95 North. . . The Newspaper

Just for fun, here are 5 songs in which the word "king" appears in the title: " King of Pain " is a classic 80s song from the Police, channeling the energy of light reggae and soft taps on the piano, "King of Pain" is like it's own little hummingbird that revs its muted engines at just the right times. And of course, lead singer Sting has always been dramatic. " King of Spain " is an early, Dylan inspired folk tune that espouses an escapist fantasy over a jangly acoustic guitar that makes you want to clap. " It's Good to be King " by Tom Petty is a steady tune, as Tom nasally preaches the virtues of having your own emotional space in life. Who knew Petty was all about personal boundaries and the practice of self-care? At the end of the tune, the last minute or so, there's an utterly beautiful instrumental piece-a place where strings meet cascading guitars. " King Rides By " by Cat Power is a song t...

If you are a Bob Dylan fan, do yourself a favor and listen to the Tallest Man on Earth ( musical moniker for Kristian Matsson). He's part Woody Guthrie, early 60's Bob Dylan (with his voice full of premature rust), and part Scandinavian ghost. His guitar seems to loop around, subverting classic folk rhythms into minor key miracles. He's the complete package: a folk singer with his ear to the ground and his eyes on the hills. In the world of these songs, the drama of nature is heightened, and the connection to self and others runs strong. The every day is uplifted.  Case in point: 2006's excellent song "Walk the Line". There's no doubt that the song title was an attempt to place his music in the hillbilly/folk/ country tradition, with a nod here to Johnny Cash. However, here, the result musically is something wanders in the dark a bit longer and a bit harder than the boom-pow-wow country music could. Here, the theme seems to be a sort of David and Go...