Well, I fear as if I’m going to be accused of high crimes and misdemeanors, but less than a quarter the way through Lincoln I worried that if I saw one more cliche I was going to throw up. I wanted this movie so bad to be good. No. I wanted it to be great. …
Month: November 2012
Asked recently by a friend to suggest the most dionysiac work of art I could remember. My personal vote was for something, anything from Coltrane. It could be any of dozens of his later compositions. I perceive him to have mastered (conjured? unleashed?) an art form which was wild, orgiastic and spontaneous while exhibiting a …
This horror just in from the Burning Shed prog reissue site— Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe ABWH/An Evening Of Yes Music Plus (double cd/dvd) Released in 1989, ABWH’s debut studio album was considered a return to the grand, mystical music of peak period Yes, but with a contemporary 1980s production twist. The album now includes …
The ladies, Raj and Wolowizard prove themselves to be fine dancers in this clip. I wanted to see Jim “Sheldon” Parsons dance but he and Johnny “Leonard” Galecki remain in the background. BTW Kunal “Raj” Nayyar has a Portland connection in that he started his acting career at Portland State University: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dql26ssMcVI
In two days this video has racked up 70,000 views. That alone should make it worth checking out. I love the goldfish swimming around the wine glass. Nice touch. http://youtu.be/_k5pbh_MQRg
Bam. Roll Tide. All the people that want their states to secede should just move to Alabama and then we’ll let Alabama secede. Bam. Roll Tide! Thanks to a disastrous 2011 anti-immigration law, Alabama successfully rid itself of its migrant workforce. Thus with this influx of secessionists, Alabama will have all the hands it needs …
A heartfelt ballad off their sophomore album, Killing The Darlings, “40K” is led by jazz riffs and pounding drums, building to soaring vocal harmonies. Check out the new “40K” video below which involves a zombie apocalypse and was described as “a thriller of the most pastoral stripe” by WNYC.
There are more Christmas Markets across the world than ever before, but have you ever stopped to wonder where they originated from? Christmas Markets light up many of the most famous towns and cities in the world during the festive season, and they bring delight to most who visit them. In recent years more and …
Alicia Dara, the artist who saved EPB last spring with her “100 Songs in 100 Days” is at work on a new project with Glen Cooper called Diamond Wolf. The results are most excellent. Please listen:
Wednesday night November 14th, a packed Studio Seven eagerly awaited New Jersey’s legendary Misfits to come on stage. Slowly, stage hands pulled off black cloths from the instruments and various stage props revealing towers with lit up skulls, a skeleton minus its head wrapped around one mic stand and skulls and crossbones wrapped around another. …
Long time friends/fans of Dan Stuart should get the reference to Marlowe Billings in his new album title. In the mid 80’s, I saw Dan as the great American novelist of our generation via his songs on Gravity Talks and Gas Food Lodging – I met him briefly ’85 in New York and he was …
An old, passed-down Negro spiritual became even more epic in Nina Simone‘s vengeful hands… you can feel the heat and taste the sweat in this definitive version; over ten minutes of jazz-propelled desperation. With Miss Simone – no stranger to the church – leading a call-and-response from a decidedly rocking pulpit, “Sinnerman” remains popular music’s …
Kim Talon has released the self-titled debut record for her solo project JAN today via Enclaves Music. Produced by John Goodmanson (Blonde Redhead, The Gossip, Sleater-Kinney) the LP is packed with riot grrrl-infused vocals and fuzzy guitars. To celebrate the release, JAN has shared guitar-driven rocker “Red Crust Ow.” You can grab the track as …
Behold the official video for “Keep You” from Wild Belle. Directed by Melina Matsoukas in Kingston, Jamaica, the video features lead singer Natalie Bergman in a tale of unrequited love. Watch the video and read more from the director at: http://smarturl.it/keepyouvideo After a quick trip overseas, Wild Belle will return to North American for their …
NYC’s Lucius released their debut EP earlier this year to praise from the New York Times & NPR, among others. Produced by Tony Berg (Beck, Aimee Mann), Steve Wall (Meshell Ndegeocello), and band member Dan Molad (Elizabeth & The Catapult, Here We Go Magic), the EP is a mix of emotionally-charged and electrified upbeat tracks.
Thanks to Pat Thomas for rediscovering this Lester Bangs quote about Van Morrison‘s legendary 1968 album, Astral Weeks. “What Astral Weeks deals in are not facts but truths. Astral Weeks, insofar as it can be pinned down, is a record about people stunned by life, completely overwhelmed, stalled in their skins, their ages and selves, …
Still have a soft spot in my heart for The Deftones. I remember when the band was in Seattle recording their 2nd record “Around The Fur” and as soon as they got done with one of the mixes of “Be Quiet and Drive Far Away”, they came over and played it on my 107.7 The …
Most of the Bert Jansch catalog has been reissued ad nauseum, so I was excited by Cheryl Pawelski‘s bright idea to do an expanded version of Heartbreak – one of the forgotten gems. The album includes fresh takes on “Blackwater Side”, Tim Hardin‘s “If I were a Carpenter” and a version “Wild Mountain Thyme” equal …
On Friday night I finally set foot in my neighborhood tavern to take in some fine live music. Darrel’s Tavern sits just north of Seattle’s city limits by a couple of miles. On this particular chilly night of November 9th, I experienced three great local bands, Spy Device, Jaguar Paw and the totally wild fun, …
Preservation Hall Jazz Band are no strangers to the disastrous aftermath of a hurricane, having endured Hurricane Katrina in 2005, that left their hometown of New Orleans in shambles. Following Katrina, Preservation Hall Jazz Band launched Renew Orleans, along with partners Ropeadope and Okayplayer. The project raised over $80,000 for local musicians. In additional to …
1974 on the Twiggy TV show, her and Bryan Ferry work their magic on this song about school days written by Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert, and Lou Adler… – Pat Thomas is the author of the recently released work, Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975
London-based Lewis Watson has developed a thriving fan base in his young career, already hailed by BBC Radio 1 and The Independent. His first It’s Got Four Sad Songs On It BTW EP (out July 2012) peaked at #1 and the second Another Four Sad Songs EP (out October 2012) at #2 on the UK …
Congrats to my Oregon Ducklets here at the midnight hour getting past a tough game with those California Bears 59-17. What a late game! I know 59-17 doesn’t sound like a challenge but it truly was a close 24-17 mid-way into the 3rd quarter, at which time Oregon went absolutely QUACKO. With Alabama losing today …
NYC’s Beca broke onto the music scene with the release of her debut single, “Let’s Run Wild,” which earned support from the likes of XLR8R and Stereogum. Now, Beca is back with brand new single “Born To Fly,” out Nov. 20th via This Is Music Ltd. The single package contains remixes by newcomer Madeaux & …
Free Energy just announced their highly-anticipated sophomore album, Love Sign, due out Jan. 15th via their own Free Energy Records. Produced by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Cyndi Lauper), Love Sign is full of energized party songs and emotionally-charged rock ballads. Having been declared one of the most exciting bands live by SPIN, Rolling …
Here’s another great musical act from Sweden. There’s Van Morrison all over “Bang” and she pulls it off. It’s a delight for the ears. Go ahead and listen. After four celebrated records, numerous award nominations and a dozen chart hits in her native Sweden, Elin Ruth is back at the beginning. Last year she dropped …
It’s time to wake up to the world in front of me, watch as it unfolds so beautifully, fitting all the pieces perfectly… It’s the world in front of me. ♥ – Andy Moy
I’m having a bit of an identity crisis. The older I get, the more I like *some* sappy ’70s love ballads like this one. There are aspects of this recording I would surely change, given my ‘druthers (though it’s slightly less silly than the studio version), but fuck it, it’s a well-composed song. Having been …