Fresh Bread

Picture Of The Day - Malibu Coast

Giveaway - Warren Haynes Benefit Vol 8 DVD

Everyone loves a free DVD...especially one that is chock full of great musicians.

Recorded live at Warren Haynes’ 18th Annual Christmas Jam in Asheville, NC on December 16th, 2006 at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, The Benefit Concert Volume 8 is the third release in an on-going series documenting the annual concerts. As with each previous benefit, all proceeds from this series of concerts and CD and DVD releases benefit Habitat For Humanity, an international non-profit organization dedicated to building housing for those in need of shelter.

The first Fresh Bread giveaway contest is a copy of the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam Benefit Vol 8 DVD.  All you have to do is email me.  I will pick a winner at random.  Simple as that. 

Buy the DVD here.

Watch the trailer here:

Black Kids - Santos Party House 07.25.08

Went to see Jacksonville, Florida's own Black Kids at Santos Party House Friday night.  The band just released its debut album and has been riding some nice press since late last year.  I didn't really get it though.  Not necessarily in a bad way just nothing new and/or to blow me away with.  Maybe I need to spend more time with the new album?   Party Traumatic is worth a listen though...might do more for you than me (and Pitchfork).

Zambri was a nice surprise as the first of the three bands on the bill.  Could use a good producer to hone the songs but overall, very entertaining and pretty catchy...definitely fun.

The second band was probably the worst band I have ever seen.  Seriously.  40 minute set up, lead singer (who looked like Barack Obama in cut offs) rigged a stereo set up with two practice amps...set it up backwards...and sounded like shit.  Nearly everyone in the room looked dumbfounded for the first few songs before trying to drown out the band with chatter.  It worked.  Worst. Set. Ever.

Miles Benjamin = Barack Ocrapa  

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.