Ryan's Smashing Life

Langhorne Slim, Ha Ha Tonka and Kingsley Flood

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:05:00 +0000

Music Event of the Week

Langhorne Slim & The Law
Ha Ha Tonka
Kingsley Flood

18+ $15

We were raining accolades down on Langhorne Slim long before it was a popular thing to do so or prior to him becoming the star on the national indie landscape that he has become. Three years ago, prior to this incarnation of the band and before the songs off the new journeyman effort, "The Way We Move" (June 5 release) were even a thought in Langhorne's head - we had already seen his ferocious roar and the swinging of the guitar (like a sword held aloft) a half dozen times.

And then something happened (something always happens) Slim got even better. That's the natural result when you play so damn hard the only thing that matters to you is that it never ends... I had a good conversation with Slim about this - it was the day the photo (below) was taken. He just wants to keep making music. We all want to challenge our mortality, to escape pain. Those thing happen for Slim when he jumps up on stage and performs. Those things happen for Slim's audiences whenever he's doing that. It's a pretty beautiful thing - and I think about what he told me every time I look at this photo...

The 13 songs that compose Langhorne Slim & The Law’s new album are road-tested, rollicking and very rock ‘n’ rolling tunes that the songwriter perfected with his loyal band, and come out of the kind of good times and bad experiences that songwriters of Langhorne’s lofty stature can turn into life-affirming rock ‘n’ roll. You could also call what Langhorne Slim does folk music, but then there’s his sly, charming and open-hearted feel for pop music—those summertime melodies that nudge you into a grin even when the song is about something bad.

Langhorne Slim
Web / Fb / Tw / My

Ha Ha Tonka - Brett Anderson, Lennon Bone, Lucas Long and Brian Roberts are still relative strangers to me - which is strange because I've seen them a bunch of times and thoroughly enjoy their music. Their songs about resilience, survival and raw natural beauty are punctuated by their performances. The band is growing as evidenced by their latest, "Death of a Decade" - which both underscores the past but somehow dances far above it as well. The new material is less “story-based” than Ha Ha Tonka’s previous work (which pulled heavily from Missouri history and folklore for its lyrics), with the band now focusing on the transition into manhood—something that doesn’t automatically come once you pass a certain age: “I realize that youth is wasted on the young,” Roberts sings on “Westward Bound,” “Oh, I know that now my wasting days are done.”

However, Roberts says, "Death of a Decade" is not meant to be a requiem for lost youth, but rather an embrace of the notion that the passage of time is better than the alternative. There you have it again: the wisdom of the Ozarks.

Ha Ha Tonka
Web / Fb / Tw / My

Kingsley Flood - are quite possibly the perfect mix of folk, rock, punk and Americana. Labels aside, though, what they really are is stunningly good. At the start of 2012 I have the band placed at the very top - one of say 4 bands performing at peak levels in the Boston area scene. And for their particular sound, they are easily the best of what's around. In three short years the band have worked extensively to craft a space to play while evolving their sound on stage and in practice spaces to be what it is tonight. Do not arrive late. Catch what could end up being the best set of the night - early.

Somebody's going to leave the show with a favorite new band tonight -- and it's going to be these guys.

Kingsley Flood
Web / My / Fb / Tw

Kanye West + Bon Iver - Lost in The World

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:09:00 +0000

New Music Video

This Just In...

KW / BI

England in 1819

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:45:00 +0000

From the Mailbag

New and Right Now

So, here's the deal. I can't begin to listen to, digest or publish everything we receive. About once or twice a month in 2012*, I will be randomly opening new mail and so long as the stuff is potentially of interest to our music-crazed audiences, we'll run it right here. Today we reached in and dove deep and what we found was so unbelievably awesome that I really think every website and music blog in this country should probably be doing the same thing. Just images, this artist and music video not seeing the light of day???

ABOUT TODAY'S BIG FIND - In August of 2007, brothers Andrew and Dan Callaway found themselves living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the entire family together for the first time since their childhood spent in the English countryside. Along with their father, Liam Callaway, the trio of musicians began writing songs reflective of their Athens, Georgia roots and their fortuitous return to the South. The result - England in 1819 - is an unusual combination of Southern edge and English introspection, with haunting lyrics and massive chamber rock unfurling in a sweeping, evocative surge of sound.

Produced By: Maritza Sanchez
Directed By: Stephen Kinigopoulos

England in 1819 now also includes opera singer Zuly Inirio and percussionists Jonathon Alcon, Alex Alfortish and Sean Barna. Influenced by Sigur Ros, Radiohead, and the post-rock movement, England in 1819 is armed with their first professionally recorded album, “Alma,” and poised to conquer with their impressive blend of ethereal atmosphere, captivating melodies and Brobdingnagian ending anthems.

Directed By: Stephen Kinigopoulos

England in 1819 / upcoming:

Frank in Austin - June 7th

England in 1819

Album / Web / Fb / Tw

ONE TO WATCH: Lydia Baylis

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:08:00 +0000

Underground Sounds

by Tim Osbourne

Tim Osbourne is a Music writer in the UK.
He covers emerging artists for rslblog.com

Lydia Baylis has made an early career out of building powerful and anthemic folk-ridden tracks that can seamlessly resonate with most everyone. Lyrically, she is challenging and provocative, but the material this artist comes out with is still absolutely and completely accessible for fans of modern indie music.

Indeed, one of the most impressive things about the artist is how closely she holds her musical influences to the heart. The “raw-ness” of Van Morrison is definitely present, alongside the attitude of Green Day via the top-class songwriting of Velvet Underground and the feel-good element of Bowie (yes, her first single Starman is a homage to the man himself).

In terms of other, more lyrical passions, Lydia writes about what she sees, and how she feels in life, which, like we said, one can always relate to. It's a beautiful thing when a singer can bare their soul with true conviction and fortunately, Lydia does this every time she steps into the studio to record, or gets on the stage to perform with her band. If you fancy giving her a quick listen (and in case you haven't guessed yet, we think you should), then we can wholeheartedly pitch the aforementioned 'Starman' to you – it's all delicate keys, light guitars with seductive vocal tones, and quite charmingly is loosely based on the desire to be taken away into space and experience new life. Nice.

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO!

In another great stroke of luck, Lydia has been able to mix it up with the music industry's best and brightest talent-in-the-know over her time in "the biz," such as Ian Pickering (Sneaker Pimps) and writer and producer Paul Statham (Dido, Kylie Minogue, Simple Minds). Having recently returned from New York where she has made significant contacts with proper production “big-wigs” in (the delightfully named) Crispin Thump (a team made up of writer/producer/engineer Augustus Skinner [EMF] and TV and film composer Ronan Coleman [Last Days On Earth]), things are going rather well for Miss Baylis, and deservedly so, we feel.

Lydia takes the listener along on real soul-soothing aural journeys – it's summer all year round with Lydia's effortlessly intriguing sound. Enjoy it.

Lydia Baylis
Web / Fb /Tw

Movie Trailers: James Bond - SKYFALL

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:05:00 +0000

Hot Movie Trailers:
Wait, this just in!

WORTH WAITING FOR - In 155 days (but who's counting, really?) the most brutal and dark telling in the James Bond compendium (23 films in all) will be released. SKYFALL starring Daniel Craig, easily the best Bond since Connery. This time through, audiences will likely find a very different story - Skyfall was directed by the stylistically different Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road, Road to Perdition, Jarhead). Craig, who again - has owned the rebooted series in the last two films really seems to have taken his performance to the next level in the following clip. Seems evident he's being evaluated psychologically to determine if he's fit for duty... for a job that appears to be killing his peers.

Skyfall, in theatres November 7th, costars Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Albert Finney, and it marks the debut of Bond girl Bérénice Marlohe (photo.) Cannot Wait.

IT'S RSL's 007 MIX:

The 22-20s - Shoot Your Gun

The Rakes - Terror!

Benzos - Hard to Feel

Audioslave - Gasoline

Depeche Mode - Policy of Truth

Another Cynthia - Head Turns

SKYFALL:

Official Web / imdb / Rotten Tomatoes

PHOTOS - Mellow Bravo at The Middle East

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Tue, 22 May 2012 01:43:00 +0000

Photographic Evidence

images by Anne Cook

The Scene: The Middle East
Cambridge, MA - 5/4/12

The Mellow Bravo CD Release

the RSL STREAMING PHOTO ALBUM

Mellow Bravo
Web / My / Fb / Tw

Bonus: Photos!

Mellow Bravo @ SxSW 2012

Grillin' Time makes Summer Fine

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:47:00 +0000

Thus Begins the Summer
Just for the Sake of it.

Ed Mitchell photo

FRIENDS & FIRE - Six years ago RSL was setup as one man's creative outlet (and probably a desperate call for help) and now it is something much more. With the work of contributors and readers from around the globe, we are just a little bit closer to a functioning family or a labor collective, at any rate... Today we celebrate the start of our summer and a number of us will gather around a fire, grill meat, eat salads and drink some cool refreshing beer. It's not the most indie thing we've done this week but it's going to be great to see everybody and to plan the months ahead. I get some visibility to the goals and aspirations of our staff, we get some nom nom (sip sip) time in and party a little. Here's hoping that you find a grill to stay behind - or at the least - a friend to jaw with for a few today!

The Shaky Hands
Web / Fb / My / Tw

New Videos from BLOOD RED SHOES, THE CHAPMAN FAMILY and THE HIVES

noreply@blogger.com (nickparkersound) — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:22:00 +0000

Music Video Roundup
by Nick Parker

THREE NEW VIDEOS - The last week has seen the release of a number of videos that do not revel in obscure, art-house concepts, nor undermine their music with facile jokes that belie their musical quality (you know who you are). They are, more or less stylized, performance pieces. Thank heaven for that. Here's a roundup of those that stood out to me, for better or worse.

BLOOD RED SHOES

Listening to their 2010 album, Fire Like This, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that Blood Red Shoes weren't a British band at all, but from somewhere much closer to these shores. There is always something so ROCK about their drum sounds (never a soft strike among them), and even their singing voices don't quite seem to fit an often more genteel UK indie band scene. They are very much a staple in Europe now though, touring at the moment in support of their new album, In Time to Voices. This is a video of guitarist Laura-Mary Carter and drummer Steve Ansell (both singers in the band) blasting through a power-chord laden track called "Lost Kids," and suggesting they will be winning people over in droves when the album comes out in this country.

Blood Red Shoes' "Lost Kids"

Blood Red Shoes
Web / Fb / My / Tw

~

THE CHAPMAN FAMILY

To watch The Chapman Family's new video, for "No More Tears," feels very much like watching a rabid dog being held at the leash. You can sense the heavy hand of a producer in the low mix of the vicious guitars, not to mention in the suits, which feel very constrictive as the band scream the song's title over and over again. How much the band have chosen their course is of little consequence I suppose. The track is a great piece of hypnotic pop-shoegaze. It has to be said though, that we've seen something VERY like this before in the last few years: The Horrors video for "Who Can Say" is (literally) staged in the same way, both musically and visually, and for that The Chapman Family loose some points for ingenuity..

The Chapman Family's "No More Tears"

The Chapman Family
Web / Fb / My / Tw

~

THE HIVES

You can't easily fault The Hives for continuing to do what they have done so well for years, except that well, they are still doing -precisely- what they have been doing so well for years. This video, which is cleverly recorded in a studio performance in the round, has the typical absurdities – top hat and tails, comic expressions, etcetera – dressing a punk song that is fun, but somehow a little flat. Perhaps I am being uncharitable – I suppose if you are still looking for a fix of The Hives' music, and playing the old albums just won't do, this track, called "Go Right Ahead," will suit. For me though, it had the effect of driving me back to great stuff like "Die, All Right" and "Main Offender," which is no bad thing in the end.

The Hives' "Go Right Ahead"

The Hives
Web / Fb / My / Tw

~

Handsome Furs have Disbanded

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Fri, 18 May 2012 02:14:00 +0000

Handsome Furs Sound Kapital - Tour Kickoff in Boston

photos by Mark Jenko - live at Great Scott 4/13/11

BREAKING NEWS --- In March, the sonic assault of husband- and wife-team Alexei Perry and Dan Boeckner - having again criss-crossed the planet suddenly announced they were canceling additional EU tour dates to an urgent health matter. Without further explanation, dates were canceled and never rescheduled. Tonight a simple statement was released announcing the end of the band, thanking Handsome Furs' rabid fan base - of which RSL counts itself amongst. These are really bad bits of news, not only are we losing one of my favorite live acts going but this was one of the last vestiges - a reminder of how great Wolf Parade were. Even worse is if this final announcement is in some way health related. Dan and Alexei are good people. I really wish them both the best in whatever comes next for them...

With a heavy heart the time has come to let all of you know that Handsome Furs are no more.

The most important thing that needs to be said right now is how extremely grateful we are to all the fans all over the world that showered us with love and support over the years. Thank you for everything! It's been an incredible 6 years and we owe it all to you.

xoxo

HF

Handsome Furs
Web / My / Fb / Tw

previously on RSL:
The Handsome Furs in Boston - 2009
The Best Albums List of 2009 (Handsome Furs)
The Best Albums List of 2010 (Wolf Parade)
Wolf Parade in Boston - 2010
Wolf Parade steps away - 2010
Hansome Furs - The New Songs - 2011

Rodrigo y Gabriela at the Orpheum!

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:44:00 +0000

Photographic Evidence

and Thoughts on Shows

by Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez

Sold Out Show

The Orpheum

Boston - 04.23.12

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero have been playing guitar together for more than fifteen years and it shows with each jaw-dropping performance. Their acoustic, nylon stringed instruments produce a unique sound which is not easy to classify; encompassing influences from both rock and world music.

from the new album Area 52

Rodrigo y Gabriela brought the band C.U.B.A. on the road with them on the Spring 2012 tour in order to showcase the thrilling and dynamic hybrid of metal, latin and jazz featured on their new album Area 52. The record contains nine of Rod and Gab's favorite songs from their own catalogue re-arranged and recorded in Havana with legendary producer Peter Asher and a 13-piece Cuban orchestra comprised of some of the country's finest young players. The new album was mixed by Rafa Sardina, one of the leading studio musicians in the Latin music world, and arranged by London-based pianist, composer and arranger Alex Wilson. Recording took place in the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba, at Abdala Studios, founded by the Cuban folk hero Silvio Rodriguez, as well as at Rod and Gab's studio in Ixtapa, Mexico. Other players on the record include: drummer John Tempesta (The Cult, Testament, White Zombie), sitarist Anoushka Shankar and drummer Samuel Formell (Los Van Van).

"As a fan: They far and away exceeded my expectations of their live show. They are one of the most engaging acts I've seen in some time. They easily drew in the audience and made them part of the show. The addition of the Cuban band added some amazing layers to what they do with their guitars," - photographer Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez.

And what about shooting an event at the Orpheum? "What an amazing old theater! The sound is fantastic and there isn't a bad seat in the house. The staff was very friendly and I felt very welcome as a photographer there. Great experience all around," said Gonzalez. "The audience was one of the best parts! Every person in that place was completely into the show. Right up to the upper balcony (I traveled the entire theater). They were constantly clapping and dancing. Honestly, one of the most high-energy audiences I've seen in ages. Everyone had a great time and it was a great buzz spilling out from the theater at the end. And it was a really cool crowd too. Very eclectic. Old, young, hipsters, all different races. And it was sold out...

Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Album / Web / Fb / Tw

Inspired by Maurice Sendak - Meet Foolish Ida

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:12:00 +0000

Inspired: Music at Work

Sounds You Need to Hear

Boston's Sarah Rabdau as an inspired & grown "Ida"

Call it impeccably disappointing timing, but in reflection - perhaps there is no good time for one's literary heroes to die... Boston Singer/Songwriter Sarah Rabdau has created a song cycle and side project, titled Foolish Ida, was inspired by the book "Outside Over There" by Maurice Sendak - who just died this month after suffering a stroke. The work was in process long before Sendak, 83, passed away.

"Sometimes I feel like Maurice Sendak gave birth to my imagination. His books could transform bedrooms into jungles filled with monsters, and open windows into dark worlds filled with goblins and baby snatchers. And why were these images so appealing to young children and adults alike? Because they told the truth. Each one of us has a sadness that cannot be explained, and a darkness that we try and keep at bey, even as children. We all want to run away to a land faraway and save ourselves. Sendak's gift to us all was to let us."

Sarah Rabdau’s new side project Foolish Ida will release the first EP of two on May 19th at Café 939. It should be a special night of music.

Growing up with an artist mother meant that books read to young Sarah Rabdau were often chosen solely for their illustrations. Like many children, Maurice Sendak's books were a staple. He could realistically portray the thoughts of a child growing up in an adult’s world by weaving complex emotions with frighteningly beautiful illustrations. Among his books, Sarah’s favorite was Outside Over There; a story about Ida, tasked with watching over her infant sister while her father is away at sea. One day, while playing music and not paying attention, goblins sneak in through the window, steal Ida's sister away and replace her with an ice changeling. The rest of the book follows Ida as she ventures into Outside Over There in search of her sister. Foolish Ida continues the story, as Rabdau imagines how the events of the book might have forever changed Ida, shaping her decisions and relationships into adulthood.

Rabdau’s vocal delivery, fraught with emotion, intimacy, and fire, is the standout, as in her past musical offerings (Sarah RabDAU & Self-Employed Assassins, Ad Frank & the Fast Easy Women). Yet with Foolish Ida, it’s not just her voice that shines, it’s the songs. Written with obvious love not only for Sendak but for Ida, the swirling pianos, punctuating organs, and cascading choirs paint a picture fit for the stormy pages of “Outside Over There.”

Foolish Ida / Tickets Sat 5-19 / Sarah Rabdau / Tw

RIBS - "Kiss" (NEW!!)

noreply@blogger.com (nickparkersound) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:49:00 +0000

Celebrating New Music
by Nick Parker

This week brought us new single "Kiss," a sample of the upcoming "Russian Blood" EP by RIBS (May 22nd release). At RSL we often make a point of not repeating our coverage of any one act, but RIBS are a band unusual enough to warrant subsequent attention, partly because there are very few acts on the Boston scene who sound anything like them, and partly because they have always been so incredibly polished in their recordings. The sound is frequently metal heavy, but always retains a clarity that you might expect reserved for smoother genres.

live photos by Mark Jenko

Until we get hold of the whole thing we can only guess where RIBS will be taking us this time around. You can be sure it won't be to light and sunny climbs though. This is a band that, even in quieter and more reflective moments, remain dark where others flaunt their abilities. What we can see is that "Kiss" is a carefully thought out track, which showcases the kind of production mastery that has become a staple aspect of their work.

The burning question then, is how can we possibly expect RIBS to reproduce this kind of highly polished, highly processed sound live. I'll be very intrigued to see what they do on stage, and I'm a little nervous for them. That said, when I saw them last year at Great Scott, they produced the most elaborate light show I've ever seen by a local band, spanning the entirely venue with neon strip-lights, keyed by pads controlled by drummer Chris Oquist. It had a very disconcerting effect at the time, immersing the audience in the band's set to a degree they were certainly not expecting. Given that commitment to getting under our skin (even when it presumably required huge amounts of extra work by the band) suggests RIBS will do what ever is necessary to give these new songs the refinement they deserve.

NEXT SHOW: Friday 5/25/12

Russian Blood Live CD Release @ TT the Bears

w/ The Suicide Dolls

RIBS
Web / My / Fb / Tw

Brown Bird - Blood of Angels

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:54:00 +0000

Off Stage Music Video

New Clips of Favorite Artists

It's been a wild year of being discovered by audiences coast-to-coast for David Lamb (guitar, banjo, percussion, vocals) and Morganeve Swain (fiddle, cello, upright bass, vocals) of BROWN BIRD. Their reputation as one of New England's finest folk artists may no longer be adequate in describing their accomplishments these days.

A scalding set at last year's Newport Folk Festival, a series of howling, inspired, foot-stomping performances at SxSW (including a magical set at The Outlaw Roadshow assembled by RSL and the Counting Crows' Adam Duritz) and they even just recently wrapped string of dates with Yonder Mountain String Band.

There have been interviews, live sessions and jams all along the way. Today as we share this music video, the Providence duo find themselves about to embark on another ambitious endeavor - playing US dates with Duluth's red-hot Trampled By Turtles. Lightning in a bottle? This is it.

About the Video - The session was shot at DPerry Music’s studio in Boston, MA on May 5th. Great stuff here from Big Old Big One who have been thoroughly prolific - both in terms of the number of artists and breadth of stylistic productions they have managed over the last year. Clearly staying busy and working with the very best is something we can respect and praise at RSL. If you don't know Big Old Big One, get friendly and check out their video productions.

BROWN BIRD with TRAMPLED BY TURTLES

5/16 - Lawrence, KS - Granada
5/19 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
5/21 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
5/22 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Music Box
5/25 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ball Room
5/26 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue

photos of Brown Bird in Austin by Jon Shapely

Brown Bird
Albums / Web / Fb / My / Tw

The Women Who Rock Us

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:02:00 +0000

Without getting all sentimental, we wanted to celebrate Mother's Day 2012 in the best way we know how - to celebrate the Women in Contemporary Music that drive us crazy, that go wild, that make us appreciate Women and the craft of music just a little more. This is far from an complete list. Mothers or not - these ladies are responsible for making our hearts flit and sing - making life better through music.

Beth Ditto of Gossip

Editor & Writer Nick Parker selected Beth Ditto.

"Rock and roll rebellion is about difference, and there are very few women in music who assert that difference more uncompromisingly than Gossip's Beth Ditto. Standing on the shoulders of Riot Girl giants, Ditto has demanded our attention in so many area of popular culture (particularly in the UK) that is sometimes easy to forget that she has the voice as colossal as Aretha Franklin's, transported into stripped-down 21st century disco punk. Cross her at your peril."

Sarah Negahdari of The Happy Hollows

Photo by Zoe Ruth Erwin

Writer Julie Stoller selected Sarah Negahdari.

"Behold, Sarah Negahdari, crazed banshee vocalist and lead guitar shredder for Silver Lake-based trio The Happy Hollows. Don’t let her diminutive fairy tale princess look deceive you. Alternating with ethereal singing and fanciful drawings of flying horses is pummeling guitar fury that will throw you up against the nearest wall, and otherworldly shrieks that can shatter the space-time continuum. She’s expecting a brand new baby album later this year with Happy Hollows, and has a solo side project called Pisces."

Stephanie Briggs of Little Brave

Writer Chris Fullerton selected Stephanie Briggs.

"Stephanie Briggs, the driving force behind Austin’s Little Brave, has managed to defy all labels thrown at her music. She’s been tagged as a Texas Troubador, but her brand of folk-driven indie rock is hard to pin down in one category. A talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, she brings a girl-next-door-turned-rock-star sexuality to the stage that will make everyone in the audience leave with at least a little crush on her. Whether rocking out with a full band or stripping down for a solo acoustic show, Stephanie pulls every emotion from your soul, from bittersweet break-ups to songs about The X-Files. She’s currently working on a series of EPs and planning a trip to Toronto for the NXNE festival in June."

Amanda Palmer

Writer Cara Giamio selected Amanda Palmer.

"Sometimes I think Amanda Palmer might be more than one person. Bear with me for a second and think about it. Could one person have spent her formative days looming over Harvard Square as a living statue and her formative nights attacking pianos in underground clubs as half of legendary punk-cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls? Can one person direct the Boston Pops with Keith Lockhart and cover Rebecca Black for Occupy Boston? Unbraid her soul into beautiful, slow-blooming blog posts AND fire off about sixty worthwhile tweets per minute? Build her own A.R.T. show, fake her own death, and invent her own music industry
model? And still have time to draw on her own eyebrows every morning? Probably only if that person’s from Boston. Lucky us. Amanda Palmer has a new record coming out - double lucky us."

Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara

Siouxsie Medley of Dead Sara

Photo Editor 5342 selected Dead Sara.

"Since catching them at SXSW, I've had a mild obsession with Dead Sara. Their self-titled release in April has been in regular rotation every since it came out. It is one of my top albums for 2012. While not an entirely female band, singer Emily Armstrong and guitarist Siouxsie Medley have more than enough bad-assery to fill any room. Be sure to catch them."

Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards

Ryan Spaulding selected Erika Wennerstrom

"When we decided to put this piece together celebrating strong women in music I sincerely hoped no one else would pick Erika before me. To me, she's perhaps the most obvious choice in music today. There are few singers who have moved me so much the last six years since this web site's creation. She has endlessly toiled and has a massive catalog of remarkable music with her band Heartless Bastards. Having just featured the band in our 19-band lineup in Austin (http://theoutlawroadshow.com) will always & forever be one of the most thrilling moments of my life. Erika's lyrics, her ferocity in presenting the songs on stage and the way she adds layers (both emotional and sincere) to her vocals gives me chills. I couldn't be happier for her or the band that Heartless Bastards have delivered the finest workd of their career in Arrow (2012) - my album of the year so far as we near the year's half way point. She's a very special musician and they are one hell of a band.. "

Movies: THE AVENGERS

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Sat, 12 May 2012 21:13:00 +0000

Thoughts on Films

Movie Review

by Max Bowen

and Ryan Spaulding

Feel like the current crop of films aren’t meeting your daily requirements of explosions - with gross property damage in the billions? Are the lack of narcissistic, armor-clad playboys, giants with frightening anger management problems and alien armadas leaving you unsatisfied? I give you "Marvel’s The Avengers."

Action is what carries the day in this film, though the writing team crafted a decent story with more than just mindless violence. In this case, one of the major plot points is the secrets S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nicholas Fury is keeping from the rest of the team, although to be honest, why would you trust a man who heads up the world’s #1 spy organization? You see, Fury and his fellow spy-guys haven’t been hanging onto the Tesseract to light up the conference room. (Editor's Note: The Tesseract is the alien energy source that Captain America had previously thwarted arch-villain The Red Skull from harnessing for world conquest. Of course, that happened before Cap became a giant ice cube at the bottom of the sea. He's resurrected and plays the innocent all-American boy in the room in this motley crew of heroes in this film.) Now, what Shield really plans to do with this "ultimate power"... well, you’d better just buy a ticket for that one.

The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon (Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), is the culmination of much of Marvel’s cinematic franchise. Each of the characters has had one or two solo films, and this one brings them all together, where they bond as brothers and vow to fight at each other’s side or die trying. (Or kill each other first.)

The film opens with the ominous return of the God of Mischief, Loki - his arrogance portrayed brilliantly by actor Tom Hiddleston. This time Loki’s allied himself with the Chitauri, an alien race who have set their sights on the Tesseract. (Evidently the power is go great it acts as a gateway to different universes... There aren't also nice folks on the other side....) After getting their asses handed to them, the head honcho at S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson, the baddest mother on any block), decides that gods and alien stormtroopers are just a touch outside his wheelhouse (just wait until you see the technology he commands) and recruits the mightiest heroes on Earth for the job.

Ultimately that's the premise of the movie. Bring together powers that could tear the world apart to save it. And it's almost the downfall of the group - which have some serious backstories and a lot of psychological baggage.. Stark spends half his time trading jabs with Captain America and Thor, not caring that both could tear him in half, and the other half reminding everyone else that they’re idiots. Banner’s constantly on guard, since any stress could turn him into the Hulk, at which point he’d turn the rest of the cast into red rags. I just hope the S.H.I.E.L.D. staff have good insurance.

Nevertheless, the Avengers are able to put aside their differences and direct their pent-up rage against Loki and the Chitauri for a climactic battle that sets new standards in annihilation. (Obviously this thing was all digital and CGI but for the time spent in theatre, audiences where we saw the film were captivated - blown away by most of the seamless action.) It's a tall order as the suspension of disbelief must last more than two hours.

The Avengers brings back the original actors from most of the Marvel films, with Chris Evans as Captain America, Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark (alter ego of Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Scarlet Johansson as the Black Widow. The modern-day Robin Hood known as Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) gets added to the mix. Both he and Black Widow are Shield Agents - squaring up a question I had about incompatibility of adding a gun-toting and arrow-shooting duo in the midst of super-soldiers, armored and green-skinned monsters and demi-gods.

Speaking of the green goliath, Bruce Banner (The Hulk) is the only one who can’t seem to keep any consistency in his films, with Mark Ruffalo next on deck to fill the jolly green giant’s shoes. He plays the role well, depicting a man who’s constantly watching himself, because one slip and downtown New York is a mass graveyard. While the acting wasn’t exactly a cinematic milestone, the cast played their roles very well.

The action, dear God, it is awesome. The Hulk scenes in 3-D were ridiculously satisfying. Whether it’s the Hulk punch-stopping an alien warship, Iron Man taking down a platoon of Chitauri soldiers or Hawkeye proving that you don’t need to be a god to send the bad guys to meet theirs, I love every minute of it. Marvel’s always had a history of great special effects, and The Avengers maintains that tradition, while at the same time not relying on CGI monsters to carry the film. Choreography in this was one was spot-on, not easy to do with such a large cast.

Spoiler Alert: Stick around through the final credits to get a load of what's coming up next. The death-worshiping intergalactic mad man Thanos chuckles as he is warned by the defeated Chitauri King to avoid Earth at all cost least he wish to face his end... Chilling and inspired all in one moment.

Assemble!
Official Movie Site

IMDB
Rotten Tomatoes

Tonight's Huge Show - Filligar, OldJack & Cask Mouse!

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Sat, 12 May 2012 15:11:00 +0000

A Night of Musical Adventure
Sat 5/12/12 at Radio Bar

21+ 8pm - just $8 RSVP

Two of Boston's Brightest and Chicago's Filligar!

original design by Nicole Anguish

Filligar!!!

ON THE ROAD WITH COUNTING CROWS - Beginning on June 9th, Filligar will be on The Outlaw Roadshow National Tour with Counting Crows. The reason: simply put - this is absolutely one of THE BEST live shows in America right now. And we have them tonight at Radio in Union Square! The same act that tens of thousands of folks across America will be seeing will be playing a simple $8 show tonight in Somerville. This is no joke. Your eyes have not betrayed you. Get down to Radio tonight and check this out!

at The Outlaw Roadshow in Austin 3-17-12

photos by Jon Shapley

Filligar
Web / My / Fb / Tw

The Region's Best Rock & Soul...

"Take a Bow" is new and an OldJack original.
The track was produced by Will Dailey & recorded by Scott Riebling

As Good As It Gets Right Now - Depending on your music tastes, OldJack could be the best live band in New England right now. I put them in the Top 5 without hesitation. I'm delighted to have helped serve up to massive audiences at both CMJ and at SxSW - but let's be clear: they delivered big time! The band is much, much bigger than our small stages. The light is burning bright and you should catch it whenever you can!

Single Release - On Saturday, May 12th, OldJack will be unleashing their new single, "Radio" at the club of the same name. This should be really, really good.

Stoke the Fire - There's a pretty extensive new OJ piece worth a read on Bill Copeland Music News. While much of the piece serves as an introductory piece, there's some new light shed on the band's recording of "Take a Bow" and a few colorful insights offered by Old Jack's Dan Nicklin.

OldJack
Albums / Fb / Sb / Tw

Brilliant New Sounds - A light shines brightly on Cask Mouse these days. The band proved to be one of the standouts of this year's Rock 'n Roll Rumble. The summer ahead promises to be an exceptional opportunity for them to gain a strong foothold here in Boston. [Editor's Note: bonus points for the stand-up base. But this goes without saying... apologies.] For those reading this from outside Boston, take heed! This is some good sh*t...!

Meet the Band - With love and respect for the art of songwriting enjoyed by generations, Cask Mouse sifts the sand of time to bring alive new stories of American life with the love and craftsmanship that made this country what it is today. Its members draw from all aspects of their diverse musical and geographical experiences to truly express emotion and tell untold truths. With a sweeping love for all music they find themselves meandering the genres of country, folk, rock n’roll, rhythm and blues, gospel and soul.

Cask Mouse
Album / Fb / Tw

RSVP

VIDEO - THE WANDAS "ABANDON SHIP"

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Moments in Music
Songs Locked in Time

Recently back off their national tour, I coaxed The Wandas back on to a stage this week at The Middle East to play RSL's "Ocho de Mayo" lineup. Boy are we ever glad they did. Watch as guitarist Brent Battey grabs the mick and sings "Abandon Ship" and literally all hell breaks loose!

One of this generation's best bands from New England...

Footage was captured and edited by Stephen LoVerme of Treebeard Media

THE WANDAS
from Boston, MA

Web / Fb / My / Tw

FIELD REPORT Added to The Outlaw Roadshow

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:04:00 +0000

Confirmed to Play!

The Outlaw Roadshow

What's Coming This Summer - Counting Crows are taking RSL's The Outlaw Roadshow on the road with them this Summer! That means amazing exposure opportunities for emerging talent and will provide the best live show possibilities for fans. You literally will see Counting Crows and the best supporting acts this country can offer. Fans should arrive early to these shows - every band was hand-selected. There are no throwaways.

"We handpicked every venue ourselves to get out of the cookie cutter places & into cooler outdoor gigs that WE wanted to play & we're pretty sure YOU are gonna dig," said Adam Duritz. "But the best part of all is that we're taking THE OUTLAW ROADSHOW on the road with us to bring all OUR favorite new bands to YOU. This summer COUNTING CROWS & RYAN'S SMASHING LIFE Present THE OUTLAW ROADSHOW!! On The Road and Everywhere You Are -- All Summer Long!!!"

FIELD REPORT is the creation of Chris Porterfield, whose debut record is a collection of songs six years in the making. Chris cut his musical teeth with DeYarmond Edison (the other members of which were Justin Vernon and Megafaun). After their breakup in 2006, Bon Iver and Megafaun went on to success while Chris hung back in Wisconsin, thinking his career in music was probably over. It was really just beginning. For the first time in his life, he began writing his own songs, which he spent the following six years carefully perfecting. In December 2011, the record was finally committed to tape at Justin Vernon’s studio.

The results of those sessions, now celebrated in Rolling Stone and music blogs around the planet - is a haunting set of songs - both crafty and poignant. After sending a few unfinished tracks to select people, the response was immediate and impactful: producer Paul Kolderie (Radiohead, Warren Zevon, The Pixies, Uncle Tupelo) fell in love with them and offered to mix the record, which he did in February. You'll be able to own the music you're listening to this July.

The Outlaw Roadshow at SXSW 2012 was the world debut of Field Report, a set and a performance that laid the groundwork for this huge summer tour announcement and the year that lies! Come celebrate this music discovery with us!

Outlaw Roadshow live video by Visual Voice Boston

Field Report
Web / Fb / Tw

Archers of Loaf at The Middle East

noreply@blogger.com (nickparkersound) — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:16:00 +0000

Thoughts on Shows
by Julie Stoller
Photographic Evidence
by Chris March

The Scene:

The Middle East - 4/27/12

w/ Pipe + Hundred Visions

At the risk of seeming over-sentimental, I have to say I feel honored to have been at this rare and special family reunion. Archers of Loaf’s two-night-stand at The Middle East was one of just a few U.S. stops this year, and they brought along long-time friends Pipe, who also haven’t been around in quite some time. The crackling excitement in the room added to the magic.

The last time Archers of Loaf were in Boston (or rather Cambridge), it was at this very spot (The Middle East), in October of 1998. From the look and sound of it, I’m guessing many of the same people were in attendance. It was a veritable love fest - frenzied, mosh-happy, limb-flailing, out-of-control love.

RSL STREAMING PHOTO ALBUM

With glorious strummed and feedback-driven guitar dissonance, we’re led into a raucous version of “Audiowhore,” and from that moment on, band and audience were of one mind, delighting in and feeding off each other in a symbiotic relationship. Melodic cacophony poured off the stage in waves. The electric energy of frenzied moshing (a writhing single-celled amoeba during crowd favorites like “Web In Front”), ‘shout-alongs’ and the occasional crowd surf rolled back in. One woman who had flown in from Texas was in a state of uncontrolled delirium, bouncing around from one side of the stage to the other, and attempting to lick the neck of Eric’s guitar (she also grabbed the mic stand off the stage to request an encore over the PA).

The band was possessed, especially bassist Matt Gentling, who careened around wildly like an unhinged madman, at times high-kicking like a Rockette. He provided completely irrelevant introductions to many of the songs, such as “Let the Loser Melt” (“Do any of you guys own like a small animal? Well, this song goes out to you guys.”). You could tell they really loved being there, and seeing Eric Bachmann with a big smile on his face several times throughout the evening was a good indicator that maybe, just maybe, they’ll be back, even after Merge finishes with those deluxe reissues.

It was a nicely paced set. Songs like “Step into the Light,” slow and sprawling, were strategically placed between the more frantic, hard-driving stretches. There were poignant quieter moments (as in “Bacteria”) that felt like a coiled snake ready to strike, an absolutely beautiful version of “Dead Red Eyes,” and nice melodic introductions to songs like “Fabricoh.”

The albums were all represented (Vee Vee especially so), and it seemed like everyone got to hear their favorites. The beautiful “You and Me,” was played in the encore, perhaps in response to the polite request from some gentleman in the audience, “YOU AND FUCKING ME!!” “White Trash Heroes” had an emotional, sadly nostalgic feel, and was a nice close to a perfect evening.

Archers of Loaf
Web / Myspace / Wiki / Alias

The revelation of the evening was fellow Chapel Hill band, Pipe. They were active in the '90s, and these days, they all have day jobs, though with occasional one –off “resurrections.” But from the second they hit the stage, they launched into their hard-driving punk fury like they’d never left. In fact, from the first song, it was as if they were mid-set circa 1976 at CBGBs.

Lead singer Ron Liberti came out wearing a sedate button-down red sweater, looking for all the world like Mr. Rodgers, and getting mercilessly teased about it by the raucous (and clearly devout) audience. He kicked things off with a quick warm-up of jumping jacks and straight into wailing vocals, with the band tightly wound and ridiculously hyper charged, spinning like a psychotic top. Between Liberti’s acerbic banter and crazed, seizure-like movements; and the band’s furious pace, which once or twice slowed to a deliciously dangerous sprawl, and at other times erupted into screeching guitar solos, I instantly fell in love.

Easily and without reservation, I put them in the same class as the Stooges, MC5, Sex Pistols, et al. Best-kept secret, but clearly not for this crowd, who a few songs in, were already yelling out for their favorites, and who had an ongoing conversation with Liberti throughout the set. One hardcore fan in the front said he’d seen them 15 years ago, last time they played here (with another legendary band of the Chapel Hill scene, Polvo). It was a glorious homecoming.

The good news: your band is asked to open for the legendary Archers of Loaf at the Middle East Downstairs. The bad news: you’re the first band to go on at 8:45 p.m., two hours before the headliner, and you’re playing for about 20 people. But despite the small audience, Austin-based Hundred Visions ripped right into their set of full-on thrashy and danceable garage rock, peppered with occasional 3-part vocal harmonies and tastefully nimble solos from their dual guitars.

Though they finished on a strong note with a heart-pumper, the highlight of their set was “Last Cab from Tunis,” funky and spacey, like Talking Heads with a psychedelic Eno-esque vibe. Not that there’s anything wrong with a solid garage rock sound, but this one took the band to a different place altogether, and showed impressive sophistication from a band that only has a 3-song EP thus far (their debut full length is recorded and due out in September).

Kasey Anderson & The Honkies are added to The Outlaw Roadshow

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:43:00 +0000

Confirmed to Play!

The Outlaw Roadshow

Kasey Anderson

WORLD PREMIERE - BRAND NEW SONG!

Working with the best music acts every day of each year - in one capacity or another, has made me a very lucky man. The inclusion of Kasey Anderson and the Honkies comes perhaps as little surprise to both our regular readers and to the fans of Counting Crows. In Nowhere Nights and Heart of a Dog (2010 and 2011 Album Buyer's Guide selections), Anderson and Company have proven to be amongst the best songwriting and performance outfits in the entire country. Kasey played a short string of West Coast dates with Counting Crows last year to rave reviews. And the band has earned their prior invitations to play The Outlaw Roadshow in New York during CMJ, in Austin for SxSW and now they will join Counting Crows for the second leg of the Summer 2012 Tour with The Outlaw Roadshow.

Mike Musburger, Eric Corson, Kasey Anderson & Andrew McKeag
Hilary Harris photo

Counting Crows fans possessing the new album, Underwater Sunshine, know the band covers "Like Teenage Gravity," a Kasey Anderson original. As I said, this pick - far from being unexpected - should be seen as a gift to our fans. This series of shows should be unbelievably fun -with talented friends!

Today marks the world premiere of "Some Depression" - the first single from Kasey's upcoming record, Let the Bloody Moon Rise. Preorder just opened up for this one. (You can pick CD, LP or digital.) If you order early, The Honkies add three songs you won't get any other way and a free live download of the band playing a scalding set at The Triple Door in Seattle.

KASEY ANDERSON
Albums / Web / My / Fb / Tw

WE ARE AUGUSTINES join The Outlaw Roadshow

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Confirmed to Play!

The Outlaw Roadshow

We Are Augustines

* photographs by Phil Knott

The best part of being a music writer, sometimes, is that every now and again I get to help those bands celebrate their big days. It is with great pleasure that The Outlaw Roadshow confirms the addition of We Are Augustines. It's already been a whirlwind year of amazing international audiences for Billy McCarthy, Eric Sanderson and Rob Allen. (I felt so much pride when they played Letterman!) And, with an award-winning record and invitations to Coachella (US), Hurricane and Southside (Germany), Bonnaroo (US), Latitude (UK), Bilbao BBK (Spain), T in the Park (UK) this little trio could be one of the hottest acts on the planet right now.

I remember sharing Rise Ye Sunken Ships (best of 2011 - album review) with Adam and he was instantly mesmerized, as have countless others ever since. One of the most magical moments of my SxSW this year was this memory of seeing We Are Augustines, captured oh so brilliantly by Mr. Duritz in American Songwriter... I think there were 200 people in that room having religious experiences that night.

We Are Augustines
Web / Fb / My / Tw

RSL Presents Runaway Dorothy, Gus + Scout and Beautiful Small Machines

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:08:00 +0000

A Night of Music for the Ages!
Fri 5/18/12 at Cafe 939

All Ages - 7:30pm

$10 advance ticket

* RSVP

original poster design by Frank Germano of Man on Fire design.

Springing from the creative mind of music blogger Ryan Spaulding and brought to life on the stage of the Red Room at Cafe 939, this very special evening of music on May 18th offers Boston audiences three talented acts on the rise. This night offers elements of singer-songwriter folk, Americana, Southern Rock, Blues, Country and Pop - all in one sitting!

RUNAWAY DOROTHY - It took a journey of 500 miles to unite the members of Runaway Dorothy. All hailing from the South, Dave, Brett, Evan and Sammy did not come together as Runaway Dorothy until mutual friends and good fortune brought the foursome together in New York City’s outer borough of Brooklyn. It wasn’t until Runaway Dorothy's Dave Parnell met North Carolina’s own Ryan Adams of Whiskeytown by chance, that he garnered the confidence to pursue his own music. The band has stirrings of Americana, Southern Rock and Country in their veins. Coming off an epic 12-show run this year at SxSW including a spot on Ryan's showcase with Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz, Runaway Dorothy are set to release their sophomore album tilted THE WAIT in June.

Runaway Dorothy
Web / Fb / Tw

GUS + SCOUT - Prepare to have your expectations for this night exceeded. Gus + Scout make beautiful, soaring vocals and blues-influenced folk rock. Members Gus Wenner (son of Rolling Stone founder Jan Wenner) and Scout Willis (daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis) have known one another since childhood but only started playing music together about a year ago while attending Brown University. That time has been well-spent as the sounds you will hear from up on the stage are some of the most beautiful and arresting we have heard in 2012. This will be their very first time together before an audience here in Boston.

Gus + Scout
Web / Fb

Beautiful Small Machines - One of the big finds so far in 2012, the new MIA cover for "Paper Planes" by Beautiful Small Machines has taken the world by storm. The song has been on the front page for Hype Machine for the last two months. Clearly, there is something going on here. Caught somewhere between the 70's, 80's and deep space, the electro-pop duo of Bree Sharp and Don DiLego learned about comedy from Adult Swim and heartache from Philp K. Dick.

Beautiful Small Machines
Web / Fb / Tw

TICKETS
RSVP

Ryan Adams + Jason Isbell

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Sun, 06 May 2012 01:00:00 +0000

Thoughts on Shows

by Tom Sweeney

Review Notes: Apr 25, 2012

Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, UK

Illustration by Sam Washburn

The Royal Concert Hall is a strange place to see someone like Ryan Adams; a rather clunky 1980s construction, a 2,500-seat concert hall more used to symphony orchestras than solo singer-songwriters. It would have been a challenge for one man and a guitar to fill at the best of times. When that man is Ryan Adams and he’s intent on playing the guitar as gently as humanly possible? You can probably guess the rest.

But first, Jason Isbell. Whilst his reputation precedes him, I’d never seen the man perform before; he doesn’t get across the pond much. On this evidence, that is a crying shame and something that just might change in the future. He opened with Goddamn Lonely Love, a song from his time with the Drive-By Truckers. From the play on words of the opening line “I got green and I got blues / And everyday there’s a little less difference between the two”, people started to pay attention. Full of clever lines and simple melodies, Isbell played a 40-minute set of his honest, heartfelt tunes, his delivery packed with sincerity and humility, and the audience rewarded him with an attentiveness most people would have struggled to elicit from a partisan crowd. We got another Drive-By Truckers number, “Outfit”, about the advice his dad gave him when he went on the road; it’s witty, full of wry smiles and half-sincere lines but shot through with a genuine affection and homesickness for his native Muscle Shoals, AL. Danko/Manuel and Alabama Pines were other highlights, and Isbell left me pleasantly surprised and ready to enjoy the main event.

Jason Isbell
Ashes & Fire / Web / Fb / Tw

All told, Isbell is yet to scale the artistic height of Ryan Adams at his best; few people can open their solo careers with anything as startlingly beautiful as Adams’ Heartbreaker or sprawl across two discs without losing focus as he did on Cold Roses. But on Wednesday night, it was Jason Isbell who blew me away; quietly, soulfully but with a great deal of power.

With the arrival of Ashes & Fire, Ryan Adams’ first significant output since his apparently blissful married life began, it has been a (sometimes lazy) habit of writers to use this as shorthand for how stable and/or boring his recent creative output has become, and it seems at first that the same is true of his live shows nowadays. Perhaps at peace with his back catalogue now, there is less wilful obscurity than in the past; indeed, this was a setlist packed with the highlights of his first two albums. Still, opener Oh My Sweet Carolina felt like a perfunctory, desultory offering, thrown out to sate the crowd without any real feeling. Indeed, it seemed to take Adams a while to settle onstage; moving microphones, leaning forwards on his chair mid-song, brushing hair out of his eyes.

But fans have always taken Ryan Adams with all his idiosyncrasies, and his newfound efficiency ought to be a welcome change, not to mention a blessed relief after some of his 2006-vintage shows; Adams is very definitely clean and seems determined to appear the model professional. Minimal chat, gracing us with rarities like English Girls Approximately, even delving into Whiskeytown’s catalogue to play 16 Days.

Unfortunately, this efficiency, combined with the draconian announcement beforehand that informed us of various supposedly funny things that would happen if we took photos, used our phones, took alcohol into the auditorium or made too much noise rather served to kill what little atmosphere the Royal might once have had. Adams’s guitar playing is more delicate than ever, and the hush was less reverential than funereal at times. The great relative-minor swoop of new album standout Lucky Now was emasculated, while the glorious, Noel Gallagher-aping middle Chains of Love lost all its power and drive. I’ve seen RA at his best, notably a spectacular Cardinals show in Leeds four years ago that remains one of the best shows I’ve ever seen by anybody. This wasn’t, but it still had its moments.

Ryan Adams
Ashes & Fire / Web / Fb / Tw

Most of the highlights were on the piano; New York New York is still a great song, and the version of Sweet Lil Gal (23rd/1st) was genuinely lovely, fragile and beautiful. A rambling, groovy Rescue Blues completed a trio of Gold piano numbers. Firecracker also featured, and these songs from his biggest-selling album seemed to hold up best against the threats of being played too slowly and quietly that otherwise meant so many of them sounded the same.

RYAN ADAMS setlist

Oh My Sweet Carolina
Ashes & Fire
If I am a Stranger
Dirty Rain
Winding Wheel
Rescue Blues
Please Do Not Let Me Go
Do I Wait?
Firecracker
Everybody Knows
Sweet Lil Gal (23rd/1st)
Let It Ride
English Girls Approximately
Chains of Love
16 Days
New York, New York
Lucky Now
The End
Come Pick Me Up

Holy Diver (Dio cover)

With his denim jacket complete with metal band patches, a rigmarole of moving between different stage positions and the overbearing announcement, too much of the evening felt contrived. Add an encore consisting solely of a cover of a Ronnie James Dio song followed by Ryan rushing offstage, the houselights coming up and a Whitney Houston track blaring even before he’d left, and the evening ended as it began; uncomfortably.

Of Monsters and Men + Lay Low

noreply@blogger.com (nickparkersound) — Sat, 05 May 2012 22:32:00 +0000

On Further Review

by Julie Stoller

House of Blues
Boston, MA

04.07.12

“Far from home, all alone, but we’re so happy” – From "Finner"

photos by Julie Stoller

In the overwhelming vastness of the sold out House of Blues, hearing Of Monster's and Men's lead singers, Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar ”Raggi” Pórhallsson, sing this simple line made for a moment of special poignancy. They’re a new band, in the sense of international recognition, and here on their first tour in the states, they’re selling out nearly every show.

It’s because of the massive (and well deserved) success of their EP and debut album, particularly “Little Talks,” which has become perhaps the defining anthem of this year on the alternative radio circuit. The newness of the experience of playing for such large “foreign” audiences here in America, and the outpouring of appreciation and acceptance has the band obviously humbled and taken aback. Their honest surprise and gratitude informs their presence, which is a mix of proud confidence and shy vulnerability.

a Best of 2012 Album Selection

Seven strong in this live setting, the band plays in a straight line across the front of the wide stage, right up front, refreshingly open and engaging with the audience. Each band member carries equal weight in musical contribution and it’s a powerful statement that washes over you like a strong ocean wave. Theirs is a huge sound – pounding percussion, the dual vocals of Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar ”Raggi” Pórhallsson, keyboards, bass, electric and acoustic guitars, and occasional accordion and trumpet. They’re honest, exotic, charming, folksy, joyous, triumphant, mysterious, softly tragic (“Love Love Love”), unabashedly romantic (“King and Lionheart”) and wildly addictive.

There’s a happy exuberance and anthemic quality to their music, with some hints of familiarity (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Arcade Fire) that may have been the initial draw for audiences. But where they chart their own course is in the somber undercurrent that runs through their songs; in both sound and lyrics, they reference rough and open seas, the dark shadows of relationships, and creatures of foreboding woods.

“Alone, I fight these animals, alone, until I get home.” from Six Weeks

Of Monsters And Men
Web / Blog / Fb / Tw

The real reason, initially, I felt I could not, under any circumstance, miss this show - was because of the fellow Icelandic artist who supported them. Lay Low (Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir) had so impressed me at the ‘Reykjavik Calling’ show at the Paradise Rock Club a while back… No, impressed isn’t nearly strong enough – I had stood there throughout her set with my jaw on the ground. She was completely on her own this night, in that huge room, and that in itself must take the sort of courage I can’t even comprehend. Her opening words to the surprisingly attentive audience were “look at this place… and look at all of you!”

From that moment, and growing steadily throughout her beautiful performance of heartfelt songs, acoustic guitar and sweet, soulful vocals, she stole everyone’s hearts so completely, that an exuberant young man, overcome with emotion, cried out “MARRY ME!” Lay Low didn’t quite hear him properly (or perhaps just teasingly pretended not to), and responded with “Carry you? You want me to carry you? I’ll carry anyone!” Folky, bluesy, rocking, adorable, passionate, charming, and with a magnetic pull on the audience, she left the stage to wild applause.

Lay Low

Web / Fb / Tw

Make Some Noise (Beastie Boys)

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Spaulding) — Sat, 05 May 2012 14:10:00 +0000

With the sad news of Adam Yauch's passing, I am moved to recall the summers of my youth sitting in small cars, packed with tall, gawky friends listening to Beastie Boys cassettes played at volumes far too loud to be healthy. We all knew every word, each pause - every last syllable. We were alive and this was our soundtrack. And so I struggled for the last 24 hours on how to best memorialize MCA - the loss still not fully realized. And it came to me that there's nothing I could write that would be more meaningful from a friend, nothing more "correct" than from a music journalist. I just wanted to stop and celebrate the noise and be a fan for a minute today. It's what I do best..

The raucous, newish old-skool (long version) video for "Make Some Noise" comes off from last year's Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. I love it because it's undeniably over the top, in your face, and just so damn ridiculous...

Beastie Boys offical / Adam Yauch wikipedia
New York Times story / Rolling Stone story
The Guardian story