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Best In Show 2011

2012-01-17T21:40:00.002-06:00

Surprisingly, I haven't done a concerts of the year post since the very first year I started blogging five years ago. So it's a big odd that I am doing one for the year that I have blogged the least. Despite the fact that I felt somewhat disconnected from music last year, I still saw some great shows. So here are the top five...

1. U2
Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN - 7/2/11

I hate stadium shows. They are big, they are impersonal, and during the summer they are a hot, sweaty, stinky mess. Despite all that, U2 takes the top spot as my favorite show this year. And that speaks to what an amazing live band they are. They overcome the distance between the performer and the poor schmuck who has seats in the top row of a football stadium, and make it feel as intimate as a club show. Sure their massive stage is a spectacle, but lots of bands play on big massive stages and can’t make you feel the way U2 does. Twenty four years after the first time I saw them live, they are still the best live band I’ve ever seen. Read our original review from July.

2. Taylor Swift
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN - 9/17/11

Yeah, seriously. Ever since she released Speak Now last year, I’ve really grown to not just appreciate Taylor Swift, but actually like her. She is a great songwriter, and if some indie darling wrote a line like “you made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter,” it’d be hailed as genius. Her songs are full of clever wordplay, and I think if it weren’t for the fact she’s cute, young, and admittedly a mediocre vocalist, she’d get a lot more props for her songwriting than she does.

That said I’d have never gone to this concert if my wife hadn’t wanted to go. But I’m glad she did. It definitely shattered expectations, pretty much from the moment we entered the building. The first thing we noticed is that the average age of the crowd was a lot older than we would have expected. It was definitely predominately female, and while there were a fair share of teeny boppers, there were also a whole lot of twenty and thirty somethings. As the lights went down to the sound of Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” the crowd went apeshit, and Taylor literally exploded on to the stage to the sounds of “Sparks Fly.” At the end of the song, I half expected her to start quoting Sally Field award speeches as she put on her trademark surprise face, like she didn’t expect to get such a thunderous response. It took a few minutes to get used to completely unspontaneous nature of the show. It seemed like every facial expression and hair toss was choreographed. But as the show went on, you realized this was almost more a broadway production than a concert. There were multiple set and costume changes, dancers and acrobats, and more pyro than you’d see anywhere outside of a Kiss show. Once you got used to the fact that this wasn’t going to be a typical concert in the way you’ve come to expect it, you could just sit back and enjoy what was one hell of a show. Swift is a born entertainer, and on stage she’s as much an actress as a singer. The way she can work a crowd almost gives Bruce Springsteen a run for his money. Combine all that with a parade of hits performed with more enthusiasm than most bands can muster and you have yourself one hell of a fun evening.

3. Guided By Voices
Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN - 1/14/11

Score one of nostalgia. While it wasn’t as magical as the one time I got to see the “classic” Guided By Voices line up at Exit/In back in 1995, it was definitely better than any of their shows I’ve seen since then (and that’s not a knock, GBV has always put on a great show). Even after a year of touring together, you could tell that Uncle Bob, Toby, Mitch, Greg and Kevin were having a blast playing together, and the fact that the setlist was damn near perfect meant two hours of pure pop bliss for indie geeks. Read our original review from January.

Guided By Voices - "Official Ironman Rally Song (Demo)" (mp3)

4. Rush
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN - 4/3/11

I’d pretty much given up on Rush over the last decade or so. Not only had I not bought one of their new albums since Counterparts, but I’d also skipped out on seeing them live on their last few tours. But time heals all wounds, and the stellar documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage not only rekindled my love of the band, but also introduced my wife to them. You pretty much know what you’re going to get when you go see them live… note perfect renditions of their songs played with musicianship that most jazz cats would envy. And though they’ve incorporated videos into their concerts for years, they seem to be doing it with more humor than ever before, which made the concert even more fun. Read our original review from April.

5. Interpol & School of Seven Bells
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN - 5/2/11

If I was ordering this list by my favorite concert moments rather than the entire concert, Interpol performing “Lights” at the Mother Church would top the list. It was one of those absolutely transcendent concert moments that only happen a few times during the course of your life. This concert also marked the first time in years that’d I’d been so impressed by an opening act that it necessitated a trip to the merch stand to buy their CD. Read our original review from May.

School Of Seven Bells - "Windstorm" (mp3) from Disconnect From Desire

All My Rowdy Friends Are Going Home

2011-10-08T10:00:00.005-05:00

This is Rockin' Randy. He dances to the Monday Night Football theme. Old Randy used to occupy a proud spot in my bachelor pad kitchen. Then I got married. Now Randy occupies a box in our basement.

For the last 20 years, Monday Night Football has been introduced by Hank Williams Jr's iconic theme song, based on his 1984 hit "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight." Earlier this week, after Bocephus made a ham fisted comment on Fox News comparing President Obama to Hitler, the Disney owned overlords at ESPN decided to pull his opening in response. After Hank Jr alternatingly apologized and defended his actions, ESPN decided to make the move permanent. Williams responded by claiming it was his decision to pull the song for good after ESPN violated his freedom of speech, which is basically like saying "you can't fire me, I quit!"

How will we know if we're ready for some football now? ESPN made a short sighted, knee jerk move by pulling a song that has been a part of the MNF tradition for two decades. Sure, what Williams said was stupid, but consider the source... he's Hank Williams Jr for pete's sake. He has basically made a career out of saying stupid things. And as Pro Football Talk pointed out, ESPN didn't seem to have an issue a few years back when he choked a waitress. How does revealing yourself as a tea bagger trump battery these days?

Despite the momentary PR black eye, ESPN will lose nothing over this. Ratings will continue to be sky high, at least until the St Louis vs Seattle matchup in week 14 (I'm a Seahawks fan, and I still guarantee you I'll have tuned out by halftime). Bocephus' checking account however will be taking a substantial hit. Those TV broadcast fees ain't chicken scratch.

As the dust is settling down on this whole kerfuffle, I'm left with one nagging thought... why cant Faith Hill make a comment comparing Joe Biden to Mussolini so we could get rid of her godawful Sunday Night football theme too?

Til The Day Is Done: RIP R.E.M.

2011-09-23T19:20:00.000-05:00

R.E.M. has called it quits.

A lot of cynics would say this move is coming about fourteen years to late, and that the band never should have reneged on their handshake deal that they'd break up if any of the original members left the group. That opinion would be wrong. Of the five albums Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills have recorded since Bill Berry left the band in 1997, only one (2004's Around the Sun) was truly a stinker, and the last two (Accelerate and Collapse into Now) have been damn good. And perhaps that's the best reason for them to throw in the towel now... it's better bow out on a creative high than to, as Nashville Scene music writer Adam Gold put it so cleverly on Twitter Wednesday, "go out with a murmur."

R.E.M. was my gateway drug into the world of college radio and alternative music. It was listening to my friends copy of Lifes Rich Pageant, and then my own copy of Document a year later, that probably did more than any other band to shape my current musical tastes. It was those two albums that really primed me for falling so completely head over heals with The Church's Starfish, which lead to The Cure's Disintegration, which then splintered into loving a million different bands, some famous and others very much not.

In honor of 31 years of making (mostly) great music, and having a more profound impact on the American indie scene than most people realize, here are my top five R.E.M. related memories.

1. The first time I heard New Adventures in Hi Fi it was pushing midnight, and my friend Jimmy and I were on our way back to his apartment in Knoxville after having some beers with a friend of ours. A DJ on the UT college station had gotten an advance copy of the album and was playing it front to back. I'm not even sure if "E-Bow The Letter" had been released as a single yet, so it was the first we were hearing anything from it, and it was entirely awesome. We ended up driving around aimlessly for an hour so we could hear the whole thing. I remember when "Departure" kicked in, both of us were kinda of like "wow." It's still my favorite R.E.M. album.

2. When R.E.M. played the Murphy Center at MTSU in 1989, my friend Jimmy and I snuck into the band's dressing room before the show and left a note asking them to play two covers; Television's "See No Evil," which they had recently included on a b-side, and Johnny River's "Secret Agent Man," which had been included on a well circulated bootleg from their early club days. The band did play "See No Evil," though whether that was because of our note or not is debatable. And while they didn't break out the River's tune, Mike Mills did make a reference to the bootleg that it came from when during a jazzy improvised interlude he walked up to the mic and said "welcome to the Starlite Club." For two dorky teenagers who were still on a high from actually having managed to get backstage to leave the note, it was the highlight of our night.

3. When R.E.M. played at Starwood Ampitheater in 1995 on the Monster tour, I went with my Dad. We originally had lawn seats, but the day before the show he got reserved seats from a client, so I sold our lawn seats to a friend and we upgraded. And thank God we did. During the song "Undertow," with it's chorus of "I'm drowning..." the sky opened up and a torrential downpour started. All my friends who were sitting on the grass still say it was the worst rain shower any of them had ever been caught in. Even in our seats well under the confines of the roof, the wind was blowing enough moisture our way that we were still a bit wet. Fun fact - Radiohead opened this show, which makes me possibly the only person in the world who can say he saw Radiohead with his Dad.

4. When Robyn Hitchcock played the Belcourt Theater in 2007, my friends and I were really excited. Most of us had seen Hitchcock three or four times, and on this tour he was touring with the newly formed Venus 3, which consists of Peter Buck and R.E.M.'s touring rhythm section, drummer Bill Rieflin and bassist Scott McCaughey. After seeing nothing but acoustic shows, we were all excited to see him backed by an actual rock band. And then a couple of weeks before the show, the listing changed from the Venus 3 to the Nashville Crawdads. Another damn acoustic show. Once we got to the show though, it turned out to be a pretty amazing night. In addition to Buck and perennial Nashville special guests Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, the lineup also included Led Zepplin bassist John Paul Jones on mandolin. So yeah, no complaints.

5. In 2009, after seeing Hitchcock perform acoustic shows a half dozen times over a decade, I finally got to see him in front of a rock band when the Venus 3 played the Exit In. The show was everything I could have asked for. The set ran the entire gamut of his career, and had just about every song I could possibly have wanted to hear. About half way through the show, one of my friends notice Mike Mills hanging out by the bar. Forty-five minutes later he was a little harder to miss, as he took to the stage to play guitar and the rest of the band played musical instruments (Buck ended up on drums). They tore into a rambunctious and ramshackle version of "Listening To The Higsons," a fun end to one of those "only in Nashville" nights.

Michael, Peter, Mike and Bill, thanks for everything.

R.E.M. - "Radio Free Europe (Live)" (mp3) from the Strange Currencies cd single
R.E.M. - "Begin The Begin (Live)" (mp3) from the Bang & Blame cd single

Sing For Your Meat

2011-09-15T21:17:00.002-05:00

Various Artists - Sing For Your Meat: A Tribute to Guided By Voices

Tribute albums are always kind of a mixed bag. Usually no matter how much you like either the artist being honored or the bands and singers doing the covers, you usually end up with an album where you really only like a few songs. That's definitely not the case with Sing For Your Meat. Guided By Voices has always been one of those bands that, while not hugely popular among the masses, they are massively beloved by their fans. And a lot of those fans happen to be fellow musicians.

For most of these songs, the artists strike a perfect balance between using the same lo-fi techniques that have always been part of GBV's appeal and putting their own spin on things. The songs stay true enough to the originals to appeal to the faithful without sounding like carbon copies of the source material. In general, the first half of this album is front loaded with the covers that sound closer to the originals, while the second half gets a little more adventurous, and a little more rewarding. Though there are several good tracks by big names you would recognize (The Flaming Lips, Thurston Moore, Lou Barlow, and ex-Breeder Kelley Deal's second career cover of an GBV song), it's the names that aren't quite so recognizable that really shine. La Sera turns "Watch Me Jumpstart" into organ fueled chamber pop. Blitzen Trapper bring out the undercurrent of bluesiness in "Hot Freaks" until it becomes a juke joint jam. Elf Power's lo-fi remake of "Man Called Aerodynamics" sounds like it might have if Pollard and company had recorded it on Bee Thousand. There really isn't a weak track on this album, and unlike a lot of compilations, it's one that you'll probably end up listening to more than just the first few weeks after you buy it.

Western Civ - "My Valuable Hunting Knife" (mp3)
La Sera - "Watch Me Jumpstart" (mp3)
Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Gleamer" (mp3)

The Sound Of Silence

2011-09-11T19:53:00.000-05:00

This gave me goosebumps.

If you've been online at all today, you're probably all 9/11'd out. But take four minutes and watch this video of Paul Simon performing "The Sound Of Silence" at the World Trade Center memorial dedication this morning. It's pretty amazing.

Apparently he was scheduled to do "Bridge Over Troubled Water," but made a change at the last minute. It was a pretty inspired choice.

Anniversary

2011-09-11T08:50:00.002-05:00

Five years ago today I wrote this.

Yesterday I wrote this, as part of this project. My friend Tyge has compiled stories from 20 different people remembering their day 10 years ago. It's strange... after 3,652 days, and countless articles, books, movies, documentaries, and TV reports about September 11, 2001, you would think there wouldn't be much left to say that you'd be interested in hearing. But as I sat on the couch this morning drinking coffee and checking out the other contributions to the project, I found that reading other ordinary peoples thoughts and recollections from that day was a lot more compelling than watching a TV news special recounting the events. I don't need to see those images again. They are burned into my mind, and it was something that no one who was alive to experience it will ever forget. Ten years later and this day is still as confusing and conflicted as it was when it was happening.

That said, I will now spend the rest of my Sunday watching football and avoiding listening country radio, which will be full of terrible songs by Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, and that godawful Lee Greenwood song that everyone gets the title of wrong.

Here is a patriotic song that doesn't suck. I even like Neil Diamond's original version.

Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - "Coming To America" (mp3) from Have Another Ball

Go Titans!

Soul Survivior

2011-08-10T06:57:00.001-05:00

Life, by Keith Richards

The Beatles or the Stones? Since the mid 1960's, it's a question that all music fans have had to answer. As Uma Thurman said in Pulp Fiction, you can like both, but everyone prefers one over the other. And despite the fact that I would definitely fall into the Beatles camp, I have probably read more books about The Rolling Stones than any other artist. I think it's because even though The Beatles had a far greater impact on both music and society at large, the Rolling Stones story is a lot more compelling. Sure arrests, drug overdoses, and concert riots are pretty much standard fare for a lot of rock music bios, and any Stones book has those in spades. But it also has murder, political scandals, and inter-band mate swapping rivaled only by Fleetwood Mac. And it's been going on for six decades. No other band can touch that kind of longevity at the level the Stones have done it. And that makes for a great story.

You might wonder if there is any new ground to cover after all the ink that has been laid to paper in recounting the tales of Keith Richards and company. Honestly, the answer is no for the most part, but the book does give fresh insight into the stories and tall tales that have surrounded the Glimmer Twins for years. Richards doesn't hold back, so there really isn't any issue that he doesn't address. He debunks the myths surrounding the fabled Mars bar incident and rumors of having his blood changed in an effort to detox from heroin. He is incredibly frank about his issues with drug use over the years. And he details the ins and outs of both his personal and musical relationships throughout his life. And that is where the book really shines.

There were two things about the book that really stood out to me. First is that it barely mentions Bill Wyman at all. He basically is mentioned only three times in 547 pages: 1) The main reason he was asked to join the band is because he was the only one who owned an amplifier, 2) He was the band member who reached out the most during Keith's arrest in Canada, and 3) that he quit the band three years before it was publicly announced. And the second big surprise was that the bitterness and infighting between Keef and Mick Jagger lasted well past the Steel Wheels album and tour. I always thought that they had kissed and made up in 1989, but Richards talks about how they were still avoiding each other in the recording studio five years later while recording Voodoo Lounge.

The best book about the Stones remains Stanley Booth's The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones. And if you're looking for pure entertainment value and are less concerned about actual facts, the tabloid trash of Tony Sanchez's Up and Down with the Rolling Stones can't be beat. Life will mostly appeal to Stones fans, but it's an enjoyable read for anyone who liked a good rock and roll biography.

Keith Richards - "Wicked As It Seems" (mp3) from Main Offender

Ukulele Songs

2011-07-22T07:11:00.001-05:00

Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs

If there isn't an old saying that states "a little ukulele goes a long way," there should be.

It's hard to say that you didn't know what to expect with this album... it's right there in the album's title, so I kind of feel stupid for complaining about it. I really liked Eddie Vedder's solo work on the soundtrack to Into the Wild, so I figured I'd give his first proper solo album a whirl. And it's not like it's bad or anything. Despite the fact that his career began an angry young singer from the Seattle grunge scene, his various solo material has proved that Vedder sounds equally great singing with acoustic backing. But after sixteen songs with pretty much nothing but ukulele as accompaniment, things start to get a little same-y. The credits indicate that he used at least six different kinds of ukuleles in recording the album, but that just doesn't give it the sonic variety that it really could have used. The appearance of cello on one song ("Longing To Belong") indicates the kind of subtle accompaniment variation that could have been accomplished by adding a few different instruments to the mix while still keeping the theme of the album. I just can't help but think I would have enjoyed this album more if there was some acoustic guitar or piano in the background.

That's not to say there aren't some good songs on here. The first half is front loaded with originals, including a new take on "Can't Keep" from Pearl Jams's Riot Act. Four of the last five songs are covers, and it's at that point that the album really starts to wear out it's wecome, despite the appearances of Chan Marshall (Cat Power) and Glen Hansard (The Frames/The Swell Season) on backing vocals. I keep wanting to compare it to the scene in Blue Valentine where Ryan Gossling serenades Michelle Williams. It's a great scene, but if Gossling would have been playing ukulele in every scene in the movie, it would have gotten old pretty quick. I feel like if Vedder had released in EP called Ukulele Songs instead of an album, I'd have liked it a lot more. Maybe when the songs pop up individually on shuffle on my iPod, I will.

Eddie Vedder - "Sleeping By Myself" (mp3) from Ukulele Songs

I Touch A Red Button

2011-07-18T06:43:00.001-05:00

Considering their shared penchant for dark moods and strange images, it's almost surprising that Interpol and David Lynch have never collaborated before now. For this year's Coachella music festival, the band approached Lynch about providing visuals for one of their songs, and he provided them with the following short film to accompany their song "Lights" (which as I mentioned in my concert review from earlier this year is hands down my favorite song from their new album). The result is just as weird as the original video for the song, but with none of the creepy sexuality.

You can read a post where the band discusses the collaboration here.

Talk Talk Talk

2011-07-14T07:04:00.000-05:00

The Psychedelic Furs
Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN
Thursday, July 7, 2011

On Thursday afternoon, the Mercy Lounge sent out a tweet warning the rock o' clock-ers not to show up for The Psychedelic Furs show at 10 pm, because the band would be going on promptly at 8 pm. They weren't kidding. The Butler brothers and company took the stage just a few minutes after the advertised start time and immediately tore into "Dumb Waiters," the opening track from the evening's advertised performance of their sophomore album Talk Talk Talk. Although there was a decent sized crowd at the beginning of the show, the empty spaces steadily filled in throughout the first set, and anyone who showed up late missed out on their biggest hit, "Pretty In Pink," which occupies spot number two on the album's tracklisting. Like most acts on nostalgia themed tours these days, they performed the album front to back, so there weren't any surprises to start the show. Despite the fact that they had been playing the album in this manner for the past year or so, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. And if the crowd wasn't as familiar with the album tracks, they certainly didn't show it. The Furs got a enthusiastic response throughout the first set.

After a 15 minute break, the band returned to the stage one by one to the opening strains of "Sister Europe." The rest of the set was basically culled from All of This & Nothing, their 1988 "best of" album. After another 50 minutes and a two song encore it was over. And therein lies the rub. It's not that it wasn't a good show. The band was in top form, and apart from wearing glasses and looking a little looser in the neck area, Richard Butler looked and sounded as great as he did when I saw them at 328 Performance Hall in 1991. But I couldn't help feeling like the show would have been perfect if it was just ten minutes longer. I'm sure I wasn't the only person who left the venue lamenting that they didn't play "The Ghost In You," though I was probably the only one disappointed that they didn't do anything from Book of Days or World Outside, their final two studio albums. Maybe they know their audience better than I do. The room was full of forty- and fifty-somethings who obviously hadn't been to a club show in years (honestly, it felt nice to be in the lower end of the age demographic for a change). Most of the crowd seemed content to sing along to "Love My Way" and "Heartbreak Beat." Personally I would have killed to have heard "House," or "In My Head," or even their final big single "Until She Comes." Alas, it was not to be.

In a Nashville Cream interview, bassist Tim Butler hinted that the band was working on a new album, which would be their first in twenty years. Richard Butler proved on his solo album (Richard Butler) a few years back that he's can still write great songs, so here's to hoping that the next time the Furs tour, it's for something a little more vital than just a greatest hits tour.

The Psychedelic Furs - "Make It Mine" (mp3) from the Until She Comes single

U2, Music City... Magnificient

2011-07-13T21:55:00.002-05:00

U2, with Florence + The Machine
Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN
Saturday, July 2, 2011

When you have already seen a band four times, you have a pretty good idea what to expect when you see them again. And when that band is U2, you pretty much know that you're going to see a amazing show. I have seen hundreds and hundreds of concerts, and U2 occupies two spots the list on my top five favorite concerts ever (Murphy Center in Murfreesboro in 1987, and Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY in 2001). In fact, they only time I've seen them and it wasn't great was at the Liberty Bowl on the Pop Mart tour, and even that was a good show, it just wasn't spectacular. You can bash them for being self important, for excessive preachiness, or even for not making a truly great album in 20 years. While I may not agree with you, I can at least see your point on any of those issues. But the one thing no one can ever say about U2 is that they aren't a truly phenominal live act. The only other performer I've ever seen who has the ability to make an arena or a stadium feel as intimate as a club show is Bruce Springsteen.

Getting to the show was a nightmare. The lack of public parking on the Vanderbilt campus means you've got to hoof it to the stadium, and with the temperature in the mid-90s and the humidity in the same range, everyone was a hot, sweaty mess by the time they got to there. Vanderbilt Stadium has only four gates to allow entrance, which isn't a problem when you have the smallest stadium in the SEC and you still usually play to a half empty house on Saturdays in the fall. But when you have a sold out concert of 47,000 people, and one of those gates is effectively closed due to the backstage area, the bottleneck trying to get in is insufferable. It didn't get much better once you got inside, as the already narrow concourses were cluttered with beer stands (Vanderbilt usually doesn't allow alcohol sales on campus). So basically by the time I got to my seat, I was both utterly frustrated and practially soaking wet. Once I sat down, I found that the $110 ticket which the seating chart had led me to believe was on the side of the stage was actually a lot closer to the back. I kept thing how much better the setup would have been and LP Field,* and was beginning to think maybe I should have just stayed home and watched Live at Red Rocks.

My mood didn't get much better when Florence + The Machine took the stage. I hadn't heard a lot of them before Saturday night, and their set didn't make me want to hear much of them afterwords. It wasn't terrible or anything, but it definitely wasn't my bag. Despite the presence of a harp player, the music came off as pretty generic mainstream modern rock. Imagine a less bombastic version of Muse fronted by Stevie Nicks singing opera. I guess I am just not a fan of those kind of big voiced singers.

Considering the start the evening had gotten off to, I was legitimately concerned that the night might be beyond repair. But when U2 took to the stage, it was like suddenly being transported to another place... a cooler, dryer, happier place. It's not like it suddenly cooled off, but the heat definitely didn't seem so bad. They kicked things off with a four song blast from Achtung Baby before going all the way back to their debut album for "I Will Follow." And with them really working the 360 degree stage, the seats really didn't seem so bad after all. Over the course of two and a half hours, they played probably the coolest setlist I've ever seen them do. Sure all the concert staples were there, but sprinkled in between their greatest hits were a lot of songs that I didn't expect to hear, "Zooropa" and "Miss Sarajevo" among them. Hell, I had forgotten that "Scarlet" from October even existed! "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" reminded fans that there was once a time when Bono and The Edge could do songs for a superhero project without it being a unmitigated disaster. They even gave new life to songs I was never crazy about in the first place. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" and "Discoteque" are definitely not two of my favorite tunes, but I've got to admit that the remixed medly of the two sounded great.

Given that this tour has been going on for two years (there were only nine shows left after Nashville), much has already been written of their massive stage, nicknamed "the claw." It was truly an impressive set up, even before giant circular video screen descended and expanded during "Zooropa." For a lot of bands, the gimmicks are needed because that's what makes the show. But with U2, the setting merely enhances what is already going to be great concert (as mentioned earlier, my favorite two shows of theirs were arena shows without all the bells and whistles).

I think the thing that really made this such a great show was the sense of spontaneity that you usually don't get from a production like this, and even that despite their reputation I had never seen like this at a U2 show before. At the end of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," Bono whispered into The Edge's ear, and they segued into "The Wanderer" as an impromptu tribute to Johnny Cash. But the real magical moment of the show came at the very end. After playing "Moment Of Surrender" and taking their final bows, Bono started talking to a fan in the front row as the rest of the band made their way off stage. You heard him ask "What do you want to play?" and a minute later security was helping the guy onstage as Bono asked a roadie to bring him his guitar. The whole scene was was surreal... it was truly odd and you couldn't really believe it was happening. As everyone found out the next day, the guy was blind, hence all the help he needed getting on stage and getting the guitar strapped on. Once Bono and the crew got him all set up and he professed how nervous he was, he started strumming the chords to "All I Want Is You" with Bono singing along. After the second verse, the rest of the band started coming in one by one, with The Edge playing piano. It was one of those goosebump inducing moments that you very rarely get, especially in a spectacle filled stadium show. And it's exactly why for my money, U2 is without a doubt the best live band I have ever seen.

U2 - "The Fly (Lounge Fly Mix)" (mp3) from The Fly single

*Apparently LP Field was the band's first choice of venue to hold the concert, but the Tennessee Titans weren't interested. The CMA Festival (held the first weekend in June) has it in their contract that no other concerts can be held at LP Field in the thirty days before or after their event without their permission, but it turns out that the Titans never bothered to ask them. Perhaps the fact that U2 has had to pay to resod basically every field with natural grass that they've played had (Vanderbilt included) had something to do with that.

photo courtesy of Blue Shoe Nashville

RIP WRVU

2011-06-13T21:28:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday, June 7 at 2:56 pm, longtime WRVU DJ (and host of hands down the best show on that station, Nashville Jumps) Pete Wilson played Johnny Thunder's "You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory." And then... nine hours of static. At midnight, Nashville's beloved college radio station 91.1 WRVU became Classical 91.1, the all classical affiliate of Nashville Public Radio's WPLN.

This story has been brewing for a long time, so I won't post the details. It's been covered in more detail here, and if you need background I suggest you read Nashville Cream's articles regarding the rape and pillage of Vanderbilt's student run radio station. As much as people rallied to fight it, I think deep down most of us knew it was a forgone conclusion once Vanderbilt Student Communications said they were "exploring the option" of selling the stations broadast license. The writing was definitely on the wall. VSC's director, Chris Carroll, has a bit of a history of dismantling college radio stations. And while there were many students, alumni and staff who were dedicated to making the station great, a vast majority of Vandy's students just didn't give a shit.

I've been a regular listener of WRVU for over 20 years. It was where I first heard bands like R.E.M., Arcade Fire, The Replacements and Soundgarden long before they broke into the mainstream. I can't tell you the number of bands I now love who I first heard because a clued in volunteer DJ wanted to share them with the world. I've been in bands that were interviewed and performed on the station. I've attended more benefit shows than I could count. And in a round about way, I started this blog because of WRVU. It was by reading online counterpart to WRVU's Out The Other that first got me reading music blogs, and eventually deciding that I should start one myself. To say that WRVU has had a huge influence on my life, musical and otherwise, would be an understatement.

While WRVU isn't technically dead, it will never be the same. Online streaming is great, but it doesn't match the local reach and accessibility of terrestrial radio. And while it will still be broadcast over WPLN's HD3 channel this fall, raise your hand if you own an HD radio? Yeah, that's what I thought. If my favorite DJs and shows are back on the station this fall, I'll seek them out via online streams, but I can't say I'd blame them if they walked away. I hope they don't.

Wasting Light

2011-05-20T22:03:00.000-05:00

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Foo Fighters have been one of my favorite bands since I saw them open for Mike Watt before their first album was even released. But over their past two albums, they had kind of reached a point where the singles were good, but the rest of the albums were a little too close to MOR classic rock for my tastes. I never even got around to buying Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, which is something considering what a completest I normally am. Although the news of them working with producer Butch Vig (who you might remember also produced a little known album by Dave Grohl's old band) was encouraging, he had also done the two new tracks on for their Greatest Hits album, and "Wheels" left me kind of empty.

Then in February one of my friends sent me a link to the Foos website, which had a 30 second preview of "Bridge Building," and I've got to say, it definitely got me paying attention. That song opens Wasting Light, and pretty much sets the tone for what's to come... an almost unrelenting wall of hard rock and crunching guitars. It's not that they've suddenly stopped writing hooks, but the songs are backed by a much harder edge than they've had recently. Part of that can be attributed to the return to full time status of Pat Smear, which means most of the songs have at least three guitarists on them, and on songs like "Rope," it allows for three distinct simultaneous guitar parts. And when there are only two parts, like on "White Limo," there is a lot more OOMPH. Basically this is the hardest the Grohl has rocked since his Probot side project, and the best Foo Fighters album since their sophomore effort, Colour & The Shape. Call it a welcome return to form.

I'll also warn you that buying the Best Buy exclusive expanded version is pretty much a waste of money. The remix of "Rope" is unlistenable for most rock fans, and the other track, "Better Off," is hardly essential. So unless you like owning videos that are otherwise available on Youtube, save a couple of bucks and just buy the standard edition.

No D In Threesome

2011-05-08T20:33:00.003-05:00

Interpol, w/ School Of Seven Bells
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Monday, May 2, 2011

I've always made it a point to get to concerts in time to see the opening act, even if I'm not familiar with them before hand. There are a lot of reasons for this. Part of it is I've played in bands off and on since high school, so I know how much it sucks to play to a half empty room. But I've also discovered some of my favorite bands by seeing them open for someone else. Of course it's not always that way. Sometimes you have to sit through 45 minutes of pure crap, as was the case last time I saw Interpol at the Ryman, and Liars opened.

This time more than made up for that though, as School Of Seven Bells were fantastic. They definitely have a bit of a shoegazer vibe, falling somewhere on the musical venn diagram between Curve and The Cocteau Twins. Guitarist Benjamin Curtis (ex-Secret Machines) looked like a dead ringer for Joe Jonas, but his guitar playing was a perfect combination of Kevin Shields and The Edge. With last falls departure of founding member Claudia Deheza, her twin sister Alejandra was left to cover vocals on her own, but the songs definitely didn't suffer from the lack of harmonies. And the addition of live drums gave the songs an extra kick from the loops that make up most of their recorded output. It certainly had a different feel than their albums, but it sounded equally great.

I was curious to see whether I'd enjoy Interpol as much as I did last time for two reasons. One was that bassist Carlos Dengler had departed just after releasing their latest self titled album. The other was that I found that album, Interpol, to be a huge letdown. So I was kind of surprised that either the new songs sound a lot better live, or they just seem cooler when surrounded by selections from the rest of their catalog. Opening with "Success," the eighteen song set was equally divided between their four albums, with the early b-side "Specialist" thrown in for good measure. The highlight of the set came exactly at the halfway point with "Lights," the one standout track from their new album which sounded even more incredible live.

Throughout the evening, guitarist Daniel Kessler's epileptic Fred Astaire moves had his roadie playing cord wrangler, and Paul Banks exuded the kind of slightly goofy charm that reminds you of that guy in high school who seemed to move effortlessly through all the various cliques and was friends with everyone. Casual fans might not have even noticed that Carlos D is no longer in the band, as touring bassist Brad Truax had the same wide legged, low slung stance that Dengler often had. But there were a few moments, like on the verses of "Evil," where the bass wasn't quite as locked in with the drums as you'd want it to be. Granted, its probably not something most people would notice, but when you've spent your whole life in the rhythm section like I have, these are the things you hear. But aside from being nit picky, it's also totally forgivable, as Truax has only been playing with the band for a few weeks. And when they send you home with a killer version of "Slow Hands," it's hard to complain about anything.

School Of Seven Bells - "Windstorm" (mp3) from Disconnect From Desire

photo courtesy of Nashville Metromix

Different Gear, Still Speeding

2011-04-30T20:37:00.002-05:00

Beady Eye - Different Gear Still Speeding

I always thought that Oasis without Noel Gallagher would suck. Turns out that's not the case at all. I guess it shouldn't be all that surprising. As the band went on, Noel began ceding the songwriting duties, to the point that on their last three albums half the songs were attributed to other band members. It was said that Beady Eye considered carrying on under the Oasis banner without him, but changing monikers was probably a good move. Though it hardly frees them from their history of being one of England's biggest bands of all time, it does allow them to put a new spin on things.

Their debut album really isn't a huge departure from their old band's catalog. It's a similar concept... catchy ass pop songs born from the DNA of sixties and seventies rock. That said, there is a new energy throughout the album that Oasis frankly hadn't had in years. It does suffer from some of the same weaknesses. For instance, the lyrics sometimes border on banal. But there is no doubt that Liam and the boys are having a lot of fun, especially on tracks like then anthemic "Bring The Light." And when they do evoke the sounds of their heroes, it's less of a ripoff and more of a homage. For instance, "Beatles And Stones" manages to evoke the early sixties singles of both bands without directly ripping off either. Different Gear Still Speeding manages to be familiar and fresh at the same time. Frankly, they couldn't have picked a more perfect album title.

Record Store Day 2011

2011-04-14T19:02:00.002-05:00

Over the last four years, Record Store Day has grown from a valiant effort to get people to support their local mom and pop, brick and mortar music retailers into a veritable Christmas in April for music geeks. The list of RSD exclusive releases has grown to almost 300 titles this year, and the parties surrounding the event have become must-attend events whether you're a huge music fan or not (and really, who isn't???).

Here in Nashville, you've got five places you can get your indie on... Grimey's, The Groove, Third Man, and both location of The Great Escape. I was going to post a breakdown of all the scheduled live performances and specials, but Nashville Cream has done a much better job that I would have, so I'll direct you over there for specifics, and I'll just hit the highlights.

Grimey's - Nashville's finest record store was throwing the equivalent of Record Store Day parties before there even was an official RSD, so most locals already know what to expect. Undoubtedly the first stop for all serious local vinyl nerds, Grimeys gets started at 10 am, and will have the RSD exclusive releases stocked in the back parking lot. Expect big crowds, live music starting at noon, DJs throughout the day, a sidewalk sale, giveaways, movie screenings in The Basement, food, booze, and an afternoon signing by Matt and Kim. So yeah, nothing to see here.

The Groove - Though I'm sure I'm not the only one who misses the sweet Five Points location, the boys will make the short walk to the corner of Calvin and Gallatin Rd worth your while starting at 10 am. Along with 15% off everything in the store (RSD releases excluded), they have a full slate of local bands performing, deep discounted vinyl and CDs outside, giveaways, food and booze.

Third Man Records - The house that Jack White built hosts what is undoubtedly Nashville's biggest event on Saturday... a live LP recording by the the Killer himself, Jerry Lee Lewis. Though the concert requires a paid admission, anyone who swings by Third Man on Saturday will be able to pre-order the album (which is set to be released in just a months time) in it's limited edition black and blue pressing. Though no other live appearances at the store have been announced, I'd imagine that anyone who showed up there expecting to see something special wouldn't be disappointed. It's probably also your best bet to score the four RSD releases that Third Man is putting out... brand new singles from Karen Ellison and the new Danger Mouse project ROME, as well as reissues of the first two White Stripes singles. TMR's festivities start at 11:30 am.

Great Escape - Though neither location will feature any live music, they will have 20% off all used music, sales on new product and giveaways. They'll also be your first chance to score the exclusive RSD releases, as both stores open at 9 am.

If you don't live in Nashville, you can hit up the official Record Store Day website to find out where your nearest participating indie record store is, as well as peruse the official list of the RSD exclusive releases. My personal wish list includes...

Foo Fighters - Medium Rare (a vinyl only collection of all the various covers they've released over the years, including two brand new tracks)

Green Day/Husker Du "Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely" split 7" (Green Day covers my all time favorite Huskers song, with the original on the b-side)

Various Artists - Sing For Your Meat (a Guided By Voices tribute featuring Superdrag, Lou Barlow, Thurston Moore, Elf Power, and others)

Time Machine

2011-04-10T23:35:00.001-05:00

Rush
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Sunday, April 3, 2011

Sunday night I managed to do something that my teenaged self could only dream about. I had a date for a Rush concert.

And I wasn't the only one. It seemed like there were a whole lot of wives and girlfriends getting their prog rock cherry broken by Canada's finest power trio. This was my sixth Rush concert, and I've never seen so many chicks at one of their shows (the band even made a joke about it in one of the video vignettes that bookended their set). Evidently between I Love You, Man and last year's fantastic documentary of the band, interest in the band by the finer sex is apparently at an all time high. We met some friends for dinner before the show, and our friend Anna said the same thing that my wife thought... that she had little knowledge or interest in Rush before watching Beyond the Lighted Stage.

Billed as the Time Machine tour, the concert came with the promise that you'd be treated to a steady steam of their greatest hits. So after opening with "The Spirit Of Radio," I was surprised by how much of their first set was filled with songs that seemed to be late period albums... till it dawned on me that "Time Stand Still" and "Marathon" both came from albums that were released when I was in high school. Still, of the eleven songs played in the first set, only three predated what many fans derogatorily refer to as "the synth years." After closing the first act of the evening with "Subdivisions," the band took the intermission that has been a standard part of their opening act-less shows for the past decade.

The second set started the same way the first did, with a video introduction that featured the band in costume (and Alex Lifeson nearly unrecognizable in a fat suit), telling "the real history of Rash." And with a video count off by their pint-sized doppelgangers, "Tom Sawyer" kicked off the evening's advertised performance of 1981's classic Moving Pictures album in its entirety. Though it was cool to hear "The Camera Eye" performed live, picking this album to perform was basically a marketing gimmick. Any given Rush concert in the last 30 years already featured the entire first side of the album as concert staples, and both "Witch Hunt" and "Vital Signs" were performed regularly during the 80s. That shouldn't be considered a complaint, just an observation. I will never get sick of hearing the opening riff to "Limelight" barrelling through arena speakers, and the video of drummer Neil Peart pantomiming Lifeson's guitar solo during "Tom Sawyer" was hilarious.

After previewing their forthcoming album Clockwork Angels with the brand new song "Caravan" (one of two new songs recorded in Nashville last spring that they performed) the second set headed down the home stretch with Peart's always impressive drum solo, "Closer To The Heart," and the opening suite from 2112, before closing with the best Rush song of the last decade, Snakes & Arrows' "Far Cry." The encore featured the epic instrumental "La Villa Strangiato" and a reggae-fied version of "Working Man," and the show came to a final end with a hilarious video that Paul Rudd and Jason Segal fans might want to check out.

Rush - "Circumstances (Live)" (mp3) live in Tuscon, November 20, 1978

photo courtesy of American Songwriter

Oh Canada

2011-04-03T16:00:00.004-05:00

I think I've always had a big of a soft spot for the Great White North. It was the first foreign country I ever visited. Over the years a lot of my favorites bands have been from there. And because I grew up just an hour and a half drive up I-5 from the border, I'm very familiar with their currency. As a kid it seemed cool to have money from another country, until the first time you hit up a vending machine only to find you can't get that candy bar you wanted because one of your quarters turned out to be Canadian.

Over the next week, my wife and I will be taking in two of Canada's finest exports... Rush and NHL hockey. Tonight we're going to see the holy triumvirate of rock, and then we have tickets to the last two Predators home games. I haven't bought a new Rush album in well over a decade, but they're performing Moving Pictures in its entirety, so I'm pretty excited about seeing "The Camera Eye" live for the first time. And the Preds are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, so it should be a great atmosphere.

So with our social calendar dominated by all things Canuck, it seemed only appropriate to post the following video, Neil Peart's version of the second Canadian national anthem, the Hockey Night theme.

Collapse Into Now

2011-03-26T14:02:00.000-05:00

R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

The pre-release hype trumpeted that R.E.M.'s fifteenth studio album was a return to their classic sound. If you're a fan, my advice to you is to ignore that suggestion. Unless you consider Automatic for the People as classic Stipe and company, you're setting yourself up for a letdown. There are a lot more acoustic oriented numbers, and Peter Buck's mandolin makes a return appearance. But apart from the opener "Discoverer," which evokes sonic memories of "Finest Worksong," and Mike Mills throwback harmonies on the unfortunately titled "Mine Smell Like Honey," the only thing that really evokes the bands mid-to-late eighties period is that they've put a lot more reverb on Michael Stipes voice.

It took me a couple of listens, but once I got past the idea of what the reviews said this album should be, I'm able to really enjoy it for what it is... a good album by one of America's best bands. As a friend of mine put it, there is a little something for everyone. "All The Best" picks up where Accelerate left off, and though the thought of Eddie Vedder basically yodeling might sound like a nightmare, it works great on the "Let It Be"-esque code to "It Happened Today." Other guest appearances include Patti Smith on "Blue" (the bastard lovechild of "Belong" and "E-bow The Letter"), and Peaches on "Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter." So if the distortion riddled blasts of their last studio effort was a little too Monster-esque for your tastes, Collapse Into Now might be just what you need to Athens, GA's finest back into your good graces.

Maggie May

2011-03-17T07:40:00.001-05:00

One of the great things about being married is that the quality of my birthdays has increased exponentially. To put it mildly, my wife spoils me rotten. Among the incredible haul I received on my last placenta emergence anniversary was The Pogues box set, Just Look Them Straight in the Eye & Say Poguemahone! With five CDs of demos, b-sides, outtakes, alternate versions, rehearsals, and live cuts, it was an awesome enough gift in itself, but it was made all the better by the fact that despite being released in 2008, I had no idea that it existed. The damn thing is just incredible, and if you're the slightest bit of a Pogues fan, you simply need to own this.

There's so much good stuff on here, it's hard to pick a highlight, but for me this is definitely it. For my money, it is easily the greatest cover song I've ever heard.

The Pogues - "Maggie May" (mp3) from Just Look Them Straight In The Eye And Say Poguemahone!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Thoughts on The Suburbs

2011-02-19T20:39:00.004-06:00

So with Arcade Fire shocking pretty much everyone by winning album of the year at the Grammys Sunday night, I figured it be a good opportunity to weigh in on The Suburbs, especially considering that I didn't include it on my 2010 Albums of The Year list.

So why didn't I? Well, the easy answer is that there were five albums I liked better. If I had done an "honorable mention" category this year it probably would have made that. But the honest answer is I just couldn't ever really connect with it. Maybe it's because they were trying to reflect the mundane uniformity of suburban life, but it all seemed a bit samey to me. It just didn't have the same dynamic range that their previous albums have. That said, I totally understand why it won the Grammy. Their competition for album of the year included some hugely popular artists, but their CDs were more collections of songs. The Suburbs is an album in the truest sense of the word. It's a cohesive whole. And in this age where the single song download is king, it's becoming rare that artists actually make albums that are meant to be listed to an hour at a time.

Despite the fact that I didn't love the album, I'm thrilled that they won it. How can you not like a band that has stuck with it's respected indie label when it easily could have jumped to a major? Or that after winning the Grammy, they dropped the price of the album on their website to $5.99? I was so unimpressed with the list of Grammy nominees this year that for the first time since I can remember, I didn't watch a single second of the broadcast. So it's good to see for an awards show that lost it's credibility with me a long time ago, they can still occasionally get something right.

Future Past Perfect

2011-02-10T21:23:00.002-06:00

The Church have always been an incredibly active band. When they haven't been touring or recording albums as a collective whole (something they're now in their fourth decade of doing), they have kept busy with so many solo projects, collaborations, and guest appearances that it takes an entire website to keep track of it all. So it's not surprising that they've decided that one tour isn't enough to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Last spring they toured the country for An Intimate Space, an acoustic tour that had them playing one song from each of their albums in reverse chronological order. Now they're taking a break from recording their twenty-fourth album and returning stateside with their effects and amps in tow. This time out, the Future Past Perfect tour will present three of their albums in their entirety. Starting with their most recent, 2009's Untitled #23, they'll proceed back in time to through 1992's Priest = Aura, and conclude with their breakthrough classic, 1988's Starfish.

The tour kicked off last week in Los Angeles, and has already hit San Francisco and Seattle. The remaining dates are as follows:

Feb 11 - Chicago, IL - Park West
Feb 13 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
Feb 15 - Philadelphia, PA - The Trocadero
Feb 16 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
Feb 17 - New York, NY - B.B. King's
Feb 18 - Foxboro, MA - Showcase Live
Feb 21 - Greenville, SC - Handlebar (acoustic)
Feb 22 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

The Church - "Deadman's Hand" (mp3) from Untitled #23
The Church - "Mistress" (mp3) from Priest = Aura
The Church - "North, South, East, West" (mp3) from Starfish

And as if touring and recording with the band he's fronted for over thirty years isn't enough to keep him busy, last week also saw the release of White Magic, Steve Kilbey's second collaboration with All India Radio's Martin Kennedy. People who order the CD through Bandcamp will also receive 5 digital bonus tracks and a link to download a 15 track fan remix album of songs from their first release, Unseen Music Unheard Words, including one by Nashville's own Fraze Tempest.

Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy - "The Other Place (Fraze Tempest Remix)" (mp3)

Catching A Tiger

2011-02-02T21:37:00.004-06:00

Lissie - Catching a Tiger

I gotta admit that I didn't know quite how to react when I first listened to this album. Lissie's debut EP, Why You Runnin', was a much more rootsy affair. Catching A Tiger is definitely a bit shinier, a bit funkier, a little livelier and a lot more varied. It was kind of like hearing Norah Jones' last album for the first time... the shock of a new musical setting took a bit of getting used to, but in the same way it's just a new frame for a stellar voice (the comparison is especially appropriate since producer Jacquire King helmed both albums). It probably shouldn't have surprised me that Lissie would switch things up for her next release. All of her bio material describes a kind of wandering soul, who tries on new jobs and new towns with a greater than normal frequency, even by musician standards. That same restless spirit and sense of adventure is at work in here.

Lissie - "Bully" (mp3)

Lissie plays tomorrow night, February 3, at The Mercy Lounge in Nashville. Dylan LeBlanc opens.

Albums Of The Year 2010

2011-01-28T21:23:00.004-06:00

1. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul

After being held up in legal limbo for over a year, 2010 finally saw the release of the soundtrack to the multi-media collaboration between Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse, and David Lynch. And for those who never got around to obtaining through alternate means (I'm probably in the minority of that category), it was worth the wait. Albums with multiple guest singers are usually a mixed bag, but there is remarkable continuity on this album. The music was composed by Danger Mouse and Mark Linkous, and then the guest vocalists (including Iggy Pop, Frank Black, Julian Casablancas, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Gruff Ryhs of Super Furry Animals, James Mercer of The Shins, The Flaming Lips, and David Lynch) wrote the lyrics. Despite the fact that the singers were never given any direction or heard any of the other tracks, all the songs share similar themes of dealing with the darker side of life, giving the project remarkable continuity. The one-two punch of Black Francis' "Angel's Harp" and Iggy Pop's "Pain" give the album its rockingest moments, and "Man Who Played God" is the coolest thing I've ever heard from Suzanne Vega. The biggest surprise though is "Star Eyes (I Can't Reach It)," which proves that David Lynch can actually sing. Losing Mark Linkous to suicide was a blow to the music community last year, but at least he left us one more great album before he checked out. God speed.

2. The National - High Violet

This album didn't have quite the immediate effect with me that Boxer did, but over repeated listenings it's made a similar impact. Although "Bloodbuzz Ohio" and "Afraid of Everyone" were the songs that made the most sudden impact, it was slow burners like "Runaway" and "England" that ended up burrowing their way deepest into my head. Matt Berninger's lyrics might seem like a random collection of loosely associated phrases on first listen, but they seem to reveal themselves over time, and though they're rarely direct and to the point, he the brothers Dessner and Devendorf can create a mood like few other artists out there today. This was the year that The National officially made the list of my all time favorite bands.

3. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding

Oh Superchunk, how we missed you! It's not just that your only activity over the past nine years seemed to be limited to playing Merge anniversary shows and political rallies, and releasing the occasional track on a compilation album. It's also that your previous two albums seemed so, well... adult. We understand that bands need to develop and grow, so we accepted the keyboards and horns and such because the songs were still catchy as hell, even if they were a little slower. But to be honest, we kinda missed the Chunk we grew up with. And from the strains of feedback that open Majesty Shredding, it was obvious that this was a return to the band we hung out with in college. Louder. Faster. Slightly neurotic. It's great to see you again! Wanna grab a beer?

Superchunk - "Digging For Something" (mp3)

4. The New Pornographers – Together

I think I've gotten to the point with the New Pornographers that every new release is kind of like a trip to a favorite restaurant... there aren't going to be many surprises, but I know I'm going to love it. There isn't the thrill of discovery like there was the first time I heard Electric Version, or the first time I had a maple bar from Top Pot in Seattle. Over time that sense of revelation has been replaced with the anticipation of something you know is going to be great. And the fact that you know what to expect doesn't diminish the experience. And if that sounds boring to you, clearly you’ve never experienced the utter deliciousness that is a Top Pot donut. If you don’t believe me, ask Golden Tate. Read our full review from June.

5. Jónsi - Go

While it's not as atmospheric or experimental as Sigur Ros, it's funny to think that Go was intended to be a stripped down acoustic record. The instrumentation is still fairly eclectic, but the songs tend of have more traditional song structures. Combined with the fact that the lyrics are written in actually languages, it makes this much closer to "pop" than anything Jónsi has done in the past. It's hardly conventional, but the songs definitely have a happier, more upbeat feel than his past work. Where as Sigur Ros was always kind of a "put on your headphones and get lost" music, this makes for a surprisingly good driving album.

Knock Out Punches For The Freaks

2011-01-19T22:48:00.005-06:00

Guided By Voices w/ New Times Viking
Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN
Friday, January 14, 2011

The very first time I was introduced to Guided By Voices, it was by a voice other than Robert Pollard's. One night after a show, a couple of friends and I ended up back at the apartment of Shazam frontman Hans Rotenberry. After spending a couple of hours drinking beer and listening to records, a guitar ended up getting passed around, and Hans played a couple of GBV tunes. It was my first exposure to the melodic genius of Robert Pollard, and a mental note was definitely made that this was a band I needed to check out.

A few weeks later (July 24, 1995 to be exact), The Shazam was opening for GBV and Chavez at the Exit/In. It was one of those concerts that alters your musical path forever. It was just song after song of brilliant pop gems in quick two minutes bursts, with little more than a song title announcement and a count off in between (and maybe a quick pause for a swig of beer). I was instantly a fan, and began the laborious process of digging through their back catalog immediately.

I've seen Uncle Bob and company several times since then, and though they always put on a great show, it never quite had the same magic. Sure the exuberance, the mic swinging, the kicks, and the cooler of beer were all still there. And they certainly released some great songs since the classic lineup went their separate ways. But towards the end, the three hour, fifty song sets started becoming an exercise in patience (though I have to admit, it was always worth it when they played "Game Of Pricks" during one of the encores). So I was looking forward to the reunion show, and though I knew it'd be good, I figured there was no way they could match the energy of their show when they were relatively young lads just pushing forty.

I'm happy to announce I was wrong. The show was amazing. Sure the hair was greyer (Pollard's) and thinner (Tobin Sprout's), but that was about the only difference between the shows. It was almost like you stepped through a time machine when you walked through the door. Mitch Mitchell was till pounding power chords with an ever present cigarette hanging from his lip. Bassist Greg Demos broke out the insane striped pants and arena rock poses. And Kevin Fennell was still largely hidden behind cymbals and oversized toms.

It was clear that the guys were enjoying the hell out of doing this again. The setlist only strayed once from the classic era catalog (Mag Earwhig!'s "Sad If I Lost It"), and it contained just about every song you could possibly have wanted them to play. In fact, of the dream setlist I had in my mind, only "The Official Ironman Rally Song" didn't make the cut. Even deep cuts like "Jane Of The Waking Universe" were included. And it was great to get to hear Tobin do a few of his songs, something that rarely happened in the old days. The sing-a-long that accompanied "A Good Flying Bird" was one of the highlights of the night.

Earlier in the night, I thought I had hit the timing jackpot when I walked in the door two minutes before Times New Viking started their set. After their third song I was starting to wish I hadn't been able to find my keys or something. Despite having read good things about them, their music came off as monotonous and, well, boring. Farfisa organs are OK when used in moderation, but they become especially annoying when all your melodies seem to follow along with one finger keyboard parts.

Guided By Voices - "Game Of Pricks (Live)" (mp3) from Jellyfish Reflector

photo courtesy of Nashville Metromix

Christmas with The Killers

2010-12-19T19:03:00.001-06:00

The Killers released this song in 2006. I kinda dug it, and it was a charity single, and I love Christmas songs, so I happily threw a buck towards iTunes for the cause.

The other day I was surfing through the on demand videos that our cable company offers, and discovered "Don't Shoot Me Santa." It's a kinda bizarre video, but fun. But since I had no idea that The Killers had released other Christmas songs, it sent me searching. And it turns out they've been releasing them every year for the past half decade. This made me feel especially clueless, since I had still been a regular blogger most of that time. But after listening to their subsequent yuletide offerings I didn't feel so bad. It's like musical fruitcake... you're thankful that they gave you something, but it really isn't very good. And it really reminded me of why I quit caring about the Killers when they released Day & Age.

Deadman's Hand

2010-11-03T22:00:00.003-05:00

The Church - Deadman's Hand EP

As part of the Church's 30th anniversary tour, they released a CD that was given to each ticket holder. The Deadman's Hand EP has now been made available to the public, and if you didn't attend one of their shows this past summer, it's worth picking up. The title track comes from their most recent album, Untitled #23, and is filled out with four new tracks. Honestly, I think it's a stronger release than the album that sprung it. Maybe it's because the songs share a common theme. The references to tombstones, liqour, card games, death and the various wild west imagery scattered throughout becomes a sort of psychedelic spaghetti western concept album. The band's trademark atmostpherics are here, but the songs seem to have a tighter focus. Whether that's brought about by the common threads of the lyrics or the looseness of recording songs that aren't meant for a proper album, the result is a release that deserves to be heard by a wider audience. It's definitely a welcome addition to the band's catalog.

The Church - "Deadman's Hand" (mp3)

World (Cup) In Motion

2010-06-28T18:16:00.001-05:00

Ah, the World Cup... that other sporting event that brings the entire world together every four years. There are a ton of traditions that happen with the event. The exchange of jerseys, the chants, the drinking. We Americans have a tradition too. Every four years we pretend to care about soccer.

Oh, I know, everyone was jacked up about Landon Donovan’s goal last week. And you can’t turn on a sports radio station without hearing someone say it could be a turning point for soccer in America, but that’s wishful thinking. Don’t get me wrong, I like soccer. I grew up playing it, and winning the league championship in my "rookie" season remains one of my favorite childhood memories (I still have the trophy). But it’s never going to catch on in the US the way it has in the rest of the world. I mean, we get excited about Olympic hockey every four years too, but that doesn’t mean the NHL is ever going to reach the popularity that MLB or the NFL enjoys. Let’s face it, we’re too hooked on our own brand of football to every really get on board.

So why I am talking about sports on a music blog? Well….

In 1990, New Order recorded "World in Motion" as England’s official anthem for that year’s World Cup. Surprisingly it was New Order's only number one single in the UK. I picked it up back in the days when I would buy anything that any band I liked put out. I'm not nearly the completist I was back in those days, which is probably a good thing, because this song never really grew on me. But with the whole planet caught up in World Cup fever, I figured it was a good excuse to dig it out, dust it off, and post it as a Monday Morning b-side.

New Order - "World In Motion (The B-Side)" (mp3)

Together

2010-06-16T17:45:00.004-05:00

The New Pornographers - Together

If I had written about Together when it first came out a month ago, this would have been a much different review. My first impression after a couple of listens was that it was merely OK, and it didn't seem as catchy as their previous efforts. But after a week or so I started noticing how many of the songs were playing in my head at odd times... and not the obvious ones like "Crash Years" or "Your Hands (Together)." It was seemingly unlikely candidates like "My Saviour" that found themselves bouncing around my cranium while I was mowing the lawn or taking a shower. So I went back to the album with fresh ears, and was happy to discover that while Together might not have the rambunctious energy of Mass Romantic or Electric Version, that doesn't mean that the hooks aren't there. They're just surrounded with more lush and laid back musical settings. It's really a trend that started with Challengers, I guess it's just a bit more noticeable this time around.

~~The New Pornographers - "Your Hands (Together)"~~ ~~(mp3)~~ removed by request

The New Pornographers will be playing in Nashville at the Mercy Lounge on Sunday, June 27.

You Won't See Me

2010-06-07T22:17:00.004-05:00

I got all excited when I heard that Paul McCartney was coming to town. Sure he's put out some pretty mediocre music in the last thirty years since Wings broke up, but there have also been a few gems in there ("My Brave Face" ranks up there with the best of his 70's solo stuff). Plus, you know, he was in that Beatle group.

And then I went and forgot that tickets went on sale this morning. And while the show is not yet sold out, the cheapest remaining ticket is $277 a pop, which puts it firmly out of my price range. Fuck.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to console myself with The New Pornographers. And The National. And maybe Arcade Fire, if that one hasn't sold out already too.

Beyond The Lighted Stage

2010-04-29T22:46:00.005-05:00

I am totally going to to go see this, like in a theater and everything. Although after my last experience watching Rush on the big screen, I might have a hard time convincing the wife to go with me.

Record Store Day 2010

2010-04-15T21:52:00.003-05:00

So here I was, about to make my first post of married life by previewing Record Store Day 2010 in Nashville, and holy shit.... Emmylou Harris is playing at The Groove! The rest of their lineup is pretty sweet too, but let me repeat that... Emmylou Harris is playing at The Groove! As in the little neighborhood record store five minutes from our new house. Hell to the yes. You can bet your ass you know where I will be at 2:45 this Saturday.

Of course Grimey's has a pretty good lineup too, but none of their performers are named Emmylou Harris.

Normally this is the part of the post where I would post a song by the artist I've just been going on and on about, but as much unpacking as we (meaning my wife) have done, the one thing that hasn't recovered is my CD collection. Maybe next time...

RIP Alex Chilton

2010-03-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

Two of my last three posts have been obituaries. As the guy I eulogized on here last week once sang, "I'm so sick of goodbyes." I was just coming home from a night of St. Patrick's Day revelry with the missus when I got a text from a friend that Alex Chilton had died. It's not at all the way I was looking to end the night.

Just about everyone has heard Chilton's music, even if they don't know it. If you've ever spent any time listening to an oldies radio station, you've heard The Box Tops number one hit from 1967, "The Letter."And even if you've never actually heard Big Star, you probably know their song "In The Street" from the Cheap Trick cover that served as the theme song to That 70's Show. Then again, if you're reading a music blog, you probably already know all this.

I saw Alex Chilton do a solo show at the Exit/In in the early 90s. In addition to being a really cool low tech light show (a flicked cigarette may not seem like much, but it's amazing when you're tripping), it also provided one of my all time favorite one liners. Mainly though it was just great seeing a guy who, though he may have been jaded about the business of music, always had a deep and obvious passion for rock and roll. About a decade later I saw one of Big Star's reunion concerts. The bill also included Superdrag, which meant seeing bookends of Tennessee's greatest pop bands, both geographically and chronologically. Needless to say, it was a hell of a night.

As much as I'm happy to have the memories of seeing Chilton play, mostly I'll cherish the music. If there is finer melodic example of adolescent love than "September Gurls," I haven't heard it.

Big Star - "The Ballad Of El Goodo (Live Acoustic)" (mp3) from Big Star Live

Pants Soup

2010-03-17T07:13:00.000-05:00

Anyone who's visited this blog more than a couple of times knows I am a huge Frank Sinatra fan. Much to my chagrin, my fiance prefers Bing Crosby. I guess nobody's perfect.

If anyone has ever been in the market for any Crosby CDs, you tend to find that the only ones that are generally available are either Christmas CDs or compilations that mostly repackage the same dozen songs over and over. In an effort to expand our collection of Der Bingle, I visited one of our local used music emporiums the other day, where I found Top o' the Morning: His Irish Collection. With St. Patrick's Day being this week, I figured it was a timely purchase. And it introduced me to this ditty, which has to be one of the goofiest damn songs I've ever heard. It's also a little bit disturbing. Apparently in Ireland they use the same pots to do laundry that they cook dinner in. Mmmm... soapy.

Bing Crosby - "Who Threw The Overalls In Mrs. Murphy's Chowder?" (mp3) from Top o' the Morning: His Irish Collection

RIP Mark Linkous

2010-03-07T21:05:00.001-06:00

I remember the first time I heard Sparklehorse like it was yesterday. I was driving home on a Sunday night, listening to Jason Moon Wilkins show on Lightning 100, and he played "Someday I Will Treat You Good." It was one of those musical "oh shit" moments where you are just absolutely blown away. I'm pretty sure I went out and bought Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot the next day. It was absolutely brilliant. Somehow he managed to be rocking, rootsy, and totally surreal all at once. It was like listening to a rock album produced by David Lynch (who would end up collaborating with Mark Linkous fourteen years later on Dark Night Of The Soul). It may have taken him four or five years to complete an album, but the wait was always worth it. Pretty much everything he touched was great.

Unfortunately, Mark Linkous was also the kind of brilliant that when I read that he committed suicide yesterday, I was saddened but not surprised. He had already famously overdosed once, and his lyrics were full of references that made you think he might not be long for this world. Regardless, yesterday the world lost an incredibly gifted artist.

So farewell Mr. Linkous. Here's to hoping you find the happiness in the next life that was obviously missing for you in this one.

Sparklehorse - "Happy Man (Memphis Version)" (mp3) from Distorted Ghost

Vampire Weekend Revisited

2010-02-26T12:34:00.002-06:00

Vampire Weekend - Contra

I like to think I'm an open minded person, and that I don't let preconceived notions get the best of me. But I'm also human, and I realize that despite my best intentions, sometimes prejudice colors my judgement. Such was the case two years ago when Vampire Weekend broke out. I decided that a bunch of trust fund kids ripping off Paul Simon's Graceland didn't sound like my cup of tea, so I promptly tuned them out.

Something has changed though. Maybe it's that I'm older and wiser. Perhaps it's that Contra is better than their debut (I can't say, because I still haven't listened to their first album). Or maybe it's the fact that XL sent me the new album for free that caused me to give it a chance. But I've got to admit... I'm digging it quite a bit. I still don't think they're doing anything that Peter Gabriel wasn't doing 30 years ago, and listening to them feels more like a game of "spot the influences" rather than hearing something truly original. For instance, can anyone listen to "Run" without hearing the drumbeat from "Sunday Bloody Sunday?" But all that's beside the point, because I'm really enjoying their sophomore set. The combination of pop melodies and African rhythms makes for surprisingly great workout music, and it's definitely the kind of album I can imagine listening to in the car on a sunny spring day. So here's to second chances and open minds.

Vampire Weekend - "Horchata" (mp3) from Contra

It Came From New York

2010-02-22T10:22:00.005-06:00

Lately it seems like my email inbox has been filling up with bands from New York City. I guess it shouldn't be that surprising... New York is a big city, and there are a lot of bands there. But for the past couple weeks every other email has been from another Gotham group. So as a way to play catch up, here's a couple of the better submissions I've received recently from Manhattan and beyond...

The Canon Logic singer Tim Kiely sounds so much like Brandon Flowers that comparisons to The Killers are inevitable. The emphasis on piano gives the Brooklyn transplants a much more grounded sound though, influenced more by the 60's golden age of pop than 80's new wave. They celebrate the release of their debut full length, FM Arcade, with a show at the Mercury Lounge on March 5.

The Canon Logic - "Avenue Of Criminals" (mp3)

After a prolong period of dormancy, Some Awful Bridge both begin their future and turn the page on their past with the release of a new EP, Ankles and Elbows. Although the biographical information on their website is shrouded in mystery, half truths, and outright lies, you can glean together that these six songs serve as auditory evidence of the band's previous incarnation. It's equal parts new wave and art rock, shoegaze and psychedelia, glam and goth. Their new lineup makes their live debut this Wednesday, February 24 at Ace Of Clubs in Manhattan.

Some Awful Bridge - "My Wish, The Bone" (mp3)

I never got into the Moldy Peaches. They always seemed a bit jokey and amateurish for my tastes. So when I got Adam Green's new solo album, Minor Love, in the mail a few weeks ago, I wasn't expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. His sixth release is much more serious and musically accomplished than anything he's done in his past. Don't get me wrong, he's still the same smart alec he's always been, but he's toned it down a notch this time out.

Adam Green - "What Makes Him Act So Bad" (mp3) from Minor Love

Songs for Super Bowl Sunday

2010-02-07T12:59:00.001-06:00

With today being Super Bowl Sunday, and the Colts going for their second Lombardi trophy in four years, I figured it was a good excuse to dust off this gem, from one of the oddest CDs in my collection...

Kenny Chesney & Peyton Manning - "Whatever It Takes" (mp3) from NFL Country

I'll be cheering on Indianapolis today. Partly because Manning is a Tennessee alum, but mostly because my fiance is a huge Colts fan, and I don't want to sleep on the couch tonite.

In other Super Bowl music news, Audi will be debuting a commercial tonight that features a pretty kickass new recording of Cheap Trick's classic "Dream Police." You can get a free download of the song my becoming a fan of Audi on Facebook, and you can get a sneak peak of the commercial here.

I'd Call That A Bargain

2010-02-05T07:57:00.000-06:00

This is the story of the best ten dollars I ever spent...

In October of 1999, I was living in Las Vegas, working as a supervisor at the Virgin Megastore. One afternoon I was upstairs in the office when one of my managers came in and announced that The Who were playing the next weekend at MGM Grand Garden Arena, and tickets were only ten bucks. Now I should admit that if the tickets had been regular price, I wouldn't have gone. The Who were not coming off the greatest period of their history. Their recent reunion tours had been overblown and underwhelming spectacles, featuring too many additional musicians, guest singers, and worst of all Pete Townsend playing acoustic guitar exclusively due to his issues with tininitus. So I wasn't expecting much, but you simply don't pass up an opportunity to see one of the greatest rock bands of all time for one measly Alexander Hamilton.

The concert was part of iBash'99, an extravagant and expensive launch party for a dot-com company called Pixelon. In addition to The Who, the day long event featured Tony Bennett, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, The Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, and a lip synching Kiss. The $10 million event was supposed to be a showcase for their revolutionary new streaming technology, although it turned out to be a huge bust. They claiming Microsoft technology as their own, their servers crashed, and a year later their founder (who turned out to be a fugitive using a fake identity) was in jail and the company was bankrupt.

Like I said, we went into the show with low expectations, and at first it seemed like they were going to be met. The arena was only half full, and the show started late. When the lights went down, emcees David Spade and Cindy Margolis took the stage to what seemed like a chorus of boos. As it turned out, the crowd was yelling "BOOB!" due to a wardrobe malfunction from the world's most downloaded woman. After hyping the internet technology that wasn't actually working, they introduced the band. Roger Daltry, Pete Townsend and John Entwhistle took to the bare bones stage, accompanied only by drummer Zak Starkey and longtime Who keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick. Townsend plugged in a red Stratocaster and immediately started furiously banging out the chords to "I Can't Explain." And our jaws dropped. Far from being the lackluster performance we were expecting, we were blown away. This was The Who that we all loved... a stripped down, powerful and passionate rock band. No frills, no fuss, no filler. The ninety minute set focused almost exclusively on their hits, with only Entwhistle's "My Wife" thrown in as a deep catalog treat for the hardcore fans. But with the raw energy they were projecting, I sure as hell wasn't going to complain. It was a little rough around the edges at times, but frankly thats the way a good rock show should be. No one cared that Daltrey came in early during "Anyhow, Anyway, Anywhere," or that Townsend had to switch guitars in the middle of "Pinball Wizard" due to broken strings. We were witnessing the rebirth of one of rock and roll's all time greats. And when Daltrey let loose his throat shredding yell during "Won't Get Fooled Again" (which is easily the greatest scream in the recorded history of rock and roll), I got goosebumps. It was that good.

There are a lot of people who say The Who should have broken up for good when Keith Moon died (although that would have denied us most excellent and underated "Eminence Front"). And those same people would say the band really stopped being The Who when Entwhistle died in 2002. And I'd have to admit that those people have a point. The Who were definitely one of those band where each member was a singular talent. But having seen three-quarters of the original Who play an absolutely amazing show ten years ago, I still think the Daltrey/Townsend show will be worth watching at halftime on Super Bowl Sunday. It'll sure as hell be better than Up With People.

The Who - "Behind Blue Eyes (Alternate Version)" (mp3) from Who's Next
Pearl Jam - "Baba O'Reilly" (mp3) from 10/22/00 - Las Vegas, Nevada
Sugar - "Armenia City In The Sky" (mp3) from Besides

The 1999 concert is avaible on DVD as The Who - The Vegas Job.

Albums Of The Decade 2000-2009

2010-02-02T07:50:00.003-06:00

With everything going on in my life right now (planning a wedding, buying a house, etc), I haven't had time to finish a proper "best albums of the decade" list. But it seems like too monumental an occasion to just abandon the concept completely. So instead of a traditional, detailed write-ups of my favorite albums of the last ten years, I decided to take a "quick takes" approach for them. Usually I'm in love with Top 5 lists, but reviewing an entire decade seemed to call for a Top 10. So here we go... a list of the ten albums that most made my heart go pitter-patter in the oughts.

1. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights

From the very first notes of "Untitled" I knew this one was going to be special. It strikes the perfect balance between chiming and driving, dense and sparse, soaring and straightforward, and lyrically between obtuse and profound. And as a drummer, I'm completely smitten with Sam Fogarino's playing on this album. There aren't very many albums I fall in love with at first listen and never get tired of. This is definitely one of them.

2. Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun

There was a time in my life when I wouldn't be caught dead listening to a band that sang in a made-up language. But despite the fact that the lyrics are pretty much gibberish, "Svefn g englar" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Pretty much their entire catalog is awe inspiring, but this album is still my favorite.

Sigur Rós - "Starálfur" (mp3)

3. Radiohead - Kid A

I love Radiohead the most when they are a rock band. But this album was so awesome, and so mind blowing, that I didn't care that there were barely any guitars. It was so good in fact that it kept me from breaking up with someone... at least temporarily. Long story.

4. The National - Boxer

I was late to the party on this, so it didn't make my best of 2007 list. But I guarantee you I made up for lost time listening to it in 2008. I'm not sure a band has ever combined brilliant songwriting and offbeat arrangements so well. And it's absolutely become my go to flying album.

5. Cortney Tidwell - Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up

The very first time I heard her sing, it was just her and an omnichord, a drumset, and a guitar. But her voice was really the star of the show, and I was mesmerized. For this debut album, she was joined a band who matched her otherworldly vocals with a massive sound of their own. The result is nothing short of magic. Read our original review from February 2007.

Cortney Tidwell - "Missing Link" (mp3)

6. Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways

This would have been an amazing record even if it had been released while the Man in Black was still alive. The fact that it basically became Cash singing his own eulogy made it heartbreakingly profound. Read our original review from August 2006.

7. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas

What initially sounded like an odd pairing turned out to be a match made in heaven. Mark Lanegan's gruff baritone is the perfect counterpoint to Isobel Campbell's delicate soprano, and added a welcome degree of earthiness to her ethereal folk. Read our review from the Best 0f 2006 post.

8. The Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost

It's been a while since I played with psychedelics, but listening to this album is frankly a better trip than any chemical induced voyage I ever took. It's the kind of album was made for putting on headphones and getting lost with. Read our original review from April 2008.

The Black Angels - "Doves" (mp3)

9. The New Pornographers - Electric Version

Most bands would love to have as many great hooks over the course of their career as Carl Newman and company pack onto their sophomore album. With a wall of sound and a barrel full of infectious energy, Vancouver's finest unleash a power pop gem that is the perfect soundtrack for driving around on a sunny day with the windows rolled down and the stereo cranked just below the point where it would be harmful for your ears.

10. Mojave 3 - Excuses for Travellers

Who knew that one of the biggest stars of the nineties shoegazer scene would end up making such a great stoner country album? For the longest time I'd just listen to "In Love With A View" and "Return To Sender" endlessly, but once I got past track four I found the rest of the CD is equally great.

LaDanian Tomlinson introduces the Electric Glide

2010-01-11T21:38:00.002-06:00

A lot of athletes like to moonlight as rappers. Deion Sanders. Shaquile O'Neal. The 1985 Chicago Bears. There is a reason most of them ended up sticking to their day jobs.

Now another athlete has thrown his hat into the hip hop ring. A lot of people think that LaDanian Tomlinson is reaching the end of his NFL career, and if this is the first step of his post-football career, I suggest he take whatever paycut he has to to spend another year with the Chargers. It's hard to decide which is worse... the video, the rhymes, or the music. But if he was trying to be hilarious... mission accomplished.

Ten bucks says the first time a Jets defender tackles LT for a loss on Sunday, they'll do the Electric Glide over his ass.

Albums Of The Year 2009

2010-01-08T08:00:00.002-06:00

So now that the holidays are over and a new year and decade has begun, I guess it's high time I get to wrapping up the old ones. So with no further ado, here are my favorite albums of 2009...

1. Workers - Workers

This is one of those albums that I knew from the very first note I was going to love. The band formerly known as Your Black Star kicks off their fifth album with a call to arms in "Revolutions," and they don't take their foot off the pedal until it's over nine songs later. Three people shouldn't be able to make a sound this huge, but as anyone who has seen Workers live can attest, it's not just studio trickery. Eight years in they've made the album of their careers. If you're one of those people who wish U2 had broken up after War, or that Radiohead would leave the electronics behind and go back to being a ROCK band, or you just like kick ass bands and guitars that alternate between buzzsawing and echoing, you owe it to yourself to see what you missed. It started the year off at the frontrunner for my favorite album of the year and never gave up the position, despite some tough competition from number two. Read our full review from April.

Workers - "Revolutions" (mp3) from Workers

2. A.A. Bondy - When the Devil's Loose

Two years ago when A.A. Bondy released American Hearts, it was hard to believe that this was the same buy that fronted Verbena. Sure his old band occasionally touched on the blues, but mostly they sounded like Nirvana. So the rootsy, folky sound of his solo debut was a revelation. And as impressive as it was, his sophomore effort is even better. The songs are utterly fantastic, and the sound is a bit more atmospheric, while still retaining it's soulful core. Read our full review from April.

A.A. Bondy - "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing" (mp3) from When the Devil's Loose

3. A.C. Newman - Get Guilty

Ideally when you release a solo album, it should show a different side of your music than your regular band does. As good as The Slow Wonder was, it basically sounded like a New Pornographers album, minus Dan Bejar and Neko Case. With this second solo set, A.C. Newman got the balance right. It's familiar enough to appeal to the to the Pornographers fans, but just different enough to sound fresh. The instrumentation branches out with the addition of violin, horns and flutes, while the arrangements touch on new feels and rhythms. Of course, all of that would be moot if his gift for brilliant melodies and quirky hooks weren't there. But "All Of My Days And All Of My Days Off" or "The Palace At 4 a.m." are as catchy as anything he's ever released.

A.C. Newman - "Submarines Of Stockholm" (mp3) from Get Guilty

4. Lylas - Do You Believe In Blood?

It'd been too long since we'd heard from Lylas. In the three years since their last album, Lessons For Lovers, we'd only had a Christmas EP and a random show here and there to tide us over. This fall saw the long awaited release of their second full length album, and it was definitely worth the wait. The new lineup meant new textures and an expanded palate for their often eerie, sometimes delicate chamber folk. Music this pretty is rarely this creepy... and vice versa. Read our full review from October.

Lylas - "Baby Brimstone" (mp3) from Do You Believe In Blood?

5. Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted

If this selection seems a bit left field, its probably because it is. But as I started making this list, and thinking of the albums I listened to the most over the past 365 days, this album was right up there. I don't think Kelly Clarkson even qualifies as a guilty pleasure anymore... "Since U Been Gone" is defnitely among the best singles of the last decade, and the fight with her label to release My December gave her more artistic cred than most Pitchfork darlings have. So the fact that there was no song I turned up louder in the car this summer than "I Do Not Hook Up," and "Already Gone" being a really good breakup song means that this album made the cut. Mainstream pop doesn't get much more fun than this. Sure it's bubblegum, but it's really tasty gum.

Christmas Around The World - Palestine

2009-12-25T16:30:00.000-06:00

For the final Christmas Around The World, I thought I'd go to where it all began. I hope today finds you happy, safe and peaceful, where ever you are in the world. Merry Christmas.

Ella Fitzgerald - "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" (mp3) from Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas

Christmas Around The World - Indonesia

2009-12-24T07:27:00.004-06:00

For some reason I had always assumed Christmas Island was in the Pacific (maybe I had it confused with Kiritimati). Turns out it's in the Indian Ocean, and though it's only 600 miles from Jakarta, it's actually a territory of Australia. Crikey! Geography never was my best subject. I hadn't meant for so many of these Christmas Around The World posts to be tropical in nature, but songs about the sunnier scenery in December make a nice counterpoint to the traditional winter tunes we're used to hearing this time of year.

Leon Redbone is probably familiar to most people as Zooey Deschanel's original duet partner, and the voice of Leon the Snowman from Elf. Most of his career has been spent swimming just under the mainstream, and he's maintained quite an air of mystery. Not much is known about his past, and at one point it was thought that he was one of Andy Kaufman's alter egos. I guess the fact that Leon's still here and Andy's not finally put that rumor to rest.

Leon Redbone - "Christmas Island" (mp3) from Christmas Island

Christmas Around The World - Ireland

2009-12-23T07:55:00.001-06:00

They say when you're Irish, everyday is St. Patrick's Day. Does that mean if you're half Irish that it's every other day? The one advantage wearing green would give you at this time of year is it gives you a head start on dressing festively... throw on a red scarf and you're ready to go!

I'd mention some of the customs of the season in Ireland, but this song does a much better job of it than I possibly could.

Bing Crosby - "Christmas In Killarney" (mp3) from White Christmas

Nollaig Shona Duit!

Christmas Around The World - California

2009-12-21T08:07:00.000-06:00

I spent Christmas in San Diego ten years ago. My dad's entire family met down there for the holidays, and I remember going to my Aunt's condo on Christmas Eve and thinking how weird it was that it was in the mid-70's and people were laying out on the beach. But despite the warm weather, it was one of the most memorable Christmases of my life. Watching the sunset from the boardwalk at the Hotel Del Coronado, and then heading into the lobby for a family picture in front of their absolutely massive Christmas tree was a lot of fun. And when you've got family together for dinner and presents, it really doesn't matter whether it's cold outside or not.

I absolutely fell in love with this song last year. The lyrics reminded me of the two holiday seasons I spent in Las Vegas, plus I was in the middle of falling in love with my fiance last December, so the almost overwhelming sweetness of the lyrics that aren't talking about fake snow and billboard lights fit my frame of mind perfectly. The original version features Simone White on the female vocals, but this acoustic version has Wedding Present bassist Terry de Castro singing with David Gedge. Whether you're under a blanket in front of a fireplace or on a blanket sitting on the beach, this is a perfect song for Christmas cuddling.

The Wedding Present - "Holly Jolly Hollywood (Acoustic)" mp3 from the Holly Jolly Hollywood EP

Christmas Around The World - Trinidad

2009-12-18T08:14:00.001-06:00

I was going to post a different song to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the Christmas Around The World series (Lord Nelson's "A Party For Santa Claus," I promise I'll post it next year), but as awesome as it is, it didn't fit in with the apparent theme of songs that describe Christmas in the location. So here's one that does.

Machel - "Soca Santa" (mp3) from Mas! A Caribbean Christmas Party

I'm pretty sure I paid two dollars for this CD many years ago, and it was worth is just for Joseph Spence's beautifully bizarre version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" (check it out here). But this year it's made its way into the yuletide rotation, and it's been a treat. If you're feeling adventurous and craving something different from the same dozen song you seem to hear ad nauseum this time of year, it's worth checking out.

Farewell Chris Feinstein

2009-12-17T08:03:00.000-06:00

As news broke yesterday that Chris Feinstein passed away on Monday, most of the stories have focused on him being the bass player for Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. I guess that's understandable, since it was both his most recent and most popular gig. But he'd been an important part of Nashville's rock scene for years. He'd been a member if some of Nashville's seminal rock bands... The Questionaires, Shadow 15, Bedlam and Iodine among them, as well as recording and touring with Matthew Ryan. He'd also done studio work with Patty Griffin, Moby, the Strokes' Albert Hammond Jr and former Split Enz guitarist Tim Finn. And while his musical resume is impressive, I'll remember him most just for being a really nice guy. I got to know him during the Iodine days, and it was always a treat to talk to him. He was one of those people who would always greet you with a smile, and he could excitedly talk music with you for hours. He may have been a New Yorker for quite a while now, but there are surely a ton of people here in Nashville who are immensely saddened by the news of his passing. I'm definitely one of them.

For those of who who may only be familiar with his more recent discography, here are a few highlights from his musical legacy. Godspeed Chris... you will be missed.

Iodine - "Swan Dive" (mp3) from Baby Grand
Patty Griffin - "Blue Sky" (mp3) from Flaming Red
Tim Finn - "Good Together" (mp3) from Say It Is So
Shadow 15 - "The Last Forever" (mp3) from City Without A Subway
The Questionnaires - "Boomtown" (mp3) from City Without A Subway

I was going to post Matthew Ryan's "Heartache Weather" from his second album East Autumn Grin as well, but I couldn't find the CD. Turns out Matthew has made a tribute video to Chris using the song...

Christmas Around The World - Louisiana

2009-12-14T07:45:00.001-06:00

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities that I've ever visited, and I've been itching to find an excuse to get back there. It's probably a fun place to be this time of year. Not that they need an excuse to party, but I can just imagine the balconies of Basin Street decorated with garland and lights, and the sound of carols being played by a brass band drifting out of the clubs. They might not have snow or be wearing scarves and mittens, but I imagine there's no shortage of Christmas spirit in the Big Easy when Saint Nicholas goes marching in.

Louis Armstrong - "Christmas In New Orleans" (mp3) from The Best of Louis Armstrong - The Christmas Collection: 20th Century Masters

photo by JustUptown

I Told You I Was Freaky

2009-12-13T21:52:00.001-06:00

Flight Of The Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky

I remember reading a review of the Flight Of The Conchords' show at the Ryman back in February that commented on how so many of their songs were really salacious slow jams disguised as acoustic ditties. After listening to their second album, I Told You I Was Freaky, it's obvious why... because a lot of the songs they played that night are indeed R&B seductions.

I've been listening to this album without the benefit of having watched the entire second season of their HBO show, so I've been able to judge most of the songs on their own merits, without the context of the show to frame them with. There are some great and hilarious tunes on here, but in general you can definitely tell that a lot of these songs were written for the show, rather than their first album where the show was written around the songs. That shouldn't be interpreted as a knock on the album, just an observation. "Sugalumps" is quite possibly the most hilarious thing I've ever heard, and "Rambling Through The Avenues Of Time" is an absolutely perfect send up of Billy Joel. But a song like "Demon Woman" is probably appreciated more when you've seen the setup that their show provides.

The other obvious influence of the show on this album is in the production. While there are still a few acoustic based tunes, most of these songs have much fuller and much more electronic arrangements than their debut did. For a band that used to bill themselves as New Zeland's fourth most popular folk comedy duo, they sound surprisingly at ease kicking out the electro-jams. As they declare on the opener "Hurt Feelings," "Some people way that we are not rappers. We're rappers." They're also one of the funniest shows on television, which makes their announcement last week that they wouldn't be back for a third season utterly depressing. Here's to hoping they at least keep releasing albums.

Flight Of The Conchords - "Sugalumps" (mp3) from I Told You I Was Freaky

A Sinatra Family Christmas

2009-12-12T23:38:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday Frank. To celebrate, here's a seasonal sing-a-long with the kids...

Frank Sinatra & Family - "I Wouldn't Trade Christmas" (mp3) from Frank Sinatra Christmas Collection

Christmas Around The World - Italy

2009-12-09T07:42:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year when your email inbox fills up with a thousand forwarded messages from cousins and aunts that you haven't seen in the last decade, but for whatever reason they feel like forwarding a holiday message with a thousand lines of address headers makes them feel closer to their family this time of year. Next time send a card.

That said I actually enjoyed the Christmas trees around the world email that I'm sure everyone has already seen by now. And if you haven't, enjoy the world's largest Christmas tree on the slopes of Mt. Ingino, just outside of Gubbio, Italy. Apparently it's been an annual tradition since 1981. If you speak Italian, you can read all about it. If not, it's designed with 500 colored lamps and 40,000 feet of cables, and it lights up every year on December 7, the eve of the feast of Immaculate Conception.

This song actually came up in conversation at my annual Christmas party Saturday night. A couple of my friends had heard it in the car earlier that day, and thought it was absolutely the stupidest song they'd ever heard. I couldn't disagree more. Yeah, it's goofy, but that's what makes it one of my absolute favorite Christmas songs.

Lou Monte - "Dominick The Donkey" (mp3) from The Very Best of Lou Monte

Heaven Tonight

2009-12-05T10:25:00.002-06:00

Cheap Trick, w/ Superdrag
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Thursday, December 3, 2009

Christmas came early for pop nerds in Nashville this year, as one of the best double bills I've ever seen shared the stage at the legendary Ryman. Really, if you are a fan of rock and roll, you could not have asked for a better bill, or two bands more perfectly suited to be playing together. If you had been paying by the melody, tickets would have been five times the top tier price of fifty bucks.

Adopted hometown heroes Superdrag took the stage promptly (and I mean promptly) at 7:30. They may have been playing to a half full house at the start of their set, but the guys were clearly pumped to be playing at the mother church. Kicking things off with "Slow To Anger" and "Keep It Close To Me," they delivered a 40 minute set that was heavy on their mid-nineties Modern Rock radio classics. "Do The Vampire," "Sucked Out," and their standard closer "Destination Ursa Major" were all present and accounted for. And though they were tearing up the entire time, their smiles seemed to grow with each song as more and more of the crowd filed in. Even if frontman John Davis hadn't made repeated comments about what an honor it was for them to be playing there, their demeanor on stage made it obvious that they were having one hell of a good time.

After a forty minute wait that was spent listening to fortysomethings explain to their significant others how great Cheap Trick was when they last saw them in high school on the One On One tour, the house lights thankfully went down. An intro tape that featured an animated Japanese announcer, song snippets, and various quotes about the headliners from episodes of The Simpsons made it clear that yes indeed ladies and gentlemen, we were ready to rock. With a one-two punch of "Way Of The World" and "Come On, Come On," Rockford, IL's finest came out swinging and made it clear that they definitely belong among the greats who have played Nashville's most fabled stage. The set was heavy on the hits and surprisingly light on deep album cuts. I'd have gladly sacrificed any of the songs they played from their most recent album The Latest (although "Sick Man Of Europe" was a highlight) in order to hear fan favorites like "He's A Whore" or "Southern Girls." The pop purists among the crowd may have cringed when they broke out their 1988 power ballad "The Flame," but the song definitely highlights Robin Zander's still formidable vocals, and it gave the middle aged wives and girlfriends their "hug and sway" moment. When the band next tore into "Surrender" (the most perfect pop song ever written, says me), all was forgiven, although it seemed a bit early in the set to be playing their most popular song. As it turned out, it was the end of the main set already, just an hour into the show.

They kicked off their encore by reprising a song from their Las Vegas Sgt. Pepper residency, playing an outstanding version of "A Day In The Life." The Beatles' classic made an impressively appropriate segue into a raucous version of "Dream Police" that featured a guest appearance from Journey's Jonathan Cain on keyboards. After that back to back powderkeg, and entire audience was floating on a musical high that seemed like it could last forever, which is why it was all the more surprising when Rick Nielsen and Bun E. Carlos started off the intro to "Good Night." Surely the band wasn't going to call it quits after a mere 75 minutes? When Zander sang "That's the end of the show, now it's time to go," they meant it, and we got our unfortunate answer.

All though the concert was way too short, it feels like it's hard to complain. Yeah, it was brief, but it was also incredibly good. After over thirty years together, the guys have lost absolutely none of their ability to put on an utterly fantastic show. And frankly any setlist that includes "She's Tight" can do no wrong.

Cheap Trick - "Goodnight (Live)" bonus track from In Color

And since it's the holiday season, I'll throw this one up as a bonus...

Cheap Trick - "Christmas Christmas" (mp3) from Gift

photo by Steve Cross, lovingly stolen from Nashville Cream. Read their review, or check out their show galleries of Cheap Trick and Superdrag.

Christmas Around The World - Hawaii

2009-12-03T08:18:00.001-06:00

I've never been to Hawaii. My parents promised my sister and I a trip there when we were kids, but then we moved from Washington to Tennessee, and suddenly it was no longer feasible. They took us to the Bahamas instead. Now I'll admit the Bahamas are nice, but they ain't Hawaii. My fiance and I looked into a trip there recently while honeymoon planning, but as soon as we saw the cost of airfare, it was crossed off the list of possible destinations. It'd be cheaper to fly to Europe, and we aren't going there either.

What does any of this have to do with Christmas? Absolutely nothing, so I'll get back on track. I used to work with a lady from Hawaii, and I loved that she always signed her Christmas cards Mele Kalikimaka. It's funny that sometimes we learn language through song. I mean, everyone knows how to say Merry Christmas in Spanish, right? We can thank Jose Feliciano for that.

Until last year the only versions of this song that I'd ever heard were Chris Isaak and Bing Crosby with The Andrews Sisters. Two years ago I picked up KT Tunstall's Christmas CD at Target for 75 cents. I'm not really a fan of hers, but I do love Christmas music, and at ninety percent off I'll check out just about anything. It turned out to be a pretty good CD, and her version of this song is ridiculously fun.

KT Tunstall - "Mele Kalikimaka" (mp3) from Have Yourself A Very KT Christmas

Christmas Around The World

2009-12-01T07:31:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite Nashville Christmas memories was going to see the Trees of Christmas exhibit at Cheekwood. A few years ago they ended the annual event, apparently after a falling out between the various garden clubs that did each of the themed trees. They still have Christmas exhibits there, but they aren't nearly as big or as cool as they used to be. My favorite was the year they did Christmas Around The World, where each tree represented the various yuletide traditions from countries all over the world. Not only was it festive, but it also appealed to the history nerd in me.

I always post a bunch of Christmas songs this time of year, and I thought this December it'd be fun to do a theme. So every couple of days I'll be posting a song celebrating Christmas around the world. I haven't really planned exactly how many songs I have that fit into this theme (feel free to leave suggestions in the comments), but I came up with a half dozen off the top of my head, so I figure I'll be able to dig up a few more in order to do a post every 2-3 days leading up to Christmas. To kick things off, here's a theme song for the series, courtesy of the Candy Man...

Sammy Davis Jr. - "Christmas Time All Over The World" (mp3) from Christmas With The Rat Pack

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T13:21:00.001-06:00

For a lot of different reasons, I'm especially thankful this year, so this song seemed more than appropriate when I heard it this morning.

Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby - "Let Us Break Bread Together" (mp3)

It was originally released on America, I Hear You Singing in 1964, and though it has never been reissued on CD, you can find a few of the tracks on Frank Sinatra's The Complete Reprise Recordings, which though also out of print is much more attainable.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

The Muppets do Bohemian Rhapsody

2009-11-24T21:26:00.000-06:00

I hate to post to videos in a row, but oh my God... if you haven't seen this yet, take five minutes out of your day RIGHT NOW and watch it. Absolutely effing brilliant. Even if it just stopped after Animal's bit, it'd be one of the funniest things I've seen all year, but it just keeps getting better after that. You'll never hear Queen the same way again.

RIP Velvet Thunder

2009-11-24T21:05:00.002-06:00

If you ever spent anytime downtown Nashville in the last thirty years, chances are you saw and heard Velvet Thunder. The guy was an institution, and the exception to the disparaging remarks I made a couple months ago about not being interested in local street musicians. He had a regular post sitting just outside the Spaghetti Factory, and frankly a trip to Second Avenue where I didn't see him was always a bit of a disappointment. The guy seemed to know every song anyone ever requested, and he always had a smile on his face. He told stories about singing with Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, and even though the tales were probably bullshit, it didn't make them any less entertaining. He was even the cover star of a seven inch EP put out by legendary local punk label House O' Pain that featured one of my old bands. To me he is just as big a part of Nashville's musical legacy as anyone who ever graced the Ryman's stage.

I was reading the Tennessean yesterday, and Velvet died last week. Second Avenue will never be the same.

You can still toss a few bucks his way... stop by any Bank of America branch to contribute to the Elringo De'Angelino Fund to help pay for his funeral expenses. You'll be helping to commemorate one of Music City's true musical treasures.

Tonight Is The Ghost

2009-11-20T08:15:00.002-06:00

Hurricane Bells - Tonight Is The Ghost

Hurricane Bells is the new solo project from Longwave singer/guitarist Steve Schiltz. And you weren't supposed to be hearing it yet. Schlitz originally envisioned it as something he'd release on his own. But then his song "Monsters" got included on the surprisingly stellar lineup for The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack and, well, plans change. His debut album is now being released by Vagrant Records, although the sped up schedule means that a digital release is preceding the actual physical release by three months.

So what does Tonight Is The Ghost sound like? Basically it's a stripped down version of Longwave. It has a similar atmospheric vibe, but much less dense. Schiltz wrote, played, recorded and mixed every note on the album himself, and some of the songs have the kind of laid back, late night quality you often expect from a home recorded solo project. Other songs, like "This Is A Test" or the instrumental closer "Tenterhooks" sound a lot like his main band with a few less layers of guitar, and a few more layers of vocals.

And what about this New Moon movie he's gotten himself involved with? For reasons that I still can't quite explain, I went to a midnight showing of it last night, and it's actually not bad. I thought Twilight was the chickiest chick flick I'd ever seen, but the sequel is a lot better. There's a lot more action, and the story, while still a bit corny, isn't nearly as cringe worthy as the first one. So if you're a guy getting dragged to it by your girlfriend this weekend (which is how I saw it), you can rest easy... it's definitely watchable, and maybe even slightly enjoyable.

Hurricane Bells - "This Year" (mp3)

Witness Blues

2009-11-19T18:47:00.001-06:00

Elvis Perkins In Dearland w/ A.A. Bondy
Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

If you were at the Mercy Lounge Tuesday night, you never would have guessed that Nashville had been experiencing sunshine and 75 degree temperatures just two days earlier. It seemed like everyone in attendance had spent the indian summer weekend digging their winter clothes out of the back of the closet. Every other person was wearing either a sweater, scarf, knit hat, or some combination of the three.

For a while it seemed like the openers would be experiencing the familiar curse of a Nashville weeknight crowd, but just as A.A. Bondy and his bandmates were taking the stage, people materialized seemingly out of nowhere, and the place ended up being about two-thirds full. They also were surprisingly attentive and respectfully quiet throughout the mostly subdued hour long set, so much so that Bondy thanked them several times for being such a great crowd. With just three people on stage, the songs from Bondy's most recent album, When The Devil's Loose, were much less atmospheric than on record, making the sound much closer to that of his debut album. The only hints of the former Verbena frontman's rock and roll past were during a distortion drenched ending to "Slow Parade," and the cacophony of noise that "Killed Myself When I Was Young" decsended into. Only two songs approached the lushness of their album versions: "Mightest of Guns," on which his drummer played pedal steel, and the closer "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing," when they were joined on stage by Elvis Perkins and two of his bandmates. Don't take that as a complaint though. It might have been a laid back, bluesy set, but it was also utterly fantastic.

Elvis Perkins In Dearland is one of those bands where every member seems to play at least three different instruments. So despite only being a four piece, it looked like the stage was setup for Arcade Fire or Belle And Sebastian. Perkins kicked off the set solo before being joined by his bandmates. And three songs in, Bondy returned the favor affored during his set by joining them on guitar for "Doomsday," the title track to Perkin's most recent release. While not a huge fan, I'd heard several Perkins songs before. But before Tuesday night it had never occured to me that he often sounds a bit like Paul Simon fronting the Decemberists. That's a cool combination, but it couldn't overcome the fact that I was tired and it was a school night, so I ended up heading home about halfway through their set.

Elvis Perkins - "While You Were Sleeping" (mp3) from Ash Wednesday
Elvis Perkins In Dearland - "Slow Doomsday" (mp3) from The Doomsday EP
A.A. Bondy - "When The Devil's Loose" (mp3) from When The Devil's Loose
A.A. Bondy - "There's A Reason" (mp3) from American Hearts

photo of A.A. Bondy by minervacat

Why You Runnin'

2009-11-11T19:13:00.003-06:00

Lissie - Why You Runnin'

As introductions to a new artist go, the debut from Lissie Maurus, is a pretty promising one. Blessed with the pipes of her barbershop quartet champion grandfather, and the vagabond spirit of her train jumping great-grandfather, this Rock Island, IL native has unveiled a stellar EP that is sure to turn heads. With an assist from Band Of Horses' Bill Reynolds and Tyler Ramsey, she sounds like a more homespun version of Neko Case, while the production invites comparisons to Emmylou Harris' work with Daniel Lanois. "Little Lovin' " is a lively opener, but the rest of Why You Runnin' is a more subdued affair. A gorgeous cover of Hank William's "Wedding Bells" shows that her heart's in the right place, and sets the tone for the originals that follow. "Oh Mississippi" is a wistful ode to the river she grew up with, while "Everywhere I Go" and "Here Before" are yearning ballads whose minimal arrangements are the perfect setting to showcase her gorgeous vocals. Lissie is definitely an artist I'm looking forward to hearing more from.

Lissie - "Little Lovin' " (mp3)

A Day In The Life

2009-11-09T07:53:00.002-06:00

Friday afternoon I was listening to my ipod at work. In the space of an hour three different versions of "A Day In The Life" came up on shuffle, and not one of them was the The Beatles' original version. What are the chances?

This is probably my second favorite Fab Four song, so it didn't really surprise me that I had so many versions of it (I don't have any covers of "In My Life" in my collection, because anyone who does that song tends to make it overly sappy). All three of these are live versions, and two of them are much, much better than the third one... I'll leave it up to you to decide which is which.

Cheap Trick - "A Day In The Life" (mp3) from Sgt. Pepper Live
Robyn Hitchcock - "A Day In The Life" (mp3) from Live Death
Sting - "A Day In The Life" (mp3) from Demolition Man

Capgun Coup's Maudlin

2009-11-04T06:39:00.004-06:00

Capgun Coup - Maudlin

The sophomore album from Omaha, NE's Capgun Coup is frenetic collision of 60's garage rock and 70's punk spirit. Recorded live in the studio, it documents the madhouse atmosphere of the house shows the band is known for in their hometown. Frontman Sam Martin delivers his biting lyrics with a Dylan-esque delivery, conjuring up images of what Mr. Zimmerman might have sounded like had he been five years younger and headed to Detroit or the Pacific Northwest instead of the folk scene of Greenwich Village. Whether it's the Farfisa fueled "Computer Screens and TVs," or the Ventures homage that kicks off "When I'm Gone," Maudlin is filled with a relentless energy that stands in stark contrast to the album's title.

Capgun Coup - "Sitting On The Sidewalk" (mp3)
Capgun Coup - "Bad Bands" (mp3)

Sinatra Live at the Meadowlands

2009-11-03T18:22:00.002-06:00

Frank Sinatra - Live at the Meadowlands

Eleven years after his death, you have to wonder if the Frank Sinatra estate is going to run out of new material to release at some point. Three of the four labels he recorded for have already done "complete recordings" box sets, and you can only put out so many themed "best of" compilations. There's always live albums, and with a performing career that spanned seven decades, surely there are a lot of recorded shows in the archives. But even with that you can only release so many before the marketplace gets cluttered, and the CD racks already contain nine live albums, including a five CD boxed set of performances from Las Vegas. Add in countless bootlegs, and it begs the question how many more concerts can actually be worth hearing?

Apparently the answer is at least one more.*

Live at the Meadowlands documents an 1986 concert in New Jersey. And while Sinatra's setlists in the later years of his performing career could be hit or miss, the song selection for this show was pretty spot on. Heavy on the classics, and almost totally devoid of the MOR schlock he sometimes recorded in the 70s and 80s, this sort of homecoming show is full of gems from the great American songbook. With signature anthems like "My Way" and "Strangers In The Night" relegated to the opening instrumental medley, Frank was free to concentrate on the likes of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, the Gershwins, and a triple shot of Rodgers and Hart. And as he did throughout his career, he frequently credits the songwriters and arrangers who were responsible for the foundations upon which his career was built. "Change Partners" is presented in a fantastic non-bossavnoa arrangement, and as great as the studio version of "It Was A Very Good Year" is, here Sinatra gives the song even more meaning with an additional 20 years of living behind him. Following it with "You Make Feel So Young" proved that despite being 61 years old at the time, there was still plenty of life left ahead of him. The only turkey in the set is the inclusion of Quincy Jones' television theme song wannabe "L.A. Is My Lady," but I guess you can't fault the guy for wanting to promote what was at the time his most recent album. Frank was clearly energized performing withing spitting distance of his hometown of Hoboken, and his enthusiasm is apparent throughout the concert. Far from being the kind of CD that only appeals to completists, this is a live album that any level of Sinatra fan would love.

Frank Sinatra - "My Heart Stood Still (Live)" (mp3)

*NOTE: Well, I guess the answer may be more than just one more. Turns out the same day I finish this post, the estate has released Sinatra:New York, a five disc set of live material recorded in the city that never sleeps. With material ranging between 1955 and 1990, this is sure to be a treat. And so my Christmas wish list begins...

Do You Believe In Blood?

2009-10-30T10:55:00.005-05:00

Lylas - Do You Believe In Blood?

Lylas has always been a band for all seasons. They've recorded spring songs, summer songs, and two EPs full of Christmas songs. But perhaps the time of year their music is most appropriate for is Halloween. Even when they aren't name dropping the October holiday in their songs (something they do twice on their new album), their music has long been full of themes appropriate the season of ghosts and the ghoulish. It's the kind of world where courting couples sweetly embrace, only to have one of them fall back with a knife wound.

Their second full length album continues the lyrical themes that their press release accurately describes as "the strangely sweet and the gently macabre," but the addition of Features drummer Rollum Haas to their ranks has added a bit of muscle to their chamber folk/pop. Don't get me wrong, you're not going to suddenly mistake them for a rock band, but they've never previously recorded anything quite as rambunctious as "Baby Brimstone." And Kelli Shay Hix's fiddle serves to accentuate the subtle country influence that has always been present in their sound. Like a Hitchcock film set to a Django Reinhardt score, Do You Believe In Blood? is equal parts chilling and charming. If you're looking for the perfect soundtrack for sipping some witches brew while chasing frightened children off your porch tomorrow night, this is it.

Lylas - "Fix Me Dixie" (mp3)
Lylas - "Baby Brimstone" (mp3)

Beast Rest Forth Mouth

2009-10-29T18:04:00.001-05:00

Bear In Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth

Brooklyn's Bear In Heaven was one of the bands that I saw earlier this month at Next Big Nashville and made a mental note that I needed to check them out. Turns out if I had done a better job of checking my inbox, I could have checked them out before NBN... I'd already been sent a link to their sophomore album.

Beast Rest Forth Mouth is full of moody, sequencer driven indie rock. The songs seem to float through your head, riding through aural clouds on beds of vintage synths. Even the more upbeat songs have an airy, slightly ominous feeling. On "Dust Cloud" they sound like My Bloody Valentine on valium, but the rest of the albums pulls equally from 80's new wave and late 70's prog rock. It's like if Yes' Jon Anderson fronted Tangerine Dream, and they covered Gary Numan songs. While I might personally wish for a bit more guitar to add variety to the proceedings, you can't deny that these guys create one hell of an atmosphere. It's no surprise that they're one of the buzziest bands on the blogs right now.

Bear In Heaven - "Lovesick Teenagers" (mp3)

Bluegrass Hitchcock

2009-10-22T09:15:00.001-05:00

Robyn Hitchcock
Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN
Saturday, October 17, 2009

There was a real sense of curiosity as people were waiting in line to get into the Bluebird on a chilly Saturday night. The show had seemed to pop up out of nowhere, and most of the fans in line were saying they had just found out about it in the last couple of days. Additionally, the evening was billed as "Robyn Hitchcock Presents," so everyone was wondering exactly what that meant. But the fact that no one knew quite what to expect certainly didn't keep anyone away. The place was absolutely packed with a bizarre mix of hardcore fans and curious tourists who just wanted to see the legendary venue, and if you didn't have reservations you were out of luck.

I was almost one of those unfortunate souls that didn't get in. By the grace of God, I was in line in front of someone who had made reservation for two, and their friend didn't show up. So instead of heading home early, cold and disappointed, I found myself at a table right in front of the stage, for what ended up being the most unique Robyn Hitchcock show I've seen.

After starting the show with a five song solo set that included "The Museum of Sex," "I Often Dream Of Trains," and a cover of Gillian Welch's "Elvis Presley Blues," Robyn welcomed Abigail Washburn and Rayna Gellert to the stage. With accompaniment on banjo and fiddle respectively, they tore into a mind blowing bluegrass version of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows." At that point they could have said goodnight and left the stage, and I still would have felt like the night was worth twice the fifteen dollar cover. But they played for another hour, alternating between Robyn's vast catalog and traditional folk songs and murder ballads that featured Washburn and Gellert on vocals. The show had a somewhat loose feeling, like you were watching friends jamming in someone's basement, but it also had that sense of fun that you get from seeing something completely out of the ordinary. Though Hitchcock has had a few songs throughout his career with a somewhat country feel, hearing his quirky pop played with a bluegrass tinge was a treat. Washburn and Gellert seemed to be having a great time as well, especially during Hitchcock's hilariously surreal between song banter, this time featuring recurring themes of airline announcements and "sucky olives."

For the encore, Robyn returned to the stage alone for absolutely beautiful renditions of The Door's "The Crystal Ship" and Nick Drake's "River Man" before inviting the gals back onstage for a rousing stomp through "Ye Sleeping Knights Of Jesus," a song that was tailor made for the evening's down home, folksy feel. As his guests left the stage, he began a return trip to the Jim Morrison catalog, singing "The End" in its entirety, complete with the Oedipal monologue.

Hitchcock has played the Bluebird several times before, and after recording Spooked here with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, he's obviously developed a real affinity for Nashville. But it's a safe bet to say that Saturday night was an experience unlike any of the shows he's played here before, or anywhere else for that matter.

Robyn Hitchcock - "The Ghost In You (Live)" (mp3)

To see the complete setlist, check out Miles' review at Reading Pronounciation. Photo by John Brassil - note: the photo is from a show at the Bluebird five years ago, but oddly enough, Robyn was wearing the same shirt Saturday night.

Feral Harmonic

2009-10-19T15:35:00.002-05:00

Old Canes - Feral Harmonic

Folk music and punk rock have always been distant cousins. Often times they share a state of mind, a certain anti-establishment attitude, and a belief that anyone can pick up an instrument and make their voice be heard. Musically though, you usually lean one way or another. Either you strum an acoustic guitar and make wistful, quiet records, or you plug into an amp and raise hell. Old Canes' Feral Harmonic doesn't fall comfortably into one category or the other.

Maybe it's the way the songs were recorded. Appleseed Cast's Chris Chrisci started all the songs by recording the drums first. And though they were then layered with entirely acoustic instruments (including trumpets that sound like they were borrowed from Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire"), that foundation creates a bold, boisterous, and intensely rhythmic sound. Sure there are tracks like "Trust" and "Southern Radio" that have the quiet sound like you would expect from something labeled folk music, but the majority of the album has a rambunctious energy that is usually reserved for rock and roll. Songs like "Little Bird Courage" and "I Will Be The Sun" come flying out of the speakers with an almost explosive joy. Feral Harmonic is one of the most exciting acoustic albums I've ever heard.

Old Canes - "Little Bird Courage" (mp3)

Next Big Nashville 09 Saturday Recap

2009-10-15T07:25:00.003-05:00

My final night of Next Big Nashville didn't get off to the start I had hoped for. After a pregame nap that lasted about an hour and half longer than planned, I headed out about 9:30 and figured I'd catch the tail end of Mikky Ekko's set at 12th and Porter. But when I got there, his set had evidently ended early, and the next band was already setting up their gear. So I made my way to the Exit/In with my sights on seeing the last half of Other Girls set. What I got to see was them tearing down. With my count now 0-2, I walked over to The End just in time to catch the last minute and a half of Denny & The Jets set. After an hour and three different venues, I'd managed to see absolutely no one. Last year set a precedent of NBN shows running pretty much on time, but never in my life would I have expected three different venues to be running ahead of schedule.

My luck changed eventually though. Matt Friction and the Cheap Shots thankfully waited until their scheduled time to go on, so I did catch the former Pink Spiders frontman's new band. They've got all the pop melodies and catchy hooks of his old outfit, but they lean more towards Ryan Adams territory than the Spiders punky brashness. Part two of the evening's "night of the former major label frontpersons" featured ex-Be Your Own Pet singer Jemina Pearl. Her solo material was pretty similar to the BYOP stuff... attitude heavy punk rock jams, played with the same amount of energy but with a little more finesse.

Other than dodging cars on Elliston, I also managed to hop the shuttle to catch some of The Protomen's set at Mercy Lounge. They were thrilling an absolutely packed house with their Blade Runner meets Bat Out Of Hell opera rock. It seemed like the spectacle took precedence over the music, but the crowd was absolutely eating it up. Jim Steinman would be proud.

Infinity Cat shows often feel more like an excuse to party than an actual concert, and the label's showcase at The End Saturday nite was no exception. Unfortunately Daniel Pujol fell into the same "end of the set" curse the plagued me earlier in the night, but I managed to catch substantial bits of the rest of the bill's ramshackle garage rock. Natural Child played ragged punk rock, while Heavy Cream were a bit like a bunch of kids who broke into a music store and were trying to squeeze in as much fun as possible before the cops showed up. Capping of the night was one of the worst kept secrets of the weekend, a "surprise" appearance by JEFF The Brotherhood. Love 'em or hate 'em, their minimalist stoner rock had the sweaty crowd jumping. Towards the end of their set there was a massive surge of stage divers, though some of them found unwilling helpers in the crowd and quickly made their way to the floor (check out The Opening Acts for pics). As the last notes of their set ran out, opener Sound Tribe Sector CY made a return appearance as the stage filled up with other band members and fans, all chanting along with his Casio powered keyboard jams. Lights were swinging, people were singing, and I'm sure mine weren't the only ears that were ringing. The wild ending made a fitting coda for a fantastic weekend.

JEFF The Brotherhood - "Screaming Banshee" (mp3) from The Boys R Back In Town
Jemina Pearl - "Looking For Trouble" (mp3) from Break It Up

photo of JEFF the Brotherhood courtesy of Next Big Nashville

Next Big Nashville 09 Friday Recap

2009-10-13T20:02:00.001-05:00

Friday night confronted me with one of those scheduling dilemmas that Next Big Nashville seems to torture you with every year. Do I head down to The Rutledge to catch an increasingly rare appearance by Venus Hum, or head to Exit/In to see my absolute favorite local artist, Cortney Tidwell. Normally scarcity would win out over favoritism, but since I was meeting friends for The Black Angels headlining set, it meant spending the night on Elliston. That also meant I would miss Lylas at The Anchor later that night, but the lineup at Exit/In was so strong it was hard to complain.

Bear In Heaven kicked off the evening with a set of new wave inspired psychedelia, or maybe it was psychedelia inspired new wave. You could tell the moment you walked in the room they were a Brooklyn band, but you also knew right away that they were pretty damn good. They did suffer from what turned out to be a recurring problem for Exit/In bands over the weekend... vocals being absolutely buried in the mix. The sound at Nashville's grandaddy of rock clubs is usually spot on, so I don't know what caused the sporadic issues over the weekend. Next up was Cortney Tidwell, who luckily didn't suffer from the same problem. I've written about her a lot on here over the years, and her set Friday night did nothing to diminish her spot as my fave local. Pulling heavily from the recently released Boys, her set built in intensity until the thundering climax of "17 Horses," which literally gave me goosebumps. How the girl doesn't have a US record label is surely one of life's great mysteries.

Between sets we made a quick run across the street to catch the tail end of Twin Tigers set. The Scene described them last week as "...like The Fiery Furnaces playing from the bottom of a gloomy, reverbed-out U2 cave." The two songs we did hear were enough to make us wish we had gotten to see more of it. Luckily we'll get the chance, as the band will be returning to Nashville to play the Basement next month. We'll definitely be delving more into them before then. Back across the street, we caught Disappears, who were dripping with both reverb and sweat.

I got to see the Black Angels play at the Exit/In last year, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect. And even though they were missing the light show and video projector they had on their last trek through town, they still put on a hell of a show. Opening with "You On the Run," their 75 minute set made us feel like it was 1969 all over again. Their droning version of psychedelic rock is like Altamont's answer to the Summer of Love... dark and foreboding, with a hint of menace.

The fact that the Exit/In was running forty-five minutes behind schedule all night meant we didn't make it across the street to catch Eureka Gold before they were finished, but there was still another night of rock and roll to be had...

The Black Angels - "The First Vietnam War" (mp3) from Passover
Bear In Heaven - "Wholehearted Mess" (mp3) from Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Cortney Tidwell - "17 Horses " (mp3) from Boys

photo of Bear In Heaven by Tyge O'Donnell

Next Big Nashville 09 Thursday Recap

2009-10-13T07:48:00.000-05:00

Three nights, five venues, eighteen bands, and too many beers to count. That was my Next Big Nashville 2009 in a nutshell. Not quite as crazy as NBN08, but still one hell of a good time. So now that the ringing in my ears has died down, let the recapping begin.

Thursday night we kicked things off by meeting Tyge from The Opening Acts at the Basement to catch The Carter Administration. Unfortunately they suffered the sparse crowd curse that often accompanies an early slot, but they still turned in a great set of classic power pop. Bassist Andy Wilhite was MIA due to work obligations, so new guitarist (and former Superdrag and Guided By Voices bassist) Sam Powers moved temporarily into the rhythm section. It's a testament to their tightness that the casual observer never would have guessed they were operating from a deficit position. We also managed to catch a few songs of Wheels On Fire's classic garage rock before pulling up stakes and moving the party to Elliston Place.

Once we hit the Rock Block, the plan was to alternate between The End and Exit/In for the evening, but what was supposed to be a quick pit stop at the Gold Rush turned into an extended gab session with friends. We had such a good time that it's hard to complain, but it did limit our exposure to the evening's lineup. I did manage to get across the street to catch Jessica Lea Mayfield, who was utterly fantastic. With a backing band that included Richie Ghostfinger, she sounded like Mazzy Star covering Fleetwood Mac. We finished off the evening with David Vandervelde's retro-fueled shimmery pop before calling it a night.

The Carter Administration - "Oxycontinental" (mp3) from Air Guitar Force One
David Vandervelde - "Someone Like You" (mp3) from Waiting For The Sunrise

photo of The Carter Administration by Chris Wage

Thunder$troke

2009-10-12T18:33:00.002-05:00

Beaten Awake - Thunder$troke

If you need to know how far the technology of home recording has come, just look at the evolution of the term "lo-fi." It used to be more of a description than a label. It was used for bands like Guided By Voices or The Folk Implosion to describe records that were made in bedrooms and garages on 4-track cassette recorders and boomboxes, and the results sounded every bit like the way they were created.

Kent, Ohio's Beaten Awake might share inspiration and a state of mind with the former forbearers of the lo-fi movement, but sonically their second album is a millions miles away from the likes of Bee Thousand. Thunder$troke is equal parts rocking and pulsating, mixing straight ahead indie rock with dreamy soundscapes. At times it sounds a bit like a stripped down take on Built To Spill, with a healthy dose of new wave influence mixed in. It's almost odd that an album that features two lead singers and alternates so much between guitar driven songs and keyboard-centric tunes can come together so well as a cohesive whole. But whether it's the funky fuzz bass riff on the title track, the manic guitar pop of "Danger Pins," or atmospheric closer "I shot the Mayor, not the Deputy Mayor," these songs are definitely all coming from the same fertile creative soil. Thunder$troke comes out tomorrow (October 13) on Fat Possum.

Beaten Awake - "Thunder$troke" (mp3)
Beaten Awake - "Coming Home" (mp3)

Next Big Nashville Friday Preview

2009-10-09T10:23:00.001-05:00

It's Friday, and that means you can really throwdown at Next Big Nashville tonight. No having to worry about the alarm clock ringing in the morning, or going to work hungover. And if you're living in poverty and couting the days til payday next week, you don't even have to worry about having a badge or wristband to get a taste of NBN09. This years festival features the absolutely free Honky Tonk Takeover from 7-10 pm tonight on Lower Broad. Tootsie's will host Black Diamond Heavies, The Clutters and We Were The States, The Wheel features Blacklist Royals and Joshua Black Wilkins, Paradise Park will have Dixie Whiskey and Branded Sons gracing their stage, and The Wheels and Justin Kalk Orchestra will be playing at Full Moon Saloon.

Black Diamond Heavies - "Everythang is Everythang" (mp3) from A Touch of Someone Else's Class

But if you're not willing to mix with the tourists downtown, here's the best of the rest of tonite's showcases...

Cortney Tidwell - Hands down my favorite artist in Nashville. Her voice can go from a whisper to a scream and sound heavenly either way, and with a backing band featuring the cream of the crop of the local rock scene, they can create ethereal soundscapes or driving walls of sound to match. 9 pm at Exit/In

Cortney Tidwell - "17 Horses" (mp3) from Boys

Venus Hum - Since it's members have scattered to the four winds (well, Cincinnati and NYC anyway), appearances from Music City's premiere electro-poppers have become increasingly rare. Dance music rarely has songs this good, and frontwomen rarely have voices as divine as Annette Strean. 9:30 pm at The Rutledge

The Black Angels - One of the big names headling the fest this year, and sure to be one of the best shows. It'll also the best way to trip out this weekend and still be able to pass a drug test Monday morning. You may be merely drunk, but you'll feel like your on a peyote fueld midnight roadtrip through the desert. 11 pm at Exit/In

The Black Angels - "Doves" (mp3) from Directions To See A Ghost

Lylas - With Halloween just around the corner, there is no better time to introduce yourself to the macabre chamber folk of Kyle Hamlett and company. Never before have you heard such creepy sentiments sung with such sweet melodies. 11:20 pm at The Anchor

Since you're undoubtedly going to be having a really good time tonite, it's probably a good time to remind you about the free shuttles that will be running between venues all weekend. I took advantage of them heavily last year, and never had to wait more than ten minutes to get picked up at any of the venues. Early in the evening, they basically operate like your own personal taxi service, taking you promptly to wherever you want to go. But regardless of what time of the night you take them, they'll save you from a costly DUI.

Remember, we'll be tweeting the festival throughout the weekend, so follow us on Twitter @page300 for live updates.

Next Big Nashville Thursday Preview

2009-10-08T08:18:00.000-05:00

Next Big Nashville 2009 kicked off yesterday, but things really get rolling tonight, with showcases happening at a dozen different venues around town, plus another film premiere at the Belcourt. As always you can play your activities at the NBN Schedule page, but if you need a few suggestions as to where to get started, here you go...

The Carter Administration - Possibly Nashville's longest running indie band, and for good reason. Tight as hell, and with just the right amount of smartass attitude, nobody in town plays straight ahead pop/rock better. 8 pm at The Basement

The Carter Administration - "The Wakeup Call" (mp3) from Here Comes The Copout

The Deep Vibration - They won't win any points for originality, but rock fueled alt-country rarely gets played any better than this. The ghost of Graham Parsons would be proud. 9:30 pm at The Basement

Dexateens - One of the most fun sets I saw last year, these guys sound something like if Lynyrd Skynrd jumped in a time machine and became an indie rock band instead of classic rock staples.
9:30 at Exit/In

Dexateens - "Neil Armstrong" (mp3) from Hardwire Healing

Oblio - These guys take all the best parts of 70s AM radio and combine them into a glorious indie-pop stew. 10:30 pm at The Rutledge

The Non-Commisioned Officers - Originally formed to record the soundtrack for Make-out With Violence and perform a few shows to promote the film, the band has had a much longer shelf life than expected, and has kept rolling due to popular demand. 10:50 pm at Mercy Lounge

I'll be out and about this evening, so you can follow my take on the action live by following @page300 on Twitter.

Next Big Nashville Wednesday Preview

2009-10-07T07:37:00.001-05:00

I hope you've rested your liver all week, because Next Big Nashville 2009 kicks off today. There are a full slate of daytime panels before the traditional film premiere at the Belcourt. This year it's We Fun, a documentary about Atlanta's music scene that was oddly enough made in Nashville. But if movies aren't your thing, there are also a couple of showcases happening on opening night this year. The End, The Rutledge, Mercy Lounge and Cannery Ballroom all have a full slate of bands. Most popular among them will probably be the Ten Out of Tenn showcase at the Cannery Ballroom, a collective of some of Nashville's best pop singer/songwriter/solo artists. But if you like your rock and roll with a healthy dose of country & folk influences, head to The End to catch roots heavy sets from Luke and the Late Nights, Caitlin Rose, Alberta Cross and Phosphorescent.

Plan your own activities by visiting the NBN09 schedule page.

Phosphorescent - "A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" (mp3) from Pride
Caitlin Rose - "Shotgun Wedding" (mp3) from Dead Flowers

Ask The Night

2009-10-06T08:19:00.002-05:00

Orenda Fink - Ask The Night

As a total music nut, I'm always recommending artists to my friends. I love turning somone on to a great band or singer that I love, and having them love it too. Of course the downside of being the biggest pop culture geek in your circle of friends is that the reverse is a lot rarer. Last year a friend tried to turn me on to Azure Ray. It was one of those matches that on paper I should have loved... female vocals with great harmonies and a slightly shoegazer vibe. But I found them to be really same-y, too electronic, and just hard to get into. After giving it a couple of listens in the car, I stuck the CDR she gave me in the glove box and forgot about it.

So given that I couldn't really gel with her old band, I was surprised how much I enjoyed Orenda Fink's second solo album, Ask The Night. It shares Azure Ray's sparse vibe, but has a much more organic feel. The trademark harmonies are still there (including a guest appearance by Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock), but the keyboards and electronic flourishes she has surrounded herself with in the past have been replaced by slide guitars, banjos, mandolins, and even a singing saw. The various styles combine to give the album as a whole a Southern Gothic folk feel. The lyrics veer toward a coffee house confessional vibe on occasion, but luckily she never travels too far down that path. Ask The Night is out today on Saddle Creek Records.

Orenda Fink - "High Ground" (mp3)

Hopeless Melodic

2009-10-02T07:20:00.001-05:00

Matthew Pop - Hopeless Melodic

In my lifetime, I've probably seen several hundred solo acoustic performances, and a majority of the time they bore me to tears. Let's face it... a smoky, noisy bar isn't the best place to hear singer/songwriters. It's just hard to hold the attention of a bunch of drunks without instruments that are louder than they are. So anytime someone can get up on stage alone in a dingy dive bar and hold my attention, it's quite the feat.

Sunday night my band played a gig at one of our local dive bars, and Matthew Pop followed us. It was one of those rare occasions that a solo performer not only held my interest, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. His songs were catchy as hell, and it was hard not to get caught up in his enthusiasm as he played them. On Hopeless Melodic, his pop sensibilities are on even stronger display. It's full of the kind of melodies you can only dream up after spending countless hours digesting hundreds of pop albums. He's obviously spent a lot of time listening to Brian Wilson, and he's got the hooks and harmonies to prove it. Pop plays all the instruments himself, and though the drum machine sometimes gives the songs a bit of a demo feel, the home recorded nature just adds to the album's low key charm. It kinda sounds like a bedroom made version of Fountains of Wayne... call it low wattage power pop.

Matthew Pop - "Top Five" (mp3)

Next Week = Next Big Nashville

2009-09-30T20:56:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your planning.

Over the last four years, Next Big Nashville has turned into something of an early Christmas present for music fans from Nashville and beyond. The 2009 edition kicks off a week from today, and promises more of the same awesomeness that the last two years have had... 150 plus showcasing artists, film premieres, daytime panels, and nightly afterparties that by next Sunday will leave equal parts elated and exhausted. You can start plotting out your plan of attack by checking out the schedule, and if you haven't already bought your wristband or badge, you can fix that by going here.

I'll be posting previews and recaps here of course, but I'll also be tweeting live updates of the action on twitter, so if you're not already following @page300, now would be a good time to do so. See you out and about next week!

Rearviewmirror

2009-09-28T19:25:00.001-05:00

For part two of my series about artists that I didn't like at first but then came to love, we'll talk about Pearl Jam, who just released their ninth album, Backspacer, last week.

I was born in Seattle, and even though it's been 25 years since I've lived in Washington, I still consider it my hometown. So I've pretty much got an unequivocal love for just about anything that comes from the Pacific Northwest (most notable exception... this guy). Even my favorite soulless corporate conglomerates (Starbucks and Amazon) call the Emerald City home.

So why did it take me so long to embrace Pearl Jam? I guess there were a couple of reasons. For one, Eddie Vedder just seemed too damn serious. And despite the fact that Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament had been part of the Seattle music scene for years, I kinda tagged them as bandwagon jumpers (the fact that Vedder had previously fronted a San Diego funk band helped this misconception). Mostly though I think it was Ament's stupid hats that turned me off. Whatever the reason, I just wasn't digging them when Ten first came out. My mind first started to change with the release of Vs. I absolutely loved "Animal," and the rest of the album just seemed a little more raw and real than their debut. And their ultimately futile battle against Ticketmaster proved that they weren't the hucksters I originally pegged them as. But it wasn't until I saw them live in Las Vegas, on what was the tenth anniversary of their first ever show, that I fully realized what a awesome band they were. They opened with a cover of Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive," and within the first three songs, it was obvious that I had been selling these guys short for years. Anyone who's seen them in concert can probably agree that they truly are among the great bands of our time.

If I had to list my three favorite Pearl Jam songs, they'd be "Animal," "I Got Id," and this one. The original version was on the soundtrack to Singles, but this live version is from Disc 2 of the 3 disc Dissident:Live In Atlanta single.

Pearl Jam - "State of Love and Trust (Live)" (mp3)

The Comedown

2009-09-25T07:05:00.003-05:00

The Church - Untitled #23

There was a time when I would always be at the record store on Tuesday when one of my favorite bands released a new record. There was always this palpable anticipation about picking up a new CD, getting home and throwing it in the stereo. Maybe you had heard a single that whet your appetite, but chances were that ninety percent of the album was going to fall on virgin ears. But it seems like those days are long gone. I don't remember the last time I made it a point to pick up a new CD on the day it was released. Maybe it's that I have less free time than I did in my twenties. Maybe it's the distractions of adulthood that have toned down the importance of music in my life (it's still way up there, but my world no longer revolves around it). Or maybe it's that in these days of Myspace sneak previews and online leaks, new release day just doesn't have the same magic that it used to. Case in point... The Church is definitely one of my favorite bands, and have been for twenty years now. They released their 20th album, Untitled #23, in May, and I didn't get around to picking it up until last month. Wow.

So what has taken me so long to post a review of it? I'd love to say it's because I've been so busy the past few weeks, but that's not it. I kept putting off doing the write up to give the album another listen, hoping that something would jump out at me. And I guess I've finally resigned myself to the fact that it's just not going to happen. It's not that it's bad, it's just that over the years I've come to expect Church albums to be better than merely OK. It's full of most of the things we've come to expect from the guys... trademark guitar interplay, heavy on atmospherics, and Steve Kilbey's surreal lyrics and languid delivery. But what makes the band so special is that they combine all those things with memorable hooks, and the ear candy is in short supply this time out. "Space Saviour" has a cool vibe that would sound great with more song written around it, but without a chorus to go to it feels aimlessly repetitive. And after a month of listening to the album, that's still the only song that has stood out to me at all. The other nine tracks seem to sort of blend together, despite the album being peppered with appearances by six different guest musicians. Apparently there were a couple of more upbeat tracks recorded during the sessions, but they were relegated to the Pangaea EP in order to maintain album's mood. In my mind, Untitled #23 could have used the variety. It's probably a great record to get baked to, but if you're not 420 friendly it comes of as a bit uninspired, making the non-descript title oddly appropriate.

The Church - "Deadman's Hand" (mp3)

First Day Of Fall

2009-09-22T18:55:00.001-05:00

This is without a doubt my favorite Johnny Mercer song.

Nat King Cole - "Autumn Leaves" (mp3) from Sings For Two In Love

Happy Autumnal Equinox.

photo by my_southborough

A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed For All

2009-09-21T22:03:00.005-05:00

Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick
Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas, NV
Thursday, September 17, 2009

There was pretty much no doubt I was going to enjoy this show. I love Cheap Trick. I'm a HUGE Beatles fan. So put the two together and it's beer and pizza... how can you go wrong?

The night started out on a bit of a dubious note. The lights dimmed and from behind the curtain the orchestra started playing a medly of early Beatles hits that sounded a bit too close to Muzak for my tastes. But once the curtain came up and the show proper started, it was just ever increasing doses of awesomeness. The evening began with a seven song set of Beatles classics played by the house band (led by Nashville's own Bill Lloyd) and a couple of guest singers. Joan Osborne kicked things off with "Can't Buy Me Love" and "The Long and Winding Road," followed by an instrumental version of "Eleanor Rigby." Next up was Rob Laufer for a utterly faithful and fantastic version of "Across The Universe" that was accompanied by a children's choir. An instrumental take on "Something" and a gang vocal rendition of "Drive My Car" preceded what almost could have been the highlight of the entire show... Gomez singer Ian Ball leading the band through an incredible version of "I Am The Walrus." Hearing the psychedelic classic played with an orchestra was just amazing.

With an undercard as impressive as the first few songs of the evening were, expectations were even higher for the main event, and Cheap Trick came out with guns blazing. From the first notes of the album's title track, they were nailing every note with both passion and precision. Each song was true to the original, but they definitely added a bit of power to the Fab Four's pop. You'd think a song as perfect as "With A Little Help From My Friends" simply couldn't be improved on, but the extra bit of oomph they provided made the performance simply a magical experience. If it weren't for getting engaged this summer, hearing Robin Zander belt out "Lovely Rita" would be the highlight of my year.

With sound production overseen by former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, the sound of the album was faithfully recreated, right down to the barnyard noises on "Good Morning Good Morning" and the circus carousel sounds of "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" Several members of the shows prelude made cameos during the main set as well. Laufer spelled Cheap Trick halfway through, performing "Within You Without You" along with a six piece Indian orchestra, Ball sang John Lennon's chorus vocals on "She's Leaving Home," and Lloyd stuck around to play rhythm guitar the entire time.

Once they put the finishing touches on "A Day In The Life," the show closed with a absolutely killer take on the closing medley from Abbey Road before bringing out all the evening performers for a rousing and joyous romp through "All You Need Is Love." The audience stood up and sang along, confetti cannons blew pink paper hearts throughout the theater, and anyone who left the showroom without a smile on their face was surely among the world's most hardened cynics.

Cheap Trick have long been among the world's finest purveyors of power pop, and their own catalog is a veritable treasure chest of classics. They've worn their love for the Beatles on their sleeves for most of their career, so it's no surprise that in this setting they can easily claim the title of world's greatest tribute band. As Rick Neilsen put it himself mid-show, "Cheap Trick have a lot of great songs, but it's a real treat to be able to be playing these." It was a treat to see them played as well.

Cheap Trick - "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (mp3)

Sgt. Pepper Live is playing at the Las Vegas Hilton through this Wednesday, September 23. If you're not able to make it to Sin City on short notice, you can relive last year's performance at the Hollywood Bowl on both CD and DVD. For another take on the show, check out Tyge's review at The Opening Acts.

Photo courtesty of Las Vegas Review-Journal. See the entire slideshow here, or read their opening night review.

Rust Belt Heart

2009-09-20T10:38:00.003-05:00

Red Collar - Pilgrim

When the press materials accompanying your album refer to you as "Bruce Springsteen meets Fugazi," that's almost a dare to a music blogger. The combination is so intriguing and tantalizing that is practically guarantees you'll be rising above the din of promo emails and mailings and at least get a listen.

The albums opener, "The Commuter," starts with a drumbeat and keyboards reminiscent of Springsteen's "I'm On Fire," so the comparisons to The Boss start right away. Once you get into songs intro though, you realize the similarities are more in approach than in sonics. It's storytelling sung with conviction. Produced by Brian Paulson, the album sounds closer to Superchunk than "She's The One." Full of infectious energy and spiky riffs, it's easy to picture why these guys (and gal) have a reputation for being great live band. Lyrically though, the songs follow a narrative of unrealistic expectations, days gone by and dreams unfulfilled. It's almost bizarre to have a band that is so energetic and motivated to be singing almost exclusively about people who didn't make it. I guess that's the thing about writing working class anthems though, you're either going to be Woody Guthrie or some hokey country hack like Toby Keith. Red Collar might be singing about the downside of life, but listening to Pilgrim is anything but.

Red Collar - "Used Guitars" (mp3)

Gloria in Excelsis Deo

2009-09-14T07:30:00.003-05:00

Sometimes your first impressions aren't the lasting ones. Last week I was having a conversation with my fiance about bands that I didn't/couldn't/wouldn't get into at first, but then later came to love. And since a couple of these bands are recently in the news for various reasons, I figured it'd be a great excuse for a mini-series of monday morning b-sides. We'll start with U2, who just kicked off the North American leg of their 360° tour Saturday in Chicago.

I remember when I was 12 and we first got cable TV, "Gloria" was one of the videos that MTV used to show in heavy rotation. I hated it with a passion. Every time I'd hear that drumbeat, and see the band's reflection in the rippling water, I'd immediately reach for the remote and change the channel before Bono could bark out "Two three four!" I have no idea why I hated it so much. Maybe it was Bono's douchey dancing, or Adam Clayton's ridiculous blonde afro. Whatever the reason, I wasn't having it. But evidently I'm not the only one who wasn't a fan... neither the song or the video have appeared on any of the various compilations U2 has released over the years.

I wish I could say I changed my mind before 1987, but I'd be lying. My position did soften though... I remember watching the Live At Red Rocks concert in it's entirety when MTV used to show concerts every Saturday night, and the videos from The Unforgetable Fire didn't inspire the same kind of remote grabs that "Gloria" did. But it wasn't until The Joshua Tree that I really got onboard. Now they are definitely one of my favorite bands. I've seen them live four times, and the 1987 and 2001 concerts would both rank among my top five concerts ever.

The original b-side of "Gloria" was a live version of "I Will Follow" recorded March 6 ,1981 at The Paradise in Boston. This version of "Stories For Boys" is from that same show, and was released on the "Sweetest Thing" single in 1998.

U2 - "Stories For Boys (Live)" (mp3)

Gift Of Screws

2009-09-13T21:36:00.004-05:00

Lindsey Buckingham - Gift Of Screws

The differences between Lindsey Buckingham's latest solo album and his previous one are evident before you even get to listen to the music. The cover photo of 2006's Not Too Late featured the Fleetwood Mac singer/guitarist in sharp focus, standing in a sunny field, holding his beloved Turner Model 1 guitar. The cover of Gift Of Screws shows Buckingham looking tired and unshaven, and just to send the point home further, the photo is slightly out of focus. The liner photos are opposites as well. Not Too Late featured color photos of Buckingham and his family, and plenty of acoustic guitars. This time the photos are black and white, and show Lindsey playing a well worn Stratocaster. Even the two albums titles seem to point in opposing directions. The differences aren't just superficial. Gift Of Screws is definitely more of a rock album than it's predecessor. There are fewer acoustic based songs and more full band style arrangements, even though Buckingham plays all the instruments himself on half of the songs.

Ever since 1987's Tango In The Night, songs that Lindsey began as solo tracks have found their way onto Fleetwood Mac albums. Lately the opposite has been true as well. This time around Mick Fleetwood and John McVie appear on three tracks. "Wait For You" features a sinewy riff that recalls Mac's early blues days, while the title track features a raucous sound that befits the songs cynical lyrics. Buckingham's touring drummer Walfredo Reyes provides the beat for two of the album's other standout tracks,"Love Runs Deeper" and "Did You Miss Me." But the star throughout is Buckingham himself. His songwriting, his guitar playing, his gift for arrangements and his ear for hooks all highlighted here. Of his five solo albums, this is definitely my favorite.

Lindsey Buckingham - "Love Runs Deeper" (mp3)

All Together Now

2009-09-09T06:58:00.002-05:00

Two things I learned last night hanging out at Best Buy while my fiance was buying a wedding dress...

1. The Beatles Rock Band looks absolutely amazing. Like so good you get distracted from actually playing the game.

2. You'd think that being a musician you'd have an advantage, and playing Rock Band would come easy to you. You'd be wrong. I was playing drums (my first instrument), on the easiest song, on the easiest setting, and still only scored an 86. None of the teenagers I watched play while I was there scored less than a 95, and most of them were playing on expert mode. Ouch.

The Rutles - "Get Up And Go" (mp3) from The Rutles soundtrack

I'd tell you about the dress, but obviously I'm not allowed to see it for another seven months.

Happy Labor Day

2009-09-07T11:24:00.002-05:00

Remember how I used to (and still do on occasion) post songs for all the various holidays that occurred throughout the year? Well, apparently my friend Tyge does too. He's started a weekly series of posts at The Opening Acts called "Your Weekend Holiday" where he posts a song every weekend for whatever holiday is currently on the calendar. It kinda sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it? I'm sure he'd say he totally didn't rip off my idea*, because he's writing about obscure holidays you've never heard of. Fan's of VH1's Behind The Music know that that's the same rationale that Vanilla Ice used to explain how he didn't rip off "Under Pressure" because they added an extra beat. There's a word for it my friends... bullshit.

Anyway, today is Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer. And so to celebrate, here is one of my favorite summer anthem of all time, from the greatest holiday movie of all time.

Bing Crosby - "Lazy" (mp3) from Holiday Inn

*because I'm the only music blogger in the history of the internet who ever did holiday themed posts, obviously.

When The Devil's Loose

2009-09-01T07:06:00.002-05:00

A.A. Bondy - When the Devil's Loose

One of my favorite things about being a music blogger is when you come home and find an unexpected CD in your mailbox. What makes it even better is when that surprise package becomes one of your favorite new albums. That is definitely the case with A.A. Bondy's sophomore CD, When The Devil's Loose. It's been in heavy rotation around my place for the past month, and it shows no signs of giving up it's spot anytime in the near future.

Sometimes your favorite albums have to grow on you, and sometimes you love them from the moment you push play. And when the first plucked guitar notes of "Mightiest Of Guns" came drifting out of my speakers, I was immediately smitten. On most of the tracks, Bondy and his bandmates create a sound that is both sparse and soaring, recalling the ambiance of early Cowboy Junkies' albums, but with slightly more horsepower. The title track operates with the same kind of propulsive lethargy that the Velvet Underground used to specialize in, while "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing" is just a perfect folk-pop song. Bondy's voice sometimes makes me think of what David Gray might sound like if he recorded with a mobile unit in a run down juke joint instead of a bunch of Pro Tools powered computers in a London flat. It might get tagged as blues-folk due to the fact that it's being released on Fat Possum Records, but the blues seldom has the kind of hooks that get stuck in your head the way these songs do. It may be too somber to call it pop music, but that doesn't mean it's not catchy as hell

A.A. Bondy - "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing" (mp3)
A.A. Bondy - "When The Devil's Loose" (mp3)

Streetwalking

2009-08-31T22:19:00.001-05:00

Last month the GF and I took a trip to New York. She had never been before, and I hadn't been in a while, so we figured it was a good excuse for our first real vacation of the summer. The big news to report would be that the first sentence of this paragraph will be the last time I ever refer to her as "the GF," but Carl at The Opening Acts already broke that news. So instead, I'll talk about the second coolest thing I experienced on the trip... street performers.

I really like the idea of buskers, but honestly I usually don't get all that excited when I see one. We have plenty of them in Nashville, but they are invariably some dude who looks like he's about a week away from being homeless sing Hank Williams Sr. covers, or a really bad version of "I Walk The Line."

New York is different beast. It helps that they have one of the largest subway systems in the world, and you'll see just about every time of busker known to man there, from the the man-and-his-guitar types that we're overrun with here in Music City, to the Bleeding Gums Murphy style jazz man, blowing lonely blue notes from a beat up saxophone. In fact, you see so many of them that you get kind of discriminating about who you will and won't tip. Dude singing R&B to a karaoke tape? No. Mariachi band moving from car to car in the Subway? Close but no cigar. In our week there, we only threw greenbacks into two peoples hats.

The first was a street drummer. Now in NYC, these guys are a dime a dozen. Anyone with a industrial sized plastic bucket and a pair of Vic Firth's can set up shop on the sidewalk and make a racket, but this guy was impressive. Sure he had the standard issue bucket, but it also looked like he'd raided the kitchen of an abandoned flat. He had a cookie sheet, several pots and pans, and an oven rack, and out of these discarded culinary tools he was playing the kind of drum solo that would make even the most Neil Peart obsessed fanboy drool.

By far though the coolest street musician we saw was on our last day in the city. As we were hurriedly marching through the sweltering labyrinth that is the 53rd St/Lexington Ave Station in the summer, we heard a sound that stopped us dead in our tracks. There against the wall was a guy playing a singing saw. Hell to the yeah. I'd heard the sound that a bowed wood saw can make, but I'd never seen anyone play one before. We stood there absolutely transfixed for about five minutes before the heat and the fact that we had a plane to catch sent us on our way, but it took me the rest of the day to get over my giddiness at seeing someone create such a beautiful sound out of something that was never designed to be a musical instrument.

The End of an Ego

2009-08-31T18:47:00.002-05:00

When I first read about Noel Gallagher quitting Oasis this weekend, my first thought was "Again?" After reading more about it, and seeing that this time it's all official like and apparently permanent, my thought changed to "What took him so long?"

The battles between the Gallagher brothers are familiar to even the most casual of fans. Both Liam and Noel have taken leave from the band at various points. Liam famously sat out the taping of the band's MTV Unplugged episode, something that arguably made the show more memorable. Hearing the band's hits straight from the mouth of the guy who wrote them made for a much more unique experience. And during the band's 2000 European tour, it was Noel's turn to split. In fact, at the time he announced his intention to make like Brian Wilson and no longer tour overseas. It was a threat he ended up not following through on, but given the tumultuous nature of the brother's relationship, the current split is hardly a surprise. Of course, it remains to be seen whether it is permanent or not. It could be he's taking a page from the Paul McCartney playbook and announcing his departure in order to promote his upcoming solo album. Of course, the Beatles never reunited after that.

If he does mean it and is done with Oasis forever, I can't imagine the band going on without him. Despite the fact that Liam, guitarist Gem Archer and bassist Andy Bell have all been contributing songs over the past couple of albums, Noel is definitely the creative heart of the band. The friction between the brothers has always been a big part of the band's appeal, and without it Liam would probably become an insufferable twit. Of course, some might say that's the problem that led to this situation in the first place.

This monday b-side is a rerun, but it seemed appropriate under the circumstances.

Oasis - "One Way Road" (mp3) from the Who Feels Love single

And In Black and White

2009-08-24T22:22:00.003-05:00

or, How an Unplanned Trip to Dollar General Made My Night

On the way home from work tonite, the fiance announced that we needed to stop by Dollar General to pick up a couple of things. A couple of things turned into several things, and we ended up being there much longer than planned (in fairness, we had planned to be there for two minutes, so fifteen minutes wasn't that long). It wasn't the way I envisioned kicking off my Monday evening, but in wandering the aisles, I found a copy of Cheap Trick's second album, In Color, for a mere five bucks. And not the old busted original pressing. No, this was the remastered version with bonus tracks. Score!

Cheap Trick is one of those bands I've loved forever, but for whatever reason never became a completist about them. My collection of their stuff started when I was ten and I bought the single of "Stop This Game" at the University Mall in Spokane (I've still got it in a box somewhere around this place). My first album of theirs was One On One, the purchase of which was surely inspired by countless viewings of the "She's Tight" video on MTV. It won't go down as one of the greatest videos in rock history, but God, that riff!!! In the years since then, the collection has grown to half a dozen or so CDs, so obviously there are still some holes to fill.

Anyway, if you find yourself at a Dollar General with Lincoln burning a hole in your pocket in the next few weeks (or online with a couple bucks more in your wallet), I strongly suggest you pick up In Color. "Hello There" is one of the greatest rockers to ever open an album, "Downed" is pure pop perfection, and it also has the surprisingly wussy studio version of "I Want You To Want Me." And among the bonus tracks, you'll find this...

Cheap Trick - "Southern Girls (Demo)" (mp3) from In Color

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll get back to what I was doing before I started this post... plotting my trip to Las Vegas next month to see Cheap Trick do Sgt. Pepper live.