Just posted another song. The bubblegum punk track, Nothing to Hide, from Yo Lo Tengo’s latest album, Popular Songs. It’s a throw away three chords song full of charm. Although there’s no ukulele on the recorded version I think a ukulele put through a distortion pedal would sound amazing.
Here are the chords: Yo La Tengo – Nothing to Hide
For more chords and tabs look here: Ukulele Chords & Tabs
David-Ivar’s classic solo album is now on spotify, oh the joy. This little gem of a uke album is a must for fans of Herman Dune or just fans of the uke. The album’s a rambling, lo-fi, and enjoyable, solo attempt. I must admit, it’s not all uke but there’s more than on your average album. The drum and ukulele song, From The Richest Planet, showcases David-Ivar’s lo-fi ukulele to the full. I think he’s a very good songwriter. Lyrical, melodic and free wheeling – many songs adhere to a non-linear structure with more emphasis on lyrical content. There’s also ukes on it.
Spotify link: David-Ivar Herman Düne
If you like this then I can recommend his main band – Herman Dune.
Here’s a link to the Duke of Uke owner, Matt Reynolds, being interviewed on the BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8520296.stm
If you haven’t visited the Duke of Uke then I implore you to if you’re ever in East London. It’s the finest ukulele emporium in the whole wide world.
You may have noticed the winter Olympics is currently under way in Canada. In the UK we couldn’t care less about winter sports. There’s no tobogganing on the dustbin lid event while screaming “geronimo,” at the top of your voice. So we don’t care.
When Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards – a partially blind ironically named ski jumping legend – competed we supported, but normally we’re indifferent. In the U.S.A, however, they have an all-star sexy ski team and more than ten people pay attention to the Winter Olympics. One of the skiers is Julia Mancuso and apparently she plays the ukulele though – judging by the photo – only in tropical climates.
Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson, from the Magnetic Fields, popped into the studio at NPR for a short interview and a couple of songs on the ukulele in promotion of their new album, Realism.
There’s the normal awkwardness, more on the interviewer’s part, that comes with any Magnetic Fields, i.e., Stephin Merritt interview as he pauses after a question for a sustained period only to then give a minimal reply. It’s well documented that he hates doing interviews but I’m rather fond of them as they take on a surreal form of torture for any interviewer looking for a normal answer. However, this one isn’t too painful and at times Stephin Merritt could almost be described as chatty as he talks about his no-synth trilogy and 60s folk icon, Judy Collins, who partly inspired the new album.
You can listen to the interview here: NPR Interview
There’s also two real treats, a ukulele version with Claudia on Vocals of Night Falls Like a Grand Piano, from 69 Love Songs. And, Seduced and Abandoned, an Edward Gorey type Victorian parlour song, that’s sung and played by Merritt.
It’s an excellent version so I thought some chords were in order – I’ve added them to the new section, Ukulele Tabs & Chords, which is listed on the right hand side under the heading, Other Stuff. Once you’ve navigated to the page click on the song title to see the chords.
Alternatively you could just click here: Ukulele Tabs.
