Lianne La Havas, "Is Your Love Big Enough?"

Beyoncé, "Love On Top"

And Part 2...

Kanye West & Jay-Z, "Otis"

To commemorate the opening of the Barclays Center, here goes Part 1 of a Jay/Bey Double-Play Friday. Enjoy!

The Strokes, "Last Night"

Another make-up song for a missed day. I'm slipping like a Wet Banana.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Date with the Night"

The Raveonettes, "Young and Cold"

From their new album, Observator...

OPEN REQUEST SUNDAY: Tristesse Contemporaine, "I Didn't Know"

Tuna Day stalwart Joe in Brooklyn points us to this fan-made video for some serious French electro-melancholy... I guess? Thanks, Joe.

Super Furry Animals, "Receptacle for the Respectable"

MC Solaar, "Nouveau Western"

The Killers, "Runaways"

Bruce Springsteen with a better voice, mixed in with some propulsive drumming and a little dab of The Buggles? Oh, and a video by Werner Herzog? Sure, why not?

Mazzy Star, "Fade into You"

The Black Ryder, "Sweet Come Down"

Nicole Atkins, "The Way It Is" (Live on Letterman)

The opening act for the Jayhawks on Saturday, Nicole Atkins was consistently solid, occasionally transcendent. Or maybe it's stated a little more accurately by the person who posted this YouTube clip: "Roy Orbison as a chick, fronting a band of elves."

The Jayhawks, "I'd Run Away"

Gary Louris

Saturday night, the inimitable Jayhawks graced Brooklyn with their presence for a free show at Williamsburg Park. It was great. While the voices have aged 20-some years, that only lends the music a certain self-confidence. The guitar solos--especially by Gary Louris (above)--were piercing and gut-rumbling. Karen Grotberg did some seriously killer work on her Hammond. And drummer Tim O'Reagan got to shine on a favorite of mine--"Tampa to Tulsa"--which he penned and sings. Bassist Marc Perlman maintained a steady hand all night, an understated counterpoint behind the gleefully dorky fronting of Mark Olson. Speaking of Olson--clad in argyle and jeans--Maura helpfully noted, "Now I know what you'll look like when you're fifty."

Even Maura, who was a little... resistant to going, ended up dancing and calling it "a pretty good show." I call that a success. The only thing better would be if the band got serious about their in-show musing about becoming "the Brooklyn-based Jayhawks." Please join the crowd! Brooklyn-based Jayhawks are a welcoming people. Anyway, here's the song I snoozed on posting yesterday. Enjoy!

Emily Jane White, "Bessie Smith" (Live)

PJ Harvey, "The Words That Maketh Murder"

What if I take my problems to the United Nations... 

Van Morrison, "Crazy Love"

The Moldy Peaches, "Anyone Else But You" (Live)

U2, "Walk On"

Traveling Wilburys, "Tweeter and the Monkey Man"

Sly & the Family Stone, "Dance to the Music"

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, "Lady Willpower"

Words alone are insufficient to convey the glory that is this video:

Tom Petty, "Wildflowers"

Bill Withers, "I Don't Want You on My Mind"

Animal Collective, "Summertime Clothes"

Leaving the apartment 15 minutes late this morning = caught on the Vespa in a 10-minute-long torrential downpour. I put the poncho on about 5 minutes too late, resulting in an unplanned to the sale rack for a new outfit for the day. Hence, this... on September 5:

Pixies, "Where Is My Mind?" (Live at Austin City Limits)

Just finished watching loudQUIETloud, a documentary of the Pixies' 2004 Reunion Tour. Maura introduced me to the band, and took me to the Milwaukee show (at the Milwaukee Theater) that fall. One of the best concerts we've seen, and we lucked into third row seats. We bought the tickets five minutes before the show began, for a hair over face value. The rule, as always, never buy tickets in advance for a show in Milwaukee. Anyway, here's the band performing live in Austin on that same tour. Enjoy!

R.E.M., "The Ascent of Man" (Live)

Bob Neuwirth, "Rock Salt and Nails" (Live at the Gaslight Cafe)

Another pick inspired by Patti Smith... here's Bob Neuwirth, performing in 1967. Enjoy.

Patti Smith, "Horses" and "Hey Joe" (Live)

Yesterday was a lost cause, so to make up for it, y'all get a Two-for-Tuna Sunday! To kick it off, here's Patti Smith, performing at the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1976... a selection inspired by the thoroughly engrossing Just Kids.  Enjoy!