October means we're happily knee-deep in baseball, surrounded by seasonal pumpkin ales, and, regrettably, wrist-deep in the slimy insides of jack-o-lanterns. Music has been my quiet oasis. I figure it's high time I stop futzing over my autumn mix and share it already. The fall mix is one of my favorites to make. In addition to being generally hyperaware of everything around me in life, especially subtexts and undercurrents, I notice an acute sharpening of my senses every time the seasons change. It's why I make you guys these seasonal mixes: as everything in the natural world [...]
I caught Wye Oak last night at the Parish in Austin. The band's 2011 release, Civilian remains one of my favorites of the year. Thanks to a request the band returned for a encore to perform their cover of Danzig's "Mother," which first appeared here . Grantland (my new favorite website) premiered the new video from Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks . My Old Kentucky Blog shares a great new video from EMA [...]
Eric Bachmann is literally all over the place. It seems like every time I go to check in on the guy he's moved across country, living in China, changing his band, dropping a label, dropping a record... This year has been particularly full of twists and turns, jumping back into a reunion tour with good old Archers of Loaf and then turning right around to release his sixth LP under Crooked Fingers before hitting the road yet again. Speaking of the new record, its called Breaks In The Armor, it's on [...]
For anyone that has browsed the MM 2010 Top 10s page you will have seen Strand Of Oaks appearing with their superbly surreal tale of the giant Alex Kona . Just by chance we happened upon this cover by purveyors of ethereal, dream pop Bad Temple on Soundcloud. Its not new, but for anyone who hasn't heard it, it is well worth a listen. It can also be found on the compilation GRRRIMIXXX - 02 . Download it for free from here . [...]
Bert Jansch British folk singer and songwriter Bert Jansch has passed away at the age of 67. Jansch, a leading figure in the British folk movement (and founder of the band Pentangle) died of cancer. He influenced many musicians. The Guardian noted: "Those he influenced included Jimmy Page, Nick Drake, Graham Coxon, Donovan, Bernard Butler and Paul Simon. According to fellow guitarist Johnny Marr: "He completely reinvented guitar playing and set a standard that is still unequaled today … without Bert Jansch, rock music as it developed in the 60s [...]
Lately I've been spending a lot of time listening to Strand of Oaks' brilliant second LP, Pope Killdragon , so I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Timothy Showalter recorded a few covers for Aquariam Drunkard recently. And while you're at it, do yourself a favor and check out Pope Killdragon . It was one of the best records of 2010, and you can preview the entire thing at bandcamp.com . But to get you started, here's Showalter performing one of the album's highlights, "Sterling," at the edge of a pier: [...]
Lagniappe (la·gniappe) noun \ˈlan-ˌyap,’ – 1. An extra or unexpected gift or benefit. 2. Something given or obtained as a gratuity or bonus. Welcome to the third installment of the Lagniappe Sessions in which we invite some of our favorite artists to cut exclusive covers paying tribute to some of their favorite artists. This week [...]
I’ve been in a rut lately. I’m in one of those moods where I am ok with feeling sorry for myself. I’ve been sleeping late, staying in my pajamas all day, and doing all I can to heighten the sad sack feelings that I’ve been having. I’ve found the perfect way to continue to feel sorry for myself is to listen to the saddest, most heartbreaking music I can find. I don’t listen because I want to relate and feel like someone else out there knows what I’m going through. No. I don’t need to relate to anyone else right [...]
John Clark Even before anyone heard a note, there was little doubt that Wild Flag would be fantastic. With two-thirds of Sleater-Kinney in Janet Weiss and Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony of Helium and Rebecca Cole of The Minders , they had about as unimpeachable a pedigree as any band really could. And yet, as history has shown many times, a lot of things look good on paper but don't live up to expectations in reality. Wild Flag is not one of those things. I was able [...]
Earlier this month, we posted the trailer for the Black Cab Sessions ' tour through the USA, which included a stop in Philadelphia and recording sessions with several local acts. The Philly-centric part of the trailer specifically lists performances by Freeway, Spank Rock, Meg Baird, Kyp Malone, Plastic Little, and Reading Rainbow; back when they were here last November , we noted that they had recorded with Grandchildren as well. For now, however, babelgum.com  has videos of sessions with Strand Of Oaks and A Sunny Day In Glasgow. You can watch both videos below; more videos of the Black [...]
Here's Strand of Oaks' Timothy Showalter with Chris Ward of Pattern is Movement playing " Sterling " in the back of a Philadelphia cab. The banjo plucks are a far cry from the layered album version and Showalter's solo performances with a giant array of guitar pedals. The song still holds up. "Sterling" is on Pope Killdragon , my favorite album released last year.
I'm starting to believe I may have the plague; 30 hrs straight in bed with no end in sight. At least I know who the douche was to give me this little gift of death, if someone sees that Shane Sweeting punch him in the face. Most people load themselves up on Nyquil and vitamin [...]
Frank Yang If we're being completely honest, there's a not-insubstantial part of me that wishes that this past weekend's shows by Neutral Milk Hotel bandleader Jeff Mangum at Trinity-St. Paul's had never happened. There was just something poetic about the disappearing act he pulled following In The Aeroplane Over The Sea , as though the album-closing sounds of the guitar being set down, chair being pushed back and footsteps into the distance was of him leaving this plane and taking his rightful place in some cosmic musical pantheon, having created [...]
SIDE A 1. Real Estate - Barely Legal (The Strokes Cover).mp3 2. Futurebirds - Wicked Game (Chris Isaak Cover).mp3 3. Octoberman - Im On Fire (Bruce Springsteen Cover).mp3 4. Strand Of Oaks - Ohio (Damien Jurado Cover).mp3 5. Bon Iver - I Cant Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt Cover).mp3 6. Sparklehorse - West Of Rome (Vic Chesnutt Cover).mp3 7. Dum Dum Girls - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out [...]
John Vettese On a breezy hilltop in the Catskill Mountains this weekend, one of The Key’s favorite Philly artists unveiled the next step in its ongoing evolution. Strand of Oaks is no longer solely Timothy Showalter. It’s now a three-piece, rounded out by Joe Lazas on guitar and Deven Craige on bass. Both were recruited from recently-retired electropop / psych outfit Golden Ages, and they brought a loose, lush sensibility to the Oaks live show, occasionally adding ambiance that formerly came from one of Showalter’s samplers, more often doubling up what the man [...]
happy friday nerds. if you'll recall, i've decided to start a new feature on vocal nerd rodeo called random repeat friday. the idea is pretty simple...ever(ish) friday, i'll post a track that i've had on repeat lately, paired with a ... Continue reading ’
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