Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers: New album update & NEW acoustic show

Fuel readers may remember that my first interview in this forum was a lovely conversation with the articulate and musically passionate Roger Clyne (of The Peacemakers and The Refreshments fame). I wanted to pass along an update email from Clyne with news of a new album and their wonderful bi-annual (or is it semi-annual? two times a year) Mexico show coming up next weekend. I think you can still get tickets (anyone up for a spontaneous Mexico trip?). He’s also touring (as always) in the coming months, including another stop through these Colorado parts on November 11th. Again, he always puts on an enthusiastic rock ‘n’ roll show, really pouring everything he’s got into it. See him if you can.

I also am pleased to present two new songs and some beloved favorites performed acoustically three days ago on Arizona’s Mix 96.9. Those can be found at the end of the post.

Dear Happy and Important Person,

I write you on a stormy full moon eve just a few hours before RCPM [Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers] ventures again into the recording studio to begin work on our next album. For reasons I’m apprehensive to admit, this year has streaked and sneaked by more quickly than any other I can almost remember. Here are some things I can recall. I know your time is precious, so I’ll try to keep this brief.

The first two-thirds of Roger Clyne’s year in review:
- RCPM toured when it was cold.
- I finally read “Life of Pi” and now understand why everyone kept badgering me about it.
- I can’t remember much more about the early part of the year until P.H. broke his collarbone.
- I got to outfit the whole band and crew in pirate garb and write it off!
- In May we again played our concert in Rocky Point, Mexico (in aforementioned pirate garb) where the audience (and band) consumed the most beer and spirits ever assembled in the state of Sonora in a mere 3 hours! The Sunset Cantina says it will not be caught off guard again in October. Sure, sure…
- I sailed across the Sea of Cortez. On the way back, the wind was howling and the waves were huge and there were sharks prowling around the boat. I want to go again.
- Steve and I got into a couple of big, loud fights together. I feel closer to him now.
- I climbed halfway up Mt. Rainier with Ed Viesturs and Peter Whittaker and hurt myself. Had to come down… shit. I want to go again.
- I got to tour with Cracker.
- I visited Tequila, Mexico where I believe I had a great time…(more on that as the photos develop).
- My dog taught me to run him around the block.
- I kept writing songs.

Tomorrow we’ll break ground on RCPM’s 4th studio album. We’ve Shanghaied Clif Norrell to be our producer, mixer and engineer. (He wore all those same hats when The Refreshments recorded Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big and Buzzy. He also played the mariachi trumpet lines on “Mexico.” I’ve asked that he bring his horn, just in case…) His job is to keep the band locked in the studio until we’ve recorded all 17 of the new songs. The studio nestles up to a very good microbrewery. Good luck, Clif.

Mexico…I’m going to live out one of my semi-adult fantasies again and play in a rock and roll band in a big dirt lot across the street from a hotel on the beach at a cantina with taco stands and cerveza and tequila and fireworks and stars the moon and throngs of friendly singing women and men and girls and girls and bad hats and good smiles and high spirits and more good stuff than I care not to punctuate…

This October, by some small milagro, we’ve managed to grow Circus Mexicus by 100% in duration. The gates to the Sunset Cantina will open on FRIDAY night, October 13th where and when our friends Shurman, Tramps & Thieves and some other special desperados will rock the joint!

On Saturday the 14th, we’ve the distinct pleasure to have Todd Snider join us to kick off the show. RCPM will inherit the remainder of the night and early morning. We’ve fooled someone, somehow, this time and did it all without anyone noticing that we didn’t raise the ticket price. Get it while you can, amigo. See you there.

Stay unbound and unwound,
Roger Clyne

*************************************************

TUNES:

Roger Clyne (guitars and vocals) & PH Naffah (drums)
Mix 96.9 Radio, Phoenix. October 4, 2006
All songs are acoustic live in-studio
01 – “Banditos“
02 – Interview
03 – “Mexico“
04 – Interview
05 – “Noisy Head“ (new!)
06 – Interview
07 – “Americano!“

And a recording of another new song, from a concert in Sept 2006:

“Hello New Day” – Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers

Win yourself a nice little soundtrack from Sofia Coppola’s new one

Sofia Coppola has a superb ear for movie soundtracking, as she revealed to everyone notably with Lost in Translation in 2003. Her newest project is the Marie-Antoinette biopic/dramatization starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Asia Argento and Molly Shannon. Take a look at the songs on the soundtrack; I think you’ll agree that even if the verdict is mixed on how well she reinvents this old story, the soundtrack certainly is daring and interesting.

CONTEST: Thanks to the promo folks, I’ve got a nice little soundtrack double disc set to give away to the person who can leave me a comment about who assembles the best movie soundtracks and why. Specific examples, people. This is a passion of mine. I look forward to hearing what you think, and will completely arbitrarily pick the one I like best. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you, and the contest ends October 20th (when the movie comes out). OH! And you also get a movie poster, pin, and nail polish (paging Jared Leto).

Marie-Antoinette Soundtrack
DISC 1
01. “Hong Kong Garden” – Siouxsie & The Banshees
02. “Aphrodisiac” – Bow Wow Wow
03. “What Ever Happened” – The Strokes
04. “Pulling Our Weight” – The Radio Dept.
05. “Ceremony” – New Order
06. “Natural’s Not In It” – Gang of Four
07. “I Want Candy (Kevin Shields Remix)” – Bow Wow Wow
08. “Kings Of The Wild Frontier” – Adam & The Ants
09. “Concerto in G” – Antonio Vivaldi / Reitzell
10. “The Melody Of A Fallen Tree” – Windsor For The Derby
11. “I Don’t Like It Like This” – The Radio Dept.
12. “Plainsong” – The Cure

DISC 2
01. “Intro Versailles” – Reitzell / Beggs
02. “Jynweythek Ylow” – Aphex Twin
03. “Opus 17″ – Dustin O’Halloran
04. “Il Secondo Giorno (Instrumental)” – Air
05. “Keen On Boys” – The Radio Dept.
06. “Opus 23″ – Dustin O’Halloran
07. “Les Baricades Misterieuses”* – Francois Couperin / Reitzell
08. “Fools Rush In (Kevin Shields Remix)” – Bow Wow Wow
09. “Avril 14th” – Aphex Twin
10. “K. 213″ – Domenico Scarlatti / Reitzell
11. “Tommib Help Buss” – Squarepusher
12. “Tristes Apprets..” – Jean Philippe Rameau / W. Christie
13. “Opus 36″- Dustin O’Halloran
14. “All Cats Are Grey” – The Cure

Take a peep at the trailer:

How much do I have to pay them to never play “Hold My Hand” again?

Jerry Yeti always makes me laugh, and this recent commentary on how much it will set you back to hire various bands to play a show (your college, birthday party, backyard fiesta, what have you) is no exception.

I find it interesting that Hootie and his Blowfish companions cost more than Death Cab For Cutie (almost double what DCFC is charging during their so-called Springtime clearance sale).

Hootie? $100,000? Really?
Jerry’s commentary is here, and the original list is here.

The return of Luscious Jackson

Luscious Jackson was a fantastically chill all-female band in the ’90s that blended “alternative” rock with smooth hip hop and a love for different genres. Founding members Jill Cunniff and Kate Schellenbach met when Kate was drumming for the Beastie Boys and Jill went to interview her for a zine (have I told my theory how zines were the original blogs?). Things clicked, a mutual appreciation grew, and Luscious Jackson was born. They named their nascent band after a basketball player from the Philly 76ers (like all the best bands do).

Their eclectic 1996 album Fever In, Fever Out (produced by Daniel Lanois) is a personal favorite of mine, and I saw them at the Catalyst Club in Santa Cruz on that tour. I remember it being a great show. Electric Honey (1999) was a bit more upbeat, but every bit as wonderful and varied. Therefore, I was sad when they broke up in 2000 but thanks to this article, I now know that there is a reunion in the works. Hooray!

Instead of underground NYC clubs and late-night jam sessions, the ladies of Luscious Jackson are hip mamas now, PTA members and carpool drivers. However, they have not denied their desire to rock, and like many fine parents they are driven to create some kid music that doesn’t suck. Hence, an album of kid-oriented music is their next release.

“It’s like Luscious Jackson with a kids’ angle,” Cunniff says. “It’s not goofy kids’ music — it’s dance-y and has Luscious Jackson beats, but the [lyrical] content is pretty silly. It’s been so much fun and so easy to do: That’s when you know things are going in the right direction.” The album is currently title-less (although Jill votes for “It’s All Goo”) and label-less, but the ladies are hoping for a 2007 release.

Jill is releasing a solo album in February on The Militia Group label, entitled City Beach. There are some sound samples on her MySpace and it is a very enjoyable return to sultry/hip form from this cool chanteuse.

Here are some Luscious Jackson songs for you to enjoy if you haven’t heard these gals in the past. Again, I recommend you pick up Fever In, Fever Out. And I would posit that Luscious Jackson has made kids’ music before — I know many 3-year-olds that would argue “Naked Eye” as their theme song: “Wearing nothing is divine, naked is a state of mind. I take things off to clear my head, to say those things I haven’t said . . .”

“Naked Eye” – Luscious Jackson
(from Fever In, Fever Out)

“Under Your Skin” – Luscious Jackson
(from Fever In, Fever Out)

“Fantastic Fabulous” (featuring Debbie Harry) – Luscious Jackson
(from Electric Honey)

Do not play dice with this man

Ben Kweller rocked the Gothic Theatre in Denver last night, and he is set to do it all over again tonight in Boulder. I wish I could go again because it was a hot show.

From the moment Ben stepped onstage with his own concert t-shirt on (modified into a sleeveless contraption of some sort) and shook that shaggy hair, we were off and flying. Although Ben plays all the instruments himself on his fine new album, that’s not gonna work so well live (unless you have one of those wearable accordion/harmonica/drum dealies with a cymbal on the side).

On the tour he’s got a tight backing band, and the show opened with “Penny On The Train Track” (love love love it), followed by a scorching rendition of “Run.” His new album sounds even better live, if that’s possible.

His mostly electric show worked through old songs and new, with a nice acoustic breather in the middle and a piano segment (during which he dedicated “Thirteen” to Liz and Dorian Kweller, the wifey and baby). Speaking of his baby, Ben was spotted out in the crowd during opening act Sam Roberts Band wearing little Dorian in a Baby Bjorn while the tot sported noise-blocking headphones. Start ‘em young, I say! It’s great to see Ben enjoying being a new daddy, and still managing to effortlessly rock his way through the haze of sleeplessness. In my opinion the man should reproduce boldly & repetitively because his tunes have only gotten richer through his growth as a husband and a father. I guess we’d have to see what his wife thinks of that idea.

I highly recommend catching Ben on one of his remaining stops this tour. He’s got a few more weeks of U.S. dates before rocking Europe. The set was nicely varied between older material (“Family Tree,” “Hospital Bed,” “Commerce, TX,” “Wasted & Ready”) and many tunes off the new album. Ben clearly enjoys what he is doing, and is an excellent songwriter — varying between classic slacker anthems, gorgeous love songs, and rockin’ the party riffs.

Check out this performance of “I Gotta Move,” definitely one of my favorite tracks on his new album — it was superb last night (sorry for the loud fuzzy spots on the audio, as usual):

After the show Ben very amicably greeted fans and chatted on cell phones to several elated folks who couldn’t make the show. He is very approachable and friendly, which is always refreshing. Later that night he helped take all my money (okay, like $4) in several rounds of the dice game Cee-Lo (named after our favorite Gnarls Barklian? or vice versa?). I was having a hard time getting the dice to land on the table. I was surprised how much trouble I was having, likely because I am retarded.

Fab musician, gambling whiz, and all along (if you note in the picture there) the new dad had a pacifier in his hand. Aah, the rock ‘n’ roll paterfamilias. Awesome.

See The Mugs tonight in Denver, free

Last month I included a fetching little band from Brooklyn in my Monday Music Roundup: The Mugs. I just found out they are playing tonight in Denver for FREE at Bender’s Tavern on 13th Avenue. As I wrote before, The Mugs have quite a fine little self-produced debut album with Paper Scissors Rock (on SkinnyFat Records), which draws comparisons to the intelligent moodiness of The Smiths or the humble jangle of The Shins. Catchy, enjoyable stuff.

Go see them tonight from 7-8pm if you get a chance! I am going to try and stop by before the Ben Kweller show.

“Broken Signals” – The Mugs

Monday Music Roundup

Okay, this could be the most entertaining site I’ve come across in a while. Gizoogle.com will translate any website into “jive” (and yes, the silver rims spin on the real page header). So for example, my recent post on Tom Luce becomes the following:

“…A fizzy gutted tha apartment of lead wannabe gangsta Tom Luce (izzy is truly one of tha funky assst & sincerest guys you’ll meet) cuz I put gangsta rap on tha map. They is appear’n at a benefit concert tomorrow nizzay, W-H-to-tha-izzich I am pleazed ta report is sold out. Tom Luce appeared on tha KFOG Spendin’ Show on Monday n tha response ta they upcom’n shizzow has been phenomizzles.”

See, I never knew I had all that in me. Think of all the fun we can have with this site. Aweshizzle.

THIS WEEK’S TUNES:

Cartoon Music For Super Heroes
Albert Hammond Jr.
Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. cuts into solo mode with a thoroughly enjoyable upcoming album Yours To Keep. While there is still a Stroke-ing feel to this collection, it is definitely NOT a Strokes record. Someone has been listening to a lot of Beach Boys, and the retro melodic inflections throughout this album are a very nice touch. Guest artists include fellow Stroke Julian Casablancas, Ben Kweller, Sean Lennon, and Jody Porter (of Fountains of Wayne), so the flashback goodness is not totally unexpected. The album comes out October 9th in the UK on Rough Trade Records, and in Europe & Japan later this year. We Americans must wait until further, unspecified notice for our release. You can stream three more tracks from the album on his MySpace to sate you.

Crazy (Patsy Cline, live cover)
Fiona Apple
On 6/28/02 Fiona Apple played one of her covers-filled sets at the Largo in Los Angeles. I can only find a middling-quality version of a few songs, but man, does she work them. Two Patsy Cline covers – this bang-up sultry version of “Crazy” (originally by Willie Nelson), and “Walkin’ After Midnight”, as well as “Cry Me A River” (Julie London) and “Half As Much” (George Jones). If anyone knows where I can get a clean copy of this or other Largo sets, please let me know! In the meantime, here are three other songs from a 2003 Largo show, including a Buddy Holly cover with Jon Brion.

She Does
Locksley
This unsigned Brooklyn band (originally from Wisconsin) rips through song after song of spot-on 1960s rock, but with a gritty punk edge that recalls the Libertines or even some of the aggressive recent riffs of the Arctic Monkeys. It’s sloppy guitars, handclaps, and harmonies throughout, and they’ve even got a McCartney lookalike (pic, right). Their MySpace has several other tracks for download. They’ve opened for everyone from John Vanderslice to OK Go to The Dandy Warhols, and they score points with me for their spirited reinvention of the best of the British Invasion. A fun romp, from their upcoming Don’t Make Me Wait album (out Nov 21, preorder coming next week on their website. In the meantime, get their 2005 EP here).

So Weird
Veruca Salt
Stereogum posted this mp3 a few weeks ago, reminding us all that Veruca Salt (well, part of Veruca Salt — Nina Gordon left to pursue her softer side in music) is still here and ready to rock and squeal and yowl your socks off with their particular brand of kickass girl rock. Released a few weeks ago (on the Sympathy For The Record Industry label), IV picks up satisfactorily where Resolver left us 6 years ago. It’s a solid, sexy effort overall, and I’m glad to see them back.

No Complaints
Beck
I am so glad that we have Beck to do what he does and fill the uniquely funky & diverse musical niche that he occupies. I am not aware of any other albums that sound like Beck’s ambitious productions. On this thrumming acoustic guitar jam with the standard trippy lyrics about spaceships and factory radiation, Beck is back in fine style. When the mothership comes, he will be ready to kick it with the Mr. Roboto sounds and garbled electronic affects that he is so fond of. The Information comes tomorrow on Interscope.

I have a rager of a head cold today and I’m thinkin’ that staying up til 2:30am last night certainly didn’t make me feel any better this morning. I am considering inserting a home IV drip of orange juice, or maybe buying Emergen-C in bulk.

Wish me luck and be patient with updates. I have a lot to say, but little clarity of mind with which to say it.

A bright & fiery yellow, and blue, blue skies

I absolutely love the colors of Colorado this time of year. There are very few other color combinations that I can recall seeing that are this striking and amazingly beautiful, although the brights of the restored Sistine Chapel come to mind. Here are a few shots from my very own local Sistine Chapel, if you will. It’s hard to capture on film, but it’s like these aspen trees are on fire, most brilliant right before they strip bare for the winter — just to make you appreciate them a bit if you’ve been taking their green selves for granted all summer:

And the soundtrack that was in my head all morning:

“Golden” – My Morning Jacket