Folk legend Paul Simon will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his classic album, ‘Graceland,’ this August. Various indie artists are paying tribute to the landmark release with a music video series covering songs from the record. The first one up is Givers and their rendition of ‘That Was Your Mother.’

Givers are joined by legendary saxophonist Dickie Landry, who has worked with Paul Simon himself, Bob Dylan, Talking Heads and more. Givers have a strong connection with ‘Graceland’ as they grew up listening to the Simon classic.

“Most of us grew up with that album in our household — it’s probably made its way into our subconscious, and it’s influenced the way we play as a band,” singer-guitarist Taylor Guarisco told Rolling Stone.

The Louisiana band and Landry give ‘That Was Your Mother’ a slower pace while staying true to the original. Their take on the song would perfectly fit any weekend afternoon BBQ.
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After breaking through with their DYI effort Ain’t Goin’ Back To Jail, JB and the Moonshine Band have released their follow-up album Beer For Breakfast through Average Joes Entertainment and it finds the four piece band (JB Patterson, Gabe Guevara, Hayden McMullen and Chris Flores) from East Texas ready to take on the world. The immediate thing to know about the album is that the production is much better, something JB attributes to actually “having a budget” to record the record.

Beer For Breakfast kicks off with the rollicking title track and Texas chart single (already Top 30 there) and while it definitely feels like a Texas-style honky tonker, the song still isn’t ‘too rock’ for mainstream audiences. It shows off the band’s tight sound, a sound that is further showcased on the fun “Dog,” a tune which compares the non-complaining love of man’s best friend with that of a nagging woman. It’s a theme that’s been explored before but still manages to sound fresh enough to suggest a potential radio single. Another strong rockin’ song that recalls Cross Canadian Ragweed is “Yes.” The song, which is the last of the twelve tracks on the album, showcases the quartet’s ability to bring the southern country rock and is without a doubt a song that will certainly be a highlight of their concerts.
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For Scott Matthew the definition of the title „Unlearned“ is to put something learned out of your mind. „you have to make an effort to forget your usual way of doing and considering something, so that you can learn a new way.“

He always loved to reinterpret the songs from his favorite singers, writers and composers and add them as encore to his setlists. This is still part of his concerts and the audience is looking forward every night to this “personal hitparade”.

The collection of his personal hits on the upcoming album like Harvest Moon (Neil Young), No Surprises (Radiohead), To Love Somebody (Bee Gees) or Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division), reinterpret only with his mesmerizing, heart-melting and captivating voice and the Scott Matthew typical instrumentation of piano, strings, guitar and ukulele, all have been put through his process of unlearning. They all have been unlearned and they stand as new and undiscovered entities.

Scott Matthew says: „The challenge is to gently remove preconception of what you have learned these songs to originally be.“

The album will be available on Digipak CD, Vinyl (180g) and Digital Download.

“The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.”
Gloria Steinem
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If I Can Dream

There must be lights burning brighter somewhere.
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue.
If I can dream of a better land,
where all my brothers walk hand in hand.
Tell me why, oh why,
oh why can’t my dream come true?
Oh why?

There must be peace and understanding sometime.
Strong winds of promise that will blow away
all the doubt and fear.
If I can dream of a warmer sun,
where hope keeps shining on everyone.
Tell me why, oh why,
oh why won’t that sun appear?

We’re lost in a cloud
with too much rain.
We’re trapped in a world
that’s troubled with pain.
But as long as a man
has the strength to dream
he can redeem his soul
and fly…

Deep in my heart there’s a trembling question.
Still I am sure, that the answer’s
gonna come somehow.
Out there in the dark,
there’s a beckoning candle, yeah.

And while I can think, while I can talk.
While I can stand, while I can walk.
While I can dream.
Please let my dream come true…
Right now.

Performed by
Elvis Presley
Comeback Special, December 1968
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