Culture
Suggested Listening 2024: Todd Burge
By: WOUB Culture Team
Posted on:
WOUB Culture’s Suggested Listening series highlights the music that resonated with WOUB Culture contributors and regional artists in 2024. Today we spotlight musician Todd Burge.
Todd Burge is a performing singer & songwriter who resides in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Here are 10 albums that took me to some unexpected places this year.
Dan Reeder – Smithereens (2024)- this man makes his own microphones, guitars, studio pre-amps, songs and album art. He records himself too. Some of his songs are less than a minute long, yet they are some of the most complete works that I have ever heard. Featured Song – Feather
Kathy McCarty – Dead Dog’s Eyeball (1993) K. McCarty, formerly of the Austin, TX band Glass Eye, recorded this tribute to Daniel Johnston back in 1993. Years ago, my band 63 Eyes opened for Glass Eye at the Underground Railroad in Morgantown, WV. They were totally enamored with the beauty of our state. (I once met a traveling Texas band. They drove route 50 to their one-night stand. They said, your hills are so pretty, awesome and grand. They said it must be great to be a Wood County man. – From Wood County Man by T.Burge) Johnston, a WV native, will be inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in April. Featured Song – Living Life
Sierra Ferrell– Trail of Flowers (2024) – Every song is happening.
Sunny War– Simple Syrup (2021) There’s nobody out there playing guitar like Sunny War. It’s a real thing of oddness and beauty. Featured Song – Like Nina
Live on Mountain Stage – Outlaws and Outliers (2024) – what can you say about this 41 year old radio program that hasn’t already been said? This stellar album released by John Prine’s Oh Boy Records and curated by Mountain Stage co-founder Larry Groce doesn’t even approach the tip of the iceberg. Wilco, Rhiannon Giddens, Alison Krauss, Tim O’Brien, John Prine and so many more. You are in for a great listen here. Featured Song – Rhiannon Giddens – Black is the Color
Loudon Wainwright III– Surviving Twin (2018) This is both a Netflix special and an album. I highly recommend the Netflix version. Aside from seeing the man live as part of the Esbenshade Series this year, this special was one of my favorite music experiences of 2024. The View From Here was a column by Loudon Wainwright Jr. that appeared in Life magazine for many years. Wainwright wrote the column for 24 years until his death in 1988 at the age of 63. In this Netflix special LW3 reads some of his father’s work, and pairs them with his own songs. Featured Song – Another Sort of Love Story (explicit)
Barbra Streisand – Live at the Bon Soir (1962) – when I think of Greenwich Village in the early 60s, I always gravitate toward the folk music scene and acts like Dave Van Ronk and of course Dylan, but this was happening during that time as well. Barbra Streisand began performing in New York City clubs in 1960. Her superhuman voice and style soon caught attention, leading to performances at other venues like the Bon Soir. What a scene! Featured – Cry Me a River
Quincy Jones – Big Band Bossa Nova (1962)- Quincy Jones passed away this year. What an amazing career he had as a writer, orchestrator and producer. From this album, to producing Michael Jackson’s Thriller and so much more, Jones was a real Renaissance man. As an aside, this was recorded in 1962 by engineer Phil Ramone. Interestingly Ramone, 15 years later would produce the Stranger by Billy Joel, but let’s go back even more. He is also credited as the person who recorded Marilyn Monroe singing happy birthday to John F. Kennedy, but that’s not why you called. This Quincy Jones album is just one of the coolest on the planet and clocks in at 32 minutes. Enjoy! Featured Song: Soul Bossa Nova (I almost got by without mentioning Austin Powers.)
Adam Remnant – Big Doors (2024) “Coming down from the mountain, trying to make out what I scribbled on my hands.” You know him and you love him; southeast Ohio’s own Adam Remnant has created yet another stellar work here. Featured Song: Coming Down
Roches – The Roches (1979) I’ve known of the Roches since the late ’80s when I heard them on Mountain Stage. I even played a show with Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche back in 2016 at Joe’s Pub in NYC. It’s odd to me that I’ve never listened to this phenomenal debut album all the way through until this year. I believe I saw William Matheny mention it in a post. This album kept me great company as I traveled to Black Mountain NC for the Folk Alliance’s regional conference (SERFA) back in May. Featured Song: Runs in the Family