Fresh Bread

GLOW Santa Monica - Santa Monica Pier 07.19.2008

The Santa Monica city website says that last Saturday's Glow festival was inspired by the Nuit Blanche ("White Night") festival in Paris, but the combination of beach, pier, and experimental music made it pure L.A. Over 200,000 people attended over the dusk-to-dawn, 12-hour extravaganza, with over 75,000 milling through the warm night at peak times to gaze at illuminated sculpture and installations, a "grunion run" remade in glow sticks in the sand, and pulsing light shows. (LA Times)

see the rest of my photos from last Saturday on my flickr here

The Real Tuesday Weld - KCRW Grand Performances (L.A.) 07.18.2008

The Real Tuesday Weld played a free show for KCRW at Los Angeles' Grand Performances area Friday night.  It was outside, a gorgeous night, a perfect setting.  More pix and review coming soon.

Black Mountain, eh?

10 Canadian bands are up for the 2008 Polaris Prize - the best Canadian album in the past year (based purely on artistic merit).  I'm going to try feature a post of each band...its the least I can do for my Torontonian wife.  Know what I mean, eh?  Next up is Vancouver band Black Mountain and their album, In The Future.

 

The new album also demonstrates a compelling evolution. Black Mountain's first self-titled album was like being in sixth grade, when there's a few new kids in class who you know you're supposed to hang with. You're out of the gates, but you still stumble and shake when the teachers yell at you. "In The Future", ninth grade and summer vacation are over. You're heading back to high school to hang in the hallways with those same kids who now have wispy and dirty moustaches, long hair and breasts. The teachers don't scare you. The jocks are boring, and your record collection is more important than the prettiest girl at school. It's the first real taste of independence in the quest for absolute freedom.

To say the album is ambitious is an understatement.  Just listening to the seventeen minute epic "Bright Lights" with all of its movements and parts makes me totally see this band in a different....well...light.  It is not all about opus tracks though, the straight ahead rock of "Stormy High" is a riffalicious.

Overall, a psych rock album worth giving a listen...peep some tracks on the band's myspace page here.

Previous Polaris Short List Nominees reviewed:

Basia Bulat

Real Tuesday Weld - Joe's Pub 07.09.2008

 

"Last Words"

(disclaimer - RTW catalog is part of my company's roster)

Fresh Kicks - Nike Low SB Randy Colvins

Deodato - "Also Spratch Zarathustra".mp3

Just picked up a new pair of kicks from DQM.

It is a Randy Colvin signature shoe and comes in a black/yellow ochre colorway. The sneaker comes with many details including contrast stitching and lacing, pink lining, a star design over most of the upper as well asa tiger graphic on the back heel. The inner sole features a large graphic. All in all the sneaker was inspired by Randy Colvin's World Industries skatedeck graphic.  (High Snobiety)

Fresh Mux #1

My first Mix Muxtape.  Loosely inspired by the NY Mag summer mix project.  Fresh Mux #1.  Have at it here.

Basia Bulat, Eh?

The 2008 Polaris Prize Short List was announced today.   10 Canadian bands are up for best album in 2007 (based purely on artistic merit).  I'm going to try feature a post of each band...its the least I can do for my Torontonian wife.  Know what I mean, eh?  First up is London, Ontario singer/songwriter Basia Bulat and her album Oh, My Darling. 

 

Toronto-born songstress Basia Balut was weaned on Sam Cooke and after-school piano lessons and her debut LP, Oh, My Darling, offers a mix of ragtime riffs and exuberant, soul-inspired melodies. Produced and engineered by Howard Bilerman (who’s worked with British Sea Power and Goodspeed!  You Black Emperor), Oh, My Darling is an undeniably infectious romp. - Emusic review (buy album there)

I do have a penchant for infectious romps....erm....right. Basia definitely has a touch of summer so good listening right now.  You should if you have not already heard check these tracks out off the album:

"Before I Knew".mp3

"In The Night".mp3

The Winner will be announced September 29th.

Burning Man Is Back

Burning Spear, Montego Bay Airport, November 2006

"Burning Spear has its own sound...and that sound will never change." - Winston Rodney aka Burning Spear

Jah Is Real is the name of Burning Spear's next studio album.  I'm sure I would enjoy any new album by the seminal performer.  The fact that not only does Bootsy Collins is set to join in on the fun, so does Bernie Worrell.  Wow.

JIR was recorded at Magic Shop NYC in Queens and is due out on August 17th.  He will also do a mini-tour to support the launch of the album...including a stop at the Irving Plaza in NYC.  Awesome news!!  Shitty news on the date, August 31st, the date of a wedding my wife is in.  Fun.  You should go though.  Reggae like you've never reggaed before to the sounds of a living legend....take some pics for me.

A couple cool behind-the-scenes videos on the new album can be seen here.

Listen to some of the new tracks on his myspace page

My Own "Thing To Do - Records By Year" List

This seemed like a fun list to do....which I found via GvB.

List your favorite record from every year you’ve been alive.

1977 - The Grand Illusion - Styx
1978 - tie:  Cool Ruler - Gregory Isaacs, Brutal Outdeh - The Itals
1979 - The Wall - Pink Floyd
1980 - Uprising - Bob Marley
1981 - Wanted Dread Or Alive - Peter Tosh
1982 - Concert In Central Park - Simon & Garfunkel
1983 - Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughn
1984 - Purple Rain - Prince And The Revolution
1985 - Greatest Hits - The Cars
1986 - tie:  Graceland - Paul Simon, Raising Hell - Run D.M.C.
1987 - Appetite For Destruction - Guns N' Roses
1988 - tie:  Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A., By All Means Necessary - Boogie Down Productions
1989 - Fun & Games - The Connells
1990 - Lawn Boy - Phish
1991 - Nevermind - Nirvana
1992 - Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
1993 - Ring - The Connells
1994 - tie:  Weezer - Weezer, Under The Table And Dreaming - Dave Matthews Band
1995 - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins
1996 - Billy Breathes - Phish
1997 - Live @ Hampton Coliseum NYE 96/97 (live bootleg) - Dave Matthews Band
1998 - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
1999 - 2001 - Dr. Dre
2000 - Big Cypress, 12.31.99 Midnight set (live bootleg) - Phish
2001 - Quiet Is The New Loud - Kings Of Convenience
2002 - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
2003 - Give Up - Postal Service
2004 - Let It Die - Feist
2005 - Silent Alarm - Bloc Party
2006 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
2007 - Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
2008 - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge - Lightspeed Champion

Macy's 4th Of July Fireworks 2008

Independence Day 2008

My fireworks gallery from last year can be seen here.

Albert Hammond Jr. - Mercury Lounge (Private Showcase) 07.01.2008

 

Last time I caught the Albert Hammond Jr solo show was last June.  I wasn't that excited by the show.  I can't put my finger directly on why but there was some sort of disconnect between me and what was coming from the stage....and it was Webster Hall which is also not that great...but that is for another story.

So fast forward a year, a new album in hand, a new publisher of record ( :) ), and a release party at the Mercury Lounge...that was K-I-L-L-E-R.  Some may doubt my change of heart and say I'm into it now just because I get to work with the music but trust me...I never write about bands that I personally can't attest to liking.  Or check that, i never give favorable opinions without thorough thought.  But back to the show...

AH Jr kicked it off acoustically, unmic'd; standing on the bench stage left Albert played a version of "Blue Skies" to the crowd which was received warmly.  The full band set started with "In My Room" and then continued through the majority of the disc, ¿Como Te Llama? (out next week!).  I thought "Victory At Monterey" was fantastic.

I've been sitting with the album a couple weeks now and I must say...its pretty good on the first listen but by spin 8-9, it becomes a whole new album....truly solid beginning to end.

Setlist:

"Blue Skies" (solo acoustic)
"Everyone Gets A Star"
"In My Room"
"Lisa"
"Holiday"
"Gfc"
"Rocket"
"Victory At Monterey"
"In Transit"
"Miss Myrtle"
"G Up"
"101"
"Borrowed Time"
"Postal Blowfish"

Head over to his myspace to check out some tracks.

see the rest of my pics here 

Fleet Foxes Black Cab Sessions - "Crayon Angels"

LOOKING AT THEM, YOU WOULDN'T THINK A BAND LIKE FLEET FOXES ARE ABOUT TO CHALLENGE THE LIKES OF THE FRATELLIS AND COLDPLAY FOR THE NUMBER 1 ALBUM SPOT IN THE UK THIS WEEKEND. ROBIN AND JOSH LOOK LIKE APOSTLES FROM A DISTANT, BETTER LAND. WE SADDLE UP IN THE CAB OUTSIDE ULU, A VENUE THEY COULD HAVE SOLD OUT TWICE OVER THAT NIGHT. JOSH EXPLAINS HE IS JUST THERE TO GIVE ROBIN MORAL SUPPORT. AND SO WITH JUST A GUITAR AND VOICE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BREAK ALL THE WINDOWS, WE SET OFF AROUND THE BACK STREETS OF HOLBORN. ROBIN GIVES A BREATHTAKING PERFORMANCE OF CRAYON ANGELS, ONCE PERFORMED BY JUDEE SILL. HIS PERFORMANCE IS FLAWLESS AND POIGNANT. WE FINISH, PAY UP AND ROBIN HANDS THE DRIVER A COPY OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, ALREADY A CLASSIC, AS A THANK YOU. UNBEKNOWN TO THE CABBIE, THAT COPY COULD, ONE DAY, BE WORTH A LOT MORE THAN THE CAB RIDE. Black Cab Sessions

Doveman Wears A Musical Costume For His Next Album

Early on in my NYC residency, a hushed song called "Honey" was all the rage.  And for good reason.  Thomas Bartlett, brain child of Doveman, is a talented singer songwriter who released the great The Acrobat in 2005.  Everyone and their mother liked it (check the 'Previous Posts' section of this post).  He's a musician's musican and so were the players filling out the band.

Fast forward to 2008.  Gotta say his new project makes me very excite...very.  That's before I even found out about the reason behind him covering not one, not two, but all songs of the soundtrack to Footloose.

When I was very young, my half-sister Jenny died tragically. She was a teenager, and it was the 80's. She left behind a wardrobe of brightly colored clothes, rainbow stickers, life-size paintings, doodles on lined paper, and hundreds of tapes. These constitute most of my memories of her. It's sad for me to look at these things, and usually I don't. But a couple of summers ago I found a tape of hers with a startling cover photograph - this was Footloose. I couldn't stop listening: it was a portrait of 80's love, desire, pain, freedom, and frenzy; of being a teenager in a time of change. By listening, I could step into Jenny's shoes, see things from her vantage point. I could be emancipated by rock and roll and walkmen, just as she had been. We could listen together.

I asked my friend Thomas to cover the album, which, sheltered as he is, he had never heard before. I was clear that I wanted to him to cover the whole album - the point wasn't to rework any one song, but to re-imagine the picture they made together. With a new Footloose we could reply to the past, tell our own story about being young. This is what he made.

So far I really dig this track:  "Lets Hear It For The Boy".mp3

Download the entire album for free here.

Orchestra Baobab - Rockefeller Park (River To River Festival) 06.26.08

Orchestra Baobab Played Rockefeller Park...fo' free...Wednesday evening.  You can check out my pics over at Brooklyn Vegan.