Thao Nguyen of Thao with the Get Down Stay Down has written a long, impassioned article for Bitch magazine on breakup songs. Titled "Break Me Off a Piece of that Breakup Song," it looks at "the perverse pleasure of musical pain" you get from wallowing in sad songs, and lists ten of Nguyen's favorites. The Virgina native-turned-San Francisco musician should know. Her newest CD, Know Better Learn Faster is one of the most memorable post-breakup albums in recent memory, with its emotionally-fraught songs like "When We Swam," "Good Bye Good [...]
Here's a cover by the band Lee Harvey Osmond of Neil Young's "Are you ready for the country".We've saw Lee Harvey Osmond open for the Cowboy Junkies last month and can say that if you're into "acid-folk", you'll love these guys. Quite a trip.And here is some more on bands inspired by Neil Young.
Our week of Fall Vinyl Giveaways come to a close with a rather cool compilation of artists paying tribute to the scene that was Greenwich Village in the '60's and early '70's featuring Shelby Lynne, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Hornsby, Rachael Yamagata, Amos Lee, Sixpence None the Richer, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Marshall Crenshaw, Rocco Deluca, Cowboy Junkies, John Oates, The Duhks, Los Lobos, Cary Brothers, Jesse Malin, and Mikey Powell. Says Susan Rotolo author of the recent bestseller "A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in [...]
"Masters of War" is the truth. Bob Dylan's 1963 screed against Johnson's military-industrial complex closes with (I'd argue) the most powerful eight lines in popular music: "And I hope that you die/and your death will come soon/and I'll follow your casket/by the pale afternoon/and I'll watch while you're lowered/down to your deathbed/and I'll stand over your grave/'till I'm sure that you're dead." It's an obvious anti-war song and one of our best. (long aside: Although the man himself has said that it's not an anti-war song per se, but a pacifistic statement against war, I think that what [...]
Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: Chuck Prophet : 2009-09-26, Newcastle [mp3,ogg,flac] "Sonny Liston's Blues" [mp3] other Chuck Prophet posts at Largehearted Boy Cowboy Junkies : 2009-07-22, Seattle [mp3,ogg,flac] "Don't Let It Bring You Down (Neil Young cover)" [mp3] Cowboy Junkies : 2009-07-18, Jacksonville [mp3,ogg,flac] "Misguided Angel" [mp3] Cowboy [...]
My Favorite 100 LPS since I was born. My Top 100 LPs since I was born! 1. American Music Club – California 2. New Order – Low Life 3. The National – Alligator 4. Momus – Tender Pervert 5. Tricky – Maxinquaye 6. Pixies – Surfer Rosa 7. Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures 8. Burial – Untrue 9. Portishead – Dummy 10. PJ Harvey – Rid of Me 11. The Human League – Dare 12. My Bloody Valentine – Isn't Anything 13. Band of Holy Joy – Manic, Magic, Majestic 14. [...]
Έχω αρχίσει να βαριέμαι... Πάντως λέω να πάω (no matter what) στους Pet Shop Boys ... Cowboy Junkies - To Love It To Bury Mayday Parade - Three Cheers For Five Years Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks Soulsavers - Revival The Lovely Feathers - Long Walks Mew - Sometimes Life Isn't Easy Still Life Still - Pastel
Natalie Merchant announces new album and UK performances Natalie Merchant will give her first UK performance in over seven years on Monday November 16, 2009 at Conway Hall in London. The date - an evening with Natalie Merchant - will showcase material from her forthcoming Nonesuch album release, as well as selections from her celebrated 28-year career. Tickets are on sale now. Buy Music: Natalie Merchant [...]
Last Week's Sauce is a recurring column featuring recordings of shows from the previous week. Thanks to bigperm for this week's photo. Artist & Title: The Breakfast - Rufus>Frankly Po Zest>Rufus>Frankly Po Zest Date & Venue: 2009-10-16 River Street Jazz Cafe, Plains PA Taper & Show Download: Keith Litzenberger Tim Palmieri is one of the best shredders on the scene, and you get some good evidence why in this section of segued classic Breakfast tunes. The Breakfast [...]
Americana vet Tom Wilson's latest, A Quiet Evil , is more the former than the latter but is still plenty spooky. Don't let the band name, album title, and cover art fool you. Lee Harvey Osmond's A Quiet Evil is far removed from the crusty, demonic racket the aforementioned suggests, though the band isn't afraid to explore the dark. Led by Tom Wilson (of Blackie & the Rodeo Kings fame) and with some help from the Cowboy Junkies' Michael and Margo Timmins, Lee Harvey Osmond confidently travels the dusty, folky lane of the No Depression Highway...
The classic folk songs of Greenwich Village in the 60's are reimagined by a fine collective of artists on The Village: A Celebration of the Music of Greenwich Village arriving November 3 via 429 Records. Tackling 17 songs from acoustic pioneers the likes of Bob Dylan (represented wi th six tracks), Eric Andersen, John Sebastian, Tim Buckley, Fred Neil, Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon is a who's who of adult/alt performers such as Lucinda Williams, Bruce Hornsby , Shelby Lynne and Rachael Yamagata [...]
"E verybody knows good news always sleeps till noon," Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies once sang. Not today for U.S. President Barack Obama. This morning, it was announced that he has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, making him the third sitting U.S. President and the fourth overall to do so. Congratulations to him. Now on to the tough question: What, exactly, has he accomplished 10 months into his presidency to deserve such an honor? Theodore Roosevelt was president for half a [...]
Phew boy! This week's new release calendar is overflowing with goodies. I'll have to admit to not having heard all of these in their entirety. And honestly, when you're hit with this many releases at the same time, it's impossible to really absorb them all, even if you do make the time to listen through each one. But this week is definitely chock full of albums I've been eagerly anticipating. The Raveonettes latest, In and Out of Control , has finally arrived. What can [...]
It's surely coincidence that tonight should see such a great blend of country-influenced music all across town, but it's a great chance to broaden your tastes if you've avoided the genre in the past. I'm giving you a SITKOT 90% no-twang-guarantee. If you lean toward the jam, the bluegrass-hippie stylings of Yonder Mountain String Band always please the ear, as they will tonight in Millvale. If you're in the over-35 crowd or just in the mood to chill, western-style, you might consider staying in town for the lush compositions of Cowboy Junkies. I'll [...]
photo credit: Leigh Righton MUST-SEE SHOW: 10/7 Japandroids @ Garfield Artworks I saw this duo at Pitchfork and they blew me away with their ferocious sound. They also noted that since they had a limited amount of time, they were not providing their usual amount of onstage banter, which is usually "fucking amazing," they said. So be prepared for unforgettable banter at this show. ALSO WORTH ATTENDING: 10/1 Taylor Swift @ Mellon Arena Still just 19, [...]
I must admit I bookmarked a ton of good-looking blog posts with every intention of going back to listen and/or download the mp3s, but I utterly failed to follow through. Still, I did manage to find eleven new-to-me songs that really knocked me out. Many of these tracks came from the Cargo Culte and For the Sake of the Song . I recommend you follow them if you're not already. Don't forget, there's a convenient little mp3 player down in the lower-left corner. just press play and kill forty-five minutes. The songs might look a [...]
I've been a fan of Joe Pernice for quite a little while now, but I'd be the first to admit that my knowledge of him is not as extensive as it could be. For example, I only found out recently that, not only has he been living here in Toronto for several years now, but he's actually been living only a few blocks away from me. A 'few blocks away from me' is also the location of The Dakota Tavern, which apparently is part of the reason why he chose that particular venue for his return to the [...]
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions Through The Devil Softly Nettwerk Music Group [2009] Fire Note Says: Her voice hasn't changed one bit! Album Review: I don't think there is much argument to saying Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star) has absolutely one of the most infectious and distinguishable voices out there. Unfortunately, she has been mostly absent after Mazzy Star ended and her solo debut Bavarian Fruit Bread in 2001. [...]
The folkworld is rich with young artists these days, and with their heroes and forebears; head out to any major summer festival, and you'll find the full mix, from long-established sixties folkies to mid-career singer-songwriters my own age, from second- and third-album folkies in their late twenties working hard to prove that they have the stamina and talent to sustain the buzz to emerging newbies who tend towards the young and the restless. Less common, however, is the musician or band that breaks into the scene later in life. It's an oft unspoken [...]
Featuring: 1 Your Cheatin' Heart Beck Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute Orig. Hank Williams 2 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry Cowboy Junkies The Trinity Session Orig. Hank Williams [...]
new music from vampire weekend – cousins + music video
No Curve Allowed (Grading This Week's New Tracks)
Beach House: Norway
Friday Five: Surf Songs
HOT CHIP TAKE another crack at IT and I’m IN
