Thanks to the proddings of my friend Chad, you can now stream any song on this blog before you decide to download something just by clicking on the little blue arrow (and thereby make wise commitments of hard drive space on your computer). Hurrah!
Now if I could just figure out how to get the little arrow outside the quotation marks, I would be washed away in waves of ecstatic bliss. Doesn’t take much with me, people.
Today I was driving along listening to the new (excellent and enjoyable) soundtrack for the A Brokedown Melody surfing film (I know, with all this talk lately about surf films one might think I actually know how, but one would be so wrong). Track 3 is the Kings of Convenience song “Know How,” and I was thinking about how much I enjoy their duets with Feist, when all of a sudden her uncredited and unmistakable voice chimes in, making me very happy with my psychic powers.
Know How (featuring Feist) – Kings of Convenience
I recommend the whole album; I’ve listened to the Vedder ditty about seven times obviously, and the diversity of laid-back melodies on there are top-notch.
Also, speaking of Feist, a remix of her song “Inside Out” will be featured on a new CD being offered by Urban Outfitter stores in conjunction with Filter Magazine to raise money for the fight against breast cancer. The Give.Listen.Help compilation will also feature folks like Wolfmother, Cat Power, Chris Walla and Thom Yorke, and all offerings look unique (remixes, live versions, etc) so you might want to check it out next time you are picking up a pair of $134 jeans or a tongue-in-cheek bit of urban hipsteria.
Okay kids, a new contest for you. I have a 14″ x 14″ lithograph print of the cover of Damien Rice‘s new album, 9, which comes out tomorrow (Nov 14):
To win this fine piece of lifestyle decor, equally at home in a dormitory setting or in a fireside study, leave me a comment with the following: What is your favorite Damien Rice lyric? Why? The answer I like the best by Friday wins the lithograph. Have at it.
Listen to the whole album on the Warner Brothers media site (the studio version of “Accidental Babies” is even more quietly devastating than the live version I had posted earlier), and watch the little video dealie too if you like.
Here’s a repost of the fantastic b-side to the “9 Crimes” single, and a live version of that song:
“Rat Within The Grain” – Damien Rice
“9 Crimes” (live on KFOG) – Damien Rice
At my lovely university in California, things were usually scenic and tranquil when walking across campus; vivid green grass, carefully manicured flowers, and lots of squirrels frolicking. Those dang squirrels would always look at me a bit askance (I swear) as they froze in my path, weighing which direction to run, and the thought would often fleetingly cross my mind that this would happen. See, I’m not crazy.
Here’s some new songs that I have added into regular rotation this past week that I think you’ll like too:
“Gretchen My Captain“
As Fast As
Ahh, opening bands: something you don’t count on liking, but it is always a treat when you do. I saw Portland, Oregon’s As Fast As (as fast as what?) on Saturday night opening for Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, and I was impressed by their alternating arena rock/pop-deluxxe sound (which reminded me of sort of Van Halen meets Marcy Playground). With their windmill guitar moves, matching fu-manchu moustaches, and interesting use of instruments, these guys were clearly having fun. This song features an amplified ukulele with heavy distortion, and sounded like nothing I’d ever heard in a song when they busted it out live. Nice whistle solo too — this song is catchy (admitted: the vocals at the beginning may first strike you as grating, but give it to 0:53 where it all soars, and then if you don’t like it, you have my unnecessary permission to delete). As Fast As are heading out with Under The Influence of Giants next, and then the travesty that is the re-formed INXS. Their album Open Letter To The Damned is available now for a scant $8.
“Silent Movies“
Peter & The Wolf
Okay, so I am hopelessly falling all over myself in love with this song. A friend recommended that I check out Peter & The Wolf, fronted by Austin’s Red Hunter, and emailed me “Silent Movies” to listen to. It is an irresistible blend of scratchy M. Ward old-time radio sound, combined with these fantastic harmonies that would make Brian Wilson blush. From the album Lightness (2006) on Los Angeles’ The Worker’s Institute label (home to Sigur Ros). Listen to more goodies on their MySpace.
“Janie Jones” (Clash cover)
Babyshambles
In between his demanding schedule of beating photographers bloody, getting Kate Moss’ engagement ring stuck on his own finger, and just generally imploding, Pete Doherty and his Babyshambles cohorts have teamed up with Strummerville (the Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music) to record this cover of the Clash classic. I am not sure how they all fit in the studio, but Doherty joins 21 other musicians on the single, including fellow ex-Libertine Carl Barât, The Kooks, We Are Scientists, and the Guillemots. Sounds a bit unnecessary, but whatever, the resulting tune is fun.
“Naturally“
Middle Distance Runner
So what IS it with all these oddly-named bands in the roundup this week? It’s a leitmotif. Middle Distance Runner was a recent and pleasurable find for me this weekend over on Some Velvet Blog. Bruce says, “If you dig The Format or Hot Chip or The Changes or The Spinto Band” (I do) “then you’ll dig MDR’s Plane In Flames” (and I do). One just needs to hear those opening handclaps to know we are on the right track towards pop goodness.
“Greatest Mistake“
Handsome Boy Modeling School, featuring Jamie Cullum and John Oates
This isn’t a new addition to my rotation, but one that popped up recently on shuffle and I remembered how much I enjoy singing along to it in my best soulful falsetto. From the diversely chill and superbly star-studded White People album (2004), Handsome Boy Modeling School teams up here with British skateboarding jazzmaster wunderkind Jamie Cullum and the moustachioed half of Hall & Oates. The resulting song is slinky and absolutely fantastic to belt in the shower.
Hey cats, had some time this weekend to upload a few requested sets of audio that went kaput when EZArchive became dead to me. Links should now work for songs on:
11/22/05 — Pearl Jam Live Anniversary Mix
2/3/06 — Eddie Vedder, Bad Radio & Early Pearl Jam
3/3/06 — Paul Westerberg & Replacements: B-Sides & Rarities
3/29/06 — Counting Crows Live in Boulder, 1993
7/15/06 — Jeff Buckley channels his father, 4/26/91
7/18/06 — More Jeff Buckley rarities
8/25/06 — Sub Pop Singles Club: A Retrospective (zip file)
10/24/06 — Bridge School Benefit love
10/28/06 — Trent Reznor’s at Bridge School 2006
Did I miss something you were waiting for? Let me know.
Following his appearance in New York for the premiere of the new Oasis tour documentary Lord Don’t Slow Me Down (which involves girls flashing their boobies at the Gallagher lads, and midgets jumping out of cakes?), Noel Gallagher played a glittering acoustic set in Toronto last Tuesday with guitarist Gem Archer. Thanks to James in Ontario, I’ve got a splendid recording of the full show for you in mp3 (the same setlist he played Thursday in Los Angeles). It is laden with rarities and b-sides, and even a Beatles cover. I’ve always preferred Oasis songs that Noel takes lead on, and as Torr says with his characteristic frankness and humor, this is “a glimpse into how great Noel could be without his knobhead of a brother.”
Noel Gallagher
November 7, 2006
Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
01. It’s Good To Be Free
02. Talk Tonight
03. Fade Away
04. Cast No Shadow
05. The Importance of Being Idle
06. Listen Up
07. Half The World Away
08. Wonderwall
09. Whatever
10. Slide Away
11. Strawberry Fields
12. Don’t Look Back In Anger
13. Married With Children
Fresh from the studio recording her sophomore album with T Bone Burnett, Brandi Carlile passed through Denver last week on her current tour with Shawn Colvin. I’ve seen Brandi twice before, and as you may recall was thoroughly impressed by this twenty-something with a huge and expressive voice. The show did not disappoint, and this time I was able to take some video to share.
“Hallelujah”
(cover of Jeff Buckley’s take on the Leonard Cohen classic)
Got chills taping it, got chills again watching it. Man alive can she wail with that emotion. [direct link to video if embed doesn’t work]
“Tragedy” with cello accompaniment
(a gorgeous song featured on Grey’s Anatomy)
Other videos that I took that night can be found on YouTube (“What Can I Say” & “Throw It All Away“ by Carlile, and “Fill Me Up“ & “Polaroids“ from Colvin), and the Sweet Oblivion blog has an older studio EP from Brandi available. Look for her new album in Spring 2007.
Oh, and can I share the most unnecessary sign ever posted in a concert venue? Remember this was Brandi Carlile and SHAWN COLVIN:
A friend asked me a few weeks ago in all seriousness if I knew what Ringo’s favorite bit of drumming was that he did for The Beatles.
Yep. I didn’t know. Some of you probably do.
***********************************
From an interview in The Big Beat
Max: What’s your favorite piece of work you did as the drummer for the Beatles?
Ringo: My favorite piece of me is what I did on “Rain.” I think I just played amazing. I was into the snare and hi-hat. I think it was the first time I used this trick of starting a break by hitting the hi-hat first instead of going directly to a drum off the hi-hat. But I couldn’t do that anymore because that came out of something that could only happen back then.”
“Rain” – The Beatles (b-side to “Paperback Writer”)
Just one more tiny piece of musical trivia to file in your brain.
Love it.
Already forgetting the NYC industry showcase going on recently over at CMJ, I am excited about some initial festival announcements closer to home, regarding the West Coast’s Noise Pop Festival 2007 (February 27 – March 4).
San Francisco’s best “indie music festival dealy” for the last 15 years, early confirmations from this well-respected shebang are pretty impressive, and include Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Jolie Holland, Josh Ritter, Sebadoh (the original lineup!), John Vanderslice, Midlake, Vic Chesnutt, and Ghostland Observatory, with more artists in the works (ultimately they’ll have over 100 bands).
In addition to your quality live festival music, one component that I thought sounded especially unique was the emphasis on the intersection of music and the visual arts. Taking over the fine Swedish-American Music Hall in SF on March 3rd and 4th, Noise Pop will be hosting an art exhibition, a local designer fair, and a rock poster art show.
The festival also has an educational series element, “featuring music, entertainment and technology panel discussions.” Maybe one devoted to the implications and opportunities associated with music blogging? I could be biased, but I always find those kinds of panels to be the most relevant in this particular moment in music/technological history, especially if you want to talk indie bands trying to get their music out there. Sign me up! Finally, they also offer their respected Noise Pop Film Festival. I caught a few films and shows from this festival back before I was a music blogger (I think it was 2003? or 04) and I was impressed.
For full details, see the Noise Pop website. If you think you should be IN the festival, they are also currently taking submissions. Go for it!
Gratuitous “look what I did yesterday” post, but it was a balmy 78 degrees here, an absolutely gorgeous day to visit our fantastic Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for the first time. These pics I took of the animals made me laugh. Thought they might make you smile too. Loosely correlated tunes at the end.
“At The Zoo” – Simon & Garfunkel
“Wild World” (Cat Stevens cover) – The Format
“Tiger Man” – Elvis Presley
“Lions” – Pete Yorn (from the Westerns EP)
“Monkey” – Bush
Name: Heather Browne
Location: Colorado, originally by way of California
Giving context to the torrent since 2005.
"I love the relationship that anyone has with music: because there's something in us that is beyond the reach of words, something that eludes and defies our best attempts to spit it out. It's the best part of us, probably, the richest and strangest part..."
—Nick Hornby, Songbook
"Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel."
—Hunter S. Thompson
Mp3s are for sampling purposes, kinda like when they give you the cheese cube at Costco, knowing that you'll often go home with having bought the whole 7 lb. spiced Brie log. They are left up for a limited time. If you LIKE the music, go and support these artists, buy their schwag, go to their concerts, purchase their CDs/records and tell all your friends. Rock on.
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