Before I get into this week's ridiculous amount of new releases, I would like to announce the two winners of The Swell Season prizepack that we ran last week. The amount of people who participated was staggering to say the least, and there were so many great comments to read through. I enjoyed it so much, that I had to include a few of my favorite scenes as well. Unfortunately, I could only choose two winners, though, I wish there could've been more. Anyways, congratulations to both Chris and Tiffany R. [...]
I haven't done this before, but there was so much great music (and so little else out there currently I'm caring to write about) that I'm giving new releases and extension of sorts. Yesterday , I hit the latest from Nick Cave , Man Man and Wye Oak , and if you count the week prior 's poach of Foals and Monday's 'Ear on TV' sideways glance of the latest 'effort' from Tapes n' Tapes , I've already hit on five releases this week. But that still [...]
The mighty prolific Jason Anderson quietly has a new release, the "vinyl-only" K release <a href=" http://www.krecs.com/Shop/prod uct_info.php?products_id=3353 "> The Hopeful & The Unafraid . I say "vinyl only" in quotes because, surprise: it comes with a complimentary CD of the tracks. The record was recorded in two days in 2006, at Soma Studios in Chicago, and features guest spots from a few Magnolia Electric Co. dudes on guitar and pedal steel. ::: Jason Anderson - Watch Your Step :::
The mighty prolific Jason Anderson quietly has a new release, the "vinyl-only" K release <a href=" http://www.krecs.com/Shop/prod uct_info.php?products_id=3353 "> The Hopeful & The Unafraid . I say "vinyl only" in quotes because, surprise: it comes with a complimentary CD of the tracks. The record was recorded in two days in 2006, at Soma Studios in Chicago, and features guest spots from a few Magnolia Electric Co. dudes on guitar and pedal steel. ::: Jason Anderson - Watch Your Step :::
Download : The Hold Steady - "Stuck Between Stations" Download : William S. Burroughs & Kurt Cobain - "Quiet Waters" Download : The Books - "Read, Eat, Sleep" Download : Jayber Crow - "What Poets Know" Download : Jason Anderson - "The Library" Download : Joanna Newsom - "The Book Of Right-On" Download : Belle And Sebastian [...]
When I was in high school and college, Friday night was the social night. Plans were made for later that night, movies opened, girls were asked out day of (less time to be nerve-wracked), the natural inertia of being around people kept me social until late. Now that I'm older and work an office job, Friday night is typically a write-off. I'm just too exhausted to really get it going. Now, a full night's sleep behind me, it's all about Saturday night. Age has given me an appreciation of [...]
From Catbirdseat's list of top 5 albums that I didn't hear comes a song from someone whose stuff I know , but an album I, surprisingly, hadn't heard: Jason Anderson . Jason Anderson - July 4, 2004 (mp3) Honestly, this isn't the type of song I'd normally like-an upbeat, organ-driven rocker. But I do like it. Jason's voice is fragile and yet strong-similar to Conor Oberst's without the annoying. It really helps carry the song. The harmony during the chorus really works [...]
...knows how to have a good time. And he's a vegan! (non-meat-eaters unite!) He has sing-a-longs, he blows bubbles, he sings funny lyrics, his guitar solos are a riot, he posted a guacamole recipe on his myspace... " mash up four avocados in a medium sized bowl. do this with an awesome fork. next, cut up half a big tomato into small chunks and mix those in. throw some sea salt on there and mash it all around! then cut a lime in two and squeeze in the juice from [...]
I've been meaning to mention this for awhile: pre-order Jason Anderson's upcoming Tonight right now , and not only will you get the record a week prior to the August 21st release date, you'll get it for only $5 postage-paid. ::: Jason Anderson - July 4, 2004 :::
Ode to the lost art of record hunting (Toronto Star) An interview with David Cross (Drowned in Sound) Catching up with Margot & the Nuclear So and So's (Nuvo) Wilco Survives (Filter) Blogger has an ear that underground rock fans can trust (a profile on Dodge , via The Indianapolis Star) Look to the local labels for proof of Seattle's diverse [...]
Blitzen Trapper : "Wild Mountain Nation" [mp3] from Wild Mountain Nation other Blitzen Trapper music blog posts: @lhb @hype @elbo.ws Degenerettes : 2007-06-22, Baltimore [mp3,ogg,flac] "Ask (Smiths cover)" [mp3] other Degenerettes music blog posts: @lhb @hype @elbo.ws Hamell on Trial : 2007-06-01, Syracuse [mp3,ogg,flac] Hamell on Trial [...]
The house concert went well. Thanks for asking. Chris Bathgate was cooler than I could have imagined. He had some high-tech gizmo's that he used to loop both his guitar playing and his vocals. In essence letting him sing harmony with himself and play lead and rhythm guitar parts at the same time. The Spares were just as I imagined they'd be: wonderful. One of the most interesting pieces of information I came away with at the end of the night was that apparently I booked the best band in Michigan for my [...]
There's a certain joy and reverie that Jason Anderson brings to his music that makes Springsteen comparisons and classic rock allusions seem rather trite. He's not looking for glory, nor is he out to make a majestic master piece. He's a song-writer, a story-teller, and a performer who gives all he can to his craft. "July 4th, 2004" overflows with Anderson's exuberance. You can hear it in the hand-claps that introduce this number, and you can hear it in the big uplifting chorus written to reverberate in a grand sing along. [...]
Oh the hand-claps. We last left you with Mr. Jason Alexander with our rating of "Emerging". If you haven't already fallen so fucking hard for this singer-songwriter-cum touring wunderkind, I believe you just very well may. Enjoy my lovely readers. We heart you very very much. Now get those hands together already. Geez. (mp3) July 4, 2004 , from the Tonight LP Godspeed!
As ever, I didn't attend this year's EMP Pop Music Conference, but as ever, I'm always anxious to hear what sort of discussions went down. I caught this bit over at The Stranger : During the final event in a long weekend of geeking out about music, an open discussion about "The Future of Thinking About Music For a Living," Pitchfork news editor Amy Phillips stood up in a Thermals t-shirt and told a room full of critical and academic heavies that they are basically dinosaurs. "Kids don't care about Robert Christgau or [...]
The Yellow Stereo
thus spake drake
The Catbirdseat
The Churn
Minneapolis Fucking Rocks
Popsheep
ipickmynose
The Glorious Hum
Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands
largehearted boy
songsillinois
I Rock Cleveland
THE CULTURE OF ME
I’ll Just Leave This Here #161
Antony and the Johnsons - "Rise"
Santigold – The Keepers (Duke Dumont Remix)
Video: Dreamers - "Appaloosa"
