Tuesday, February 28, 2006, 9:47 PM // 0 comments

New Pearl Jam album

Pearl Jam announced today that they will release their highly anticipated, self-titled, eighth studio album on May 2nd through J Records. Pearl Jam's new album marks the band's first studio release in nearly four years and their first in partnership with J Records.

The album was produced and mixed by Adam Kasper and Pearl Jam at Studio X in Seattle.

Tracklisting for "Pearl Jam":

Life Wasted
World Wide Suicide
Comatose
Severed Hand
Marker In The Sand
Parachutes
Unemployable
Big Wave
Gone
Wasted Reprise
Army Reserve
Come Back
Inside Job

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Thursday, February 23, 2006, 9:27 PM // 2 comments

Joey's First Concert Jersey

Joe Altobelli

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Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 9:46 PM // 0 comments

"...the greatest love song of the last fifty years."

Since it's Valentine's Day I thought I'd write about what Frank Sinatra called "...the greatest love song of the last fifty years." I'm referring to George Harrison's "Something."

"Something"--originally released on last album to be recorded by The Beatles, Abbey Road--is the second-most covered Beatles' song with about one thousand cover versions, trailing behind "Yesterday," which has three times that number. BMI has certified "Something" as the 17th most performed song of the 20th century, with over five million performances.

I'm posting three versions of "Something."

The first is Harrison's demo--just voice and shimmering electric guitar--recorded on his 26th birthday. Simply beautiful.

The second is Booker T and the MG's version of "Something." This particular cover takes the sweet love song into an unexpected path that rocks so hard you'll stop what you're doing and pick up your air guitar to play along.

The last version of "Something" comes from Frank Sinatra. Frank recorded it twice: with a traditionally-arranged version in 1970 and a lushy-arranged (and Harrison-preferred) recording in 1979. However, Sinatra made a gaffe – in his original statement, he mistakenly attributed it to the Lennon / McCartney partnership. Sinatra also made an innovation of his own on the song, changing one of its lines to "You stick around, Jack / And she might show" which Harrison loved – in all his future performances of "Something", he used Sinatra's modified lyric instead of his original.

Listen/Download:
George Harrison - Something (demo)
Booker T & the MG's - Something
Frank Sinatra - Something

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Blink It

Monday, February 13, 2006, 12:37 PM // 1 comments

Blizzard 2006

A lot can happen in 24 hours.




Wednesday, February 08, 2006, 11:42 PM // 2 comments

Bradangelina and Sonic Youth



I found this entry on WFMU's Beware of the Blog:

A paparazzi photo of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in the back seat of a car from 2005 (left), Raymond Pettibon's artwork for Sonic Youth's album "Goo" from 1990 (middle), which is based on a paparazzi photo of David and Maureen Smith (two people named Mr. and Mrs. Smith) driving to the Ian Brady and Myra Hindley trial in 1966.

Listen/Download:
From the 1990 Sonic Youth album, Goo - Kool Thing

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Wednesday, February 01, 2006, 6:30 AM // 3 comments

Pennsauken Mart: 1956-2006

Pennsauken MartThis past weekend I found myself unexpectedly nostalgic over one of the area's most dubious landmarks of my childhood: the Pennsauken Mart. This past Sunday, after 50 years, The Pennsauken Mart closed its doors good.

The Mart was something like an indoor version of an outdoor flea market. Just about anything your could think of could be found at the Mart. I mean everything. From the ordinary--T-shirts (three for $10), luggage (entire travel collection for $49), and food market--to the less ordinary and strange--boa constrictors, Samurai swords, and hubcaps. There were service vendors at the Mart including a tattoo parlor and $10 massages and food and beverage vendors of every ethnic delight including Italian, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, and soul food. The Mart was probably the area's first food court.

Growing up, I would visit the Mart--or as I called it, "The Pennsauken Mall"--for various reasons. The most obvious for most was to purchase hot "Philly" pretzels right out of the oven at the shop that sold nothing but pretzels. Another reason, the Mart was a place to hang out. My friends and I would wonder the pungent halls while waiting for one of our parents to pick us up after we saw a movie at the Eric movie theatre which was located right next store to the Mart. I can recall visiting the Mart to purchase music, cigars, and insense. I remember one time, in fact it was the first time I ever recall hanging out with my friend Steve, we stood outside the liquor store asking people to buy us beer. Ahhhhhh, good times.

This weekend, I went vistited the Mart one last time. And this time I took my kids.

The halls were a whole lot emptier; many of the vendors had already packed up their tents, headed for new digs in Willingboro, Camden, Columbus, and Cowtown. Still, a few things remained anchored exactly as they had been since my first visit to the anti-mall including the "Head Shop," wig store, video store, and pizza parlors that anchored both main entrances.

I decided to take my kids to the Mart so that they could see that not all shopping centers were clean, well-lighted, and pleasant smelling. That at one time the Mart was the place to go to buy all sorts of goods in one place. And lastly, I wanted to share a childhood memory--albeit dirty and foul smelling--but a memory all the same.

Pennsauken Mart
Pennsauken Mart
Pennsauken Mart
Pennsauken Mart
Pennsauken Mart

About Paul Altobelli

Paul Altobelli is a veteran Internet, marketing and technology professional with considerable expertise in search engine marketing, web site development, design, implementation and project management. [more]

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