More Juice
Epic Ditch – 36 Hour EP
For their recond release, Nashville’s skate rock super group Epic Ditch have managed to dial up both their punk and pop elements. Opener “More Juice” is probably the most intense song they have released to date, and closer “Resistance Is Victory” isn’t too far behind. But in between those two hardcore jams, they are also covering the poppier terrain that brought the band leaders to prominence in the first place. Like on their first EP, Stewart Pack’s contributions tend to be a bit more melodic, but Superdrag fans who have been dismayed by John Davis’ straight up hardcore songs with this outfit will probably be pleased with “Unexploded Ordinance,” which is undoubtedly the catchiest song the band had released to date. You can stream the EP in it’s entirety on Bandcamp.
Farewell Chris Feinstein
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...Labels: locals
RIP Velvet Thunder
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.
Labels: locals
Do You Believe In Blood?
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)
Labels: albums, holidays, locals
Cover Me
It's funny how sometimes when you live somewhere, you can ignore the little treasures that are right under your nose. For example, I've lived in Nashville for over 20 years, and until last month, I had never experienced the wonderfulness that is the Pancake Pantry. How I managed to go two decades without tasting their delicious cinnamon pancakes and creamy syrup is beyond me.
Another local treasure that I'd somehow missed out on is The Long Players. Founded by pop wunderkind Bill Lloyd and E Street Band bassist Gary Tallent, the group of all star local sidemen have been getting together several times a year since 2004 and performing note perfect, front-to-back renditions of classic albums with a rotating cast of singers and musicians. Their guests over the past five years have included stars from the worlds of country (Suzy Bogguss, Allison Moorer, and members of New Grass Revival) and rock (members of Cheap Trick, Fleetwood Mac, Badfinger, and the Georgia Satellites), along with various members from the local rock scene.
Last month I finally found out what I had been missing. Their featured album was Prince's Purple Rain, and it was pretty amazing. A lineup of locals did a stellar job of fronting the band (Aaron Winters of Space Capone, A.J. Croce, Chris Mitchell, and Shelly Fairchild among them). But the real highlight of the show was when they brought out former Prince guitarist Dez Dickerson. He performed "Purple Rain" during the main set, and for the encore played his iconic solo from "Little Red Corvette" while Lari White sang, and then brought the house down when the band finished with "1999." It was the most fun I've had at a show this year.
Tonite at the Cannery Ballroom, The Long Players will be taking on The Beatle's White Album as part of the annual Fab Four Festival. Tickets are $20 at the door. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
17 Horses
Anyone who's been to this blog more than once knows how much I love Cortney Tidwell. Her last album, Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up, was my absolute favorite CD of 2007, and her shows are absolutely mesmerizing. She will be releasing a new album, Boys, later this year, and she's been kind enough to share one of the new tracks with us. So dig in to a sneak peak of what is sure to be one of my favorite albums of 2009. And if you need visual stimulation while you're listening, check out her new website.
Cortney Tidwell - "17 Horses" (mp3)
Labels: locals
Lambchop does Gedge
Lambchop is one of my favorite Nashville bands. The Wedding Present is one of my favorite bands ever. This song was in my inbox when I got home tonight. It's a match made in music geek heaven.
Lambchop - "Kennedy (Live)" (mp3) recorded live in Warsaw, Poland on 11/14/08
Labels: locals
Live! Tonight!
I still haven't quite come down from our historic election, and I'm giddy that in few weeks we're going to have a president who has the judgement to start us on our way out of the huge messes we've found ourselves in during the past eight years. But I need to stop blathering on about democracy and get back to being, you know... a music blog. So here's my tip to help you get your weekend started off right (and a little bit early).
Go see All We Seabees.
If you've been here before, you already know that they're one of my favorite bands, cuz I talk about them a lot. Their new album, MKultra, is incredible, and they're an amazing live band. But why should you take my word for it when you can listen for yourself?
All We Seabees - "Alt. Country" (mp3) from MKultra
They play tonight (Thursday, Nov. 6) at The 5 Spot in East Nashville, along with Hammertoch and The Bohannons. Then on Saturday, November 8, they're in Murfreesboro at Mainstreet along with their Cephalopod labelmates Umbrella Tree.
Labels: locals
Standing On The Shoulders of Giants
The Deep Vibration - Veracruz
Over the past few years, the term roots music has kind of become a dirty word. Too often it's been associated with former generic jam bands who suddenly decide to abandon their boring extended instrumental breaks and adopt four minute blues progressions. But when it's done right, it's a perfect description of artists that make a heartfelt exploration of the foundations of American music.
I wasn't the slightest bit familiar with The Deep Vibration before I saw their set at Next Big Nashville last month, but they made one hell of a first impression. I described them at the time as "Gram Parsons fronting Crazy Horse," and listening to their debut EP Veracruz, it's still an apt description. Their sound is quintessential American rock and roll; an amalgamation of blues, soul, country and folk. They may call Nashville home, but their roots are steeped in Memphis and Muscle Shoals. They recall the era in the late 60s and early 70s when the Rolling Stones discovered country, and arguably churned out music that was more American than most bands that called the States home. It takes most bands ten years to make the kind of record that they've managed to accomplish right out of the gate. The fact that a certified legend like Spooner Oldham or Gillian Welch are willing to lend their considerable talents to this debut should tell you all you need to know about just how good it is. The only negative thing I can say about them is that they have one of the dumbest band names I've ever heard, but when Lou Reed christens your band, I guess it's hard to argue.The Deep Vibration - "Oklahoma City Woman Blues (Veracruz)" (mp3)
The Deep Vibration will be holding their record release show this Friday, October 24 at The Basement in Nashville. The Explorers Club and Vermicious K'Nids round out the bill. Cover is a measly seven bucks, and includes a copy of the new EP.
The Titans Blow It Out
So there I am, sitting in the the stands at LP Field in the first quarter, watching the Titans take an early lead over the Viking en route to starting the season 4-0 for the first time in franchise history. And during a timeout, this song comes barrelling out of the giant endzone speakers...
This was unbelievably cool. Not just because a local band was getting played at a NFL game, but because the music at LP Field is usually pretty... well, pedestrian. It's generally a steady diet of hip hop, classic rock and country, and if you haven't heard it on mainstream radio, you're not going to hear it in the stands. So to hear non-country locals getting some love was kind of awesome.
Of course, this feel good musical moment was almost erased from my memory during the second half when the fans chose Big & Rich's idiotic "Coming To Your City" over Van Halen's "Jump" as the AT&T Ringtone of the Game. Seriously Nashville?
Labels: locals
Next Big Nashville 08 Friday Recap
Friday night's Next Big Nashville festivities got started with free booze and killer views at the pre-show reception at ICON. After two hours spent comparing notes with bloggers and band members, and getting an early start on the evening's drinking, it was definitely a good night to take advantage of the free shuttle service. I'm happy to report that they only missed on their "every 15 minutes" promise once. It's definitely the best way to get around at NBN, especially since Metro's finest were seen out in full force throughout the weekend.
Night two featured quite a bit of club hopping, but again focused primarily on dodging cars walking across Elliston. Reid & Wright were the first act of the evening, kicking off the Infinity Cat showcase with their experimental noise. I always learned if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything. So... later in the evening Cake Bake Betty took the stage at Exit/In for an engaging set of skewed piano pop.
Across the street at The End, the Birmingham based Skybucket Records were showcasing their label's rootsy Southern pop. Duquette Johnston turned in a solid set of alt-country, while Through The Sparks leaned more towards John Lennon's post-Beatles output. But of the three bands on the bill that I saw, the one who stole the show was the Dexateens, whose "Alabama Rock 'N Roll" sounded something like if Lynyrd Skynrd had jumped in a time machine and became an indie rock band instead of classic rock staples. Their three guitar attack was catchy as hell and ridiculously fun.
In between the Elliston club hopping, I caught the shuttle down to 12th & Porter where I was supposed to meet a friend. He never showed, but I did catch Ferraby Lionheart's solo acoustic set. While his indie folk tunes were great, it was definitely the kind of thing I'd probably have enjoyed more during this week's Americana Music Association festival. It was just a bit too mellow to be stuck in the middle of a rock showcase.
As the clock turned towards midnight, it was time to head down to the Cannery for Superdrag's headlining set. Starting early, the guys were on fire as they tore through a set packed with old favorites and a couple of new jams. After an all too brief forty-five minutes, they left the crowd desperately chanting for an encore, but all they got for their efforts was the cocktail jazz on the PA turned up louder and louder.
When I got to the afterparty at City Hall, The Dynamites were already well into their set. The band was tight as hell, laying down fat funky grooves and slower soul jams. Frontman Charles Walker was working the crowd like the veteran soulman he is, equal parts smooth crooner and R&B shouter. But despite the sizable crowd getting down in front of the stage, the room had kind of a weird vibe. There was a whole lot of weary mingling going on in the back as well, probably attributable to the fact that most of the crowd had been club hopping for at least six hours at that point. It was pushing 2 a.m. when I finally called it a night, and the band was still wailing into the night.
Dexateens - "What Money Means" (mp3)
Through The Sparks - "Falling Out Of Favor With The Neighbors" (mp3)
Photo of The Dynamites by Chris Wage. His NBN galleries can been seen here, here, here and here.
Labels: concerts, locals, next big nashville
Next Big Nashville 08 Thursday Recap
When the schedule for Next Big Nashville came out, my first thought was how front loaded it was. It seemed that most of the bands I really liked were all playing on Thursday. This made for some tough decisions, but my goal for the weekend was to try to focus as much as possible on seeing bands that I wasn't as familiar with, or at least hadn't seen live yet. Unfortunately this meant passing up an obscenely awesome lineup at The Rutledge, but as great as the night turned out it was hard to be disappointed.
My original plan was to begin the evening by checking out some of the experimental lineup at the Anchor. Hollow Ox kicked off the evening with their trippy space rock, playing in front of a projection screen that combined with the setting in an old church made a fantastic visual companion to their sonic atmospherics. Unfortunately I only made it through one song because it was so fucking hot. Apparently the Anchor doesn't have air conditioning, and the fans they had blowing just weren't cutting it. I feel bad for the bands who were scheduled there that night, not only because the oppressive heat surely chased off any potential crowd, but also because I can't imagine having to perform in temperatures like that.
Wanting to beat a hasty retreat to somewhere with adequate AC, I headed for the Cannery, where L.A.'s Run Run Run was halfway through their set of ultra-polished alt-rock. They had a fifth member onstage running an impressive light show, although it was a bit odd seeing that kind of production in front of smallish early evening crowd.
The the bulk of my Thursday was spent shuffling back and forth between The End and Exit/In. At the former, Kindergarten Circus played their high school punk with the kind of enthusiasm that only teenagers can pull off, and Velcro Stars followed up with superb set of their infectious indie-pop ear candy. Hotpipes didn't exactly mesh with my goal of seeing bands I wasn't familiar with, since I'd seen them just five days prior. But I also didn't feel like I was cheating myself by seeing them again, because they were entirely awesome. Glossary closed out my evening on the Rock Block with an insanely great set of southern flavored rock.
I figured that I'd spend most of the evening at the Grand Palace showcase at The End, only popping over to the Exit/In to catch a couple of songs during set changes, but the bands playing the big room were all too good to play hit and run, and I ended up staying through the end of all of their sets. Paper Rival played a set of tight indie rock with lyrics that seemed to focus on big themes. The Deep Vibration might have won the award for the dumbest band name of the festival, but their music more than made up for it, coming off like Gram Parsons fronting Crazy Horse. Their set was incredibly well received, and apparently they wanted to thank the crowd by playing past their allotted set time. When turning off the lights and the PA didn't get the message across that it was time to stop, the soundman walked up front and cut the onstage power. The biggest surprise of the evening came courtesy of Skyblazer, another in a seemingly endless line of side projects from the Infinity Cat family. Comprised of members of JEFF the Brotherhood and Cake Bake Betty, their set of psychedelic jams was jaw droppingly awesome, like Black Sabbath with a chick singer. The only thing missing was a liquid light show.
It being a work night, I decided that I'd call it an early evening and started heading for home just before midnight, but at the last minute decided to pop into the 5 Spot to catch the tail end of Totally Snake. They must have started early, because I walked in just as their set was ending. But before the crowd could begin to dissipate, Party Cannon crashed the stage for an unannounced performance. Obviously more concerned with the party part of their name than actually playing music, they started spraying the crowd with silly string and tossing poppers on the stage in between short bursts of what I guess they call songs. The crowd was eating it up until someone lit up and entire handfull of sparklers which filled the club with smoke and sent most of the crowd scrambling outside gasping for air. And it was on that note that I called it a night.
Glossary - "Little Caney" (mp3)
Velcro Stars - "Cascade" (mp3)
Hollow Ox - "Badminton In December" (mp3)
Photo of Glossary by Lance Conzett. His Next Big Nashville gallery can be seen here.
Labels: concerts, locals, next big nashville
Next Big Nashville 2008 Previews
Last night marked the opening festivities of Next Big Nashville, the local rock scene's third annual celebration of great music and even greater alcohol consumption. Last year's festival was one of the highlights of my year, and this year promises to equally great. With some 250 artists playing over five nights at sixteen different venues, trying to decide who to see can be a bit overwhelming. So to help you out, here are my recommendations. I can personally attest that each one of this acts put on a great live show, and I'm happy to give them the Page 300 Seal of Approval (apologies in advance for being very brief and recycling old comments, but I've got a lot of ground to cover).
Without a doubt, the best bill of the festival takes place on Thursday at The Rutledge. If you can only make one showcase this week, this is the one to catch.
Altered Statesman - Psychedelic soul with lyrics like beat poetry.
Thursday at The Rutledge, 8:45 pm
Altered Statesman - "Lightning Rod" (mp3)
Eastern Block - I'd never heard of these guys before I saw them open for Ladyhawk earlier this year, and I was absolutely blown away. Kinda like an American version of Bloc Party.
Thursday at The Rutledge, 9:30 pm
And The Relatives - Garage rock that will appeal to the Pixies fan in everyone.
Thursday at The Rutledge, 10:15 pm
All We Seabees - If you've been reading this blog for the past week, you already know how much I love these guys. With the release of MKUltra, they've expanded on their folk rock roots to simply become of Nashville's best bands.
Thursday at The Rutledge, 11 pm
All We Seabees - "Howard" (mp3)
Hannah Barbarians and Eureka Gold round out this bill. But as absolutely fabulous as that lineup is, there are plenty of other plenty of other great options worthy of checking out, especially on Thursday. The best of the rest...
Amanda Shires - Chances are you'll be smitten with this alt-country chanteuse the minute she steps on stage. And after you've heard her singing and fiddling, you'll probably be ready to propose. More than just a pretty face, she represents everything thats great about country music.
Thursday at 3rd & Lindsley, 9:30 pm
The Pink Spiders - Their first NBN appearance was infamous for their showdown with the production crew, and last year a puke break was a highlight of their set. At this point they are more notorious for their antics and lineup changes than their music, but whatever happens it's sure to be entertaining.
Thursday at Cannery Ballroom, 10:30 pm
Lylas - With Halloween just around the corner, their brand of macabre/romantic folk pop is just what you need to put you in the proper frame of mind.
Thursday Douglas Corner, 11 pm
Hollow Ox - Ambient instrumental soundscapes perfect for getting your head lost in.
Thursday at The Anchor, 8 pm
Hollow Ox - "The Fields Are Cold" (mp3)
Timbre - Bridging the gap between classical and indie, this band of siblings is chamber pop in the truest sense of the word. Imagine Sigur Ros if they only used orchestral instruments.
Thursday at The Anchor, 9:30 pm
Hotpipes - I'm not sure there is a better band in town right now. Future Bolt easily wins my vote for the best local release of the year.
Thursday at The End, 10:15 pm
The Nobility - If you think pop music started sucking around once we flipped the calendar into the 1970s, these retro tunesmiths will appeal to your longing for the golden days.
Friday at The 5 Spot, 11 pm
The Nobility - "Halleluiah Chorus" (mp3)
Jennifer Nicely - Imagine a young Billie Holiday fronting Chris Isaak's Silvertones.
Friday at The Basement, 8 pm
Cortney Tidwell - Based on the new material she's been performing at recent shows, her next album will take her ethereal pop in a much rockier direction, but it's still absolutely gorgeous.
Friday at Cannery Ballroom, 8:45 pm
Cortney Tidwell - "Missing Link" (mp3)
Superdrag - What needs to be said about these guys at this point? Probably Tennessee's finest rock band.
Friday at Cannery Ballroom, 12:15 am
The Howlies - Chances are this will be the most ridiculously fun set of the week. They wrap up everything that's great about rock and roll in quick three minute bursts.
Saturday at Exit/In, 10:30 pm
Caitlin Rose - If you like country songstresses old school with a healthy dose of wit, this will be right up your alley.
Saturday at The Basement, 9:30 pm
Plex Plex - On record, they are a lot closer to their early 80's electronic influences, but live they come off like Karen O fronting The Killers.
Saturday at The Rutledge, 11:45 pm
Check out the complete schedule here, and head out secure in the knowledge that wherever you end up going over the next four days, you're guaranteed to discover some amazing local and regional talent.
Labels: locals, next big nashville
MKUltra
All We Seabees - MKUltra
It's always a good feeling when you introduce a friend to a band, and they enjoy their show so much that they go home with a CD. It's probably akin to the way a political fundraiser feels when they convince someone to pony up a donation to their candidate... except in this case the person actually gets something for their money other than a bunch of promises. The latest case of my musical tastemaking was Saturday night, when All We Seabees celebrated the release of their third album at The Basement.
All We Seabees have been one of the most promising bands on the local scene since their arrival from Detroit two years ago. Though their previous two albums have been fantastic in their own right, with MKUltra they've managed to match the eclectic arrangements that have been a hallmark of their live shows. Their folk rock roots are still very much evident, but they seem to be taking a Wilco like approach and have considerably weirded things up. In addition to an expanded sonic palate, they've also dipped their toes into odd time signatures... not so much that you're going to mistake them for prog rock, but definitely enough to keep you guessing if you try to dance to it. The experimental flourishes of "Hoi Polloi" would feel right at home on any of Radiohead's last couple of albums, and "Alt. Country" rocks harder and quirkier than anything the Seabees have previously done. Despite the bold new window dressings, the lyrics still have the same narrative soul worthy of a poet laureate. With the creative heights they've achieved on MKUltra, perhaps from here on out they'd be best described as folk-art-rock.
All We Seabees - "Howard" (mp3)
All We Seabees - "Leather Leashes" (mp3)
All We Seabees perform this Thursday, September 11 at The Rutledge at 11 pm as part of Next Big Nashville.
Construimus, Batuimus
The boys (and gal) in All We Seabees have had a busy year. In February, they released their second album, Lady Alaska, and then almost immediately went to work on their third. Now just six months later, they're ready to pull back the curtain on MKultra. I'd love to tell you all about it, but the one thing the band hasn't been busy doing is delivering promised advance copies of the album. I'll forgive them though, because the two songs I have heard from the album already are fantastic (one is available below, the other can be heard on their myspace profile). They'll celebrate today with an in-store performance at Grimey's at 6 pm, and then again on Saturday, September 6 at The Basement, along with Hotpipes and Hands Off Cuba.
All We Seabees - "Leather Leashes" (mp3)
ETA - So either I didn't check my mailbox yesterday or my post and the delivery crossed paths in the space/time continuum, because the CD was in my mailbox when I got home tonight. Expect a full review shortly.
Labels: locals
The Scene That Celebrates Itself
When I headed down to the Nashville Cream 2nd Anniversary bash at the Mercy Lounge on Saturday night, I was curious how the evening's theme was going to come off. The idea of local bands covering other local bands was clever, but you had to wonder if it'd come off like a private joke that most of the crowd weren't in on. But what could have turned into a reminder of the local rock scene's perceived insular nature ended up just being one hell of a good time. Even if those who weren't familiar with the oeuvre of the area bands that got covered were treated to an incredibly fun show.
Highlights included Stories That Live kicking off the festivities with Superdrag's "Keep It Close To Me," The Privates doing a killer take on Hotpipes' "Where Is The Shore?" that almost surpassed the original, and The Carter Administration paying tribute to Apollo Up with a ferocious version "Walking The Plank." But the absolute high point of the evening though had to belong to Cortney Tidwell, who dug a bit deeper into the past and did a gorgeous take of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" that featured harmonies from Festival's Alexis Powell. Between the relaxed and almost too brief sets from all four bands, the utterly decadent dessert table, and the dollar Yazoo drafts, it made for a pretty swell birthday party.
Also, it's kind of bizarre seeing things you wrote on the interweb plastered on the walls at a bar months later. Reading the excerpts from comment threads that the Scene's staff has postered all over the Mercy was like reliving the unproductive afternoons of countless workdays gone by.
Apollo Up - "Walking The Plank" (mp3) from Chariots Of Fire
Highlights included Stories That Live kicking off the festivities with Superdrag's "Keep It Close To Me," The Privates doing a killer take on Hotpipes' "Where Is The Shore?" that almost surpassed the original, and The Carter Administration paying tribute to Apollo Up with a ferocious version "Walking The Plank." But the absolute high point of the evening though had to belong to Cortney Tidwell, who dug a bit deeper into the past and did a gorgeous take of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" that featured harmonies from Festival's Alexis Powell. Between the relaxed and almost too brief sets from all four bands, the utterly decadent dessert table, and the dollar Yazoo drafts, it made for a pretty swell birthday party.
Also, it's kind of bizarre seeing things you wrote on the interweb plastered on the walls at a bar months later. Reading the excerpts from comment threads that the Scene's staff has postered all over the Mercy was like reliving the unproductive afternoons of countless workdays gone by.
Apollo Up - "Walking The Plank" (mp3) from Chariots Of Fire
Sound From The Ground
When the members of Venus Hum started scattering to the four winds a couple years ago (the band is now split between Nashville, Cincinnati and New York), I figured it was probably the beginning of the end for my favorite electronic popsters. Luckily it appears that my fears were unfounded. The band is currently writing and recording songs for a "super secret project," and while the project might be covert enough that they can't tell us what it is, it's not keeping them from blogging about it. In addition to updates on their progress, they're also posting videos of the proceedings, giving us a sneak peak at both the new material and their creative process.
Venus Hum - "Fighting For Love" (mp3) from Songs For Superheroes
Labels: locals
Theory 8's Super Bargain Blowout Sale
Ever since the economic stimulus package was announced this spring, companies have been offering all kinds of promotions to
For a limited time (probably as long as it takes them to sober up and come to their senses), Theory 8 Records is running a special; get any five of their albums for just fifteen bucks. In case you're bad at math, that's just three dollars apiece. You do have to pay for shipping, but that's only another two bucks. Over the past eight years, they've released albums by Nashville stalwarts like De Novo Dahl, Caitlin Rose, Forget Cassettes, Apollo Up, and The Carter Administration, along with a few out-of-towners like Copeland, so you ought to be able to find five albums you'd dig. And if you can only find three or four, take a chance and pick one or two at random... for only three bucks it's worth a gamble, and you might discover something awesome. You can check out their complete catalog (complete with MP3s) here, but you need to hit up this link to take advantage of this offer (just list the five albums you want in the special instructions field).
Need suggestions?
Apollo Up! - "Situation: Hot!" (mp3) from Chariots Of Fire
Caitlin Rose - "Dead Flowers" (mp3) from Dead Flowers EP
De Novo Dahl - "Be Your Man" (mp3) from Cats & Kittens
The Carter Administration - "The Wake Up Call" (mp3) from Here Comes The Copout
Forget Cassettes - "Quiero, Quieres" (mp3) from Salt
Labels: locals
Get Down Friday
The Story of My Friday, Part 2: The Second Part
If you had told me on Friday afternoon that the turnaround to what had been a fairly crappy day would be watching a couple of shirtless, pasty dudes jump around by the pool at Opryland Hotel, I'd have thought you were high. But it turns out that is exactly what happened.
The first sign that my Friday was about to get better was about 6:15, when I left work earlier than I thought I'd be able to. That meant I had just enough time to go home, change clothes, and head out to Poolapalooza, the free concert series/pool party that Opryland Hotel is hosting this summer. If you're from around these parts, you know that Opryland isn't usually a destination for seeing local rock acts, but they had a great lineup Friday evening, so I figured I'll try anything once. It turns out the Gaylord folks have put together a really fun event. Kudos to them.
I got there just after The Nobility had kicked things off. Despite the fact that they play a fairly jaunty brand of pop music, they seemed to have a hard time connecting with the crowd. Whether it was their self-depreciating wit or the fact that rock concerts just aren't meant to happen when it's still daylight, people definitely seemed more interested in the pool than the band for most of their set.
By the time De Novo Dahl took the stage just after 8, they had the benefit of twilight, so the atmosphere was much more conducive to a rock show. I'm not sure if anyone else in attendance was trying to fight off the blues that evening, but if they were, DND were just what the doctor ordered. Sometime during the 1-2 punch of "Shout" and their cover of Rod Stewart's "Young Turks," I'd completely forgotten that the better part of my day had pretty much sucked. By the end of their set, they'd managed to draw a diverse crowd of curious locals, chlorine soaked tourists and conventioneers. It made for a surprisingly great start to the weekend.
De Novo Dahl - "Shout" (mp3) from Move Every Muscle, Make Every Sound
The Nobility - "Halleluiah Chorus" (mp3) from The Mezzanine
Photo by Lance Conzett. The rest of his pics from Friday night can be seen here.
Heaven Tonight
Last week Cortney Tidwell held round one of her mini residency at The Basement, and if you didn't make it out, you missed a night of music that can only be described as magical. She and the band pulled out all the stops during an hour long set that mixed up new material from their forthcoming album Son and Moon, along with a few older songs that had been gussied up with a fresh coat of paint. The evening featured guest appearances aplenty (at one point there were ten people on stage), including duets with Lambchop's Kurt Wagner on "Society" from Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up, and a gorgeous take on Don William's classic "I Believe In You." Combined with standout sets from Altered Statesman and Lone Official, it made for just a stunning evening.
She will be doing round two of the residency tomorrow (Wednesday, June 18), this time joined by The Privates and Stone Jack Jones. Even if it's only half as good as last week was, it will still be an utterly amazing show.
UPDATE: Someone should have told me that mp3 link below was busted. It's fixed now.
Cortney Tidwell - "Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up (Alternate Version)" (mp3) original version from Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up
If you absolutely, postively can't make it (like say you live in Europe), make sure you hit up her myspace profile, where she is currently previewing "Palace" from the forthcoming album.
