Hear Ye: what rock nyc is listening to 12-28-13

Kirsty Maccoll and boys

1. A New England – Kirsty Maccoll – One of the UK’s great singer songwriters adds a verse to Billy Bragg’s masterpiece . – A+ The verse?

“My dreams were full of strange ideas
My mind was set despite your fears
But other things got in the way
I never asked that boy to stay

Once upon a time at home
I sat beside the telephone
Waiting for someone to pull me through
When at last it didn’t ring I knew it wasn’t you”

2. Atlantic City – Bruce Springsteen – His horrorstory of loss with the faintest hint of redemption, “maybe everything that dies some day comes back” as Bruce’s protagonist can only get out of debt by doing a favor he really shouldn’t and his voice in the background haunts itself – A+

3. You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby – Kirsty Maccoll – She’s playing the Byrds to Moz-Marrs  Bob Dylan – A

4. You Know It’s You – Kirsty Maccoll – She wanted Mozz to sing on it but died before it happened. More’s the pity, it would have been excellent – A

5. G.U.Y. – Lady Gaga – Best line? “Touch me touch me, don’t be sweet, love me love me, please retweet” – B+

6. You’re Not The One – Sky Ferreira – Most overrated? Perhaps, she was terrible live,  but this is a good song – B+

7. The Wire – Haim – Another overrated band but this is a crafty Lindsay Buckingham steal – A-

8.  Still Into You – Paramore – Her greatest moment is a world class rock and roll – A

9. Follow Your Arrow – Kacey Musgrave – Smart trailer trasher ode and food advice – A

10. Little Black Dress – One Direction – I missed this the first time round but I quite like the guitar – B+