
Has any Los Angeles band been more productive this decade than Rilo Kiley ? Probably not if you count solo projects its members have undertaken. Let's see: four albums by the Silver Lake quartet itself, two by singer Jenny Lewis (one with the Watson Twins), two by guitarist Blake Sennett fronting the Elected , one by bassist Pierre de Reeder ... and now, coming right after the first of the year, the solo turn by drummer Jason Boesel , "Hustler's Son" (Team Love Records). Boesel, of course, has a long resume, having drummed [...]

All Smiles — the nom de tune of songwriter-guitarist Jim Fairchild — this week released a new EP, "Fall Never Fell," the follow-up to his sophomore album "Oh For the Getting and Not Letting Go" (which is also finally seeing physical release). Fairchild, the former Grandaddy guitarist who is now touring axeman in Modest Mouse, again collaborated with Solon Bixler ( Great Northern ), Nik Freitas (Mystic Valley Band) and Joe Plummer ( Modest Mouse ) on the new songs. In addition to the new EP, he's releasing a free download of "The Comparison Blouse," [...]
Jim Fairchild has had an incredibly busy and amazing year this year, what with the release of both his full-length and two EPs--he's also been on the road a good chunk of the year playing guitar in Modest Mouse, and he's relocated to San Francisco, CA. All Smiles' brand new five-song "Fall Never Fell" EP is available tomorrow through www.allsmilesmusic.com , all digital retailers, and at shows! Also--get this--between now and Dec. 25th, the digital version of All Smiles' mind-blowing full-length, "Oh For The Getting and Not Letting Go", will be available for only $5 if and [...]

Jim Fairchild has had an incredibly busy and amazing year this year, what with the release of both his full-length and two EPs--he's also been on the road a good chunk of the year playing guitar in Modest Mouse, and he's relocated to San Francisco, CA. All Smiles' brand new five-song "Fall Never Fell" EP is available tomorrow through www.allsmilesmusic.com , all digital retailers, and at shows! Also--get this--between now and Dec. 25th, the digital version of All Smiles' mind-blowing full-length, "Oh For The Getting and Not Letting Go", will be available for only $5 if and [...]

LA-based drummer Jason Boesel has spent a good fifteen years playing drums for everyone from Rilo Kiley, Bright Eyes, The Elected, and more recently, Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band. Boesel headed into the studio in March of 2009 with Mystic Valley Band member Nik Freitas, Blake Mills (Band of Horses, Julian Casablancas), and producer Jonathan Wilson (Elvis Costello 'Momofuku' and Jenny Lewis 'Acid Tongue'). He also was assisted by Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Orenda Fink (O + S, Azure Ray), David Rawlings (Gillian Welch, Old Crow Medicine Show), Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), and fellow [...]
by alyssa coluccio Conor Oberst's brainchild, Jenny Lewis's introduction as a solo artist, and the coolest library you'll ever encounter: just a few reasons why Team Love Records should be your new favorite. Artist: Tilly and the Wall Song: [...]

ARTIST / BAND: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band MP3s: Nikorette ALBUM: Outer South FILE UNDER: Rock LABEL: Merge INFO: While touring in support of last year's debut Conor Oberst , Conor and The Mystic Valley Band began writing new songs. The result is the first album credited to this group. Oberst's songwriting and delivery remain an engaging presence, but the addition of songs by Taylor Hollingsworth, Nik Freitas, and Jason Boesel make for a [...]
ARTIST / BAND: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band MP3s: Nikorette ALBUM: Outer South FILE UNDER: Rock LABEL: Merge INFO: While touring in support of last year's debut Conor Oberst , Conor and The Mystic Valley Band began writing new songs. The result is the first album credited to this group. Oberst's songwriting and delivery remain an engaging presence, but the addition of songs by Taylor Hollingsworth, Nik Freitas, and Jason Boesel make for a [...]
To many in the music scene, Conor Oberst is a hero. Love him or hate him, the guy does have a way with words. And despite the frequent comparisons to Bob Dylan , Oberst is versatile and more than a rehash of Dylan. I guess you could say that with projects that have ranged from Desaparecidos to Bright Eyes to the Mystic Valley Band , he is a man of many hats...or at least one very large, Amish looking one. Oberst recently [...]

The older I get the more begin to realize that success is a moving target. For each success you achieve there is an insecurity waiting around the corner. Furthermore, the more successful you are the harder you have to work to remain at that level of success. Throughout his career Jim Fairchild has found a humble and "modest" way to move from one success into another, and he shows no sign of stopping. Fairchild has played with Grandaddy , Giant Sand , and most recently Modest Mouse , but in my opinion his biggest success [...]

ESPN basketball writer John Cregan's alter ego, P.J. Cregan has put together a stellar collection of pop songs. And he's no rookie either, having been guitarist for alt. country band Parklane Twin . With the help of Highland Park-based wunderkind-ace producer Nik Freitas, P.J. opens with "Carolyn (The Pledge Drive)" a very Nick Lowe-ish styled pub rock with a hint of country. The smooth "Count to Three" is like Glen Tilbrook at his catchiest, with a jaunty piano and guitar melody. The Elvis Costello/Marshall Crenshaw influence is all over the album (and P.J.'s vocals are very similar) but it works best [...]

Whew! It looks like things are finally back to normal here on the blog, whatever normal is. It's been a long day and half of things either being down completely or semi-inaccessible, for you and for me. I was starting to have some serious withdrawal symptoms! Nik Freitas -- "Normal" mp3 off Here's Laughing at You ( buy ) Leave Comment
Conor Oberst is nothing if not prolific. In addition to the seven full-length albums he recorded as Bright Eyes and the various side projects that he's dabbled in (Desaparecidos, Commander Venus, etc.), Conor has been touring for the last couple of years with Nik Freitas, Taylor Hollingsworth, Macey Taylor, Nate Walcott and Jason Boesel as [...]
Nächste Woche in der Schweiz und im nahmen Ausland: Ghostface Killah, Art Brut, Maria Taylor, Division of Laura Lee, I'm From Barcelona und viele, viele mehr. 18.05 zombie zombie, südpol luzern 19.05 lacrosse, volkshaus basel 20.05 madlib / j. rocc (dj sets), rote fabrik zürich 20.05 mstrkrft / banga / shadow dancer / discod, alte börse zürich 20.05 the show is the rainbow, kraftfeld winterthur 20.05 kissogram, schüür luzern 20.05 nik freitas, werkstatt chur 20.05 marissa nadler / samuel hall band / greg weeks, le [...]

Sie war Muse und mehr für Conor "Bright Eyes" Oberst. Und sie ist eines der faszinierendsten Girls with guitar. An Auffahrt spielt Maria Taylor in Aarau - wir haben Gratistickets. Maria Taylor ist eine Sängerin zum Verlieben, ganz ehrlich. Zweimal habe ich die Dame live gesehen, zweimal hat's mich voll erwischt (das Konzert im Nachtasyl in Hamburg war gar mein Konzert des Jahres 2007, hab ich gerade nachgelesen ). Lange Rede, kurzer Sinn: Ihr solltet unbedingt an Auffahrt (21. Mai) ins Kiff nach Aarau gehen [...]

Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band – "Outer South" Release Date - May 5th, 2009 Label - Merge Records 5.0 ZEKE GOGGIN: It's tough to watch music you love slip into mediocrity. It's also tough to see Oberst's current projects with the Mystic Valley Band as anything but. I listened to this album once, and I can't really say I have any real [...]

If you are fan of one or maybe more of these bands (as I guess), have a stop at the daytrotter and get the 4 song sessions of them! Incredible concept, incredible acceptance, incredible songs... Congretulations! ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead (Mar 3, 2008) The 1900s (Feb 11, 2008) 31 Knots (May 9, 2007) A Faulty Chromosome (Apr 12, 2009) A Place to Bury Strangers (Mar 25, 2008) The A-Sides (Jan 9, 2008) A.A. Bondy (May 21, 2008) About (Mar 5, 2007) The Acorn (Feb 22, 2009) Adam Green [...]
Dear Conor Oberst: I don't know what you're up to, but I don't like it. You're quickly starting to remind me of Ryan Adams, and I don't mean that in a good way. Your first mistake was putting Bright Eyes on the back burner. Not that the last Bright Eyes album "Cassadaga" was very good, but all of your "solo" material, or things you've released with the Mystic Valley Band have been less than great. It's just like, as I said, when Ryan Adams works with the Cardinals then his music suffers. When you work with the Mystic Valley Band, [...]

El disco Outer South , un proyecto que realizó Conor Oberst será oficialmente lanzado el 5 de mayo a través de Merge Records pero en la red ya se puede conseguir con una calidad realmente buena. Les dejo el tracklist: "Slowly (Oh So Slowly)" "To All the Lights in the Windows" "Big Black Nothing" (Nik Freitas) "Air Mattress" (Taylor Hollingsworth) "Cabbage Town" "Ten Women" "Difference Is Time" (Jason Boesel) "Nikorette" [...]