Monthly Archives: May 2011

“Sometimes A River” (String Cheese Incident acoustic rock cover version)

Posted on by
3

By Jim Fusco:

Boy these weeks go fast.  So, here we are again with another Laptop Sessions acoustic cover song done in a solo acoustic format with me, Jim Fusco!  I’m back with a great song for you, but first, I just want to give a couple of updates.  First, I want to say that this blog will no longer feature any personal life details about me- I’ve realized this needs to be about the music…and that I don’t really want everyone out there knowing my life story and what I’m up to each week.  So, we’re going to stay more on topic from now on.  I’m not a big fan of re-writing history, but I’m seriously considering going through all the old posts and removing those sections of my posts.  Remember- we’re here for the MUSIC!

My other bit of business is this: I’m in full-scale ambition mode, so I’ve been working on promoting my original music again.  After all, I started doing these cover song music videos in hopes that people with similar tastes would like my videos and want to hear my original songs.  It’s worked on a handful of occasions, but not nearly as well as I envisioned.  So, I’m trying some new avenues to connect with potential fans…by giving my music away for FREE!!  Yes, that’s right- just follow my music account on Twitter (@jimfuscomusic) and I’ll send you a link to download a FREE 5-song EP of my original music!  That way, once you download (and love) the songs, I can keep in contact with you to tell you about…

MY NEW ALBUM!!  Yes, it’s been a while, but I’m back with an amazing set of songs that I’m so excited about, I simply cannot wait to record them any longer.  The album will be masterfully done- I assure you of that.  No shortcuts will be taken.  So, it may take me a while to finish it.  But, those that know me know that when I start something…it gets finished!  So, I’ve decided to do status updates on my Twitter account so you can keep track of the progress.  I’ll be posting videos, photos, and even sneak-peak audio clips along the way.  So, stay tuned- it starts NOW!

Onto tonight’s video:

I know what you’re thinking, “The String Cheese Incident?”  I’ll admit, it’s one of the stranger band titles I’ve covered a song from here on the music blog.  This is another artist (along with Brett Dennen) that my boss/friend Bill turned me on to.  “String Cheese Incident” is categorized as a “jam band”, but honestly, I don’t get that vibe from their recorded material.  They’re just really solid songs from a very talented group of people- incredible musicians, in fact.  They don’t necessarily have the greatest vocals, but they do have a trait I really love in bands: multiple songwriters!

“Sometimes A River” is off of their latest studio album, “One Step Closer”, from 2005.  It’s sung by the “leader” of the group, Michael Kang.  That man plays a MEAN mandolin, by the way.  Bill says that he likes the live version of this song better.  I’ve heard it and he has a good point.  But, those that have read the Laptop Sessions music blog posts for a while know I love a polished studio version- the sounds and the vocals are just right, you know?

Please give this song a chance- it’s an opportunity to hear a song you’ve never heard before and to open your mind to a new artist.  The String Cheese Incident has been around for close to 20 years- that kind of staying power in a band is rare, so they have to have that “something”.  I really, really like this song- especially that minor chord change in the last chorus- listen for it.

Thanks for watching and, remember- I’m in the Countdown to a Million YouTube views!  I’m trying to reach my goal as soon as possible and I hope you’ll help me out on that mission.  Visit http://youtube.com/jimfusco and watch as many cover songs and original music videos as you can!  See you in two weeks with another acoustic cover song music video!

Jim Fusco Reaches 900,000 YouTube Video Views!

Posted on by
Reply

Another milestone for Jim Fusco, founder of the Laptop Sessions, as he reached 900,000 YouTube video videos recently.  He has recorded over 225 cover songs and original music videos so far, with more new videos arriving bi-weekly.  Jim is excited to reach his goal of a million views on his music videos.  For over four years, Jim has given his new take on songs by turning them into acoustic versions.  The artists he covers range from the Beach Boys to Jack Johnson and many, many others.

Jim hopes you’ll join him in making the countdown to a million go quickly, so please visit Jim’s YouTube site by clicking HERE!

Big doin’s at the Laptop Sessions!

Posted on by
Reply

The Weekend Review returns, the Guest Sessions are revived, and more!

By Chris Moore:

Back in January, I had planned to take the month of February off to work on my upcoming album, the not-so-timely-titled 2010 Project.  I had the foresight to vaguely suggest that my hiatus might extend into March, but apparently not enough foresight to see all the way into mid-May.

Regardless, I’m back and re-energized for my several Laptop Sessions-related endeavors in 2011.  Before I kick it all off with my first review of the year tomorrow, I figured I would give a real quick run-down of what you can expect.

THE WEEKEND REVIEW will be in a new monthly format starting tomorrow, one which condenses the best of both worlds between the full reviews I wrote in 2010 and the Yes, No, or Maybe So? format.  I’ll be supplementing my new monthly reports with full reviews — rest assured I can’t resist going on at length about a single album! — but that won’t be until after I catch up on my January through May 2011 reports.

THE GUEST SESSIONS have accrued quite a back log of submissions over the past six months or more since the last Guest Sesh was posted, so I’ve begun sorting through those, and you can look forward to a new Guest Session video every week that a Laptop Sessions regular has not posted.  This will mean we’ll need new Guest Session submissions very soon, so click over to that page (via the link above) and submit today!

THE 2010 PROJECT, last but not least, is reaching 90% completion.  To light a fire under myself to get it out soon (like six months ago soon), I’ll be regularly posting Original Wednesday sessions in the order of my final track listing.  I began this months and months ago, but I only got to like track three, so look for that to be picked up again very soon.

And, with that, I thank you all for reading, and I hope you’ll look forward to more quality content on the site in the coming months of 2011!

“Say You’re Free” (Goo Goo Dolls Cover)

Posted on by
Reply

By Jim Fusco:

Wow, it’s really been two weeks since the last video?  Well, if you haven’t seen it, search at the top of the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog for “Elderberry Wine” and you’ll see what I’ve been up to lately!  It’s my second video back from a very long four-month absence.

Tonight, I bring you a video that shows you what the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs blog is all about.  It’s a song sung by someone with a raspy voice and it’s totally an electric, rockin’ song.  So, I took my non-raspy voice, sat down with my Martin acoustic guitar, and put a new twist on this tune!

It’s a song off of the Goo Goo Dolls newest album, “Something for the Rest of Us” from 2010.  Let me tell you, it’s a GREAT album.  I can’t stop listening to it.  Every song is single-worthy.  These guys have gotten so good at writing a catchy pop/rock song and it shows on this album.  Honestly, I think it’s my favorite from last year.  And there were a TON of albums I heard for the first time last year.

I’ve become quite the Goo Goo Dolls fan ever since I first heard some of their songs on WCJM Internet Radio shows.  My friend (and former Laptop Sessions contributor) Jeff Copperthite would pick a song for each radio show we did.  After a while, I noticed that I liked those songs, so I bought a couple of their older albums from the early 90’s.  Now, I have all of their albums and I love them all!  Well, I should say that I love all of their “rock” albums.  They actually started in the late 80s as a punk band!  I have one of those albums (“Jed”) and let me tell you- it ain’t great.  It’s hard to believe that just a couple of years later, they came out with my personal favorite, “Superstar Car Wash”.  That album is almost 20 years old now, but if you don’t have it (and like the Goo Goo Dolls), it’s really a neccesity.

Tonight’s song is “Say You’re Free”- it’s one of two Robby Takac songs that are on the new album.  In fact, that’s about the standard now, as it has been for the last three albums.  Back in the earlier days, Robby and Johhny would split the songs.  I really liked that format- it seemed like they were trying to outdo each other.  Of course, Johnny is the guy who wrote their most famous songs like “Iris”, so I suppose he’s considered the “better” songwriter.  But, as we’ve learned from SO many bands here on the music blog, popularity doesn’t necessarily mean greatness.  Now, I won’t sit here and say that I’m not a John Rzeznik fan- I absolutely am.  But, for some reason, I absolutely love Robby’s songs, too!  My favorite from him, other than the new stuff, is “Already There” from Superstar Car Wash- it’s a great tune with some really introspective lyrics.  That’s a bit surprising, considering his punk roots and his incredibly raspy voice.  Normally, I wouldn’t like that, but I don’t think he’s doing it on purpose.  For instance, you can just tell that John Mayer sings like that on purpose, so I can’t stand it.  Same with Dylan.  But, people like Dennis Wilson and Robby Takac just have raspy voices for one reason or another and can’t sing any other way.  That I can deal with.

I chose this song instead of the better tune, “Now I Hear” from the same album because I wanted to hear how this song would come out acoustically.  I love the results and I hope it shows how great of a song it is on its own.  And, I hope Robby somehow watches this someday- I want him to know that there are fans out there that love his songs and that want even more per album!  I hope you enjoy tonight’s Laptop Session and I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with another great new acoustic cover song music video!