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!!!