  1. "One Day Like This," Elbow
  2. "Steve McQueen," Sheryl Crow
  3. "Good Morning Britain," Aztec Camera
  4. "In a Big Country," Big Country
  5. "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick," Ian Dury and the Blockheads
  6. "Human," Killers
  7. "The Bike Song," Mark Ronson
  8. "Dawn Chorus," Beth Orton
  9. "The Lion's Roar," First Aid Kit
  10. "Emmylou," First Aid Kit
  11. "Streets of Your Town," Go-Betweens
  12. "Love Will Tear Us Apart," Joy Division
  13. "World Shut Your Mouth," Julian Cope
  14. "Echo Beach," Martha and the Muffins
  15. "Old Man," Neil Young
  16. "Like a Hurricane," Neil Young
  17. "Stone Cold Sober," Paloma Faith
  18. "Respect," Aretha Franklin
  19. "Oberlin Two-Step," Beausoleil
  20. "Call Me the Breeze," Beth Orton

Recently purchased tracks on iTunes:

New CDs in 2013:
My CD acquisitions 2004-2012

I've Got the Music In Me Dept.:

    I've done some singing myself.  I wrote my first song in 1984, and performed it at the Wesley Foundation in Urbana, Illinois. Since then I have sung publicly in Atwood, Farmington, and Macomb, Illinois; and Cedar Rapids, Marion, Stone City, and Walker, Iowa.  I've recorded two CDs, "Mouth Full of Mustard" (2003) and "Almost Endless Fun" (2008). Both discs are available for the everyday, low-low price of $10.  For "Mouth Full of Mustard," half the proceeds goes to the Friends of Music at Coe.  The discs may be purchased by contacting me (bnesmith@coe.edu).

    VIDEO: "Faithful in the Rain" (videographer: Jane Claspy Nesmith)

    Hey, it's good to be back Home again!

Last update 5/8/13