Life and How to Live It

Joe Henry - KCRW 9/11/07

2007-10-07T17:16:00.000-05:00

Today I'm back with another in my intermittent series of posting about my favorite records of 2007. Joe Henry's been putting out sometimes tremendous, yet always solid records since the early 90's, but on Civilians, I really think he's hit his stride. Combining elements of jazz, folk, rock, and everything in between, Henry's crafted one of the finest records of this year and his career. Resembling Tom Waits at his most nocturnal and latter-day Bob Dylan, this is the perfect late night record. If you don't believe me, check out this glowing 4.5/5 star review from AMG and this set from KCRW on the day the record was released.

Setlist:
Intro
Time Is a Lion
Scare Me to Death
You Can't Fail Me Now
Parker's Mood
Interview
Wave
Shut Me Up
Civil War
Outro

Download the entire show here.

Photo Blogging: Wilco, 9/12/07, Millennium Park, Chicago

2007-10-02T21:17:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, when I go to shows, or just places that generally rock, I take my camera. With this, I'm going to start a new feature whereby I post some of those pictures, and I figured this latest Wilco show was a good place to start. The show was amazing, the venue gorgeous, and I only wish my pictures could do all of that justice. But, here's a few shots, and as I go through more of what I have, I'll throw up more installments of this.

Side note: My camera sorta sucks, so if anyone has any suggestions for a modestly priced point and shoot that takes decent or better nighttime/concert photos requiring way less photoshop time than some of these, I'm all ears.

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals - 9/29/07, Chicago Theatre

2007-09-30T17:36:00.000-05:00

The land of Ryan Adams can be a particularly confusing place, one where fornicating wizards intersect with lovelorn losers and just about everything in between. Because of this, seeing Adams in concert can also be a confusing experience. From night to night, the concert-goer is forced to wonder which Adams will show up: the prima donna who storms off after sound issues (as he did in Minneapolis last week) or the consummate showman and leader of his ace band The Cardinals.

Luckily for those in attendance last night at the always lovely Chicago Theatre, the latter came to town. Adams and his band stormed the stage and broke into "Magnolia Mountain," one of the better tracks from 2005's often-middling Cold Roses. Throughout the course of the night, Adams alternated between preening rock frontman, guitar-playing sideman, band leader, and troubadour. Playing healthy amounts of the strongest material from his recent output, Adams and The Cardinals never let up, switching from Grateful Dead style guitar jamming ("Goodnight Rose," and "Peaceful Valley" were both greatly enhanced by Adams' guitar interplay with Cardinals guitarist Neal Casal), piano balladry (a full-band rendering of 29's strongest track, "Nightbirds"), and the alt.country sounds which put Adams on the radar more than a decade ago ("Two" and the oft-covered, but never bettered, "When the Stars Go Blue" stood out).

Once Adams and his crew left the stage after about seventy minutes of relentless rock, all bets were off as to what would happen next. Would the band come out again? Would Adams play a solo set? Luckily for the fans, the latter occurred, as Adams returned to the stage to play a gorgeous solo piano version of "Sylvia Plath," from 2001's Gold. For the next several songs, he alternated between solo versions of some of his better material from Heartbreaker, including a heartwrenching "Call Me On Your Way Back Home." Adams wrapped up the solo set with a piano version of "Brown Sugar," turning the raunchy Rolling Stones song into a haunting dirge highlighting the vulgar undertones of the original.

By the time the night ended with a few more full-band numbers, including a show-closing/stopping version of "Goodnight, Hollywood Boulevard," Adams appeared to even be enjoying himself, as well he should. He had a crowd of rapt admirers in his hand, and they would have done anything to coax out the artist they all fell in love with: the one brimming with potential who struck an emotional chord with his tales of everyday heartache. On this night, Adams tapped into that potential and more. He showed that he's more comfortable than ever being in a band, knowing when to run the show, but also when to step back and let his more than able bandmates shine. He showed that just maybe those who wrote him off as a posturing wannabe or cry-baby diva were wrong, and that maybe those of us who bought into that potential were right in doing so in the first place. On this night, there were no meltdowns (although Adams did seem to have some issues with his sound still, such as when his acoustic guitar started feeding back), only signs of an artist finally beginning to hit his stride.

Setlist:
On 8:30

1. Magnolia Mountain
2. Dear Chicago
3. Beautiful Sorta
4. Goodnight Rose
5. Rescue Blues
6. The Sun Also Sets
7. When the Stars Go Blue
8. Two
9. Let It Ride
10. Wildflowers
11. Peaceful Valley
12. Nightbirds (Ryan on piano)
13. Please Do Not Let Me Go
14. Off Broadway
15. Cold Roses

off at 9:45
back on a few minutes later

16. Sylvia Plath (solo piano)
17. Call Me On Your Way Back Home (solo guitar)
18. Sweet Lil Gal (solo piano)
19. Why Do They Leave (solo guitar)
20. Brown Sugar (solo piano)

full band back
21. Dear John
22. Freeway to the Canyon (Neal Casal song)

off 10:25ish
back on a few minutes later
23. Goodnight Hollywood Blvd

off 10:30

PS--regular posting will resume.

Pearl Jam - Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford, CT, 10/2/96

2007-08-05T14:48:00.001-05:00

Tonight, Pearl Jam will play to something like a gazillion sweaty people in a park here in Chicago as part of Perry Farrell's annual circus of overpriced water and corporate product placement, Lollapalooza. Now's not the time for me to rail on what Perry's doing, and I'm sure the masses that are there are having a blast. Instead, I broke into the vault and found my all-time favorite Pearl Jam show. Back around the time of this show (aka my late high school years), I became a pretty huge Pearl Jam fan, and while some of that love's passed with time, I still can get down with this show. The band is in fine form as they toured in support of 1996's vastly-underrated No Code. All of the hits are here, as are much of the most interesting material off of that record. Eddie even has to yell at the crowd as they seem to get a bit too unruly. "Not For You" is maybe the best version I've ever heard and the encore kills. If you can't be in Chicago today (or even if you are), sit back and enjoy this show. It's gotta be way cooler than having thousands of dudes sweat on you while calling out for "Evenflow."

Set:
(part one)
Intro
The Long Road
Hail, Hail
Animal
Last Exit
In My Tree
Corduroy
Betterman
Not For You
Jeremy
Red Mosquito
Black
Rearviewmirror
Lukin
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter In a Small Town
(part two)
State of Love and Trust
Alive (false start)/Footsteps
Alive
Blood
Porch
Encore Break
Who You Are
Evenflow
Daughter
Leaving Here
Present Tense
Encore Break
Yellow Ledbetter
Outro

Links are above. Enjoy the show.

Forever Delayed

2007-08-04T23:12:00.000-05:00

I know I promised some rundowns of my favorite albums and songs of the year, so I'm starting slowly with a couple of sets from two wonderful acts which have put out two of my favorite records this year. Both are available at your favorite record store, and both are well worth your cash.

Be back tomorrow (yeah, you heard right) with a blast from the past/show from the archives.

Jason Isbell - KEXP 8/1/07

2007-08-04T23:02:00.001-05:00

If I had to make an albums of the year list right now, Jason Isbell's Sirens of the Ditch would be on top of it. The ex-Drive-By Trucker has crafted an album full of wonderfully soulful southern rock with songs far stronger than should be expected from a man his age. I can't think of any album I've listened to more in recent years since Ryan Adams' debut, and it's not entirely out of the question to think that Isbell's trajectory could be similar (hopefully without the drug abuse phase). On Sirens of the Ditch, Isbell has crafted an album that is Southern at heart, but universal in its themes. One that rocks just as much as it doesn't and one that wears its heart and soul on its sleeve. It's easy to see that Isbell believes in every single one of the songs on the record, and that honesty goes a long way.

Jason and his guitar player Browan Lollar (from his wonderful new band The 400 Unit) recently stopped by KEXP radio in Seattle and played a few songs. Check 'em out below.

Set:
Intro
Grown
Interview 1
Dress Blues
Interview 2
In a Razor Town
DJ Speak
Down in a Hole
Outro

Download the show here.

Jason and his band are on the road for the foreseeable future. Tour dates, news, and other general info can be found on his brand spankin' new website.

Spoon - Morning Becomes Eclectic 2007

2007-08-04T22:49:00.000-05:00

It's rare that I continue to listen to an album after my initial reaction is one that is less than favorable, but Spoon's latest Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga has become the exception. While I still think they'll find their way onto a few episodes of Grey's Anatomy (or worst case scenario One Tree Hill) with this record, I can't resist a strong set of pop songs, and at its heart, that's what Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is.

Songs like "The Underdog," which sounds like coked-out Van Morrison, but in a good way, and "Don't Make Me a Target" are amongst the best of the band's career. They show off some of this new material along with a couple of favorites from 2005's Gimme Fiction in this recent performance from KCRW's long-running Morning Becomes Eclectic program.

Set:
Intro
Rhythm & Soul
Don't Make Me A Target
The Underdog
They Never Got You
Interview
Don't You Evah
The Beast & Dragon, Adored
You Got Your Cherry Bomb
Black Like Me
Outro

Download the show here.

Back in Black

2007-07-29T13:26:00.000-05:00

Yup, new material this Sunday. A full summer of events is winding down, so we should be back to semi-regular (well, as regular as it gets around here) posting. Stay tuned later this week as I run through some of my favorites from this year so far, but today, we have some new material from some old favorites. Enjoy and remember to play it loud.

Drive-By Truckers - KEXP 7/3/07

2007-07-29T13:21:00.000-05:00

Nice shorts Cooley.

Drive-By Truckers are hard at work on a new record, their first since the departure of Jason Isbell (more on him later this week). They recently stopped by my favorite streaming radio station KEXP and delivered a lovely acoustic performance of new songs and old favorites, all the while displaying their special brand of Southern charm in the interview portion. Cooley's songs are especially great, leading me to believe that the Isbell split may be for the best since we now get two great acts as opposed to one.

Setlist:
A Ghost to Most
The Opening Act
Checkout Time in Vegas
The Living Bubba

Download the set plus interviews here.

DBT are embarking on the final leg of their acoustic "The Dirt Underneath" tour later this fall. If this is any indication as to what the show will be like, get your tickets early.

Wilco - FIB; Benicassim, Spain 7/20/07

2007-07-29T13:14:00.000-05:00

We've all had a few months to digest Sky Blue Sky and I have to say, my initial reaction to the record was a bit off base. At first, it seemed like a boring, dad-rock effort from one of my favorite bands, but as time's passed and I've had more listens, it's evident that this is the most confident, assured release of the band's career. The record finds Jeff Tweedy more at peace and comfortable with himself than ever before, and it's apparent in the songs. These days, if I have a gripe, it's that "Let's Not Get Carried Away" and "The Thanks I Get" became bonus tracks as opposed to album cuts. C'est la vie I guess.

Here's a tasty set from Wilco's recent trip to Spain. The new material's smoking, and the old favorites sound just as good as ever ("A Shot in the Arm" is particularly super-charged). There's also a Spanish radio guy, so that's a plus.

Setlist:
War on War
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
You Are My Face
Impossible Germany
Handshake Drugs
A Shot in the Arm
Walken
I'm the Man Who Loves You
Spiders (Kidsmoke)

Download the show here.

Sign on the Window

2007-07-24T19:16:00.000-05:00

I'm still alive (despite all of the Mastodon and Motorhead I've been listening to lately) and hopefully regular posting will resume by this weekend. Later kids.

Pitchfork Music Festival 2007: Days 1 & 2

2007-07-15T20:04:00.001-05:00

Once again, the Pitchfork Music Festival touched down at Chicago's Union Park, this time for three days of music, cheap water, and hipsters sweating. I was there for the first two days, and have some thoughts and pictures to share.
Night one consisted of an American version of the All Tomorrow's Parties: Don't Look Back series, where bands play their classic albums in full. Kicking off the night, right around dusk, was Slint with a performance of 1991's post-rock classic, Spiderland. Don't get me wrong, hearing the album played front to back is still wonderful, and the band is in fine form, but something seemed off. Maybe it's because I've always considered this a late night kind of record and the setting sun gave it a different vibe, but I just felt something was lacking. All in all it was a fine performance, but it just didn't wow me like it should have. Off to the record between sets to buy some vinyl.

Second on the bill was Wu-Tang Clan member GZA aka The Genius performing his 1995 classic Liquid Swords. I've never considered myself a fan of hip-hop, but I have considered myself a fan of the Wu-Tang. GZA informed us that we had to make this night special for him since he was missing a Wu-Tang Clan show in Amsterdam to be with us. The crowd did, and GZA and his crew were on fire (or so the dude next to me told me). This performance made Liquid Swords a hip-hop album I'd almost consider buying. Almost...
First off, let me say that this is the best I could do for a Sonic Youth picture. Trust me, they actually played and were on stage, but my camera's kind of crappy, and I was pretty far back by this point.

Sonic Youth closed out the night with an amazing performance of 1988's landmark Daydream Nation. Sonic Youth is arguably the reason that things like Pitchfork even exist, and they showed why on this occasion. Daydream Nation is an album that bristles with nuance, distortion, and chaotic beauty, and it was all showcased on this evening (despite the protestations from the crowd that the show wasn't loud enough--the sound was fine by the way, and actually pretty good). I felt bad for some of the kids in the crowd who said they'd never heard it before. To me it's unfathomable, but hopefully to them it was revelatory. The band closed the night with a three song encore featuring Mark from Pavement (here's hoping I didn't miss out on some Pavement reunion with Malkmus playing on day three and me not going...).

After some snafu where the gates didn't open until ten minutes before the first band (The Twilight Sad, or The Twilight Bad--take your pick) came on, day two began for me with Chicago's own Califone (who themselves started twenty minutes late due to sound issues). While the band was in fine form, and "The Orchids" sounded gorgeous with the sun shining down and the breeze blowing, their blend of country, blues, noise, and everything else may be best suited for clubs like The Hideout.
Up next was Voxtrot. I'd heard decent enough things about this band, but they seemed to play a generic set of edgy Brit-pop. The kids liked them, so I guess that's all that matters. Off to do more record shopping.
On the way to the record fair, I stopped at the third stage and caught some of the William Parker Quartet. I've always liked jazz, but I've never known where to start as far as artists go. The Quartet played some nasty jazz, and I'll definitely check out their work.
After I blew enough on records to satisfy my monthly allotment, I made my way back to the main stage area and caught half of Battles' set. All I can say is that they seem to be amazing musicians. And once again, the kids loved 'em.

Iron and Wine was the next act I wanted to see, and for the occasion, Sam Beam (and sister Sarah) assembled an ad hoc band of Chicago's finest (including Leroy Bach, formerly of Wilco, and Ben Massarella of Califone) to perform a set of mostly new material. The new material built upon his patented brand of folk by adding in some Grateful Dead circa American Beauty country sounds and more than a little bit of rock guitar. He came back for a bit of an impromptu encore, a solo rendering of Radiohead's "No Surprises" that was almost as gorgeous as the original(check it out on youtube and judge it for yourself).
Whoever decided that Mastodon would follow Iron and Wine was a genius. Pure genius. I've never seen as much smoke and dirt billowing up in front of a band, and frankly, Mastodon deserved it. This was dirty, beat up the dude next to you, metal. This was awesome. Mastodon may be my new favorite band. Ever...
Mastodon scared hipsters. What more can I say...
Mastodon in a park--that's America.

Before I continue, I have to say that Clipse played next, continuing the genius planning on the main stages. Bearded saddo folk-->bone-crushing metal-->drug-dealing rap. Genius, pure genius. And the looks of the mostly hipster crowd whenever Pusha T would mention cocaine: golden. And there was nothing but infinite lolz whenever Clips would play pre-recorded gunfire. God I loved it.

Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues closed my night and festival this year. Playing songs from her latest The Greatest and a collection of rollicking covers, Chan Marshall proved that she's becoming quite a consistent performer on stage. While she kept apologizing for the sound issues, she didn't need to. She was in fine voice, her band sounded great, and she owned the crowd.

Pitchfork 2007 was a bit different than last year. For starters, it wasn't ninety-five in the shade. But overall, the bill and the crowd were much more diverse. There were a ton of kids there, and it seemed as though families were treating it as a day in the park, which frankly was pretty awesome. For forty bucks and three days, Pitchfork remains the benchmark for well-run festivals in Chicago. As long they continue to attract interesting acts, and run a consumer friendly festival (dollar bottles of water, free food and drink samples, cheap ticket price), I'll continue to attend. After all, there are a lot worse ways you could spend a day in the park, but I think this picture sums up the experience best...

R.E.M. Sunday: New R.E.M. Songs?!?

2007-07-08T13:21:00.001-05:00

In case you're unaware, R.E.M. conducted a bit of an experiment in Dublin over the past week. They played five "rehearsal" shows in preparation for completing a new album. Now most of their material since the departure of Bill Berry in 1997 have failed to live up to expectations, but these songs may prove different. They range from up-tempo rockers ("Staring Down the Barrel of the Middle Distance," "Living Well Is the Best Revenge," and Around the Sun tour favorite "I'm Gonna DJ") to gorgeous R.E.M. ballads ("On the Fly" and "Until the Day Is Done") and everything in between. The band played them alongside old favorites from the IRS years and the songs didn't sound out of place at all. There's a lot of optimism on this end that this may finally be the rock album they've talked about putting out for years. Here's hoping.

New song titles (some may be tentative):
Living Well is the Best Revenge
Staring Down the Barrel of the Middle Distance
Mr Richards
Houston
On the Fly
Man Sized Wreath
Disguised
Accelerate
Horse to Water
Until the Day Is Done
I'm Gonna DJ

Download all eleven here.

Smashing Pumpkins - Rock Am Ring 2007

2007-07-07T14:21:00.001-05:00

Zeitgeist, Smashing Pumpkins' first record since disbanding in 2000, was supposed to drop today, but Billy and co. decided to save the earth with Al Gore instead. Corgan and his merry band of new kids (trusty drummer/secret weapon Jimmy Chamberlin is also along for the ride) have been playing all over Europe and some multi-night stands in exotic lands like North Carolina have followed. A full tour itinerary was released (without any Chicago dates of course--The Great Pumpkin has to keep some of us guessing), and if this show is any indication, checking them out might be worth your money. New guitarist Jeff Schroeder sounds as if he may be a better guitarist than James Iha, and the new girl bassist is easy on the eyes, and provides some worthwhile harmonies.

Part one:
Intro
Today
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
United States
Bleeding The Orchid
Stand Inside Your Love
Cherub Rock
Shame
The End (The Doors tease)
Silverfuck

Part two:
Thirty Three
To Sheila
Tonight Tonight
Tarantula
Starz
Zero
Disarm
1979
Untitled
Encore Break
Gossamer

Pay special attention to the prog-metal stylings of "Gossamer" featuring Uli-Jon Roth, formerly of those German badasses, The Scorpions, and the lovely version of "To Sheila". The new material sounds strangely good next to all the old classics.

Zeitgeist drops Tuesday in approximately nineteen different versions. Choose wisely.

Be back tomorrow with some new material from some old friends.

Ryan Adams - June 8, 2007 (Manchester Academy, Manchester UK)

2007-06-26T22:18:00.000-05:00

Ryan Adams dropped his ninth solo record, Easy Tiger, upon us today, and frankly, I love it. It's the most focused, concise album he's made to date and it cashes in on some of the promise he showed on his first two records. To celebrate, here's a killer set from a few weeks ago on his UK promo tour. Adams isn't playing guitar this time around due to a skateboarding injury, but he is playing some nasty mouth saxophone and kicking out his brand of summertime, feel good jams. "Halloweenhead" shines, even without him yelling "guitar solo!," and check out the hopefully intentional Bon Jovi homage in "Let It Ride."

Setlist:
I Taught Myself How To Grow Old
Nightbirds
Dear John
Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
Blue Hotel
Goodnight Hollywood Boulevard
Halloween Head > property of Lost Highway chant...
How Do You Keep Love Alive?
Carolina Rain
The Sun Also Sets
Let It Ride
Rip Off
Wildflowers
Starlite Diner
I See Monsters
Magnolia Mountain
My Winding Wheel

Download part one (the first nine tracks) here.
Download part two (the rest) here.

Find out where Ryan Adams will be playing his jams and more here.

Alright, so that's it...until after the fourth of July. After that, we'll do what every good blogger should love to do: make some lists.

White Stripes - Maida Vale Studios, June 13, 2007

2007-06-24T10:24:00.001-05:00

By now, I hope you've all had enough time to absorb The White Stripes' latest record, Icky Thump. Jack and Meg are back, and it seems like Jack got all of that Raconteurs' stuff out of his system, because this is a bone breaking return to the brand of rock these two do so well. Of course there are surprises--I mean this is a White Stripes record after all--but it's back to business and goddamit, I love it.

Shortly before the album was released, the BBC had "White Stripes Wednesday" and the band played a pretty great set that you can check out below.

Setlist:
Intro
Let's Shake Hands
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
Cannon --> The Denial Twist
I'm Slowly Turning Into You
Effect and Cause
The Same Boy You've Always Known
I Think I Smell A Rat
Ball and Biscuit
Wasting My Time
You're Pretty Good Looking
A Martyr For My Love For You
Hotel Yorba
Blue Orchid
Hello Operator
We're Going To Be Friends
I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
Seven Nation Army
Outro

Download the show here.

A bonus performance of "Icky Thump" from Jo Whiley's radio show earlier in the day can be found here.

White Stripes merchandise, news, and tour dates can be found on their website.

Oh, and if you can, drop the extra cash for the Icky Thump vinyl. It's well worth the investment.

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit/Deadstring Brothers - Beat Kitchen, 6/22/07

2007-06-23T15:38:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I'm back. Deal with it.

It's been a little over two months since I saw Jason Isbell open for Son Volt, and a lot has changed since then. In that two months, Jason's soon to be released solo debut Sirens of the Ditch (due out on July 10) has become one of my favorite records of the year, and Jason and his new band, The 400 Unit, have become super tight on stage.

The band took the stage at Beat Kitchen (which is nothing more than the back room of a hole in the wall bar) and jumped into "Grown" off the upcoming album. What followed next was Jason's cover of ex-Drive-By Trucker bandmate Patterson Hood's "The Assassin" which the band just tore through, complete with Isbell using an empty shot glass as a slide when he couldn't find his. For the next ninety minutes, the band just kept upping the ante, alternating between Isbell's Drive-By Truckers' output ("Never Gonna Change," a blistering "Decoration Day," the always gorgeous "Goddamn Lonely Love," and the sing-along anthem "Outfit") and new cuts from his forthcoming album ("Dress Blues"--the kind of song that if mainstream country radio gets ahold of could propel him to crossover success--and "Chicago Promenade" became the easy standouts). Sprinkling in choice covers such as a fierce take on Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer," which was sung by the other guitar player, Eric Clapton's "Please Be With Me," and a show closing cover of Tom Petty's "American Girl," the band kept a loose edge to an otherwise fiery night.

Isbell's a Southern bar band player at heart, and this showed all night, as he accepted drinks from the crowd, passed his bottle around, and carried on conversations with the crowd during breaks. What sets him apart though is his immense talent which shone through brightly in the dimly lit Beat Kitchen.

Opening the show was Detroit's Deadstring Brothers. Anytime a Bloodshot recording artist comes to Chicago, they receive a rapturous response, and last night was no different. Showcasing material from their terrific Starving Winter Report and playing new material, the band showed why their brand of country-rock circa Exile on Main Street plays better than most. Behind the Stonesy swagger, Kurt Marschke's dead-on Mick Jagger in 1971 vocals, and the captivating vocals of Masha Marjieh, the band brings better songs to the table than most bands of this ilk.

Check out Jason Isbell's myspace page for tour dates, song samples, or if you want to be his new manager.

Check out Deadstring Brothers here.

I'll be back over the next couple days with some posts about some records I've been enjoying as of late and maybe some shows. Then it's back to vacation time until after July 4th. Hopefully after that, I'll just blog whenever I want.

Sunday Morning Come Down

2007-05-13T10:58:00.000-05:00

Another Sunday is upon us, and it's going to be the last Sunday for awhile. I have a plate-full of things I need to get done, and then I'm taking a brief vacation, so I won't be back and ready to blog until mid-June. Those are the breaks I guess. For now, just a quick show review and a teaser of an album I'm hoping I come around on. If anyone discovers this place in my absence, all links going back to November should still be live. Take care and we'll see you in June.

The Tragically Hip - 5/11/07, House of Blues, Chicago

2007-05-13T10:37:00.000-05:00

American reviews of The Tragically Hip normally take one of two paths: either they gush about how unfair it is that the band has yet to achieve the same type of success Stateside that it has in its native Canada, or they talk about how Canadian the band is as a reason for that elusive crossover. After seeing the band play a sold out set Friday night (in a venue Canadian fans could only dream of seeing their rock gods in), it's apparent that both schools of thought are viable.

The band is touring in support of their latest release, World Container, which is an album far stronger than I initially gave it credit for. In concert, the new songs, such as set-opening "Yer Not the Ocean" and the gorgeous "World Container," proved that The Hip is still going strong, producing material that stands alongside their best. It also was evident that these songs are good enough to deserve a broader audience. Frontman Gord Downie was a whirling dervish on stage, completely sweating through his shirt by the end of the second song. Older material like "At the Hundredth Meridian" and show-closer "New Orleans is Sinking" were part theatre with Downie boxing the microphone stand and mock acting along to his overly-literate, poetic lyrics (Colin Meloy take note--this is how you write overly-literate, nautical themed songs).

While the crowd ate up everything the band did (Hip fans are nothing if not loyal and passionate about their band), it was easy to tell why the band has never achieved the level of success it has in its homeland. The band doesn't fit into any of the conventional genres we Americans like our music to fit into. They aren't heady enough to be a jam band (although the band can definitely stretch out their arrangements), not heavy enough to play to the meat and potato rock fans of the midwest. They aren't pretentious enough to play to the indie crowd. They're a band that sounds familiar without really having a sound at all. Maybe that's what good music is supposed to sound like after all.

Opening the evening was Wintersleep, who couldn't have been more different than the headliners. Wintersleep is possibly the worst type of band around--the type of band that yearns to make grand statements lyrically and musically, but fails miserably at both. The only interesting moments in the band's set came when they copped sounds that other, better bands (Pavement, Joy Division, any post-rock band) have already mastered. By their final number, a noodling, ten-minute noise jam which aspired to be Zappa by way of Interpol, the crowd had had enough. They'd be wise to study The Hip every night on tour and try to find their own voice.

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

2007-05-13T10:24:00.000-05:00

I haven't really written much about this album, mainly because I'm not sure how I really feel about it. My fan boy tendencies and my objective nature come into direct conflict on this one, pulling me mightily in both directions. On one hand, I remember hearing many of these songs live in the past and remember enjoying them. On the other, the middle of the album is a bit of a snoozer. Well, the record's out there now, as the band's been streaming it on their website for awhile. For now, I'll wait until I receive my vinyl copy, which Tweedy himself says should be the best sounding version available, to make a definite judgment.

In the meanwhile, you can stream the record here, or go buy it on Tuesday.
And just for kicks, here are some live versions of the new material from last November's run in Chicago.

Impossible Germany
What Light
Walken

Gary Louris and Mark Olson - Precious Time (3/12/05, Park West, Chicago, IL)

2007-05-06T15:25:00.000-05:00

Just a quick one this Sunday. In March of 2005, a good friend of mine came to visit for a week, and toward the end of his visit, we caught this show. Louris and Olson had just gotten back together for this run of shows, and while it wasn't a classic Jayhawks show, it was about as close as we might get for awhile. For my money, no two male vocalists sound better together than Louris and Olson, and this was evident on this night. They opened their first encore alone on this song, an outtake from the early nineties, soon to become my favorite Jayhawks song. I've listened to this a bunch this week and it got me thinking about that night and when I heard it for the first time. Enjoy.

Precious Time

Drive-By Truckers - Let There Be Rock (5/19/06, Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL)

2007-05-03T20:35:00.000-05:00

You're probably beginning to figure out that I've seen a lot of shows at the Vic Theatre, and yes, that is indeed the case. But, some of the best moments I've had seeing shows have been there, so it feels wrong to discriminate. Today I look back on the best sweaty, big-dumb-rock-out moment of my life since I was nineteen and went to a Metallica concert (few rock outs can compare to a "Master of Puppets" rock out). I'm not sure if it was just where I was in the theatre or if they'd sold more tickets than normal (the show was a sell-out) or if the normal DBT fan is just larger than what I'm used to, but this show was packed and when the band busted into this to start their encore about two and a half hours into their set, the place just erupted. Fists were pumping in unison, Patterson Hood was nearly drowned out by the crowd (but he comes through pretty clearly on the recording), and in general, the building was just shaking. The performance of the song clearly channeled the emotion the song conveys and it'll be hard to top. Well, until I see Motorhead someday...

Let There Be Rock

The Strangest Party

2007-04-29T12:01:00.000-05:00

I know I said I'd post some more during the week, but that was before I had two co-workers quit and wound up doing three people's work. It's also come to my attention that this place is almost a year old. I really never fathomed that this place would hang around this long, and while at times, it's seemed to be on life support, as I've said before, when I do get around to posting, it is something I still enjoy.

With that being said, what's a birthday without a party? Every day or so (time and life permitting of course), I'm going to work on a new feature, The Strangest Party. I've always fancied this as a blog that's mostly about live music, and while I still like to write about albums I like and whatnot, I still want that to be the focus. I've posted a lot of shows over the past year, but I've never focused on that one, singular moment at a show where it becomes perfectly clear why you're there in the first place. The moment where the songs being played means as much to you as it does everyone else in the building, the band included. To kick this off, I'm going to roll out five of my favorite moments since I moved to Chicago. I hope you enjoy some of these as much as I have. Cheers.

Jeff Tweedy - Secret of the Sea, ELT (3/4/05, Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL)

2007-04-29T11:55:00.000-05:00

Hands down, this is probably my favorite show I've ever been to. It was a benefit show for a local children's hospital, and Tweedy broke out some unexpected gems from the back catalog. Nothing was more shocking though than when he played "Secret of the Sea" and "ELT" back to back to open the second encore. After that, he began to take requests, but I've never been happier to hear two songs at a show. It didn't feel right to have to choose between them, so here are both.

Secret of the Sea
ELT

My Morning Jacket and Kathleen Edwards - Golden (10/22/05, Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL)

2007-04-29T11:52:00.000-05:00

It isn't often that two of my favorite artists play together on the same bill, but this night was an exception as Kathleen Edwards opened for My Morning Jacket. Later, Kathleen put down her drink and sauntered out to stage right to sing a duet of "Golden." The way her voice mixes with Jim James' is haunting, taking an already amazing song to another level.

Golden

Jon Brion - Happiness (3/9/07, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL)

2007-04-29T11:48:00.000-05:00

For those in the know, Jon Brion doesn't play outside of Los Angeles very often, so it was a pretty special treat to check him out here in Chicago. After an enthralling ninety minute set where he showed off his amazing range of talents, he opened his encore with this gut-wrenching cover of Elliott Smith's "Happiness." The crowd just sat silently and watched Brion sing his friend's song as beautifully as he could. Truly a concert moment I'll never forget.

Happiness

U2 - Bad (5/12/05, United Center, Chicago, IL)

2007-04-29T11:43:00.000-05:00

This is a show that's very special to me, because I don't think I've ever had a harder time getting tickets to a show. Living in a huge city such as Chicago, I sometimes take for granted that I can go to an amazing show almost any night of the week if I so choose. This show was different though because it was a pain in the ass to get tickets to, but in the end, we wound up inside the ellipse which was part of the stage, at most thirty feet from the band. It wound up being an amazing show, and the band saved the best for last with this version of "Bad," which neither the band nor the crowd seemed to want to end.

Bad

The National - Black Session #200

2007-04-22T14:59:00.000-05:00

First off, I think I'm changing gears on this whole only posting on Sunday thing. It's been way too nice as of late to be cooped up in my crib blogging, so while I still think I'll get the majority of my posts out over the weekends, keep your eyes out for midweek posts again too.

Today I'm gonna drop a Black Session from one of my favorite bands: The National. This particular Black Session is from 2003 and is in support of their stellar second record, Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers. A couple of tracks from their mind-blowing 2005 release, Alligator, manage to show up, but the focus is on the older material. With Alligator getting its fair share of critical love and a new record, Boxer, getting ready to drop in May, their older material may be overlooked a bit, but trust me it's quality, and this session does more than enough to prove it.

Set:
Son
Thirsty
Slipping Husband
All the Wine
Cold Girl Fever
90-Mile Water Wall
Lit Up
Pretty Forever
Murder Me Rachael
Cherry Tree
Available
About Today

Download the show here.
Check out The National online here.

Separation Sunday

2007-04-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

No, there's no Hold Steady content this week, but did you see that they're playing Lollapalooza with a gaggle of other bands, some of whom are actually good (not so fast there Satellite Party). That being said, I am quite excited to know that Nuno Bettancourt is back to doing what the gods intended for him--shredding his guitar.

Not much content today, as I have a few other things I need to get done, but a quick concert review about a couple of favorites and a new edition of Cover Me should suffice until next week, right?

Son Volt/Jason Isbell, 4/10/07, Vic Theatre, Chicago, Illinois

2007-04-15T14:50:00.000-05:00

Nearly twenty years into his career, Jay Farrar isn't really bringing anything new to the table. While Son Volt's latest, The Search, showed a band trying to extend its palette, Farrar is not reinventing his wheel radically. The same can be said about Son Volt's live show.

Opening with nine straight numbers from the new record, the band set a strange tone for the evening. Those unfamiliar with the new record were lost right off the bat, and the beginning of the night suffered from an uneven sound mix that left Farrar's vocals lost in the bottom of a murky mix. It wasn't until the band moved onto material from 2005's Okemah and the Melody of Riot that the band and the crowd seemed to come together. That material took on a life of its own, with songs like "Bandages and Scars," "Who," and "Jet Pilot" rocking far harder than on record. "Voodoo Candle," from Farrar's solo album, Sebastapol, was rearranged and was a highlight. As always, the material from Son Volt's debut, Trace, stood out as the best of the night. Songs like "Windfall," "Tear Stained Eye," "Route," and "Drown" sound as fresh today as they did in 1995. The band finally cut loose to end the night with a reworked, reggae version of Uncle Tupelo's "Life Worth Livin'" and a blazing "Chickamauga." If Son Volt could ever balance their past with their present, they could be outstanding live. As it is, top-loading the set with newer material left the night feeling quite uneven and made the new material, much of which is quite good on record, pale in comparison to the classics.

Opening the night was former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell and his new band, the 400 Unit. Three days removed from leaving that band, Isbell seemed unphased with the change. Fronting a tight four piece, he ran through material from his upcoming solo album, his DBT catalog ("Goddamn Lonely Love" was the show's highlight), and a choice cover or two (his take on Patterson Hood's "The Assassin" channeled Crazy Horse in ways the original couldn't imagine). Isbell made the most of his forty-five minutes on stage, showing that his best days may be yet to come.

Cover Me: Ryan Adams

2007-04-15T10:11:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I've written about Ryan Adams, and as the weather warms up it's time to roll out the hillbilly music, so I figured this would be a good time. In concert, Adams can be a bit of a crapshoot. Sometimes he plays blistering three hour sets, while other times he falls off stage. Getting clean and sober seems to have helped him avoid the latter as of late, but having not seen him in a few years, I can't be sure if it won't happen again. Here are some of my favorite covers he's done. The version of "Wonderwall" with his backing band The Cardinals is something else.

Wonderwall--Oasis
Return of the Grievous Angel (with Gillian Welch)--Gram Parsons
Expressway to Yr Skull--Sonic Youth
Brooklyn--Jesse Malin
Stella Blue--Grateful Dead
Sweetest Decline--Beth Orton
Sin City--Gram Parsons

Happy Easter

2007-04-08T12:40:00.000-05:00

I'm taking the week off. Regularly scheduled programming will resume next week.

Palm Sunday

2007-04-01T14:01:00.000-05:00

I thought about playing an April Fool's joke or something, but I'm far too tired and unclever to do so right now. Instead, I blogged about Bright Eyes. Now I'm off to cry.

This morning I stumbled upon the WWE Hall of Fame Inductions on the USA network. Man, I wish I could find my Dusty Rhodes poster from my boyhood bedroom. A poster of a large man wearing yellow and black polka dots is a welcome addition to any wall.

Gut Feeling

2007-04-01T13:59:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I don't need more than a couple of listens to establish a firm opinion on a record. The purpose of this feature is to listen to a record once, maybe twice, and tell you what I think of it. Not the most responsible form of pseudo-journalism, but isn't this how most of us listen to records anyway? Here goes...

Fountains of Wayne - Traffic and Weather

First of all, this is an album whose cover alone might prevent me from ever purchasing it. Sadly though, it's what's stored on the disc itself that will do so. First off, the songs aren't very good. Well, they aren't Fountains of Wayne good. They'd be pretty good for a band like The Refreshments. Only the first two songs did anything for me, and there were some downright embarrassing moments over the course of the record (the world doesn't need any more faux-Gram Parsons songs guys).

Verdict:

Tom Brosseau - Grand Forks

I have an aunt and uncle who live in North Dakota. They claim they love the place and that there's no better place on Earth to live. The confusing part of all of this is that they spend roughly six months out of the year traveling the country visiting their friends and families. From Brosseau's latest, I get the feeling that this is pretty much the sentiment of most North Dakotans. Grand Forks is a lovely, but not overly memorable or exciting folk rock trip through the state. The songs are good, but the pace is subdued and nothing grabs your attention except for the beauty of Brosseau's voice.

Verdict:

The Silos - Come on Like the Fast Lane

The Silos have been at it for a couple of decades and while none of their catalog is what you would call legendary, it is extremely consistent throughout. Come On Like the Fast Lane is no exception. The record is very good, and the band plays around with a bit more guitar layering than they normally would. Lead off track "Behind Me Now" is a buzzsaw that sets a good pace and the album never lets up. Their brand of hook-laden Americana is still intact. While this record won't garner them any new fans, it's a solid record and a worthy addition to their canon.

Verdict:

Turn Around, Bright Eyes...

2007-04-01T13:50:00.000-05:00

I received my copy of Bright Eyes' latest record, Casadaga, in the mail on Friday and it's an early contender for my favorite album of the first four months of 2007. Maybe I'll write up a proper report later, but Conor Oberst has settled into the role of a country artist pretty well.

As for today, let's look back to 2003 and the Austin City Limits Festival. The set is a loose affair with Oberst getting help from friends M. Ward and Spoon's Britt Daniel on guitar and guest vocals from Beth Orton. Several songs from I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning appear in the set, and the show ends with a lovely version of that album's "First Day of My Life." Enjoy.

Setlist:
01.Motion Sickness *
02.Spent On Rainy Days
03.We Are Nowhere And It's Now
04.Southern State
05.Train Under Water
06.Another Travelin' Song
07.You Will. *
08.Old Soul Song (For The New World Order) *
09.The Big Picture (aborted) #
10.The First Day Of My Life #

* With Beth Orton
# Conor Oberst Solo

Download the show here.

Everyday Is Like Sunday

2007-03-25T16:58:00.000-05:00

Better late than never, right? It's pretty damn gorgeous today here in Chicago, so I went outside and shopped amongst the masses. Almost bought an Iron Maiden t-shirt, but it just wasn't rock and roll enough (I want Number of the Beast era-Maiden apparel). The subjects of today's posts are pretty rock and roll though. If you don't believe me, check out the goodies. Back next week with some record reviews and God only knows what else.

Cover Me: Drive By Truckers

2007-03-25T16:51:00.000-05:00

Blogs aint shit without gimmicky semi-regular features named after songs, so I figured I needed one of those too. Cover Me will be a semi-regular feature (read: broken out whenever I have nothing better to write about) where I take some of my favorite bands and post worthy covers of their material or covers they've done. For the inaugural version, I figured I'd use Life and How to Live It's second favorite band from Athens, GA, Drive By Truckers. If you've never seen DBT live, their show is like a three hour ass whoopin' complete with guitars and whiskey. From time to time, they get frisky and break out some covers. Here are some of my favorites, most of which seem to be sung by Jason Isbell (more on him some other time). Enjoy.

Hey Ya (Outkast)
Holland, 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel)
I'm Eighteen (Alice Cooper)
Aint Talkin' Bout Love (Van Halen)
Moonlight Mile (Rolling Stones)
Let Me Roll It (Paul McCartney)
People Who Died (Jim Carroll)

bonus Patterson Hood solo-- 867-5309/Jenny (Tommy Tutone)

White Stripes - Glastonbury 2005

2007-03-25T16:45:00.000-05:00

In celebration of all that news about the impending release of their latest ass kicking, Icky Thump, I figured I'd look back at this show from the Glastonbury Festival in 2005 shortly after the release of Get Behind Me Satan (which was coincidentally number one on my list of best albums for 2005). The show is classic battering-ram Stripes. Enjoy.

Setlist:
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
Blue Orchid
I Think I Smell a Rat
Let's Shake Hands
The Nurse
Hotel Yorba
Jolene
Ball and Biscuit tease-->
My Doorbell
Cannon
Passive Manipulation
Same Boy You've Always Known
The Hardest Button to Button
We're Going to Be Friends
Little Ghost
Death Letter
I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself
Screwdriver
Seven Nation Army

Download the show here. Icky Thump is out in stores in June, on the internet probably sooner.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

2007-03-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

I'm getting this out later than normal, but fuck it, that's rock n' roll. You know what else I've learned is rock n' roll this year? Daughtry. Dude went from wearing straw hats on a televised dog and pony show to ruling the rock world in less than a year. What's that Bo Bice? You say he stole your thunder. Fuck that. Daughtry is his own man--one man united under the halo of rock. As such, I've decided to honor the man in the following way. Anytime I review a record, I won't be assigning letter grades or stars or anything like that. No, I'm assigning Daughtrys. The more Daughtrys the better, maximum five Daughtrys.

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

2007-03-18T16:14:00.000-05:00

Getting older is the most un-rock-n'-roll thing possible, and few bands are able to do so successfully. Some sell out, playing enormo-domes for scads of money, only touring on sub-par records that make it obvious their best days are behind them (ie The Rolling Stones), while some decide to fade off into the sunset before the embarrassing years can begin. The recent surge of popularity in the 'indie' scene has left many bands at a crossroads: in a genre which appeals to the young by chronicling the ups and downs of everyday life, how does a band grow old, especially if that band is known for its angst and has sold a boatload of records as of late because of it? Welcome to the world of Isaac Brock and Modest Mouse.

With their latest album (due in stores Tuesday, March 20), We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, Modest Mouse find themselves in a place few bands have. Their last record, Good News for People Who Love Bad News, found the band reaching new heights in popularity due to the ubiquitous mega-single "Float On" while still maintaining much of their underground credibility. Not since R.E.M. in the mid-eighties has a band managed to toe the line between the underground and the mainstream without alienating either. It also finds the band seven years removed from its de facto masterpiece (The Moon & Antarctica), growing older, and welcoming a superstar new member in guitarist Johnny Marr.

The album opens with "March to the Sea," a lurching number that opens with an accordion line before becoming the aural equivalent of a horrible night on the high seas, that sets the tone for the rest of the record. Modest Mouse, with their storyline of robot pirates and new guitar legend in tow, have set sail for new territory. Throughout the course of the record, the band enhance their familiar sound with horns ("Dashboard"), gypsy-fiddle ("Parting of the Sensory"), and backing vocals from another guy who knows a thing or two about being thrust into the limelight, Shins vocalist James Mercer (sure fire hit single "Missed the Boat" for one). They also have a "Float On"-esque rocker ("Florida"), and two songs cut from the cloth of their earlier days ("Steam Engenius," and "Spitting Venom"). Despite all of these stylistic touches, the biggest addition is Marr's guitar.

Since he burst onto the scene with The Smiths, Marr's guitar work has been some of the most easily identifiable in rock, and that trend continues here. His playing weaves in and out of the songs, creating counter-melodies to Brock's off-kilter vocals, and in the process creating as distinct a juxtaposition as he did with Morrissey's vocals. The most interesting example of this is the song "Little Motel."

On paper, "Little Motel" should be the worst song Modest Mouse ever laid to tape. Complete with sappy lyrics and feigned tenderness, it's a slow ballad about missing a loved one. Where Brock usually allows his lyrics to express the depths of his pain and sorrow, instead he allows Marr's guitar to do so, turning the song from a potential failure to one of the many winning moments on the record.

Throughout the record, Modest Mouse turn potential failures into triumphs. Only the wretched "Fire It Up" and the middling "Education" prevent the record from being an unmitigated success. The band navigates the waters of major label success without alienating much of their older fanbase while creating a record sure to add fans. It also ages gracefully with Brock toning down his normally vitriolic lyrics, replacing them with more focused, world-weary laments. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank shows a band that has decided to embrace its past, present and future--a future that hopefully is as focused, mature, and enjoyable as this record.

Rating:

Enjoy this set from 2003 in Austin, Texas.

Setlist:
Bury Me With It
3rd Planet
Interstate 8
Wild Pack of Family Dogs
Black Cadillac
Life of Arctic Sounds
One Chance
The Good Times Are Killing Me
Neverending Math Equation
Paper Thin Walls
Satin in a Coffin
Trailer Trash
Cowboy Dan
Bankrupt on Selling
Float On

Download the show here.

Elliott Smith - KCRW 1997

2007-03-18T16:08:00.000-05:00

I've blogged about Elliott Smith before, but I figured I'd do so again today. I've been on a bit of a Smith kick since last Friday when I saw the wonderful Jon Brion perform a gut-wrenching cover of Smith's "Happiness" from the Figure 8 record. As such, I figured today was as good a time as any to post a tiny set Elliott did for KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic program back in 1997.

Division Day
Angeles
Needle in the Hay
Say Yes

The (R.E.M.) Sunday Morning Come Down

2007-03-11T10:15:00.000-05:00

Just a quick one this week as it's much too lovely outside to spend it sitting inside on my computer, but I figured quality over quantity, right?

Today, I'm bringing back one of my favorite features from days past--R.E.M. Sunday. The time seemed right since the band will be inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame tomorrow evening. While the merits of such an honor, and the ensuing "Is the Rock Hall a sham?" discussion, could be argued for days, it's still a big deal (at least to me). No band has given me as many hours of listening enjoyment as R.E.M. so I'm glad to see them get the respect they deserve. I think the show will be broadcast in its entirety on VH1 Classic, so if you get it, tune in. Plus you'll get to see Velvet Revolver butcher "Panama" or some other Van Halen songs.

I was looking through a bunch of R.E.M. shows and found one that I hadn't shared yet, so I thought today would be a good time to do so. As I've said in the past, Reckoning-era R.E.M. is probably my favorite. The band was playing with the passion of a band who still had something to prove and here's a good example of that. Check out this show from December of 1984 in Dublin, Ireland. The band is tight throughout, and is even joined by The Waterboys' violinist for "Ghost Riders in the Sky," "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville," and "Wolves, Lower."

Here's the set:
1. Harborcoat
2. Pilgrimage
3. Driver 8
4. Talk About The Passion
5. Hyena
6. Seven Chinese Brothers
7. So Central Rain
8. Letter Never Sent
9. Auctioneer (Another Engine)
10. Gardening At Night
11. 9-9
12. Windout
13. Pretty Persuasion
14. Little America
15. Femme Fatale
16. Ghost Riders In The Sky
17. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville
18. Wolves, Lower
19. Moon River

Here's the show.

Congratulations guys. I'll be back next weekend with something a little more substantial. For now though, I need to get outside and enjoy the sun...

The Sunday Morning Come Down

2007-03-04T10:42:00.000-06:00

Well, another Sunday is upon us, and I'm still reveling in that Wilco album preview from last night (more on that record in the future). This week, I thought I'd throw out some record reviews for a couple albums which will be in stores Tuesday. Hope you enjoy them. There's also a tasty set from the lovely Feist. Next week, I've got something planned that at least excites the hell out of me, so until then...

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

2007-03-04T10:39:00.000-06:00

In the three years since their debut album, Funeral, was released, The Arcade Fire became a big deal. Word of mouth and a poorly-written-but-gushing review from Pitchfork helped cement the band's status as the next big, indie thing. Somewhere along the way, they played with, and were praised by, rock legends David Bowie, U2, and David Byrne. They played an early-career defining set on a 110 degree day at the reborn Lollapalooza in Chicago. They made the cover of Time magazine in Canada. In short, a strange little band from Canada had brought ork-pop to the masses, and had become bona fide rock stars in doing so.

With this, the band presents its follow up effort, Neon Bible (available in stores this Tuesday). "Black Mirror" opens up the record in the same urgent fashion as "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" did on Funeral, seemingly setting the pace for the rest of the album. Well, not so fast. By track two, the band's blown the formula to shreds, as "Keep the Car Running" mines the familiar territory of one of the few rock icons who did not anoint them as rock's next great hope: Bruce Springsteen.

With a guitar line that sounds like an outtake from Bruce's Nebraska era, "Keep the Car Running" begins the "pick out the influence" game which unfolds over the course of the album. Two other tracks, "(Antichrist Television Blues)" and "Windowsill" also ape Springsteen with their acoustic strum and Win Butler affecting The Boss's trademark Jersey growl. "The Well and The Lighthouse" sounds as though it nicked the melody from Rod Stewart's "Rhythm of My Heart" and album closer, "My Body Is a Cage" lyrically resembles heart-worn-on-sleeve emo, while, as a friend pointed out, sounding like Boy George (thanks Chris).

When the band returns to the formula which made it special in the first place, the results are often transcendent. "Intervention"'s pipe organ and the splendid backing vocals of Regine Chassagne create the same soaring highs that were present on seemingly half of their debut, easily making it the standout track. The reworked "No Cars Go" retains the splendor of the original (while sounding like it could also be used in a car commercial if necessary).

While the album can be divided between songs that sound like The Arcade Fire and songs that sound like The Arcade Fire covering their heroes, one thing is evident throughout the record: these are huge songs. They all build to stadium-filling crescendos, just like the songs of those bands they're aping. With a few tweaks, the band has refined their distinct sound into something that can please the masses, while not alienating their original fan base. In the recent past, we've seen several idiosyncratic, just outside the mainstream, bands collapse under the weight of the dreaded sophomore slump (The Killers, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand anyone?). In many ways, only the sheer talent of The Arcade Fire prevents them from doing so as well. With Neon Bible, the band has crafted an album which has them saying goodbye to the fringe and embracing the big time. These songs are meant to be played to the masses and, if all goes as planned, they will be. As I said before, The Arcade Fire have become a big deal, and Neon Bible will only make them bigger.

Grade: A-

Check out an early live version of Intervention here.

Visit the band online here.

Album Review: Son Volt - The Search

2007-03-04T10:30:00.000-06:00

After a seven year hiatus to work on solo projects, Jay Farrar revived Son Volt (with a new cast of characters) and released the triumphant Okemah and the Melody of Riot in 2005. Two years of touring that record has left the band as tight as ever on their soon to be released fifth album, The Search, which finds Farrar mining much of the same territory he has since bursting onto the scene in the seminal alt.country band Uncle Tupelo.

Farrar's strength has always been his overly-earnest, if not sometimes overdone, takes on the Woody Guthrie template: stripped down folk songs telling the plight of the little man and warning about the evils of those who oppress. Those dreary themes are still at work on The Search, although much of the record is drenched in a sonic optimism which allows the listener to escape without feeling totally demoralized. "Methamphetamine,"with its tale of a drug addict trying to get back on track, is wrapped in one of Farrar's prettiest country-rock songs to date, while touches of organ, keyboard, female backing vocals courtesy of Shannon McNally, and even Memphis-style horns (on the standout second track "The Picture") add splashes of color to what could be an otherwise drab affair. There's no mistaking that Farrar still wears his heart on his sleeve, and that in many ways his heart is still in the Dust Bowl, but he's also crafted an album which is sonically engaging and adventurous without alienating his core audience. While not a career defining record like their debut Trace, The Search is, like most things Farrar, always steady and solid while never quite being amazing or transcendent. Although, for once, Farrar lets loose just a bit and the material is all the better because of it. At times, you can almost see a wry grin cracking through his trademark scowl.

Grade: B+

Check out this set from the World Cafe to see how the band's playing some of these tracks live:

Intro
Circadian Rhythm
Underground Dream
The Picture
Action
Methamphetamine
Highways and Cigarettes
Phosphate Skin
The Search
Outro

Visit Son Volt online.

Feist - Park West, January 2006

2007-03-04T10:23:00.000-06:00

Feist, live at the lovely Park West here in Chicago, was the first live show I saw in 2006, and it was a great way to start off a terrific year of shows. I had seen her about three months before, as she opened for that other project of hers, Broken Social Scene. In a headlining setting though, her set was even more captivating. The set also served as an introduction to many new songs, some of which will be appearing on her upcoming album, The Reminder, which is due out later this spring. For now, check out this set and get a taste of what's in store.

Setlist:
Intro/Safe and Secure
The Build Up
When I Was a Young Girl
One, Two, Three, Four
So Sorry
Secret Heart
Fighting Away the Tears
Phantoms
Mushaboom
Sea Lion Woman
Intuition
Major Label Debut
Let It Die

Download the show here.

New Layout

2007-03-02T21:52:00.000-06:00

I figured since I'm kind of reworking how I keep this place together, it was time for a different look as well. I think the site's a bit easier to read now, and the linked content sticks out a bit more. I'll be back on Sunday with a hopefully more mega posting than last Sunday, since it seems as though Youtube didn't post the three or four videos I'd asked it to.

The Fever

2007-02-25T12:14:00.000-06:00

As my last.fm stats show, last week I became enamored with the Springsteen catalog. Now I've been a huge fan for awhile, but I've never immersed myself into his music as I've done this past week. At home, at work, on the train, I've listened to almost nothing else. This all started with a cursory listen to last year's fine effort We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. That record found Bruce in fine form, playing traditional folk songs, most of which were made famous by folk icon Pete Seeger. The accompanying tour (which I sadly missed) sounded like one raucous affair, with Bruce reinterpreting some of his classics in the folky style of the record. While the following show doesn't have any of those versions, it does feature a rollicking hour of music. The band is in fine form, Springsteen in a chatty mood, and an overly enthusiastic crowd full of British contest winners only adds to the spirited performance. Enjoy Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band, live on BBC radio 2.

Setlist:
1. Intro
2. John Henry
3. Oh Mary Don't You Weep
4. How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live?
5. Mrs McGrath
6. My Olklahoma Home
7. Jacob's Ladder
8. We Shall Overcome
9. Pay Me My Money Down
10. Outro

Download the entire show here.

As a bonus, here's the finest version of "Backstreets" known to man--live from The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio on August 9, 1978.

You can download the rest of that show, and dozens of others here.

The Sunday Morning Come Down

2007-02-25T12:08:00.000-06:00

As the five of you who read this know, my blogging's become increasingly less frequent over the past couple months. This isn't to say I don't like keeping this place up to date, because I do. I've just found other things, non-blogging things, to occupy my time as of late. Over the past couple weeks, I've really toyed with closing up shop, but in the end, I realized I really do enjoy doing this and am thankful for the outlet it provides. As such, we're going to switch gears as to how this place is run. Since I've never run a newsy-type blog that has to be read every day, I figured the best way to keep this place going is to start doing weekly mega posts. My idea is that every Sunday (and maybe an occasional Saturday) I'll post a ton of content, probably even more than what I'd been doing when I was trying to keep this place updated daily. That way, I still get to blog, and you five still get a week's worth of goodies. We'll see how well this works. If you have any ideas, drop me a line. I'm more than willing to listen.

And now for the posts...

(there should be an Arcade Fire musing whenever YouTube decides to post it here.)

Why The Dixie Chicks Deserved All Those Grammy Awards.

2007-02-13T21:33:00.000-06:00

The Grammy awards (the 49th annual ceremony as they hammered into our collective heads within the first hour) were held this weekend, and by now, I'm sure you've read all about the recording industry's collective embrace of those embattled country girls from Texas, The Dixie Chicks. Well, for the first time in awhile, I actually think NARAS got it right.

First off, let's get past the whole "we slammed the President and now country music hates us" aspect of the story. It's an interesting cultural and political statement, but it doesn't really paint the whole picture. Maybe the folks at the Grammies thought that giving them all those awards would create an interesting story, bringing much needed attention to an antiquated ceremony which is more variety show than awards, but that undermines one simple truth. The Dixie Chicks put out one hell of an album last year. The first four songs ("The Long Way Around, Easy Silence, Not Ready to Make Nice, and Everybody Knows") were responsible for one of the best four song runs on any album of 2006, and the fifth track, "Bitter End," isn't far behind. Working with established pop song writers like Dan Wilson and Gary Louris paid off as these are men who know how to structure songs, and in Louris' case, tremendous harmonies (see "Everybody Knows" which sounds like a Jayhawks song if there ever was one). After that, the material can be spotty, but it never waivers in at least being earnest, which is something I can always appreciate from an artist trying to escape a pigeonhole.

While I've never been a huge fan of what's known as mainstream country, and I wouldn't even consider this album as such, it's easy to see the transition they've made from Nashville to the rest of the country, and it's a welcome change. Everything the band does well is still present, but the songs are better, the band more confident and world-weary, and the album is all the better for it. When compared to their competition in each of the categories they won, it's easy to see why they won. Believe it or not, they put out a fantastic album.

The Hold Steady - World Cafe 2006

2007-02-02T19:42:00.000-06:00

It's minus four degrees outside, so I figured I'd throw out another post as opposed to braving the elements.

The Hold Steady are quickly becoming my favorite rock band on the planet. They've successfully managed to boil the core essentials of anthemic, classic rock riffs, literate, clever lyrics, and a devil-may-care spirit into one successful and oh-so-rocking package. This performance from the World Cafe radio program showcases a different side of the band as they perform some of their material in an understated, acoustic fashion. Franz Nicolay even jams out on an accordion. Now that's rawk. I left in the interview segments, because Craig Finn gives some really insightful commentary into the making of their latest record, Boys and Girls in America, and explains some of the characters who keep popping up in their records.

Interview
Chips Ahoy!
Interview
Your Little Hoodrat Friend
Interview
You Can Make Him Like You
Interview
Outro
Modesto Is Not That Sweet

Visit The Hold Steady online.

Fountains of Wayne - Austin City Limits 2003

2007-02-02T19:32:00.000-06:00

News of Fountains of Wayne's latest record, Traffic and Weather, out April 3 on Virgin, is getting around, so this seemed like a good time to drop this set from their 2003 Austin City Limits appearance. I remember staying up until 2AM on a Sunday night to watch this on my local PBS affiliate (and I think I had to endure a half hour of Jason Mraz beforehand) and it was more than worth it. It highlights the band's understated, and possibly due to the success of "Stacy's Mom," underrated, brand of power pop. Check out the classic rock medley they slip into "Radiation Vibe."

Setlist:
Denise
Stacy's Mom
Bright Future in Sales
Hackensack
Valley Winter Song
Radiation Vibe
Survival Car

Buy Fountains of Wayne merch here.

Kathleen Edwards Wants to Be...Be a Debaser...

2007-01-27T13:04:00.000-06:00

Over the course of her two albums, Failer and Back To Me, Kathleen Edwards has proven to be a vital, young force in the roots-rock/alt.country/whatever you want to call it scene. Stripping away the pretense that many young artists get bogged down in, Edwards has crafted two genuinely excellent records. Live, she's just as potent a force. Her band is tight, allowing her to showcase just how strong her songs really are. Already a critical darling, we can only hope she finds the larger audience she deserves. Songs this good need to be heard by the masses.

Check out this live set from 2005 from some place called Debaser (In my mind, there's a large picture of Frank Black's bald head on the backdrop behind Kathleen as she plays this set. Play along and imagine the same as you listen to the set.)

Setlist:
Intro
In State
Summerlong
Independent Thief
Mercury
Copied Keys
Six O'Clock News
What Are You Waiting For?
Introductions
Hockey Skates
One More Song the Radio Won't Like
Back to Me
Shinny

Download the show here.

Visit Kathleen Edwards online, and go see he when she comes back around--she's fantastic live.

Fleetwood Mac - Nashville 1977 pt. 2

2007-01-22T21:09:00.000-06:00

As promised, here's the second half of Fleetwood Mac, live in Nashville on the Rumours tour. Pay attention to an especially feisty version of "Go Your Own Way," and is there anything more gorgeous than Christine McVie closing the night with "Songbird? Finally, like the announcer at the end of the show, I too would like to thank Kenny Loggins.

Part Two:

You Make Loving Fun
I'm So Afraid
Go Your Own Way
World Turning
Blue Letter
Second Hand News
The Chain
Songbird

Fleetwood Mac - Nashville 1977

2007-01-21T18:44:00.000-06:00

I've been laid up sick for most of the past week, and as such, I've watched tons more television than I normally do. One of the best things I found while channel surfing was a documentary on the making of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. It was quite fascinating to find out how the songs came together and to hear the band members reflect on the turmoil of that period. Inspired by that, and subsequently, the ten or so listens I've given the album this week, I figured I'd up this gem of a show from the Rumours tour. It's interesting to hear material that is so precise and nuanced on record take on a different feel live. "Rhiannon" is given an extended, eight-minute work up, and Peter Green-era chestnut "Oh Well" features guitar work that shows Lindsay Buckingham is every bit the guitar player as his blues-based predecessors. I'll put up part one today, and hopefully, part two tomorrow. Enjoy.

Nashville, 1977

Intro
Say You Love Me
Monday Morning
Dreams
Oh Well
Rhiannon
Oh Daddy
Never Going Back Again
Landslide
Over My Head
Gold Dust Woman

Download part one here.

The National - WOXY Live Session

2007-01-17T19:01:00.000-06:00

Photo credited to me

Despite my love of them, I don't think I've ever posted anything more than a passing mention of The National. 2005's Alligator was one of the best records of that year, and they tore some shit up at Pitchfork fest when I saw them this summer. So, as I sit here recuperating, loaded on prescription pills, I thought I'd share this excellent radio session that they did for internet radio station WOXY.

Secret Meeting
90 Mile Water Well
Looking For Astronauts
Abel

Check out The National online.
Check out WOXY online.

I'll be back in a few days, hopefully feeling much better than I do right now, with some Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac for you.

Shaking Through

2007-01-08T19:56:00.000-06:00

I couldn't let today, the day it was announced that R.E.M. is Rock n Roll Hall of Fame bound, pass without posting some R.E.M. content. It's been awhile, so I dug out something that seems kind of fitting. I have no clue about where this show's from--all I know is that I bought it at a record store in Ohio a few years back and it's called "Unreleased Live Album." Whatever it may be, it's a worthwhile snapshot of the band sometime around 1984 (just guessing judging from the setlist). Check it out and remember what made this band great for so long.

Setlist:
7 Chinese Brothers
Catapult
Radio Free Europe
9-9
Gardening at Night
Windout
Letter Never Sent
Kohoutek
So. Central Rain
(Don't Go Back to) Rockville
1,000,000
Hyena
West of the Fields
Old Man Kensey
Second Guessing

Download the show here.

And think about the possibilities of the R.E.M./Van Hagar all star jam...Stipe singing "Poundcake?" Diamond Dave duet on "Nightswimming?" Eddie Van Halen/Peter Buck duel on "Eruption?" The possibilities are endless...

Hard to Explain

2007-01-05T20:23:00.000-06:00

It's been about a year since The Strokes laid their latest record, First Impressions of Earth, on the world only to have it be universally panned (I personally thought it was one of the five worst records I listened to last year). That being said, I still love their debut Is This It?. It bristles with the swagger and energy of a young band taking their shot at the big time and stands as one of the best records of the decade. While they've yet to capture that magic since, this show from October 9, 2001 in Boulder, CO shows a band on fire and full of potential. Let's hope they can return to that form sometime soon.

10/9/01
Fox Theater, Boulder, CO

Is This It?
When It Started
The Modern Age
Soma
Barely Legal
Someday
Alone Together
Last Nite
Hard To Explain
NYC Cops
Trying Your Luck
Take It Or Leave It

Download the show here.

Music At Work

2007-01-02T17:41:00.000-06:00

Welcome back and happy 2007. I figured I'd start the blogging year off in the same way I started off the actual new year--with some music by The Tragically Hip. After having the worst travel day ever the day before, I wanted nothing more than to spend a day on my couch, so at the sake of the party gods, that's how I spent New Year's Eve. Fortunately, my local CBS affiliate was broadcasting The Hip's show from the House of Blues as well, so I got to ring in the new year with the band without paying the $145 cover. Rock on. Check out live versions of some of my favorite Hip songs.

Bobcaygeon
It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken
My Music At Work
Boots or Hearts

Visit The Tragically Hip online. From the interview they did on Sunday, it sounds like they have a big 2007 planned (US release of World Container in March and a tour with The Who as well).

1. Howe Gelb - 'Sno Angel Like You

2006-12-17T20:36:00.000-06:00

So this is it, the best album of the year? An album with a snow angel on the cover and a modest single family home in the middle of nowhere? Yup. Gelb, the mastermind behind Giant Sand (you know, that band that gave you Calexico), popped up this year with a focused, roots-y record mixing originals, Giant Sand covers, and material by Rainer Ptacek. The kicker? Dude brought in a choir. Now normally, I find choirs in rock music to be a bad idea (see Bono getting totally outsung in "Rattle and Hum" for a good example), but Gelb manages to pull off this unlikely pairing with ease. The choir allows Gelb to move about the songs as he must, all the while pulling the listener back to the true focus of the project: the songs. Gelb's range is limited, but his ambition is not, and the choir allows him to showcase the beauty and greatness of these songs in ways that his own voice may not. Proving two great voices are better than one, 'Sno Angel Like You takes the listener on a magical trip, creating a perfect mixture of Gelb's back-woods eclecticism and gospel elegance.

Or as a friend of mine put it, "this sounds like if Lou Reed found a choir and still gave a shit." Yeah, it's that good.

Stream the whole record at Thrill Jockey's website.

Check out Howe Gelb online.

There you have it, my top fifteen records of the year well before I'd even planned on getting them in. Check 'em out and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have this year. Maybe I'll sneak in another list before I leave for the holidays, but I have people to see and things to do. See you all in the new year. Happy holidays.

2. The Handsome Family - Last Days of Wonder

2006-12-17T20:17:00.000-06:00

(Let me preface the next two records as saying that they're really 1A and 1B. Last Days of Wonder is probably the record I've listened to the most this year and it's hands down my favorite record of the year. I just think my number one choice is a better record overall. Objectivity can be a bitch sometimes, but in this case, I think I was fair.)

Brett and Rennie Sparks have crafted yet another gorgeous, spooky country record. Last Days of Wonder builds on their traditional formula of old-timey, gothic country with the haunting voice of Brett and the haunting lyrics of wife Rennie. The album celebrates the little things in life and the inherent beauty of the mundane. It celebrates the little things in life and maybe that's why I love it so much. It talks about baby birds, drive thru order takers, bowling alley bars, Nicola Tesla, and other minutiae. It's a gorgeous rumination on life and reminds the listener to appreciate everything in their day. Who can't understand that?

Flapping Your Broken Wings

Check out The Handsome Family online.

3. Drive-By Truckers - A Blessing and a Curse

2006-12-17T19:59:00.000-06:00

I grew up in a small town. Unlike John Mellencamp's idealized version of small town living, in retrospect, my town was a bit different. People swore, fought, drank a shitload, worked dead end jobs, kept their dreams bottled up inside, and eventually, died. It can be grim, but it's life, so they keep on doing what they know how to do because they have no other choice. These are the types of people that Drive-By Truckers write about and celebrate. I'm pretty sure that if they hadn't been insanely talented they may have wound up like the characters in their songs. While many of the songs on this record are about death ("Little Bonnie," "Space City"), heartbreak ("Feb 14"), and general failure ("Aftermath USA"), underneath all of them is a lining of hope. When you live in a small town, you don't always need a trip to the Tastee-Freeze to feel better; sometimes you just need a bit of hope and the comfort of knowing that someone else has been down the same path. Drive-By Truckers realize that. Hell, they've lived it.

Wednesday

Check out Drive-By Truckers online.

4. Califone - Roots and Crowns

2006-12-17T19:39:00.000-06:00

(I really hate the cover art for this CD. The cover art for the vinyl is so much better.)

Tim Rutili and co. are back with another wonderful record of undefinable folk songs. Califone's never met a sonic trick they didn't want to try, and Roots and Crowns is more of the same. Mixing everything from feedback to Appalachian roots music, Califone continue to be one of the most sonically adventurous bands in rock. From Rutili's always amazing lyrics to the "everything including the kitchen sink" percussion style of Ben Massarella, these are typically great Califone songs, proving that while they may not be a household name, they continue to be a band to which you should pay attention.

You can stream this record at Thrill Jockey's website.

Check out Califone online.

5. Cat Power - The Greatest

2006-12-17T18:36:00.000-06:00

The top five. I'm sure you've all been waiting with baited breath.

Chan Marshall, you done growed up. Gone is that fragile little girl who used to coo low-fi gems and flip out on stage. Gone is the self destructive alcoholic who wanted to kill herself. In her place is a confident young woman who put out the best album of her career this year. Backed by the legendary Memphis Rhythm Band, Marshall gained a confidence both in spirit and voice that her previous works, albeit great in their own rights, lacked. She can still sound as fragile as porcelain, but behind it is a strength that had been missing. Songs like "The Greatest" and "Lived in Bars" rank up their with the best of her career, and "Could We" is a Starbucks push away from making her a staple of the middle class dinner party for years to come.

The Greatest

Check out Cat Power online.

6. Asobi Skesu - Citrus

2006-12-17T18:22:00.000-06:00

Back in college, I had a pretty incredible six-month love affair with shoegaze. All distorted, chimey guitars and soaring vocals, it was pretty much the perfect thing to listen to when I needed to drown out my neighbors and their Creed records. I think I briefly thought that Spiritualized was going to conquer the world. Well, they didn't, and I pretty much forgot about the genre until this year when I picked up Citrus on a bit of a whim. In today's digital age, it's rare that I buy things before I've heard them, but I did with this. Why you ask? Look at that cover art. If that doesn't scream "shoegaze guitars with pop melodies and Japanese girl vocals" what does? Luckily, the record turned out to be awesome, have a ton of hooks, and best of all, Japanese girl vocals. Best blind purchase in years.

Thursday
New Years

Check out Asobi Seksu online.

7. Mission of Burma - The Obliterati

2006-12-17T18:11:00.000-06:00

I've always been leery of the comeback record. Now granted, technically 2004's OnOffOn was the Mission of Burma comeback record, but this seems a bit more like the follow-up to 1982's Vs. The band fires on all post-punk cylinders adding a fierce brutality which middle aged men rarely deliver. From album opener "2wice" (which may be the finest single of the year) until the end, the band steps on your throat and never lets up. Imagine how mind-numbingly awesome it would be if Martin Snope had come back to do the tape loops...

Donna Sumeria
2wice

Check out Mission of Burma online.

8. Hem - Funnel Cloud

2006-12-14T21:31:00.000-06:00

Sally Ellyson has my second favorite female singing voice (after the aforementioned Ms. Case). It's sweet like a summer day in the middle of nowhere. The kind of day where you can lay in a field and think about people you might have loved or popsicles. On Funnel Cloud, Hem further hone their country-politan sound. Always slick, always gorgeous, always blessed with Ellyson's magical voice, this is a record with nary a hair out of place and lots of charm to go around.

I'll Dream Of You Tonight

Check out all kinds of cool things related to the band at their website.

9. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

2006-12-14T21:17:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned before, this was a tremendous year for country records that were solid throughout while never becoming truly spectacular. That being said,Neko Case sure took her shot at greatness. Her voice soars like always and her backing players are top notch (Joey Burns and John Convertino from Calexico, The Sadies, Garth Hudson, Kelly Hogan, Howe Gelb, Rachel Flotard et al join in the fun at various points). Tracks like "Star Witness" and "Hold On, Hold On" rank among the finest of the year and of Case's career. However, the album isn't without fault. Case still has a tendency to truncate songs, ending them just as they're about to get interesting. If I could get past this flaw, I'd rank her higher, but as it is, a record that could have been truly transcendent ended up being merely fantastic. Does it prevent me from listening? No, but it definitely makes me wish she would stretch out just a bit more.

Check out streaming tracks at Neko Case online (download omitted so I don't get sued).

10. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls In America

2006-12-14T21:09:00.000-06:00

Hands down my favorite rock record of the year, Boys and Girls In America is another song cycle from Craig Finn starring Holly and her lovable gang of ne'er-do-wells. As opposed to their shenanigans on Separation Sunday, the kids are definitely not alright. Holly's inconsolable and the rest are fuck-ups. The kids on "Chillout Tent" do too many drugs at a concert and end up fucking in a first aid tent. Is Craig Finn the voice of a new generation? Maybe not, but he sure can tell a tale.

Chillout Tent

Check out The Hold Steady online.

11. Justin Rutledge - Devil On a Bench In Stanley Park

2006-12-12T21:25:00.000-06:00

2006 was a spectacular year for "alt.country" records that were totally solid from top to bottom but never truly special or spectacular. Devil on a Bench In Stanley Park is a perfect example of such. "Robin's Tune," which is arguably the strongest track on the record, kicks off the set, and aside from a mid-disc lull, never lets up in producing sturdy country music. The songs are tight, the melodies shimmer, and the arrangements are solid throughout. Unlike many country acts today striving for a hint of authenticity, Rutledge's arrangements are top notch with nary an extraneous fiddle or banjo to be heard. Every note is essential and none are wasted, creating a record that's as comfortable as an old pair of pants.

This Is War

Visit Justin Rutledge online.

12. Human Television - Look At Who You're Talking To

2006-12-12T21:14:00.000-06:00

I'm definitely taking some liberties here, because frankly, I can see myself dwelling on this record and wanting to invoke some revisionist history in about six months when I'm totally in love with this record. It's come on strong as of late, and frankly, that Neil Young record, while good, is probably better off at number sixteen.

Remember all those old Athens bands that came about around the time R.E.M. was talking about passion and singing trouble? Well, Human Television obviously do, because they nicked the best moments of those bands and put out a record, that while not amazing (but let's face it, nothing in the Love Tractor or Let's Active catalogs were either), is totally solid from top to bottom and sounds better every time you listen to it.

People Talking

Visit Human Television online.

13. Howlin' Rain - s/t

2006-12-11T20:22:00.000-06:00

The large plume of smoke billowing from the cabin on the cover of this record is a bit of a call out. This is a record for those dudes who wear flannel by day and night and know their way around a truck stop. They appreciate the country phase The Dead went through round about American Beauty and they know the words to the Bad Company catalog. They also like to rock and huff glue. They've woken up with a piss stain on their pants and blood coming from their nose. They ate lunch at a diner and dinner was something they killed. Yeah, this record's for those guys.

The Firing Of The Midnight Rain

Visit Howlin' Rain online.

14. Keene Brothers - Blues and Boogie Shoes

2006-12-11T20:07:00.000-06:00

Over the course of his sometimes storied, sometimes shambling career, Robert Pollard has never met a song (or song fragment for that matter) that he didn't feel was worth releasing. At times this could be maddening because Pollard is a naturally gifted songwriter with more than enough good ideas to go around. When Pollard decided to begin collaborating with touring guitarist Tommy Keene, it opened up the door for something special. Combining Pollard's songwriting skills with Tommy Keene's sense of arrangement, Blues and Boogie Shoes is what the failed Big Star reunion should have sounded like: tight hooks, guitars chiming, and melodies for miles.

Island of Lost Lucys

Visit Robert Pollard online.

15. Sparklehorse - Dreamt For Light Years In the Belly Of a Mountain

2006-12-10T19:50:00.000-06:00

Mark Linkous has been making fractured, lo-fi noise pop for over a decade now, and while this record doesn't approach the sonic beauty of Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot or It's a Wonderful Life, there's a dreamy chaos on this record that I love. It's a gorgeous record, albeit nowhere near as challenging as his earlier works. Much of the album feels like a narcotic-induced dream sequence, which Linkous' battle with drugs may account for. It took me awhile to get into this record, but once I did, I found it getting repeated listens. For that alone, it gets a spot on my list.

Don't Take My Sunshine Away

Visit Sparklehorse online.

Albums of the Year Countdown

2006-12-10T19:47:00.000-06:00

Alright, so ten days or so ago I said I would start posting again, and then I got really into a couple of books and started spending all my downtime watching reruns of "Man Vs Wild," and put this place on the back burner. For the three of you who read this, I apologize. As it's the end of the year, I'm going to start my end of the year countdown, and hopefully rap it up before I head to Ohio on the 22nd. That leaves me roughly twelve days to cover fifteen records. I think I can handle that. Then, I'll return in the new year and hopefully keep doing this with a little more fervor.

Sick Days

2006-12-01T21:15:00.001-06:00

I've been sick most, if not all, of this week. Regular posting resumes tomorrow.

Wilco - Auditorium Theatre, Chicago 11/24/06

2006-11-25T13:36:00.000-06:00

Anytime I've seen Wilco in Chicago, whether it was the Kicking Television run at the Vic Theatre in 2005, their triumphant, should-have-been-the headliner set at this past summer's Lollapalooza, or any of their many shows at their now adopted home, the Auditorium Theatre, the show has felt special and the energy has been through the roof. Last night, I didn't get that feeling until midway through the set.

The band started off in fine form, playing a song from their upcoming record and transitioned into a lovely version of "Hell is Chrome," but after that, something felt missing. The band seemed hesitant to let loose, and the new material surprisingly left much of the crowd around me scratching their heads and heading for the bar. The real tragedy in all of this is that the new material not only sounds fantastic, but is far more straight ahead than much of Wilco's recent work. "Impossible Germany" is a groove based rocker , "Let's Not Get Carried Away" features a drum solo that would seem straight out of Spinal Tap if Glenn Kotche wasn't so amazing to watch, and "What Light," which was played in the first encore and dedicated to John Stirratt's new baby, is one of those songs that's so good it should be a massive single (but alas, probably won't).

Midway through the opening set, the band kicked into gear with the most amazing version of "Sunken Treasure" I've ever heard. Jeff Tweedy no longer played acoustic guitar and the harmonica part was gone as well, replaced instead with amazing interplay between Tweedy and Nels Cline. The song flat out rocked and it was the tension breaker everyone needed. From there on out, the band just let loose with some of the best versions of songs I've heard tons of times. "Remember the Mountain Bed" soared throughout the theater and "Airline to Heaven" was a revelation. "Jesus Etc." united the crowd of nearly 4000 as one, with everyone singing the 'our love is all we have' section.

The encores saw the band breaking out more crowd favorites with "California Stars" and "Heavy Metal Drummer" getting more asses moving, and "In A Future Age" reminding us all of the hidden gems in the Wilco catalog. The night closed with a rollicking version of "Kingpin" where Tweedy urged us all to embrace the power of rock and scream our troubles away. The crowd obliged and was all the better for it.

Setlist:
Shake It Off
Hell Is Chrome
Handshake Drugs
A Shot In the Arm
Impossible Germany
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
Muzzle of Bees
Company In My Back
War on Wall
Sunken Treasure
Remember the Mountain Bed
Airline to Heaven
Jesus Etc.
Walken
Theologians
I'm The Man Who Loves You

Hummingbird
Via Chicago
What Light
The Late Greats

In A Future Age
California Stars
Heavy Metal Drummer
Let's Not Get Carried Away
Kingpin

The World Is Full of Crashing Bores

2006-11-24T12:44:00.000-06:00

Tuesday night I was lucky enough to catch Morrissey's only US show this fall at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom. I'd never seen Morrissey live before, but he delivered exactly what I'd hoped for: a set that cherry picked the best songs off of 2006's Ringleader of the Tormentors, a smattering of his solo hits, and a few classics from The Smiths' catalog. Moz delivered exactly what I'd hoped and the night was a fantastic reminder of what makes him so special in the first place.

In that vein, check out this set from Morrissey's summer tour of Europe. The set meets the criteria above and the new material sounds much better live than it does on the record.

Nöjesfabriken
Karlstad, Sweden
2006-08-08

Setlist:
01. Don´t Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
02. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
03. Irish Blood, English Heart
04. I Will See You In Far-off Places
05. Life Is A Pigsty
06. I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now
07. The Youngest Was The Most Loved
08. You Have Killed Me
09. Girlfriend In A Coma
10. At Last I Am Born
11. How Soon Is Now?
12. Street Life [Roxy Music]
13. First Of The Gang to Die

Download the show here.

It's All Gonna Break

2006-11-18T19:44:00.000-06:00

Every few years or so, Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene says the band is breaking up, or in its current state, going on hiatus. While the group started off as a side project for many of the Canadian rockers in it, in many ways, it's eclipsed their day jobs. Their past two records have been critically praised and have gained them quite a following. Here's hoping they recharge their batteries, go back to their day jobs, and reconvene to dream this all up again. It'd be a shame for such a vital collective to call it a day when they obviously have more rocking to do.

As such, I thought I'd present one beast of a Broken Social Scene show. It's from the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto on August 27, 2004, and I seem to think it was supposed to be their last show ever according to Drew. Obviously that wasn't the case, but the band plays with a ferocity that almost leads one to believe that this could be their last show.

Setlist:
Every Night (Paul McCartney cover)
Late Nineties Bedroom Rock For the Missionaries
Shampoo Suicide
KC Accidental
Stars and Sons
The National Anthem of Nowhere
Where's Your Heart, Where's Your Mind?
I'll Bring the Sun
Pacific Theme
7/4 (Shoreline)
Looks Just Like the Sun
Secretaries
Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old GIrl
Superconnected
Almost Crimes
Major Label Debut (fast)
Cause = Time
Backyards
Lover's Spit
It's All Gonna Break

See, I told you it was mega. Download it here.
Check out pictures from the show at Chromewaves.

Also, I'd like to extend a hearty welcome to our new friends at Blowin the Coug, a blog named after like the sixth best song on Ryan Adams' second Pinkhearts session.

The Skids - Peel Sessions 1978-1980

2006-11-17T20:36:00.000-06:00

I promised to return and bring the rock, and I think I've lived up to my word with this one. If you haven't checked out The Skids, then you're missing out on some of the best art-punk of the late seventies. Like the way The Edge's guitar sounds in those early U2 songs? Well check out these guys and see where he stole the sound from (Stuart Adamson, The Skids guitarist later went on to play in Big Country, but that's beside the point). That U2/Green Day charity collaboration, "The Saints Are Coming," is a cover of a classic Skids track and is a good place to start, but these Peel Sessions reveal a band that combined some serious experimentation with the punk aesthetic.

May 16, 1978 (Broadcast May 19, 1978)
Night And Day
Open Sound
Of One Skin
TV Stars
Contusion

August 29, 1978 (Broadcast September 1, 1978)
The Saints Are Coming
Six Times
Dossier (Of Fallibility)
Hope And Glory

February 19, 1979 (Broadcast February 26, 1979)
Summer
Walk On The Wildside (yes, the Lou Reed song)
Zit (Time?)
Hang On To The Shadows

September 1, 1980 (Broadcast September 15, 1980)
Circus Games
Filming In Africa
Snakes And Ladders

April 30, 1979 (Broadcast May 7, 1979)
Masquerade
Out Of Town

Download the sessions here in one handy zip file.

Buy records by The Skids here.

It's Been Awhile...

2006-11-16T18:17:00.000-06:00

(it took all the power in the world not to post a picture of Staind here)

So I've been pretty negligent toward this place over the past couple weeks, and for that, I'm not really sorry because sometimes life happens and stuff. But, starting tomorrow I'm going to start updating this place as much as I can again. Until then, check out the links on the side and tomorrow, we'll bring some rock back to this joint.

Jeff Tweedy - 3/4/05, Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL

2006-10-30T21:14:00.000-06:00

Here it is kids, hands down the best show I've ever been to. I can remember the night like it was yesterday. It was a rainy night in March (as a lot of them are in Chicago in March). I met my friend who I took to the show for her birthday at a sandwich shop near the theatre, ate dinner, and we were off. We got there about ten minutes before the opener (local alt-country act Riviera) and were able to get a prime spot on the rail , about ten feet back from the stage. The Vic in general is pretty tiny, so anywhere would have been fine, but these spots seemed pretty great even before Jeff took the stage. Needless to say, the show was spectacular, the set amazing and the memories still vivid to this day. The show was a benefit for Kawasaki Disease research and Jeff was very grateful that the crowd had paid good money to see him play on behalf of a cause he felt very attached to (one of his sons was diagnosed with the ailment). As such, Tweedy delivered a special show that seemed as though he was taking the setlist directly from what I was hoping he'd play. I've never had a better time at a show, and I've never enjoyed a show song for song as much as I did this one. Check out the setlist and enjoy the show.

Setlist:
1. Airline To Heaven
2. Sunken Treasure
3. Muzzle Of Bees
4. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard
5. Please Tell My Brother
6. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
7. Far, Far Away
8. Not For The Season
9. Someday Some Morning Sometime
10. Forget The Flowers
11. Remember The Mountain Bed
12. John Wesley Harding
13. Dash 7
14. Acuff-Rose
15. Hesitating Beauty
16. Blasting Fonda
17. No More Poetry
18. I'm The Man Who Loves You

Encore 1:
19. Cars Can't Escape
20. Chinese Apple
21. How To Fight Loneliness
22. Gun
23. The Late Greats

Encore 2:
24. Secret Of The Sea
25. ELT
26. Summer Teeth
27. Wishful Thinking
28. Box Full Of Letters
29. Shouldn't Be Ashamed
30. Pecan Pie

Download the show here.
Read up on Kawasaki Disease here.

Update

2006-10-29T16:21:00.000-06:00

Alright, so it's Sunday and normally I try to put up something R.E.M. related, but to be honest here, I'm running out of interesting stuff to put up. I mean I have stuff I could put up, but I either can't find what I want to put up, or the stuff I have handy is already similar to what's already gone up in the past. So for now, we're going to flip the script a little bit and I'm going to post whatever I want whenever I want. I think this may help in making what I do post a bit more worthwhile. Well, tomorrow's post will be number one-hundred for this place and I've got what is probably my all-time favorite show ever lined up. See you then.

Wilco - 2003 Bridge School Benefit

2006-10-23T21:07:00.000-05:00

I thought about posting some R.E.M. content a day late, but as I was looking through my box of fun, this jumped out and seemed pretty appropriate since Neil Young staged his annual Bridge School Benefit this past weekend. I've always loved the Bridge Benefit because of the format (bands can only play acoustically) and because of the cause. If you've ever seen pictures, it's quite refreshing to see the kids of the Bridge School sitting on stage having a blast. Rock music needs more of that.

These two sets are some of my favorite from Wilco for a couple of reasons. The Yankee Hotel Foxtrot material sounds really fresh in these arrangements, which is pretty amazing since they'd toured the songs for close to three years at that point. Also, these are the last shows to feature the YHF-era lineup of Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Leroy Bach, and Mikael Jorgensen, as Bach left the band shortly after the completion of A Ghost is Born, and before the band could tour for the record. Enjoy the shows and pay attention for the Bill Fay cover. It's not to be missed.

Set:
10/25/03
One by One
New Madrid
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
She's a Jar
Company in My Back
We've Been Had
I'm the Man Who Loves You
Christ For President

10/26/03
Airline to Heaven
Sunken Treasure
War on War
The Late Greats
Bob Dylan's Beard
When the Roses Bloom Again
California Stars
Be Not So Fearful

Download the sets here.

R.E.M...Monday?!?

2006-10-22T21:05:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I can't find what I wanted to post today, and then I went to a bar and watched a bunch of football (did you see that Tampa Bay game? Jesus...). Now, with Kenny Rogers throwing like Cy Fucking Young, I'm not too compelled to dig around in my boxes looking for something to post, so I'll get something fun up tomorrow.

Say Yes

2006-10-21T22:24:00.000-05:00

The first time I ever saw Elliott Smith was when he played "Miss Misery" at the Academy Awards (pictured above). In his white suit, singing this gorgeous, acoustic ballad, he seemed so out of place and so much cooler than what I was used to seeing at an industry award show (ie Celine Dion, Phil Collins). Needless to say the song was amazing and Elliott didn't win, but it left an impression.

Fast forward three years. It's now 2001 and I'm in the midst of my first senior year at college (all the cool kids had two of them). Things were a little rough. My class load was getting to me, as was my family. A casual acquaintance from an English class suggested an album called Either/Or and said that when she felt kind of messed up or sad, she'd put this on and, despite the lyrics, she'd feel some hope. Other people felt like this too, and she didn't feel as bad about it anymore. At the time, it felt like a bit of psycho-babble, but I picked up a copy of the record and the next time I had a rough patch, I put it on. She was right. Not only was the album lovely and the songs amazing, but the voice behind them was warm and friendly, an old soul wearing his heart on his sleeve.

Fast forward again, two more years. By this time, I was a full blown Elliott Smith fan. I'd moved (on a bit of a whim) a couple states away from everything I knew and was working a horrible job for a horrible man. The only thing this horrible man did that I enjoyed was let us listen to the best radio station in town in the office every day. It was there, three years ago today, that I heard that Elliott Smith had left this world. The news hit me a bit harder than I thought it would. I'd been rediscovering his catalog in the weeks before, coinciding with the horrible times I was having at work. The only time I looked forward to in my work day was the commute to and from, when I could put on my headphones and lose myself in Elliott's world. It was a more fucked up world than mine, and in some sad way, that gave me solace. I have a feeling that a lot of people felt the same way. Thanks for the help Elliott. Thanks for being there for me and all those other kids. Rest in peace.

Here's my favorite Elliott Smith show I have. It's from 4/17/98. Enjoy.

Set:
Angeles
Division Day
Clementine
Waltz #2
Between the Bars
Southern Belle
Jealous Guy (John Lennon)
Say Yes
Oh Well, Okay
No Name #4
Rose Parade
Alameda
Pictures of Me
Some Song
The Biggest Lie
St Ides Heaven
Care of Cell 44 (The Zombies)
Speed Trials
Thirteen (Big Star)
No Name #3

Download the show here.

Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett - Old Town School of Folk Fest, 7/25/1999

2006-10-16T20:54:00.000-05:00

The last time most of us saw Jay Bennett he looked drugged up on painkillers and was rambling about how Jeff Tweedy kicked him out of Wilco using some lame "every circle has one center" analogy and was jealous of his burgeoning stardom (Bennett's subsequent solo releases took care of dispelling the nasty rumour that he was indeed headed for stardom).

Anyway, let's look at the happier times. In 1999, Jeff and Jay (bff?) were playing in support of their latest full length, Summerteeth, as well as the first Mermaid Avenue collaboration with Billy Bragg. This charming little set finds them hunkered down on Chicago's west side for the annual Old Town School of Folk Music Festival. It's a great set with some standard folk numbers as well as Woody Guthrie mixed in. And the cover of Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You In the End" is worth the download alone.

Setlist:
Intro
James Alley Blues
She's a Jar
New Madrid
Blood of the Lamb
Down in the Willow Garden
Auld Triangle
Another Man Done Gone
Hesitating Beauty
Via Chicago
Sugar Baby
I Got You
Forget the Flowers
I'm Always In Love
The Lonely 1
Summerteeth
Pecan Pie
True Love Will Find You In the End
Casino Queen
Encore Break
California Stars
Hoodoo Voodoo

Download the show here.

Visit the Old Town School of Folk here.

Later....With Jools Holland, 10/27/98

2006-10-15T10:26:00.000-05:00

First off, I have to say that, looking back through what I've posted, I'm surprised I haven't posted this already, but hey, now's as good a time as any, right?

The promo blitz following the release of UP was one I remember well. I was in college and had just gotten the internet in my dorm room and it made it very easy to download all these European promo shows they'd been doing. However, the show I'm about to feature I bought at my favorite record store (presumably on trade credit). It's a nice little set from BBC's "Later...With Jools Holland" show. If you've never seen the show, it's kind of neat. Jools has four or five guests all set up around a soundstage and the bands alternate playing songs over the course of an hour. On this occasion, R.E.M. is the only guest and turn in a full set. Good stuff. Pay special attention to the amazing pedal steel work of BJ Cole on Country Feedback.

Set:
Intro
Losing My Religion
Lotus
New Test Leper
Daysleeper
Electrolite
At My Most Beautiful
The Apologist
Country Feedback
Parakeet
South Central Rain
Walk Unafraid
Man On The Moon
(The Passenger was also played, but my cd has a bit of a scratch and the track won't rip--it's also truncated for some reason. The song itself is available on the At My Most Beautiful single, so maybe I'll dig that out and up it later.)

Download the show here.

Old 97's - Cicero's, 4/19/96

2006-10-14T20:47:00.000-05:00

Before Rhett Miller got all dreamy and the band started making power-pop, Old 97's were a straight-up, shit-kicking, country band. Their live shows still remain fiery, sweat filled affairs, but I can only imagine what it was like at Cicero's on this night. Playing material from their first two records, the band is on fire (as usual), and Rhett seems quite playful, even obliging the crowd with the unreleased gem "Jack the Necrophiliac."

Set:
504
Victoria
You Belong to My Heart
My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darling
Big Brown Eyes
Stoned
Doreen
Drowning in the Days
Wish the Worst
Let the Train Whistle Blow
The Other Shoe
Over the Cliff
Mama Tried
Miss Molly
Four Leaf Clover
Jack the Necrophiliac

Download the show here.

The Wedding Song Paradox

2006-10-10T19:50:00.000-05:00

So after a long hiatus, I finally return. No fun stuff today, just a bit of a musing/rant. I guess this would be the ideal place for one of those. I'm sure it beats heading off to a street corner to do so.

This weekend I attended my big sister's wedding. Aside from the family shenanigans and numerous "so when are you getting married?" questions from relatives I hadn't seen in decades, it was a lovely affair. At the reception though, somewhere between a trip to the chocolate fountain and swigs from my new flask, I began to ponder a very simple question: why does wedding reception music suck?

Weddings are supposed to be one of the happiest days of a person's life (right there with kids being born and life changing events of that nature) so why is the soundtrack generally so goddamn awful? I understand the need for non-offensive music that won't get grandma upset and the desire for tear-jerking sentimentality (see the bride/groom first dance and the father/daughter dance), but please, aw-shucks, red-state country is not the way to do this. Does something subconsciously tell wedding dj's to play the most god-awful music they can think of in order to not overshadow the other festivities? Just once, I want to attend a wedding where I pause cold, stop eating my reception dinner, and think, "Fuck, that's a killer choice of a wedding song." No offense to Tim McGraw and Chicago, but your time should be over.

When and if I get married (provided I actually have a full blown wedding fiasco--that's a rant for another day), I'm going to dj the thing myself. I'll program like six hours of music on my iPod, hook it up, and away we go. It will be the ultimate mix tape. And nowhere, I mean nowhere, will Tim McGraw be on the playlist.*

*unless of course my future wife tells me there will be. I may be neurotic, but I'm not stupid.

Turn You Inside Out

2006-09-24T12:26:00.000-05:00

1989's tour in support of Green, the band's major label debut, saw the band making the jump to full blown arena rock stars. The venues got bigger, the show's got bigger, and the band played with an intensity I'm not sure it's matched since. I've always loved the bootleg (and yes, this one's a bootleg) I'm going to post today. It's a compilation of a couple different shows recorded for Westwood One Radio's Sunday Night Concert Series (which back in the day was hosted by J.J. Jackson of early MTV fame). I used to try and catch as many radio shows as I could growing up (not much great live music came to rural Ohio), so I still have a soft spot for these types of shows. Enjoy the show and pay attention for the intro to I Believe sporting a sweet tease of a Syd Straw song. The Pylon and Mission of Burma covers are exquisite too.

Setlist:
Pop Song '89
Exhuming McCarthy
Welcome to the Occupation
Disturbance at the Heron House
Turn You Inside Out
Orange Crush
Feeling Gravity's Pull
Swan Swan H
Begin the Begin
Pretty Persuasion
I Believe
King of Birds
Crazy
Finest Worksong
You Are the Everything
Academy Fight Song
Stand
Perfect Circle
Get Up
It's the End of the World As We Know It

Download the show here.

Note: This is probably going to be the last post for awhile. I have to move next weekend, which means I still need to pack, and after that, it's off to Ohio for some quality family time as my sister's getting married. In my absence, check out all the other wonderful blogs I've linked to. There's some amazing stuff being written on those. Take care and I'll be back as soon as everything settles down (and I get an internet connection).

Miracle Drug

2006-09-22T20:30:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. After R.E.M. week, it's been a bit hectic around here, and it's only going to get worse as I need to move. A very dear friend of mine has been in the hospital all week, so blogging's been the last thing on my mind. He got out today, and while he still isn't all that well, at least there's hope. U2's one of his favorite bands, and no one deals in hope like U2. With all of that being said, he loves this song, so it seems fitting. Get well soon mate.

U2 - Miracle Drug (live in Chicago)

Golden Smog - 9/19/06, The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL

2006-09-20T21:16:00.000-05:00

(Sorry there are no pictures. The Vic security crew take their jobs a bit too seriously).

As Gary Louris joked, last night's Golden Smog show was the final night of their grueling eight city tour in support of their latest record, Another Fine Day. The album is a bit of a ragtag affair with some really great songs (Listen Joe, Frying Pan Eyes, Long Time Ago), some bar band toss-offs (Hurricane, 5-22-02), and a pacing that makes the standout cuts act as oases in the middle of the mediocre desert. In concert though, the songs took on a different light and were all the better.

Seeing as how none of the other shows had featured Golden Smog's most famous member, Jeff Tweedy, and the tour was wrapping in Chicago, it seemed like a bit of a no-brainer that he'd be making an appearance. As the band came out to start the show, there was indeed an extra member, and as Louris shouted, "It's good to have the band back together."

The band though is of a much different dynamic than that of Tweedy's main gig in Wilco. Louris and Kraig Jarret Johnson are decidedly the band's leaders, with Tweedy, Marc Perlman, and Danny Murphy often deferring to the leads of those two. This deference created for some awkward moments, especially those when band members who didn't have parts in the songs would walk off stage (Tweedy did this the most and seemed quite hesitant throughout much of the early parts of the show) and wait around in the wings until the next song. That being said, the core band sounded extremely tight and focused and much of the new material was far more entertaining in the live setting.

What was unique about the show was how Tweedy enhanced the show in the most unexpected way. Seemingly unfamiliar with much of the new material, Jeff nevertheless played along on some songs that he appeared to have no clue as to how to play (even playing bass on a couple of numbers). Much of his guitar work was spent conjuring up waves of feedback (this was especially beautiful and effective on the ballad 'Jennifer Save Me.') or strumming along while watching Murphy's hands or having Johnson or Louris shout out chord changes to him. It was in these moments that the band seemed closer to the spirit that it had been founded under: friends playing together to blow off steam and forget about the pressures and expectations heaped upon their other bands. Best of all, when Tweedy would muff a note or look completely lost, the band never seemed irked, and often times seemed like they were having even more fun in spite of it.

The show was fairly balanced between older Smog material and the new record. Highlights included three lovely Louris/Tweedy duets (Long Time Ago, Radio King, Listen Joe--which featured a wonderful flamenco style solo from Tweedy), an unexpected Bowie cover (Starman), and the rousing show closer 'Until You Came Along,' which had the entire theatre singing along, wishing the night could go on forever.

Opening the show was ex-Jayhawks drummer Tim O'Reagan. Leading a wonderful band that featured Jim Boquist (ex of Son Volt), O'Reagan stepped out front to showcase songs from his recent self-titled debut, that while strong, were never spectacular. Mixing in a few covers and some songs from his time in The Jayhawks (Tampa to Tulsa was even more beautiful than I remembered), O'Reagan looked as though he was having a blast leading his new band and the new material seemed even stronger due to his conviction.

Return of the Unibrow

2006-09-17T11:28:00.000-05:00

Three times in the past year, the band's original drummer Bill Berry has joined them for celebratory mini-sets. The first was last October at the wedding reception of their guitar tech. The last two both occurred this week as the band prepared to be inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Each time was something to celebrate as Berry has pretty much kept to himself since retiring from the band in 1997. Enjoy the wedding reception set and the songs from last night's induction ceremony below.

Wedding Reception:
Sitting Still
(Don't Go Back to) Rockville
Wolves, Lower
Begin the Begin
The One I Love
Permanent Vacation
Instrumental/Talk
Radio Free Europe

Induction Ceremony:
Begin the Begin
Losing My Religion
Man on the Moon
Midnight Rider (with Gregg Allman)

Driver 8

2006-09-16T19:31:00.000-05:00

"Driver 8" is another gem from the IRS years, and maybe one of my three favorite R.E.M. songs. Just listen to it. It's classic R.E.M. A fine vocal from Stipe, that tense rhythm from Berry, Mills harmonies and bass work are impeccable, and Buck's jangly guitar is in full force. It's says a ton about the song that they ripped it off themselves for "Imitation of Life." Enjoy the live version below.

The walls are built up, stone by stone,
the fields divided one by one.
And the train conductor says
"Take a break Driver 8, Driver 8 take a break
We've been on this shift too long"

And the train conductor says
"Take a break Driver 8, Driver 8 take a break
We can reach our destination, but we're still a ways away"

I saw a treehouse on the outskirts of the farm.
The power lines have floaters so the airplanes won't get snagged.
Bells are ringing through the town again,
Children look up, all they hear is sky-blue, bells ringing

And the train conductor says
"Take a break Driver 8, Driver 8 take a break
We can reach our destination, but we're still a ways away"

Way to shield the hated heat.
Way to put myself to sleep.
Way to shield the hated heat.
Way to put myself, my children to sleep.

He piloted this song in a plane like that one.
She is selling faith on the Go Tell crusade.
Locomotive 8, Southern Crescent, hear the bells ring again.
Field to weed is lookin' thin

And the train conductor says
"Take a break Driver 8, Driver 8 take a break
We've been on this shift too long."
And the train conductor says
"Take a break Driver 8, Driver 8 take a break
We can reach our destination, but we're still a ways away"

Driver 8 (Live)

So Fast, So Numb

2006-09-15T21:46:00.000-05:00

My favorite song off my favorite record of the Warner years. I think I've managed to see this song every time I've seen them live and I can definitely say that it's a monster live. I think it's sadly the last, great, straight-ahead rock song the band put out. From Berry's propulsive drumming to Mills' harmonies, this one's perfect. Check it out.

you're moving through rough waters,
motor boy,
and swimming in your sleep.
how could I be so blind, mis-sighted,
not to see there's something wounded deep.
anyone could scratch your surface now,
it's all amphetamine
you're blasting yourself into the present
to blur some past indignity, say that,

you say that
you hate it.
you want to re-create it

I've been around, I've been your lover.
I let it go, kill devil hills.
you're coming onto something so fast, so numb
that you can't even feel.

you're drinking raw adrenal baby,
and dosey dosey doe.
You're eating cartilage. shark-eyes. shark-heart.
all present tense.
boy, your blood is running cold.
listen. this is now. this is here.
this is me. this is what I wanted
you to see.
that was then. that was that.
that is gone. that is past.
you cast yourself, cast.
passed by, thrown down fast. you say.

you say that
you hate it.
but you want to recreate it.

I've played this round, I've played your lover.
I've played it out and to the hilt.
you're coming onto something so fast, so numb
that you can't even feel.

you love it.
you hate it.
you want to re-create it.
now this is here. this is me.
this is what I wanted
you to see.
that was then. that was that.
that is gone. that is what
I wanted you to feel.

you love it.
you hate it.
I'm spitting out the bitter pill.

I've been around, I've been your lover
I let it go, kill devil hills.
you're coming onto something so fast, so numb
that you can't even feel.

I've played this round, I've played your lover.
I've played it out and to the hilt.
you're coming onto something so fast, so numb
that you can't even feel.

you've played around, you played me lover.
I let it go, kill devil hills.
you're moving so hard, so fast, so numb
that you can't even feel.

So Fast, So Numb (live)

She Just Wants to Be

2006-09-14T20:29:00.000-05:00

Part of me has always hated 2001's Reveal for the selfish reason that this is officially what the band is going to sound like without Bill Berry. The wounds were still pretty fresh on Up and as such there's a pretty interesting dynamic of confusion and pain. On Reveal, the band's ideas are fully realized and the band sounds different. While it doesn't sound like the IRS years I so love, there are some fantastic songs on there. My personal favorite of the lot is "She Just Wants to Be." It's just gorgeous and it's the one song on the record that I could hear the band having played in 1985. Check out the live version below.

it's not that she walked away,
her world got smaller.
all the usual places,
the same destinations,
only something's changed.

it's not that she wasn't rewarded
with pomegranate afternoons
and Mingus, Chet Baker and chess.
it's not the stampeding fortune,
of prim affectations.
she's off on her own
but she knows

now is greater than the whole of the past
is greater, and now she knows

she just wants to be somewhere
she just wants to be
she just wants to be somewhere
she just wants to be.

it's not that the transparency
of her earlier incarnations
now looked back on, weren't rich
and loaded with beautiful vulnerability
and now she knows.

now is greater
and she knows that

she just wants to be somewhere
she just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
she just wants to be

now is greater, now is greater.
and she knows that

she just wants to be somewhere
she just wants to be
she just wants to be somewhere
she just wants to be.

it's not like if angels
could truly look down
stir up the trappings
and light on the ground.
remind us of what, when, why or who
that how's up to us, me and you.
and now is greater than the whole of the past

is greater, and now she knows that.
now she knows.

She Just Wants to Be (Live)

Tongue

2006-09-13T20:30:00.000-05:00

This is ladies' choice.

"Tongue" is easily one of my favorite R.E.M. songs, if only for the way it seems so damn out of place on Monster. While most of the record is decidedly noisy and straightforward, "Tongue" is organ-driven and features Michael Stipe singing in his best falsetto. I've never been able to figure out if the song's about regrettable sex or a best friend you hate. Either way, it's a gem

call my name, here I come.
90 to nothing, watch me run.
you call.
I am ashamed to say.
ugly girls know their fate.
anybody can get laid.
you want a room with a fire escape.
I want to tell you how much I hate this.
don't leave that stuff all over me. it pains me.
please just leave it.
I should toss that vanity license plate.
toss that make-up painted face.
box those poems, chocolate cake.
scratch that name on the record player.
please just leave me be.
don't lay that stuff all over me.
it crawls all over. all over me.
call my name, here I come.
your last ditch lay, will I never learn?
caramel turn on a dusty apology.
it crawls all over me.
you turn all over.
it pains me.
please just leave it.

Check out a live version from the Monster tour here.

Life and How to Live It

2006-09-12T21:58:00.000-05:00

On the day the band's new IRS retrospective is out, I figured I would talk about not only my favorite song of the IRS years, but probably my favorite song in the band's catalog and the namesake for this joint. "Life and How to Live It," off of 1985's Fables of the Reconstruction, is Michael Stipe's first great narrative. The song tells a tale of a man who took his house and split it into two apartments. When he got tired of living on one side, he'd move to the other side and did this until he died. Upon his death, the house was cleaned out and a bunch of published books written by the man were found in a closet. The name of the book? Life and How to Live It.

Burn bright through the night, two pockets lead the way
Two doors to go between the wall was raised today
Two doors remain before your others and your own
Keep these books well stocked away and take your happy home

My carpenter's out and running about, talking to the street
My pockets are out and running about
Barking in the street to tell what I have hidden there

Burn bright through the night, two pockets lead the way
Two doors to go between the wall was raised today
Raise the walls and shout its flaws, a carpenter should rest
So that when you tire of one side the other serves you best

My carpenter's out and running about, talking to the street
My pockets are out and running about
Barking in the street to tell what I have hidden there

The hills ringing hear the words in time
Listen to the holler, listen to my walls within my tongue
Can't you see you made my ears go tin?
the air quicken tension building inference suddenly
Life and how to live it

Raise the walls and shout its flaws, a carpenter should rest
So that when you tire of one side the other serves you best
Read about the wisdom lost, a knock, a knock, a knock
A secret knock one hammer's locked the other wisdom lost

My carpenter's out and running about, talking to the street
My pockets are out and running about
Barking in the street to tell what I have hidden there
My carpenter's out and running about, barking in the, listen to the holler
My pockets are out and running about
Barking in the street to tell what I have hidden there

Listen, listen to the holler,
If I write a book it will be called "Life and How to Live It

Life and How to Live It (live 1987)

Buy the new IRS Retrospective here.

Final Straw

2006-09-11T20:05:00.000-05:00

This seemed like the most fitting thing to post as I sit here watching Dubya start to talk about what happened five years ago and why we are where we are today. The band initially released this in 2003 on the eve of the invasion of Iraq and later on Around the Sun. Not much has changed since then and when I read the lyrics I know the band isn't alone in their feelings.

as I raise my head to broadcast my objection
as your latest triumph draws the final straw
who died and lifted you up to perfection?
and what silenced me is written into law.

I can't believe where circumstance has thrown me
and I turn my head away
if I look I'm not sure that I could face you.
not again. not today. not today.

if hatred makes a play on me tomorrow
and forgiveness takes a back seat to revenge
there's a hurt down deep that has not been corrected.
there's a voice in me that says you will not win.

and if I ignore the voice inside,
raise a half glass to my home.
but it's there that I am most afraid,
and forgetting doesn't hold. it doesn't hold.

now I don't believe and I never did
that two wrongs make a right.
if the world were filled with the likes of you
then I'm putting up a fight. I'm putting up a fight.
putting up a fight. make it right. make it right.

now love cannot be called into question.
forgiveness is the only hope I hold.
and love- love will be my strongest weapon.
I do believe that I am not alone.

for this fear will not destroy me.
and the tears that have been shed
it's knowing now where I am weakest
and the voice in my head. in my head.

then I raise my voice up higher
and I look you in the eye
and I offer love with one condition.
with conviction, tell me why.
tell me why.
tell me why.
look me in the eye.
tell me why.

Check out this nice live version.