New album forthcoming from John Davis of Superdrag

Judging by the volume of emails and comments I received about my recent post on the unearthed Superdrag EP, many of you guys hold a special place in your heart for the sweet power-pop sounds from John Davis and crew, and rightfully so. In case you didn’t know, John Davis released a self-titled solo album (2005, Rambler Records) that is seriously good and highly recommended, complete with delicious harmonies, soulful piano and distorted guitars.

John Davis has become a committed Christian in recent years following his struggles with alcohol and some seriously “scary visions” (excellent interview here). While his solo debut is not a religious record, per se, it is a searingly honest and earnest work that delves deep into issues of redemption and grace. “People put Christian music into such a category” Davis said. “I tried to give the songs an older, rootsy feel, a real back-to-basics exploration.” [ref]

Stream some of the goodness from his debut album easily by opening his website: www.johndavismusic.com. Notable favorite tracks in my book are the Beach Boys-inflected “Stained Glass Window” and “Salvation”, the fuzzy wall of guitars in “Nothing Gets Me Down,” and the rousing old-time gospel piano of “Jesus Gonna Build Me A Home.” Serious stick-in-your-head goodness. You can download demo version mp3s of every song on his first album in the Media section of his page, as well as some unreleased alternates. Rad.

John Davis was back in the studio during August this past summer recording his second solo album. He recently posted a studio journal on his MySpace blog. It reads in part:
_______________________________________________________

Hello Friends,

I guess it’s been close to a year since my previous blog; most likely they’ll never become any more frequent than that. I figure the world can do without ‘em. But it’s been a couple of months now since I returned home from recording sessions for my next record, so I thought a brief summary and a photo blog might be overdue.

I couldn’t be happier with the record we walked out of there with.

So—where should I begin? I recorded at 606 in Los Angeles, a private facility owned by the Foo Fighters, with my friend Nick Raskulinecz. Nick’s from Knoxville, TN, like me, and our friendship goes back about 15 years. He recorded the first real Superdrag demo, Stereo 360 Sound, he did The Fabulous 8-Track Sound Of…. , assisted on Regretfully Yours and Head Trip In Every Key, and co-produced and engineered In The Valley Of Dying Stars, which is generally considered to have been our finest hour as a band.

(Nick steers the ship)

Until this opportunity came up, I hadn’t worked with Nick since 2000. In the meantime, he had done records for Foo Fighters, Probot, Queens Of The Stone Age, Danzig, Ash, Casino, and most recently, Slipknot side-project Stone Sour. His client list is testimony enough to his level of talent. Imagine how honored and blessed I felt to have been invited to come to 606, not only to record my new album, but to re-connect with my friend.

By God’s grace He bridged the gap of 6 years perfectly, and for the duration of the session I really felt like we had picked up precisely where we left off. Yogi Watts and myself showed up on August 3 ready to work. We tracked and overdubbed the record top-to-bottom in 15 days.

(This is what a finished record looks like)

(I worked this ’70s Ampeg Dan Armstrong about half the time)

(Nick rips. No toms.)

I’ve posted a couple of the unmastered album tracks on my page—they’re available for download if you’re interested. Thought that might be a nice goodwill gesture. I hope it will suffice until I’m able to find a permanent home for this record and make it available to you. My trust is in Christ’s faithfulness and goodness, and not the works of men, who shift and change like shadows.

With Love Always,
John Davis
_______________________________________________________

Judging by the picture above, the tracklist of songs on the new album is as follows:
01. “(Say You’re) Satisfied”
02. “Walk Away”
03. “Paranoid”
04. “Never Changing“ (YSI alternate link)
05. “I’m At War With Myself”
06. “History”
07. “Scared (Of What I Might Find)“ (YSI alternate link)
08. “Chant Down Babylon”
09. “Tell Me I’m Not Free“ (YSI alternate link)
10. “I Need Someone”
11. “Lamentation Vs. Laughter”
12. “Everybody On The Ground”

Hyperlinks above connect you to the aforementioned demo versions of these songs from his MySpace. Sounds good to me.

Superdrag/The Anniversary: Split 7″ EP

A few nights ago I was browsing the record bins at Streetlight Records in San Jose (an excellent little independent record shop) and I was realizing how much I love EPs. They are so . . . digestible. Just 4 or 5 little songs, a nice collection or introduction or sidetrack from whatever else you may already have from that artist. They are just perfect.

I recently came across a little 7″ of Superdrag and The Anniversary, a joint effort from 2001 with each of them contributing three songs. It was the first in a similar EP series from Vagrant Records, and is a stellar collection of pop songs that showcase some fine (and thoroughly enjoyable) songwriting with a pleasant & catchy mid-’60s feel.

One to enjoy, for sure:

Take Your Spectre Away – Superdrag
The Emotional Kind – Superdrag
I Guess It’s American – Superdrag

O Lady Butterfly – The Anniversary
Anias – The Anniversary
Up In The Sky – The Anniversary

Monday Music Roundup

Oh, I could talk about the World Cup all day today, but you know already from the last post.

So instead I will chat about the cinema. Last weekend I saw The Break-Up with my sister (I know, I KNOW). I told her that she is the only one I would see it with and enjoy the experience. The movie itself was an odd combination of really FUNNY moments (mostly due to Vince Vaughn), melded with supremely nasty fighting that made me feel a bit uncomfortable and sad because they were being so mean to each other. I did, however, think I was going to die of laughter during this scene: “Come, come GARY on the kickdrum! That’s GARY! On the kickdrum. Come, come on the kickdrum!” Just watching it again gives me immeasurable joy.

“Slip Away” (Cars cover)
Sparkle*Jets UK
This collection of smaller indie bands covering Cars songs sought me out on MySpace, and I am glad they did! The disc, entitled Substitution Mass Confusion, slipped by me when it was released in 2004 (Not Lame Records). There’s a splendid variety of bands: Jon Auer, Butch Walker, Owsley, The Bravery, Gigolo Aunts and more – all covering those great Cars songs that you didn’t realize you knew until you start singing along.

“Sunday“
Sia
This cued up at the college radio station when I was visiting the other week, prompting me to ask “Do you guys play Beatles songs here?” One listen and I think you will see why – a winning combinations of rich woodwinds and a swanky female voice. From Sia‘s lovely Colour The Small One album (2006 in the US, Astralwerks). She is currently on tour with Zero 7 in Europe.

“Crash and Burn“
Gran Bel Fisher
I wasn’t sure about this song when it first started, it’s got sort of an early-’90s brit-pop/mature folk sound to the vocals and a rhythmic piano backing, but it blends into a supreme and uplifting pop song. Gran Bel Fisher has recently been opening some shows for Brandi Carlile, who you know I love, and I have heard he is magnetic live. From his mellifluous album Full Moon Cigarette; give it a listen.

“Brimful of Asha” (Cornershop)
Fatboy Slim
This song instantly transports me to my senior year of high school, with its catchy riff and Indian feel – one I had largely forgotten about. This remix from Brighton’s favorite son Fatboy Slim is from his new greatest hits collection, Why Try Harder (Astralwerks, June 2006). It’s nothing that will change the world, but it’s fun and great for a summer playlist.

“World Surrounded“
Sam Powers
Yep, I was apparently smoking crack when I posted earlier what I said was a Mic Harrison track. Because it SO wasn’t. I mislabeled. Let’s listen to “World Surrounded” by Sam Powers – that’s what I posted earlier today under a different title. So fix your labels if you already snagged it.

Three members of Superdrag — Sam Powers, John Davis, and Mic Harrison have all done the solo thing, and this lovely fuzzy pop song demo from Powers has the rough hallmarks of the unique, classy sound that made Superdrag great. I agree with this little blurb that says “the solo echoes what it might sound like if Jimmy Page was in The Replacements.” Sam played bass on Last Call For Vitriol, however, since this demo was posted in 2004, I cannot find ANYTHING online about what album this ended up on (hence no corresponding picture), or even Google “Sam Powers” without getting an Australian magician. Anyone know anything about what the actual Sam Powers in question has been up to?

This is one of the many ace related songs you can find in the downloads section of the Superdrag site. There’s also a good variety on eMusic. Superdrag’s a band I’ve been revisiting lately, and one that always makes my friends ask, “Hey, who IS that?”

Monday Music Roundup

Well, I am safely back from my work trip/junket to sunny California with a touch of a sunburn and a smile on my face.
My flight home was canceled once we had already boarded the plane Friday night, so we all unwedged ourselves from our tiny seats, waited in an immense line for rebooking and our $400 travel voucher, and then proceeded to heartily make the best of it with some cool fellow young-’un passengers and the help of a cheesy bar at the hotel they put us all up at. It was like LOST, minus the crashing part, the black thing in the jungle that eats people, and all the freaky “coincidences.” But we had the camaraderie. And I apparently have brought back a slice of Cali with me because it is pushing 70 in Colorado today, and that is something to pause and enjoy. Life is good, kids.

Black Sweat
Prince
Oh yeah, I just posted Prince on my blog. Truth be told, the Great Tiny Sexy One kind of scares me (in the same vein as David Bowie in the underrated ’80s classic Labyrinth), but this song is funky and sexy and should make you stand up in your cubicle and kind of grind a little bit. Feel it. Just make sure the boss isn’t looking. From his upcoming album ’3121′, out on March 21.

I Need Someone
John Davis (formerly of Superdrag)
Okay, now stop gyrating your pelvis from the Prince bizness immediately because John Davis has found God and cleaned up his act. And he has been making some pretty dang sweet music since then. This is a live track from Maxwell’s on 4/8/05, right after the release of his self-titled album John Davis, which is just laden with harmonies, lovely piano, and some intelligent and introspective lyrics.

Sugar Blue Too
Jeff Finlin
This one comes courtesy of wonder-fan Vangelis who sends me good stuff from the scenic shores of Greece. Jeff Finlin was featured on the Elizabethtown soundtrack (I still have not seen that movie! Argh!) – and I like Finlin’s folksy Dylanesque-ballad Americana sound with the piano backing. The lyrics talks about ‘walking the streets so dark,’ and that is exactly what this song makes me think of. From his 2005 CD Somewhere South of Wonder. Thanks for everything, Vangelis.

Better Way
Ben Harper
This is the new one from Ben Harper, off his upcoming new album Both Sides of the Gun, due March 21. Ben Harper is one of my first and deepest musical loves, ever since he sang me a song for my 16th birthday. Yeah, we go way back. This song has a slightly middle-eastern feel to it, and listen to Ben crank it out towards the end. Check him out on tour, he is always amazing in his passion and his virtuosity with that Weissenborn.

Ghost
Ryan Adams
from the Technical Cowboy Services Sessions
I think I love Ryan Adams the most when his voice cracks because he is not worried about perfection, he is worried about expressing his emotion. And that is a beautiful thing (and exactly what is wrong with most of the contestants on American Idol – the exception being Taylor Hicks – but that is an embarrassing sidenote best kept to myself, eh?). Thanks to Jennings for unearthing and posting the Cowboy Technical Services (mini) Session with Ryan Adams, containing this and two other great songs.

Now, doesn’t all that make the upcoming week seem a little bit brighter, tiger?