Bradley's Almanac

[Last Night's Playlist] NEW MUSIC NIGHT VI at River Gods

2012-05-25T06:45:00.004-04:00

The sixth edition of NEW MUSIC NIGHT ended late last night (ok, technically early this morning), with myself and Jay Clicky Clicky alternating DJ hours at venerable Cambridge hang-spot River Gods in Central Square. What follows is a rundown of the songs I spun, along with where to find 'em and listening links if available. For Jay's playlists, hit up his place.

New Music Night mark VI

at River Gods, Cambridge, MA
May 24th, 2012

Set One
(9-10pm / Bradley's Almanac)

** = Boston-area band

01. Sun Kil Moon - "Sunshine In Chicago"
     [ from the "Among The Leaves" LP / stream at Caldo Verde ]
02. Tara Jane O'Neil - "Sirena"
     [ from her new K records 7-inch ]
03. Beachwood Sparks - "Forget The Song"
     [ from the upcoming "The Tarnished Gold" LP / MP3 ]
04. Kaia - "The Night Was On To Me"
     [ from her "Two Adult Women In Love" LP / demo MP3 ]
05. Real Estate - "Exactly Nothing"
     [ b-side to the "Easy" 7-inch / stream at Soundcloud ]
06. Pools - "Bad Enough"
     [ from the "Cabin" EP / stream at Bandcamp / MP3 ]
07. Rebecca Gates & the Consortium - "&&&"
     [ from the upcoming "The Float" LP / stream at Parcematone ]
08. Beach House - "Myth"
     [ from the "Bloom" LP / video / download via Topspin ]
09. 2:54 - "You're Early"
     [ from their debut album / stream on Soundcloud ]
10. Best Coast - "The Only Place"
     [ title track from the new LP / download via Topspin ]
11. Eux Autres - "Home Tonight"
     [ from the "Sun Is Sunk" EP / MP3 ]
12. Allo Darlin' - "Northern Lights"
     [ from the "Europe" LP ]
13. Detective Agency - "Daggers"
     [ from the "Daggers" EP / stream on Bandcamp ]
14. ** Gulls - "Hair"
     [ from the "Down The Hatch" LP / stream & free download at Bandcamp / MP3 ]
15. Beach Fossils - "Shallow"
     [ from the 7-inch / download at Spin ]
16. Craft Spells - "Still Left With Me"
     [ from the "Gallery" EP / stream at Soundcloud ]
17. DIIV - "Doused"
     [ from the upcoming "Oshin" LP / stream at Soundcloud ]
18. Violens - "Der Microarc"
     [ from the "True" LP / video / stream at Soundcloud / MP3 ]
19. ** Cuffs - "Private View"
     [ from the upcoming 7-inch on Ride The Snake Records ]
20. Redd Kross - "Researching The Blues"
     [ title track from the forthcoming Merge Records LP / MP3 ]

Set Two
(11pm-12am / Bradley's Almanac)

** = Boston-area band

21. Admiral Fallow - "The Paper Trench"
     [ from the "Tree Burst In Snow" LP / video / stream at Soundcloud ]
22. ** The Dirty Dishes - "Blur"
     [ from "The Most Tarnished Birds" EP / stream & download on Soundcloud ]
23. Now Now - "Thread"
     [ from the "Threads" LP / video ]
24. The Karl Hendricks Trio - "The Men's Room At The Airport"
     [ from the upcoming "Adult Section" LP / MP3 ]
25. Averkiou - "Fuzzy Photograph"
     [ from "The New Imperative" EP / stream at Soundcloud ]
26. ** Hallelujah the Hills - "Get Me In A Room"
     [ from their "No One Knows What Happens Next" LP / MP3 ]
27. Guided By Voices - "Class Clown Spots A UFO"
     [ title track from the next LP / stream at RS ]
28. Standard Fare - "Girlfriend"
     [ from a new 3-song 7-inch / stream at Soundcloud ]
29. ** The Figgs - "Chased"
     [ from their "The Day Gravity Stopped" double LP / stream at Peterwalkee Records ]
30. Black Tambourine - "Want You Around" (Ramones cover)
     [ from the "OneTwoThreeFour" double 7-inch on Slumberland ]
31. My Bloody Valentine - "Good For You"
     [ previously unreleased track from the new remasters / stream at PMA ]
32. The Wedding Present - "End Credits"
     [ from their "Valentina" LP ]
33. Obits - "Let Me Dream If I Want To" (Mink DeVille cover)
     [ from their new Sub Pop 7-inch ]
34. ** Mission of Burma - "Dust Devil"
     [ from the upcoming "Unsound" LP / MP3 ]
35. ** The Okay Win - "Cliff"
     [ from their almost-out "Leveled" EP / stream at Bandcamp ]
36. ** Slowdim - "Money"
     [ new single / stream at Bandcamp / MP3 ]
37. ** Age Rings - "Bounty Hunter"
     [ from the brand new "AM/PM" EP ]
38. Elliott Smith - "Needle In The Hay" (with Eric Matthews)
     [ unreleased version (with EM on trumpet) from the CASH Music Kickstarter compilation ]

[Preview / Didn't-Play-List] NEW MUSIC NIGHT is this Thursday at River Gods

2012-05-21T11:30:00.009-04:00

First off, take note, Boston: The next edition of NEW MUSIC NIGHT, during which Jay Clicky Clicky and myself take to the River Gods DJ booth in Cambridge and play nothing but carefully-chosen new songs, takes place this coming Thursday, May 24th, 2012. Got it? Good.

The last time our every-other-month event went down, I was sadly absent *. Yes, among the casualties of the soul-crushing sickness I came down with in mid-March was my planned appearance at that 5th edition of NMN, but before I succumbed, I was able to pull together a pretty spiffy setlist, if I do say so myself. And I do. I spent a ton of time gathering these all-new tracks, perfectly sequenced for her and his pleasure, but sharing them was, alas, not meant to be. Not going to let that stop me from posting it here, though.

What follows is what you would've heard, had I not been at home shivering beneath the covers. Some of these may show up in my playlist on Thursday, but a ton of great new stuff has come out since then, so who knows. Do join us, won't you?

( * My thanks to WMBR DJ/Pipeline host Jeff Breeze for filling in, by the way... the pinch hit was very much appreciated. For Jay's playlists from NMN-V, head over to Clicky Clicky.)

The did-not-playlist...

** = Boston-area band

01. AV Linton - "Big Ocean"
      [ new recording from ex-Henry's Dress & Aislers Set member / listen at Soundcloud ]
02. Sharon Van Etten - "Give Out"
     [ from the "Tramp" LP / stream at P4K ]
03. Pools - "Bad Enough"
     [ from the "Cabin" EP / stream at Bandcamp / MP3 ]
04. Husky - "The Woods"
     [ from the upcoming "Forever So" LP on Sub Pop / video ]
05. Frank Lenz - "Chicago"
     [ from the "Holy Rollers" soundtrack / stream at Soundcloud ]
06. Guided By Voices - "Keep It In Motion"
     [ from "Class Clown Spots a UFO" / stream at Soundcloud ]
07. The Mary Onettes - "Loves Taking Strange Ways"
     [ from the "Love Forever" EP / MP3 ]
08. The Minor Leagues - "Ghost Maps"
     [ from the "North College Hill" LP / free download at Bandcamp ]
09. ** Slowdim - "Money"
     [ new single / stream at Bandcamp / MP3 ]
10. ** The Rationales - "Radio"
     [ new single / stream or free download at Bandcamp ]
11. The Wedding Present - "Back A Bit... Stop"
     [ from their "Valentina" LP ]
12. Now Now - "Thread"
     [ from the "Threads" LP / video ]
13. Eux Autres - "Home Tonight"
     [ from the "Sun Is Sunk" EP / MP3 ]
14. Averkiou - "Fuzzy Photograph"
     [ from "The New Imperative" EP / stream at Soundcloud ]
15. Beach Fossils - "Shallow"
     [ from the 7-inch / download at Spin ]
16. Craft Spells - "Still Left With Me"
     [ from the "Gallery" EP / stream at Soundcloud ]
17. DIIV - "Geist"
     [ from the 7-inch / stream at Stereogum ]
18. ** Gulls - "Hair"
     [ from the "Down The Hatch" LP / stream & free download at Bandcamp / MP3 ]
19. 2:54 - "You're Early"
     [ from their debut album / stream on Soundcloud ]
20. A Little Affair - "December"
     [ from their self-titled debut LP / stream at Soundcloud ]
21. Sun Kil Moon - "Sunshine In Chicago"
     [ from the "Among The Leaves" LP / stream at Caldo Verde ]
22. Milano Sun - "Already Gone"
     [ / stream at Soundcloud / video ]
23. Magnetic Fields - "I'd Go Anywhere With Hugh"
     [ from the "Love At The Bottom Of The Sea" LP / stream LP at Merge ]
24. ** The Dirty Dishes - "Blur"
     [ from "The Most Tarnished Birds" EP / stream & download on Soundcloud ]
25. Detective Agency - "Daggers"
     [ from the "Daggers" EP / stream on Bandcamp ]
26. Belle & Sebastian - "Crash" (Primitives cover)
     [ from the "Late Night Tales" compilation / stream at Soundcloud / video ]
27. Desert Stars - "Boys Like"
     [ from their debut 7-inch / stream & name-your-price download on Bandcamp ]
28. Black Tambourine - "What's Your Game" (Ramones cover)
     [ from the "OneTwoThreeFour" double 7-inch / stream at Soundcloud / MP3 ]
29. Violens - "Der Microarc"
     [ from the "True" LP / video / stream at Soundcloud / MP3 ]
30. Beach House - "Myth"
     [ from the "Bloom" LP / video / download via Topspin ]
31. Real Estate - "Exactly Nothing"
     [ b-side to the "Easy" 7-inch / stream at Soundcloud ]
32. ** Age Rings - "One" (Harry Nilsson cover)
     [ digital single release / download at Midriff Records ]
33. Jeremy Enigk - "Last Rites" (Damien Jurado cover)
     [ / stream at the Seattle Times ]
34. Elliott Smith - "Needle In The Hay" (with Eric Matthews)
     [ unreleased version (with EM on trumpet) from the CASH Music Kickstarter compilation ]
35. Tara Jane O'Neil - "The Rainbow Connection" (Muppets cover)
     [ b-side of the "Sirena" 7-inch ]

Once again: This Thursday, River Gods, Cambridge, MA. 4 hours of new music. 9pm on the nose.

[Reissue Review] Ride's "Nowhere" (Rhino Remaster vs. 1990 original)

2012-05-01T00:50:00.011-04:00

On any given day, if you forced me to shout out my favorite album ever, there's a very good chance I'd yell "NOWHERE"! For many, many months after Ride's 1990 start-to-finish masterpiece was released it rarely left my walkman, soundtracking a very volatile chunk of my formative years. The 11 songs on Ride's debut full-length (after a string of ace EPs) settled down very, very deep into my heart and brain, and to this day I've never once tired of hearing it. Hell, I nearly named this blog after a "Nowhere" lyric, but didn't want to step on Frank's already-Ride-referencing toes.

So when the album hit the 20-year mark and Rhino Handmade released remastered double-disc/single LP versions in late 2010, you're damn right I re-bought it. Sure, I have that purist part of me that screamed "Don't mess with perfection!", but I needed to know what they'd done to my dearly beloved. Even if it was going to cost me 40 bucks plus shipping to find that out.

Well, whaddya know... they done good.

Today, to coincide with Clicky Clicky's release of the lovingly-curated "NOFUCKINGWHERE" tribute compilation (on which 11 Boston bands cover every single song from the record), and realizing that a $40 pricetag is tough for your average Ride fan to throw down for a 20-year old album they probably know by heart, I thought I'd lay out some simple audio/visual evidence in support of the reissue. Whether you've heard the original never, a dozen, or a million times, the remastered "Nowhere" should be on your shelf. Thanks to Rhino, by the way, for allowing me to use the audio tracks below.

The aural dynamics are a vital part of "Nowhere", so when I heard they were remastering the thing, I feared that we'd get unnecessary compression and over-maximization of valleys vs. hills (don't worry if you didn't understand that, it may not actually make sense). The album came out well before the hot-levels craze, where every track was squashed to hell and pinned to max volume. Fortunately those days have (mostly) passed, and Nick Webb at Abbey Road (a former Beatles engineer who handled the remastering) kept all the lows, highs, and dynamic shifts intact - to me, they feel more powerful than ever.

(For a far better explanation of mastering, specifically "loudness", than I could ever hope to write, check out this excellent primer over at Bob Weston & Jason Ward's Chicago Mastering Service. It'll help you understand what I'm trying to get across. Basically this image = bad.)

Compare the waveform of the original 1990 version of "Vapour Trail" with its remastered counterpart, and you'll see how the volume was increased without maxing all the levels to their highest points...

But more importantly, listen to the original and the remaster back-to-back. Yes, obviously the new version is a bit louder, but pay particular attention to when the drums kick in, or when the strings arrive...

The bass drum and snare are punchier but still in the pocket - they don't distract from the guitars or vocals. They're clearer, as are the all-important strings, which are given added definition without sterile separation. I hear details in these songs that I've never heard before, and given how many times I've listened to them, that's a mastering miracle. It's really a near-perfect production job, finding a balance between added clarity and the original's warm blanket sound.

For another taste (unfortunate but unplanned pun), have a look and listen to "Paralysed", a longer and more dynamic track than "Vapour Trail"...

Aside from the audio improvement the remaster provides, the bonus material is the other obvious reason to pick up the "Nowhere" reissue: The 4 ridiculously great songs from "Today Forever" EP, which were also remastered, are tacked on the first disc at the end of the album. The original version of EP track "Today" suffered from very low levels, and was a bit muffled - that's finally been remedied, and it positively sparkles now. (side note - check out Lou Barlow's thoughts on the "Today Forever" EP right here)

The second disc of the pair holds a previously-unreleased live recording of the band at what some would call the peak of their power, during their first U.S. tour in 1991 at the Roxy in LA. 12 tracks, including 7 from "Nowhere". It's probably the best live document of the band I've ever heard, and I've heard more than my share.

The packaging of the double-disc is impressive as well, featuring a 6" x 6" hardbound book with a lenticular version of iconic blue wave image on the front, and photos, lyrics, artwork, and an understandably gushing essay from music critic Jim DeRogatis on the inside. The presentation nearly does the audio justice. I haven't checked out the 180g vinyl remaster, which keeps things simple with just the original "Nowhere" tracks, but it looks, and likely sounds, just as gorgeous. This is the first time the LP version has been available in the states, and pulling together this post has just convinced me I really need to upgrade my original import-only copy.

So hit up Rhino before I grab the last LP (it actually says "Low stock", so I'm not really kidding), or snag the 2CD version. Then head straight to Clicky Clicky and download "NOFUCKINGWHERE" (for free) so you have something to listen to while you wait by your mailbox.

[Here It Comes!] 10th Annual Independent Film Festival Boston: The Music Docs

2012-04-19T20:48:00.003-04:00

In less than a week, on Wednesday, April 25th, the 10th annual Independent Film Festival Boston kicks off with an opening night screening of Mike Birbiglia's "Sleepwalk With Me" (and a post-film Q&A from producer and This American Life host Ira Glass), wrapping up 8 long days later with Lauren Greenfield's riches-to-way-less-riches documentary "The Queen of Versailles" on Wednesday, May 2nd. In between, over 130 carefully-curated films will roll on projectors at the Somerville Theatre, The Brattle in Harvard Square, and Brookline's Coolidge Corner Theatre.

As with previous years' lineups, the 2012 edition has a healthy handful of music-related documentaries. The staff, who spend endless (volunteered) hours screening hundreds of submitted films, has always made a point of including music docs in their varied schedule, and that's one of the many reasons I've never missed a single IFFBoston. Hard for me to believe it's been a decade, maybe even harder for the tireless (actually, probably very tired) crew.

So here's a quick rundown of the seven music-related documentaries screening at this year's IFFB, most of which will have their directors in attendance for post-film Q&As. Make sure you pick up individual advance tickets for the ones that strike you, or better yet, grab a full festival pass and make the most of it. Many screenings sell out early, so unless you're up for waiting in risky rush lines, play it safe...

Independent Film Fest Boston: The Music Docs

All Ages: The Boston Hardcore Film
Directed by Drew Stone, who will attend for a post-film Q&A

Boston. Hardcore. Those words carry a lot of history, a lot of weight. This documentary has been in the works for awhile now, so I'm pretty psyched it's finally ready to roll. Even more psyched that it's the IFFBoston that scored the premiere. Given the deep local ties this film has, I'm not at all surprised it sold out quickly, so if you got caught off guard, you'll either have to pick up a festival pass or show up at least an hour before showtime and cross your fingers in the rush line.

[ Tickets / Facebook / Brattle page / IMDB ]

Screening at 7:30pm on Friday, April 27th at the Brattle Theatre

Andrew Bird: Fever Year
Directed by Xan Aranda, who will attend for a post-film Q&A

As with past years, I was asked to screen a couple IFFB films early and write synopses for their program guide. "Fever Year" was one of them, and here's what I had to say...

"I’m either sweating bullets or I’m freezing all the time...
but it seems like a worthy thing to do with your life."

—Andrew Bird

In director Xan Aranda’s new documentary, which covers the final months of singer/songwriter/master whistler Andrew Bird’s nonstop 2009 tour, Aranda’s subject truly embodies the old adage of “suffering for your art.” Wrestling with a low-grade fever throughout and a foot injury in the last stretch, Bird never lets his afflictions get between him, his songs, and the audiences that come to hear them. The film deftly balances biography and live footage (mostly from a two-night stand at Milwaukee’s Pabst Theatre), offering real insight into Bird’s creative process, artistic motivations, and evolution as a music maker. It’s a fascinatingly in-depth portrait of a true artist—one who is driven by a pure, singular compulsion, maladies be damned.

Highlights include early performances of songs from his just-released album, Break It Yourself (including a gorgeous duet with Annie Clark of St. Vincent), as well as fan favorites “Fake Palindromes,” “Fitz and the Dizzyspells,” and “Opposite Day.”

[ Tickets / Website / Facebook / Twitter / IMDB ]

Screening at 7:45pm on Thursday, April 26th at the Somerville Theatre

Beware of Mr. Baker
Directed by Jay Bulger, who will attend for a post-film Q&A

Peter Edward Baker - aka "Ginger". Legendary drummer for Cream, Blind Faith, and many, many others. Incorporating percussion elements of rock, metal, jazz, and African rhythms into his varied career, he's a madman behind the kit, and as those familiar with him know, not just when he's playing. His colorful, sometimes sordid past is told here in his own words, and his influence is measured by the likes of Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Charlie Watts, Mickey Hart, Carlos Santana, Neal Peart, and Marky Ramone, who all make appearances in the film.

[ Tickets / Website / Facebook / Twitter / IMDB ]

Screening at 9:15pm on Monday, April 30th at the Somerville Theatre

Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet
Directed by Jesse Vile

Can't recommend this one highly enough. It's another film I was fortunate enough to screen early, so here's my write-up for the IFFBoston program guide...

Outside certain circles, only a handful of virtuoso metal guitarists have achieved the mainstream name recognition of an Eddie Van Halen, a Steve Vai, or an Yngwie Malmsteen. And, in a just world, Jason Becker would be among them. The guy couldn’t just play, he could shred—and, like most late-’80s metalheads, he did it with huge hair, tight pants, and some all-pro guitar faces. Unlike his peers, though, Jason was just as likely to toss off a Bach fugue as a vintage Clapton solo. Fans and fellow players called him a prodigy, and they weren’t wrong.

So what happened? Where did he go? Why speak of his talent in the past tense? Therein lies a tale compassionately told in director Jesse Vile's JASON BECKER: NOT DEAD YET. At once tragic and uplifting—the title itself is a spoiler—it will melt your heart as it breaks it in two. It tackles big questions: What would you do if you lost everything? How much of yourself would you sacrifice for a loved one? Can pure willpower overcome physical limitation? Jason’s story is uniquely powerful, truly moving, and deeply inspirational—something many biopics strive for, but few achieve.

[ Tickets / Website / Twitter / IMDB ]

Screening at 9:15pm on Saturday, April 28th at the Brattle Theatre

Just Like Being There
Directed by Scout Shannon, who will attend for a post-film Q&A along with subject/artist Daniel Danger

No, not technically a music doc, but one that'll strike a chord in many music fans: Gig posters and the artists behind them.

From the official website: "In the gig poster community, artists such as Daniel Danger and Jay Ryan prove that creating this artwork is a way of life, more than just a career. These artists are at the forefront of an expansion of the gig poster genre. MONDO's reinvigoration of "the film poster as an art form," and Gallery 1988's theme based exhibits are only two ways in which this artwork is reaching a greater public. In a community with strong roots, dating back to the 1960s, this expansion is controversial- refreshing to some, sacrilegious to others."

The soundtrack sounds killer, too, with tracks from Okkervil River, Tokyo Police Club and Spoon.

[ Tickets / Website / Facebook / Twitter / IMDB ]

Screening at 7:30pm on Sunday, April 29th at the Somerville Theatre

Paul Williams Still Alive
Directed by Stephen Kessler, who will attend for a post-film Q&A

If you grew up in the 70s, and paid any particular attention to pop culture, you knew about Paul Williams. The diminutive songwriter and performer was seemingly everywhere for awhile there, and if you couldn't see him, you were hearing his songs sung by the likes of Karen Carpenter, Barbara Streisand, and yes, a certain frog named Kermit. Eventually, though, Williams just sort of... disappeared. Off the radar. Well, as the director of this documentary discovered, he's very much still alive, and the film exploration of his past and present is getting raves all around.

Bonus: Watch a clip of Williams performing "The Rainbow Connection" with a cast of many Muppets, just last week at Carnegie Hall during a tribute show called "Jim Henson's Musical World".

[ Tickets / Website / IMDB ]

Screening at 7:00pm on Tuesday, May 1st at the Coolidge Corner Theatre

Under African Skies
Directed by Joe Berlinger, who will attend for a post-film Q&A

An in-depth look at the recording of, controversy surrounding, and influence of Paul Simon's renowned 1986 "Graceland" album on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. Features interviews with Simon's collaborators (and detractors), footage of Simon's recent return to Africa, and clips of the original Graceland live performances. Director Berlinger was the man behind the camera for acclaimed documentaries "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster" and the West Memphis Three "Paradise Lost" films.

[ Tickets / Website / Twitter / IMDB ]

Screening at 8:00pm on Sunday, April 29th at the Somerville Theatre

[Live MP3s] The Joy Formidable in Allston 2011

2012-03-29T11:59:00.002-04:00

Under normal circumstances, one goal of this Joy Formidable post would be: "If you haven't heard this band, well, here you go... you should totally see them when they play the Paradise tomorrow." But, well, that ship has sailed. The show sold out awhile ago, so if you don't have tickets by now - barring Craigslist or out-front-begging - you're outta luck. Over the past year, the band has kind of blown up, especially here in Boston, due in no small part to their incendiary area live sets, generous WFNX airplay, and an opening slot for the Foo Fighters at the Garden late last year.

They've been relentlessly touring "The Big Roar", their 2011 debut full-length, which feels like it's been out far longer than a year. Not sure what kind of a writing-while-touring band they are, but let's hope they've got some new songs in the pipeline. I'm ready.

Until then, we'll keep getting blistering live versions of the songs from that debut, and the EP preceding it. Here's their set from Allston's Brighton Music Hall, exactly one year ago tonight.

And hey, if you didn't get tickets to tomorrow night's show at the 'Dise, well, here's some sound advice: Catch the ridiculously stacked bill across the river at TT the Bears instead. I'm talkin' Young Adults, Soccer Mom, Autochrome (celebrating the release of their new album), and Night Fruit. Four of Boston's best, all in one place. As much as I dig the Joy Formidable, there's no way in hell I'd miss that lineup.

The Joy Formidable

Live at Brighton Music Hall
in Allston, MA
on Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

[Download all 13 tracks in one 117 MB .zip file]

01. The Everchanging Spectrum Of A Lie
02. The Magnifying Glass
03. Austere
04. The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade
05. Cradle
06. banter
07. A Heavy Abacus
08. banter
09. Buoy
10. 9669
11. Whirring

encore...
12. Greyhounds In The Slip
13. I Don't Want To See You Like This

Post post-script...

That sample at the beginning of "Greyhounds In The Slip"? "Warlocks are enemies of God!". Jesus Camp vs Harry Potter.

The band appeared on Kimmel a couple weeks back, and blew through this web-only version of "Whirring"...

Boston's Radio 92.9 interviewed the band when they were in town last year (scroll down that page and click to listen), where they offered up an acoustic take on their album's epic closing track...

[MP3]
The Joy Formidable
"The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade"
(live on 92.9 FM Boston)

The Boston Phoenix's OTD was at last year's show as well, and shared up this live clip of "Whirring".

My Flickr-hosted live shots are here.

Only two more dates on the current JF tour: Saturday in Montreal, then Monday in (sold out) Toronto. After that, the band gets a well-deserved break until Bonnaroo in June.

Listen to any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine.

the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these Mp3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Files are generally made available for a limited time.

[LP Preview/DVD Review/EP Giveaway] MARK KOZELEK (Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painters)

2012-03-19T09:08:00.003-04:00

By necessity, longtime followers of Mark Kozelek have become a patient people. The wait for 2001's last-ever Red House Painters LP was five slow-going years. And after the debut full-length from his follow-up project, Sun Kil Moon, we waited another half-decade for their 2nd album in 2008 (no, I won't count Mark's 2005 time-killing collection of Modest Mouse covers). Sure, there are the relatively frequent live releases and compilations to ease some withdrawal symptoms, but proper LPs and tour dates were hard to come by for good while there.

Which makes the recent past so surprising, and so very welcome - especially for us devotees in the Boston area. Check this: In the past year-or-so alone we've had not just one, but two Koz live performances here, along with the release of his first-ever DVD ("Mark Kozelek - On Tour"), and last month's announcement of his next full-length under the Sun Kil Moon moniker, "Among The Leaves", arriving in late May on his own Caldo Verde label. Throw in last year's live collection ("Live at Union Chapel & Sodra Teatern") and another one on deck ("Live At Lincoln Hall", out May 1st), and we're in the midst of a bonafide bonanza. In short: It's a very, very good time to be a Mark Kozelek fan.

Consider this post an informational catch-all, of not just what's ahead for "crazy Koz" (hey, Mojave 3 said it, not me), but of his past couple visits to a particular Cambridge, Massachusetts church...

First the important stuff: A brand new album of original Kozelek-compositions, out on May 29th, and available for pre-order here. He's been playing many of the songs from "Among The Leaves" at shows over the past 6 months, though you'd be hard-pressed to find those performances online - he's notoriously strict about live recording. A rare exception: Video of a new one performed on February 4th at the Wilmot Church in Fredericton, New Brunswick during the Shivering Songs Festival. Here's Mark doing "Sunshine In Chicago", after a performance of "Heron Blue"...

Mark Kozelek - Live at the Shivering Songs Festival

We've also been privy to previews of the new record in the form of officially-approved MP3s from a couple different music blogs, including Stereogum (the LP version of "Sunshine In Chicago") and Paste Magazine (a stream of "Track Number 8").

While Mark's songs have traditionally been known for being on the sad side (yeah, ok, understatement), the tracks on the new LP promise to be among his most amusing yet. Well, maybe amusing is the wrong word. Wry? Sarcastic? Biting? Somewhere in there. All you have to do is look at the "Among The Leaves" track list to know he's letting loose a little bit...

Sun Kil Moon
"Among The Leaves" Track List
Release Date May 29 on Caldo Verde Records

1. I Know It's Pathetic But That Was The Greatest Night Of My Life
2. Sunshine In Chicago
3. The Moderately Talented Yet Attractive Young Woman vs. The Exceptionally Talented Yet Not So Attractive Middle Aged Man
4. That Bird Has A Broken Wing
5. Elaine
6. The Winery
7. Young Love
8. Song For Richard Collopy
9. Among The Leaves
10. Red Poison
11. Track Number 8
12. Not Much Rhymes With Everything's Awesome At All Times
13. King Fish
14. Lonely Mountain
15. UK Blues
16. UK Blues 2
17. Black Kite

Ok, so maybe there are only 3 or 4 songs titles that hint at Morrissey-style humor, but hey, it's more than he's given us in the past. I will say that the last time I saw him, just two months ago at the First Church in Cambridge Congregation, I've never laughed so much at one of his shows. Relatively speaking, it was the "Koz Comedy Hour". And it wasn't just new stuff that did it, but his between-song banter. Here's what he played, with asterisks on the new ones...

Mark Kozelek live
On Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
At First Church in Cambridge Congregation

* new songs

1. Thirteen (Danzig cover)
2. Glenn Tipton
3. * The Moderately Talented Yet Attractive Young Woman vs. The Exceptionally Talented Yet Not So Attractive Middle Aged Man
4. * Sunshine in Chicago
5. Half Moon Bay
6. Like The River
7. * Track Number 8
8. * That Bird Has A Broken Wing
9. * Among The Leaves
10. Australian Winter
11. Heron Blue
12. * Black Kite
13. * Elaine
14. * Young Love
15. Third and Seneca
16. * UK Blues

encore
17. Duk Koo Kim
18. Send in the Clowns (Sondheim) / Trailways

Yeah, so many new ones, and I relished them all. If the new material suggests an overall theme, it's of his life on the road as an aging songwriter, of the struggle with making and performing music after two decades in the "biz". He's writing what he knows, and what he knows is wrestling with his muse.

Highlights included the laugh-out-loud main-set-closer "UK Blues", with echoes of Monty Python of all things ("Finland, Finland...") while taking shots at various tour stops ("London, London... it's all the rage, if your favorite color's beige"), "Sunshine In Chicago" ("My band played here a lot in the 90s when we had / Lots of female fans, and fuck, they all were cute / Now I just sign posters for guys in tennis shoes."), and "Track Number 8" ("Well I wrote this one and I know it ain't great, will probably sequence at track number eight"), which is, of course, sequenced at track number 11.

That song also brought what was, for me, the saddest moment of his set, with Mark acknowledging the loss of some songwriting peers...

"Songwriting costs, it doesn't come free
Ask Elliott Smith, ask Richie Lee
Ask Mark Linkous, ask Shannon Hoon
To get up and dance, to sing you a tune"

That was a rough one to hear for the first time in a crowd.

His live performance of "Sunshine In Chicago" namechecked another songwriter, Jolie Holland, though not in a reverential way - she was apparently booked to play Lincoln Hall a few days after his own July 2010 appearance, and her name on the marquee prompted Mark to sing...

"and I looked up at the marquee, and hey, it was my name
next to Jolie Holland, man that girl is lame..."

He says the same in the live video above, though he softens up the slight on the studio version ("... next to Julie Holland, think that was her name".) Gotta wonder if Mark decided to change the line after he recorded it, or if he just didn't want the dig to be loose in the world? Either way, the Southern Souls video above lets it out there, so cue the inevitable comment-section war between Koz and Jolie fans. Ok, maybe not.

The number of new songs in that set stands in contrast to his performance in the same church just 11 months earlier. In place of new ones, we were treated to a few more choice covers...

Mark Kozelek live
On Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
At First Church in Cambridge Congregation

1. Up To My Neck In You (AC/DC)
2. Carry Me Ohio
3. Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes (Modest Mouse)
4. Moorestown
5. Like The River
6. Natural Light (Casiotone For The Painfully Alone)
7. Australian Winter
8. Heron Blue
9. Third and Seneca
10. Half Moon Bay
11. Take Me Out
12. Blue Orchids
13. New Partner (Palace/Will Oldham)
14. Church Of The Pines

encore...
15. Summer Dress
16. All Mixed Up (The Cars)
17. Glenn Tipton
18. Follow You, Follow Me (Genesis)

Like the most recent Cambridge show, that one was dark. And I'm not talkin' lyrically (though, of course, it was at times), but instead literally - the lights were brought down so low that Mark could barely be seen. In fact, when asked if I'd seen him play, I could only say that, well, I'd heard him play. I'm guessing it's as much a mood thing as an image thing - he's as protective of captured photos as he is of recorded audio. Recent live shots, like YouTube footage, are relatively rare. The January show was a bit better, thanks to a candle set on stage, though even Mark said that while he'd forgot some lyric sheets, he probably wouldn't be able to read them even if he'd remembered.

Late last summer, about halfway between his two area appearances, Kozelek released his "On Tour" DVD. And like the latest show, it allows his lighter side shine through a lot more. As the title suggests, it documents Mark's life on the road, not just through live performances (of which there are plenty), but with a fair amount of solitary travel footage.

It begins near his home, as he waits for a cab in San Francisco's Nob Hill neighborhood, and ends months later with a homeward-bound flight from gray Toronto back to sunny SF. In between are a multitude of planes, trains and automobiles that connect solo stops in Sweden, Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Spain, Denmark, and the States. In fact, after arriving in Boston by train, there's a bit of soundcheck from that 2010 First Unitarian Church of Cambridge show, after which he plays the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. And as a nod to both, you'll hear a new instrumental called "First Unitarian Piece".

Along with the travelogue, there are interviews throughout, with Mark reflecting on his 20-year touring history, which started with the Red House Painters opening for 4AD labelmates the Pale Saints in 1992. He talks about how invigorating it was to switch from playing steel guitar strings to nylon ("It's almost like playing a brand new instrument"). In a particularly touching moment, he laments being away from home so often, and of not making it back in time to say goodbye to the cat he had for 16 years.

Mark Kozelek live in London
19 years ago with Red House Painters

The lightness comes in a few forms, through his interaction with autograph-and-photo-seeking fans (some not wearing tennis shoes), a little puppy-petting (see, it's not just cats he loves), but especially from a particularly infectious hotel-room giggle fit. Blame exhaustion, blame jetlag, but it's cool to see.

If you've read this far, either you're a real Koz fan, or you're ready to become one, so it's time I gavee you a shot at a gift...

One of the true highlights of Mark's January 2011 Cambridge show was a cover of the song "Natural Light", written by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone's Owen Ashworth. It really struck me that night, and I was glad to find a recorded version on his 4-song "I'll Be There" EP. In addition to that cover, the disc includes an alternate version of "Third and Seneca", along with a Stereolab cover ("Tomorrow Is Already Here") and, of course, his take on the Jackson 5/Berry Gordy classic "I'll be There".

Thanks to its inclusion as a freebie when buying one of Mark's other releases, I've got an extra copy of the EP, so it's up for grabs. If you live in the US or Canada, fire off an email to giveaways [at] bradleysalmanac [dot] com with your shipping address (don't worry, won't share it) and a subject line of "Koz EP". Do it before Noon on Monday, March 25th, when I'll pick a random winner, let them know, and send it on its way.

Pre-order Sun Kil Moon's "Among The Leaves" (out May 29th) over at Caldo Verde, where you can also stream "Sunshine In Chicago" and "Track Number 8". The CD release of the album comes with a 5-track bonus disc of live songs and a couple alternate tracks.

All pre-orders of "Among The Leaves" (as well as any other orders placed at Caldo Verde after May 1st) will also come with a free copy of the new "Live At Lincoln Hall" CD, recorded last July in Chicago. It addition to live versions of new songs "Young Love" and "Sunshine In Chicago", the set includes his Danzig, Bonnie Prince Billy, and Cars covers.

That live collection replaces last year's "Live at Union Chapel & Sodra Teatern", which will be officially out-of-print at the end of April, so if you're looking for that one, place an order at Caldo Verde soon and hopefully they'll throw one of those in with your shipment. Drop a note to make sure, though. There's also a 2-CD live companion soundtrack to the "On Tour" DVD on the way, which arrives in late August.

Mark's admiration for Owen Ashworth of (the now retired) doesn't end with just one cover version: He'll be putting out the debut album from Ashworth's new project, Advance Base. Titled "A Shut-In's Prayer", the full-length arrives May 1st from Caldo Verde, and can be pre-ordered right here.

That two-decades-old photo of Mark above comes from the 4AD Records "13 Year Itch" anniversary celebration, which took place at ICA London in July 1993. I took some time last week to scan in and share my shots from that life-altering experience, and you can see the whole set right here. Includes photos of Kristin Hersh, Pale Saints, Unrest, Breeders, His Name Is Alive, Wolfgang Press, and more.

And lastly, any self-respecting Koz follower should keep an eye on the oft-updated Sad Reminders fansite. Just sayin'.

Alright, get those giveaway entries on their way...

[Future Faves?] Anticipated 2012 Album Releases

2012-02-21T12:52:00.022-05:00

It's a bit behind schedule, but here's my annual list of recorded releases I'm most looking forward to this year. A handful of 2012 Tuesdays have already passed, but the lag time allowed me to sneak in a bunch of just-announced full-lengths. I've included those that have already hit shelves (or servers), along with some rumored speculation and a couple of wishful thoughts to wrap it up. If something's not here, it's either due to apathy, ignorance, or forgetfulness. Your mission? Fill in the gaps. What'd I miss? What do I need to hear? What do you really hope shows up this year? Leave a comment here or on Facebook, gimme some info, lemme know.

Click the label names for more info, or to buy/pre-order. Boston-area releases are noted with a couple asterisks. I may keep this post updated as more albums get announced, at least until late summer when I'll run a whole new list for autumn...

My most anticipated 2012 album releases...

So far this year...

Chris Brokaw (Come/Codeine/The New Year) - "Stories" 12-inch [on Limited Appeal]
Flights - "Anywhere But Where I Am" [1/1 via Bandcamp]
** Kingsley Flood - "Colder Still" EP [1/10 / self-released]
** Caspian - "Live at Old South Church" EP [1/10 on Mylene Sheath]
Guided by Voices - "Let's Go Eat the Factory" [1/17 on Fire/GBV]
Cloud Nothings - "Attack On Memory" [1/24 on Carpark]
First Aid Kit - "The Lion's Roar" [1/24 on Wichita]
Nada Surf - "The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy" [1/24 on Barsuk]
Palomar - "Sense & Antisense" [1/24 - self-released]
Hospitality - self-titled debut [1/31 on Merge]
Imperial Teen - "Feel the Sound" [1/31 on Merge]
The Jealous Sound - "A Gentle Reminder" [1/31 on Music Is Subjective]
Leonard Cohen - "Old Ideas" [1/31 on Sony/Columbia]
Capybara - "Dave Drusky" [2/7 on The Record Machine]
Sharon Van Etten - "Tramp" [2/7 on Jagjaguwar]
The Twilight Sad – "No One Can Ever Know" [2/7 on FatCat]
** Neptune - "msg rcvd" [2/13 on Northern Spy]
50 Foot Wave - "With Love From The Men's Room" CD [2/14 on Throwing Music]
Field Music - "Plumb" [2/14 on Memphis Industries/Midheaven(US)]
Heartless Bastards – "Arrow" [2/14 on Partisan]
Honeychurch - "Will You Be There With Me" [2/14 via Bandcamp]
Shearwater - "Animal Joy" [2/14 on Sub Pop]
Tennis - "Young & Old" [2/14 on Fat Possum]
Rosie Thomas - "With Love" [2/14 on Undertow & Bandcamp]
Whistle Peak - "Half Asleep Upon Echo Falls" [2/14 on Karate Body]

Out today ...

Archers of Loaf - "Vee Vee" (2-disc remaster) [2/21 on Merge]
Dirty Three - "Toward The Low Sun" [2/21 on Drag City]
Guy Capecelatro III - "North For the Winter" [2/21 on Dromedary]
Damien Jurado - "Maraqopa" [2/21 on Secretly Canadian]
Lambchop - "Mr. M" [2/21 on Merge]
Frankie Rose - "Interstellar" [2/21 on Slumberland]

Next week...

Fanfarlo - "Rooms Filled With Light" [2/28 on Atlantic]
Geoff Farina (Glorytellers/Karate/Secret Stars) - "The Wishes Of The Dead" [2/27 on Damnably]
New Multitides - self-titled [2/28 on Rounder]
England in 1819 - "Alma" [2/28 - self-released via Bandcamp]
Eux Autres - "Sun Is Sunk" (EP) [2/28 on Bon Mots]
School Of Seven Bells – "Ghoststory" [2/28 on Vagrant/Ghostly Int'l]

March...

** The Dirty Dishes - "The Most Tarnished Birds" EP [3/4 via Bandcamp]
Andrew Bird - "Break It Yourself" [3/6 on Mom + Pop]
Ceremony - "Zoo" [3/6 on Matador]
Tim Foljahn - "Songs For An Age of Extinction" [3/6 on Kiam Records]
The Magnetic Fields – "Love At The Bottom Of The Sea" [3/6 on Merge]
Now, Now - "Threads" [3/6 on Trans-Records]
Jennifer O'Connor - "I Want What You Want" [physical release 3/6 on Kiam Records]
Said The Whale - "Little Mountain" [3/6 on Hidden Pony/EMI]
Jonathan Segel (Camper Van Beethoven) - "All Attractions" [3/6 Kickstarter funded]
Yellow Ostrich - "Strange Land" [3/6 on Barsuk]
The Wedding Present - "Valentina" [3/12 on Scopitones]
The Darker Hues - "Nothing Tastes Like Failure" [3/8 - self-released ]
James Iha (ex-Smashing Pumpkins) - "Look To The Sky" [3/14 on EMI Japan]
Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - "Rot Gut, Domestic" [3/20 on Mariel Recording Co.]
Lee Ranaldo - Between the Times & the Tides [3/20 on Matador]
The Shins – "Port Of Morrow" (3/20 on Columbia/Aural Apothecary]
Paul Weller - "Sonik Kicks" [3/27 on Yep Roc]
Autochrome - [3/30 via Bandcamp]
Various - "Sunshine Off The Tracks" [3/31 on Wild Kindness - a benefit for GEMS]

April...

The Futureheads - "Rant" [4/2 - all a cappella]
Lightships (Gerard from Teenage Fanclub) - "Electric Cables" [4/3 on Geographic/Domino]
M. Ward - "A Wasteland Companion" [4/10 on Merge]
The Dandy Warhols - "This Machine" [4/24 on The End]

Later in 2012...

** Ryan Lee Crosby - new self-titled album - [Spring]
Codeine - "When I See The Sun" (Box Set / Vinyl Reissues) [5/8 on Numero Group]
Rebecca Gates (The Spinanes) - "The Float" [5/18 on Parcematone/12XU]
** Cowgill - "Side One of Planted" [5/17 - Kickstarter-funded]
** Hallelujah the Hills - "No One Knows What Happens Next" [5/22 on Discrete Pageantry / Kickstarter-funded]
Mice Parade - "Candela" [Fall on FatCat]
Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flower (Ida) - "Blue Clouds" [Early summer]
The Mynabirds - "Generals" [6/5 on Saddle Creek]
Metric - "Synthetica" [6/12 on MMI]
Public Image Ltd. - "This is PiL" [5/28 on PiL Official]
Spiritualized – "Sweet Heart Sweet Light" [Spring on Double Six]
Sun Kil Moon (Mark Kozelek) - "Among The Leaves"[5/29 on Caldo Verde]
Kaia Wilson (Team Dresch/The Butchies) - 5th solo LP [Spring/Kickstarter funded/Jealous Butcher]

Completed, or in the works, but no dates announced yet...

Allo Darlin' - "Europe" [on Slumberland]
Paul Banks aka Julian Plenti (of Interpol) [second solo LP on Matador]
Beach Fossils
Beach House
Billy Bragg & Wilco - "Mermaid Avenue III"
** Bon Savants - second album
** The Broken River Prophet - "7 Sermons for the Dead"
Built To Spill
Camera Obscura
** Caspian
Circle of Buzzards
Dead Can Dance
Depeche Mode
Dinosaur Jr.
** Girlfriends
** Ghost Box Orchestra
The James Rocket - "Launch"
Bill Janovitz - "Long Island of the Mind"
The Kingsbury Manx
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
** Mary Lou Lord (Kickstarter-funded)
** Mean Creek
** Mission of Burma ("...should be out in the spring.")
Mazzy Star
Overseas (David Bazan, Will Johnson, & the Kadane Bros.)
Pernice Bros
Secretary (Craig from Summer At Shatter Creek)
Sigur Ros
Throwing Muses
** Wheat - "Can't Stop The Addiction"
** Young Adults EP
The xx - 2nd album

No word, but here's hoping...

[Vinyl Giveaway] IDAHO and CAMP RADIO's latest LPs

2012-01-30T12:51:00.005-05:00

As promised a couple weeks back in my Faves of 2011 post, I have extra vinyl editions of two of those fine records to grant to some lucky souls. And they couldn't be more different: Camp Radio's "Campista Socialista" full-length and Idaho's "You Were A Dick" LP. A blast of Canadian trio power-pop and one man's LA-based, keyboard-driven melancholia.

As I started prepping this giveaway this morning, Chromewaves happened to post a review of the Camp Radio album (confluence!), so head over there to read Frank's thoughts, then come back here to try and win the sucker. If you're not convinced you want it, head to Bandcamp and stream away. Here's a track...

[MP3]: "Turn Up The Radio"

And if you're not already familiar with Idaho's extensive discography, well, you've got a lot of listening ahead of you. Start by trying to win "You Were A Dick", then you'll want to head back to the beginning with 1993's brilliant "Year After Year". Here's the title track off YWAD...

[MP3]: "You Were A Dick"

You can thank Camp Radio guitarist Chris Page for the 2 vinyl copies I've got to hand out (each of which include a digital download code), and you can ~~blame~~ thank the U.S. postal service for the Idaho vinyl - my original order got very lost in the mail, only showing up after singer/songwriter Jeff Martin sent me out a replacement (a replacement that also includes a bonus data DVD of hi-res audio). Graciously, Jeff was cool with my giving the extra away rather than mailing it back to him.

To enter: send an email in my direction [giveaways (at) bradleysalmanac (dot) com] before next Monday, February 6th, at Noon, specify which vinyl LP you'd like (Camp Radio or Idaho), and include your postal address (US/Canada only, and don't worry, I won't share it). On Monday I'll pick three random winners - two for the Camp Radio vinyl and one for the Idaho - then head to the post office.

[Last Night's Playlist] New Music Night IV at River Gods

2012-01-27T10:43:00.004-05:00

Roughly 12 hours ago I was up in the River Gods DJ booth for the first New Music Night of twenty-twelve, once again splitting the 4-hour shift with fellow Boston-based music blogger extraordinaire Jay Clicky Clicky. While I've been doing the RGs DJ thing for something like 5 years now, this was just the 4th edition of the every-other-month NMN... and I've never had a more difficult time cutting my set down to a measly 2 hours. The whittling was made a bit easier once I discovered a whole lotta track overlap with Jay's pre-planned playlist - which was no surprise, really; his impeccable taste is why he's my co-pilot, after all. No way in hell was I going to let him play Destroyer's New Order cover, though. That one was mine, ALL MINE.

Here are the songs I sent through the River Gods sound system last night. And make sure you hit up Clicky Clicky for Jay's playlist.

NEW MUSIC NIGHT IV

Thursday, January 26th, 2012
at River Gods in Cambridge, MA
co-hosted by DJs Brad Almanac & Jay Clicky Clicky

[ download the 8 guilt-free MP3s shared below in a 49 MB .zip file ]

[ * = Boston-area artist ]

Set One / 9pm-10pm
Brad Almanac

01. Ume - "Gleam" (For Esme)
   [ stream, download, & donate here ]
02. Guy Capecelatro III - "Like Anything"
   [ from the forthcoming Dromedary LP / stream & download here ]
03. Darren Hayman with Elizabeth Morris (of Allo Darlin') - "I Know I Fucked Up"
   [ from his January Songs project / stream & download here / video here ]
04. Lightships - "Two Lines"
   [ new project from Teenage Fanclub's Gerard Love / video here ]
05. Real Estate - "In My Care" (Live)
   [ new song debuted Jan. 13th on NPR's World Cafe / listen here ]
06. Shearwater - "Animal Life"
   [ from their forthcoming Sub Pop LP / stream at NPR ]
07. Sharon Van Etten - "Serpents"
   [ from the forthcoming Jagjaguwar LP / download MP3 ]
08. Field Music - "(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing"
   [ From the forthcoming Memphis Industries LP / download MP3 ]
* 09. Leisure - "The Invisible Hand"
   [ from their forthcoming debut LP / stream song here ]
10. School of Seven Bells - "Lafaye"
   [ from the forthcoming Vagrant LP / stream song here ]
* 11. Drifterswift - "Rule of the Twelfths"
   [ from their forthcoming debut EP / stream song here ]
* 12. Night Fruit - "Paper Thin"
   [ from their "Dark Horse" 7-inch / stream song & buy 7-inch here ]
13. Secretary - "I Know It’s Wrong"
   [ 1st-ever song from ex-Summer At Shatter Creek / download MP3 ]
14. Magnetic Fields - "Andrew In Drag"
   [ from their forthcoming Merge LP / Stream song here ]
15. Allo Darlin’ - "Capricornia"
   [ from their forthcoming Slumberland LP / stream song here ]
* 16. In The Audience - "Squall Song"
   [ from their new "Terminal" EP / free EP download here / download MP3 ]
* 17. Bon Savants - "The Song Destroyer"
   [ from their forthcoming 2nd LP / download song at OTD ]
18. Fanfarlo - "Shiny Things"
   [ from their forthcoming Atlantic LP / watch video here ]

Visit Clicky Clicky for Jay's 10-11pm playlist

Set Three / 11pm-12pm
Brad Almanac

19. Lee Ranaldo - "Off The Wall"
   [ from his upcoming Matador solo LP / download MP3 ]
20. Memoryhouse - "The Kids Were Wrong"
   [ from their forthcoming Sub Pop LP / download MP3 ]
21. Heartless Bastards - "Parted Ways"
   [ from their forthcoming Partisan Records LP / stream song here ]
22. New Multitudes - "Old LA"
   [ Will Johnson, Jay Farrar, Yim Yames, & Anders Parker do Woody Guthrie / stream here ]
* 23. Nothings The Rule - "One Can Never Win"
   [ 1st installment of 12 "monthly songs" project / download MP3 ]
24. Now, Now - "Dead Oaks"
   [ from their forthcoming Trans-Records LP / stream & download song here ]
* 25. Wheat - "Gettin’ Ready To"
   [ from the 2nd installment of a 3-single series / buy here ]
* 26. Butterknife - "Coattails"
   [ from the out-tomorrow "Do The Needful" EP / free download here soon ]
27. Nada Surf - "Teenage Dreams"
   [ from their just-released Barsuk LP / stream & download another song here ]
28. Superchunk - "Blinders" (Slow Version)
   [ outtake from the "Majesty Shredding" LP / stream here / download MP3 ]
* 29. Bellwire - "Surfing Out Your High School"
   [ from their just-released "Waterbed" EP / stream & name your price download here ]
30. The Jealous Sound - "Your Eyes Were Shining"
   [ from their forthcoming, long-awaited 2nd LP / stream song here / stream LP here ]
* 31. Bookkeeper - "Tyro"
   [ first track from their upcoming EP / free download here ]
* 32. Yale, MA - "Danger City, Population: ME"
   [ from their new 7-inch / stream song here / video here / buy 7-inch here ]
33. Chris Brokaw - "Stories"
   [ title track from his new Limited Appeal 12-inch / buy it here ]
* 34. Girlfriends - "Big Machines"
   [ 1 of 4 newly-recorded songs / stream them here ]
35. David Bazan - "Gas and Matches" (full band)
   [ b-side of the new Polyvinyl 7-inch with Deerhoof / buy it here ]
36. Destroyer - "Leave Me Alone" (New Order cover)
   [ from the Mojo Magazine "Power, Corruption, & Lies" covers project / Stream samples here / download song at A.D.]

[ download the 8 guilt-free MP3s shared above in a 49 MB .zip file ]

Visit Clicky Clicky for Jay's 12-1am playlist

[Faves] My Favorite Music of 2011

2012-01-19T07:00:00.005-05:00

Just about every comment I've read on the passing of 2011 boiled down to "good riddance". Not too shocking, since the internet was built for complaining after all (also - more than a few friends really were struggling), but I'm both surprised and very grateful to state that mine wasn't all that bad. I'd hazard to say it was actually pretty good, all things considered. After the personal hell that was my own 2010, things really had nowhere to go but up, and so up they went. Way up, at times. Mostly having to do with music. Fancy that.

I'd thought about writing an entire "personal highlights of 2011" post, but that would be too self-indulgent even for me. As much as I want to take note of the fine times, too many words on the subject would cross the invisible ego-line. Instead, just a quick rundown of the ridiculously fortunate music-related experiences I had last year: Hosted a David Bazan show in my living room, inadvertently took the cover photo for Low's latest (amazing) record, shared a stage with Dan, Liz, Jean, & Storey from Ida with my little boy watching from the front row, moderated the IFFBoston "Rock Docs" panel, got up the guts to do my first-ever karaoke performance (apologies to fellow Silkworm fans), somehow found myself touring the UK playing drums with good friends (while making brand new ones), which included playing inside one of the best comic shops on Earth, and finished the year watching one of my favorite-ever bands perform one of my favorite-ever albums. Whew. Seriously, that all actually happened. Humbles me to run it down. It's like some crazy karmic payoff for my utterly ass-tacular 2010. Just hope that doesn't leave me with nowhere to go but down in the newly-christened twenty-twelve. So far, so good, though. Knock, knock.

What follows is my personal soundtrack for all that great fortune, my 11th (!?) annual non-alphabetized list of my favorite records of the year. In late 2010, Long Winters frontman John Roderick echoed some of my long-held thoughts on year-end lists in wittier, more succinct written form than I could - although I disagree with him on point #3: "If you are too busy to discover new albums for yourself, the last thing you need is a list of more albums to buy." Sorry, John, but I've gotten too many very appreciative emails and comments over the past decade to dismiss the value of music-blog-supplied suggestions. Sometimes people need filters, musical Virgils through the occasional purgatory of new releases. It's why music blogs exist. Well, one of the reasons anyway. Aside from pure, unfiltered OCD.

But yeah, overall, he's right on. I've never numbered my lists, don't limit myself to just ten records, would never presume to claim these are the 'best' of the year, and never rush to get my list out until after the calendar turns - when I've truly absorbed everything I've spent time with. I've mostly learned to let go of self-imposed-deadline-stress when it comes to the 'Nac (to its own detriment, but my betterment), the year-end listing especially.

But, hey, it's done, and almost a couple weeks earlier last year's list was posted. 'Nac back pat! Off we go...

[DOWNLOAD]
All 18 (legally) shared MP3s below,
plus a couple of extras, in one handy 133 MB .zip file

First, my 20-something favorite full-lengths in alphabetical order with some commentary and audio/video, then a few short-players (and shorter comments), and finally a couple of reissues/collections I loved...

Favorite 2011 full-lengths...

Age Rings - "Black Honey"
(on Midriff)

Rock and Roll Is Dead by Age Rings

Stream more songs over at Midriff

I'd lamented the apparent shelving of the Boston-based combo Age Rings a few years back - which was tempered by frontman Ted Billings' follow-up project, Hot Protestants - so I was obviously psyched when, about a year go, an Age Rings Kickstarter project appeared out of nowhere to fund a double-album that was "four years in the making". I gladly pitched in some cash, helped 'em make their goal, and totally dug the results. While that lengthy collection of songs probably would have ended up on this list, the leaner, meaner, pared-down version (officially released a few months back by ace area label Midriff) is a shoe-in. Billings is one of the best songwriters and singing voices this town has, and we should consider ourselves lucky that he and his Age Rings bandmates saw these songs through, and that Midriff stepped up to shine a light on them.

Apex Manor - "The Year Of Magical Drinking"
(on Merge)

[MP3]: "Under The Gun"

I was a fan of singer/songwriter Ross Flournoy's previous band, The Broken West, but was for some reason not prepared for how blown away I'd be by his debut as Apex Manor. This follow-up project (which includes Broken Westerner Brian Whelan) is full of snappy, shimmering pop songs - catchy as hell and great from beginning to end. I couldn't make the band's first Boston-area appearance, and was psyched to see them return until Flournoy shared news of a trip to rehab last August (subtitled "THE YEAR OF MAGICAL DRINKING HAS ENDED"). Here's hoping that 2012 brings the guy both health and happiness (and, selfishly, brings us some more of his songs). Keep an eye on his Facebook page for updates.

David Bazan - "Strange Negotiations"
(on Barsuk)

[MP3]: "Wolves At The Door"

Yeah, it's almost embarrassing... David has ended up on my faves list three years running. But I'm not gonna lie just to prevent myself from being predictable. What's surprising is that he followed up 2009's "Curse Your Branches" (and 2010's "Live at Electrical Audio" full-band album) so quickly with another cracking collection of confessional songs. Rather than sounding rushed, it sounds energetic and immediate - the lead off track rocks more than he's allowed himself to in awhile. As I said above, sitting on my couch and seeing Dave play in front of me was a personal highlight of last year, and getting a preview of a couple new tracks was a big part of that. Wonder if he'll play anything new at his next Boston house show in March? I'll find out soon enough. (and, um, if he cranks another album out... well, yeah, I'll save a spot on next year's list)

Camp Radio - "Campista Socialista"
(Self-Released)

[MP3]: "Turn Up The Radio"

Former Stand GT frontman Chris Page put out his best-ever solo effort in 2010 (yes, it's on the list) then follows it up with another top-notch collection of full-band songs with his Canadian compadres in Camp Radio. This is power-pop of the highest order, catchy as all-get-out, a record that compels you to see them live. Sadly, it's been way too damn long since I've seen Chris pogo-ing on a stage in front of me, and I really need to change that. Come south, my friend. I'll be giving away a vinyl copy of this fantastic record (with a bonus 7-inch) on the Almanac shortly, so keep an eye out.

Centro-Matic - "Candidate Waltz"
(on Undertow)

[MP3]: "Only In My Double Mind"

Will Johnson puts out a lot of music. I'd never go so far as to say too much music (because, when it comes to Will, there's no such thing), but it can be hard to keep up. Solo songs, collaborations, full band stuff, he's a prolific gent. Somehow, he's able to give each project its own identity, and it was immeasurably gratifying to see 2011 give us Centro-matic's strongest, most cohesive collection of songs in awhile. It showed sonic growth while staying unmistakably them, and was bolstered by a live show that mixed the best of the new with choice cuts from their immense back catalog. If Will's involved, I'm in. The latest: Woody Guthrie tribute project New Multitudes, with Will, Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron) and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk). The album hits next month, and the all-star band plays Boston on March 16th at the Paradise.

Crooked Fingers - "Breaks In The Armor"
(on Merge)

[MP3]: "Typhoon"

Stream the full album at Merge

Yes, Archers of Loaf reunited last year. As amazing as that simple fact still feels, it's not like frontman Eric Bachmann needed the creative outlet. I mean, the guy has been regularly releasing brilliant records since the Archers broke up, and the latest CF album ranks high among them. You'd think he'd be spinning up his old rock band during a lull in his solo career, but instead he has 'em both going at once, alternating the sonic assault with the softer side. We're richer for it. "The Counterfeiter", track 4 on "Breaks In The Armor", was easily one of my favorite songs of the year. Listen to their newly-shared World Cafe session right here (and note that during interview, Eric mentions they're about to record another album).

Oh, and Boston-area Archers fans, get ready... they're coming.

Destroyer - "Kaputt"
(on Merge)

Dan Bejar, the mad genius. The man makes a total stylistic shift, throws in a heaping helping of smoooooth saxophone, and completely pulls it off. Whatever guise he takes on stage - full band frontman, solo acoustic performer, or part-time New Pornographer - he leaves me walking away a bigger fan than when I walked in. Can't even guess what he's going to try next, and I love that.

The Drums - "Portamento"
(on French Kiss)

The Drums - How It Ended by WorkItMedia

These Brooklyn boys walk a very fine homage/derivative line very well, and while I was a bit put-off by the slightly-irritating first single ("Money"), the rest of the album was strong enough to recover and ultimately win me over. It didn't have the immediate impact their first full-length did, but instead revealed its charms over time. Seeing them on stage has eluded me so far, and I'd like to see this year change that.

Idaho - "You Were A Dick"
(Self-Released)

[MP3]: "You Were A Dick"

With criminally little fanfare, Jeff Martin finally gave us a collection of new Idaho songs last summer, 6 long years after his previous LP. His musical output mostly consists of soundtrack work, so anytime we get a proper album we should consider ourselves very lucky. The record's title is a pretty incongruous to the beauty within - gorgeous mood-pieces Martin conjures with his guitar, keyboards, and singular voice. It's at once fragile and powerful stuff, perfect rainy-day music, and my only complaint is that we don't get enough of it.

The vinyl version was meticulously put together (180 gram cut directly from a hi-res 24-bit master), and includes not just download codes, but a bonus data-DVD with higher fidelity digital audio and a bunch Jeff's beautiful soundtrack work. Keep an eye here here on the 'Nac in the next week or so, as I've got an extra copy of the vinyl package to give away.

The Joy Formidable - "The Big Roar"
(on Atlantic / Canvasback)

Stream songs on their music player

It was the video above that got me, almost exactly a year ago. Hook, line, sinker, the whole tackle box. The song, that performance, the self-contained energy that didn't even need an audience to feed off. Grabbed the album shortly after, found even better songs to love, and my fandom was sealed last March when they blew away a packed house at Boston's Brighton Music Hall. Sure, some of the end-of-song, instrument-destroying theatrics might fall a little flat, but damned if they don't earn the right.

Loney Dear - "Hall Music"
(on Polyvinyl)

[MP3]: "My Heart"

Stream more at Bandcamp

A slow-burner from Swedish son Emil Svanängen and his friends, more understated and less immediately gripping than 2009's "Dear John", but ultimately more moving. I eagerly await his live return to the Boston area, either solo or with a backing band. Both are stunning experiences.

Low - "C'Mon"
(on Sub Pop)

[MP3]: "Especially Me"

A half-decade after 2007's relatively unsettling "Drums and Guns", Low reemerges with their best long-players in ages. They took just a tiny bit of the disquieting distance of that previous album and blended it with their long-familiar warmth and subtle hooks, coming up with one of their strongest-ever sets of songs. And hey, that album cover kinda rules, too.

M83 - "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming"
(on Mute)

Midnight City by M83

I'm in awe of how Frenchman Anthony Gonzalez can keep mining the same keyboard-swell, 80s-style caves and continue to come up with pure audio gold. He's found a formula, he's sticking to it, and I'm totally good with that. Even a double-album's worth sustains the synthy satisfaction. As much as I'm bothered when guitar-based bands try to go all electro (I'm looking at you, Bloc Party & Editors), I'm truly hoping M83 never decides to go all guitary. Don't go changin', Anthony. Keep on digging.

Mogwai - "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will"
(on Sub Pop)

[MP3]: "Rano Pano"

2011 was a rough year for us Mogwai fans, despite the release of this ridiculously good new record. I'm talking about the live show tease that still has no payoff. Here in Boston, we were promised a springtime, post-album performance at the Paradise, which was postponed and replaced with an autumn appearance at the far-larger (and far-inferior) House of Blues... which was then canceled altogether. All I really want is to see them rock out "George Square Thatcher Death Party" while I watch, thank you very much. Is that so much to ask?

Jennifer O'Connor - "I Want What You Want"
(on Kiam Records)

[MP3]: "Running Start"

Stream the whole record at Soundcloud

After a couple albums on Matador, JO'C delivers what is far and away her strongest-ever collection of songs. Bummer for her former label, but such great news for us fans who were hoping she'd keep on releasing records without their support. Here in Boston, we're lucky that she comes our way regularly, and she'll be back on March 1st to kick off a three-week tour at Church. And what a stacked lineup - she'll be playing with Thalia Zedek (Come/Live Skull), Kiam Records labelmates Choo Choo La Rouge, and local duo Cotton Candy (Unrest/Teenbeat Records impresario Mark Robinson and Blast Off Country Style's Evelyn Hurley).

It should be noted - while "I Want What You Want" was released digitally a few months back, the physical release on vinyl and compact disc is happening in early March, just as her tour kicks off. Order direct from Kiam Records, or just pick one up at the merch table when you see her.

Office of Future Plans - "Office of Future Plans"
(on Dischord)

Harden Your Heart by Office of Future Plans

A full-length, full-band rock record from (former Jawbox frontman) J. Robbins, complete with cello accompaniment? Um... sold!! This sucker was pre-destined to find itself in my faves, and so here it sits. If you're a Jawbox fan and don't have this, well, you need to take care of that. Hit up Dischord toot sweet.

Real Estate - "Days"
(on Domino)

[MP3]: "Green Aisles" (via Domino)

Real Estate - It's Real by DominoRecordCo

It took a single listen through this, Real Estate's second full-length, to call it an undisputed fave, but I sure as hell didn't stop there. Along with the next album in this list, it dominated my ear-time last autumn. As I write this, I'm only a couple days removed from seeing them play a very-sold-out show, and that performance made me an ever bigger booster. Wasn't sure that was possible, but so it is.

Standard Fare - "Out Of Sight, Out Of Town"
(on Melodic / Thee SPC (UK))

Standard Fare "Darth Vader" by Thee SPC

Ok, I'm technically cheating on this one (it just came out in the UK, with no U.S. date yet), but there was no single record I listened to more in the past few months than this hard-to-pigeonhole pop-rock gem. I got a crash course in Standard Fare's second full-length in the Fall when I was lucky enough to see them play new songs several nights in a row in the UK, then snag a promo copy of the album for my journey back home to Boston. It hasn't much left my headphones since. I absolutely adored their first record (see last year's list), so much so that playing shows with them (hell, even meeting them) made me tangibly nervous... but their kindness squashed that silliness, and their new stuff deepened my obsession. The album deserves a proper write-up, in fact, and I may just do that when it sees a U.S. release (speaking of which, get on that Bar/None, willya? if you don't someone else surely will).

And yes, this already has a guaranteed spot on next year's favorites list. So there.

Telekinesis - "12 Desperate Straight Lines"
(on Merge)

[MP3]: "Car Crash"

Telekinesis - Car Crash by telekinesismusic

Avoiding the sophomore slump with another collection of whip-smart songs, Michael Lerner & co. continue to keep the catchiness coming. Bummed I didn't get to see them live again in 2011, but I'll be up front when he comes around again.

Ume - "Phantoms"
(on Modern Outsider)

[MP3]: "Captive"

Delivering strongly on the promise of 2009's "Sunshower" EP and their subsequent live shows, Austin's Ume finally gave us a full-length last year, and it ruled. The trio will spend the first part of 2012 touring the western part of the U.S., but I'm optimistic they'll head East once the temperatures out here start warming up.

Ume singer/guitarist Lauren just recorded a song in honor of Austin's Esme Barrera (read about her here), with all proceeds going to her family. Please download and donate when you can.

TW Walsh - "Songs of Pain and Leisure"
(on Graveface)

[MP3]: "Make It Rhyme"

The decade spent between his solo releases was a long one, as TW's output was funneled through Pedro the Lion and his (too) short-lived combo The Soft Drugs, but it served him (and us) well - this album distills his songwriting and production skills into their purest form and rewards us with the most solid, cohesive batch of songs he's ever made. So many steps above your traditional singer/songwriter vanity project, this is more like a full-band album that happened to be made by one talented dude. Hope all his mixing and mastering projects leave him enough time to start thinking about playing live again.

Wild Flag - "Wild Flag"
(on Merge)

Wild Flag - Romance by MergeRecords
Stream the album at Merge

This was kind of a given, yeah? Expectations were pretty damn high, and they crushed 'em. Considering the parts (Timony/Helium, Cole/Minders, Brownstein/Sleater-Kinney, & Weiss/S-K/Quasi), who would've thought that the sum would be somehow greater? It's a living tribute to classic rock that never comes across as stale or ironic, just plain rockin'. And even though the album's great, the live show still trumps it. They'll be back in Boston on Saturday, March 31st at the Paradise, and you'd best be getting tickets before it gets too close.

Withered Hand - "Good News"
(on Absolutely Kosher)

Religious Songs by Withered Hand

Stream more songs at Bandcamp

Another silver lining on the already-golden-colored cloud that was my UK getaway was learning of the one-man-band that is Withered Hand. Dan Willson is a Scotsman with a knack for melody and a tendency to over-share, delivering brutally confessional songs a unique singing voice that some might consider an acquired taste - though it took me just 3 songs to not just acquire it, but embrace it. I've woken up many mornings with the melody from "Religious Songs" stuck in my head, and that's not a complaint... in fact, it's back in my brain right now, and it'll probably be in yours when you stream it above. Do not resist.

The Wooden Birds - "Two Matchsticks"
(on Barsuk)

[MP3]: "Two Matchsticks"

Criminally under-appreciated this year was The Wooden Birds' second record, "Two Matchsticks". Main-man (and former American Analog Set frontguy) Andrew Kenny made this one a more collaborative affair, with increased contributions from singer/guitarist Leslie Sisson and Mr. Matt Pond (on break from his own excellent band), along with guest appearances from DCFC's Ben Gibbard and Ola Podrida's David Wingo. It gave the record a more fleshed-out feel than the debut, while still retaining that certain sparseness Kenny has been cultivating since AmAnSet's demise. In my alternate-universe utopia, The Wooden Birds are dominating the airwaves and playing sold-out shows all around. Do your part to make that happen, willya?

Wye Oak - "Civilian"
(on Merge)

[MP3]: "Civilian"

Would it sound silly if I said how proud I was of Wye Oak? Yeah, probably would. But I am, just the same. Jenn & Andy started out making an album I really liked, followed it up with a record I totally loved, then made one that pretty much blew me away... and the media attention and crowd sizes have increased proportionately. It's sort of crazy how things are working the way they're supposed to with this duo... organic growth based on actual quality and effort? In an age of fickle fandom and hype-backlash-burnout, they're doing things just right. Not sure how album four can keep it going, but I'm pretty damn excited to find out. Read a great year-end interview with J&A at the Village Voice, and check out Jenn's solo project, "Flock of Dimes".

Favorite 2011 Short-Players...

Beach Fossils - "What A Pleasure" EP
(on Captured Tracks)

Face It by Captured Tracks

A lengthy EP that serves as a very satisfying stop-gap between full-lengths. Hoping 2012 gives us another long-player.

Brave Irene
(on Slumberland)

[MP3]: "No Fun"

Rose Melberg back in a full band with a release on Slumberland Records? Hello new favorite! So psyched to see Rose reuniting with Jen Sbragia as the Softies in April for one of Chickfactor's 20th anniversary shows in NYC. Just wish I could be there for it. Sigh.

Cuffs - "Privilege" / "Archer" 7-inch
(on Ride The Snake / Bandcamp)

Two proper Cuffs studio songs while we wait for the eventual full-length, and they're as good as the demos and live shows suggested. There's another 7-inch in the can and on the way, but I'm hoping that's not all we get this year. Get crackin' on that full-length, gentlemen.

Girlfriends
"Cave Kids" 7-inch / "Nothing Nice To Say" demos
(via Bandcamp)

Nothing Nice To Say by Girlfriends

Is any Girlfriends good Girlfriends? So far, that's kinda true. I dug their first cassette, loved the 7-inch, but the brand new 4-song demo crushes. seriously excited for a first full-length.

Night Fruit - "Dark Horse" 7-inch
(via Bandcamp)

As I said last month, it took mere moments for me to become a Night Fruit fan when I caught them at an Allston basement show early last year. Following up on their first demo, this 3-song 7-inch hints at even better things to come... and according to Facebook, the next thing will be another 7-inch sometime soon. Yes, please.

Seaweed - "Service Deck" / "The Weight" 7-inch
(on No Idea)

I have no idea (argh, pun!) what is going on with Tacoma's Seaweed nowadays. I was a fan in the 90s, heard whispers of a reformation a couple years back, and out of nowhere a friend hips me to this new 7-inch. It's great, yeah, but I remain clueless on future plans... the band has approximately zero web presence. Full-length to follow? Live shows? Who knows? I'll just take these two songs and consider them a gift.

Soccer Mom - "You Are Not Going To Heaven" EP
(on 100m)

Celebrity Unrest by Soccer Mom

Oh jeez, is this band ever good. Any city would be lucky to have them, but we get to call them our own. This, their debut, is a stunning, guitar-driving, neo-shoegaze set, but their blistering live show is usually even better. The Boston-based bastard sons of Swervedriver, at times. More recordings soon, please.

You Can Be A Wesley - "Nightosphere" EP
(via Bandcamp)

[MP3]: "Talking Science"

Longtime personal Boston-area faves YCBAW keep the good stuff coming with this 6-song EP. Go here to stream or download the band's recent live performance on WMBR's esteemed Pipeline program.

Favorite 2011 reissues/collections...

Archers of Loaf - "Icky Mettle" 2-disc remastered edition
(on Merge)

Bless you, Merge Records. The label is in the process of remastering and reissuing all of the Archers' full-lengths, starting with "Icky Mettle" last year, "Vee Vee" next month, and the remaining two later in 2012. Each album is not just sonically improved, but comes with a second disc of demos, EP tracks, and compilation cuts. They're must-own albums, and their re-release is a big part of the reason we're seeing the Loaf back in action and touring again (and getting their own live concert film).

Ride - "Nowhere" 20th anniversary remaster/reissue
(on Rhino Handmade)

The $40 online-only price tag may have put off longtime Ride followers, but take my word for it as a serious fanboy, this new edition is totally worth it. I've got a full-length post in the works on the magic of this remastering, but until then you'll just have to trust me. It's one of the greatest albums of all-time, and somehow it now sounds even better. Just get it.

Throwing Muses - "Anthology"
(on 4AD)

Stream two songs at their website

This 2-disc collection is far from your typical "best of", and certainly not a "greatest hits", of which the band sadly has very few. Instead, it's a collection of the current Throwing Muses lineup's faves, turning a bit of a blind eye to former Muse Tanya Donelly's contributions, and instead focusing on the songs they feel they can best play live. Which, thankfully, they've been doing recently, and will supposedly be doing more of soon. In fact, work continues on a brand new TM album, and with luck (and contributions from Strange Angels), we'll see that this year.

[DOWNLOAD]
All 18 legally-shared tracks above,
plus a couple of extras, in one 133 MB .zip file

Whenever I post one of these, I take a glance back at the yearly "looking forward to..." post to see which albums missed the mark, which ones came outta nowhere, and which hopeful wishes never came true. My 2012 forecast is already in progress.

Links to my faves from years past, for the ~~bored~~ overly-curious: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001 (oh, and when I die and future-historians must know my 2005 and 2006 faves, just tell 'em to dig through my drafts folder).

I do have a resolution for 2012: Try to spend more quality time on the Almanac (I was going to go with 'less beer', but, um, nah). With all the good goings-on in 2011, I totally bottomed out on posting (also: see the "less self-imposed deadline stress" above). The statistical proof: A measly 34 total posts, and just 9 live shows shared, easily my weakest year in the decade or so I've been doing this. I came close to shuttering the place many times, but always found just enough inspiration to leave the doors open. May that inspiration keep on coming.

[Boston Music Miscellany] Night Fruit, Kingsley Flood, The Figgs, Eldridge Rodriguez, The Hush Now

2011-12-09T10:17:00.007-05:00

A quick one, Boston-style, before I head up north for the weekend...

I became a bonafide Night Fruit fan about 1 minute into a crowded Allston basement show back in January (RIP live music @ Wadzilla), which is how long it took to decide I'd be sticking around for the trio's entire set. And within a few minutes of getting home that night, despite severe sleepiness, I was online searching for recordings, discovering their 2010 "Triangles" EP (name-your-price download here). It captured the dreamy reverb-soaked pop I'd just witnessed, and while I made sure I saw them play live a couple more times this year, I've had a hankering for news of fresh studio action for awhile now.

Well, the new goods have arrived in the form of the "Dark Horse" 7-inch, which sees an official release tonight at esteemed Great Scott dance night The Pill. Just a few blocks from the very place I first saw 'em play. Here's track two of three, "Paper Thin"...

Paper Thin by Night Fruit

Buy the "Dark Horse" 7-inch at Bandcamp, or pick one up at the show tonight.

If you put waited on picking up tickets to one of the two remaining Kingsley Flood "Colder Still" EP release shows already-in-progress at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, well, you're not completely out of luck, but you're close. Yes, all advance tickets to their intimate 3-night-stand sold out, but the Lizard always keeps a small stash for procrastinators at the door - you just have to show up pretty early tonight or tomorrow, wait outside in line, and keep your freezing fingers crossed as the temps nosedive. This is where I use a bit of wordplay to tie the title of the EP to the winter weather, but my coffee hasn't quite kicked in.

Head to The Phoenix's On The Download to grab the KF track "Black Boots", or to AOL's Spinner to stream "Mannequin Man", both from the new EP. Here's the song that kicks the collection off...

[MP3] Kingsley Flood - "I Don't Wanna Go Home"

If you miss out on these shows, fear not, you can always spend your New Year's Eve with Kingsley Flood, Mean Creek, and Freezepop at Brighton Music Hall. Tickets here, or in person (and fee free) at the Paradise box office.

Heads up, Figgs fans: Peterwalkee Records is releasing a brand new, super-limited-edition live Figgs vinyl LP titled "The Figgs - 3.28.01 Kansas City, MO" today at Noon EST. Yeah, that's less than 2 hours from the moment I posted this news, so get your browsers ready. 100 copies on white vinyl, hand screened/hand numbered LP jackets, with a poster and a T-shirt thrown in for $35 bucks. It's a no-brainer for loyal Figgs followers, especially if you've ever seen the band live. Stream a sample track right here if you're not convinced.

And in case you missed it, the trio also released a new 7-inch back in September on Q Division Records as part of their "Q-Dee Rock and Soul Series". The limited-to-500, white vinyl single has two tracks, "All The World Will Fail" and "The Central Stumble", which you can download immediately when you order up. And fyi, they're referring to "Central Avenue", not "Central Square", otherwise that track would cut very close to home for some of us fellow stumblers. Go on and stream it...

Q-Dee Rock and Soul Series #9 by The Figgs

Also big news in Figgs-land? Bass player Pete Donnelly has a brand solo record titled "When You Come Home", which you can grab at his website (Paypal link in lower right). It includes the four songs previously available on his Soundcloud page, although the new album version of the track "Careful" features none other than Britta Phillips ( of Dean & Britta / Luna). Here's that non-Britta version for ya, a sweet little slice of soulful pop...

Careful by Pete Donnelly

Pete has a couple of album launch shows and a January/February weekly residency planned, but they're all down in Jersey and Philly (closer to his homebase). Check out his Facebook page for the deets. Here's hoping he plans a little release party up here in the Boston area.

The Beatings frontman Eldridge Rodriguez stands ready on the frontlines of the War On Christmas with a brand new EP, "Christmas on the Allston-Brighton Line". No generic "Holidays on..." to be found here... this year, he's on defense for December 25th. The 3-song digital-only offering will arrive officially this Monday the 12th, and is the first in a series of "seasonal singles" he'll be releasing over the next few years. So maybe he'll get to the other holidays down the road? Only ER can say for sure.

Actually, you can ask him next Friday, December 16th, when he plays Porter Belly's in Brighton as part of the Cradles to Crayons benefit show. It's a pretty fantastic charity, providing children in need with clothes, school supplies, and toys for free, and according to ER, he'll be doing "a special acoustic performance which will include, and probably be the only performance of, tracks from the new holiday Ep." So go and get your giving spirit on.

Also in a festive mood: The Hush Now. The quintet has gifted us with another free holiday track, this time a melancholy New Year's Eve number titled "Happy New Year, Dear". It follows on the heels of their Halloween track, and keeps the December streak going after starting the tradition with 2009's "Wishing You A Happy Christmas". Here's a stream of the new one. Head to Bandcamp to download direct...

Happy New Year, Dear by The Hush Now

... and to the old man with the snow-white, Santa-sized beard who nearly ran me down yesterday at the intersection of Cambridge & North Harvard in his Jeep, well, I've got a big ol' lump of coal with your name on it. A near-death experience was definitely not on my wish list.

Thanksgiving [Boston Music Miscellany] Buffalo Tom, Cuffs, One Happy Island, Mission of Burma, Travels, Wheat

2011-11-24T08:40:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving. Great holiday or The Greatest Holiday? No gift-giving or gift-taking required, just a day to surround yourself with family, eat to your belly's content, and enjoy some calm before the impending onslaught of rampant consumerism. This long holiday weekend always helps me put things in perspective, gives me a break from sweating all that small stuff, and lets me appreciate all that I have. Which includes two fully functioning ears, lots of Boston-made music to put in them, and a place to write about it...

If you're reading this, and you're anywhere near Boston over this coming weekend, I'm assuming you'll be at one (or all) of the three Buffalo Tom 25th Anniversary shows going down at the Brighton Music Hall in Allston. Three nights - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - and a load of super-talented BT friends sharing the stage. I mean, take a gander at this list: J Mascis, Ted Leo, and Eugene Mirman (on Friday); Mean Creek, Bob Weston, and Hilken Mancini (on Saturday); Tanya Donelly and Thalia Zedek (on Sunday).

I'll be there on Sunday for sure, and would make every night were it not for our annual Thanksgiving drive down to New York. That's some unfortunate timing, but don't feel too sad for me - I'll be bowing down to The Cure at the Beacon Theatre on Friday night. Playing their first three albums, back to back, and with help from Lol and Roger. Yeah, I'm giddy (my last.fm library explains why). And despite the incongruity, I'll probably keep smiling all the way through "Faith".

The Friday and Saturday night Buffalo Tom shows are sold out, but last I checked there were still tickets for Sunday, so get on that before you're stuck outside.

So, speaking of Buffalo Tom, guitarist/vocalist Bill Janovitz will be playing a short set to kickoff the ReadBoston Hometown Authors Reception at the Hotel Commonwealth on Monday, December 5th at 6pm. The shindig features 20 Boston area writers, including personal faves Jef Czekaj, Chuck Hogan, and Dennis Lehane. It'll set you back $35, but that includes beer, wine, and light food, and besides, all proceeds benefit ReadBoston. Buy tickets right here.

While we await the release of their second 7-inch, Cuffs will appease us with another live appearance, this time at TT the Bears on Thursday, December 1st, opening for Advance Base. Haven't heard of Advance Base yet? No worries, it's just the name that Casiotone For The Painfully Alone's Owen Ashworth has chosen for his current musical output. In other words, go.

Our Cat (Nov 3, 2011) by Advance Base

Privilege b/w Archer (full band) 7" by CUFFS

Boston indie-pop trio One Happy Island have a new EP out, but you can't have it... yet. The so-far-UK-only availability of the 4-song "Unsummer" CD (and songbook!) will be remedied shortly with a release party at Toad in Cambridge, MA on Friday night, December 16th. And in the spirit of full disclosure: Burlington, Vermont's Let's Whisper will be traveling down to open the show. (Hey, I'd be mentioning it even if I wasn't playing drums with LW. Pinky swear.)

Looking a bit further ahead into 2012 (does that not sound futuristic?), Mission of Burma will, at long last, play a couple of Boston shows on Friday & Saturday, January 20th & 21st, at Brighton Music Hall. The last time they played their hometown? January 2010. Two years between gigs is way too long. Tickets are still available, but I'd imagine once the holidays are over that'll change quickly.

If you were paying attention when I posted the most recent New Music Night playlist, you may have noticed new short-playing releases by a couple of local faves: Travels and Wheat...

Travels' new 2-song 7-inch record is actually a gateway to a 5-song digital EP. Order up the vinyl, and you'll get a download code for those two tracks (new song "Stencils" and a cover of Daniel Johnston's "The Sun Shines Down On Me") along with three other new ones ("Lucky", "Veil of Stars", and "The Runner"). Grab it on Bandcamp, where you'll get the downloads instantly, with the wax due to ship in early December. Here's the D.J. cover...

The Sun Shines Down on Me by Travels

Wheat are doing something pretty special with their new songs as well - a series of three limited-edition two-song singles, the first of which is already out. Here, I'll use their words to explain...

"Each single will feature 2 new tracks, exclusive artwork hand-screened by the band, full liner notes and free downloads. Subsequent months will have a new single, each with two additional tracks. This project will culminate in a yet-untitled, limited edition CD along with other exclusive downloads. The single can be purchased now through the band's website.

All this serves to tide us over nicely as Wheat finishes up their next full length record, to be titled "Can't Stop The Addiction".

So I stayed up later last night than I should have, and the results can be found on Flickr: A slew of photos from recent (and one not so recent) Boston-area events. John Hodgman & Ted Leo at the Coolidge, Kristin Hersh at the MFA, The Wire panel at the Boston Book Fest, The Thoughts at All Asia, The National with Yo La Tengo and Wye Oak at the BoA Pavilion. And if you missed them earlier, Tanya Donelly & Friends at the Brattle. Whew.

Alright, time to pack the car and hit the road for New York. Reflections, here I come. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

[Boston Music Miscellany] Animal Hospital, Strange Mangers, Earthquake Party!, Halleluah the Hills

2011-11-19T13:47:00.003-05:00

Hey, remember these? Yeah, I used to run down random things I was digging, but it's been some time since I've done so. Pardon me while I share various and sundry Boston-centric musical items....

I've seen Boston's Animal Hospital (aka Mr. Kevin Micka) a few times, always in his regular solo drumming/looping/triggering form, and never better than when he opened for the Jesus Lizard at the Paradise two years ago this month. Well, I'm thinking that set is about to get trumped. He's pulled together something very special called the Animal Hospital Ensemble, and it sounds pretty much amazing. I'll let him explain...

"After six years of crafting vast, unforgettable works of aural experimentation by himself and an arsenal of looping hardware, Animal Hospital's Kevin Micka is announcing the first ever live performances of his music by an ensemble of seasoned local guitarists, string players, and drummers.

This fall, audiences in Boston, MA and Pawtucket, RI will experience pieces from 2009's "Memory" album in full surround sound, with a platoon of musicians encircling the audience."

Seriously. Micka's musical co-conspirators include members of local faves Shepherdess, The Broken River Prophet, Roh Delikat, Hallelujah the Hills, and Neptune... and that's just naming a few. Check out the full stacked list of guests here. Two lone shows and an audience-enveloping setup that promises to be unlike anything ever. How can you miss such a thing? Easy answer is you can't.

Your only chances to see this spectacle will be on Saturday, December 3rd at Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket (starts at 8pm with openers Big Digits), and the next night, Sunday, December 4th at MassArt's Pozen Center in Boston (starts at 6pm with openers Beautiful Weekend). Both shows are all ages. Check out the super-slick poster.

A couple weeks back a note from relatively new Boston combo Strange Mangers hit my inbox, letting me know that they've just released their self-titled debut EP via Bandcamp. I've listened to the songs a whole lot over the past week, and am totally digging on them. I'll spare you my descriptive attempts and share the lead off track...

Pilcrow by Strange Mangers

Head over to Bandcamp and pay-what-you-want for the 6-song EP, and keep an eye on their Facebook page for their next area live show, which should be sometime in January.

TONIGHT! Earthquake Party! Release Party!

Yes, I should have given more notice, but hopefully you're already aware that Earthquake Party! officially releases their new 3-song "EP! vs Pizza" EP tonight at Great Scott. You can already listen to the five-minute blast over on Bandcamp or Soundcloud, but if you want one of the special cassettes (yup, it's on tape), you'll have to get yourself over to Allston proper this evening. Joining EP! on the bill are Pretty & Nice, Miniboone, & the Clippers. Here's the tape's first cut, which you can download for free over at Bandcamp...

Pretty Little Hand by earthquake party!

Hallelujah the Hills (who played the Milky Way last night) have just finished mixing their fan-funded 3rd LP, which is due out in 2012 - but to tide us over until then, they've offered up two brand new non-album songs in the form of a digital single: Side A is "Amateurs" and the B side is "The Girls Are Here". Have a listen over at Bandcamp, or stream "Amateurs" here...

Amateurs by Hallelujah The Hills

I've got plenty more I could write about, but in the interest of timeliness (I know, go ahead and laugh), I'll fire this one off...

[Overdue Playlist] New Music Night III at River Gods w/MP3s

2011-10-31T08:48:00.002-04:00

Wait, was this really over two weeks ago? Well, that was a blur. While I won't deny I got my usual kick out of playing new songs for sociable patrons at my favorite Cambridge bar, the preparation and follow-through were just plain rough. Jetlag + influenza do not a fun equation make.

I was freshly back from drumming on the (flat-out amazing) 10-day Let's Whisper UK tour, which ended with a 7-hour drive, a 7-hour flight, a few hours sleep, a crazy workday, a 4-hour drive, and a homecoming show. Followed closely by a full-body collapse. And yes, just as I started getting over some fairly debilitating jetlag, and began plotting my NMNIII playlist, the first flu symptoms arose. I came so very close to bailing out on my co-DJ (Mr. Jay Clicky Clicky), but I hung in there - hoping that the songs, and a hot tottie, would heal me. While that combo (mostly) got me through the night, it merely delayed the inevitable... a string of long days in bed. Took me over a week afterwards to feel even remotely like myself.

But enough of the whining. I'm healthy and over it. Let's get to what was played a couple Thursdays back at River Gods. First, go read Jay's list of new songs he played that night. You'll note that he posted his playlist precisely at 1:00am on October 14th. Exactly when his set ended. Holy hell, he's on the ball. Puts me to shame, he does. Even if I wasn't sick, or jetlagged, or generally out of my mind, I still wouldn't have been able to beat that. I mean, daaaaaaayum.

My NMNIII selections were as follows. Listen/buy info included if available, and click on the MP3 links to download the artist-approved tracks directly.

NEW MUSIC NIGHT vol. III

Thursday, October 13th, 2011
at River Gods in Cambridge, MA
co-hosted by DJs Brad Almanac & Jay Clicky Clicky

[ download the 7 guilt-free MP3s shared below in a 43 MB .zip file ]

[ * = Boston-area artist ]

Set One / 9pm-10pm
Brad Almanac

01. Dan Mangan - "About As Helpful As You Can Be Without Being Any Help At All"
[ Lead-off track from his new LP, "Oh Fortune" / Buy it / Stream song @ KCRW ]
02. Tommy Stinson - "One Man Mutiny"
[ Title cut from his new solo record / Buy it / Download MP3 @ Topspin ]
03. Loney Dear - "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" (Shirelles cover)
[ Live on Sverig Radio 8/31/11 / Buy new "Hall Music" LP / Stream LP / Live MP3 ]
04. Standard Fare - "Darth Vader"
[ From their forthcoming (brilliant!) second LP, "Out Of Sight, Out Of Town" ]
05. Crooked Fingers - "The Counterfeiter"
[ My fave track from the new "Breaks In The Armor" LP / Buy LP / Stream LP ]
06. We Are Augustines - "New Drink For The Old Drunk" (Crooked Fingers cover)
[ From their debut LP, "Rise Ye Sunken Ships" / Buy on iTunes / Soundcloud / Stream LP ]
07. Fanfarlo - "Deconstruction"
[ First single from forthcoming "Rooms Filled With Light" LP / Stream two songs ]
08. M83 - "Raconte-Moi Une Histoire"
[ From the new "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming" LP / Buy it / Soundcloud stream ]
09. The Drums - "Days"
[ From their new "Portamento" LP / Buy it / KCRW live video ]
10. Kathryn Calder - "Who Are You?"
[ From her just-released "Bright and Vivid" LP / Buy on iTunes / MP3 ]
11. Rob Crow - "Scalped"
[ From the new LP, "He Thinks He's People" / Buy it / MP3 of "Sophistructure" ]
12. Hospitality - "Friends of Friends"
[ First song from new Merge Records band / Pre-order album / MP3 ]
13. Model Village - "Bouncers"
[ From their self-titled EP / Buy or stream at Bandcamp ]
14. Sulk - "Wishes"
[ Debut single / Video / Download the B-side ]
15. For Abel - "Yorkshire"
[ Latest single from new full-length / Stream at Soundcloud ]
16. * Reports - "Sub Toucher"
[ Off the new "Dinamo Cambridge" LP / Name your price at Bandcamp / Stream song ]
17. * Slowdim - "Wishing Well" (Reverb Mix)
[ Alternate version from "Spirals" EP / Buy at Bandcamp / Download MP3 at OTD ]

[ Visit Clicky Clicky for Jay's 10-11pm playlist ]

Set Three / 11pm-12pm
Brad Almanac, until I succumbed to the plague, then Jay

18. Tennis - "Tell Her No" (Zombies cover)
[ Free non-album cover version / Stream or download at their website ]
19. Speed The Plough - "Inbetween Dreams"
[ From their new LP, "Shine" / Buy it from Dromedary / MP3 ]
20. The Mommyheads - "Another Crowded House"
[ From "Delicate Friction", their first new LP in a looong time / Buy it on Dromedary / MP3 ]
21. * TW Walsh - "Make It Rhyme"
[ From the new "Songs of Pain and Leisure" LP / Buy via Bandcamp or Graveface / Stream song ]
22. * Wheat - "House Of Kiss"
[ From a new 2-song single (1st of 3 in a series) / Buy at their webstore / ]
23. The Long Afternoon - "The Chamelionaires"
[ From their 3rd album, "An Index of Maladjustments" / Buy from the band / Video ]
24. Tokyo Police Club - "All My Friends" (LCD Soundsystem cover)
[ From their "10 Covers 10 Days 10 Years" project / Buy at iTunes / Stream at Soundcloud ]
25. * Age Rings - "Bounty Hunter"
[ From the upcoming Midriff release, "Black Honey" / Stream some songs on Soundcloud ]
26. Wild Flag - "Electric Band"
[ From the self-titled Merge debut / Buy LP / Stream LP / Video ]
27. Standard Fare - "051107"
[ From their forthcoming second LP, "Out Of Sight, Out Of Town" ]
28. * Travels - "Lucky"
[ From their upcoming limited 7-inch & digital EP / Stream & pre-order at Soundcloud ]
29. * The Hush Now - "Rooftops"
[ From their new LP, "Memos" / Buy on Bandcamp / Stream song ]
30. Ume - "Rubicons"
[ From their debut full-length, "Phantoms" / Buy from Modern Outsider / Stream on Soundcloud ]
31. Camp Radio - "Turn Up The Radio"
[ From their new "Campista Socialista" LP / Buy via Bandcamp / MP3 ]
32. * Dan Wholey - "Tiny Coals"
[ From his new eponymous EP / Buy at Bandcamp / Stream song ]
33. Seaweed - "The Weight"
[ From their new 7-inch on No Idea / Buy from No Idea ]
34. * Soccer Mom - "Celebrity Unrest"
[ Off their new 10-inch, "You Are Not Going To Heaven" / Buy via 100m / Stream song ]
35. Signal Hill - "Van Gogh Sky"
[ From a new split 7-inch with All India Radio / Buy it / Stream track ]

[ Visit Clicky Clicky for Jay's 12-1am playlist ]

We'll be returning to the booth in November, I think. I'll share the date here, and given my severe slackness, I'd should probably start working on that next playlist immediately...

[Almanac Overseas!] Let's Whisper 2011 UK Tour / Boston on Monday

2011-09-23T12:47:00.000-04:00

United Kingdom, here I come. Oh, I've seen your shores before, but never like this.

On Tuesday I'll be crossing the Atlantic for an 7-date tour of the UK with my friends Colin & Dana, who combine their awesome powers to form the wonderful Burlington, Vermont-based indie-pop twosome Let's Whisper (when they're not busy being Smittens). They've ~~foolishly~~ graciously invited me along for the trip to hit some drums behind them, temporarily making their duo a trio. While I've been to London a few times, it was mostly for work (1993's amazing "13 Year Itch" 4AD Records fest excepted), and certainly never to play music in front of people. I'm honored, nervous, and overly-excited. Took about two decades for this particular pipe-dream of mine to get real, well after I figured the window for such a thing was closed. Life is pretty weird. In case you didn't know.

Dana & Colin are Let's Whisper

Before we jet off to jolly olde England (and yes, a house show finale in Scotland!), we'll play a stateside send-off gig here in Boston at Great Scott this Monday night, Sept. 26th. My favorite Allston venue has generously allowed us to jump on an already-great bill with Viva Voce and their tourmates The Parson Red Heads, so please do come and wish us well, or at least make fun of us as we work out any pre-tour kinks on stage. We're going on first and playing a short set, so arrive early if you can. We won't promise perfection, but we will guarantee enthusiasm.

We'll bookend the tour with a little homecoming show up in Winooski, Vermont at the Monkey House on Friday night, October 7th. See below for details.

Part of the reason I'm overly-excited, aside from the simple fact that this is actually happening? Well, we're playing most of the UK shows with one of my favorite bands, Standard Fare. Love them. If that wasn't cool enough, our October 3rd show in Cambridge is opening for... wait for it... Tender Trap. Which includes Amelia and Rob from personal pop faves Heavenly & Tallulah Gosh. Pinch me, 'cuz I've gotta be dreaming.

Here's the full itinerary, along with a couple of LW mp3s for your listening pleasure, and the duo's brand spankin' new video for "All Happy Endings", track two from "The Shortest Days" (their charming debut full-length on London-based WeePop! Records). I'm game for meeting up with any UK readers out there while I'm traveling, so get in touch if you're near these venues and up for such a thing...

Let's Whisper 2011 International Tour

26th September: Allston, MA, USA at Great Scott with Viva Voce and the Parson Red Heads [Tickets / Facebook event]

27th September: Over the ocean

28th September: Chelmsford at the Bassment Club with Standard Fare [Tickets]

29th September: York at City Screen Basement with Standard Fare & The Louche F.C. [Tickets / Last.fm event]

30th September: Sheffield at The Rutland Arms with Standard Fare and David Leach (special acoustic show!) [Facebook event]

1st October: The Nottingham All-Dayer at The Chameleon with Milky Wimpshake, Standard Fare, Help Stamp Out Loneliness, The Blanche Hudson Weekend, Ace Bushy Striptease, Ste McCabe, Pale Man Made, A Fine Day for Sailing, and The Whatevers [Facebook event / Last.fm event]

2nd October: London at The Underbelly with Standard Fare and Owl + Mouse [Tickets / Facebook event]

3rd October: Cambridge at The Corner House with Tender Trap and Plantman [Tickets / Info]

4th October: Glasgow, Scotland - a special secret livingroom show [email band @ letswhisper . com if you want to go]

7th October: Winooski, Vermont, USA - a welcome home show at the Monkey House with Osage Orange and Walker Lukens [Info]

Some Let's Whisper sights and sounds for you...

[MP3] Let's Whisper - "Shortest Days"

[MP3] Let's Whisper - "California Girls"

[Video] Let's Whisper - "All Happy Endings"

Like I said, do get in touch if we're coming anywhere near you. Check out the Let's Whisper shows page, this WeePop! Records news post, or this Anorak Forum thread for possible updates. And follow along here on the Almanac or on my Twitter, where I'll hopefully be updating from the (wrong side of the) road. Cheers!

[Boston Ticket Giveaway / Preview] This weekend's LIFE IS GOOD FEST

2011-09-19T11:07:00.003-04:00

Looking at the lineup alone, this year's second-ever Life Is Good Festival (taking place this coming weekend in Canton, MA) isn't exactly in my musical wheelhouse. Sure, I like to pretend I have pretty diverse listening habits, but let's be honest... it's not too often that I break out of the so-called indie rock/pop box I hang out in. So on the face of it, the roots/folk/rock-centric 2-day gathering doesn't scream "Must! Go!" at me.

Fortunately, the Life Is Good Fest is about much more than an objectively well-curated list of 22 accomplished acts - it's about a wide-open, welcoming vibe, a meticulous attention to environmentally-friendly detail, and foremost, it's about collecting a ton of money for kids. It's a fundraiser first of all.

My family and I had a blast hanging out just south of Boston at Prowse Farm for last year's initial installment, despite a lineup that was low on personal faves. In the end, that didn't matter at all - in fact, I relished the chance to step outside my regular rotation and soak in so many varied performances. Mavis Staples was unsurprisingly amazing, Will Dailey & the Rivals rocked, Eli "Paperboy" Reed and his band impressed. And yeah, of course I loved seeing They Might Be Giants in the completely packed kids tent. Maybe even more than my then-3-year-old son did.

And that's another reason this fest stands above the rest - it really couldn't be more kid-friendly. The children's tent is surrounded by games and activities, so as dad to a little one, that's pretty key. If he gets tired of watching a band, it's back to the ball toss. If things get a little too loud, it's over to the parachute. Made bringing our boy that much more enjoyable, for sure. Plus, out of nowhere... Jim Rice sitting and signing at a table. Bonus!

Ok, so about this year's lineup: While light on the ol' indie rock (The Hold Steady plugs that hole, though I'm not a fan), there's no lack of genre-crossing heavy hitters. The legendary Levon Helm rambles over from his place in upstate NY for a Sunday evening set that will feature an assist from members of the Boston Pops (they'll play earlier Sunday with Brandi Carlile as well). There's no way that won't be great. Other notables from the full list include The Avett Brothers, Ingrid Michaelson, Michael Franti, and Martin Sexton on Saturday, and Sunday brings Raphael Saadig and Maceo Parker before Ray LaMontagne closes things out. Representing Boston locals on Sunday afternoon (aside from former Harvard Square busker Sexton on Saturday) are Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents, and that'll actually be Jenny's second time up on that stage, after a surprise appearance last year alongside Will Dailey for a killer take on the Stones' "Gimme Shelter".

Headlining the kids stage this year are Disney Junior TV faves Imagination Movers (our kid is so psyched), along with the Laurie Berkner Band , Keller Williams, and Ben Rudnick & friends. All four acts will play sets on both days starting at 11:45am.

Wanna go? Well, thanks to the Life Is Good crew, I have a pair of Sunday tickets to hand out. That's mighty generous of them, given the cost, and the winner has my permission not to feel guilty about getting into a charity event for free. Just buy some merch or drop a little in a donation box when you're there, we'll call it even. Do it for the kids, man.

To enter, send an email to giveaways [at] bradleysalmanac [dot] com, make sure it hits my inbox before this Thursday morning (9/22) at 9am, and put "Life is good because..." in the subject line. Continue that thought in the body of the email, and tell me one reason that, well, life is good. If you can't come up with a single reason, well, then you maybe have more important things to worry about than winning a ticket giveaway. Or perhaps that would help. So make something up if you have to. I'll pick a random email from the batch on Thursday morning and let the winner know straight away.

To grab your own tickets to the 2011 Life Is Good Festival, go here. To find out how to contribute more to the cause than just your ticket price, check this out. For the full lineup, including links to bios and streamable songs, here you go. And for some tips about attending, check out my live-from-the-fest post from last year.

[Live MP3s / 20 Years On] FUGAZI live in Burlington VT 1991

2011-09-17T12:16:00.003-04:00

While Fugazi is rarely far from my mind (or my stereo), they seem to be floating around the collective consciousness a little more often this year. Covers and mash-ups, interviews, bassist Joe Lally announcing a Fall world tour in support of his latest solo album (Hey, Boston: Great Scott on 11/15), David Bazan citing drummer Brendan Canty as "probably the musician that I obsessed over more than any other in my life", and the (hopefully) impending launch of the new Fugazi Live Series Archive, a collection of over 800 recorded shows digitized for fans (in addition to those already available). While everyone is waxing nostalgic about the 20th anniversary of "Nevermind", I'm more struck by the fact that it's been two decades since Fugazi put out their seminal sophomore full-length "Steady Diet Of Nothing".

It was on the eve of that album's release that the DC quartet hit Burlington, Vermont for a show at Border (now Metronome). Place was packed with around 250 excited kids, myself included, and the crowd surged with every single song, even the new ones. Someone downstairs at Nectar's said they thought they could see the ceiling bending as we pogoed. Will never forget the first time I ever heard "KYEO", "Exit Only", and especially "Long Division". I covet my soundboard cassette of that night, and it was one of the first live shows I ever digitized for sharing here on the 'Nac, back in 2002.

So while we wait for the arrival of that Fugazi Live Series site, I figured I'd share up that show again. If that official archive ends up containing this one for download, I'll probably pull it back down, but for now, have at it. If you've already got it, know that I've upped the MP3 sample rate from that first share (192 vs 256), and thrown the tracks together into a .zip file so it's easier to grab. For more live action, hit up And This Is What The Devil Does for an excellent Fugazi live video collection.

Fugazi

Live at Border
in Burlington, Vermont
in the early Spring of 1991

[download as a single 138MB .zip file]

01. intro banter
02. Turnover / Styrofoam
03. banter
04. Sieve-Fisted Find
05. Latin Roots / Merchandise
06. Give Me The Cure / Song 1
07. Margin Walker / Waiting Room
08. Long Division / Blueprint
09. Officer Friendly
10. Shut The Door
11. banter
12. KYEO
13. Exit Only
14. Repeater
15. Reprovisional

I've never had any luck, either on the internet or in my own memory banks, finding the exact date of this show. If you happen to know, leave a comment.

Keep your eyes open.

[Live MP3s] DAVID BAZAN's Boston House Show (aka my livingroom)

2011-08-16T20:02:00.002-04:00

When I wrote about the still-hard-to-believe-it-actually-happened acoustic set that David Bazan played in my Allston livingroom back in April, I promised that, with his blessing, I'd eventually share up that spellbinding performance here on the 'Nac. Well, eventually equals now.

I held off for awhile because this particular house show tour took place a month before the release of the former Pedro The Lion frontman's top-notch new long-player, "Strange Negotations", and he blessed us with a few solo versions of tracks from the album (kicking off with the stunning title number). Rather than spoil the album's impact with early versions, I waited, and during one of the between-song Q&As below, we talk about the certain magic of hearing a new LP all at once instead of bit-by-bit. You can either listen to that discussion by downloading, or read it below, as I took some extra time to transcribe the audience questions and Dave's always-forthcoming responses. Well worth checking out his thoughts on the "Burn To Shine" series, the creation of the new album, the genius of Gillian Welch (after playing a truly moving cover), LCD Soundsystem, the pointlessness of certain promotion, the Grammys, and more.

Read my original write-up of that extra-special evening here, scroll on down for the Q&A text and some excellent Bazan-centric links, and be sure to order up a copy of "Strange Negotations". If you haven't heard it yet, you should probably be saving a spot in your year-end favorites list...

David Bazan

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011
in my livingroom
Allston, MA

[Download all 18 tracks in one 145 MB .zip file]

01. Strange Negotiations (the new album's title track)
02. Transcontinental (from PtL's "Achilles Heel")
03. Won't Let Go (from "Strange Negotiations")
04. Cold Beer and Cigarettes (from DB's "Fewer Moving Parts")
05. [Crowd Q&A #1]
06. Priests and Paramedics (from PtL's "Control")
07. How I Remember (from "Fewer Moving Parts")
08. [Crowd Q&A #2]
09. Hard To Be (from DB's "Curse Your Branches")
10. April 14th, Part I (Gillian Welch cover)
11. [Crowd Q&A #3]
12. Virginia (from "Strange Negotiations")
13. [Crowd Q&A #4]
14. Selling Advertising (from "Fewer Moving Parts")
15. [Crowd Q&A #5]
16. Please Baby Please (from "Curse Your Branches")
17. Crowd Q&A #6
18. Bearing Witness (from "Curse Your Branches")

Some recent Bazan-related links...

Dates have just been announced for another DB livingroom tour, taking place throughout September, with tickets going on sale tomorrow at 2pm Central time. These shows generally sell out very quickly, so check the list and be online tomorrow afternoon if you're near one of the stops. (no Boston this time around, but we've been pretty spoiled, so I won't whine.)

Another new Bazan album in the works already?! Yessiree, according to that thread and DB bassist Andy Fitts' Twitter account. Bazan writes: "it's just time to quit fucking around and make some records." HELL YES.

Read or listen to an NPR feature story on Dave from back in May on the day the album was released.

Check out a fantastic interview with Dave over at Songwriters On Process blog. I'll leave it up to you to guess what subject it covers.

Dave and his ace bandmates Alex and Andy performed a couple of the new songs ("People" & "Level With Yourself") in stripped down form for the site Southern Souls, who captured it on video.

They also swung by Seattle's KEXP studio and rocked out four songs last month. Here's one of them...

[MP3] David Bazan - "Strange Negotiations" (with the band on KEXP)

But wait! There's more! He stopped into Minnesota Public Radio station The Current for an interview and three songs with the guys. Stream the whole set, or download "Eating Paper"...

[MP3] David Bazan - "Eating Paper" (on The Current)

While listening to that set over at The Current, I noticed a link to the station's 2006 session with the Undertow Orchestra - the touring supergroup that consisted of Dave, the much-missed Vic Chesnutt, American Music Club's Mark Eitzel, and both Will Johnson and Scott Danbom of Centro-matic - and couldn't resist posting a track. For each show, they'd rotate through each songwriter's material, transforming the songs in ways you'd never heard, and would not hear again. That Current session gives one song each to Dave, Vic, Mark, and Will, and here's Dave's number - the Pedro The Lion number "Bands With Managers"...

[MP3] The Undertow Orchestra - "Bands With Managers" (on The Current/2006)

And lastly, before I get to the audience Q&A, here's an excellent embedded video of Dave & the boys performing one of my favorite Pedro songs, "Magazine", for the Austin City Limits "Satellite Sets" series. Hit that link for video of four more songs...

Watch the full episode. See more ACL presents Satellite Sets.

Here's the transcription of the Q&A segments between Dave & the friends, fans, and strangers who filled up my livingroom that night. I've made some comments in brackets, and cleaned up some of the better-said-than-read "um, uh, like" parts (yes, including ones in my own question). Read on...

David Bazan's Allston audience interaction, 4/3/2011

Crowd Q&A #1...

Audience: Hey Dave, I have one actually, related to that song ["Cold Beer & Cigarettes"]. It was your performance in the "Burn To Shine" series that got me into your music, so I'd love to hear any of your memories from that day. It seems like a really interesting experience for a musician...

David Bazan: It was amazing. I mean, first and foremost, that "Burn To Shine" thing is run by two dudes, one of which is the drummer of Fugazi [Brendan Canty] - who probably is the musician that I obsessed over more than any other in my life - so getting to meet him and him sort of fussing over making sure that things were good for me and other people playing... it was just amazing. 'Cuz, I mean, I don't know... I was pretty starstruck, actually. So that was neat, to find out that he was just a really amazing, committed dude.

Aud: Seemed like a pretty good group of musicians, too, from that series...

DB: It was amazing, the feeling of camaraderie. Y'know, [Ben] Gibbard [of Death Cab For Cutie] kind of curated that, so he chose all the people...

Aud: His song is amazing on that one, too...

DB: Yeah, "Broken Yoke Over A Western Sky". So, it ["Burn To Shine"] definitely enhanced an already very connected feeling I have about being in Seattle, just being a bunch of good people who are trying to make music that is interesting.

I also got to meet Eddie Vedder that day, which was pretty interesting. You're only supposed to perform the tunes 2 times, but I peaked the mics the 2nd time, so they gave me a 3rd time to do it, and the 3rd time I walked into the staging area... and Eddie Vedder, who I had just met before – he came in and said "Hey, what's up man?" and I said "I gotta go do this thing..." – so I came back and he put his arm out and pulled his shirt up and he was like "Gooseflesh." And I said "What?", and he said "You just gave me gooseflesh, man". "You, too, man..." Freaked me out. [crowd laughter]

It was an interesting day. But I had to leave early because I had to play a show that night, so I missed some of the late acts when it was clearly nighttime outside... like the Long Winters... but yeah, it was amazing. It's a really interesting series if you guys are interested in it, it's called "Burn To Shine". I'm sure you're aware of it to some degree. Has the Louisville, Kentucky one come out...?

Aud: There was a long lag, I think they had some funding issues, but Louisville's coming out, and then Atlanta is the 6th one, I think.

DB: Ok, so there's four that are currently...

Aud: ... available, and then two more coming out.

DB: DC, Chicago, Seattle, and Portland?

Aud: Yeah, Portland was before Seattle.

Crowd Q&A #2...

Aud: Your new album ["Strange Negotiations"] is coming out – would you say there's a theme to that album, or what's been on your heart and mind as you made the album?

DB: I think there is a theme, although it's not quite as focused as "Curse Your Branches" was. And I think that maybe I'm writing about the themes on the record in a slightly more vague way, it would seem, but... um...

Aud: Or do you prefer to leave it to us to figure out the themes..?

DB: I mean, that's one way, I guess... I think that there's a lot of tension that surrounds, for me, dealing with people who believe really insane things about, um... not invisible things like religion, or things like that, but about economics or politics – things that are pretty demonstrable, like the citizenship of our president, or things like this. It just seems weird that you have to engage with people and take them seriously when they're just batshit crazy.
It's pretty horrible but I feel like everywhere I go there's a bumper sticker or a hillbilly or something insane... y'know, they have Fox news everywhere, and Rush Limbaugh is broadcast in every single market, many times over in some cases. So [the album's themes] sort of stem from those sorts of frustrations, but also beyond the frustration, feeling like "Is it cool to just air those frustrations and demonize those people?" or is there some other way forward. And I do think that it starts with trying to state reality, and understand that my perception of things can be distorted as well. There comes a certain point where I'm not going to say that I'm just as likely to be wrong as someone who believes that our president wasn't born in this country. Or, like, I do bad things in my life, but I'm not as bad of a person as W. It's just futile to think that... I grew up thinking that "Well, everybody's just as bad as the other person...", and it's just not the case. He's responsible for hundreds of thousands of innocent people dying, and I'm simply not... directly responsible for that many people dying. That's just a fact.

That's what I think was going on in my mind when I made the record. That said, as weird as it seems to say, especially with a record like [Curse Your] "Branches", I don't really mean to write about anything. I just start filling in a notepad with what comes out and sort it out and edit what is there, to try and make it into something that I like. And with "Branches", that just turned out to be a very focused record, about religion and other things. So, like I said, this one is a little less focused, I think that people could make it into being about all kind of things, whereas "Branches" was a little tougher to do that with – can't really be about too many things.

Crowd Q&A #3 [after playing the Gillian Welch cover]...

DB: Just in case – I wish that were a new song that I wrote, but that's a Gillian Welch song from "Time (The Revelator)" – if you're not familiar with that record, I would recommend buying it, ‘cuz it's pretty fucking unstoppable all the way through. Any other questions or concerns at this point in the show?

Aud: You just covered what I think is her best song, and I heard you did a Vic Chesnutt song last year [at another house show] in Beverly, and I've heard you do two Radiohead ones... I'm just curious who you respect most as writers of music, or writers of music as well. Or, I guess, to make it simpler... who do you like to cover the most.

DB: Well, that record of hers [Gillian Welch] is such an astonishing bit of songwriting, I feel like I'll be trying to wrap my head around it for a long time. It's such a simple record, but it's really beyond my ability to really understand what's going on in some cases. I do think that lyrically I feel the same way about Vic [Chesnutt]. I like his tunes and his melodies, too, but it's really the range of emotional experience and the range of the human experience that he is able to evoke and cover with his lyrics. I don't know of anybody else... I mean, it just can be like, stab you over-and-over again with a knife kind of poignant, and then really absurd and funny and wistful, kind of on a dime. And I don't know anybody that does that to me the way that Vic did. Rest in peace...

Then there's the Beatles, y'know, from a craft perspective – I'm still trying to digest that stuff. Current bands I think, like songwriting craft and composition, the band Deerhoof still really kind of freaks me out. They're kind of a mix between, like, the Beatles and Fugazi to me, in the way that they construct their tunes. It's definitely got the post-rock kind of angular, real cathartic element to it, but compositionally no one's dealing with melody and theme and harmony the way that those guys do – I don't know of any other band currently that can really touch them.

Aud: You do that last song justice.

DB: Oh, thanks a lot. I'm going to reserve judgment about that from my perspective [crowd laughs], but I really appreciate yours. With a tune like that, I get so much pleasure from playing it that that's enough for now.

Aud: Can you talk about your songwriting process a little bit?

DB: Sure. In the beginning I had to get like, 3 to 10 seconds, 1 line all at once – the lyrics, the melody, and the chords – and it could be a line in a chorus or the first line of the verse or something like that. That's the only way that most of those tunes that I wrote came about – and then, in that little bit, there would be the DNA for the rest of the song implied. So then you spend a little bit of time kind of discovering that. Now, y'know, there are all kinds of amazing resources available – the book "Songwriters on Songwriting", there's blogs online, peoples' interviews... any way that I've ever heard of anybody writing a song now, I just try it out at some point. Music first, lyrics first, melody without any music first, then do the music later, because the melody kind of implies the harmony. Sometimes I'll just listen to bands – like LCD Soundsystem is a good example – those records, it evokes "He must have gone about it this way, he must have started with the drum machine first." Even if that's not true at all, then I'll sort of make a recipe based on what it feels like to me, and then I'll try that. Sometimes I'll cast a really wide net because I'm just stuck, and lost, so I'll just try a bunch of different ways. But if stuff is coming pretty good, then I'll just stick to one thing. For me, it's just all about trying. Try, try, try, try... just always have to put a little deposit in the bank of songwriting every day, or as often as I can, and then, y'know, expect some small return on the amount of work that I do.

Crowd Q&A #4...

DB: It's tough for me - I've been thinking a lot about... there's this particular singer that I was reminded of after saying that thing about W, who suggests in a song that he might be as bad of a person as John Wayne Gacy. That sentiment always drives me crazy – growing up Christian, that's a pretty popular idea, and it's just the least useful thing that I can think of. As though it's not that different imagining killing a bunch of people and killing a bunch of people. Any other concerns at this point in the show?

Me: It feels like the wait for the new album is a lot shorter than for "Branches"... is there a reason that it came about easier than that one? Maybe it's because the Electrical Audio [live in-studio album release in 2010] thing made it seem shorter...

DB: It was quite a bit shorter. Between the time the EP first came out and "Branches" was 3 years, and this is about half the time – it's going to be about 18 months. I do think that having made "Branches"... it was just a big relief and I felt free to kind of tackle anything at that point – that "Branches" was a record that apparently, I didn't really realize it, but I needed to make a record that kind of addressed that issue that had sort of defined me as a person and how people perceived the music that I made for a lot of years. So, having done that, it's just a lot easier to make up songs, and I don't feel like as much is riding on each song, for some reason – I'm not quite as precious about it now. And, also, it's been really helpful to have a band again. When I was making "Branches" and the EP, I wasn't playing with guys live, it was just solo, so I was doing all the multitracking myself. This time I was able to utilize the bass player and drummer that y'all might have seen at TTs a few times. So that was really helpful, too. It was a little bit of everything. Also, I just thought, I can't... I'm trying to keep this thing afloat now so I can't really just wait another 3 years. It's time to make a record. And I had done that before to good effect, and so I thought, it's not really a compromise creatively to just, like, hurry up and make a record... that in some cases, different, maybe cooler stuff can come out when I'm deliberately not being so precious about every little thing. And in the end, a buddy, my friend Yuuki [Matthews] was around and helped kind of co-produce the record, which was a big help, so I was able to stay zoomed-in the entire time, because he was zoomed-out, like playing Angry Birds on his phone, and he'd kind of pop his head up and be like "Y'know, I don't really think that that's really what you should do there...", "Oh, cool...", and then I'd stay zoomed-in the entire time... so it was a much quicker process.

Me: It also feels like the announcement of the album coming and the release is super-short... why is that, and are you purposefully not doing the whole pre-release preview song and that whole deal?

DB: Well, we're trying to shorten the gap between "Hey, the record's coming out..." and the record being out to the Radiohead model of just, like, "A new record... tomorrow!", or like "A new record on Saturday and...psych! We're going to do it tomorrow instead..." because I just want fans of the records and not professional music journalists to get the... I want everybody to get the record at the same time. Especially with this record. A lot of you all pitched in and helped us fund the record, and there are people that didn't do that have the record first and that bothers me... but that's part of the old kind of model. So we begged the label... last time they wanted six months so that they could really set it up, and get all the press in order that they wanted to. And this time we said "Sorry, like, you have three months and that's how it's gonna be..." They could have fought us on it, but they didn't. So, we're just trying to shrink it every time, to where at a certain point it'll just be like "Here you go... the record's done... and now it's out." How have you liked seeing that? Is that exciting or is that troubling..?

Me: I actually like the experience of hearing an album all at once instead of getting one or two songs... even though I'm sort of guilty of sharing things before they come out... that's sort of what I do... [crowd laughs]... not without permission, of course... but I really like listening through a whole album and not saying "Oh, there's that song I've heard a million times already... and here comes the next one four songs later...". I'm really psyched to experience all as one thing. Hearing some of them now [performed solo acoustic], not to say that it takes away from it, but it's such a different experience from the way they will sound that it still feels like it doesn't take away from it...

DB: That was something we wondered... y'know, because we really also made an effort to not... the band hasn't played any of the tunes on any tours, I've played 3 or 4 of them solo, we've tried to keep them off the internet, so you can't overplay ‘em. You get that one time... I mean, if you record it, you could listen to it however much you want I guess... but we've really tried to make it to where when people get the record they're hearing everything for the first time...

Me [sheepishly]: Yeah, I won't be sharing the recording [before the album comes out].. just so you know...

DB: Oh, yeah, sure, whatever... it's the way that things go, often. You eventually should definitely feel that you could... that'll be funny, very meta, if people listen to this on your recording of it.

So, yeah, I think that things are changing in some ways, and in some ways it's scaring a lot of people. We certainly have to be more careful about things in some ways, but our priority the whole time is being vindicated more and more – where it's just about you guys and interacting with fans. Like, we've stopped going to South by Southwest... if a music journalist has their regular-person-fan-hat on then I'm happy to interact with them, because that's the thing that I care about, but the clout that supposedly music journalists have, or the traction with people from labels - I just care less and less about that, because I feel like the real meaningful connection that we've made with people over the years has been just like people telling other people, peer-to-peer, just everybody saying "Hey, check out this band" or "Come to the show with me", those are kind of the lasting connections. The connections that we've made from people seeing our name in a magazine or something else, maybe aren't as meaningful or don't last as long. So I'm not interested in chasing any of that stuff, and haven't been for awhile. But I feel like I'm more and more allowed to think that way and not feel rebellious or irresponsible somehow.

Me: Does the label feel... are they resistant to you not doing that kind of stuff?

DB: Yeah, they really believe in the splash, still, when the record comes out, and the amount of impressions that you're trying to stack up with publicity and stuff like that. I'm not going to say that that doesn't do anything, but... I mean, it's difficult to crunch those numbers, but... I feel like I got waaay more famous when "Branches" came out for roughly the same amount of people buying the record that would have bought the record if I hadn't gotten any more famous. And that's not that cool to me. I'd rather 90% of the people who listen to my records actually know my name or ponder me as a person, that it's just about the music and the records, rather than, like, name recognition going way up. And I know that's part of having a career and being big, or whatever, but I don't know... I just would rather... yeah. So, yeah, that's a value of theirs, and because they're making the investment, we honor their ideas about it, to a certain degree. But then when they say, "Well, we want to do this endcap at Best Buy", you just say "Fuck you, like, no. We're not going to pay $9,000 to have 50 endcaps at Best Buy." Like, I don't care about that store, I hope that store burns. I think that they've helped destroy so many things that I care about. That model, that business model, that way of thinking, so... yeah, so we have conflict about it. The thing is that... we're in such a good position because we're just really content, Bob [Andrews, Dave's manager at Undertow] and I. We're content with what my prospects are, like, if I go out and play music then I can make a living do that, and that's great. And the label, usually the carrots they have to dangle are like "If you jump through these hoops then you can be really super-famous and get on TV...", and blah blah blah, and it's like "Well... nah. We're going to go do this other thing... I'm going to go on tour for six weeks instead and just kind of gut it out.", y'know? So that's an ongoing thing, a conflict we have going on over there. But they're reasonable people, and they understand. They get a lot less complaints from us than they do from other bands who are like "Why aren't more people into our band and why aren't we getting paid more?" and like blahblahblahblahblah. "Because not as many people care about your music than you think should?"... I don't know. You're probably better suited to answer that question.

Crowd Q&A #5...

DB: So that was a pretty long rant... those are things I think about a lot. You ever read that Lefsetz guy? Pretty fascinating character. Sometimes it feels like theory that doesn't meet up with our everyday... there's a guy named Bob Lefsetz who's kind of like an industry insider, in the major label world for awhile, and then he quit all that and... he just skis and... I don't know what he does, he lives in Vale or something? He writes pretty scathing, sort of, little blog rants about the music industry that are pretty interesting. He seems on point most of the time... Did LCD Soundsystem just play their Madison Square Garden show?

Aud: Yeah, last night...

DB: Are there reports of what it looked like in there...

Aud: Pitchfork had it live to webstream. It was awesome...

DB: The question that I was wondering is because the way that scalping and all that stuff works, which kind of came out when the tickets sales were... was it like full of people that were fans of the band? Or was that possible to see? Was there any reporting on that?

Aud: It was hard to tell from the video... but I was actually surprised by how good the quality was, and there were actually cameras on stage, so you could see a lot of the band as opposed to the audience members. But it seemed like everyone in the audience was loving it.

DB: Oh yeah. Well they're an unbelievable band. That's great. I'm glad that that thing went down how it did, because I think that James Murphy is a pretty credible dude, and for him to get caught with his pants down with the ticketing thing, I think that he clearly was able to weather that and still bring attention to the super-crazy way that it still works, as far as all that stuff goes. So many aspects of American culture, even, and especially, rock and roll culture, is so pretend. There's just so much pretend things that are happening, it's pretty hilarious...

Crowd Q&A #6...

Aud: While we're on some music industry questions, I don't know if you had any reflections on Arcade Fire winning a Grammy, in terms of a pop-culture event?

DB: Well, you can imagine what I think of the Grammys... [crowd laughs]... I think that those little bits and pieces are hopeful. I think that if people who aren't necessarily paying attention in general pick up an Arcade Fire record that that's a potentially really good thing, because their records are pretty complex compared to other music that people might be buying. So that's hopeful. I mean, the Grammys, like so many other institutions inside and outside the music industry, I think we'd just be better off without... all those awards shows, particularly in regards to music. It's really off to the side of anything that's really actually going on, I think. Sometimes with exceptions... I mean, even then, though, if the first Arcade Fire record would have won a Grammy, I think that would have been more appropriate. I think they still had all their teeth at that point. I think that they're still really trying to make important records, but... they're trying to make important records also now, too. And it can get kind of weird... when you know you're a big deal, it's harder to hear what's really going on, I think.

Aud: What do you think about Kory Kruckenberg winning a Grammy?

DB: Yeah! So our friend Kory won a Grammy for engineering... what was it... classical music?

Aud: Yeah...

DB: Just when I feel the most negative about some of those things, a friend of mine will win it and you don't want to take it away from them - it's a cool distinction – because Kory's a great engineer, really quiet guy, just keeps his head down and does good work in town, and so when people like that get recognized for anything it's pretty interesting. And those things are probably more valid than the big sort of showy album-of-the-year kind of things, because it really is just craftspeople being rewarded by their peers in sort of a more quiet way... I mean, it could be at the convention center at the Hyatt, on that level. I think that those things are actually handed out at a convention center at the Hyatt rather than on TV.

[Last Night's Playlist] New Music Night II at River Gods

2011-08-14T12:33:00.003-04:00

The second installment of what Jay Clicky Clicky and I have dubbed "New Music Night" took place this past Thursday at beloved bar River Gods in Cambridge, MA - which means it's officially a thing. A thing that is now officially more than a one-off experiment. A thing that will happen again. Every couple of months in fact. Let's hear it for regularity (if not for naming originality). Huzzah!

If June's first edition of NMN was mostly my "faves of the year so far" set, then Thursday night was my summer soundtrack. Here's a list of what I played, with some info on each track, and where you can hear it. Boston-area artists get a star *, y'know, just because. And look, it's a Spotify playlist, too. Sweet, sweet technology. For Jay's list o' songs, go here. Thanks to all who came out to hear us spin. We'll be back in the booth in a couple months...

NEW MUSIC NIGHT vol. II

Thursday, August 11th, 2011
at River Gods in Cambridge, MA
co-hosted by DJs Brad Almanac & Jay Clicky Clicky

[ * = Boston-area artist ]

Set One / 9pm-10pm / Brad Almanac

01. Mogwai - "Get To France"
[ from the forthcoming "Earth Division" EP on Sub Pop / Stream song ]
02. Memoryhouse - "Quiet America"
[ from the forthcoming "The Years" EP on Sub Pop / Watch the video ]
03. Loney Dear - "My Heart"
[ from the forthcoming "Hall Music" LP on Polyvinyl / Download song ]
04. Carissa's Wierd - "Meredith & Iris"
[ b-side to a forthcoming 7-inch on Hardly Art / Stream song ]
05. Stephin Merritt - "The Sun and the Sea and the Sky"
[ from the forthcoming "Obscurities" collection on Merge / Download a track ]
06. The Milkman's Union - "Texas Hold Me" (with Aly Spaltro / LLtB)
[ from the forthcoming 7-inch on Eternal Otter / duet with Lady Lamb the Beekeeper ]
07. Beirut - "Santa Fe"
[ from new LP "The Rip Tide" / Stream song ]
08. * Ryan Lee Crosby - "Summer's Come (You Are Gone)"
[ the new single out Aug. 25 / listening party that night @ River Gods ]
09. Carter Tanton - "Murderous Joy"
[ from his forthcoming "Freeclouds" LP on Western Vinyl / MP3 ]
10. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - "Tigers"
[ from the forthcoming "Mirror Traffic" on Matador / MP3 ]
11. Elliott Smith - "Untitled (Mailman Thinks Me Dumb)"
[ alt. mix of "The Real Estate" from "Live From Nowhere Near You" vol. III ]
12. Centro-matic - "Solid States"
[ from "Candidate Waltz" on Undertow / Stream song ]
13. Idaho - "The Space Between"
[ from "You Were A Dick", self-released via Bandcamp / Stream song ]
14. Letting Up Despite Great Faults - "Sophia In Gold"
[ from the "Paper Crush" EP on Old Flame / MP3 ]
15. The Drums - "Money"
[ from the forthcoming "Portamento" LP on Island / Stream song ]
16. Acid House Kings - "Under Water"
[ new single from "Music Sounds Better With You" on Labrador / MP3 ]
17. Oax - "Scoundrel"
[ from the "This Distance" EP on Bladen Country Recs / Stream song ]
18. * Sharp Darts USA - "Un-tied Feeling" (demo)
[ self-released demo on Bandcamp / Stream song ]

Set Three / 11pm-12pm / Brad Almanac

19. Polvo - "Heavy Detour"
[ from the new 7-inch on Merge / Stream song ]
21. Boston Spaceships - "Tabby and Lucy"
[ from the new "Let It Beard" LP on tFoRW / Download song ]
22. Finding Fiction - "Migraines & Sheep"
[ from the free, self-released "Try This At Home" EP (10-inch soon) / Download song ]
23. Mittenfields - "My Mind Is An Avalanche"
[ from self-released "The Fresh Sum" EP via Bandcamp / Stream song ]
24. The Capstan Shafts - "Come Wilder"
[ from the self-released, pay-what-you-will "Kind Empires" LP / Stream song ]
25. The James Rocket - "Great Expectations"
[ self-released / MP3 ]
26. * Spirit Kid - "Happiness"
[ from the self-released "Happiness" EP via Bandcamp / Stream song ]
27. Veronica Falls - "Come On Over"
[ from the forthcoming self-titled debut LP on Slumberland / MP3 ]
28. Big Troubles - "Misery"
[ from the forthcoming "Romantic Comedy" LP on Slumberland / MP3 ]
29. Rob Crow (of Pinback) - "Sophistructure"
[ from his forthcoming "He Thinks He's People" solo LP / Stream song ]
30. * Louder My Dear - "Two Cars"
[ from "What's The Matter With You, Rock?" LP on Midriff / Stream song ]
31. Deleted Scenes - "Burglarizing the Deaf"
[ from the forthcoming "Young People's Church of the Air" LP on Sockets / Stream another song ]
32. Disappears - "Halo"
[ from the "Guider" LP on Kranky / Stream other songs ]
33. Cave - "WUJ"
[ from the forthcoming "Neverendless" LP on Drag City / Stream another song ]
34. Ume - "Captive"
[ from the forthcoming "Phantoms" LP on Modern Outsider / MP3 ]
35. * Darling Pet Munkee - "Darling Pet Monkey"
[ from the self-released "Glows in the Dark!" EP via Bandcamp / MP3 ]
36. Yawn - "Acid"
[ from the forthcoming "Open Season" LP on Feeltrip/Englophile / MP3 ]
37. M83 - "Midnight City"
[from the forthcoming "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming" LP on Mute / Stream song ]
38. Frightened Rabbit - "Fuck This Place"
[from their tour EP / duet with Tracyanne of Camera Obscura / Stream song ]

And that was that. New music, newer music, and music not-yet-new. Stream the direct-linked MP3s over at the Hype Machine (and grab their ace iPhone app if you haven't yet).

Again, for a look at Jay's two excellent sets of songs, head here.

(For the record, it takes way longer to pull together this post than it does to actually play all the songs listed above. That seems somehow... wrong. I am a slave to detail.)

[Live MP3s] THE CHURCH in MA 2011 - Album Set Three (Starfish)

2011-07-20T17:00:00.002-04:00

And lastly, here's part three of three: The Church performing their U.S. breakthrough record, "Starfish", in its entirety earlier this year. Like so many of my fellow 'Mericans, this was my first Church album - hearing (and seeing the video for) the record's second track, "Under the Milky Way", led me on a journey through the Aussie quartet's back catalog, where they secured my forever-fandom. When "Starfish" arrived stateside in 1988, the band already had a 7-year (and 5-album) history, so tracking down LP imports and finding songs like "The Unguarded Moment", "Almost With You", "Tantalized", and "Columbus" was a true treasure hunt. But "Starfish" was the gateway record, and therefore remains closest to my heart.

Some personal highlights from this particular part of that night in Foxboro...

As pro as the band generally is, it's nice to see some looseness creep in - like when guitarist Marty Wilson-Piper accidentally tried to skip over the song "Lost" and head straight from "Blood Money" into his top notch opening riff for "North, South, East, and West". "That was the New Zealand release that was in that order..." quipped drummer Tim Powles. Frontman Steve Kilbey added that Marty "just wants to get off stage and back to those glamorous models he's chained to... actually, it's like a sneak preview of what's coming up on The Church Show!" They launched into "Lost" with "this appropriately titled next track is called...". Cue more laughter.

Also highly amusing - Ace Boston-area rock photographer and writer Tim Bugbee's attempted break for the bathroom just before "Reptile" was about to begin. Revealing the dangers of being up front at a seated show, Kilbey called him out with a good-natured "Where are you going? The restroom? What do you need a rest for, you're sitting down." I don't think Tim ended up escaping after all, so I hope he, um, held out. Good thing there were only 3 more songs left to go.

Speaking of Mr. Bugbee, check out his photos and review of the show over at Prefix. His 1st-person account of the failed bathroom break is noticeably missing from the write-up, though.

Before album-closer "Hotel Womb", when Steve noted they were at the end of the night, an almost-argument took place between him and the crowd: "No!" Steve: "Yes!" Crowd: "No!" Steve" "Yes!". And so on. Says something about Church fans, and the band's performance, that after a few hours and three full albums, many still wanted more. Other bands should be lucky to have such greedy followers.

The band's merch table (above) is truly a wonder to behold. I challenge any other band to measure up to this amount of music - albums, EPs, side projects, boxsets, live discs, you name it. It's a daunting task, but do yourself a favor and dive in - pick up some Church merch and help them keep doin' what they're doin'.

Here's the "Starfish" set. You can find the other two parts of this show right here (a run-through "Untitled #23") and over here (performing "Priest=Aura).

The Church

Live at Showcase Live
in Foxboro, MA
on Friday, February 18th, 2011

The album "Starfish" in its entirety (part three of three)

[Download all 10 tracks in one 100 MB .zip file]

01. Intro
02. Destination
03. Under the Milky Way
04. Blood Money
05. Lost
06. North, South, East, and West
07. Spark
08. Antenna
09. Reptile
10. A New Season
11. Hotel Womb

To continue your Church-specific surfing...

Check out the rest of my photos from the show on Flickr.

Lead singer/bassist Steve Kilbey's acceptance speech at the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a rambling doozy, and totally worth watching.

Here's a recent interview with guitarist Peter Koppes on the eve of the 3-album tour.

Apparently there's a Church documentary project in the works, and here's footage of the band and some fans from their 2009 West Coast tour.

During that 2009 tour, the band played The Triple Door in Seattle, and KEXP shared up some excellent videos from the show.

If you're a Church fan, take some time and step inside the mind of Steve Kilbey and his thought-provoking personal blog. He lets it all out there, and sometimes I'm not even sure what it is. But I like it.

Remember, you can easily stream any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine. Be sure to check out their new iPhone app, which allows you to stream blog-specific content on your fancy little handheld. From my minidisc recorder, to my computer, to my blog, to the Hype Machine servers, up to a satellite, and down to your freakin' iPhone. How's that for a delivery system? We're living in the future, man.

the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these Mp3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Live sets recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 256kbps Mp3s. Files are made available for a limited time, and are usually not reposted once removed.

[Live MP3s] THE CHURCH in MA 2011 - Album Set Two (Priest=Aura)

2011-07-03T16:10:00.002-04:00

As promised a few weeks back, here's the second set of The Church's "three albums live" show back in February in Foxboro, MA. After running through their most recent record, the Australian quartet took a break and came back out to treat us to 1992's excellent, and highly under-appreciated, "Priest=Aura" full-length. Released four years after their 1988 U.S. breakthrough "Starfish" (which comes in the third set, and I'll share up next), "P=A" didn't make anywhere near the commercial impact, but it's long been a fan favorite, and many consider it a career highpoint.

The 14-track album certainly made it the longest segment of the evening, which was notable for its complete lack of bass guitar - Steve Kilbey put down his primary instrument and stuck with a six-string for the entirety of the set. Even more notable was when he went entirely guitar-free and prowled the stage for an absolutely captivating performance of LP-climax "The Disillusionist". The crowd went fairly wild (well, for an older-skewing seated bunch), and you can hear it in this recording.

Here you go. Download the first set if you missed it, and check back soon for the third & final part of the show (when the band closes with the entirety of 1988's "Starfish"), which will hopefully come with less of a wait than this one did...

The Church

Live at Showcase Live
in Foxboro, MA
on Friday, February 18th, 2011

The album "Priest = Aura" in its entirety (part two of three)

[Download all 10 tracks in one 124 MB .zip file]

01. Aura
02. Ripple
03. Paradox
04. Lustre
05. Swan Lake
06. Feel
07. Mistress
08. Kings
09. Dome
10. Witch Hunt
11. The Disillusionist
12. Old Flame
13. Chaos
14. Film

To continue your Church-specific surfing...

Check out the rest of my photos from the show on Flickr.

Lead singer/bassist Steve Kilbey's acceptance speech at the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a rambling doozy, and totally worth watching.

Here's a recent interview with guitarist Peter Koppes on the eve of the 3-album tour.

Apparently there's a Church documentary project in the works, and here's footage of the band and some fans from their 2009 West Coast tour.

During that 2009 tour, the band played The Triple Door in Seattle, and KEXP shared up some excellent videos from the show.

If you're a Church fan, take some time and step inside the mind of Steve Kilbey and his thought-provoking personal blog. He lets it all out there, and sometimes I'm not even sure what it is. But I like it.

[Boston Ticket Giveaway] CENTRO-MATIC at Great Scott on Wednesday

2011-06-28T07:01:00.001-04:00

It's a relatively rare occasion that the gents from Centro-matic make their way from Denton, Texas up to Boston to treat us to a set of songs, but last week's release of "Candidate Waltz" has them on the road and in town for a show at Allston's Great Scott tomorrow night. Singer/guitarist/songwriter Will Johnson his band have put out one of the strongest records of their 16-year run, so I'm especially psyched to see them run through this new stuff. Not that I won't also be hoping for a heaping helping of older songs, o'course.

Thanks to the generous Great Scott, I've got a pair of guest list spots to catch Centro-matic with Texas-based tourmate Sarah Jaffe and an opening solo set from Township's Marc Pinansky. And for the random winner, I'll throw in a copy of Centro-matic's new "Candidate Waltz" on CD, compliments of Undertow, the band's truly excellent label.

To enter, send off a quick email to giveaways [at] bradleysalmanac [dot] com, throw "C-M" in the subject line, and include your full name. Get it to me before Noon on Wednesday, when I'll pick one winner for the two spots and let Great Scott know to add them the list. The catch: don't enter if you can't make it to the show, 'cuz that's where I'll be putting a copy of their new disc in your happy little hands.

Pick up tickets of your own right here. Prep for the show by listening to an excellent new NPR interview with Will Johnson, and have a look at the video for "Candidate Waltz" track "Only In My Double Mind"...

Only In My Double Mind by Centro-matic

[Live MP3 Re-Up] UNDERTOW ORCHESTRA (Bazan, Chesnutt, Eitzel, Johnson) in Boston 2006

2011-06-26T13:27:00.000-04:00

With last month's release of David Bazan's great new record, "Strange Negotiations", and last week's arrival of the latest Centro-matic full-length, "Candidate Waltz", I've been thinking about how lucky Boston was to get a visit during the one-and-only tour from The Undertow Orchestra. The five-piece was an understated supergroup, with Bazan & Centro-matic's Will Johnson joined by American Music Club's Mark Eitzel, Centro-matic's Scott Danbom, and the tragically departed Vic Chesnutt. His absence on this plane makes this show even more special in retrospect - any time I listen to Vic now it's bittersweet, but hearing him make music with those who knew and loved him is a particular kind of beautiful pain.

I was poking around the pedrothelion.org forums the other day and saw a fellow fan hunting for this recording of the Undertow Orchestra's magical Valentine's Day 2006 performance at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. Hadn't realized it had already been five years since that perfect night, so it's passed time I re-shared this one for all. For my thoughts and details on the show, check out my original post.

Oh, and stop by here tomorrow (Monday, 6/27), when I'll kick off a giveaway for a pair of tickets to see Will Johnson's Centro-Matic return to Allston's Great Scott this Wednesday, along with a CD of their new album, "Candidate Waltz". Any time a member of the Orchestra comes to town, file it under "gotta go".

The Undertow Orchestra

download as a single 162MB .zip file

Live at the Museum of Fine Arts
Boston, MA
Tuesday, February 14th, 2006

1. intro
2. Tent Of Total Mystery *
3. Vultures Await *
4. interlude 1
5. Just To Know What You've Been Dreaming *
6. interlude 2
7. Bands With Managers #
8. interlude 3
9. Priests And Paramedics #
10. Slow Car Crash #
11. interlude 4
12. Stupid Preoccupations ^
13. I'm Through ^
14. interlude 5
15. Iraq ^
16. Sleeping Beauty +
17. St. Michael My Pet Rat +
18. Home +
19. interlude 6
20. Just Some Silence *
21. Closing Down My House *
22. I See Through You *
23. interlude 7
24. Criticism As Inspiration #
25. interlude 8
26. The Devil Is Beating His Wife #
27. I Do #
28. Ladies And Gentlemen +
29. interlude 9
30. Patriot's Heart +
31. interlude 10
32. Johnny Mathis' Feet +
33. The Pool ^
34. interlude 11
35. In My Way, Yes ^

* - Will Johnson
# - David Bazan
^ - Vic Chesnutt
+ - Mark Eitzel

[Last Night's Playlist] New Music Night at River Gods

2011-06-17T12:27:00.003-04:00

Felt ridiculously good to get back up in the River Gods DJ booth last night, especially with Jay from Clicky Clicky as my co-pilot. Trading hour-long slots, we hosted what will hopefully be the first of many "New Music Nights", playing nuthin' but recently-released (and some not-yet-released) songs from a mix of local and national bands. Best part about it (aside from forcing people to listen to my personal faves) was getting to sit at the bar and listen while Jay spun his ace selections. As much as we have in common, taste-wise, our playlists had just two artists in common (both from Boston), and they were different songs at that. Head over to Clicky Clicky for his list.

My own is essentially a "faves of the year so far" list, filled out with new material from some Boston-area bands (Boy Without God, Cuffs, Plumerai, Buffalo Tom, WALLcreeper, Pretty & Nice, The Hush Now, The Diamond Mines), a few very-new live treats (Ted Leo, Allo Darlin', Morrissey), and some vinyl-only tracks from April's Record Store Day (New Pornographers, Nada Surf, Wild Flag). Most of the descriptions below include links to where you can buy the releases these songs come from, or go stream/download the songs themselves. Here you go...

NEW MUSIC NIGHT vol. 1

Thursday, June 16th, 2011
at River Gods in Cambridge, MA
co-hosted by DJs Brad Almanac & Jay Clicky Clicky

Set One / 9-10pm

01. Ted Leo - "The Little Smug Supper Club"
       live solo performance for Room 205
02. Buffalo Tom - "Down"
       from their latest album, "Skins"
03. The Hush Now - "The Athiest"
       single from the brand new remaster/remix of their "Constellations" LP
04. Wye Oak - "Holy Holy"
       from their third album, "Civilian"
05. Apex Manor - "I Know These Waters Well"
       from the debut LP, "The Year Of Magical Drinking"
06. Allo Darlin' - "Europe"
       the eventual title track of their next album
       live on WMBR's "Breakfast of Champions", 6/10/11
07. Plumerai - "Trip"
       from the new 2-song "NY-Trip '11" release
08. Boy Without God - "City Kids"
       From "God Bless The Hunger", out June 21st, 2011
09. WALLcreeper - "Lazy Stares"
       from the "Second Sight" EP
10. Pretty & Nice - "Yonkers"
       from the "Fantastic Artifact" 7-inch
11. Sam Roberts Band - "Longitude"
       from new album "Collider" / with co-vocalist Elizabeth Powell (Land of Talk)
12. Death Cab For Cutie - "Doors Unlocked and Open"
       From "Codes and Keys"
13. Wild Flag - "Future Crimes"
       From their debut 7-inch single
14. Nada Surf "You're Going To Miss The Wood"
       demo version from a Record Store Day 7-inch
15. The New Pornographers - "A Drug Deal Of The Heart"
       B-side from the Record Store Day "Moves" 7-inch

Set Three / 11pm-midnight

16. The Joy Formidable - "The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade"
       from "The Big Roar" LP
17. Mogwai - "George Square Thatcher Death Party"
       from their "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will" LP
18. Explosions In The Sky - "Trembling Hands"
       from the "Take Care, Take Care, Take Care" LP
19. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Tomorrow Dies Today"
       bonus track from the Japanese version of the "Belong" LP
20. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Same Mistake"
       preview track from "Hysterical", due out Sept. 20th, 2011
21. Morrissey - "The Kid's A Looker"
       premiered during a June 2011 BBC live session
22. Dum Dum Girls - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"
       Smiths cover from the "He Gets Me High" EP
23. Under Electric Light - "Take Me Away"
       from the "Waiting For The Rain To Fall" LP
24. The Drums - "The New World"
       iTunes-only benefit song for Japan
25. Let's Whisper - "The Shortest Days"
       title track from their debut full-length
26. The One AM Radio - "An Old Photo of Your New Lover"
       from the "Heaven Is Attached By A Slender Thread" LP
27. Cuffs - "Privilege"
       from their debut 7-inch
28. Brave Irene - "River To The Sea"
       from their self-titled debut EP
29. Centro-Matic - "Only In My Double Mind"
       from the "Candidate Waltz" LP, due out 6/21/2011
30. The Diamond Mines - "Time Flies"
       from their self-titled debut LP
31. The Wooden Birds - "Baby Jeans"
       from their brand new "Two Matchsticks" LP
32. Low - "You See Everything"
       from the "C'Mon" LP (y'know, the one with the gorgeous album cover)
33. David Bazan - "Don't Change"
       from the "Strange Negotiations" full-length
34. The National - "Think You Can Wait"
       from the "Win Win" soundtrack and their new 7-inch

Go check out Jay's playlists at Clicky Clicky

[Live MP3s] THE CHURCH in MA 2011 - Album Set One (Untitled #23)

2011-06-13T00:01:00.002-04:00

Long-lived Aussie quartet The Church has been running a bit of a victory lap over the past year - marking their 30th anniversary as a band with a 2010 acoustic retrospective tour (no reunion needed!), getting inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in November, and mounting another U.S. visit for their 3-albums-live "Future Past Perfect" tour. Boston is very fortunate to be a regular stop for the band, with the acoustic roadshow hitting the Somerville Armory last Spring and the FPP tour visiting Foxboro(ugh)'s Showcase Live this past February. They really seem to love this area, and the fans at both those shows loved 'em right back.

Their February visit was the second time I'd headed south to ~~the Gillette Stadium entertain-o-plex~~ Showcase Live to catch the band (the first was back in July 2009), and while I obviously prefer small clubs to larger, slicker spaces, I must admit that they do the seated-show thing right there - great sight lines, near-perfect sound, table service, and above-average food give me little to complain about apart from the extra travel time it takes to get down there. The band seems to really dig the place, too, complimenting the venue during both shows and mentioning how glad they were to be back in that particular room.

Word is that the Church are generally cool with live recordings, so I'm sharing up mine from that Massachusetts stop of the "Future Past Perfect" tour in three parts - one for each album they played in full that evening. First comes their run through their most recent full-length, 2009's "Untitled #23", and it will be followed in the coming weeks by live renditions of 1992's "Priest=Aura" and 1988's "Starfish", the band's well-known U.S. breakthrough. Please to enjoy...

The Church

Live at Showcase Live
in Foxboro, MA
on Friday, February 18th, 2011

[Download all 10 tracks in one 106 MB .zip file]

01. Cobalt Blue
02. Deadman's Hand
03. Pangaea
04. Happenstance
05. Space Saviour
06. On Angel Street
07. Sunken Sun
08. Anchorage
09. Lunar
10. Operetta

To continue your Church-specific surfing...

Check out the rest of my photos from the show on Flickr.

Lead singer/bassist Steve Kilbey's acceptance speech at the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a rambling doozy, and totally worth watching.

Here's a recent interview with guitarist Peter Koppes on the eve of the 3-album tour.

Apparently there's a Church documentary project in the works, and here's footage of the band and some fans from their 2009 West Coast tour.

During that 2009 tour, the band played The Triple Door in Seattle, and KEXP shared up some excellent videos from the show.

If you're a Church fan, take some time and step inside the mind of Steve Kilbey and his thought-provoking personal blog. He lets it all out there, and sometimes I'm not even sure what it is.