
Photo: Davey Wilson Download podcast: Courtney Smith's review of Champagne in Seashells Download MP3: Liam Finn "Plane Crash" Liam Finn is a musical legacy. His is the son of Neil Finn, who is famous in his own right, but more so for bands Crowded House and Split Enz. The latter band was started by his brother Tim Finn, Liam's uncle, who also joined in to record and tour with Crowded House for one of their later albums, Woodface . [...]
When the first season of your critically acclaimed Sundance Channel series managed to attract both Bill Clinton and Lou Reed as guests, it's hard to imagine topping that in season two. And yet, it looks like the new round of Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... shows is going to very high-wattage indeed. This year's marquee names are two of the biggest in rock: Bruce Springsteen and Bono . And the rest of the line-up is nothing to sneeze at either, including Sheryl Crow , Lyle Lovett , [...]

Festivals are an amazing opportunity to get acquainted with artists that have somehow remained just outside your grasp. Nick Lowe was someone I always meant to invest in more seriously, but hadn't yet. So ring the bells, chums, 'cause one man, a guitar, and a three-minute pop song be a mighty, mighty thing. I often prefer to see the seriously talented songwriters in this sort of format, uncluttered by bandmates and solos. Just getting an overview of a fella's work from his own point of view. Did I mention he [...]
Photo by Ken FriedmanIn four hours, I'll be in Golden Gate Park, listening to the Nightwatchman, Tom Morello's folk persona, to be followed by John Prine and Lyle Lovett. And that's just the slow first day at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Did I mention it's free?I first came to the festival two years ago (and I'm listening to the Jeff Tweedy set from that year as I write) and of course
Everyone's favorite "occasionally blugrass" festival kicks off today in San Francisco. Check out the full three-day lineup and stage times over at Hardly Strictly's official site or enjoy some MP3s from some of this year's highlights. Friday: John Prine - "The Great Compromise" Lyle Lovett - "Record Lady" Saturday: Gillian Welch - "The Devil had a Hold of Me" Steve Earle - "Ellis Unit One" Laurie Lewis - "Who Will [...]
Everyone's favorite "occasionally blugrass" festival kicks off today in San Francisco. Check out the full three-day lineup and stage times over at Hardly Strictly's official site or enjoy some MP3s from some of this year's highlights. Friday: John Prine - "The Great Compromise" Lyle Lovett - "Record Lady" Saturday: Gillian Welch - "The Devil had a Hold of Me" Steve Earle - "Ellis Unit One" Laurie Lewis - "Who Will [...]

Nick Lowe : Rose Of England [ purchase ] The album Rose Of England by Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit may best be remembered for I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock And Roll). But the entire LP was a gem. So much so that we nearly wore it out. Among the tracks was a great cover of Moon Mullican's Seven Nights To Rock. Also, Long Walk Back, Darlin' Angel Eyes and Lucky Dog, fast became other must play favorites. And while many times the title song of [...]

And you thought Outside Lands Festival was a shitshow for people that live in San Francisco. Wait until all the crazies and hippies descend on Golden Gate Park this weekend (October 2nd - 4th) for what may quite possibly be one of the best free concert festivals in the country. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is exactly how the title suggests, the bluegrass but in the mix you'll find Nick Lowe, MC Hammer, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Tom Morello, Steve Martin (Yes, THAT Steve Martin), Okkervil River, Old 97's, Emmylou Harris, Robyn Hitchcock, Billy Bragg, [...]
Filed under: The Hit List The Peace Bell will be rung at the United Nations on Monday, Sept. 21, officially commemorating this year's International Day of Peace. The lofty ideal of world harmony has been a common theme for songwriters throughout music history, with particular urgency during the conflict-challenged 1960s and '70s. The fact that there's been a recent resurgence in peace-loving lyrics only means that we're still a long way off from the goal. [...]

Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... - Season 1 Intrepid readers may recall that Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... has been renewed for another season, and it just so happens that the Season 2 tapings start next week at the historic Apollo Theatre in New York. Check out the information below for the first list of announced guests and details on how to get tickets. September 21, 2009 (Monday) @ 7:00 PM Spectacle: Elvis [...]

Filed under: News , New Music , Television The Flaming Lips ' double trip fest, 'Embryonic,' is one of the fall's most hotly anticipated albums and none other than Stephen Colbert has gone the distance in securing its first listen. The Lips will be the first artist to provide their full record for streaming via Colbertnation.com after they appear on Wednesday's episode of the ' The Colbert Report .' The stream will be up in its entirety through Monday, Sept. 21. Also slated [...]

Dropped this Stiff Records classic to much abandon at last weekend's Offset Festival. Excellent listening for a sunny afternoon. Nick Lowe - So It Goes
[ Guest DJ is a new recurring feature on Stranger Dance where we turn the tables and ask some of our favorite artists to make us a mixtape.] For the inaugural edition of Guest DJ, we stayed close to home and went to one of our favorite local bands, The Harbours . Frontman Miguel Zelaya pulled together 12 great cuts that run from '60s R&B to folk to Scottish teen pop. The Artesians – "Trick Bag" Apparently this track was [...]
MUSIC NEWS - Arguably one of the most harmonious pairings of LA songwriters this summer, psych-pop songstress Juliette Commagere will be joining Pete Yorn at several of his upcoming West Coast gigs, starting August 20th! Juliette and her multi-piece band, which includes husband and drummer Joachim Cooder , recently returned from a 20-date European tour supporting Ry Cooder and Brit Pop legend, Nick Lowe . When not on the road, Juliette has been spending time in Taos, New Mexico, where she is finishing work on her new album. Juliette's as-yet-untitled album [...]

The Beach Boys - I'm Waiting For The Day Adam Faith - I Don't Need That Kind Of Lovin' The Guilloteens - I Don't Believe Nick Lowe - I've Been Taking The Truth Drug The Gentrys - Brown Paper Sack Cyrus Erie - Get The Message The Everly Brothers - So Sad Gene Clark - Here Without You Sam Cooke - I Need You Now The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action [...]

Back in the days of dinosaurs and vinyl LPs, record labels used to put out "samplers," full albums with a track each from their top artists and usually budget priced. In 1976, the pioneering punk/New Wave label Stiff Records came on to the scene and they put out an 11-song sampler LP in early 1977 to promote the first artists they signed. Elvis Costello A Bunch of Stiff Records now sounds prescient, because the Stiff roster included Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Wreckless Eric, Graham Parker, the Tyla [...]
The dreams are getting so real and detailed that there are often times in which I am not sure that my memories are genuine or not. Walking down the street, it's like I am invisible. No one takes notice, not even the bums. To completely disappear, who, aside from the immediate family, would be aware? How long would it take for friends to realize I was gone? The waking hours are spent fighting sleep, and the sleeping hours are spent fighting awareness. Strange days indeed. [...]

This is the second Nick Lowe concert to appear on the Beehive, this one some sixteen years later, and it's a superb concert Live at the London Palladium, back on October 14th, 2001. Source: Soundboard Sound Quality: Very good stereo MP3@192kbps. Genre: Pub Rock, New Wave, from rock to country to soul to pop. Set: Full concert performance. Set List: 01 Intro By Robert Elms 02 Let Things Slide 03 [...]