I can't say I've thought about his enough to actually do it, but if I were to make a list of the singers I would most like to release a gospel album, I'm certain Patty Griffin would be very near the top. That's not to say that I have an extensive collection of the genre, but I do enjoy a great gospel record on occasion, and Downtown Church hits that spot just right. That's because Griffith went about making this album all the right ways, paying homage to soulful, classic gospel records while retaining her familiar musical personality, [...]
Two nights ago I saw The Darcys and The Wooden Sky perform at Algonquin College. The Darcys opened and mostly played songs from their new album "Young Believers" which has yet to have a release date. They've been on a mini-tour of sorts across Ontario previewing and promoting the new album. Here's a list of songs they played (most of these titles haven't even been announced yet): 100 Mile House Des Animaux House Built Around Your Voice Don't Bleed Me Shakin' Down the Old [...]
Photo courtesy of Brett Kelly Best February shows in Atlanta: Wednesday, Feb 3: Grand Prize Winners from Last Year, Los Buenos, Book of Colors @ The Earl Giant Lion, A Lull, Gold-Bears @ Drunken Unicorn Friday, Feb 5: Authors Apology, Where's Your Fire Tiger?, Kid Stuff, Chu Feng @ Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge [...]
15 February, 2010 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm Who: Laura Veirs & The Hall of Flames, The Old Believers, Led to Sea Where: Mercury Lounge Show Info: 21+, 7:00pm, $12 Watch: Laura Veirs - "Wide-Eyed, Legless"
It's the end of the world as we know it, and Ghost to Falco feels fine. IMAGE: Cape & Chalice Records When Eric Crespo started writing what would become Ghost to Falco's third album, Exotic Believers, in 2007, he was fretting about the end of the world—or rather, trying to avoid contributing to the end of the world. But the books he'd been reading—by author/environmental activist Derek Jensen—didn't leave much room for optimism. So if there's a theme to Exotic Believers, "I guess it's about coming to grips [...]
Harlem (recently signed to Matador) Play Spaceland on February 20th Echo Mondays in February: Useless Keys 1/16/10: A.A. Bondy (now at Ticketweb) 1/17/10: The Yummy Fur (now) 1/21/10: Music Go Music (now) 1/30/10: Bowerbirds (now) 2/16/10: Magic Kids / Pearl Harbour (now) 3/12/10: The Cave Singers / The Dutchess and the Duke / The Moondoggies (now) 3/24/10: Cymbals Eat Guitars / Bear in Heaven MP3: Bag of Bags (now) Echoplex 2/11/10: Eydea [...]
Stereogum has a video premiere for the title track off the new Laura Veirs release, July Flame , out 1/12 via Raven Marching Band . This sweet stop motion piece includes 1,804 images and 180 peaches (used for the fireworks). Check it out below, along with some upcoming tour dates. [VIDEO] Laura Veirs - July Flame Tour Dates [...]
[mp3] Jeff the Brotherhood "Heavy Damage" You can't catch them all. It's inevitable somethings fall through the cracks. That's what we (consumers) hope blogs are here for. Not just to write about fucking Animal Collective again, but to write about bands like Jeff the Brotherhood. We're firm believers, that if you write good music, people will hear it. Sometimes it just might take a little longer. More than a few people certainly heard about Jeff The Brotherhood's new record Heavy Days upon its release back in October [...]
Yep, that's what I'm going to try and do this New Year's Eve - pretend its 1999 again with a future still looking bright, I say we just skip over the last ten years. By now, as it closes, most wags have weighed in on how this has been the worst decade ever. I'd started it fully enmeshed in what was then the brave glorious new world of the Internet. I loved working with customers because I was selling the biggest dream going - the World Wide Web, a places of riches unknown awaiting. All major cities were going to [...]
by René Spencer Saller I wish I didn't have to write this obituary, elegy, tribute, grief porn, whatever. I got the assignment on Christmas night––after spending the day hoping, recklessly and stupidly, that Vic Chesnutt might emerge from his coma and, even more improbably, be magically scoured of his chronic death wish––and, with the full understanding that an obit should be, if nothing else, timely, I put off writing it and slipped a DVD into my iMac instead: Jean Cocteau's frothy fable in glorious grisaille, La Belle et la Bête . This failed attempt [...]
Dylan, Etc's Top 40 Albums of 2009 Part 2: #1-20 A Memphis punk who relieves himself onstage. A Somalian rapper who describes his country's civil war in blood-curdling detail. A mysterious group of ABBA wannabes about whom nothing is known save a few cryptic videos. All these artists produced some of this year's best albums. Yesterday we counted down #21-40 of the Top 40 Albums of 2009, but those were [...]
NPR is currently streaming the new Laura Veirs album, July Flame , as part of their Exclusive First Listen series. You can (and should) listen to it here . Veirs, based in Portland, is easily one of the best solo artists to come out of the Pac Northwest (for those interested in picking nits, yes, she grew up in Colorado). And I've only really listened to two of her records prior to this one. To me, 2005's Year of Meteors is a [...]
When I compiled my original Best Of 2008 list last December, it was a snow day. The sky dropped about a foot, maybe a foot and a half of fluffy white stuff and we lowly sub-compact drivers could go nowhere. Between ranking albums and locating album art, I took a stroll around town with my camera. The above image comes from that trek. Overall, I was pretty happy with last year's list but, in revisiting all the albums from 2008, I now see quite a few that I left out. [...]
Singer-songwriter Laura Veirs (playing with the Hall of Flames) just announced a show at Off Broadway on February 26. Portland's Old Believers and the Seattle band Cataldo are also on the bill. Ve... Continue reading "Laura Veirs and the Hall of Flames, Old Believers, Cataldo at Off Broadway in February" >
I made a huge mistake, so Frank Phosphate and I wrote about some of the same shows, however our opinions differ a little. Imagine that. Unfortunately, it prevented me personally from saying more about other stuff. Sorry. Especially about the punk shows and the show at eXcuses. Next time. -DL FRIDAY Bill Callahan / Lights / Neal Morgan (The Granada): By dropping the Smog moniker, Callahan's music has opened up to new and exciting places. I [...]
Oh my god, he was really here! Despite a few recent setbacks , the Moz made it to town for the first time in seven years last night, delighting a sold-out crowd with old Smiths hits and new songs from his solo career. And for the record, Morrissey did take his shirt off. Twice. We sent ace photographer/Morrissey superfan Nick Albertson to the show, and he came back with these shots. Feel free to download 'em and add roses and hearts in Photoshop. -Ed. Links: [...]
One of the most pervasive paradigms that has entered modern consciousness is the idea of garbage, disposability, and the act of throwing something "away." The ease with which most people toss things in the garbage is astounding, as amount of time thinking about the notion of throwing something "away" will reveal that away is always merely somewhere else. For someone or something, away is very much here, and in truth throwing something "away" is more about putting it out of sight and out of mind. The ease with which we can throw things away, and the lack of [...]
Last Wednesday, a near capacity crowd squeezed into the Wonder Ballroom to welcome back one-time Portland resident John Darnielle and his band, the Mountain Goats . It was a welcome homecoming for Darnielle. Seemingly every chord-change and crash called forth a gigantic smile, the likes of which is more often associated with the climax of a face-melting guitar solo or a triumphant burst of pyrotechnics. Between songs, Darnielle chatted with the crowd like an old friend. During one mid-song yarn, he recounted a visit he made a few years ago to [...]
Today, I received a rather happy bit of news about a good old signal in Oklahoma City that might light up Alternative again... Get your best FM antennas out and tuned to 105.3 MHz, folks...it's gonna be a bumpy ride! Of course, I like to look at the bigger picture, and to me it looks like the big radio congloms are staring despondently at their ledgers, noticing that the "accounts receivable" section doesn't even come close to covering the section marked "debts past due", and then wondering what they can sell cheap [...]
Allah says that when the Trumpet is blown for the Resurrection, and the people rise from their graves,there will be no kinship among them that day, nor will they ask about one another, meaning that lineage will be of no avail on that Day, and a father will not ask about his son or care about him. And no friend will ask a friend about his condition, though they shall be made to see one another, meaning no relative will ask about another relative, even if he can see him and even [...]
Cover That Don't Suck
No Title
Etienne De Crécy “Welcomeâ€
Theme Time: A Mix
I'm writing this to you in reverse...
