Community Corner

Listening In: Uke Up and Dig These Tunes

We want to know what you're listening to, and we're willing to give you free Patch gear to find out.

Welcome back to another installment of Listening In. If you're reading this, it means the world didn't end. (Or maybe you're reading it early in the morning, in which case there's still time. But fingers crossed!) So let's celebrate with some cool music.

This week’s contestant is Charlie Mayton of Aurora. You may know Charlie as the man behind the regular Uke Up and Smell the Coffee events at River’s Edge Café in Aurora. Once a month, ukulele players descend on River’s Edge and play their little hearts out. It’s a good time.

As you may expect, there’s some ukulele in Charlie’s song choices. But there’s a lot of diversity as well. Charlie provided us with comments on each song—he’ll be in plain type, and my thoughts will be in italics. Like this. Charlie even provided his own YouTube clips, which was extremely helpful.

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And here we go. Take it away, Charlie.

1. “All I Want is You,” by the Nadas. The Nadas are a band from Des Moines, Iowa, who have been rocking along for nearly 16 years. This song was written to be a fun anthem for summer love, and appears on their most recent album Almanac. The Nadas are anchored by Mike Butterworth and Jason Walsmith, both of whom are old friends of mine, and in fact this song was written by the 3 of us in one afternoon in September of 2009 while hanging out in the bar of a hotel in downtown Des Moines. Fun little song! I’d never heard of the Nadas, but I’m going to check them out now. The bass on this one is very cool.

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2. “I Palindrome I,” by They Might Be Giants. Written and recorded by two Johns, one Flansburgh and the other Linnell. TMBG have been putting out independent music for independent people for over 13 years.  This song is off of their 1992 album titled Apollo 18. Oh, I know. Big They Might Be Giants fan here, and Apollo 18 is one of my favorites. They’re too often typed as a novelty band, but they’re much more clever and complicated than people give them credit for.

3. “If I Was the Rain,” by Lowen and Navarro. Written and recorded by Eric Lowen and Dan Navarro, a unique duo who started out writing for others and decided they wanted to sing their own songs. This piece is off of their 2004 album All The Time In The World. I’ve heard a few Lowen and Navarro songs, but not this one. I like this stripped-down version. It’s simple, but nice.

4. “Orange World,” by Jake Shimabukuro. Written and recorded by Jake Shimabukuro, international ukulele superstar. Released on his 2003 album Cross Currents. Ah, here’s the ukulele. This guy is incredible. Another artist I was unfamiliar with. Anyone wondering what Charlie sees in the uke should watch this clip.

5. “Sink or Swim,” by Aaron Zimmer. Written and recorded by Aaron Zimmer, a Nebraska boy via New York City. This song is from his 2009 album Live Wires. Wow, yet another artist I’d never heard. This is sweet and fun power pop. Good chorus, nice tight tune. I’m going to have to find this guy’s albums now too.

Thanks, Charlie. Uke Up and Smell the Coffee is set for May 24, and then on June 21, at River’s Edge Café, 18 W. Downer Place. Check it out.

If you want to play Listening In, simply sent me an email with your name and hometown. I’ll pick one name a week, and fire off a reply. If it’s your week, send me the names of five songs you’re listening to, plus any thoughts you want to share about them. You’ll get free Patch stuff just for playing.

Thanks again, and be good to each other out there.


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