Auld Lang Syne

The other day I was talking to a friend who claims that she's never heard "Auld Lang Syne." I found that incredibly hard... no, impossible to believe, but even after singing her the first verse she still claimed to not recognize it. It's possible that this had more to do with my off-key singing than her exposure to traditional holiday songs, but I don't think I'm THAT bad a singer.

Anyway, while looking for a website about New Year's Eve traditions to forward her explaining how she's basically been living under a rock her entire life, I found this entry from The Book of Ratings that absolutely cracked me up...

"It's always funny to hear people sing Scots poetry while wearing shiny hats. I usually try to get everyone to launch into "Johnie Lad, Cock Up Your Beaver" to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon" as an encore, but by then everyone's putting on coats and calling babysitters so it's never really gotten the ensemble treatment it deserves."

Their take on all the various New Year's Eve traditions are hilarious, so it's worth taking a look at before you head out for your end of the year revelry. I'm seriously thinking about forgoing the kissing at midnight so I can instead ring in the new year by standing on a chair eating grapes.

Holly Jolly Hollywood

David Gedge probably isn't the first person you'd think of to write a sentimental Christmas song. The first time The Wedding Present released a holiday single in 1992, the a-side was called "No Christmas," and the lyrics didn't contain a single reference to anything yuletide related. In fact it's probably one of the bleakest breakup songs he's ever penned. Of course, the b-side was a spirited cover of Elton John's "Step Into Christmas," so obviously he can get into the mood of the season.

This year the Weddoes have released a proper holiday single called "Holly Jolly Hollywood." It's a jovial duet with Simone White, and though it's closer in sound to Cinerama than any of The Wedding Present's recent releases, it's completely awesome. I first heard the acoustic version that is included on the EP a couple of weeks ago, and it really didn't do a lot for me. Last night I finally got around to downloading the proper version of the single, and I basically haven't stopped listening to it since. Maybe because it's because the arrangement has more pep in its step. Maybe it's Simone White's almost breathy vocals. Or maybe it's the fact that I'm feeling kind of smitten right now that has me susceptible to the song's charming sweetness. Whatever the reason, it has made an indelible mark on the soundtrack to my Christmas this year.

The Holly Jolly Hollywood EP is available exclusively on iTunes, and the video can be seen above. In addition to regular and acoustic versions of the title track, it also includes a very cool, subdued cover of "White Christmas."

Albums Of The Year 2008

When I first started doing the obligatory year end list a couple of years ago, I made a decision to limit it to my favorite five albums from the previous twelve months. It was partly because I like the aesthetics of a top five, but mostly it was to keep the focus on albums that I really, truly loved. Like most music geeks, I listen to a lot of music during the course of a year, and while I may really like a lot of them, there are only a few albums that I truly connect with.

That said, I had a really hard time limiting this list to just five albums. I seriously thought about expanding it into a...

You're probably wondering why this post just stopped. Unfortunately the original post was deleted by Blogger for some unknown reason (they never sent me notice), and I've had to recreate it based on a partial copy of it I found on Elbo.ws, and the raw data from Hype Machine's 2008 Music Zeitgeist. If it ever shows up on archive.org, I'll get the complete reviews reposted, but for now, here is what the list looked like.


1. The Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost

The Black Angels - "Doves" (mp3)


2. R.E.M. - Accelerate




3. The Duke Spirit - Neptune




4. Hotpipes - Future Bolt

Hotpipes - "The Future Is Where We Belong" (mp3)




5. Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords

Flight Of The Conchords - "Business Time" (mp3)

Honorable Mention:
The Wedding Present - El Rey
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Sunday At Devil Dirt
All We Seabees - MKUltra
Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Matthew Ryan - Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State

Happy Birthday Ol' Blue Eyes

I've mentioned before how I think today should be a national holiday. Really though, Frank Sinatra's birthday just gives me a good excuse to post a song by my favorite singer.

This song was recorded in August of 1991 for a children's charity album that was put together by his daughter Nancy. Several takes were done with his longtime pianist Bill Miller, but the final version ended up being with his son Frank Jr. on the keys. Sinatra hadn't been in a recording studio in three years at the time, and though there is a definite frailty evident in his voice, it seems to add a certain poignancy to the song. In 2004, these tracks were given significant studio polishing and fleshed out with a new orchestral arrangement by Johnny Mandel. Though the final result bears little resemblance to this original track, it turned out quite well. The new version can be found on Frank Sinatra: The Christmas Collection.

Frank Sinatra w/ Frank Sinatra Jr. - "Silent Night" (mp3) from 20 Christmas Stars II

Always Crush Me

I'm an infrequent contributor to Tuesday night trivia at the Flying Saucer. In the past six months, I've probably only been there like half a dozen times. But during that period, I had yet to miss on a music question, which made me like fifteen for fifteen or something. I hesitated on one last month, and only gauged my certainty at about 65 percent, but considering that the answer was *NSYNC, I didn't consider that a bad thing (and yes, I guessed correctly).

In baseball, there's an unwritten rule that you never mention a no hitter in progress, especially to the pitcher. And in my once-a-month appearances, I had established a rep as the go-to music guy... the closer of pop culture queries. So after our group won last month, a friend mentioned to the rest of the crew that I had yet to miss on a music question. From that point on I felt doomed.

Last night the law of averages finally caught up with me. I was flying high going into the final round. Not only had I aced the first music question of the night , but I also nailed two movie questions and a sports question. But when the second music question of the evening came up, I drew a blank.

The question was "What song contains the lyric 'My jobs ain't a job, it's a damn good time.'" I'm sure at this point, half of you reading this know the answer. And I should have. I own the fucking album. But I had nothing. No inkling, no educated guess, not even a wild stab in the dark. It was pathetic.

Am I blowing this way out of proportion? Yeah, probably. But this stung. A lot. It's not just a chink in the armour... it's a giant hole in the cataphract that is my pride.

Unless You Hate Baby Jesus...

When Aimee Mann released One More Drifter In The Snow in 2006, she promoted it with a Christmas variety show tour that combined songs, skits and storytelling from her and various special guests. To promote the tour, she did a couple of short videos in which she conspires with Paul F. Tompkins on the best way to ask her various celebrity friends to participate. Part 1 stars John Krasinski, Emily Procter, Patton Oswalt, and a great cameo that I won't ruin by telling you about it beforehand...



Part 2 features Bob Odenkirk and Fred Armisen, and part 3 has bits with Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell. They're all pretty funny, so if you're looking for something to kill a few minutes at work today... you're welcome.

Aimee's 3rd annual Christmas tour kicks off it's east coast swing tonight in Ridgefield, CT, and continues through the 19th. The remaining tour dates and ticket info can be found here.

Aimee Mann - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (mp3) from One More Drifter In The Snow

Santa Claus Is Coming...

It's December 3, and I haven't posted any Christmas songs yet this year. Let's fix that...

Like a lot of music aficionados, I pick up a lot of weird CDs if it looks interesting and it's cheap enough. Quite a while back I got a copy of MAS! A Caribbean Christmas Party for like two bucks. It was put out by Rykodisc, who's stuff usually doesn't suck, and I'm always up for adding something new to my Christmas music library. Honestly, most of the CD didn't make much of an impression, except for this song. It popped up on my ipod yesterday and immediately brought a huge smile to my face. I could try to describe it to you, but words don't do it justice. You just have to hear it. Seriously. It's completely awesome, and one of my absolute favorite Christmas tracks.

Joseph Spence - "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" (mp3)

Apparently this song was recorded in Boston just a few days after the Bahamas born Spence saw snow for the first time in his life. Knowing that makes this performance even better.

Love Take Me Down To The Streets

Last weekend I went to see Role Models. I had a pretty good idea going into it that I'd like it, since it was directed by David Wain, and starred Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks (one of the few blondes to ever make my celebrity crush list), and nearly half the cast of The State. I didn't just like it though... it was one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.

So why am I writing about it on a music blog? Because it's chalk full of music jokes. There are so many Kiss references (this one is my favorite) that you'd almost think they paid for product placement (and given Gene Simmons' history I wouldn't be surprised if they did). But the one that really got me was a recurring joke about a Wings song that doesn't exist. During the movie, a couple of characters briefly sing the hook to the chorus of the madeup song. So I was a bit surprised when the credits rolled and I suddenly heard the voice of Paul McCartney, singing the imaginary Wings track. I started thinking that maybe they dug up some unreleased track, or got Sir Paul to record a new track for the movie. After sitting through the music credits, it turned out to be none of the above. The song was written by cast member A.D. Miles and Charles Gansa, who's written music for several of the the ex-State members movies, and sung by Joey Curatolo, who plays Paul in the Beatles tribute act Rain. And it's uncanny how much it sounds EXACTLY like Wings. They absolutely nailed the production, and Curatolo is a dead ringer for McCartney... he even nails that half assed scream that Macca does.

"Love Take Me Down (To The Streets)" (mp3) from the Role Models soundtrack

There is no soundtrack for the movie (NOTE: there is now), so it took some hunting to track down this MP3. The song can also be heard playing in the background of the website for the fictional Sturdy Wings organization.

An Ethical Dilemma

So it turns out my old high school band has an alumni page on Facebook. If I join it, does that make me the biggest geek ever?

Old Religion Redefined

The Sisters of Mercy, with Hypernova
House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
Friday, November 28, 2008

Note: After being fairly disappointed with the last Sisters Of Mercy show I saw in Atlanta in 2006, I decided to sit this year's tour out. My friend Tyge is a bigger (better?) fan than I am, and that combined with the fact that he didn't have to travel to see them meant he caught their concert in Las Vegas last week. This review is the first, and hopefully not last, of his guest blogger posts.

A few months ago I wrote a post anticipating this past Friday's Sisters of Mercy concert. It was their third time playing at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues and the fifth Sister's show I've attended. My expectations were held with caution given their history of live performances; their shows can range from brilliant to painful. Appropriately enough, the Vegas show fell on Black Friday, which as any Sisters fan knows is a good sign.

Iranian transplants Hypernova opened the show with a tight 30 minute set. It took a few minutes to realize they reminded me of a raw, energetic version of fellow New Yorkers Interpol. I liked them enough to buy their cd, which they told us to do at the end of every song. After listening to it, I can hear the Interpol influence even more. Good stuff.

With an instrumental version of "Afterhours" playing, the lights dimmed and the smoke thickened. Guitarists Ben Christo (formerly of Alkaline Trio) and Chris Catalyst took the stage as helmsman Andrew Eldritch lurked in the shadows between them. The first song was a new one, "Crash and Burn," and the audience just stood and stared, not sure how to react. Thankfully the song segued with Doktor Avalanche (the omnipotent drum machine) pulsating into "Ribbons" and the masses responded with an energy that would remain for the rest of the show.

The sound wasn't as loud and distorted like many of their past shows. Yes, Eldritch's vocals were still a bit drowned-out, which made appreciating the new songs difficult (they did at least four). In fact, with Eldritch's new take on some old songs, it was difficult to recognize even them until he started singing ("Detonation Boulevard" and yes, "This Corrosion"). You'd think with the female voices on "Boulevard" being sequenced, so would be the case with the choir introducing "Corrosion," but no. The audience caught on fast though and didn't seem to mind. I know I didn't.

The show covered the gamut of the old ("Marian," "Alice," and "Giving Ground," played consecutively) to the lesser old ("Dominion," both "Floods," and "Something Fast") with the brand new stuff peppered among them. Christo played lead guitar effortlessly; he made the painstaking repetitive lead on songs like "Alice" and "Temple of Love" look easy, and you could tell he was loving it. Catalyst didn't get to enjoy the same amount of spotlight time, although he shined particularly well on "First and Last and Always" - while Eldritch was off stage, undoubtedly taking a cigarette break (HOB is now a non-smoking venue).

I saw no signs of the recently rumored lip syncing, and really, the proof is in the blood pudding; the fact that the vocals were not up to par negates any suspicion. The show was 21 and over which hurt attendance. A quick head-count on the main floor tallied about 500, with another 100 or so scattered about the bar and in the balcony. The 2006 Sister's show was all ages and much more crowded with teenage goths, which made me feel much, much older. As usual, Eldritch only flirted with the crowd with very little interaction. Not once did he announce the debut of a new song; he left it up to the audience to figure out.

The band returned with two encores. "Vision Thing" and "Lucretia" had the audience singing and screaming, while the finale, a brief instrumental followed by an abridged version of "Temple of Love," left me wanting to hear the song in it's entirety. Come on guys, what's an extra four minutes?

Was it the best Sisters of Mercy show I've seen? No. The worst? Far from it. I, along with the rest of the crowd, left the show satiated. It was just what the Doktor ordered; a dose of industrial carnage to remind us that The Sisters are still at it, still grinding their axes against the stone, and that we have not been forsaken.

The Sisters of Mercy - "We Are The Same, Susanne" (mp3) unreleased

Tyge blogs regularly at The Neon Lounge.

Waiting For The Siren's Call

The Duke Spirit are playing in Nashville this Sunday, November 30 at the Exit/In. Last time they came to town, I wrote a post extolling their virtues and pointing out a myriad of reasons why you should check them out. This time I'll let them speak for themselves, other than to say I promise you it'll be awesome.


The Duke Spirit - "Send A Little Love Token" (mp3) from Neptune

Eulogies and The Black Fortys open the show, and rock o' clock is at 8 pm. If you need more convincing, check out The Nashville Scene's preview.

Love and Some Verses

Iron & Wine, with Blitzen Trapper
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Sunday, November 23, 2008

I've often lamented on here that despite being obsessed with music, I sometimes feel like I can't keep up with it. Sunday night was another example that despite my best efforts, I seem to be increasingly out of touch with what's going on. I was surprised when I first heard that Iron & Wine were playing the Ryman, and I was even more surprised that they were able to fill the place. There were a few empty seats in the top corners of the balcony, but other than that it was basically packed with enthusiastic fans.

The first part of their set felt more like a recital than a concert. Sam Beam spent the initial half hour with just his guitar and his sister Sarah on harmony vocals, with occasional accompaniment on piano and accordion. After several songs of subdued acoustic mellowness, he brought out the rest of his five piece band, and the evening's arrangements became increasingly more exotic. Beam announced at the beginning of the show that he was battling a cold, and for the rest of the night the breaks between songs were peppered with reminders from the audience for him to drink his tea. There were also multiple declarations of love shouted out, almost entirely from dudes. As Sam himself pointed out at one point, at least no one called for "Freebird."

Blitzen Trapper opened the show with a set that was like a tour through the wonderful world of late 60s/early 70s rock. The Portland sextet kicked off the evening with a couple of jaunty pop tunes. Mid-set, singer Eric Earley strapped on an acoustic guitar, and suddenly seemed to be channeling the spirit of Bob Dylan. Once he put away the harmonica, the band wrapped up their set with a pair of psychedelic freakouts. It felt a bit weird to have the opening act be so much more animated than the headliner, but for a Sunday night show at country music's mother church, it worked surprisingly well.

Iron and Wine - "Innocent Bones" (mp3) from The Shepherd's Dog
Blitzen Trapper - "Furr" (mp3) from Furr

photo by Laura O'Neil

Lambchop does Gedge

Lambchop is one of my favorite Nashville bands. The Wedding Present is one of my favorite bands ever. This song was in my inbox when I got home tonight. It's a match made in music geek heaven.

Lambchop - "Kennedy (Live)" (mp3) recorded live in Warsaw, Poland on 11/14/08

Graffiti Indoor Advertising

Ad in the men's room at the Gold Rush...



Who the fuck serenades his girlfriend with a bass guitar?

Your Black Star = Workers

It's not that uncommon to see a band change its name. Many get to the point where once they start to garner some attention outside of their hometown, they find out there is a band in Latvia that has dibs on their moniker, or there was some obscure 60's one hit wonder whose last remaining member vehemently defends the rights to their former glory. But unless your name is Prince, it's rare to see a band have a name change after seven years and four albums. So I was a bit surprised earlier this week when I got a myspace bulletin from Louisville's Your Black Star announcing they are now known as Workers. I thought that maybe all the recent talk of the rampant socialism that is apparently infecting our society (according to Fox News) had inspired them to pay tribute to the proletariat, but it turns out it's much simpler than that...

"We hated it. It's a difficult name to explain to new people ("Your what?") and it's easy to get wrong. In truth we've wanted to change it for quite a while but never got around to it."

I can testify firsthand to the confusion that their old name sometimes inspired. I got the "Your Black what?" comment more than once when talking to people about them. So while their new nom de guerre may be much less google-able, it wins out on being simple and succinct. So... same members, same songs, just a new name.

The first release under the new name will be their self-titled fifth album, Workers. Recorded in Austin this summer with producer Erik Wofford (The Black Angels, Explosions In The Sky, Snowden), it's scheduled for release at the end of January. I got a sneak peak at it today, but I honestly can't tell you much about it, because I haven't been able to stop listening to the opening track. With its echo drenched guitar riffs and absolutely monstrous drums, it's jaw-droppingly awesome. Even if the rest of the album is only half this good, it'll be one hell of a record.

Workers - "Revolutions" (mp3)

UPDATE (11/18/08): So in the past few days, I've finally managed to get past the first song on the album, and... holy shit. It's fucking amazing. It's been on nonstop repeat on my Ipod since last Friday. And as great as this song is, it's not even the best track on the album. I don't want to say too much about it since I still have to write a proper review of it, and the release date isn't for another two months, but it's easily the best thing the guys have done (and that's saying a lot, I loved Sound From The Ground). If it weren't for the fact it won't be out until January, it'd be my favorite album of 2008. It's already safe to say it'll be at the top of my list for 2009.

And in case you're late to the movie and need to be caught up on the plot to date, here are a couple of tracks from their back catalog...

Your Black Star - "Surrounded" (mp3) from Sound From The Ground
Your Black Star - "Lousy Smarch Weather" (mp3) from Your Black Star/Drumkan

Live! Tonight!

I still haven't quite come down from our historic election, and I'm giddy that in few weeks we're going to have a president who has the judgement to start us on our way out of the huge messes we've found ourselves in during the past eight years. But I need to stop blathering on about democracy and get back to being, you know... a music blog. So here's my tip to help you get your weekend started off right (and a little bit early).

Go see All We Seabees.

If you've been here before, you already know that they're one of my favorite bands, cuz I talk about them a lot. Their new album, MKultra, is incredible, and they're an amazing live band. But why should you take my word for it when you can listen for yourself?

All We Seabees - "Alt. Country" (mp3) from MKultra

They play tonight (Thursday, Nov. 6) at The 5 Spot in East Nashville, along with Hammertoch and The Bohannons. Then on Saturday, November 8, they're in Murfreesboro at Mainstreet along with their Cephalopod labelmates Umbrella Tree.

New Day Rising

A mini-mix for the day after.

Velocity Girl - "I Can't Stop Smiling" (mp3) from Simpatico
Peggy Lee - "It's A Good Day" (mp3) from The Best of Miss Peggy Lee
Frank Sinatra - "The House I Live In" (mp3) from Portrait of Sinatra

As perfect as that last song is for today, two verses that were not included in Sinatra's version are especially fitting for present day events...

"The house I live in,
My neighbors white and black,
The people who just came here,
Or from generations back;
The town hall and the soapbox,
The torch of liberty,
A home for all God's children;
That's America to me.

The house I live in,
The goodness everywhere,
A land of wealth and beauty,
With enough for all to share;
A house that we call Freedom,
A home of Liberty,
And it belongs to fighting people
That's America to me."

I'm not sure I've ever felt as patriotic as I feel today.

High Hopes

I usually don't like to do reposts of mp3s I've previously had up, but today seems like the perfect day to share this one again...

Frank Sinatra - "High Hopes (Kennedy Campaign Version)" (mp3)

For all you completists out there, Zorch's Inner Sanctum has the flipside of this rare single, along with a bunch of other campaign songs from 50's and 60's.

I haven't been this excited about a presidential election in... well, ever. For the first time in my life, I voted for a candidate that I truly like and believe in, rather than the lesser of two evils. And it felt kind of awesome. It was nice walking into the booth two weeks ago with a sense of enthusiasm, rather than the dread and borderline disgust I usually feel when I hit the vote button. It really felt like a privilege rather than a responsibility.

Regardless of who your candidate is, if you haven't already voted, get out and do it today. And if you need some extra motivation...

Hitchcock Presents

If Bing Crosby is considered the King of Christmas music, then Robyn Hitchcock should be recognized as the Prince of Halloween. For over thirty years the guy has made a career out of singing about the bizarre underbelly of life, as well as the lighter side of death and dying. While he's written absolutely perfect pop gems like "Beautiful Girl" or "So You Think You're In Love," and heartbreakingly gorgeous songs like "Glass Hotel" and "Arms Of Love," he's mostly known for surreal tales that would be a veritable wet dream for a Jungian analyst. Heck, a lot of his songs would make for great Halloween costumes... "The Man With The Lightbulb Head," "Balloon Man," "Happy the Golden Prince," "Surfer Ghost," and "Queen Elvis." So in honor of All Hallows' Eve, here's a mini mix of songs appropriate for today's festivities.

Robyn Hitchcock - "Sounds Great When You're Dead" (mp3) from I Often Dream Of Trains
The Soft Boys - "Sandra's Having Her Brain Out" (mp3) from A Can Of Bees
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - "Sleeping With Your Devil Mask" (mp3) from Globe of Frogs

Standing On The Shoulders of Giants

The Deep Vibration - Veracruz

Over the past few years, the term roots music has kind of become a dirty word. Too often it's been associated with former generic jam bands who suddenly decide to abandon their boring extended instrumental breaks and adopt four minute blues progressions. But when it's done right, it's a perfect description of artists that make a heartfelt exploration of the foundations of American music.

I wasn't the slightest bit familiar with The Deep Vibration before I saw their set at Next Big Nashville last month, but they made one hell of a first impression. I described them at the time as "Gram Parsons fronting Crazy Horse," and listening to their debut EP Veracruz, it's still an apt description. Their sound is quintessential American rock and roll; an amalgamation of blues, soul, country and folk. They may call Nashville home, but their roots are steeped in Memphis and Muscle Shoals. They recall the era in the late 60s and early 70s when the Rolling Stones discovered country, and arguably churned out music that was more American than most bands that called the States home. It takes most bands ten years to make the kind of record that they've managed to accomplish right out of the gate. The fact that a certified legend like Spooner Oldham or Gillian Welch are willing to lend their considerable talents to this debut should tell you all you need to know about just how good it is. The only negative thing I can say about them is that they have one of the dumbest band names I've ever heard, but when Lou Reed christens your band, I guess it's hard to argue.

The Deep Vibration - "Oklahoma City Woman Blues (Veracruz)" (mp3)

The Deep Vibration will be holding their record release show this Friday, October 24 at The Basement in Nashville. The Explorers Club and Vermicious K'Nids round out the bill. Cover is a measly seven bucks, and includes a copy of the new EP.

Is that Dave Coulier?

By now you've probably already seen the literal version of A-Ha's "Take On Me." If not, go watch it right now. It's hilarious.

That video proved to be so popular that the guys at Dust Films have done a sequel, taking on Tears For Fears' "Head Over Heels." And believe it or not, it's even funnier. If VH1 has any sense at all, they've already offered these guys a deal for their own show. I don't think I could ever get tired of watching these.

It's For You

The Wedding Present
North Star Bar, Philadelphia, PA
Friday, October 10, 2008

In the indie music world, most bands tend to be fairly fan friendly, keeping their ticket prices reasonable and their merchandise priced to move. And it's generally not hard to track down a band member after the show to congratulate them on a job well done. But when it comes to accessibility to fans, The Wedding Present's David Gedge takes the cake. How many bands can you name that have been around for over twenty years where the lead singer can be found hanging out by the merch table literally from the time the doors open until the band takes the stage?

Local Philadelphia band Brown Recluse Sings opened last Friday's show. Their singer had the mannerisms and the boots of a young John Lennon, but their music was obviously filtered through a lifetime membership in the Stuart Murdoch fan club. They got off to a somewhat slow start, but their bookish anglo pop seemed to pick up energy as their set went on. (Sidenote - why is it that having a trumpet player in your band automatically makes you sound British?) Brooklyn's The Jealous Girlfriends were up next. With raspy vocals riding waves of buzzing guitars over a bed of fat synth sounds, they provided a modern take on the early 90s shoegazer sound. They were one of the best opening acts I've seen in quite some time.

The Weddoes 75 minute set ran the gamut of their career, kicking off with their 1989 single "Kennedy" and closing with "Boo Boo," the penultimate track from their latest album. It seemed like there wasn't as much of Gedge's witty banter between songs this time out, perhaps due to the fact that the packed club was hot as hell, and didn't lend itself well to idle chit chat. Although there was a healthy dose of song from El Rey, it never felt like they were out promoting their newest record. The setlist was packed with fan favorites, although that didn't stop one bozo from calling for "Blue Eyes" six songs after they had already played it. After I saw them play "Suck" in Atlanta two years ago I felt like I could die and go to heaven. When they got to the end their set last week with the one-two punch of Seamonsters' "Dalliance" and "Dare," they ensured that I'd be spending eternity with a giant smile plastered across my face.

The Wedding Present - "Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft (Live)" (mp3) from Singles 1989-1991

photo by Tim Griffin

Underwater Explosions

Boston Spaceships - Brown Submarine

Robert Pollard once famously stated that he could write five songs while sitting on the toilet, and three of them would be good. Anyone who is the slightest bit familiar with the ex-Guided By Voices frontman's output over the years knows there is a lot of truth in that statement. The guy is a pop genius with a gift for packing catchy-as-hell melodies into quick two minute bursts. But ever since GBV broke up, it's felt like he has insisted on releasing all of the songs he's written on the crapper, not just the three-fifths that are good. Part of that might be the way he's recorded his solo albums for the past few years. Rather than go into the studio himself and hash things out, he's sent skeletal recordings of his songs to producer/multi-instrumentalist Todd Tobias, who then fleshed out the demos into fully realized recordings. Perhaps that way of working made it too easy for Uncle Bob to put every lyric and melody he dreamt up onto tape. His last few solo albums have certainly had some gems on them, but it felt like the ratio of great songs to filler was starting to slip.

For whatever reason, those quality control issues have been eliminated for his latest release. Maybe it's the fact that after several years of going it alone, he's back to being in a band. Boston Spaceships is rounded out by former GBV bassist Chris Slusarenko and Decemberists drummer Joen Moen, and the result of their collaboration is easily Pollard's best album in ten years. The press materials for Brown Submarine might promote the record's prog rock influences, but the overriding theme is best summed up by one of it's song titles... "Ready To Pop." All but one of the album's fourteen songs clock in at under three minutes, resulting in the tightest, most cohesive album Pollard has released since the GBV banner was retired four years ago. "Go For The Exit," "Two Girl Area," and "Andy Playboy" easily rank right up there with the best of the Bard of Dayton's body of work, while tracks like "Zero Fix" are powder kegs of pure pop/punk energy. Here's to hoping that this latest project isn't just a one off, and that Boston Spaceships can be seen in the night skies for quite some time.

Boston Spaceships - "Go For The Exit" (mp3)

Boston Spaceships play this Saturday, October 18, at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville, with openers The High Strung.

Get Your Vote On

If you've been watching TV lately, or reading the news, or just breathing, you probably know that there is a big election coming up. Well if you live in Nashville, that election starts tomorrow. Early voting begins on Wednesday, October 15. You can see a schedule of hours and locations here. And early voting really is the way to go. It's quick and convenient and WAY better than standing in line on November 4.

I'm not a big fan of mixing music and politics, so I'm not going to promote a particular candidate on here. But if you put two and two together, you can probably figure out who I'm voting for.

Sugar - "Changes" (mp3) from Copper Blue
Frank Sinatra - "High Hopes" (mp3) from The Capitol Years

You'll notice I didn't post this song.

Forth

The Verve - Forth

Richard Ashcroft needs Nick McCabe. It was obvious during the recording of Urban Hymns (prior to which the band had broken up, then reformed without the mercurial guitarist), and it's been especially obvious over the course of Ashcroft's three increasingly lackluster solo albums. Without McCabe there to provide to provide the spark of creative friction, Ashcroft has a tendency to descend into MOR blandness. Reforming The Verve is the best decision these two have ever made.

In general, the songs on Forth hearken back to the band's earlier jam-based writing approach (six of the ten tracks are credited to the band as a whole). "Love Is Noise" ranks right up there with the best songs they've ever released, and the appropriately titled "Noise Epic" recalls the psychedelic cacophony of their first album, A Storm In Heaven. Not surprisingly, the songs that Ashcroft wrote himself, such as "Rather Be" and "Valium Skies," sound very much like they could have been released a decade ago on Urban Hymns. The new album certainly isn't perfect ("Judas" kinda sounds like the worst song a on a recent U2 album), but it's definitely a welcome comeback for a band most of us thought we'd never hear from again.

(NOTE - This post had to be recreated because blogger deleted the original without notice. For that reason, there is no MP3)

One Way Road

The new Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul, comes out tomorrow. I should be writing about it right now, but despite the fact that I've had a copy of it for a week and a half, I haven't listened to it yet. I have heard the first single, "The Turning," and I quite dig it's almost prog rock groove. I guess the rest of the album will make for a nice soundtrack for my flight to Philly on Thursday.

So in lieu of an album review, here's a Monday morning b-side from the Manchester lads, from the Who Feels Love single.

Oasis - "One Way Road" (mp3)

Get Your Highbrow On

This Saturday, October 4, the Nashville Symphony will hold its 3rd Annual Free Day of Music at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Twenty-eight different groups will be performing over the course of the day, and while the program is obviously heavy on classical music, there is also jazz, bluegrass, and even Scottish Pipes and Drums for those seeking a bit of variety. Doors open at 11 am, and you can view the complete schedule here. In addition to all the free music offered that day, you can also take advantage of a 20% off discount on future concerts at the box office. More information on the day's events can be found here.

As I pointed out last year, even if you're not much of a classical music fan, it's worth going down there just to see the building. It's absolutely gorgeous, and even the most casual music fan will appreciate the amazing acoustics in the Laura Turner Concert Hall.

Shirley Manson Takes The Piss

I'm usually not a big sci-fi fan, but last spring I got hooked on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I think it was because of one if not all of the following reasons:

1. Due to the writers strike, none of my other favorite shows were on.
2. Nostalgia from watching the original movie as a kid.
3. Summer Glau is ridiculously hot.

Season two started a couple of weeks ago, and one of the new characters they've introduced is a Terminator played by Shirley Manson. And not just any Terminator, one of those cool Robert Patrick style shapeshifting ones. Granted, the visual isn't nearly as awesome as it was in 1991 when the second movie first came out, but you gotta admit that having one of the 90s finest frontwomen play a urinal is kinda cool. Anyway, this seemed like a good excuse to post a monday morning b-side from Garbage. This song was released in 1996 on the Only Happy When It Rains single.

Garbage - "Girl Don't Come" (mp3)

The Titans Blow It Out

So there I am, sitting in the the stands at LP Field in the first quarter, watching the Titans take an early lead over the Viking en route to starting the season 4-0 for the first time in franchise history. And during a timeout, this song comes barrelling out of the giant endzone speakers...

The Features - "Blow It Out" (mp3) from Exhibit A

This was unbelievably cool. Not just because a local band was getting played at a NFL game, but because the music at LP Field is usually pretty... well, pedestrian. It's generally a steady diet of hip hop, classic rock and country, and if you haven't heard it on mainstream radio, you're not going to hear it in the stands. So to hear non-country locals getting some love was kind of awesome.

Of course, this feel good musical moment was almost erased from my memory during the second half when the fans chose Big & Rich's idiotic "Coming To Your City" over Van Halen's "Jump" as the AT&T Ringtone of the Game. Seriously Nashville?

The Return of Nashville Jumps

By far my favorite show on WRVU is Pete Wilson's Nashville Jumps. It's been a staple of my morning drives for ten years now, and when he took this past summer off, my Friday commute was sorely lacking. The very first time I stumbled onto his show in the fall of 1998, I heard the studio version this song, and I've been hooked ever since (this live take is twice as long, and twice as funny).

Louis Prima & Sam Butera - "Next Time (Live at Harrah's)" mp3 from The Capitol Recordings

Pete describes the music on his show as "jump blues, jumping jive, classic R&B, boogie woogie, jazz, and early, unbleached rock and roll." I would more succinctly describe it as ridiculously fun. The songs are often laced with innuendo and decidedly un-PC humor. You might hear Bull Moose Jackson inviting you to pull out his "bit ten inch.... record," or Margie Day asking "take out your false teeth daddy, momma wants to scratch your gums." You'll definitely hear tales of infidelity, drunken nights, and probably a little domestic violence for good measure. You're guaranteed to get songs from Louis Jordan and Wynonie Harris, and you just might catch something from Nat King Cole or Lady Ella as well.

After taking the summer off to attend to family matters, Pete is back on the air in his usual spot on Friday mornings from 8 til 10 am. You really won't find a better way to kick off the last day of the work week, so tune in to 91.1 FM if you live in Nashville, or listen live online at wrvu.org. If you can listen to this stuff without cracking a huge smile, you're made of stronger stuff than I am.

Wynonie Harris - "Bloodshot Eyes" (mp3) from Lovin' Machine

For more information on the show, check out the Nashville Jumps blog. You can also listen to the streaming archive of last week's show here, or check out past playlists.

Next Big Nashville 08 Friday Recap

Friday night's Next Big Nashville festivities got started with free booze and killer views at the pre-show reception at ICON. After two hours spent comparing notes with bloggers and band members, and getting an early start on the evening's drinking, it was definitely a good night to take advantage of the free shuttle service. I'm happy to report that they only missed on their "every 15 minutes" promise once. It's definitely the best way to get around at NBN, especially since Metro's finest were seen out in full force throughout the weekend.

Night two featured quite a bit of club hopping, but again focused primarily on dodging cars walking across Elliston. Reid & Wright were the first act of the evening, kicking off the Infinity Cat showcase with their experimental noise. I always learned if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything. So... later in the evening Cake Bake Betty took the stage at Exit/In for an engaging set of skewed piano pop.

Across the street at The End, the Birmingham based Skybucket Records were showcasing their label's rootsy Southern pop. Duquette Johnston turned in a solid set of alt-country, while Through The Sparks leaned more towards John Lennon's post-Beatles output. But of the three bands on the bill that I saw, the one who stole the show was the Dexateens, whose "Alabama Rock 'N Roll" sounded something like if Lynyrd Skynrd had jumped in a time machine and became an indie rock band instead of classic rock staples. Their three guitar attack was catchy as hell and ridiculously fun.

In between the Elliston club hopping, I caught the shuttle down to 12th & Porter where I was supposed to meet a friend. He never showed, but I did catch Ferraby Lionheart's solo acoustic set. While his indie folk tunes were great, it was definitely the kind of thing I'd probably have enjoyed more during this week's Americana Music Association festival. It was just a bit too mellow to be stuck in the middle of a rock showcase.

As the clock turned towards midnight, it was time to head down to the Cannery for Superdrag's headlining set. Starting early, the guys were on fire as they tore through a set packed with old favorites and a couple of new jams. After an all too brief forty-five minutes, they left the crowd desperately chanting for an encore, but all they got for their efforts was the cocktail jazz on the PA turned up louder and louder.

When I got to the afterparty at City Hall, The Dynamites were already well into their set. The band was tight as hell, laying down fat funky grooves and slower soul jams. Frontman Charles Walker was working the crowd like the veteran soulman he is, equal parts smooth crooner and R&B shouter. But despite the sizable crowd getting down in front of the stage, the room had kind of a weird vibe. There was a whole lot of weary mingling going on in the back as well, probably attributable to the fact that most of the crowd had been club hopping for at least six hours at that point. It was pushing 2 a.m. when I finally called it a night, and the band was still wailing into the night.

Dexateens - "What Money Means" (mp3)
Through The Sparks - "Falling Out Of Favor With The Neighbors" (mp3)

Photo of The Dynamites by Chris Wage. His NBN galleries can been seen here, here, here and here.

Next Big Nashville 08 Thursday Recap

When the schedule for Next Big Nashville came out, my first thought was how front loaded it was. It seemed that most of the bands I really liked were all playing on Thursday. This made for some tough decisions, but my goal for the weekend was to try to focus as much as possible on seeing bands that I wasn't as familiar with, or at least hadn't seen live yet. Unfortunately this meant passing up an obscenely awesome lineup at The Rutledge, but as great as the night turned out it was hard to be disappointed.

My original plan was to begin the evening by checking out some of the experimental lineup at the Anchor. Hollow Ox kicked off the evening with their trippy space rock, playing in front of a projection screen that combined with the setting in an old church made a fantastic visual companion to their sonic atmospherics. Unfortunately I only made it through one song because it was so fucking hot. Apparently the Anchor doesn't have air conditioning, and the fans they had blowing just weren't cutting it. I feel bad for the bands who were scheduled there that night, not only because the oppressive heat surely chased off any potential crowd, but also because I can't imagine having to perform in temperatures like that.

Wanting to beat a hasty retreat to somewhere with adequate AC, I headed for the Cannery, where L.A.'s Run Run Run was halfway through their set of ultra-polished alt-rock. They had a fifth member onstage running an impressive light show, although it was a bit odd seeing that kind of production in front of smallish early evening crowd.

The the bulk of my Thursday was spent shuffling back and forth between The End and Exit/In. At the former, Kindergarten Circus played their high school punk with the kind of enthusiasm that only teenagers can pull off, and Velcro Stars followed up with superb set of their infectious indie-pop ear candy. Hotpipes didn't exactly mesh with my goal of seeing bands I wasn't familiar with, since I'd seen them just five days prior. But I also didn't feel like I was cheating myself by seeing them again, because they were entirely awesome. Glossary closed out my evening on the Rock Block with an insanely great set of southern flavored rock.

I figured that I'd spend most of the evening at the Grand Palace showcase at The End, only popping over to the Exit/In to catch a couple of songs during set changes, but the bands playing the big room were all too good to play hit and run, and I ended up staying through the end of all of their sets. Paper Rival played a set of tight indie rock with lyrics that seemed to focus on big themes. The Deep Vibration might have won the award for the dumbest band name of the festival, but their music more than made up for it, coming off like Gram Parsons fronting Crazy Horse. Their set was incredibly well received, and apparently they wanted to thank the crowd by playing past their allotted set time. When turning off the lights and the PA didn't get the message across that it was time to stop, the soundman walked up front and cut the onstage power. The biggest surprise of the evening came courtesy of Skyblazer, another in a seemingly endless line of side projects from the Infinity Cat family. Comprised of members of JEFF the Brotherhood and Cake Bake Betty, their set of psychedelic jams was jaw droppingly awesome, like Black Sabbath with a chick singer. The only thing missing was a liquid light show.

It being a work night, I decided that I'd call it an early evening and started heading for home just before midnight, but at the last minute decided to pop into the 5 Spot to catch the tail end of Totally Snake. They must have started early, because I walked in just as their set was ending. But before the crowd could begin to dissipate, Party Cannon crashed the stage for an unannounced performance. Obviously more concerned with the party part of their name than actually playing music, they started spraying the crowd with silly string and tossing poppers on the stage in between short bursts of what I guess they call songs. The crowd was eating it up until someone lit up and entire handfull of sparklers which filled the club with smoke and sent most of the crowd scrambling outside gasping for air. And it was on that note that I called it a night.

Glossary - "Little Caney" (mp3)
Velcro Stars - "Cascade" (mp3)
Hollow Ox - "Badminton In December" (mp3)

Photo of Glossary by Lance Conzett. His Next Big Nashville gallery can be seen here.

Next Big Nashville 2008 Previews

Last night marked the opening festivities of Next Big Nashville, the local rock scene's third annual celebration of great music and even greater alcohol consumption. Last year's festival was one of the highlights of my year, and this year promises to equally great. With some 250 artists playing over five nights at sixteen different venues, trying to decide who to see can be a bit overwhelming. So to help you out, here are my recommendations. I can personally attest that each one of this acts put on a great live show, and I'm happy to give them the Page 300 Seal of Approval (apologies in advance for being very brief and recycling old comments, but I've got a lot of ground to cover).

Without a doubt, the best bill of the festival takes place on Thursday at The Rutledge. If you can only make one showcase this week, this is the one to catch.

Altered Statesman - Psychedelic soul with lyrics like beat poetry.
Thursday at The Rutledge, 8:45 pm

Altered Statesman - "Lightning Rod" (mp3)

Eastern Block - I'd never heard of these guys before I saw them open for Ladyhawk earlier this year, and I was absolutely blown away. Kinda like an American version of Bloc Party.
Thursday at The Rutledge, 9:30 pm

And The Relatives - Garage rock that will appeal to the Pixies fan in everyone.
Thursday at The Rutledge, 10:15 pm

All We Seabees - If you've been reading this blog for the past week, you already know how much I love these guys. With the release of MKUltra, they've expanded on their folk rock roots to simply become of Nashville's best bands.
Thursday at The Rutledge, 11 pm

All We Seabees - "Howard" (mp3)

Hannah Barbarians and Eureka Gold round out this bill. But as absolutely fabulous as that lineup is, there are plenty of other plenty of other great options worthy of checking out, especially on Thursday. The best of the rest...

Amanda Shires - Chances are you'll be smitten with this alt-country chanteuse the minute she steps on stage. And after you've heard her singing and fiddling, you'll probably be ready to propose. More than just a pretty face, she represents everything thats great about country music.
Thursday at 3rd & Lindsley, 9:30 pm

The Pink Spiders - Their first NBN appearance was infamous for their showdown with the production crew, and last year a puke break was a highlight of their set. At this point they are more notorious for their antics and lineup changes than their music, but whatever happens it's sure to be entertaining.
Thursday at Cannery Ballroom, 10:30 pm

Lylas - With Halloween just around the corner, their brand of macabre/romantic folk pop is just what you need to put you in the proper frame of mind.
Thursday Douglas Corner, 11 pm

Hollow Ox - Ambient instrumental soundscapes perfect for getting your head lost in.
Thursday at The Anchor, 8 pm

Hollow Ox - "The Fields Are Cold" (mp3)

Timbre - Bridging the gap between classical and indie, this band of siblings is chamber pop in the truest sense of the word. Imagine Sigur Ros if they only used orchestral instruments.
Thursday at The Anchor, 9:30 pm

Hotpipes - I'm not sure there is a better band in town right now. Future Bolt easily wins my vote for the best local release of the year.
Thursday at The End, 10:15 pm

The Nobility - If you think pop music started sucking around once we flipped the calendar into the 1970s, these retro tunesmiths will appeal to your longing for the golden days.
Friday at The 5 Spot, 11 pm

The Nobility - "Halleluiah Chorus" (mp3)

Jennifer Nicely - Imagine a young Billie Holiday fronting Chris Isaak's Silvertones.
Friday at The Basement, 8 pm

Cortney Tidwell - Based on the new material she's been performing at recent shows, her next album will take her ethereal pop in a much rockier direction, but it's still absolutely gorgeous.
Friday at Cannery Ballroom, 8:45 pm

Cortney Tidwell - "Missing Link" (mp3)

Superdrag - What needs to be said about these guys at this point? Probably Tennessee's finest rock band.
Friday at Cannery Ballroom, 12:15 am

The Howlies - Chances are this will be the most ridiculously fun set of the week. They wrap up everything that's great about rock and roll in quick three minute bursts.
Saturday at Exit/In, 10:30 pm

Caitlin Rose - If you like country songstresses old school with a healthy dose of wit, this will be right up your alley.
Saturday at The Basement, 9:30 pm

Plex Plex - On record, they are a lot closer to their early 80's electronic influences, but live they come off like Karen O fronting The Killers.
Saturday at The Rutledge, 11:45 pm

Check out the complete schedule here, and head out secure in the knowledge that wherever you end up going over the next four days, you're guaranteed to discover some amazing local and regional talent.