The Waste Land Chronicle

Exclusive New Single From Adam Franklin

2010-05-20T00:16:00.002-04:00

If you were a fan of Swervedriver, or more recently Magnetic Morning, then you know who Adam Franklin is and you know that you want to hear the first single off of his upcoming album. The album is being released as Adam Franklin & Bolts of Melody and is called I Could Sleep For A Thousand Years. The first single, "Yesterday Has Gone Forever", can be heard exclusively right now at the Big Takeover's website. I assure you that it's well worth your time to stop by and give it a listen, as it will also be worth your time to snag a copy of the album when it drops on June 29. For more info about this release and all other things Franklin and Swervedriver related, check out the official website where you can also download free live versions of all of the classic Swervedriver LPs!

It's A Good Point, Right?

2010-05-04T16:23:00.006-04:00

Not a sell-out.

UK newspaper The Telegraph ran a story today on author Jodi Picoult. Picoult has a new novel coming out, her 17th, and seems to be hankering for a critical respect that has thus far eluded her, despite quite good sales numbers. I confess to never having read any of Picoult's books, nor ever really having a strong inclination to do so, as I've always viewed her (perhaps mistakenly, I have no idea) from a distance as a purveyor of disposable "chick-lit." However, in the Telegraph piece, she does make a compelling case for why writers like herself shouldn't be out-of-hand dismissed by critics or "serious" readers, a case that most interests me as it could be applied to music/musicians:

"What kills me about the whole commercial/literary debate is that what we consider to be the classics were the commercial literature of their day. Shakespeare, Dickens or Austin – they were all widely read. It's a good point, right?"

This sentiment is true of much of what we consider to be the great pop/rock/soul/etc. music of the past as well. The Beatles, Stones, Who, Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, Temptation, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, and so on, and so on, all of these acts were met with critical success, large album sales, and little fan derision as a result. All of these acts are still viewed as classics today and despite huge successes (and bank accounts), few would venture to rob them of their artistic integrity as a result.

In music today, and many other artistic mediums, it is all too common for early adopters to jump ship right as the rest of the world is discovering what they already knew. As if what is important is not the quality of the work, but being one of the elite few who are aware of it. These same "fans" are often quick to dismiss an artist for licensing a piece to a TV show, movie, advert, etc. The question I ask is why is it wrong to make a buck off of one's hard work? If the piece comes from a place that is pure (i.e. this does not hold true in all cases for commissioned work) and adheres to an artistic vision that we've celebrated prior, then who are we to deny our favorites the chance to make a little cash for giving us the art that adds so much joy to our lives?

It stands to reason that in order for one to continue to make their art they will have to find some way to monetize the work, and in a world where album sales are no longer going to cut it in that department, new avenues must be pursued. We, as fans of music and other art, must shift with the times and stop slagging off the artists that we love for making money or beefing up their fanbases. We must adapt to the new media landscape and accept the ways in which it has changed the game. We must use pejoratives like "sell-out" with much less frequency and understand that a sell-out is an artist who changes their art just to make money, not an artist who simply finds an audience for the work and thus is able to earn a decent living.

Audi Impresses With "The Green Police"

2010-02-28T12:50:00.003-05:00

While I thought that most of the commercials that aired during the Superbowl this year were garbage, this spot touting Audi's green cred stood out as one of the best. The fast-paced and funny premise, the revamp of the Cheap Trick classic "Dream Police", and the effective transmission of the brand's message, all teamed up to make this one a winner.

However, even funnier than the commercial is the way that any mention of environmental conservation brings out the crazy anti-environmentalist fringe in large numbers. Just scroll through and read some of the absolutely hilarious comments below this YouTube video. These people would have you believe that this commercial is an accurate portrayal of the leftist-environmentalist-neo-fascist police state that will inevitably develop in the morally bankrupt America that the coastal liberal elitists plan to install sooner rather than later if they (errrrr . . . we) get the chance. Enjoy!

Brighter Mornings, Brighter Days

2010-02-28T02:29:00.004-05:00

BBDO Toronto teamed up with Tropicana to create this brilliant spot, and the campaign behind it, in order to promote new Tropicana Essentials Orange Juice. On January 8th, a balloon emitting 100,000 lumens was floated above the Canadian town of Inuvik where the sun doesn't come out for months during the winter, essentially bringing light to an otherwise dark place. The campaign, entitled "Brighter Mornings or Brighter Days" will launch immediately after the 2010 Winter Olympics' closing ceremonies.

Hey Now, Get Your Cheat On

2010-02-28T01:30:00.004-05:00

Do you have a little somebody in your life that might need just a wee bump on an upcoming quiz? Show them that true love means helping those that you care about most cheat in pursuit of their goals. Head over to the Paper Pastries' Etsy shop to snag them a "Know-It-All No.2 Pencil Set." There's a set with reminders for chefs too!

Go Figure, Conservatives Confused

2010-02-26T14:03:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, while reading salon.com, I came across these interesting survey results from John Sides, a professor of political science at George Washington University. The results of this survey of self-identifying conservatives confirm what most of us already know, but few on the right are willing to admit. Republicans have a thing for big government.

As is evident from the above, while conservatives frequently rail about big-spending, big-government liberals, the majority of them, when presented with an actual list of potential areas where spending could be cut, don't actually want to cut anything. This is illustrative of a larger problem that conservative Republicans seem to have, a disconnect between their rhetoric and reality.

In regard to the same poll, I found a comment from blogger Matthew Yglesias that I couldn't agree more with:

Even I’m more spending-averse than this! I’d be for reducing spending on the “war on terrorism” and “tightening border security,” and though I don’t want to cut spending on repairs to existing roadways, I’d be happy to virtually eliminate spending on new highways.

For the whole salon.com analysis, click here.

Wayne Coyne's Weird Digs

2010-02-16T01:11:00.006-05:00

Today, I happened upon a link to the website of Fitzsimmons Architecture Firm of Oklahoma City. The specific link was to photographs of the home of Wayne Coyne, lead singer of the Flaming Lips. The place is weird, to say the least. Though not such a surprise coming from Coyne. Somewhere George Jetson is drooling over this living room.

Click this link to see more pics.

Supergrass - "Caught By The Fuzz"

2009-04-13T20:05:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I mentioned how certain aspects of Let's Wrestle's sound reminded of early Buzzcocks recordings. After posting I got to thinking of other bands that, at one time or another, reminded me of the Buzzcocks. The first one that occurred to me was Supergrass. Now, if you're only familiar with their newer records, you're presently thinking I'm out of my mind. But on earlier releases, like my favorite, I Should Coco, the resemblance was at times uncanny. For example, on the standout track and first single (back in 1994) "Caught By The Fuzz." Above, is the best live version of that song that I could find a video of. I wish it was a little bit louder but at least the band is hitting on all cylinders and the vocal just kills.

Let's Wrestle - "I Won't Lie To You"

2009-04-13T00:44:00.003-04:00

Every once in awhile I hear a new song that knocks me flat on my ass from the first note. "I Won't Lie To You" by Let's Wrestle is one of those. Since I first found this one, around the beginning of last week, I've probably listened to it 30 or 40 times. And it still has legs!

Let's Wrestle, the self-described "most miserable and hateful band in North London", is a three-piece that cranks out loud, ebullient, rough-around-the-edges, rock music with pop undertones that'll have you immediately hankering for your old Buzzcocks and Wedding Present albums. On their first EP In Loving Memory Of . . . you'll find songs in the vein of the aforementioned and contemporaries such as Art Brut and labelmates Pete & the Pirates, a comparison that rests on their sound but also on the level of snark, wit, and self-deprecation to be found here.

"I Won't Lie To You" was apparently released as a limited-edition single in the UK around this time last year. The song kicks off with a fuzzy burst of guitar and the killer lyric "No matter how many records I buy/ I can't fill this void" and doesn't let up until the final note. The best news is that, despite their small output thus far, this song is no exception for these guys. There isn't a dud to be found on this EP or amongst the smattering of other tracks you can listen to on their Myspace page. Keep an eye out for these guys because I, for one, think they are going places.

Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Kiss Me Again"

2009-04-08T01:49:00.002-04:00

The second post that I ever did on this blog was about Akron's Jessica Lea Mayfield. It's been almost 6 months since then, and I am pleased to say that I've seen her get a lot of well deserved credit since that time. She isn't yet the household name that she deserves to be. But, I imagine that she will continue to win over more and more fans as more and more people get the chance to hear her beautiful music.

One very good way to earn more fans is to make a music video of one of the best tracks on your album. And that is exactly what Jessica has done with the above video of "Kiss Me Again." Enjoy. And if you like this, you should definitely pick up her album With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, one of last year's best. You will not be disappointed. In fact, you'll probably come back and thank me.

Russian Red - "Fantasia"

2009-04-07T00:39:00.002-04:00

I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a huge sucker for a beautiful girl with a beautiful voice. So, maybe my judgment is just clouded here. But, I don't think so. I only discovered Russian Red about a week ago and have been loving the album I Love Your Glasses ever since. Russian Red is from Madrid, Spain. Other than that, there is very little that I can tell you about her/them (see, I don't even know if it's a band or if Russian Red is just the stage name of the girl in the above video) except that if you like this song, you will like the whole album.

The Nerves - "Hanging On the Telephone"/The Plimsouls - "A Million Miles Away"

2009-04-06T22:17:00.003-04:00

Everybody has heard Blondie's version of the song "Hanging On the Telephone." But, how many of you knew that Debbie Harry and Co. were actually covering a song by the short lived 1970's L.A. power-pop act, The Nerves? I know that I didn't, until I came across the above YouTube clip the other day. And, wow, I am blown away by how good this sounds. The aforementioned cover might be slicker and more radio ready. But this one has more bite, more energy, more heart. If I didn't know any better, I could have easily mistaken this for a Replacements track from their incredible Twin/Tone years.

The Nerves were only together for 3 years, from 1975-78, during which they released one proper album, and a few singles, "Hanging On the Telephone" being the best and best known. Three members were songwriters and this is what led to the quick break-up. All three members continued their careers in music. Most notably Peter Case, whose Plimsouls recorded a pretty big hit with "A Million Miles Away" from the soundtrack of the Nic Cage movie Valley Girl.

Whipping Boy - "When We Were Young"

2009-03-29T01:35:00.002-04:00

I was supposed to go out to a party tonight. But, what happened . . . I fell asleep on my couch and woke up 10 minutes ago (at 1:30AM). This is becoming too common for me. And it makes me feel old. The one serendipitous thing that saved my night, in a way, was that when I woke up my iTunes were still playing on shuffle and the second song that came on was "When We Were Young" by Whipping Boy.

It's a reflective song all about the carefree drunken revelry and me-against-the-world, live-just-for-the-moment mentality that so many of us possess in our younger years (as did I). The song ends with the narrator waking up from dreams of his past and plaintively questioning all that he might have done and all that he might have been.

While I doubt that my failure to attend the party tonight is going to have an earth shatteringly negative affect on my life, it does remind me that I won't be able to do these things forever and I should take advantage while I can; while there is no girlfriend, no wife, no kid, etc. Because if I don't, I fear that I'll find myself sitting at home some Saturday night in the future, wishing that I could be out somewhere, and realizing that I was laying on a couch snoring years ago when I had my chance.

If you don't know Whipping Boy, you should really do yourself a favor and buy their album Heartworm at your earliest convenience. They were a late 80's-mid 90's Dublin band that cut their teeth playing cover versions of The Fall and Velvet Underground in Irish pubs. They eventually went on to put out a pair of albums featuring their own tunes, Heartworm being the real gem. The familiar themes and tone of their songs stay true to their working class roots, often cynically dealing with the mundanity and minutiae of everyday life, which makes them a pretty easy band to relate to. If you like this track, click here to see the YouTube video for their song "We Don't Need Nobody Else" which is actually my favorite song they put out, but was less pertinent to this post.

Oh, and next time you have the chance to go out and do something fun, take advantage. That way you'll never find yourself laying on your couch wondering What If . . .

Neko Case - I Wish I Was The Moon Tonight

2009-02-28T01:58:00.006-05:00

Neko Case possesses, without a doubt, my favorite female voice in music today. Maybe my favorite voice of all time. This track, "I Wish I Was The Moon Tonight", is amongst her best, and a personal go-to song for me. It's a heartbreaking song about loneliness and giving up on love. I've never decided exactly how to interpret the line:

"I'm so tired/ And I wish I was the moon tonight."

However, my best guess is that the moon always seems to be at peace. The heartache, stress, and other baggage that comes with falling in and out of love seems to run anathema to the quiet, serene peacefulness and constancy that is embodied by the moon. To be the moon is to have adopted a certain clarity and ease that is so often foreign to one that is prone to romantic whimsy and the ups and downs that come with it.

If ever you feel that your heart has been trampled on one too many times, or you've given up on ever finding a romantic counterpart, you could do worse than to put this song on. If for no other reason than to be reminded that someone as beautiful and talented as Neko Case is sitting right next to you in Eros's doghouse.

It came to mind tonight when I was reading the E.E. Cummings poem "I Carry Your Heart With Me", in which the best line states:

"and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant/
and whatever a sun will always sing is you"

And, as I read this line and thought of Neko's line, I had something of an a-ha moment. Or, at very least, I made a personal connection between the way that I interpreted each artist's use of moon as metaphor.

Cummings' poem is addressed to a lover and, though I've read it many times and been smitten with the above lines, I liked them more for their tone and sentiment than for actually knowing what they meant. In light of my new found insight, on both poem and song, my reading is that the moon represents a personal peace in each case. Peace out of love, because of it's soothing calm and tranquility. Peace in love, as one accepts that one's lover has taken the place of the moon, has become the moon and all that it represents, if you will.

And now, I don't think that I'll ever be able to mentally separate poem and song again.

P.S. - Neko's new album, Middle Cyclone, releases this Tuesday March 3rd. Since she's never put out anything that didn't sound divine (whether solo, or with this little side-project she's involved in called The New Pornographers, wink wink), I can quite comfortably tell you to run out and get this album at your earliest convenience. For now, the entire thing is streaming on NPR's website.

Joe Pernice -Cribs/Pernice Brothers - "Baby In Two"

2009-01-23T00:04:00.002-05:00

One of the better bands going right now are Boston's Pernice Brothers who, for what it's worth, aren't actually brothers but are led by Joe Pernice. It has been a little while since their last release, 2006's Live A Little, so I decided to check their website today to see if there was any new news. I'm sorry to report that there was no mention of a new album or upcoming tour. However, the following was posted there:

I need to get some of this stuff out of the house! I have lowered the prices of all Ashmont-owned stuff we have. You’ll find $5 CDs and some t-shirts for under $10. US store only for now, until I figure out how to update the int’l store. Please help me make space for all the stuff I am going to buy when Ashmont is deemed too big to fail and we get our bailout.

Nearly all of the Pernice Brothers' albums are currently available in the $5 to $8 range! If you don't own all of their albums, which you should, this is a great chance to fill in the gaps for a more than fair price.

While on the site, I also found the above video (from 2006) of Joe Pernice doing his take on what it would be like if MTV2 made an indie-rock version of their old hit show Cribs. This is a pretty hilarious send-up of a show that basically did little else than give regular Americans a chance to see what unnecessary material possessions obscenely wealthy celebrities wasted their money on. Pernice's version, while obviously intended to be funny, also reminds us that most bands are comprised of regular guys and gals who are working hard to pay the bills just like all of the rest of us.

Just in case you aren't familiar with this band I've also tacked on the video for their track "Baby In Two" below. There are dozens more great tracks where this one came from. So, if you like this, make sure to head to their store and buy something.

Sigur Ros - "Takk.../Glosoli"

2009-01-22T01:41:00.004-05:00

Hands down, the best concert I have ever seen before (and I'd estimate I've seen, at a minimum, 500) was when Iceland's Sigur Ros performed here in Columbus a couple of years ago. I've never seen a band command the attention of everybody in a crowd before with the ease that they accomplished it with. Though there was nothing easy about these intricate songs or the expertly executed, never-a-dull-moment stage show. Sigur Ros presented us with a multi-sensory performance art experience, rather than a standard, run-of-the-mill concert. From fans who've been backing these guys since their earliest releases, such as myself, to those in the crowd that had never even heard Sigur Ros before that night, like my brother's friend who joined us at the show, the whole house was floored.

Their set, much like their albums, bounced back and forth between soaring, uptempo, ethereal postrock epics and more subdued, almost orchestral, movie-score type tunes. The sound was perfection, seemingly washing over and surrounding all in the audience. Visually, it was also stunning. For much of the show the band was separated from the audience by a semi-transparent screen. The screen was used in two different ways. At times films were projected onto it that perfectly accompanied the music in both tone and timing. At other stages the light man became an extra member of the band as he also used perfect timing and coordinated lights to project massive shadows of the players onto the screen. This effect was incredible, giving the feel of a larger than life band towering over the crowd, which also complimented this larger than life music nicely. Walking out the door after the show, I was absolutely dumbfounded, spent, and nearly speechless. Yet, at the same time, I wanted to call every person that I knew and tell them what they'd just missed.

The highlight of the show, one that consisted of almost nothing but highlights, was "Takk.../Glosoli". Above, I have posted a video of them doing this song couplet live in Reykjavik during that same tour. It embodies everything that is great about this band and their show. While I wish that the sound was louder on this video, the visual is better (read: not bootleg) than any others that I could track down. I dare you to skip the next Sigur Ros show that lands in your town.

Bob Dylan - "Masters of War"

2009-01-21T17:21:00.003-05:00

I don't know if you guys have heard or not ;) but, as of yesterday, we have a new administration in charge here in the States! Whether they are any better than the last remains to be seen. I for one, despite my general mistrust of politicians, feel pretty optimistic about what Barack Obama and his people are going to try to do for this country and this world. So, Mr. Obama, do those of us that supported you proud.

This video set to the song "Masters of War" by my all-time favorite artist, Bob Dylan, is pretty self-explanatory. It is my dedication to George W. Bush and the outgoing administration. Best wishes in what is hopefully your disappearance into complete irrelevance and obscurity.

Club 8 - "Jesus, Walk With Me"

2009-01-20T00:32:00.004-05:00

This very quiet acoustic-based song is a bit of an aural departure for a group that usually produces a more dreamy, slightly electro-tinged, indie-pop sound. It is also a departure lyrically, in that one wouldn't characterize them as a christian group. I'm not a religious person. Songs with a religious slant are typically a bit of a turn-off for me. Not for that reason alone, but because they are so often dragged down by the overuse of proselytizing, preachy, moral platitudes.

This, however, does nothing to dampen my love for this gorgeous song "Jesus, Walk With Me" by Club 8, a Swedish group comprised of members of Poprace and the better known Acid House Kings. As I sat and listened to this one over and over I was mainly trying to figure out what it was in this quiet little tune that grabbed me with such force. It was these four lines:

Fool me into believing/
I don’t care if your deceiving me/
Before I go I need to be/
Something more than the skin and bones you see.

What "Jesus, Walk With Me" is saying to me has nothing to do with religion. It has everything to do with the way that those words hit me and what they meant upon impact. The way I take them, they could be sung to a friend, a lover, a family member, or a complete stranger. They speak to every person's need to feel wanted, needed, appreciated, understood, cared for, loved, and so on.

Sometimes the greatest feeling in the world is just knowing that there is someone out there that cares. I'm not going to get into a long-winded philosophical discussion here. But, in short, we don't really exist until somebody takes the time to show us that we matter. It is our interactions with others and the way those interactions affect both parties that make us "more than the skin and bones you see." Even if the sentiment is false or fleeting, during the time that you feel it, it is that sentiment that lets you know that you are alive. Some people get that feeling from religion. I get it from other people. And this song reminds me that as long as you're getting it from somewhere, you're doing alright.

The Chills - "Pink Frost"

2009-01-14T12:25:00.006-05:00

With a good amount of standing snow on the ground here for the first time this year it seems wholly appropriate to listen to, and discuss, the best snow-related song that I can think of, "Pink Frost" by The Chills.

Have you ever done or said something on the spur of the moment, without giving any forethought to what you are about to do or what the consequences might be? Everybody has, and the story that "Pink Frost" tells is of the aftermath of one of these moments. However, in this case the stakes are somewhat raised, as the protagonist has just killed his girlfriend (I thought I was dreaming/ So I didn't hear her screaming). The pink frost of the title refers to the girl's blood mixing with the snow on the ground. Not exactly an "oops, my bad" moment.

We never learn how this all went down though. Instead, the song finds the protagonist, who is no Raskolnikov, coping with his immediate sorrow and remorse for the act he has just committed (I want to stop my crying/ But she's lying there dying/ How can I live when you see what I've done?). Sometimes an angle like this could be used to try and make you empathize with both the victim and the perpetrator. But, in this case, due to Martin Phillips' icy cold delivery you don't really sense that that is the point.

What you do feel though, probably as a result of the cold, distant, atmospheric qualities of the music, is this detached sensation like you're floating directly above the scene of the crime, like you are watching the aftermath unfold. In this way the music tells as much, if not more, of the story as the lyrics do. It is the music that gives the somewhat simple lyrics their weightiness. It is the music that connects the listener to the emotions of the protagonist. It is the music that leaves a lasting, and unforgettable, impression.

The Wrens - "Boys, You Won't" (Song of the Day)

2009-01-13T01:56:00.005-05:00

The Wrens are one of those bands that for a few years now I, sadly and unintentionally, had exiled to some dark, long forgotten Siberia of my mind. Somehow, at some point, they got lost in the shuffle, victims of my own forgetfulness. But when I read the news today that they were releasing a new album in 2009, I was immediately able to call to mind most of the songs from their incredible 2003 release, Meadowlands. There was a six month period that year when I barely went a day without listening to at least part of that LP, one of the best to be released all year.

And, as much as I'm sorry to have temporarily lost touch with this album and this band, it made it all the better to dig it up and listen to it (about 3 times) tonight. I was reminded of what great power music can have. How it can immediately transport one's mind to another time and place. How all of my memories are wrapped up in songs. All of the songs that I've listened to laced with memories. I closed my eyes and I was in a different apartment. I still smelled of the greasy fried food from the restaurant that I was waiting tables at. I was coping with the worst heartbreak that I've ever experienced. I was trying to convince myself to go back to school and finish my degree. I was, most likely, drunk.

And then the album reached its end. I opened my eyes, sat up on my couch, and was back in the present; a small business owner, with an English degree and a fragile but mended heart, who only eats greasy fried food occasionally and never has to serve it to thankless restaurant-goers with shallow pockets. The fact that the music took me back to a different, more confusing, more uncertain time allowed me to more fully appreciate the here and now. And while this line of thinking, that music might serve as a bridge to one's past and inform one's present, is not exactly breaking news, it still feels like a revelation every time that one experiences that sensation. This is the stuff that makes music, and all art, so worthwhile.

Above, is the video for "Boys, You Won't", one of the best tracks from the album I was just discussing. To read more about The Wrens and their forthcoming album, the first since Meadowlands, click here.

The Zombies - "This Will Be Our Year" (Song of the Day)

2009-01-11T16:25:00.003-05:00

I'm a huge fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets, our hometown NHL squad. They are one of the newer teams in the league, only having existed since 2000. They are also the only team in the entire league that has never made the playoffs. Being a Jackets fan is tough. On the one hand, it is always fun to root for the underdog, a distinction we almost always have. On the other hand, it is frustrating to back a team year after year and never see any results or signs of improvement.

However, at the midpoint of this season we look to have our best shot ever. Just one point out of playoff contention, with loads of momentum recently on our side, and with four of the best rookies in the league, the Jackets have the look of a team that is finally poised to take the next step.

I attended last night's 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild (that featured a hat trick from 18-year old Nikita Filatov in only his 6th NHL game). We were playing with seven regulars out of the line-up due to injury and a ragtag assemblage of youngsters and minor-league players filling in. But the heart and guts of the team, both last night and during the 6 game road trip that preceded it, was enough to finally make me a believer.

The song that I was thinking of as the final seconds ticked off of the clock was "This Will Be Our Year" by 60's pop/rock geniuses The Zombies. With lyrics that include lines like "Now we're there and we've only just begun/and this will be our year/took a long time to come" it isn't hard to see why this song popped into my head.

Above, I posted a really cool video of this song that I found on YouTube. This unofficial fan video is an assemblage of clips that were taken on Super 8 by the creator's parents. It has nothing to do with hockey, of course, but it does embody the uplifting and hopeful sentiments of this song and the content of this post. Enjoy!

Patsy Cline - "Walkin' After Midnight" (Song of the Day)

2009-01-09T03:09:00.003-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of country music, but some of the older stuff really does deserve the attention of any discerning music fan. I'm talking, to name just a few, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Jones, (and even earlier than those artists) Hank Williams Sr., and especially Patsy Cline, whose voice I adore, despite lacking something in the departments of versatility and expressiveness.

Cline really came into her own in the 60's where she skirted the line between rock, country, and rockabilly with much success, both artistically and on the charts. But, I'll take her sole 50's hit, "Walkin' After Midnight" over any of the later stuff. The music, the voice, and the overall vibe that she puts out invokes an era that, at only 29 years, I have no direct connection to, yet still feel nostalgic for when I hear her music.

This is the song that I was humming to myself tonight when I found myself walking (after midnight) and freezing despite the wine that I had earlier consumed. It makes me romantic for a time and a place and a reality that is totally foreign to me, yet makes perfect sense when I hear this tune.

Azeda Booth - "Ran" (Song of the Day)

2009-01-07T17:39:00.011-05:00

As each year comes to an end, we are bombarded with lists of all sorts. Since the main concern of this blog is music, I find myself skimming hundreds of music best-of lists. Not surprisingly, I mostly read about the same albums over and over again. What makes it all worth it though is when I come across a fantastic song or album that I've totally missed during the course of the year. So many great pieces of music are released during each 12 month cycle that its impossible to hear, or even know of, them all. And while the process of looking over all of these lists can sometimes feel very mundane and repetitive, as if everybody is just copying everybody else's list, I am reminded that there are other people out there that are always searching for something new, different, and entertaining with each new discovery that I make because of their legwork.

This year one of my favorite albums that I "found" on a best-of list, but had never heard of before, was In Flesh Tones by Azeda Booth. Their sound is wintry, yet warm. It is quiet and mellow and could easily serve as wonderful background music. But its depth and complexity will inevitably reveal itself to those that give it the attentive listens that it deserves.

Azeda Booth is a six man group (yes, man, though you would not be frowned upon by this writer for being fooled by the very female sounding vocals) that hails from Calgary and released their debut full-length in July on Absolutely Kosher. And, thanks to the folks over at Coke Machine Glow, I became aware of it in December via their year-end list. For that I am very thankful, as In Flesh Tones has accompanied me on more than a few cold winter walks, soundtracked my cooking, and occasionally laid me down to sleep at night over the past few weeks.

My favorite track is the album-opener "Ran":

Ran - Azeda Booth

R.I.P. Ron Asheton (July 17, 1948 – January 6, 2009)

2009-01-07T03:19:00.004-05:00

As reported by Reuters today:

Ron Asheton, a guitarist and founding member of the influential rock band The Stooges, was found dead at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Tuesday, police said.
Asheton, 60, was found on his couch and appeared to have been dead for several days, Ann Arbor Police Sgt. Brad Hill said.

The Stooges, while not only being one of the most important rock bands of all time, also happen to be one of my personal favorites. With their classic song "I Wanna Be Your Dog" being my favorite rock song, the epitome of what every good rock song should be. One of my fondest memories is of seeing them play in Long Beach, CA. in 2003, just a few shows after they had reunited for the first time in decades. Standing in their presence and hearing a set filled with songs that meant so much to me, but that I never thought I'd hear live, was one of life's incomparable experiences, one of the hugest rushes I've ever had (seeing, then newly reunited, Mission of Burma that same weekend wasn't far behind though!).

While Iggy Pop has always been the face of the band, Asheton's vicious guitar (and bass at some points) has been its backbone. The guitar lines that he played on The Stooges' late-60's and early-70's albums set the tone and the precedent for all underground and subversive rock music to follow. Without Asheton there would be no punk-rock, no post-punk, no indie-rock, and so on. That is no overestimation of his and The Stooges' contribution to the landscape of all rock music that would come after them.

Below is a video of the reunited Stooges performing a rousing rendition of "I Wanna Be Your Dog". I'll still take the recorded version over any others that I've heard, with its pounding drums, thumping bass, buzzsaw guitar, single note piano line, and manic sleighbells. But this is the best live version that I found on YouTube. This one goes out to you Mr. Asheton.

I Apologize For My Absence

2009-01-07T03:11:00.002-05:00

To any of you that might actually check this blog with any regularity, I apologize for my absence over the last couple of weeks. I first came down with about the worst cold that I've ever had. That left me pretty miserable and uninterested in doing anything but feeling gross and sorry for myself. The illness was directly followed by a holiday season that because of work, family, and other commitments left me with much less free time than I would hope for. And, as anybody who has ever gotten off of a regular schedule can attest to, once I got out of the habit of posting it was hard to get it back on track. Anyhow, my extended sojourn has reached its end and I plan on beginning to update this page on a regular basis again. Hopefully, you will be able to get back in the habit of checking me out when you have a free minute or two. Be well.

Love Is All - Steals the Show (and a bit of a song by The Clean)

2008-12-16T11:53:00.006-05:00

As I mentioned a couple of nights ago, last night brought Columbus the great triple-bill of Times New Viking, Love Is All, and Crystal Stilts. Early in the evening it looked as though the turnout was going to be very thin. But, by the time Crystal Stilts took the stage the room had started to fill up. And the crowd gradually got thicker as the night progressed. I think that it would be a safe assumption that nobody left the show disappointed (unless, of course, they got trapped in the curiously meaty mosh-pit that formed during Times' set) , as all three bands fulfilled the promise of their albums. However, one band, Love Is All, stole the show for me.

Both Crystal Stilts and Times New Viking turned in inspired performances, faithfully recreating winning tracks from their recorded outputs. But, Love Is All, with their energetic blend of pop, punk, and no-wave, were just so much more fun than either. It is always a great thing to see a band so clearly enjoying performing their songs on stage. They were so gleeful, animated, and playful that one found it nearly impossible to not get swept up in their energy and exuberance. They ran through a tight set of all of the best songs off of their two releases and made sure that every normally self-conscious, crossed-armed, stationary indie kid in the room was moving.

One of the standout numbers from their set was a song called "Wishing Well" (see the video above), off of A Hundred Things To Keep Me Up At Night. I've only had a chance to closely listen to that album twice since it came out. So, I'm not entirely familiar with most of the songs, which would be the only explanation for my not yet noticing how much "Wishing Well" had in common with "Tally Ho!" the classic first single from Kiwi-pop legends The Clean (this single was actually the impetus for the creation of the venerable Flying Nuns record label). It is hard to understand how no review that I've yet read of "Wishing Well" mentions the fact that the organ melody that drives both songs along is nearly identical (see the "Tally Ho!" video below). I don't fault Love Is All for this borrowing (though, I would say that they are lucky that neither Mick Jagger nor Keith Richards were in The Clean!). I just figured that I'd give credit where credit is due.

Ida Maria - "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked"

2008-12-15T01:37:00.004-05:00

Were I to live in a world where I got to go to all sorts of fun parties populated by people who shared my musical sensibilities, I have a feeling that Ida Maria's "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" would be getting played at quite a few of them. As things stand, this exuberant blast of pop bliss is getting played and replayed at my apartment for my party of one.

This song comes from her debut album Fortress Round My Heart, a solid collection of punk-infused pop songs that are quite enjoyable, though not quite as good as some less polished demos that are floating around. My other favorite from this release, "Queen of the World," is also worthy of your time and attention. And, in case you were wondering she's originally from Norway, but launched her career in . . . (you guessed it) Sweden.

Purchase: Fortress Round My Heart and other Ida Maria releases.

Monday: Times New Viking/Love Is All/Crystal Stilts at The Summit (Columbus,OH)

2008-12-15T00:03:00.003-05:00

This week, Monday's arrival brings with it not only Jack Rabid's new podcast, but also about the best damn triple-bill I can remember seeing in Columbus! Hometown heroes, Times New Viking, will top a bill that also includes Sweden's Love Is All and Brooklyn's Crystal Stilts (whose Alight of Night landed in the fourth spot on my Top 10 Albums of 2008 list). This should be a delightfully noisy affair that is not to be missed.

Download: "Call And Respond" by Times New Viking
Purchase: Stay Awake EP and other Times New Viking releases.

Download: "Make Out, Fall Out, Make Up" by Love Is All
Purchase: A Hundred Things To Keep Me Up At Night and other Love Is All releases.

Download: "Crystal Stilts" by Crystal Stilts
Purchase: Alight of Night and other Crystal Stilts releases.

Sidenote: This show is being brought to us by Ben Co Presents. I haven't had the good fortune to meet the guy behind this operation yet (Mr. Ben Co, if you happen to stumble across this post, drop me a line), but he is doing Columbus a great service right now by booking a slew of good shows (recent ones include Darker My Love, Marnie Stern, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, The Constantines, and Blitzen Trapper, to name a few). All music loving Columbusites should bookmark his website in order to stay on top of what he'll be serving up next. Since the death of Little Brothers the number of good shows in Columbus has definitely gone down, but it seems that Ben Co and The Summit are finally providing a remedy to this problem!

The Tallest Man On Earth - "I Won't Be Found"

2008-12-14T22:32:00.003-05:00

Kristian Matsson, who performs and records as The Tallest Man On Earth, might ape the pre-1966 Bob Dylan more than the pre-1966 Bob Dylan aped Woody Guthrie. While such a slavish reproduction of another's sound can sometimes get in the way of one's enjoyment of an artist, it is easy to look past when the resulting song is this good.

"I Won't Be Found" is the lead track on The Tallest Man On Earth's debut full-length Shallow Grave which saw US release on Gravitation in March of 2008. And it is a stunner. Nearly three minutes of delicate fingerpicking, hushed nasal inflected singing (where the Dylan influence is most readily apparent), and touching lyrics that address the age-old question, "Would anybody even notice if I died today?"

Sidenote 1: In a folk tradition that spans centuries, Matsson liberally borrows lyrics from the traditional folk song "I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground" by Bascom Lamar Lunsford. That song was recorded in Ashland, KY (my birthplace) in 1928. This shows that The Tallest Man On Earth has been doing his homework. And, while this cribbing would be frowned upon in some types of music, in folk music it is typically viewed more as tribute than theft.

Sidenote 2: This artist is yet another Swede. While this isn't a Swedish music blog, it sure does feel like it sometimes. As every other post seems to relate to an artist hailing from that nation. This just speaks to the great pool of talent there, an exciting development in indie music right now.

Download - "I Won't Be Found"
Download - "I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground"

Lazy Sunday: Mini-Playlist #5

2008-12-14T16:06:00.003-05:00

The Kinks - "Death of a Clown"

The Kinks - "Dead End Street"

The Kinks - "Sunny Afternoon"

The Kinks - "Waterloo Sunset"

The Kinks - "Tired of Waiting"

Long before anyone had ever heard of Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, I was compiling an infinite playlist of my own. "Lazy Sunday" is a constantly updated list on my iPod. There are certain songs that just scream Sunday-listening; the kinds of songs that you want to play on a chilly Sunday afternoon, while you're nursing a hangover, drinking a pot of coffee, reading the newspaper, or cleaning your apartment. There's nothing easily definable that ties all of these songs together, just a certain ease or melancholy that lends itself to the overall Sunday vibe. These are the types of songs that get added to the list. I thought that it might be fun to share some of them with you. So, check back every week for a new batch of songs from my "Lazy Sunday" playlist. This week celebrates just a few favorites from my all-time favorites, The Kinks.

Top 10 Reissues of 2008

2008-12-13T03:43:00.008-05:00

It seems that more often than not I am listening to music in digital form now. That's not always how I'd prefer it to be. That's just how it is. I have a 60g iPod that leaves me constantly at odds with myself about what to load it up with and what there just isn't space for. What I typically do is fill it up with all of the albums newly added to my collection, a smattering of all-time favorites (the kind of LPs that I must listen to all the way through, where no song is better or worse than the one before or after), and then a bunch of hits collections or self-made compilations of tracks from all of my favorite bands. This way I can explore the new stuff, get lost in my favorites, and indulge in the best from the rest with a few movements of the thumb.

The beauty of reissues in this era is that they provide the impetus for reacquainting oneself with albums that otherwise might not get the amount of loving spins that they still deserve. This isn't to say that I haven't listened to nearly all of the albums listed below in their entirety sometime in the last few years, and prior to the reissues. It's just to say that the new release of these records puts them back at the top of the pile, so to speak.

One note, many of the bands listed below gave the reissue treatment to more than one worthy album this year. In the interest of diversity and not giving multiple slots to Mission of Burma, The Replacements, New Order, and Jesus & Mary Chain (to name a few), I have included just my favorite selection from each. Also, since I consider all of these records to be timeless classics, I chose not to rank them. So, without further ado:

Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
Mix one part Beach Boys pop song structure, one part Velvet Underground "Sister Ray" fuzz and feedback, and one part Phil Spector Wall-of-Sound production value and the result will be Psychocandy. These days this is a musical recipe that is not all that unfamiliar. But nobody, before or since, threw all of these elements into the pot, stirred them up, and came out with something that sounded this great or this original. Psychocandy is like capturing the sound of 60's pop being played on the side of the road as a fifteen car pile-up takes place just a few feet away, or, like the sight of a few early blooms peaking through an early-Spring snowfall.
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Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
I don't know how to write about jazz. I've never really done it before. I do know that this album is perfect. I don't mean technically perfect. I mean, it could be technically perfect, but I don't know that. I can't tell you about modal structures, chord changes, or any of that other stuff. What I can tell you is that this album is ideal listening for rainy days. It makes the perfect soundtrack for a walk on a sunny afternoon. It's great to fall asleep to. It's amazing if you put on headphones and crank up the volume. It cheers you up. It makes you cry. It's a smokey basement bar. It's a grand theater. It's about being in love. It's about not knowing what love is. This album is perfect because it can and will be anything to anybody at anytime.
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Mission of Burma - Signals, Calls, and Marches
"That's When I Reach For My Revolver," "Academy Fight Song," "Max Ernst," "This Is Not A Photograph." Most bands would kill to write four songs of this lofty caliber during the course of a career. Boston's Mission of Burma has them all right here on one release (comprised of their early singles and the Signals, Calls, and Marches EP). Call them art rock, or punk rock, or indie rock. Call them whatever you want but the bottom line is that these guys make flat out passionate, uncompromising, challenging, but unpretentious rock-and-roll. And a perfect place to start to recognize their genius is right here on this raw, heartfelt juggernaut of an album.
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Replacements - Let It Be
It's hard to believe that an album boasting song titles like "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out" and "Gary's Got A Boner" also happens to be an inarguable classic. But when it also includes "I Will Dare," "Androgynous," and "Unsatisfied" there can be no debate. This is the album where we see the 'Mats poised for adulthood, but still boys at heart. They're mature enough to have grown-up feelings and concerns, yet childish enough to laugh at anatomical jokes. As on prior releases, they play sloppy, carefree blue-collar punk, but for the first time they prove that they can also do introspective ballads and love songs as well. These Twin Cities natives would go on to make more polished records but never another that so fully bore their souls or represented the essence of who they were and where they came from.
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Chameleons - Script Of the Bridge
How many lazy rock critics did you hear drop a Joy Division reference in a review of Interpol's Turn On the Bright Lights? Just about every single one. No doubt, Paul Banks' vocals do bare similarities to those of Ian Curtis. But if you want to hear where Interpol's sound really comes from, look no further than Script Of the Bridge. This 25-year old majestically produced masterpiece is twelve songs worth of icy, precise guitar interplay, reverb, and tasteful synths. And there isn't a sub par moment to be found.
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Graham Nash - Songs For Beginners
If you only listen to the music, this LP is a relaxing, sun-drenched, afternoon walk in the park. If you listen to the lyrics it is an introspective journey through the thoughts of a man grappling with big issues, both internal and external. The internal, dealing with Nash's recent break-up with Joni Mitchell. The external, in regard to the social turmoil caused by an unpopular war that was splitting the States down the middle. The former is always relevant in pop music. The latter, especially on a track like "Military Madness," is especially poignant right now because it could have been written yesterday. Mostly absent here, mercifully if you ask me, are the lyrical and musical hippie cliches that, in my opinion, sometimes lessened the impact of Crosby, Stills, and Nash's catalog. I know that is probably going to be a contentious point of view. But, hopefully we can all agree that Songs For Beginners is a classic worthy of our praise.
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Pere Ubu - Dub Housing
Cleveland's Pere Ubu is, without a doubt, the most challenging band to grace this list. Dub Housing, the most challenging album. But, for every casual listener who gave up a few songs in, there are others who allowed themselves to fully absorb this album and to eventually come to terms with its oddball genius. This is music that sometimes feels as if it could only have come from a post-industrial city such as Cleveland. There are still shades of Ubu's Rocket From the Tombs garage-rock roots on this album, but they are buried in dissonance and placed side by side with bleak soundscapes that evoke an urban wasteland. On top of all of this are David Thomas' spastic, yelping, hiccuping, barely decipherable vocals. If that description doesn't make you the slightest bit curious I'd recommend just steering clear of this one. Otherwise, press play, dive in with an open mind and open ears, and wait for the brilliance of Dub Housing to reveal itself to you.
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Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison
If you want to know why Johnny Cash holds such appeal for punk rockers, why he was the country artist who was able to escape the country stigma, why his choice of dress is not the only reason he's known as The Man In Black, you need only give At Folsom Prison a listen. During the course of this record Cash morphs from an artist brought into Folsom to entertain, to just one of the guys. He speaks for the oppressed, the downtrodden, and the marginalized. And he does so convincingly. With wit. With bite. With empathy. With attitude. And without a hint of insincerity.
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R.E.M. - Murmur
Murmur, R.E.M.'s first full-length, is the sound of a band too on-the-move to worry about the details. You almost get the feeling that they wanted to get these songs recorded as fast as possible, lest they forget how to play them. The vocals are borderline unintelligible. The muddy production sometimes gives one the feel that they are listening to the album through busted speakers. But the urgency, the immediacy, and the poignancy of the tunes on display is obvious. This is often viewed as the album that launched "college rock." It's an amalgamation of postpunk, folk rock, and jangle pop that is neither inaccessible, nor status quo. Its varying influences foreshadow the great career that these Athens, Ga. boys had ahead of them and hints at the touchstones of the playlists of hundreds of campus radio stations in the 1980's. And if you really dig in, you will find some of their most well-crafted songs and some of the best lyrics that Micheal Stipe would ever pen.
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New Order - Movement
Rock critics tend to view this, the first New Order LP, as merely a transitional album between the more spare, industrial sounds of Joy Division and the later more danceable New Order albums. And it is. And that, the same reason that they underrate it in favor of later releases, is the reason it is my favorite. This album is dark, emotional, and ruminative. It finds a band coping with the loss of a friend and a partner, searching for a new sound, a new voice, a new direction, but not entirely turning their backs on the past. It is the resulting friction, of the point where past and future butt heads in the present, that make this album so powerful.

Peter Bjorn & John - Shut the F#$% Up

2008-12-12T17:26:00.003-05:00

You guys remember Peter Bjorn & John, right? They of the insanely catchy, totally unforgettable, almost ubiquitous, indie-gone-everywhere 2006 hit, "Young Folks." How could you forget. Well, after a year featuring the lackluster sort-of-side-project Seaside Rock and a very bland solo release from Peter Moren (the Peter in the band's name) I thought they might have begun their slow fade. That is, until this video surfaced on the internet a few hours ago. It is rumored that this is a preview of a song from their next album. However, no details, not even a song name, are available yet. Needless to say, this track sounds like it'll be another immediate winner on the hipster party circuit and should give us all a reason to look forward to the rest of the album. I don't think PB&J will be winning any awards for their lyrics. But who cares when they can be this much fun!

A.C. Newman's 'Get Guilty' Out Jan.20

2008-12-12T02:45:00.005-05:00

For those poor unfortunate souls who aren't familiar with A.C. Newman, he is the pop mastermind behind Zumpano, New Pornographers, and the brilliant 2006 solo record, The Slow Wonder. You can don a dunce cap in the corner until you've caught up on all of those. For the rest of you, I have news that should assure that your pop sweet tooth will soon find relief in the form of Newman's forthcoming second solo effort, Get Guilty. The album will be released by Matador Records on January 20.

Just a couple of days ago they also posted the first single, "Submarines of Stockholm," on their blog. While the track features Newman's trademark sugary sweet vocals, catchy-as-hell melodies, and memorable chorus, it also ventures in a new psychedelic direction that I've never really detected on past Newman-related projects. I'm anxious to see if the psych vibe is distributed across the entire album or just limited to this track. Either way, "Submarines" assures us that A.C. hasn't let up a bit and that we can continue to expect nothing less than top-notch material from him.

Download: "Submarines of Stockholm"

The Pogues Get My Vote

2008-12-12T02:04:00.002-05:00

A few days ago on Pop & Hiss, the LA Times music blog, there was a post asking who the greatest "bar band" of all time was/is? The Urban Dictionary defines a "bar band", in part, as:

A band that plays primarily in bars and always sounds better when the audience (and most of the time) the band is drunk.

With those parameters in mind my vote goes, without a second of hesitation, to The Pogues whose famously haphazard blend of punk rock and traditional Irish music practically screams for listener and band alike to just add booze.

And since Christmas is fast approaching, I figured that this whole "bar band" discussion would provide me with ample excuse to post a video of The Pogues shambling their way through their Christmas classic "Fairytale of New York." Enjoy!

New Jay Bennett Album - Free Download

2008-12-12T01:38:00.003-05:00

Jay Bennett, a member of Wilco from 1994-2001, is the latest addition to a growing list of artists offering up their new albums for free digital download. Bennett wrote, played, and produced Whatever Happened I Apologize and he does nothing at all to damage his strong reputation in all of these areas on this release. Download it at Rockproper and give it a listen. What do you have to lose? It's free.

Smiths Reunion in '09?!?!?

2008-12-11T12:26:00.004-05:00

Okay, even the speculation is kind of making me lose my shit here. Gigwise.com reported today that a Smiths reunion is a distinct possibility in 2009:

The Smiths are said to be on the verge of reforming after Morrissey and Johnny Marr settled their past differences.

The band, who split in 1987, would likely embark on a series of live shows in 2009.

A music industry source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "The very fact that they are talking again is the most hopeful thing in years."

I will absolutely allow for the strong possibility that this is just over-the-top speculation from the always over-the-top UK music press. However, I'm going to forget my usual pessimism and try to believe the unbelievable in this case. I haven't had a dream in a long time. So, Smiths, please please please let me get what I want this time!

Loney, Dear - New Album Due Out Jan. 27th

2008-12-10T22:43:00.003-05:00

I was excited to read today that Loney, Dear, one of Sweden's better acts, has a new album coming out on Polyvinyl on January 27th. The LP is called Dear John and will reportedly boast a greater synth presence than past offerings. Which essentially means only that it will include synths, as they haven't been very prevalent in the mix before. I hope that this inclusion will be tasteful, rather than just a belated attempt to cash in on the everything-80's-is-great-again craze. I guess we'll find out in January.

Loney is another case of one unassuming man's, Emil Svanangen, home recordings ending up in the right hands and getting him signed to a record label (like Passion Pit, who I've covered here in the past). The next logical step in this progression is that he formed a band and got to record a proper album. The result was Lonely, Noir, a wonderful album filled with warm, playful indie-pop songs that recalled acts such as Belle & Sebastian and less dour moments from the catalog of fellow Swede Jens Lekman.

The standout track was called "I Am John" (I don't know who John is or what their fixation with him might be), a slow builder that morphs from background to foreground as it progresses, from sweet and quaint to frantic, joyous, and immediate. See the above video.

You can also visit Brooklyn Vegan to hear the first single from the forthcoming album, "Airport Surroundings" and check out their American tour dates with Melpo Mene (who I've also covered here).

Minor Threat - Vinyl Remasters From Dischord

2008-12-10T04:27:00.005-05:00

D.C. label Dischord has just given the vinyl remaster treatment to two classic Minor Threat 12" EPs, Out of Step and First 2 7 Inches. If you don't have anything from this legendary hardcore band then you'd be best advised to head straight for Complete Discography which compiles their entire recorded output on one CD. However, if you're a collector, completist, or just want to hear these songs with a bit more polish, these releases might be right up your alley.

For those that are at all interested, Minor Threat is one of a handful of bands that I can honestly say changed my life (sounds cheesy, but it's true). I heard the song "In My Eyes" at a time when I was only listening to 20 minute Grateful Dead songs. It was shocking at the time, the polar opposite of all that I was used to. I was struck by the sense of emotion, urgency, and immediacy that that song possessed, but was notably absent from the majority of the music I was used to hearing. Shortly thereafter, I became addicted to my new copy of Complete Discography, started exploring other punk, then postpunk, and so on, and the rest is history. So, here I am saying thanks to Minor Threat for being one of the bands that pointed me in a new direction.

Above is a clip of Minor Threat doing "In My Eyes."
You can buy the new 12" EPs at Dischord's online store.

Lazy Sunday: Mini-Playlist #4

2008-12-08T01:11:00.003-05:00

Built To Spill - "Twin Falls"

Emmy The Great - "City Song"

Jens Lekman - "Black Cab"

Mama Cass Elliot - "Dream A Little Dream of Me"

Ron Sexsmith - "These Days"

Long before anyone had ever heard of Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, I was compiling an infinite playlist of my own. "Lazy Sunday" is a constantly updated list on my iPod. There are certain songs that just scream Sunday-listening; the kinds of songs that you want to play on a chilly Sunday afternoon, while you're nursing a hangover, drinking a pot of coffee, reading the newspaper, or cleaning your apartment. There's nothing easily definable that ties all of these songs together, just a certain ease or melancholy that lends itself to the overall Sunday vibe. These are the types of songs that get added to the list. I thought that it might be fun to share some of them with you. So, check back every week for a new batch of songs from my "Lazy Sunday" playlist.

4AD Digital Sampler: Free Download

2008-12-06T02:46:00.005-05:00

4AD has decided to be the Oprah of the net this year; "You get a free sampler, and you get a free sampler, and you get a free sampler, and you get a free sampler!" So, right now they are offering a 12-song sampler for free download at their website. When you look at the tracklisting, entirely composed of current members of the 4AD stable, you will understand why they can just give away music. Thanks to TV On the Radio, Deerhunter, Department of Eagles, Stereolab, Bon Iver, and the rest, 2008 has been a hugely successful year for the label, in terms of finances and the high quality of the releases that they sent to the marketplace. Download here:

Doves: New LP Due in April!

2008-12-06T01:32:00.003-05:00

Doves have been one of the most consistent bands around so far this decade. With three stellar LPs under their belt, 2000's Lost Souls, 2002's The Last Broadcast, and 2005's Some Cities, and a killer live show to boot, Doves (no "The") are batting 1.000. But it's been nearly four years now since a new recording, nearly two since a tour. If you, like me, have found yourself wondering what was up with the lads from Manchester, wonder no more! Billboard reported yesterday that we can expect a new release in April of '09. They are adding the final touches to this yet-to-be-titled album right now.

Over the course of their three albums Doves have experimented with various sounds to one degree or another while always maintaining that unmistakable something that allowed one to easily differentiate between them and peers (such as Coldplay and Elbow). Lost Souls found them peddling sprawling, anthemic, atmospheric britpop gems clearly informed by shoegaze and dreampop. The Last Broadcast highlighted a band in transition, brightening up their tone and adding some electronic, and orchestral, flourishes that were less prevalent on the earlier offering. Some Cities offered tighter, and brighter, songs than we'd yet experienced from Doves, the focus on many seeming to move from the atmospherics to the backbeat, the range of influences widening to the point of even including Motown.

So, what can we expect in April? Never a band to stick to just one formula, it seems that Doves will be adding more to the pot next Spring. The Billboard article reports that we can expect at least one "country-tinged" song and others influenced by Kraut luminaries like Kraftwerk and Can (!!!). Were I not as confident in this bunch, I would find this to be a worrisome mix for one record. I'm always a fan of very "even" records, the ones that have a mood or tone that tie everything together. Albums featuring too many different styles don't feel like as much thought, effort, or care were put into crafting them. But, given that they have yet to put out a dud, I'm remaining cautiously optimistic that this will all make more sense when we finally get to hear the album.

Above is one of the best cuts off of Some Cities, "Black and White Town."
If you need to brush up on Doves, or fill in a gap in your collection, check out their website.
Read the full Billboard article here.

UK Folk Revival: Mumford & Sons

2008-12-02T23:23:00.006-05:00

Of late, there seems to be something of a folk revival taking place in the UK. And when I say folk, I'm not referring to the "freak folk" that has so captivated the indie-loving masses and the blogosphere in The States for the last few years, but that I don't personally care for. Instead, the artists that comprise this scene (including Noah & the Whale, Johnny Flynn, Laura Marling, Emmy The Great, Mumford & Sons, and Jay Jay Pistolet, to name some of the key players) are taking their cues from a more earnest traditional kind of folk, peppered with occasional indie-pop accents. A welcome development if you ask me.

While the buzz has started to build for this scene in Britain, it has not really started to catch on here just yet, with the notable exception of the use the Noah & the Whale single, "5 Years Time," in a Saturn Commercial (probably their poppiest song, at that). It is my hope that this will soon change as I've become quite captivated by a number of the associated acts recently.

While not yet the most established, Mumford & Sons is the best the best of them. Led by Marcus Mumford, who has also lended his services to N&TW and Laura Marling (who was nominated for this year's Mercury Prize), these guys have released a pair of solid EPs this year (Lend Me Your Eyes and Love Your Ground). Their sound is highlighted by their confident, spot-on harmonies and the way that nearly all of their songs start rather softly and simply, and then slowly build to powerful climaxes. Their music can variously be linked to folk, bluegrass, and pop and ranges from simple bare-bones folk to grander, more ambitious sounds.

My favorite track they have done so far is "The Banjolin Song." And, lucky for you, I found a charming clip of them performing it on a balcony above a busy street for a Dublin, Ireland TV show (see the top of this post. Also, is it just me or does Mumford, on the left, bare a striking resemblance to the early-60's John Lennon in this video?). As I said, I 've been quite taken by many of these acts, so you can expect to hear more about the UK folk revival at TWLC in the coming weeks and months.

View Mumford & Sons' Myspace Page.
Purchase Mumford & Sons music here.

Low Releases Xmas 7", I Post a Video of a Listenable Low Song

2008-12-02T00:53:00.007-05:00

After seeing a creepy video of Low's new Christmas 7", "Santa's Coming Over," on Stereogum, I had to listen to Things We Lost In the Fire a few times to remind me of why I like this band so much. I have a feeling that this 7" is not going to win over too many fans. I could barely watch it all the way through and I love this band.

Low is a three-piece from Duluth, Minnesota. They are one of the most well-known and accomplished acts to be tagged with the "slowcore" label, known for its trodding, dark, and morose sound. The power of the songs comes not from volume or speed, but from the lack thereof. "Dinosaur Act," the video posted above, is one of the best tracks from Things We Lost In The Fire. Hopefully this video will erase your memories of "Santa's Coming Over."

Worth A Click: 12/2/08

2008-12-02T00:16:00.004-05:00

Brooklyn Vegan posted a funny video of Jeffrey Lewis singing a short song about the history of Rough Trade Records.
Rough Trade Shops posted their Top-50 of 2008 list.
GorillavsBear offers a Phaseone remix of Burial's "Archangel."
You Ain't No Picasso has a very strange video of MGMT doing "Kids" on a French TV show.
Rolling Stone posted a video of Rick Astley "Rick-rolling" the Thanksgiving Day Parade!

A Different Kind of Best-Of List

2008-12-01T23:29:00.003-05:00

While music blogs, websites, and magazines of all stripes are rushing to compose their year end Best-Of Lists, Vice Magazine has come up with a hilarious, and characteristically snarky, take on this practice. Rather than actually post a list of their favorite 2008 albums, Vice deconstructed the practice and came up with a list of criteria for composing such a list.

A few of the highlights:

Number 34: Reserved for Britpop 'survivors' who’ve made 'their best album in years'.
Number 32: Something from Iceland.
Number 24: You've never even heard of this one. You never will. Even as your read the blurb, you find your mind simultaneously erasing the entry.
Number 16: Cheesy pop band masquerading as 'wonky-pop'/'nu-pop'/'underground pop', which only barely disguises the fact that they're Roxette with alt. dress sense.
Number 13: Hyper-obscure album everyone was bamboozled into voting for cos Pitchfork gave it a 9.9, despite sounding like every other folk album ever.
Number 11: Dizzee/Bizzle (pop grime slot shared on a rotational basis)
Number 10: Album described as a 'groundbreaking fusion of dance and rock'.
Number 1: Coldplay (Q), Arctic Monkeys (NME), Sven Vath (Mixmag), Neil Young (Uncut), Neil Young (Mojo), Neil Young (Classic Rock), Neil Young (Home & Garden), people humming transcendentally over distorted tape loops of concrete being laid (The Wire).

If you are into this sort of thing and you follow these lists, you will find that it is great fun to sit and plug band names into the appropriate spots on the list. It's also funny to start looking at lists at various magazine where the above rules seem to hold most true.

You can check out the whole list at Vice's blog.

You can find a comprehensive list of online Best-Of lists (including my own) at Large Hearted Boy.

And while we are on the topic of funny stuff, here is a link to my favorite article that ever showed up on The Onion, which is about the same people that typically compose Best-Of lists.

Lazy Sunday: Mini-Playlist #3

2008-11-30T15:47:00.002-05:00

Ra Ra Riot - "Can You Tell"

The Rural Alberta Advantage - "Sleep All Day"

Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"

Nada Surf - "See These Bones"

For Against - "Why Are You So Angry"

Long before anyone had ever heard of Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, I was compiling an infinite playlist of my own. "Lazy Sunday" is a constantly updated list on my iPod. There are certain songs that just scream Sunday-listening; the kinds of songs that you want to play on a chilly Sunday afternoon, while you're nursing a hangover, drinking a pot of coffee, reading the newspaper, or cleaning your apartment. There's nothing easily definable that ties all of these songs together, just a certain ease or melancholy that lends itself to the overall Sunday vibe. These are the types of songs that get added to the list. I thought that it might be fun to share some of them with you. So, check back every week for a new batch of songs from my "Lazy Sunday" playlist. This week I chose five songs from albums that appeared on my Top 10 Best Albums of 2008 list. Enjoy!

Top 10 Albums of 2008

2008-11-26T01:39:00.011-05:00

As much new music as I listen to, narrowing all of each year's albums down to a list of just my ten favorites is no easy task. There were bands that I thought would make this list, due to my enjoyment of past releases, that didn't make the cut (Death Cab For Cutie, Ladytron, Sigur Ros). There were albums that I have just recently started to listen to that might have been here, were I to post this a month from now (Wilderness, Wye Oak, Magnetic Morning, Speedmarket Avenue). And there were a whole slew of albums that have been recommended, either by people or reviews, that I haven't even heard yet. What you see here is a list of the ten albums that I listened to the most this year. They aren't necessarily the best releases of the year, just the best releases of the year to me. As you can see, I chose a 10a and 10b. The reason is given below. While I'm sure that many will disagree with my choices, I feel comfortable recommending each of these albums.

1. Anthem In - s/t
I'm not sure if this record actually came out. Maybe somebody is playing a trick on me and some guys in town recorded a bunch of songs, slapped a band name on a disc, and mailed it to my apartment. Honestly, this would be the only excuse for why I haven't seen this, my favorite album of the year, on even one other list. This Brooklyn band recalls some of the more upbeat moments in Death Cab for Cutie's catalog as well as Pinback and Modern Memory. Even the first time that you listen to Anthem In's self-titled first release you feel like you've heard every song before. But don't get me wrong, it isn't because these songs are copycat or unoriginal. It's because the hooks and choruses are so immediately memorable that you're already singing along to every song by the final verse. In a perfect world, all thirteen of these songs would be chart-topping singles.

To listen, click here.
Purchase the album here.
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2. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns
My prediction is that this album will be next year's For Emma, Forever Ago (Bon Iver), aka, a self-released album that flew under most people's radars, that will get picked up by a label, be more widely released, and end up on a ton of 2009 best-of lists. This Toronto group plays well-crafted, mid-tempo, indie-pop, and their out-of-this-world drummer would take any band to the next level. Buy immediately and prepare to brag about your foresight to all of your friends next year.

To listen and purchase this album, click here.
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3. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
This is one of the best indie-pop releases of the year. Ra Ra Riot, whose name I have a hard time saying without cringing, should please fans of bands such as Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, and Ladybug Transistor. They don't really sound like dead ringers for any of those bands, but the bittersweet, autumnal tone and liberal use of strings immediately evokes the same feelings one gets when listening to the aforementioned. Brew a kettle of tea, light a few candles, cuddle up under an afghan, press play, and let The Rhumb Line envelope you in its warmth.

To listen, click here.
Purchase the album here.
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4. Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night
While there were a plethora of bands, the Vivian Girls amongst them, who put out similar sounding releases this year, Crystal Stilts was the only one with songs good enough that, months after first hearing them, I'm still listening to them nearly every day. They play ramshackle, muddy, garage pop with a bit of a surf-guitar vibe (especially on the eponymous album standout "Crystal Stilts"). The most obvious influences are bands such as Black Tambourine, The Shop Assistants, and The Pastels. But the quality of the tracks on display here make the Stilts immediate equals rather than just two-decades-late wannabes.

Listen here.
Buy the album here.
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5. Nada Surf - Lucky
Nada Surf just gets better and better with every album. This band is a far cry from the one that brought you the, admittedly catchy but still novel, "Popular" in the 90s. For a few albums now, they have been turning out some of the most outstanding pop songs that I've heard so far this decade. Their knack for catchy stay-in-your-head-for-days hooks and melodies has been recently matched only by the likes of The Shins and New Pornographers. Lucky is solid throughout, but the real gems are "See These Bones," "Whose Authority," and "I Like What You Say."

Listen here.
Purchase here.
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6. For Against - Shade Side Sunny Side
Nebraska's For Against has to be the most criminally underrated band in existence. On this, their first release in six years, they continue to peddle in the atmospherics of Comsat Angels, the raw intensity of Joy Division, and the melancholic tones of a host of other early-80s Brit postpunk bands. These guys are no pretenders though. They've been around nearly since that time. And, despite all of those familiar touchstones, their sound is all their own and possibly darker here than ever before (which, in this case, is a good thing). I recommend Shady Side Sunny Side along with all of their other releases, most of which have been put back into circulation within the last five or six years.

Listen here.
Purchase here.
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7. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One
I've been a Badu fan since day one. She's had such a smooth, soulful voice, sometimes recalling Billie Holiday, that it's been hard not to fall under her spell. However, she conjures something totally new on this record. Drawing on the influences of J Dilla, quality funk, and all of the best underground hip-hop, Badu has created a hip-hop influenced, neo-soul masterpiece, the best album of this type since D'Angelo's Voodoo. Track breaks are hardly necessary as this beat-filled album transitions so smoothly that you forget where one song ended and the next began. Rumor has it that she already has three albums worth of follow-up material in the can. If they are all done at this level, she can expect me to have a spot reserved for her on this list for years to come.

Listen here.
Purchase here.
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8. TV On the Radio - Dear Science,
TV On the Radio is one of those rare bands that has a wide appeal while never just playing it safe and, all the while, sounding only like themselves. There are not other bands making music like them right now and there weren't before either. This is a solid collection of songs from the band that I expected to be at the top of my list before I'd even heard a single note of this album. Why aren't they there? This album feels choppier than past TVOTR releases, which have always felt very cohesive and created one mood that lasted from beginning to end. That said, all tracks are still of the highest quality and leave me already eagerly anticipating their next release.

Listen here.
Purchase here.
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9. The Coast - Expatriate
The ten songs that make up Expatriate manage to work quite well together despite the fact that they run the gamut from standard pop, to slightly twangy countrified rock, to shoegaze influenced, guitar driven anthems. The Coast have a propensity to aim for a certain epic grandeur in their song-writing that most reminds me of Ambulance Ltd. but also at times, The Editors. On the surface, there is nothing groundbreaking or remarkably unique about these songs. However, and despite that, I was compelled to play this album over and over again for months. Plain and simple, these songs just work for me.

Listen here.
Purchase here.
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10a. Jay Reatard - Matador Singles '08
Since venturing out on his own a few years ago, Jay Reatard has yet to put out a piece of music that is not absolutely essential. This release, a collection of Reatard's Matador singles from this year (as the observant reader might have already inferred from the title), is no exception. This guy has more energy than anybody making music right now and he packs every bit of it into each pop-inflected punk gem. However, he also proves on this release that he is capable of turning out the same high level of song in a more subdued acoustic format. The only reason that this album isn't higher on the list is because I'm not sure that I really consider a singles collection a proper album.

Listen here.
Purchase here.
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10b. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
This album is only last on the list because it technically came out last year. Were that not the case, this folky beauty would be at number one. I probably went to sleep listening to this record about 100 nights this year. This is no insult though. The songs on this album are so comforting, melodic, and relaxing that they are like grown-up lullabies. Close your eyes and you are in the remote cabin in Wisconsin where these songs were written and recorded.

Listen here.
Purchase here.

New Jack Rabid/Big Takeover Podcast

2008-11-24T16:37:00.003-05:00

There are very few things to like about Mondays. For most of us, Monday means back to work, to responsibility, to sobriety. However, there is always one good reason to look forward to the beginning of the week, a new podcast from founder/editor of The Big Takeover, Jack Rabid, over at Breakthruradio.

Rabid has been a fixture in the world of underground music now for nearly three decades, through his bands; Even Worse, Last Burning Embers, and Springhouse, and through his tireless advocacy of "Music With Heart" via his twice-yearly magazine, The Big Takeover, and various other publications and media outlets. He has now had a weekly podcast since last Spring. It is well worth a listen if you haven't checked it out yet.

The podcast comes off exactly as a reader of his magazine might expect. There are no pretenses. The tracks that are featured are chosen for their merit, not their accolades or buzzworthiness. Rabid peppers his 60-70 minutes with his own insights about the songs and artists featured, and relevant backstory where appropriate. While he comes off as supremely confident and comfortable in this format (likely due to past radio experience), there is nothing of the over-rehearsed formality that often mars chattier podcasts (think NPR pretentiousness, or, of many of the podcasts that used to be offered through Stylusmagazine).

The show includes music of all varieties, including punk, postpunk, indie rock, indie pop, shoegaze, etc. Each week, one is just as likely to hear from a band that is burning up blogland (Fleet Foxes, Walkmen) as an obscuro punk B-side (Weirdos, Screamers) ,or, a cut from a recent band that you haven't read about/heard about anywhere else.

If I could make one criticism, I would say that he sometimes leans too heavily on the same artists/albums week after week. However, it could be argued that the repeated appearances of the same bands might serve to underscore the fact that nothing that Mr. Rabid does appears to be motivated by any aim but to share the music that he loves with as many people as possible. And, if the end result is new fans for underheard bands like The Coast, Anthem In, and Darker My Love, then this is a very minor gripe.

Above is a 1982 video from CBGB of Bad Brains doing the song that gave The Big Takeover it's name.

This week's playlist:

00:00 DJ Jack Rabid
00:18 Spring Unseen - Magnetic Morning
02:18 It Won't Stop - The Great Shakes
04:44 21st Century Ghost - The Unremarkables
08:48 The Brain - Frances
12:27 DJ Jack Rabid
14:33 Disclaimer - The Dears
21:14 Black Ghost/Black Girl - Starling Electric
23:35 I'm So Happy - The Interiors
26:04 They're Not Witches - Guided By Voices
26:52 DJ Jack Rabid
28:33 Human Bomb - D.O.A.
32:02 Oh Canaduh! - Subhumans Canada
34:18 Have a Nice Day - Kinetic Stereokids
38:26 Snowed In/Cruisin' - Joel Plaskett Emergency
44:50 DJ Jack Rabid
48:08 What Happened to Manfred, What Happened to Jane? - Edward Rogers

Listen to the Big Takeover Podcast here.
Subscribe to The Big Takeover magazine here.
Purchase CDs from all of Mr. Rabid's bands through his Pink Frost Records.
Learn more about Mr. Rabid and his magazine here.

Worth A Click: 11/23/08

2008-11-23T23:07:00.003-05:00

Here are some music-related stories from around the web that are worth a click:

Neil Young tells the auto companies how to save themselves at Pop Musings.
The Daily Mail Online reports that Michael Jackson has officially become a Muslim.
At the Chicago Sun-Times, Jim Derogatis skewers Chinese Democracy.
BBC News reports that the Vatican has (finally) forgiven John Lennon.
NPR highlights 5 songs to quit your job to, including one from the Pernice Brothers.
The Chicago Tribune talks about the inspiration behind M83's newest album.

Lazy Sunday: Mini-Playlist #2

2008-11-23T15:23:00.002-05:00

Pernice Brothers - Weakest Shade of Blue

Neko Case - I Wish I Was the Moon

Belle & Sebastian - The State I Am In

Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas

Judee Sill - Jesus Was A Crossmaker

Long before anyone had ever heard of Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, I was compiling an infinite playlist of my own. "Lazy Sunday" is a constantly updated list on my iPod. There are certain songs that just scream Sunday-listening; the kinds of songs that you want to play on a chilly Sunday afternoon, while you're nursing a hangover, drinking a pot of coffee, reading the newspaper, or cleaning your apartment. There's nothing easily definable that ties all of these songs together, just a certain ease or melancholy that lends itself to the overall Sunday vibe. These are the types of songs that get added to the list. I thought that it might be fun to share some of them with you. So, check back every week for a new batch of songs from my "Lazy Sunday" playlist.

New Boxed Sets From Neil Young, The Kinks!

2008-11-23T12:45:00.003-05:00

Yesterday brought some very good news, along with the specter of financial hardships around the bend. Two of the all-time best musical acts will soon be releasing new boxed sets. Both the Kinks and Neil Young have collections on the way.

Pitchfork reported that The Kinks, my favorite band, will release Picture Book on December 8. Of the box, they say:

. . . collects over 130 tracks across six chronologically ordered CDs, sprinkling rarities, live tracks, and demos (including early ones recorded under the name the Ravens) among the Kinks' classic singles and album tracks. The accompanying 60-page booklet features a biography, a Kinks timeline, and previously unseen photos.

I'll have to wait until they release a tracklist on this one before I decide if it's a go or not. On the one hand, the Ravens' material along with the rarities and the booklet will make this difficult to pass on. On the other hand, I own all of the Kinks' 60's albums in their original form and some in their expanded reissue format, their BBC Sessions, and various anthologies and hits collections. I'm just wondering how much of the included material is going to overlap with what I already have. Probably most of it, and I don't see myself shelling out boxed set dollars for 10-12 songs that I don't own. But, I've also been known to be impulsive and irrational. So, we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Aquarium Drunkard reported yesterday that Neil Young's first volume of his long rumored archives collection will be releasing shortly after the new year. Here is an excerpt that they featured from The Rolling Stone:

After more than 20 years, the first volume of Young’s career-spanning box set is finally coming out. The 10-disc set (available in Blu-ray for $432 or DVD for $345, and eventually in CD and download formats) is built around an interactive timeline that allows users to access hundreds of hours of audio and video, ranging from Young’s high school band through 1972’s Harvest. “There’s photos, there’s original lyrics, there’s all the materials that make up a career,” says Larry Johnson, the set’s producer. So when is Vol. 2 due? “Now that we’ve done the format,” says Young, “it’ll be quicker.”

So, this one sounds like a really amazing set. It also sounds like they are making it interesting and unique enough to justify purchase even if you already own a lot of the included material. However, the price is kind of crazy. I know it's Neil Young and there are all kinds of goodies included. But, damn. Three or four bills would be hard for me to justify to myself for a new camera (which I actually need), much less a music collection that I probably already own the majority of.

Oh well, somebody will get both of these. And they'll probably be very happy. And I'll definitely be very jealous.

Free Dr. Pepper, Compliments of Guns N' Roses (sort of)

2008-11-22T17:08:00.002-05:00

After a 20+ year wait, Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy finally drops tomorrow. Like myself and so many others, the people over at Dr. Pepper didn't believe that this day would ever come. In March the company made the statement that, if this album actually released in 2008, they would give a free soda to every person in the United States. Well, they are holding up their end of the bargain. An AP statement from November 20 reads:

LOS ANGELES (AP) - November 20, 2008 -- Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality.
The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "Chinese Democracy," infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.
"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."
Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.

So, head on over and get yourself a free Dr. Pepper. You'll need all of that caffeine to keep you up while you listen to this album. Oh, if only I were still nine years old and riding my Appetite For Destruction high . . .

Above, a photo of the Guns N' Roses line-up that I fell in love with as a little kid.

Pre-Order Idlewild's Forthcoming Album

2008-11-22T16:26:00.006-05:00

I found a notice in my inbox today that Scottish band, Idlewild, has a special pre-order package for their as yet untitled 2009 album. It read in part:

We will be in the studio for the first few months of 2009 and plan a conventional album release in the summer, but for a limited time, we would like to offer our fans a chance to be involved from the beginning by pre-ordering directly from us a special edition album along with plenty of extras. This offer is available worldwide so that finally our fans overseas will have the chance to hear our music at the same time as everyone in the UK and before any general release.

Extras include some fun, but sort of useless, perks such as getting your name printed in the album booklet. And, of more interest; you will receive the album shortly after it is completed and long before it is actually released, there will be at least one bonus track that will not be on the officially released version, you will have access to 15 free downloads of selected live recordings from the band, and you will be entered in a drawing with lots of nice prizes for the taking.

I haven't been a huge fan of Idlewild's last few releases. They were just okay. But, their 2000 album, 100 Broken Windows, is still one of my favorite and most frequently listened to albums of the new millennium. If you haven't heard it, do yourself a favor and get a copy ASAP. The video above is of a song called "Actually, It's Darkness," one of the best tracks off of that album.

For more pre-order info, click here.
To purchase other Idlewild albums at insound.com, click here.
To listen to 100 Broken Windows at last.fm, click here.

808s & Heartbreak/Auto-Tune, Please Go Away!

2008-11-21T18:23:00.007-05:00

Stereogum had a link to Kanye West's blog today where you can stream his new album 808s & Heartbreak. So, I figured that I'd head on over and give it a shot. This, despite the fact that I'd been underwhelmed by the early leaks off of the album.

I'm disappointed to report that the whole exercise was a waste of my time. From what I heard (before I gave up), this album is a total dud. The most obvious flaw is the excessive use of Auto-Tune. Auto-Tune is a pitch-correcting vocal processor that leaves vocals sounding lifeless, filtered, somewhat robotic, and totally devoid of a human touch. Nearly every song features this device. Top 4o listeners, by nature of the fact that the songs that make it to that list nearly always fit the above stipulations, will be rather familiar with the Auto-Tune sound, which was most familiarly used on Cher's abysmal 2002 hit, "Do You Believe In Love."

Am I really surprised? Not terribly. But, I've always thought that West brought something unique to hip-hop music, even when I didn't love what he was doing. I respected his production, innovation, and willingness to step outside of the boundaries that constrict so much mainstream hip-hop music. I can't get his back this time though. If this is what happens after Graduation, Yeezy needs to go back to school.

Neko Case probably can't either. When I started listening to the album I was immediately reminded of a 2006 interview that she did with Pitchfork. During the interview she had much to say about the Auto-Tune. One of the relevant quotes:

-When I hear auto tune on somebody's voice, I don't take them seriously. Or you hear somebody like Alicia Keys, who I know is pretty good, and you'll hear a little bit of auto tune and you're like, "You're too fucking good for that. Why would you let them do that to you? Don't you know what that means?" It's not an effect like people try to say, it's for people like Shania Twain who can't sing. Yet there they are, all over the radio, jizzing saccharine all over you. It's a horrible sound and it's like, "Shania, spend an extra hour in the studio and you'll hit the note and it'll sound fine. Just work on it, it's not like making a burger!"

And, later in the same interview, when asked her opinion of Top-40 music:

- And I'm not going to say I don't love the new Kanye West record (Graduation). I do. There are things about the production I'm not crazy about though. People mix records to be heard in cars and to have the bass incredibly loud so the vocals have to fight with everything so there's no dynamic left, and that's kind of a bummer. That may not be my taste but I'm not going to go, "Kanye's not very good," because he's pretty badass.

I wonder how Neko feels now. In case you live under a rock or something, Neko Case has one of the most amazing voices in music right now.

You can buy her solo albums here.
You can buy her albums with the New Pornographers here.
You can read the whole Pitchfork interview here.
You can read Stereogum's post here.

Out Of Time?

2008-11-21T02:51:00.006-05:00

I would not consider myself a fan of Spin Magazine. Though I can see its worth to someone who spends less of their time obsessing over, listening to, and seeking out new music. For someone like me, a magazine like Spin plays it way too safe. They review all of the albums that one would expect them to review; mostly mainstream or only slightly below the mainstream's radar. And, even this, they do entirely too late. In an age where information is so readily and easily available on the internet, it is hard to keep a music magazine relevant (I can think of only one that I deem absolutely essential, The Big Takeover). However, Spin ran an editorial by Chuck Klosterman that I read years ago that featured one passage that has stuck with me ever since. The article is called "Out of Time" and appeared in a 2004 issue of the magazine. Today, I decided to seek it out.

The passage:

But what I have come to realize is that those four or five years (from 20 to 25, roughly) represent the only time when things can seem new. When you're a teenager, you can't appreciate innovation intellectually -- everything seems normal, and you take everything for granted. And when you reach 30, you can't enjoy innovation viscerally, because it's impossible not to see how everything is ultimately derivative of something else. And yet there is a very specific window of time when newness can feel truly authentic, and it's a really amazing moment in your life.

I was twenty-five when I first read those words. Though I didn't commit them to memory, I have remembered the essence of what Klosterman wrote ever since. And, in the nearly five years that have passed, I have frequently ruminated over this notion; the idea that as the brain accumulates a greater degree of knowledge, its capacity to view things as unique and new is gradually eviscerated. I do believe that there is some truth to this.

Take music for example, since that is what I write about here. I can't remember the last time that I heard a song that didn't cause me to immediately recall parallels, draw comparisons, cite influences. Nobody could ever listen to all of the music that is out there. But, at this stage in my life, I have listened closely and widely enough that nothing does sound totally new. And, while I do get nostalgic for that time when there were genres and sounds that I could listen to that sounded like nothing that I ever could have imagined before, I would be remiss if I didn't say that I am still stopped dead in my tracks by new music every single day.

The experience is not the same. That doesn't mean that it can't be just as pleasing though. In my opinion, discovering a new genre or a new sound was just a tip-of-the-iceberg experience. It was life changing, yes. But, it was only the beginning of the journey. The fun came, and still comes, in digging deeper into whatever has captured the imagination at a given time. In other words, something doesn't have to sound like a transmission from another planet in order to affect one deeply. One doesn't have to feel like a caveman discovering fire in order to be moved by a work of art. What the experience lacks, viscerally, can be made up for in the exploration of nuance. And while that might lead to a different sort of pleasure, it is a pleasure nonetheless. What do you think?

Read Chuck Klosterman's full editorial here.

Magazine Reforming/Howard Devoto Backstory

2008-11-20T03:19:00.004-05:00

If you are a fan of the band Magazine, then you can probably relate to my mix of excitement and disappointment upon hearing that they are getting back together for the first time since their 1980 breakup. Excitement, at the thought of one of the most important and influential bands of all time reforming. Disappointment, at the realization that, like so much seemingly good news, there is a down side. There will be only two reunion shows. Both shows will take place in the UK. Magazine will be playing The Forum in London on February 13th, and the next night, February 14th, at The Academy in Manchester. If anyone out there has a secret crush on me, you are encouraged and implored to send me a plane ticket and a concert ticket for either night in lieu of a Valentine, flowers, or chocolates.

The story of Magazine founder, Howard Devoto, or at least the part of the story that matters in this context, begins with a show that has often been referred to as "The Gig That Changed The World." The gig in question; the June 1976 Sex Pistols show at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall. The most generous estimates have the turnout at 35-40 people. However, amongst the attendees were an all-star line-up of future punk, post-punk, and new wave giants, including Devoto and soon-to-be Buzzcocks bandmate Pete Shelley, future Smiths vocalist/lyricist, Morrissey, the men who would become Joy Division (and later New Order), and Mark E Smith, who would soon start The Fall. All of them have cited this show as one of their greatest motivations to form bands.

Devoto and Shelley started The Buzzcocks almost immediately after the show. They were, without a doubt, a punk band. But, they brought a certain melodicism and songcraft to their pieces that still had it's feet firmly planted in pop. As such, they are often cited as the first pop-punk band ever. Though one would be hard pressed to draw much of a comparison to most of the garbage that gets tagged with that label anymore. Devoto only stuck with The Buzzcocks for one (very good) EP, Spiral Scratch, and, in 1977 he left the band.

He sought to expand on the rather limited punk format by adding new instruments, such as saxophone and keyboards, without abandoning the punch and immediacy of the genre. The result was his teaming up with John McGeoch (guitar/sax), Barry Adamson (bass), Dave Formula (keyboards), and Martin Jackson (drums), to form Magazine. Their output includes a handful of singles and EPs, three essential LPs (Real Life, Second Hand Daylight, and The Correct Use of Soap), a live album that suffers from shoddy production value, and a very unessential LP (Magic, Murder and the Weather) that prefaced their demise.

The tracks contained on these recordings document the experimentation and discoveries of a band on the early edge of the post-punk and art-rock movements. Lyrically, they are biting, witty, and poetic. Musically, they feature the dark, paranoid, angular guitar work that is still associated with the post-punk of today, and a wash of keys that was predictive of the 80s new wave craze that was just around the bend.

Devoto went on to a spotty solo career, and the so-so (at best) Luxuria, after Magazine disbanded. And, while his former Buzzcocks mates have reformed to renewed success, he has been markedly absent from the music scene for some time now, adding that much more anticipation to the Magazine reunion shows. Here's to hoping that these shows go well enough that the boys decide to stick around for a bit longer and maybe (keeping my fingers crossed) play a few dates on this side of the pond.

Here are YouTube links to videos of Magazine performing some of their classic songs:

"Shot By Both Sides" on Top of the Pops.

"Definitive Gaze" on Old Grey Whistle Test.

"Permafrost" in concert.

The Dreadful Yawns - Thursday 11/20 @ Bernie's (Columbus, OH.)

2008-11-18T03:59:00.009-05:00

I found the following in my inbox today:

"The Dreadful Yawns are coming...

To a little rock club called Bernie's on THURSDAY 11/20
1896 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 291 - 3448

We are proud to share the stage with these fine folks.
The Sailing
Trains Across The Sea

We are playing last, because our rider indicates that we ONLY HEADLINE.

Two stories: 1) Bernie's is the site of the VERY first show played by the original core of the Dreadful Yawns Ben, Dave, and Charlie back in the glorious 90's.
2) Special thanks to James of Outer Sounds for inviting us, not forgetting about us, then inviting us again.

Cost is nominal when you consider your other options.... hooker (1/2 hour)+ rocks (3) = $70... thems is high street hooker prices."

For those unfamiliar with them, The Dreadful Yawns are a band out of Cleveland that has been around since the late 90's. Their sound is a unique blend of alt-country, psych-folk, and indie-rock. And their newest album, Take Shape (out now on Exit Stencil Recordings), is their most experimental, accomplished, and enjoyable yet.

The Yawns seem just as comfortable playing quiet, acoustic-based music as they do raucous, extended length rockers. This provides for an interesting, and sometimes jarring, juxtaposition that keeps one listening in anticipation of where each song might lead. One of the best examples of this is on, "Mood Assassin," the culminating track of Take Shape.

After a quick blast of electric-guitar at the onset, the song settles into a pleasant and familiar enough tone for the next two minutes, with a straight forward guitar line, softly cooed female vocals, and even a violin for good measure. This is followed by a gradual build up (which reminds me of similar moments on the 2000 album Designing For A Nervous Breakdown, by The Anniversary), the vocalist repeatedly singing "Please remember, to step carefully" as the, now, dual guitar lines become more and more urgent until they reach a point of beautiful chaos. The remaining 2-3 minutes take the listener on an intense, ramshackle, Velvets-like romp through layers of feedback and distortion that, when all is said and done, leaves you totally floored. To my ears, this song encompasses every facet of The Yawns' sound and is, without a doubt, the best track of 2008 (as if you couldn't already tell that from the way that I just gushed about it). You can listen to it here.

You can also check out some video clips of the band here.

Do yourself a favor and head out to the show. And if you can't make it, grab the album here.

Melpo Mene - "I Adore You"

2008-11-17T21:49:00.008-05:00

A few years back, something strange started happening. People of my generation, and whom I shared interests with, moved into positions at advertising agencies that allowed them to make big decisions about ad campaigns. One of the decisions that many of them made was to attach actual good music to the commercials for the products and companies that they were branding. The concept seemed to work well for all parties involved. And, in no time, commercial jingles seemed archaic relics of a bygone era.

With record sales sagging across the board, commercial exposure provided a new source of income for many struggling and formerly obscure bands. Additionally, this widespread exposure gave them a chance to tap into an entirely new audience, one that never would have heard of them in the past, much less heard them. For those who were already familiar with the "underground" music that was being used to shill a product, they felt like somebody was actually trying to market directly to them. And, to some degree, they were.

The truth is, the use of the music of relatively unknown artists by advertisers was a double bonus for the brands whose products they were promoting. Because the songs were not well known, they didn't have to cough up a lot of cash to get the rights to them. This sound economic decision also proved to be a shrewd marketing choice, as it allowed the companies and products to adopt an air of hipness due to their association, on a subliminal level or otherwise, to songs that were "cool" and outside of the mainstream. Anymore, as many indie acts break into the greater public consciousness through television advertising exposure as through nightly gigging.

While the debate in the music dork community rages on as to whether these bands have "sold out" or not, I, for one, welcome the inclusion of good music in television advertising. Don't get me wrong, I love to know about a great new band or song before any of my friends do. And I've definitely had concert experiences ruined by fans who only came to hear the one song that they knew and then talked through the rest of the show. But, I can also face the issue in a practical sense. If a band that I love gets a big ad-revenue injection into their budget along with the accompanying larger concert crowds, the chances of them being able to record more great music are upped. Not to mention, watching television commercials becomes at least a little bit more tolerable.

Anyway, I took the long route to get here, but the reason I was posting was because one of my favorite new songs happens to be one that I hadn't heard until it played in the background of a frequently run Volvo spot. Rarely do I devote the whole of my attention to the television even though I frequently have it on. Usually, I'm reading, writing, surfing the internet, or doing crossword puzzles too. On one particular day, a few weeks back, I heard a song that sounded like something straight out of a Wes Anderson movie (which is typically a good thing in my book). I was somewhat startled when I looked up and realized that it was playing in the background of a Volvo ad.

The track was "I Adore You" by Swedish indie-pop artist, Melpo Mene. And it should appeal to fans of Jose Gonzalez, another Swede who found an American audience through a commercial (when his cover of a song by The Knife, "Heartbeats," was used in a Sony Bravia commercial turned viral video). This song's soft, soothing vocals and lilting melodies really put one's mind at ease. One listen, and it'll come as no surprise that Volvo thought this would be an appealing track to use in a commercial. If you enjoy this one, it can be found on an album full of songs that I would rate its equals, Bring The Lions Out.

My Morning Jacket, or, Cousin Itt & Friends?

2008-11-16T18:01:00.005-05:00

Earlier this afternoon, I happened to stumble across this video of My Morning Jacket playing a rousing version of their song, "One Big Holiday," on Conan. The song is a good one that I hadn't heard for probably a year. But, it's made even better by the fact that Jim James' hair entirely obscures his face throughout the performance, creating an uncanny resemblance to Cousin Itt, from The Addams Family.

Lazy Sunday: Mini-Playlist #1

2008-11-16T13:01:00.006-05:00

Mum - We Have A Map Of The Piano

Simon & Garfunkel - Old Friends

Oscar Peterson Trio - You Are My Heart's Delight

Swan Lake - All Fires

The Clientele - Voices In The Mall

Long before anyone had ever heard of Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, I was compiling an infinite playlist of my own. "Lazy Sunday" is a constantly updated list on my iPod. There are certain songs that just scream Sunday-listening; the kinds of songs that you want to play on a chilly Sunday afternoon, while you're nursing a hangover, drinking a pot of coffee, reading the newspaper, or cleaning your apartment. There's nothing easily definable that ties all of these songs together, just a certain ease or melancholy that lends itself to the overall Sunday vibe. These are the types of songs that get added to the list. I thought that it might be fun to share some of them with you. So, check back every week for a new batch of songs from my "Lazy Sunday" playlist.

Passion Pit - "Sleepyhead"

2008-11-15T17:01:00.008-05:00

Passion Pit began earnestly enough as, Boston-based, Michael Angelakos' Valentine's Day gift to his girlfriend. The one-man-project consisted of a handful of home-recorded songs. It seems that the gift went over alright as she began passing the disc along to friends who also found that they liked Angelakos' songs. Eventually, the songs ended up in the hands of indie label, Frenchkiss Records, and they've now been released as an EP, entitled Chunk of Change.

The EP includes all of the original songs plus an additional track, "Sleepyhead," that has been written and recorded since Angelakos assembled a full band so he could play the songs live. Passion Pit has opened up for some rather big name acts, such as Death Cab For Cutie, but its heart-on-sleeve mixture of electronics and pop music bares more resemblance to DCFC side project, The Postal Service.

While all of the tracks are enjoyable enough, "Sleepyhead" is the one that you'll find yourself playing over and over again. I take this as a good sign since it is of a more recent vintage than the other five songs. If this song is a preview of things to come, then we have much to look forward to from Passion Pit. And, if it's just a fluke, we still have one of the most exuberant, uplifting, and finest tracks of 2008.

Jessica Lea Mayfield - "We've Never Lied" (Acoustic)

2008-11-15T04:10:00.009-05:00

Anyone who gets stuck listening to me yammer on about the music that I love has probably heard me talk about Jessica Lea Mayfield at least once during the last couple of months. Mayfield, a 19-year old product of Kent, Ohio, has put out one of the best, and until this week's 8.2 Pitchfork rating, most unheralded albums of 2008. This is not, however, to say that she hasn't quickly bowled over those who have heard the album. Just that knowledge of the songs on With Blasphemy So Heartfelt should be the norm, not something that one should have to randomly discover.

Pitchfork hit the nail on the head when they said that Mayfield calls to mind Mazzy Star chanteuse, Hope Sandoval. She sings her slightly countrified folk in a lulling, and unaffected voice that belies her age. Her lyrics are easy to relate to, yet poignant.

Though the album, produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, is fantastic from top to bottom, my favorite track is "We've Never Lied." It's a song of conflicting emotions; submissiveness and empowerment, endings and beginnings, hate and love. But, most of all, it is a song that elicits from the listener memories of the moment in every failed relationship when one has accepted the end, but has yet to fully let the acceptance sink in. Posted above is a clip that I found of Mayfield playing an acoustic version of "We've Never Lied." Enjoy. And go buy the album!

Hard Times

2008-11-15T00:50:00.011-05:00

I had to make a deposit at the bank today. In front of me were a woman and her daughter, probably five or six years old. I was within earshot and overheard the teller explain to the woman that she would not be able to get any cash. She was already overdrawn. The woman looked defeated and on the verge of tears. The matter was compounded when her daughter asked "Mommy, does that mean that we're poor?" Her response, a hushed "no!"

For the tellers and those of us in line the moment was awkward and embarrassing. For the woman it must have been absolutely heartbreaking. I'm not a parent. But, I can appreciate the stress that one must feel knowing that their financial burdens are carried not just by themselves, but by their children as well.

The moment reminded me of a scene from one of my favorite films, The Bicycle Thief. The setting is post-World War II Italy. Jobs are scarce and times are tough. The story is of a father and son in search of the father's stolen bicycle. Without the bicycle he cannot do his job and provide for his family. When, after scouring the town they still can't find the bike, the father reaches his breaking point.

Unable to deal with the shame of not being able to support his family, he attempts to steal a bicycle from another man when he thinks that his son is not present. Not only does he get caught during this act of desperation, but he realizes that his son has witnessed the whole shameful scene.

The woman at the bank had committed no wrong. But, the look of fear, despair and disappointment in her eyes mirrored that of the bicycle thief in the climactic moment of the clip that I posted above. Unfortunately, this is a look that is becoming all too familiar.