December 8, 2006

New Christmas tune from Mike Mills (R.E.M.) and Sally Ellyson (Hem)

With everyone’s top lists popping up all over the place and Hem’s album Funnel Cloud on many (and R.E.M. always on mine) I thought this new Christmas single for charity could use a little shout-out:

Mike Mills of R.E.M. and Sally Ellyson from Hem have recorded as new song as a benefit for kids this holiday season. It’s available right now on iTunes for 99 cents, all proceeds benefiting the Red Apple Foundation.

You can hear a sample of the tune on their MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/redapplehelpskids. It is a cover of a Big Star song (“Jesus Christ”), so you know you’ve got some great power pop right there. Check it out, I think you’ll like it.

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Chills up the spine, chills down the spine

This has got to be one of the coolest moments from a concert that I’ve ever heard, especially when combined with this background material from Surfline Magazine:

A three hundred-pound plus Hawaiian man was crying and he didn’t care who knew it.

He and thousands of others held their arms over their heads, letting the tears flow, as they sang along to Pearl Jam’s cover version of Izzy Kamakawiwo’ole’s anthem of protest and love, Hawaii ’78.

“Tears would come from each others eyes as they would stop to realize, that our people are in great, great danger now,” emoted Eddie Vedder Saturday night in Honolulu’s Blaisdell Arena.

It was a heavy moment for sure, a perfectly fitting cap to three days of celebration, conservation and consideration for the people of Hawaii, Pearl Jam, Kelly Slater and the North Shore surfing community.

Hawai’i 78 (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole cover) – Pearl Jam
Live in Hawaii 12/2/06.
Listen to the crowd as one by one they slowly realize what he is singing — and TRY not get chills!

Original: Hawai’i 78 – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

You must also read The True Story of Hawai’i 78http://www.hawaiiseventyeight.com

The entire three-hour show was completely worth downloading; Vedder also played an extremely rare ukulele tune called “You’re True” that I absolutely adore, and a soaring and apropos version of “Oceans.”

The rest of the article is a warm-fuzzy/good-feelings bit about the secret show Pearl Jam played with surfer Kelly Slater on November 30 in Hawaii as a benefit at the Waimea Valley Audubon Society. Yes, two of you guys did offer me tickets to their closing show with U2 tomorrow night, and (and!) frequent flyer miles to get there. It’s killing me.

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Ryan Adams at NYC’s Town Hall (plus audio!)


DJ Reggie Ryan Adams just finished a three-show run at New York’s Town Hall earlier this week. My friend Dave was at the Wednesday show (where Leona Naess opened -how was that?- and Ryan rocked the glittery platform boots and the inexplicable samurai ponytail) and he sent me the following communique that I thought I’d share with you. Ryan played a killer setlist, even if it was a bit short. I am glad to hear that he is clean and sober and performing strongly. You know, honoring his musical talent and all that.

———————————————————————-

Well, quick notes on the show last night, which was the strongest since I’ve seen Ryan at the Beacon on his birthday a few years back.

As some remember, last time I saw Ryan 1.5 years ago I walked out three songs into his second set. He was fucked up, a mess, tinkering here, tinkering there. I was 12 feet from the stage and wanted to jump up there and kill him.

So last night walked in with trepidation and sitting on the seat feel of “oh god, when is he going to snap?”

The first set
(audio for the full show is now on the Ryan Adams Archive and Dime A Dozen):

Come Pick Me Up (best show opener ever?)
When The Stars Go Blue
Oh My Sweet Carolina
Love Is Hell
This Is It
Afraid Not Scared
La Cienega Just Smiled

Wow…..7 songs, 7 I love. Hell the first 3 are songs I want to see every time I see him. Knowing he was not repeating these three nights, I had a pretty good feeling after the first 2 nights. I saw a lot left in the tank. His guitar playing is excellent again, and “Love is Hell” and “This is It” were flat out scorching.

Unfortunately, we were subjected to a break, which I hate he’s added. I mean 7 songs and we get a break? Maybe I’m scared since normally this is when Ryan would go smoke 1/2 ounce and drink 2 bottles of red.

Second set:
Hallelujah
Wish You Were Here
Judy Garland
Blue Sky Blues
Games
My Winding Wheel
Willow Jane
29
The Rescue Blues

Another strong start here. 2 more rockers to open. He said before Hallelujah that he has been sober for 7 months, and he’s been playing a lot that he hasn’t played live. Also good comments how he realizes what an asshole he must have been when he wasn’t sober based on what he hears from the crowd at times. “Assholes attract other assholes”

Unfortunately, there was no encore. He did “Rescue Blues,” left the stage, crowd called for one for a few minutes then house lights up. 2 more songs after that point would have made this one of my fav shows of the year.

However, as Marc pointed out, be careful what you wish for as we may have gotten a 25 minute Wharf Rat.

I got good feelings about a sober Ryan now based on this performance. This was the Ryan Adams I became a fan of, and I’m hopeful that next year he’ll continue rediscovering his rock/alt country roots and leaving the dead jams behind.

Other highlights:

- Town Hall is a great, intimate venue.
-First set he had the Ace Frehley boots on, second set the Gene Simmons. How he walks or let alone plays piano in these is beyond me.
-He is equally as strange sober as not. However, so much more focused.
-Crowd was excellent. Dead quiet for the right songs. Only a few idiots, and the obligatory “Freebird” yell.

VIDEO: Final song, Rescue Blues
(more video here from all three nights)

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December 7, 2006

I love my Gramma

Some people’s grandmothers are rotund and plump, sunny demeanored, aproned, bearing a tray full of fresh cookies.

My Gramma is awesome. She is an artist and English tutor who loves to write complaint letters and get free stuff, she raised 5 great children (including my dad), she often claims to be “happy as hell,” and she engaged me in a frank conversation about birth control the last time I was visiting her with no embarassment whatsoever. She often makes me laugh out loud, like when she just sent me this email full of warm materfamilial advice that I can carry with me in my heart (about her highly unfortunate and painful case of shingles):

if anyone comes near me, they are dead. I am one mean cranky gramma.

And if anyone ever tells you that you have shingles, kill yourself instantly.

Right on. Thanks, Gramma!

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Mason Jennings hearts Toni Morrison; In related news, so do I

From a Q&A Session with acoustic singer-songwriter/rad dude Mason Jennings:

Q. Luke Agnini from Philadelphia, PA asks…
Mason, I’m very curious about where the lyrics to ‘Adrian’ stem from. Very powerful song. Cheers, Luke

A. Mason writes…
Hey Luke,That song just sort of happened after I read Beloved by Toni Morrison. The song isn’t about the book but I wanted to tap into the feeling that she gave me. She is awesome.

Yes, Mason. Darn straight she is. One of my favorites, a master.

Adrian – Mason Jennings

Recommended reading: Beloved

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December 6, 2006

The Hold Steady: Outtakes (etc) from Boys & Girls In America

A friend passed this great little collection of outtakes/alternate versions/misc from The Hold Steady, Brooklyn’s best bar band that is finally getting some of the acclaim they deserve with their latest album, Boys and Girls in America [see previous post].

Their sound is gritty but melodic — and I’ll have more to say on that later. For now, enjoy these:

Girls Like Status (bonus track)
Arms & Hearts (bonus track)
Teenage Liberation (bonus single)
Modesto Is Not That Sweet (amen! from Crisp Songs, Vol. 1)
You Gotta Dance (with who you came to dance with) (from Crisp Songs, Vol. 1)
Chips Ahoy! (acoustic) -

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December 5, 2006

Cold War Kids release free covers EP

Up-and-coming and hard to classify, the Cold War Kids are one of the more interesting acts to surface this year. I wrote about their Robbers & Cowards album back in October and today I am pleased to learn that they also like to try their pipes on varied cover songs, which we all know I can’t resist.

Check out the free Benefit At The District EP with their versions of six wildly different songs. Here are three tunes from that EP, along with the original in two cases and some gratuitous Pearl Jam content. As usual.

As Fast As You Can – Cold War Kids (I think this is the most successful of the bunch, they pull off Fiona’s borderline crazy-but-beautiful sound surprisingly well)
As Fast As You Can – Fiona Apple


The Littlest Birds – Cold War Kids (this one is not good, at least not compared to the original which I adore. I’m posting their cover just so I can post this original, which is one of the best kid songs ever that doesn’t sound too hokey. Thanks Chris!)
The Littlest Birds – The Be Good Tanyas


Tonight You Belong To Me – Cold War Kids
Tonight You Belong To Me – Eddie Vedder and Janet Weiss (drummer from Sleater-Kinney) – Live 8/12/06 at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland. This is an old song from the ’20s, covered by everyone, sweet and small and lovely.

Check out the Cold War Kids site for the other three covers (Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and Dr. Dog).

Godspeed with the facial hair

We have a winner to the “Title Your Book” contest to win the Stranger Than Fiction soundtrack prize pack extravaganza (okay, it’s just a CD and a mug but that could be extravagant to the cupless).

103 comments later, the winner was surprisingly easy for me to pick:

Upto12 said his book would be called…
Facial Failure: My Everyday Struggle to Grow a Mustache (and Sideburns) that Looks Neither Pervy nor Predatory

His profile picture even testifies to the same, and I laughed out loud. I would totally pick that up off the shelf in Borders. Congrats and thanks for all the dozens of grand entries.

Celebratory music:
Mr. Moustache – Nirvana

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December 4, 2006

I know a place that’s safe and warm: Lemonheads @ the Bluebird Theatre

Somehow in my 12+ years of fandom, I’d never made it to see Evan Dando and Co. in concert before Saturday night’s show with “The Lemonheads” at the Bluebird Theatre in Denver. There was a deep sense of goodness & nostalgia permeating the show, which I was more excited about than any show I’ve seen recently.

The warm and golden voice of Evan Dando soundtracks many many good memories for me, and I’ve loved him from his early days of alternative poster-boyhood (with the flowing long hair), through his Oasis/party hearty/crack cocaine days (though I was with you on that ‘what’re you doin’ man?‘ train of thought), the solo albums, on up to this year with the fantastic new Lemonheads album.

(yes, that photo’s upside down)

On a freeeezing Saturday night, the venue was intimate, the setlist fabulously varied, and Dando was still rocking the stoner-sailor look with a striped long-sleeved shirt, although a bit older (aren’t we all?). The crowd was a mix of reminiscing fans in their 30s-40s and beyond, some barely 21-plus who probably were playing kickball on the blacktop when It’s A Shame About Ray came out, and the same enthusiastic Japanese girl from the Ben Kweller show a few months ago who brought presents for the performers and pom poms for cheering.

Check out some video: the stage was quite dark so photos didn’t turn out too hot.

GREAT BIG NO (loooooove the way this video turned out once the song starts – gorgeous lighting, sounds fantastic)

THE OUTDOOR TYPE (a divergence from the setlist, a happy surprise)

INTO YOUR ARMS (also a bonus, a lovely little acoustic version, just a minute and a half of sweet goodness)

MORE VIDEOS: It’s About Time (audio is pretty out-of-control fuzzy loud, sorry), Become The Enemy (love this from the new album, again watch the fuzz-audio), and a snippet of My Drug Buddy (which I think I may have been, uh, singing backup to as I filmed). Also very good were the renditions of Ride With Me and Rudderless, but I didn’t get video. And he did Being Around, which you either love or hate, eh?

The impending concert date inspired me to go into the basement and open my box of high school ephemera in search of a little tongue-in-cheek zine I ordered back in the day called “Die Evan Dando, Die.” At least I hope it’s a joke.

I think the author of this photocopied, hand-addressed bit of ’90s lore was just jealous of Evan’s sunny good looks, and annoyed with his sensitive-strummer persona.

If I had gotten to talk with Evan (I didn’t), I was considering asking him to sign it, but also a little worried that he’d think it was a bit scary (and me as well, by extension). So I think that maybe it worked out for the best for everyone involved that’s he’s a bit reclusive nowadays after shows.

Here is a helpful guide from the zine, which I hope you can read because it’s awesome:


LISTEN: Lemonheads on NPR last month

December 3, 2006

Archaeology is rad

Someday I plan to be one of those leathery old tanned ladies who wears head-to-toe khakis and traverses the desert looking for archaeological marvels, perhaps sometimes with my good friend Amanda. We’ve said as much since we were 14. This week had several extremely cool archaeological discoveries reported in the news; I was thrilled by them as I read the paper with my morning coffee. I get ridiculously excited about all the secrets that lay hidden inside the earth, tales from past civilizations. So check it out:

Ancient Greek Antikythera device’s computing code finally cracked

Roman tomb discovered under Trafalgar Square in central London

Leonardo DaVinci’s fingerprint reconstructed, analyzed

And oh, I just can’t help it: The week also uncovered some special no-no places that should have remained buried. Indefinitely.

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Bio Pic 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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