One Minute To Midnight

Like many stars of the day, Frank Sinatra hosted a weekly radio show almost continuously 40s and early 50s. From 1945 to 1947, the show was Songs By Sinatra, sponsored by Old Gold cigarettes. The half hour program aired every Wednesday night on CBS, and featured Sinatra along with a special guest singing songs and doing an occasional comedy sketch. For the last of this year's holiday themed posts, we go back to the December 26, 1945 show. Frank and his guests that week, the Bob Mitchell Boys Choir, put their own spin on this song from my favorite holiday movie, Irving Berlin's classic Holiday Inn.

Frank Sinatra - "Let's Start The New Year Right" (mp3) from Songs By Sinatra: The Old Gold Shows, Volume 2

And Kings Will Come...

When I do a post on here, I usually spend almost as much time trying to find an appropriate picture as I do writing the post itself. You kind of have to when your blog has absolutely zero design element to it (it's on my list of things to do, eventually). Today the picture and the song are a perfect match for each other. And I guess that's fitting, since they were done by the same person. The painting is Joseph and Infant Jesus in Bondi by Steve Kilbey, and the song is by The Church. Some people might be surprised to learn that The Church did a Christmas song, and some fans might mistakenly argue that they haven't. But this song is just as much about today as the hymns you sang at midnight mass last night. It's also absolutely gorgeous.

The Church - "Lullaby" (mp3) from Sometime Anywhere

May peace find you wherever you are today. Merry Christmas.

Christmas with Louis and Keely

It's almost criminal that Louis Prima isn't a household name. The average person has no idea who he is, and if they have heard of him, he's usually just the guy who did the song in that Gap commercial a few years back. But the man is an unqualified entertainment legend, whether the average Joe on the street has heard of him or not. When he partnered with Keely Smith, backed up by Sam Butera & the Witnesses, their lounge act is part of what made Las Vegas so great in the 50s and 60s. Louis and Keely were known as the King & Queen of Las Vegas, and their routine with him as the wild jokester and her as a stone-faced straight woman later became the template for Sonny and Cher. But more important than their influence on Las Vegas and entertainment in general is the fact that their music is simply pure, unadulterated joy. You seriously cannot listen to it without smiling.

As I type this, Santa Claus and his reindeer are already making their way around the globe. According to the NORAD Santa Tracker, the sleigh is currently flying over China. So these two songs seem appropriate for the most awesome night of the year. Louis' track comes from his 1930's big band era, and Keely's song, from her 1963 Christmas album, features a special cameo appearance as Santa Claus. I'd tell you who it is, but that would ruin the surprise (though you can probably guess).

Louis Prima - "What Will Santa Claus Say When He Finds Everybody Swinging?" (mp3) from Yule B' Swingin'
Keely Smith - "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" (mp3) from A Keely Christmas

Merry Christmas from Nashville

With Christmas a mere four days away, everyone seems to fall into one of two categories; the bah-humbug types who are fed up with the last minute hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, and those who are bound and determined to spread holiday cheer. Some of my favorite local bands apparently fall into the latter category, and have posted seasonal songs on their Myspace profiles. Here's a roundup the yuletide offerings from some of Nashville's finest...

Last year Lylas released A Christmas Kiss from Lylas, and they have both of the "proper" songs from the EP available for download, along with the b-side from their first single, "Let's All Go Caroling." Since they haven't posted either of the two brief instrumentals that bookend the EP (and no one else has either), here they are for your listening pleasure...

Lylas - "Theme for Saint Nicholas" (mp3)
Lylas - "Snowfall Since Midnight" (mp3)

Former Save Macaulay frontwoman Caitlin Rose has recorded recorded a straight up country version of the classic "Blue Christmas," only with trombone. Why haven't more people thought of including trombone on country songs? It sounds surprisingly awesome.

Two of the local bands that contributed songs to the Toys For Tots benefit album Peace On Earth have their tracks availalble for streaming, Sleeptalker's "This Is Christmas," and The Winston Jazz Routine's "Through The Snow."

Several years ago Matthew Ryan contributed a incredibly cool version of "Little Drummer Boy" to Nettwerk's Christmas Songs album. It's not posted on his main myspace profile, but you can listen to it here.

The Features have a track up called "Father Christmas" that is not a cover of the Kinks classic. I'd love to tell you more about it, but I couldn't find a lick of info about it online. Anyone???

Timbre is one of my favorite local artists, but I always struggle to describe her music (indie classical?). Regardless, she has two Christmas songs posted on her profile; the traditional "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," and a new song which tells a variation of the fable about the Robin fanning the embers of the fire to warm Baby Jesus, "Robin Red Breast."

And finally (self promotion alert), my own band Paris Street released a Christmas EP this year, simply called Winter. Three of the four songs (two originals, and a cover of "A Marshmallow World") are available for download on our myspace profile. The one that isn't is a cover of a song by Hefner.

Paris Street - "The Little Baby Hefner's Xmas Song For Holland" (mp3)

If you know of anyone I forgot, feel free to link to them in the comments. And from our city to yours, have a super fantastic very merry Christmas.

photo by Chris Wage

Morris The Moose

According to Google Analytics, the post I did last year for the lost Christmas classic "Roly Poly The Polar Bear" is the fifth most visited post I've ever made on this blog. That ought to say something about the interest in The Peppermint Kandy Kids. According to this post at Falalalala, the company that owns the rights to the old Peter Pan Records catalog has started transfering these old albums to digital formats and are releasing them on iTunes. Several albums by the Caroleers are already available, so hopefully the Peppermint Kandy Kids won't be too far behind. In the meantime, here is another one of my favorites from Rudolph's Christmas Party.

The Peppermint Kandy Kids - "Morris The Moose" (mp3)

As for the picture, I know that the Mariners mascot isn't named Morris (for the uninitiated, his name is simply Mariner Moose). But he is awesome. And he plays the drums!!! Seriously, I saw him sitting in with Blue Thunder along with the Blitz and Squatch (the Seahawks and Sonics mascots) at Qwest Field when I was in Seattle last month.

UPDATE (11/17/08): Usually I hate doing anything Christmas related until after Thanksgiving, and that includes posting Christmas songs. But for the third year in a row, I'm getting bombarded with visits (12% of my traffic over the past two weeks) and e-mails regarding the Peppermint Kandy Kids. So I'm reposting this song two weeks early. Consider it an early Christmas present. Enjoy!

Just Like Christmas

Aberdeen City was one of my favorite musical discoveries of 2006. Last December they spent an off night of their tour recording a cover of Low's "Just Like Christmas" in a hotel room in Alabama, with the lyrics slightly revised to reflect their own intinerary. The result was paired with an acoustic version of their single "God Is Going To Get Sick of Me" and released as a free holiday single on their website. Since I never got around to posting it during last year's Christmas blitz, and it's kind of awesome, here it is...

Aberdeen City - "Just Like Christmas" (mp3)

The Beatles Walk Hard

I almost never go see movies on opening weeked, but I think I'm going to have to make an exception when Walk Hard comes out next week. I've been looking forward to seeing it ever since a friend showed me one of the first trailers a few months ago. After seeing this clip of the Beatles scene from the movie, it's jumped to number two on the list of things I'm looking forward to in the few weeks... above Christmas, but below meeting my new nephew. It is absolutely hilarious.

And since I'm now in a Beatles spoofing kind of mood...

The Rutles - "Love Life" (mp3) from The Rutles

Happy Birthday Frank

In my book, today is a national holiday. The birthday of one Francis Albert Sinatra. And since all birthdays should be spent with friends, here are a couple of duets to celebrate the occasion.

Frank Sinatra & Nat King Cole - "The Christmas Song" (mp3) from Sinatra 80th: All The Best

This is basically a mashup. Produced by Phil Ramone in 1995, it was assembled by combining Cole's 1962 recording with Sinatra's take from 1957 (the one that appears on A Jolly Christmas). Sinatra's version had to sped up to make it work, which might offend some purists, but I think it sounds great.

Frank Sinatra & Cyndi Lauper - "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" (mp3) from A Very Special Christmas 2

This duet was done in 1992 by pulling the vocal from Sinatra's 1947 Columbia recording and having Lauper sing over a rerecorded version of the song. Generally I abhor these kinds of electro-duets, but this one works. I think it's because Lauper does a great job matching up with the tone of Sinatra's performance. Frankly, it doesn't sound all that different from some of Frank's campier duets from the late forties.

Beasts

Your Black Star - Beasts

A few months ago (July to be exact), Your Black Star released their fourth CD, the mini LP Beasts. After the year and a half wait it took between recording and the stateside release of their last album, Sound From The Ground (reviewed here), it had to be a relief for them to put out their latest a mere six months after recording it. Musically, the album has a similar urgency. They still have the same sonic trademarks they've always had, with heavily effected guitars anchored by a driving and unshakable rhythm section. But somehow the songs seem more direct... less atmospheric and more grounded. Whether that is the result of their seemingly constant touring or the hand of producer Erik Wofford (who has previously worked with Explosions In The Sky, Snowden, and The Black Angels), the result is a strong six song addition to their already impressive body of work.

Your Black Star - "Fight" (mp3)

You can hear two other tracks from the album, "The Break" and "Skyjacketing," on their myspace page.

Song Of Mary

Last year a local artist, Erika Chambers, released one of my favorite songs of the Christmas season, "O Star O'er Bethlehem" (you can read about it here, and you can listen to it on her myspace profile). This year she's released another holiday tune, and it's equally excellent. With today being the start of Hanukkah, I figured it was especially appropriate to post it today. It's not about the festival of lights at all, but it is about a jewish mother, and it's partially sung in Hebrew. That's close enough, right?

Erika Chambers - "Song Of Mary" (mp3) from Holiday Noise 2

Erika will be performing at 3rd and Lindsley this Friday, December 7 at 7:00 pm, along with several other of the artists who appear on this year's Holiday Noise CD.

Art Carney, Hip Hop Pioneer

Saturday night was my annual Christmas party, and as I usually do, I threw an assortment of Christmas compliations into the CD player to serve as the evening's soundtrack. When this track came on, one of my friend's asked if it was some kind of 1940's rap. I've heard this song a lot over the last several years, but his question inspired me to try and track down exactly where it came from. Turns out that in 1954, Art Carney released a single on Columbia called "Santa And The Doodle-Li-Boop," and this song was the b-side (you can hear the a-side at Musical Fruitcake). Becuase it predated Clarence "Blowfly" Reid, Fatback, and the Sugar Hill Gang, you could make the argument that Carney released the world's first rap record.

Art Carney - "Twas The Night Before Christmas" (mp3) from Jingle Bell Swing

Underneath The Rock

I've been crazy busy the last couple of months. Between work, unpacking, the band putting out one CD and finishing recording another one, and of course football season, it's been easy for things to fall by the wayside. But how on earth did I miss the fact that Robert Pollard released not one, but two new albums last month??? In my defense, it's almost impossible for all but the most dedicated to keep up with the former Guided By Voices frontman's prolific output. But still...

Apparently he is doing a yin and yang thing with these two albums, with one featuring his poppier "Beatles" side, and the other a punkier "Stones" side. According to the press materials on the album: "In the universe where Bob explains the Freudian divisions of his psyche, he calls Coast To Coast Carpet Of Love his id, Standard Gargoyle Decisions his ego, and himself his Super Ego." From the bits I've heard, they really don't sound all that dissimilar. The description of Uncle Bob as "super ego" is certainly fitting though.

from Coast To Coast Carpet Of Love
Robert Pollard - "Current Desperation (Angels Speak Of Nothing)" (mp3)
Robert Pollard - "Rud Fins" (mp3)

from Standard Gargoyle Decisions
Robert Pollard - "Pill Gone Girl" (mp3)
Robert Pollard - "The Killers" (mp3)

You can also hit up the Merge website and stream both albums in their entirety.

The Lost Bing Crosby Christmas Album

Bing Crosby is practically synonymous with Christmas. For over sixty years, people have grown up with him being part of the soundtrack of the holidays. Name just about any classic Christmas song, and chances are der Bingle recorded it at some point. His take on "White Christmas" is possibly the most popular piece of recorded music ever. I would guess that in the three days since Thanksgiving, most of us have already heard it at least once.

Several years ago I found a Crosby CD in the bargain bin simply called Christmas Album. The most intriguing thing about is that I didn't recognize a single song on it. For the longest time, I couldn't find any information about it, but last year I finally hit up Steven Lewis' excellent Bing Crosby Internet Museum and found the answers. It was originally released in 1971 as A Time To Be Jolly, and was recorded with the accompaniment of the Les Brown Orchestra and the Jack Halloran Singers. Some of the arrangements definitely have that early 70's vibe that hasn't aged particularly well (though that kind of adds to its retro charm), but the songs are fantastic. It's kind of surprising that none of them seem to have been recorded by any other artists in the ensuing years. If you're a Bing fan, or just looking for some fresh Christmas songs you haven't heard a million times before, I'd highly recommend checking it out. For only six bucks, it's a bargain.

Bing Crosby - "And The Bells Rang" (mp3) from Christmas Album

Homecoming

Ah, Seattle. Birthplace of Jimi Hendrix, Boeing, Sir Mix-a-lot, the grunge movement, Starbucks, Mark O'Connor, Judy Collins, Rainn Wilson, and most importantly (to me anyway), me.

I've lived in Nashville for 22 of the last 24 years, but when people ask me where I'm from, I still answer "Seattle." I'll always consider it my hometown. The last time I was back in Washington though was when I was in high school. Until recently, I didn't have any family to visit there, and you don't get the kind of cheap flights from Tennessee that encourage quick weekend getaways. But now that my grandma and aunt live there, my dad's family is all going for Thanksgiving this year. I'm pretty giddy about getting back up there. It's been too long.

Last year I made a comment on here that Motochrist's "Evel" was the greatest tribute song ever recorded. I was wrong. This is...

Robyn Hitchcock - "Viva! Sea-Tac" (mp3) from Jewels For Sophia

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanksgiving #386

One of the problems with trying to do an annual Thanksgiving themed post is that once you get past Bing Crosby's "I've Got Plenty To Be Thankful For" (which I posted last year) and Adam Sandler's "Thanksgiving Song" (which I will never ever post), there aren't a whole lot of songs about turkey day. The song I'm posting this year isn't really about Thanksgiving, but it mentions it, and it kinda sorta refers to the pilgrims, so it seems close enough.

Frank Sinatra - "Early American" (mp3) from The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings box set

It was originally released in 1964 on the album America, I Hear You Singing.

Puget Sound

The Blakes - The Blakes

It's hard to describe the debut album from Seattle's The Blakes in one fell swoop. It opens with the swampy blues stomp of "Two Times," and you think you're getting a Pacific Northwest version of AC/DC. But that's immediately followed up with the propulsive beat of the Jesus and Mary Chain-like "Don't Bother Me," and a few songs later approaches Belle and Sebastian style chamber pop on "Lint Walk." It continues swinging between the yin and yang of flat out rock and pure pop over the course of its thirteen songs (fifteen if you snag it on iTunes). The common denominator throughout the album is that the songs are consistently great and catchy as hell. It's one of the strongest debut albums I've heard in a long time.

The Blakes - "Pistol Grip" (mp3)
The Blakes - "Two Times" (mp3)

The Blakes play a free in-strore at Grimey's in Nashville this Saturday, November 17 at 5 pm. It's a safe bet that it'll be awesome.

Seabees Can Do

The last time I mentioned All We Seabees on here, I said that they might my new favorite local band. I've seen them twice since then, and the verdict is in... they are definitely my fave Nashville outfit out there right now. They just seem to have everything I love about music all wrapped up in one tidy package. Their live sets are equal parts folky strum and distortion laden walls of sound. The songs are quirky enough to be interesting but catchy enough to stay stuck in your head for days. With splashes of banjo and female harmonies, their arrangements keep you wondering where they're going to go next without sounding schizophrenic. It's pop music with a hint of Celtic ache, and rock music with a healthy dose of drunken charm.

All We Seabees -"Bruin Hunt" (mp3) from Anne The Snake
All We Seabees - "Black Girls" (mp3) from Flounder And Hoot (not yet released)

They'll be going into a sort of winter hibernation starting next month, but you have a couple of chances to catch them before they wind down for the year. They play this Saturday, November 10 at Springwater, along with Save Macaulay and Angus Whyte & The Irish Rednecks. They'll also be taking the stage at Mercy Lounge for 8 of 8th on Monday, November 19, with a lineup that also includes Ghostfinger and Hands Down Eugene.

Pencils Down

Tonight I spent 20 minutes taking Rolling Stone's Almost Impossible Rock And Roll Quiz. It's aptly named... the thing is a bitch. Once upon a time I was somewhat of a savant when it came to music trivia. Not only did I know the answer to almost any conceivable question, but I could spit out the answers without hesitation. Unfortunately it's a skill that's diminished quite a bit over the last few years. Still, I managed to score a 42 out of 58 on this quiz, which classifies me as an expert on their scale. But I'll admit that a good third of the questions I got right were either educated guesses or dumb luck (like the one about Tupac posthumous albums versus Steven Seagal movies). If you're looking for something to kill time at work tomorrow, it's definitely worth a look.

Just Like Anyone

While scrounging around my collection of CD singles looking for a song that I ultimately decided not to post, I stumbled across the single of "Just Like Anyone," one of only two Soul Asylum songs I like (the other one is "Can't Even Tell" from the Clerks soundtrack). As big as I am on lyrics, it's a testament to how much I love the music of this song that it's one of my favorites, because the words kinda... well, suck. I'm pretty sure I can trace the end of my celebrity crush on Winona Ryder to the moment she started dating Dave Pirner. I mean, seriously, listen to the second chorus. The lyrics are abysmal. And yet it's still catchy as hell.

Soul Asylum - "Just Like Anyone" (mp3) from Let Your Dim Light Shine

These Blues Will Help Us All

Mark Olson - The Salvation Blues

It's kind of a misnomer to call Mark Olson's new CD a comeback. His albums as a Creekdipper had plenty of good material on them, although they certainly had a more lo-fi, organic feel. It'd be more accurate to call this a homecoming. It's a return to the lush, full sound that made the Jayhawks arguably the most important and influential band to come out of the alt-country movement. It's also easily Mark's best work since Tomorrow The Green Grass, his last album with the Jayhawks. The songs, informed by the breakup of his marriage to Victoria Williams and the loss of his band and his home, are both mournful and hopeful. They have a gravity to them, but they never wallow in self-pity. And the presence of Gary Louris' harmonies on three tracks is a reminder that the two of them together are one of the all time great vocal pairings (and it whets the appetite for their planned album together next year). If you're an old Jayhawks fan who's lost track of what Mark's been doing over the past decade, this album will remind you of why you loved his music in the first place.

Mark Olson - "Clifton Bridge" (mp3)
Mark Olson - "National Express" (mp3)

A Damn Fine Cup of Coffee

Today the Best. TV Series. Ever. finally gets a proper release on DVD. The Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition contains both seasons of the acclaimed series, along with both the US and European versions of the pilot (previously only a crappy import of the European version was available on DVD). There are also a treasure trove of extras, including several new documentaries, a Julee Cruise music video, and clips from Kyle MacLachlan's 1990 Saturday Night Live appearance. It's taken ridiculously long for it to see the light of day, but it looks like David Lynch has made sure that it's worth the wait.

Also being released today is a new soundtrack of previously unreleased music from the series. The unimaginatively titled Twin Peaks: Season Two Music And More will apparently feature music from both the second season and parts of the score from Fire Walk With Me that didn't make it onto the movie's original soundtrack album. Anyone who watched the series knows that Angelo Badalamenti's music was huge part of the show's unreal atmosphere, and the first soundtrack to the series became the best selling TV soundtrack ever at the time.

David Lynch - "The Pink Room" (mp3) from the Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me soundtrack
Julee Cruise - "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart (Tibetan Single Mix)" (mp3) from the Rockin' Back Inside My Heart single

"The Pink Room" is probably my all time favorite piece of film music. It sounds great as a stand alone track, but the way the song's sinister vibe works with the scene from the movie was absolutely brilliant. The remix of the Julee Cruise song comes from the single that was released from the series' first soundtrack, and the original version is also featured on her album Floating Into the Night.

Parade

My initial thought the first time I listened to Parade was that they sounded like a less rocking version of Magnapop (that might not sound like very strong praise, but Hot Boxing is one of my favorite albums ever). And the two bands do have some things in common; an Athens-to-Atlanta lineage, a literate pop sensibility, and a kind of languid vocal style. Parade certainly highlights the pop over the rock though, throwing in a healthy dose of keyboards and those slightly dancey beats that are so in vogue lately. The arrangements take a "less is more" approach, giving the songs a chance to breath and find their groove (I feel like a dork having just typed that, but the way the bass and drums interact, "groove" seems like the right word to use).

They play a free in-store in Nashville this Saturday, October 20 at 5 pm at Grimey's, and their brand of Southern indie-pop should make a great soundrack for what looks like a will be a beatiful weekend afternoon.

Parade - "Penelope Shoes" (mp3) from A Red Button
Parade - "That's Hott" (mp3) from Answer Me

Come Together

The Healthy Home & Bad Friend - Bad Friend Love's The Healthy Home

West meets Middle Tennessee on this split album/double EP of Guided By Voice's inspired lo-fi rock. Dyersburg's The Healthy Home kicks off the procedings sounding like a more palatable version of Stephen Merritt fronting the late model GBV lineup. Their half of the CD is bookended by two upbeat rockers, with a couple of mellow acoustic numbers sandwiched in between. If you're one of those that think Bob Pollard sold out after Alien Lanes, than the second half of the split will probably be more your speed, at least sonically. I'm pretty sure Nashville's Bad Friend started more as a drinking club than a band, and that kind of loose, relaxed vibe informs their music throughout. With three singer/songwriters, it can sound a bit schizophrenic at times, but that chaos breeds a perfect gem of a pop song in "Taco." Taking the concept of a shared CD to it's logical conclusion, the CD concludes with two songs recorded as a collaboration between the bands, and the resulting "Staying Up All Night" is one of the album's highlights.

The Healthy Home - "Starting Anew" (mp3)
Bad Friend - "Taco" (mp3)

Bad Friend will be celebrating the release of the EP on Wednesday, October 17, at the Basement in Nashville, along with Paris Street, who also have a brand new EP they'll be welcoming into the world (which I am unqualified to review, having played on it). Chicago's The Saps will be rounding out the bill. For more on the show, check out the article in this week's Nashville Scene.

One Symphony Place

Last Saturday evening I took advantage of the 2nd annual "Free Day of Music" to check out the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. I used to go see the Nashville Symphony once or twice a year, but my free ticket gravy train dried up not long after I graduated from college and my parent's gave up their ticket subscription. As such, I hadn't seen the Symphony play since the namesake of the new concert hall was still swinging the baton at TPAC. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the place, so I figured it time to check it out for myself.

The Symphony's hour long program that night basically was a promotion for their concert series, featuring excerpts from composers who are being featured during the 2006-2007 season. Honestly I don't remember many of the particulars, other than they played a bit from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty, a medley from The Sound Of Music to promote their Pops Series, a suite by Aaron Copland that reminded me how much I like his music, and gave me an idea for next year's Father's day present (my dad first introduced me to the American composer).

The main reason I went down there though was just to check out the building, and it didn't fail to impress. The neoclassical exterior is beautiful, and the sets a great first impression for an evening of "highbrow" music. About the only bad thing I can say about it visually is that the chandeliers, which look great lit up, are kinda bizarre once the lights dim. But the most impressive thing about it is that the Laura Turner Concert Hall sounds AMAZING. Even the most casual listener will appreciate the hall's acoustics. It's great that after spending so many year's raising the Symphony's profile, Maestro Schermerhorn will forever be associated with such a first class music facility.

If you'd like to check out the building without buying a ticket for a performance, free tours are offered on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays at 1 pm. Even if you're not into classical music, it's worth a look.

Sunday Night Placeholder

I had two posts I was going to write this evening about my musical adventures over the weekend. But I'm exhausted and sunburned and the only reason I wasn't in bed two hours ago is because I took a nap late this afternoon. That said, my head will be hitting the pillow as soon as I hit publish on this post, which I'm making mainly because I haven't done a real post in a week and a half. And I guess this really doesn't qualify either. But it's something to listen to on Monday morning, even though it's really more suited for evening ears. Whatever, I'm rambling...

Robyn Hitchcock - "Ye Sleeping Knights Of Jesus (Demo)" (mp3)

This song was a bonus track on the Rhino version of I Often Dream Of Trains. The album is being reissued next month on Yep Roc, but with different bonus tracks. So if you're a Robyn fan... you're welcome.

3rd of October

Earlier today, Matthew Ryan posted the following bulletin on myspace...

"So this morning I tried to upload track 1 off of my second record, East Autumn Grin, onto myspace. The track is called 3rd Of October. I think my reasons for wanting to upload it is obvious. Just a little autumn simpatico.

Anyway, my second record was on A&M/INTERSCOPE/UNIVERSAL Records. It's one of the largest record companies in the world. The short version of this story is I signed with A&M Records in the mid-nineties. A&M was as independent as the larger companies got back then. They were one of my favorite American labels. They had put out The Police since day one, Soundgarden, Kitchens Of Distinction, The Blue Nile and many other great records. When I signed to them, they were in their last days of being a true label with their own taste and infrastructure.

In 1999 A&M was bought out by Universal Records. Universal cut and merged several smaller into one giant indistinguishable muscle head. My second record came out in 2000. It's arguable that it never really came out. The new label did the minimum and so on. So I was dropped. And so began my truly independent career. I'm proud that I kept moving and growing my audience by doing what my art and instinct told me to do.

Fast forward to October 3rd, 2007. I'm sipping coffee and want to introduce those of you that are listening and new to my music to something I'm proud of from years ago. So I try to upload a song from my second record onto Myspace, and I get my uploading privileges suspended because of copyright infringement.

Yes, I can't share a song that I wrote and recorded with you because this company is so desperate to maintain control they won't let it be heard. Understand, I didn't post it for download, I was just posting it to be heard and hoping some of you would be curious and seek that record out.

Can you understand my frustration?

Here's the message from Myspace: "Audio or video content has been blocked or removed from your profile. Content may be blocked/removed because we received a notice from the copyright owner claiming you were infringing its rights, because the content was recognized by MySpace's copyright filter, or because your use of the content violated MySpace's Terms and Conditions."

There's a bit more, but it's kind of boring legalese. Anyway, since Myspace sucks, consider this my public service for the day.

Matthew Ryan - "3rd of October" (mp3) from East Autumn Grin

A Fate Worse Than Death

Ever since I saw this headline this afternoon, I've had this song stuck in my head. Jeebus, make it stop!!!

Interpol, Take Two

Interpol, with Liars
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Saturday, September 22, 2007

I have to start this review with a little background. Interpol's first album, Turn On The Bright Lights, is probably my favorite album of the last ten years. So when I saw them live for the first time three years ago at the Curiosa Festival in Nashville, I was a little bummed. I'd never had one of my favorite bands not also put on a good live show, and their set that day definitely did not impress. I found myself offering a myriad of excuses for them... they don't translate well in an ampitheater setting. Their music isn't suited for playing during the daylight. It was hot, and they were wearing suits. But the basic fact was that on July 28, 2004, they just weren't... well, good.

So on Saturday night, my feelings during and after their show were equal parts joy and relief. It turns out that Interpol is indeed a pretty good live band. "Pioneer To The Falls" probably wouldn't have been my choice for an opener, but following it up with "Obstacle 1" set the tone for a show that seemed to build in intensity from beginning to end. The setlist pulled pretty much equally from all three of their albums, and the lighting matched the mood of their music perfectly. Seeing the band live, you really notice that most of the band's muscle emanates from Sam Fogarino; the guy is a monster drummer. And while Paul Banks and Carlos D. aren't the most active performers, Daniel Kessler makes up for it by moving around the stage in a style that can best be described as "sashaying" (one of my friends described it less gracioiusly as "annoying"). The highlight of the set for me came during "Leif Erikson," a reminder that the only thing I love more than e-bowed guitar is TWO e-bowed guitars.

Interpol - "Mammoth" (mp3) from Our Love To Admire
Interpol - "Not Even Jail (Daniel Kessler Remix)" (mp3) from the Remix EP

As for Liars... I really wanted to like them. They had all the ingredients of a band that I SHOULD dig, but they never gave me anything to grab onto. I kept hoping that an actual song would eventually immerge from the noise, but it never really happened. Honestly, I came pretty close to hating it, but they were saved from that classification by one of two songs that their guitarist sang lead on, the Jesus and Mary Chain inspired "Freak Out." I was told that their set at Grimey's that afternoon was like seeing a completely different band (Janet at Out The Other wrote about it here). Maybe I'd have liked that version of the band more, but I definitely wasn't feeling them at the Ryman.

photo by Marcela Cisneros

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

I have no particular reason for posting this song, other than it's been floating around my head for some unknown reason this evening. Not every post on a music blog has to have some grand design behind it, right?

The Wedding Present - "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" (mp3) from Watusi

Soon The Bells Will Start

In the past two weeks, I have been getting a TON of hits from people looking for Christmas songs. WTF??? It's September people! There are still two major holidays before we start celebrating the birth of Jeebus. I like Christmas music as much as the next guy, but, you know... in December. Or at least after Thanksgiving. So thanks for visiting, but I guarantee you you're not going to find any yuletide tunes on here until late November.

Until then, this is as close as you're gonna get...

Guided By Voices - "Father Sgt. Christmas Card" (mp3) from Universal Truths and Cycles

Providence

For a while now, I've been meaning to start a series where I post about my all time favorite songs. And since I've mentioned this song twice in the last week, I figure it was a good one to start with.

Jack Frost was a side project formed by Grant McLennan of The Go-Betweens and Steve Kilbey from The Church. There are several great songs on their debut album, but "Providence" is hands down my favorite. The last verse is one of the most heartbreaking lyrics I've ever heard... it literally gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. I don't think I've ever heard a song that more perfectly captures that melancholy feeling of looking back on a once treasured relationship.

I've seen it played live twice now. The Church did it every night on last year's tour as a tribute to McLennan (he died in his sleep that May), and when I saw them in Atlanta it practically brought me to tears. Last week Matthew Ryan covered it during his set at Next Big Nashville, and even hearing someone else sing it, it still made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Jack Frost - "Providence" (mp3) from Jack Frost

Next Big Nashville Wrap Up

Three nights, eight shows, eighteen bands, countless beers and fourteen hours of sleep. That was my Next Big Nashville experience in a nutshell. After a Sunday afternoon that I had planned on spending finishing unpacking and listening to the Seahawks game, but ended up mostly napping, I've almost recovered from it. It was an exhausting 72 hours, but totally worth it. With over 130 bands playing at ten different venues over five nights, I missed more great bands than I was able to see. This festival did a great job of highlighting the vast wealth of talent that exists in Nashville's non-country music scene.

Here are some quick reviews of most of the acts I got to see over the past couple of days, in roughly the order I saw them...

Cortney Tidwell - I've raved about her a lot on here over the past year, so it should come as no surprise that her show Thursday at the Basement was amazing. I'm glad to see that the commenters at Nashville Cream who saw her felt the same way. She played several new songs, and they were every bit as incredible as the stuff on her debut album.

Justin Townes Earle - He may have Steve Earle in his blood, but Hank Williams in his heart. His set of "old time hillbilly music" wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State - I expected a good show, and he certainly delivered. I'd kill to have his voice, and his songwriting is so fucking good, it's criminal that the guy isn't a household name. Not only did he cover one of my favorite songs ever (more on that tomorrow), but I think this might be my new favorite song...

Matthew Ryan - "It Could've Been Worse" (mp3 - now with a working link)

Jennifer Nicely - The Basement's low ceilings and laid back vibe was the perfect setting for Nicely's brand of jazzy pop noir. It sounded like a young Billie Holliday fronting Chris Isaak's Silvertones. Her debut album, Luminous, is being released tomorrow.

The Pink Spiders - Considering how hard it's been to miss The Pink Spiders lately, especially in Nashville, it's surprising that this was the first time I've seen them. These guys have been everywhere over the past year... on the soundtrack to Madden 07, on TRL, and they seem to be at the Gold Rush every single time I step foot in the joint. I even saw their video for "Little Razorblade" while shopping at Steve & Barry's in Pennsylvania earlier this year. Their beer spewing stage antics really aren't my cup of tea, but if you can resist the charms of "Modern Swinger," you're made of stronger stuff than I am.

Aaron Robinson - Aaron Robinson has an amazing voice, his songs are great, and his band is fantastic. And yet the thing I remember most about his set at the Mercy Lounge was how much I hated his song about Karen Carpenter.

And The Relatives - I'd never heard of these guys before last week, but their set Saturday night at The End was outstanding. If The Pixies had spent their entire career in a garage, they'd sound something like this.

All We Seabees - I think I have a new favorite local band. Their set started with just hand claps and harmonies, and over the course of half an hour they built their folky pop songs into raging swirl of distorted guitars... and harmonies. It was one of those shows where you kick yourself afterwords for not finding out about them sooner.

Jensen Sportag - I hate to go negative, but this show was memorable in how monumentally boring it was. I've never seen any band that didn't get at least a courtesy clap between songs... the only thing you heard was people carrying on their conversations throughout the set. Apparently they are about to move to London, and hopefully their electro-pop will go over a little better across the pond.

Plastic Clap - Entirely awesome. It was like some unholy mix of The Beastie Boys and NSYNC. If you ever get the chance to see these guys, you HAVE to go. Their show is brilliantly offensive and absolutely insane.

For more post festival thoughts, visit Out The Other and, uh... thats it for now. If anyone has seen any other post-festival posts, please post a comment and let me know. I'm sure the Scene will have a wrap up on Wednesday.

UPDATE: More post NBN thoughts at Nashville Cream.

Traveling Salvation Show

I got into The Jayhawks kind of by mistake. I was killing a lunch hour at Tower Books when I heard a song that I thought was a new Lindsey Buckingham tune. When I went to ask one of the clerks about it, I found it it was the then new Jayhawks album, Tomorrow The Green Grass. After hearing about three songs, I walked across the parking lot to Tower Records and bought it. It's been one of my favorite albums ever since.

It seems to be my curse that I get into a band just before they breakup; Marc Olson quit The Jayhawks a year after that album was released. Though they carried on without him and made some good records, it wasn't the same. Part of their appeal was that most of the songs were sung in harmony. Gary Louris and Olson's vocals blended together so well that you almost couldn't tell who was singing lead. And of course in any band where there are two songwriters, the members are pushed to greater creative heights. They were definitely a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

After leaving the band, Olson moved to the California desert with his now ex-wife, Victoria Williams, and released several lo-fi home recorded albums under the name The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers. Much like the post-Olson Jayhawks material, it was good, but it lacked the magic that made The Jayhawks so special.

Three years after the last Creek Dippers album, Olson has released his first true solo record. And for people like me who miss the Jayhawks, it's worth checking out. Not only does it feature a much more lush, polished sound, it also features Louris singing harmony on several tracks. The couple of songs I've heard so far definitely sound like a welcome return to form for one of the true pillars of the alt-country movement.

Marc Olson plays twice in Nashville on Monday, September 10. He'll be doing an instore at Grimey's at 4:45 pm, and then he and his band take to the stage at 3rd & Lindsley for an early show at 7 pm. There's also a great article on him in this week's Nashville Scene.

Mark Olson - "Clifton Bridge" (mp3) from Salvation Blues
The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers - "She Picks The Violets" (mp3) from The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers
The Jayhawks - "Ten Little Kids" (mp3) from Tomorrow The Green Grass

Previewing Next Big Nashville

Tonight kicks off the festivities for Next Big Nashville, so for the next five days there is no excuse for saying you have nothing to do. But if you're overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices, here are a few personal picks of bands I'm familiar with. Of course, one of the joys of festivals like this is discovering bands you aren't familiar with, so let this list be a starting point for you, and then go out and disover some great new music.

Lylas - Wednesday, September 5, 9 pm at The Belcourt

They'll probably be onstage by the time I get this posted, but I'll mention them anyway because they're one of my favorite local bands (and not just because they've released two Christmas themed records, although that helps). They're the perfect blend of sour and sweet, mixing lyrics that are often borderline creepy into classic pop song formats augmented by ukelele, banjo and slide guitar.

Lylas - "Tiny Echoes" (mp3) from Lessons For Lovers


Oblio - Thursday, September 6, 8:45 pm at 3rd & Lindsley

Oblio was one of the last shows I saw at Radio Cafe before it closed down, and I guess that's kind of appropriate. Their sound reminds me of the kind of radio I cut my musical teeth on. It's pop music with a bit of a late 70s vibe. Which is about the lamest descpription I've ever given of a band, but its appropriate. They're just good.

Oblio - "She-Devil" (mp3) from Create The Night, Pt. 1


Cortney Tidwell - Thursday, September 6, 9:30 pm at The Basement

Cortney was absolutely captivating the first time I saw her, when it was just her trading off between playing guitar and drums and omnichord. As memorable as that show was, she's even more amazing with a full band to create lush soundscapes behind her breathtaking voice. Her album is still the frontrunner to top my best of 2007 list, and if you're one of my friends reading this and you don't have it yet, shame on you.

Cortney Tidwell - "Eyes Are At The Billions" (mp3) from Don't Let The Stars Keep Us Tangled Up


Matthew Ryan vs The Silver State, Thursday, September 6, 11:45 pm at The Basement

I kinda feel guilty that after plugging NBN as a great opportunity to check out new bands, I'm going to spend Thursday night seeing two artists I've already seen before, but I can't pass up an opportunity to see two of my favorite locals in one fell swoop. Matthew Ryan has the kind of raspy voice that is meant to sing big, thoughtful rock music. I've never heard one of his songs that I didn't like. And on his last album, he covered one of my all time favorite songs, Jack Frost's "Providence." This will be the first show by his newest project, Matthew Ryan Vs The Silver State.

Matthew Ryan "And Never Look Back" (mp3) from From A Late Night Highrise


Sleeptalker - Friday, September 7, 9:30 pm at The Rutledge

Rock bands with piano as the main instrument seem to be all the rage lately, and in Nashville no one does it better than Sleeptalker. I guess if you absolutely had to you could compare them to that band that starts with a C, except Sleeptalker's lyrics wont make you cringe.

Sleeptalker - "Many Bells Down" (mp3) from Simplify, Simplify


The Features - Saturday, September 8, 10:15 pm at The Cannery Ballroom

Here's an embarassing admission... The Features are probably the best rock band, and I've never seen them. That may or may not change this weekend. Saturday night at the Cannery features three of the most popular local acts right now... The Features, De Novo Dahl, and How I Became The Bomb. The Ballroom is almost sure to be packed to the gills, so if you want to see this show, I'd strongly suggest you get there early.

The Features - "D-Con (Radio One)" (mp3) from the Soaking In The Center Of The Universe Vol. 2 sampler

I'm barely scratching the surface with these recomendations. There are 130 different artists playing the festival this weekend, and if you really want help in deciding your schedule over the next few days, I again suggest that you visit Out The Other. Janet has posted mp3s from over 70 of the artist playing Next Big Nashville, so if you're looking to expand your local music horizons, that definitely needs to be your pre-departure interweb stop.

Goodbye Dog Days

I love Labor Day. Certainly not as much as I love Christmas, but it's definitely up there on my list of favorite holidays. Not so much because of the day itself, but what it represents... the end of summer. Summer is nice and all, but fall is definitely my favorite season. I'm especially looking forward to it this year, after the most brutal August I can remember in 22 years of living in Nashville. It's nice that the temperatures have cooled down enough that you can roll down the window and turn up the radio in your car. So in honor of the return of moderate temperatures, here is my second favorite driving song of all time.*

Lexo & the Leapers - "Time Machines" (mp3) from Ask Them

*My numero uno favorite driving song will remain my dirty little secret... though I'm sure a few of my friends could probably guess. I'm sure I've revealed it at some point during a drunken moment of weakness.

See Nashville (rock) for Free

Next week kicks off the 2nd annual Next Big Nashville music festival. And you can see it for free.

Next Big Nashville is a five day event featuring over 130 (mostly) Nashville based artists. Basically, it's the cream of the crop of the local rock, indie, alt-country and singer-songwriter scenes.

The Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau is giving away a package that includes a three night stay at the Radisson, wristbands for free admission to all NBN shows, and "Music City Star" cards good for free admission to stuff like the Country Music Hall of Fame. Register here, but hurry... the contest only runs through tomorrow, August 30. If you don't win, you can always snag a wristband for the festival here.

If you're curious about the band's playing NBN, I highly recommend you check out the festival previews at Out The Other. Janet is a bit of a music blogger legend for having previewed every single act who played the 2005 and 2006 Austin City Limits festivals, and she's applying a similar tenacity to the hometown festival. So hit her up for MP3s and interviews with many of the artist's who are playing next week.

And if you need a recommendation to start you off, I suggest you mark your calendar for Cortney Tidwell, who plays at The Basement next Thursday, September 6 at 9:30 pm.

Cortney Tidwell - "Missing Link" (mp3) from Don't Let The Stars Keep Us Tangled Up

The Truth In One Free Afternoon

The New Pornographers - Challengers

Based on my experience with their last album, I really shouldn't be writing about the latest New Pornographers the first week it's out. My connection with their sophmore disc, Electric Version, was deep and immediate, but it took me a while to really bond with Twin Cinema. Honestly, it wasn't until after seeing them live that those songs really hit home, but once they did, the impact was every bit as heavy as their previous albums.

In the five days I've been listening to it, Challengers is proving to be another grower, not a shower. Nothing really jumped out at me on first listen (though I was listening at work, so I wasn't really focusing on it), but since then every time I play it, it reveals another charm. Most of the blogs (like fellow Nashville scribe Caleb) seem to be favoring Dan Bejar's "Myriad Harbour," but personally I'm partial to A.C. Newman's "Unguided," which seems to be this albums answer to Twin Cinema's "Bleeding Heart Show" as the quasi-epic emotional center.

One of the frequent complaints I've heard about this album is that the band is somehow going soft. The way some of the reviews have read, you'd think Newman's initials stood for "Adult Contemporary." Sure there are some slower numbers on the album, but there were mellow songs on Twin Cinema too. I'd argue that "All The Things That Make Heaven and Earth" and "Mutiny, I Promise You" rock as hard as anything they've ever done. You'd think that music listeners have become more sophisticated over the years, and the classic indie-rock whinery of "I liked them better before they changed" everytime a band tried to incorporate some new ideas and arrangements would have died long ago. I can't help but think these would be the same people complaining if they made Mass Romantic four times in a row.

The New Pornographers - "My Rights Versus Yours" (mp3)