speed of dark

I have been neglecting this blog, I know, but I'm glad alt-gramma's been here to pick up my slack. I really enjoyed her Halloween mix and the Oingo Boingo post, because I have some fond memories of attending that concert with her - it was my first concert and Oingo Boingo's last, and they knew how to put on an outstanding show.

Oompa Loompas are scary as all hell.

Enjoy.


the arcade fire: cold wind from everything ends: six feet under soundtrack

ben gibbard: thriller [michael jackson cover]

castanets: cathedral 2 (your feet on the floor sounding like the rain) from cathedral
(very creepy sounding)

the decemberists: the culling of the fold from the crane wife

grant lee phillips: demon called deception [live] original version on mighty joe moon

the minus five: cemetery row from the minus five

morrissey: november spawned a monster [live] from beethoven was deaf
morrissey: jack the ripper [live] from beethoven was deaf

sons and daughters: monsters from the repulsion box

sunset rubdown: i'm sorry i sang on your hands that have been in the grave from shut up i am dreaming

they might be giants: dig my grave from apollo 18

wolf parade: same ghost every night from apologies to the queen mary

Nobody loves Halloween the way Danny Elfman, former lead singer and songwriter of legendary, long-dead Oingo Boingo, does. I read that he collects that Mexican Day of the Dead skulls and skeleton art. He insisted on being the singing voice of Jack Skellington in Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm sure he didn't have to argue too hard with director Tim Burton. Those two goulie-groupies have a long and dark association.

Time was when you could count on an Oingo Boingo concert every October 31. Indie Mom and I went to the last one in 1995 at Universal Amphitheater, and it was a blast. Here are some Boingo tunes to help with this year's celebrations and remember good times of the past.

Trick or Treat!

Dead Man's Party

Dead or Alive

No Spill Blood

Country Sweat

Violent Love

Join the "Bring Back Boingo!" crusade at the official Oingo Boingo Website.
Very up-to-date fan webpage featuring news about Danny Elfman, lyrics, and downloads of rare songs.
Buy Boingo

Here's my non-standard Halloween mix. Most of these aren't here just for the holiday atmosphere--I REALLY like them.

Matt Pond PA: Halloween

Of Montreal: Chrissie Kiss the Corpse

There is humor in necrophilia after all.

Broadcast: Black Cat

This was one of my favorites of 2005. I love the crackly static, a sonic

image of the hairs rising on the back of your neck.

Oh No! Oh My!: Fell In Love With A Zombie

Hilarious lyrics!

Why do I always fall for those girls

With big eyes and really nasty hair

And walk with their arms out

Like they just don't care?

Fields: Skulls and Flesh and More

Fields have become a favorite. These two are unreleased demos.

Fields: A Slow Crawling Hand

Girls In Hawaii: Casper

Yes, it's that Casper. No, they are not girls, and they are not Hawaiian.

They are guys, and they are Belgian.

Logh: Ghosts

Another new favorite band. See our earlier post Logh - Swedish Lo-Fi

for more songs.

Wolf Parade: Bones

New song! Can't wait for their next release.

Cartoon: La Cucaracha 10/22/2006 by Lalo Alcaraz.

Badly Drawn Boy at the Troubadour, 10/18/2006

So let me be the last music blogger on Earth to say, Yes, I like Born in the U.K., the new album by Badly Drawn Boy--However, I don't like it as much as I liked 2000's Hour of Bewilderbeast or even 2004's One Plus One Is One. I have yet to hear another song that matches Hour of Bewilderbeast's charming and captivating "Once Around the Block," but I have hopes that that song was not the highest point of Damon Gough's career.

"Degrees of Separation" is a really good song, and "Promises" is growing on me as well, but other than that, there is nothing here I can't live without. I didn't feel that way about Bewilderbeast. There are enough songs there that I can't live without that I was happy to buy the CD, and I still feel that way, but since then I've bought only a couple of the songs from each album. Maybe I'm impatient. Maybe I'm too picky. Maybe this is the price to be paid for trying to make an album a year for five years (according to BDB on his MySpace site)--they can't all be masterpieces.

My other reservation about U.K. has to do more with personal taste. I'm just not into the strings and heavy production that BDB sometimes favors and that seem to appear on more songs than usual on this album. Let's take one song per year (2003 and 2005 seem to be missing) and try not to duplicate too many that other bloggers have already posted--except for "Once Around the Block" since I mentioned it.

Once Around the Block from Hour of Bewilderbeast (2000)

Stone on the Water from Hour of Bewilderbeast (2000)

Spitting in the Wind from P*****g in the Wind - EP (2001)

Born Again from Have You Fed the Fish? (2002)

Easy Love from One Plus One Is One (2004)

Promises from Born in the U.K. (2006)


The photos here are from Badly Drawn Boy's October 18 concert at the Troubadour in Hollywood, CA, taken by Ed Wang, whom we met at the Dears concert (see post the Dears at the Troubadour
Click on this link for Ed's concert photo page and more pics from this show.

Badly Drawn Boy Website
To watch cool videos of songs from Born in the U.K., go to MySpace

All songs posted here are available at iTunes. CDs are available at Amazon.

Speaking of beloved Scottish bands (see previous post Trashcan Sinatras), Eugenius comes to mind. We had just started Speed of Dark in August when I read a post on Eugenius at Aquarium Drunkard, and I was delighted to finally come across someone else who appreciates this band's chapter in alternative rock history. I determined then that I would follow up with my own post, and I'm just getting around to it.

Eugenius was formed by Edinburgh native Eugene Kelly and was active from only about 1990 to 1995. Kelly's previous band with Frances McKee, the Vaselines, was a favorite of Kurt Cobain's (Nirvana). Nirvana covered three Vaselines' songs: "Molly's Lips," "Son of a Gun," and "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" covered as "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam." It's a mark of Cobain's own genius that he was able to see the potential in the rather wimpy renditions by the Vaselines and power them up to his own vision. He continued to support both the Vaselines and Eugenius until his unfortunate death. I have posted here both versions of "Molly's Lips" for comparison.

My favorite Eugenius song, and one of my favorite songs ever, is "Blue Above the Rooftops." I love that long guitar riff, and the words are cheerful and not as obscure as many of Kelly's lyrics are. You can really hear Nirvana's influence on both this and on "Mary Queen of Scots."

the Vaselines: Molly's Lips from The Way of the Vaselines (1992)
Nirvana: Molly's Lips" from Incesticide (1992)

from Mary Queen of Scots (1994):
Eugenius: Blue Above the Rooftops
Eugenius: Mary Queen of Scots

The Vaselines are available on iTunes, but Eugenius albums are not. Amazon carries Eugenius CDs, and various mp3 sites across the web have some downloads.

Eugenius fan page on MySpace where more songs can be streamed.

Eugene Kelly is still involved in the Scottish rock scene and was listed as a band member on Reindeer Section's MySpace page and on their second album, Son of Evil Reindeer.

Indie Mom and I were talking the other day about talented, hardworking bands that seem to be resigned forever to cult status. Such are the Trashcan Sinatras, one of my beloved Scottish groups. Since the release of Cake in 1990, the band has had a continual string of bad luck, including the demise of its record company, bankruptcy, and the forced sale of its recording studio. Nonetheless, they have continued to make music and support their small but devoted fanbase in the U.S., Japan, and Australia.

Their last album of new material, Weightlifting, released independently in 2004, ended an eight-year hiatus and was meant to be a triumphant come-back. They even appeared at South by Southwest, the breaker of many bands, that year.

“Welcome back, back to here, back from the edge…” Yet TCS are still carrying on as they have done for years, having just arrived back home from touring in Australia.

TCS may have a lot to complain about, but they don't. There are no sad, bitter songs here. Their melodies are as bright as a sunny day with delicate, jangly guitar lifting them like a light breeze. Francis Reader's gorgeous, clear voice glides over creamy-smooth harmonies. "Welcome Back" is full of energy and optimism. What's not to like? They invented the niche that Keane and newcomers Bel Auburn inhabit.

All four albums are available on iTunes. Sample these, and if you like them, you will like others as well. I had a hard time narrowing my choices down.

from Weightlifting (2004):
Welcome Back
Weightlifting
Got Carried Away

from I've Seen Everything (2000):
I'm Immortal

Live at The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA - 10/6/2004:
Obscurity Knocks

Live at Cane's in San Diego, CA - 10/10/2004:
Freetime

The Trashcan Sinatras are: John Douglas (rhythm guitar, vocals), Stephen Douglas (drums, vocals), Davy Hughes (bass), Paul Livingston (lead guitar), and Francis Reader (vocals)

If you like the live versions above, do not download here. I had to alter the speed to get them to play correctly on the web. Instead, visit the band's extensive Website for more info, news, and lots of downloads of live versions.

Check their MySpace page for videos and another download: the beautiful A Coda from Weightlifting.

I almost missed one of the best shows I've had the opportunity to attend last night. We had a communication snafu which caused us to leave later than planned and placed us at the end of a very long line to see The Decemberists at the Wiltern Theatre on Saturday night. I guess being late was better than not going at all, and I'm no longer angry at the dummy who almost squelched our plans. Still, we managed to get somewhat decent standing positions, right dead center, but I stood behind a couple who seemed to want to make out more than enjoy the music.

Lavender Diamond opened for The Decemberists. I haven't been able to get much information about them, despite the presence of both a regular and myspace webpage. The lead singer was a woman obviously much younger than her all-male bandmates. She was a little bit goofy and alt-gramma and I debated the type and quantity of the drug(s) she was taking. We were repeatedly thanked for bringing peace to the Earth, which I wasn't aware had occurred, and also praised repeatedly for being smart. How did we get so smart? Was it because we ate such healthy food? The lead singer seemed to think so. Her banter was very odd and she giggled incessently. Maybe it was nerves, but she didn't appear to be nervous. And then she opened her mouth to sing.

She had a lovely voice (even when she failed to hit the right key at one point), very soft and delicate over the acoustic guitar, keyboards, and spare drum set of her band. Lavender Diamond played a short, pleasant set which I enjoyed very much. They played both of the songs posted below, which are available on their myspace page as well. iTunes has a song called Emptiness is a Conductor off of a compilation disc, but I don't think this song was played at the show. Their CD, The Cavalry of Light is available on their website. Enjoy.

lavender diamond: you broke my heart from The Cavalry of Light
lavender diamond: rise in the springtime from The Cavalry of Light

Then my beloved Decemberists took the stage.

The lead singer, Colin Meloy, was tremendous. He is often chided for his use of grandiose words that require one to consult a dictionary, and for using phrases like "you'll not" instead of "you won't". However, I think this adds to his quirky charm, and as much as he might want to present himself as a nerd or a geek, he is truly an awesome performer. His beautiful, epic lyrics were enhanced by his gestures and facial expressions. But it didn't end there; he rolled around on the ground, interacted with the felicitous fans in the front row, and organized a theatre-wide sing-a-long. Singing along to the songs was encouraged, he said, but he wanted to make sure we were warmed up. He guided us all in a singing exercise where we sang a lilting scale to the words, "this is a wonderful show". And that it was.

If I haven't mentioned much about the other members of the band, it wasn't that I didn't notice them. It's that they weren't spotlighted: this was absolutely Colin's show. The other members were extremely prolific, going from instrument to instrument, from piano to hurdy-gurdy to melodica to accordion to violin to hammond organ. If I have a complaint about this show, it was that the lighting was terrible. The red Chinese lanterns were a pulchritudinous touch, but the band was almost always in the dark and out of the limelight. (See what I did there with the $10 word?)

I was surprised by many of the songs The Decemberists played. Of course, I was expecting to hear many tracks from The Crane Wife and I wasn't disappointed. I also expected to hear Los Angeles, I'm Yours because the show was in Los Angeles, and I was right. But I was hoping to hear Red Right Ankle, Eli the Barrowboy, Constantinople, Shiny, or my very favorite, Of Angels and Angles. And not even Mariner's Revenge Song. But every song was beautiful, high-energy, and wonderful, and I've posted three of the songs that were performed. If you ever get the chance to see The Decemberists live, I don't think you could possibly be dissatisfied. Run, don't walk, to buy their discs and thank me later.

the decemberists: odalisque from castaways and cutouts
the decemberists: song for myla goldberg from her majesty the decemberists
the decemberists: o valencia from the crane wife

More photos here, here, here, here, and here.

If you haven't heard of Joseph Arthur until recently, it's probably because the man's entire career has developed entirely outside the mainstream recording industry and its complex. All of his albums are self-produced, including his latest, Nuclear Daydream. Also, this is the first album he has supported with a full band, the Lonely Astronauts, and a tour of live performances. This tour, too, is without the support of a recording company. He is a truly independent artist. I owe my introduction to him to my brother, who gave me Come To Where I'm From six years ago.

Come To Where I'm From is the ultimate break-up album; you can hear the pain of loss and all the accompanying distress in every song. I was going through some painful stuff of my own at that time, and I loved it because it spoke to the depths of my soul and gave expression to my pain. I thought "History" was written especially for and about me. It's a pretty dark record.

"Honey and the Moon" from Redemption's Son was featured on the O.C. It's probably his sweetest song, but it isn't happy-happy either. I don't think Joe writes happy-happy songs.

Like the best poet-singer-songwriters, Joseph Arthur is a wordsmith and a crafter of deft phrases that evoke vivid images in few words. He plays almost every instrument on his albums. He has a startling vocal range, from a low, husky growl to an eerie falsetto.

Arthur is also a painter, whose rather disturbing and vaguely violent images of human-like figures like the one above have graced his album covers and inserts. His art has recently been published as a book of illustrations called We Almost Made It.

He has been featured lately on NPR's Fresh Air and recently performed in the studio on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic

In the KCRW show, Joe tells host Nic Harcourt that Nuclear Daydream is a "straight-up rock and roll record." I don't know how he could categorize his previous albums as not rock and roll. What else would you call it? This new album does seem more accessible and a little less dark than his previous ones. In spite of that (!), I like most of the songs. He's just too good for me not to like.

from Come To Where I'm From (2000):

Joseph Arthur: History
Joseph Arthur: Tattoo
Joseph Arthur: Invisible Hands

from Our Shadows Will Remain (2004):

Joseph Arthur: Stumble and Pain
Joseph Arthur: Wasted

from Nuclear Daydream (2006):

Joseph Arthur: Automatic Situation

Joseph Arthur's Website
Joseph Arthur on MySpace
Purchase CDs, T-shirts, and art directly from Joseph Arthur

Religious wars.
Political scandal.
Racial intolerance.
Domestic violence.
Global warming.

Today's news is enough to make a person want to go hide in a box until it's all over. I'll bring the music; you bring the beer. By the way, I like expensive beer.

I could have posted R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World As We Know It" or Nick Cave's "Till the End of the World," but that would have been cheap and easy. No matter what anyone says, I am not cheap or easy. Here are some less obvious selections for the end of the world mix.

Thom Yorke: The Clock

the Dears: Fear Made the World Go Round

Doves: There Goes The Fear

Decemberists: When the War Came

Cosmic Rough Riders: Life In Wartime

Silversun Pickups: Future Foe Scenarios

Elliott Smith: The Enemy Is You

Wolf Parade: Modern World

Doves: Last Broadcast

Thom Yorke: After the Gold Rush

Pearls Before Swine 10/01/06, by Stephan Pastis

Hi, Gramma--
Here we are in Amsterdam. We're having a great time.
J


Dear Josh,

Your parents did give you a first name--why don't you use it? Thanks for the postcard you sent via your MySpace page. I see all your European tour dates are listed there. If I weren't the oldest person on MySpace, I'd never know where you are. It was a good idea to have your bio translated into French, but now I can't read it.

At least your personal Website is still in English. I saw there that your new album, Minor Works is now for sale, and I got all excited! Your albums are sold out and out of print, and I am anxious to hear your new songs. But it's on vinyl, and it's only sold in Common Market countries. Now, you know Gramma still has a turntable from the old days, but, Josh honey, it isn't that easy for me to get British currency.

Thank goodness, one of your French friends posted a couple of the new songs on his blog.

I like the band; I really do. You know Gramma loves a little slide guitar. Don't get me wrong , but I'm glad you're not entirely forsaking those songs where it's just you and the guitar. Take "With Wolves," for example. I like the demo version much better than the band version. It's so much more personal and intimate, just as if you're sitting on the porch right next to me.

I'll be checking your blog on MySpace to see when you're coming back. I'm sure Europe is nice, but there's no place like home. Speaking of MySpace, a couple of the song links on your page don't work. I know you're busy, but can you get that fixed? Thanks, hon.

Take care,
~alt-gramma~

J. Tillman: With Wolves - unreleased

J. Tillman: Casualties from Long May You Run, J. Tillman (2006)

from J. Tillman's 2006 Tour EP
J. Tillman: Crooked Roof
J. Tillman: Take Care

from Minor Works :
J. Tillman: Jesse's Not A Sleeper
J. Tillman: Now, You're Among Strangers

If you are not in the U.S., you may be able to purchase Minor Works on vinyl at Fargo Store. The rest of us will have to wait.

I should know better than to stay up late when I cannot sleep, because when I see something I want for sale online, I buy it. But this is a great purchase, since I am working on having my own little gallery of music-related art. (My husband isn't pleased)

I bought some new posters based on songs by The Decemberists by a wonderful artist named Chris Turnham. There are other posters he has created for The Bagman's Gambit and The Legionnaire's Lament, among others. Check out the posters I bought, below, and others besides on his website.


(click image for full size)

The song Constantinople is available on iTunes.



the decemberists: eli the barrowboy from picaresque

During high school, I started working in a music store, which I see as a major turning point in my musical development. Prior to this, I listened to the same trash that everyone else liked, never realizing what else was out there. Over time, I developed an appreciation for all genres of music, although I'm still not much of a jazz or country music aficionado. My manager was a great person and terrific boss, and always encouraged her teenage employees to learn more about other kinds of music. She woulg give us an artist's name, and we would have to identify the genre, and other kinds of tests to help us better serve our customers with their mind game questions.

One of the other great things about this job was the "freebie bin", which was a large box of promotional music CDs we were allowed to take home. The store was shipped boxes of CDs marked "promotional only" and the intent was for us to play them over the sound system, but most of them ended up in a cardboard box in the back office. Every couple of months, we had a store meeting, and at the end of the meeting we could pick through the box and take what we wanted. Most of the CDs I gleaned from that time were terrible and are gone now, but there were a few jewels.

Freedy Johnston released This Perfect World in 1994 and I picked it out of the pile of discs and grabbing hands of my fellow employees. This turned out to be a great album, and I have posted one of the highlights below, along with a cover of the song by Death Cab for Cutie. According to his website, Freedy should be releasing a new album in 2007 called Rain in the City.

freedy johnston: bad reputation from this perfect world

death cab for cutie: bad reputation from iTunes sessions

I just got back from Las Vegas, which was quite eventful, to say the least. First, when I was in the airport waiting for my flight to Vegas, the small aircraft piloted by Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, crashed into a building in New York. At the time, no one knew what kind of situation this was, only that a plane crashed into a building and it was October 11. I don't want to make light of this tragedy. I think the worst part was that Lidle's wife found out after everyone else in the whole world was informed by the news that her husband died. My husband, who coincidentally builds airplanes for a living but who won't fly, called me and instructed me not to get on the plane. I told him that if it had been a terrorist attack, I wouldn't be flying anywhere. But nevertheless, about a half hour later, I was on a plane. But it was a little scary for me.

death cab for cutie: sleep spent from something about airplanes

I was in Vegas for work purposes. But this doesn't mean I didn't spend any time gambling. My problem is, I don't like to gamble and throw my money away. But I like to play blackjack. A lot. I was remarkably restrained and didn't even take much money in the first place, and I was prepared to lose what money I took to gamble with. And I did lose it, although at one point I was up over $200 dollars, and I was too stupid to grab the chips and run for the exit. Instead I walked back to my hotel, grumbling to myself the whole way.

radiohead: house of cards [live in boston]

So then I flew back this evening, after the conclusion of a very successful conference. And not only was the information presented at the conference really great, the food was outstanding. At conferences, you are usually lucky to get some coffee and stale muffins for breakfast, maybe a list of restaurants in the area for lunch, and a "you're on your own" for dinner, right? Not this conference. Three course (three courses!) gourmet breakfasts were served, at an actual table by actual waitpersons. Three course lunches were served as well. Dinner on Thursday night was at a fondue restaurant, where we were taken in chartered vans. I was a bit skeptical about the whole fondue thing (isn't fondue just stuffed you dip in cheese? I thought), but it was excellent, as was the company. The cost of all of this was included in the extremely reasonable conference registration fee.

bloc party: like eating glass from silent alarm

It's October 13, which has got to be a very unlucky day, if you're superstitious. If you're a gambler, chances are you're superstitious. For example, if I'm playing craps and I'm the shooter, I have some stupid ritual with the dice so they have to be a certain way and I have to rub them on the green in a certain way and I also refuse to speak to anyone until I crap out (usually sooner rather than later). When I play blackjack, I have to tap my chips before the dealer gives me the cards. Damn...typing this out makes it see, even more ridiculous. But whatever...all I know is, I didn't gamble at all today.

radiohead: lucky [live in boston]

My flight was delayed over an hour due to thunderstorms and rain, and once we were herded into the plane and every single seat was taken, we sat on the tarmac for another 45 minutes in line to take off. The pilot informed us that we were in for a bumpy ride, and he did not exaggerate. This was hands-down the worst flight I have ever been on. The turbulence was terrible, and we kept hitting these air pockets and the plane would just drop....for just a bit and then continue. Very scary. Then when we reached the airport, we had to circlecirclecirclecircle and I was the closest I've ever been to using an air sickness bag. The landing, however, was perfect, and the flight attendant got on the intercom just afterwards and said, "Wow...wasn't that a great landing after a flight like that?" and we passengers applauded in appreciation, then pushed and shoved each other to get off the plane.

pearl jam: given to fly [live] from live on two legs
paul simon: further to fly from rhythm of the saints

I'm leaving a lot of stuff out, but you know the saying: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Glad to be home.

Ekko at Berkeleyplace has a fun idea with "Snow Patrol A to Z." It takes a prolific band (which Snow Patrol is) and a large collection to even attempt that kind of project. Most of the songs he posted are really cool acoustic versions that I haven't heard before, and I'm enjoying them a lot through the Hype Machine flash player.

I'm gonna help him out a little bit from my own collection with a couple of alphabet letters he's missing:

L is for Last Ever Lone Gunman

M is for Make Love To Me Forever

N is for Never Gonna Fall In Love Again

O is for One Night Is Not Enough

All of the above are from When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up

and from the Reindeer Section's Son of Evil Reindeer:

Y is for You Are My Joy

Reindeer Section sounds a lot like Snow Patrol because basically Reindeer Section is Gary Lightbody's side project and usually, but not always, he is doing the vocals.

Sometimes a song comes along that is far, far out of my usual listening realm, but it's just so fascinating that it transcends those boundaries. Last year there were two of these: "Keep Going" by Boozoo Bajou with Tony Joe White and "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap.

This year it's "Give All To Love" by German singer Niobe from her new album White Hats. I stumbled across it while going through archived All Songs Considered on NPR.com. I am not normally into disco/funk/blues, but I was immediately struck by her lovely voice and the subtle dynamics of this little song.

Languid, smoky, vaguely melancholy, over a hypnotic beat, Niobe's breathy voice weaves entincingly in and out of the background vocals. This is what Billie Holliday might sound like in this century. Take a listen.

Niobe: Give All To Love from White Hats, available on iTunes.

Just for kicks, I have editted this post to include:

Boozoo Bajou, feat. Tony Jo White: Keep Going

also available at iTunes.

I love music that churns my blood up and gets me energized. But sometimes I want quiet, contemplative music for late at night or for a rainy day.

My thanks to @indiechristoph@ for recently posting a song by Logh, of Lund, Sweden, a band that specializes in dark, rainy day music. This is the finest kind of lo-fi, with whispered vocals, sinuous guitars, and lots of texture. Another good thing is that the songs don't sound all the same. Many are instrumentals. In that, and in their overall sound, they resemble Mogwai, but they may be a bit more restrained. Somehow their melancholy tunes are more uplifting than depressing, especially when you consider the song titles. These guys have a keen sense of humor.

from Every Time A Bell Rings an Angel Gets His Wings (2002)
Logh: Yellow Lights Mean Slow Down Not Speed Up
Logh: The Bastards Have Landed

from My Very Last Breath: The Emo Diaries (2002) (available at iTunes)
Logh: Guided Tour of a Dead Man's House

From A Sunset Panorama (2005)
Logh: The Smoke Will Lead You Home

The release of their fourth album is planned for Spring 2007. Short demos of two new songs, "Death to My Home Town" and "The Black Box" can be previewed here. I really like them and can't wait to hear to entire, completed songs.

Website
Official site - biography
News and downloads at MySpace
Buy direct from Bad Taste Records

My brother, Indie Mom's Uncle T, should be writing his own music blog. He likes a broader range of music than I do, and he can write about it like a professional music reviewer. Over the years he has turned me on to several artists I would not have discovered on my own.

Last Christmas he gave me Stairs and Elevators by the Heartless Bastards. Although this set of songs did not particularly grab me, I could tell he was onto some genuine talent. This band has a way of invoking rock and roll the way it used to be--simple yet powerful, and bursting with energy. There is no hiding Erika Wennerstrom's voice in sludgy layers of instruments and harmonies. It's a powerhouse. Another powerful-voiced rock singer she reminds me of is Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde (Listen to "End of the Line" on my post More Goodbye Songs for comparison).

But Erika isn't just a pretty little singer. This is HER band. Watch her here in this little clip from South by Southwest 2005. This girl really rocks. The song is "Gray."

Dang, I'd like to see that live!

Many artists put so many of their long-held dreams and so much effort into their debut album and then into promoting that first album that they don't have much left over for their second--the infamous "sophomore slump." Not so with Heartless Bastards. Erika's songwriting has definitely improved on their second album All This Time.

Here are my favorites:

Heartless Bastards: Brazen

Heartless Bastards: Searching for the Ghost

Heartless Bastards' website

The band is on tour now, so check MySpace for their current tour schedule.

Nick Peill and Thorunn Anton of Fields shoegazing at the Troubadour

I didn't know anything about Fields when Indie Mom and I got our tickets for the Dears. I had time to grab four MP3s that had been posted on other blogs and burn them to a CD before I got into the car. Listening to these cuts on the way over to her house, I was surprised to find that I liked all four of them. I'm pretty picky, and it's unusual for me to like any random four songs of any group, Radiohead excepted.

In my research to find out more about Fields for this post, I found that the band is only around a year old--another surprise. The songs are of consistently high quality, and they play very well together considering they are such a young band. They have a lovely flash website at fieldsband.com, but you can see that things are beginning to happen kind of fast for these guys because their News hasn't been updated to announce their latest EP.

There are no big innovations here, nothing ground-breaking. Just sweet, fresh melodies of consistently engaging quality. Guitarist Nick Peill's and keyboardist Thorunn Anton's vocals blend appealingly. Peill, lead guitar Jamie Putnam and bassist Matty Derham create a nice layered sound, with Anton's keyboard smoothing out the mix. It's a standard shoegazer sound, but it's done very well, and hey--I LIKE shoegazer.

The band's sound stands up well live, but they could use a little bit more stage personality. Thorunn did talk a little to the crowd during an enforced break to reconnect power to her keyboard. Hopefully she'll do that more in the future even when she doesn't have to.

Their latest EP, 7 From the Village, which was released Sept 2006, is available at Amazon. Mine is in the mail to me right now. Los Angeles and San Francisco, both opening for the Dears, were their only two U.S. dates and the band is currently touring Europe, but they expect to begin working on their first full-length release soon. If it follows in the footsteps of this EP, it could be very nice.

Tracks from 7 From the Village:

Fields: Roll Down the Hill
Fields: Heretic

Tracks that will probably be on the upcoming debut album:

Fields: Charming the Flames
Fields: Feathers

Check out their page on MySpace for news, current tour info, pictures, and downloads. And check Indie Mom's review of the Dears below to see if she has any of those cute Fields stickers left. She took some pretty good photos with her cell phone, don't you think?

Also, Youtube has a Video of Brittle Sticks, from the EP:

The Dears at the Troubadour, Hollywood, CA, 10-04-06









Hear more songs by the Dears on our Sept 22 post, we'll find our place in this world

The winner of the award for longest and strangest band name goes to The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers. This collective of members posted amusing and not very informative bios on their site, but they have also posted a free and legal download of their latest EP, Redux, a collection of b-sides and rarities. Their latest album, also with a long and strange title, The Mother of Love Emulates the Shapes of Cynthia can be purchased by clicking the link.

Enjoy the following tracks that have been collecting dust in my music collection for a while. I find them very enjoyable when they make it into the random shuffle, but I have not really been inspired to seek out more tracks other than these. Give them a listen.

the prayers and tears of arthur digby sellers: cannot eat better not sleep from the mother of love...

the prayers and tears of arthur digby sellers: another rock star laments (acoustic) unreleased

You can download the free mp3s from the front page of their site. Click on the "music" link for other free and legal downloads (including a cover of a Mountain Goats song), including the tracks from the album Psalterie, where the original version of Another Rock Star Laments can be found. Their site is a treasure trove of free tracks, but remember to purchase their new album and thank them for all the free swag.

The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers are currently on tour all over the eastern and southern parts of this fine country. They will be appearing at the Troika Music Festival in Durham, NC on October 20, alongside Okkervil River, The Mountain Goats and many, MANY others. Check out their site for more information.

First off, let me say that I met two people at last night's Dears concert at the Troubadour who go to more concerts in a month than I am able to attend in four years. I was in line with two guys (hi Ed!) who regaled me with tales of the shows they have seen recently and those they plan to attend in the near future. I am horribly, terribly jealous, but since I still can't hear out of my left ear, it's probably for the best that I don't go to more shows. That said...may I present the Dears:

This is actually not my picture...I stole it from here...click on the link for some truly incredible, close-up pictures of the band.

I was lucky enough to be directly in front of the stage and two speakers (which is why I have the hearing damage). I heard a wonderful but short set by fields, which alt-gramma is planning to review. I was given the setlist for the fields by none other than the lead singer, Nick Peill (which I gave to alt-gramma) and when I raved about their performance and asked the keyboardist/singer Thorunn Antonia about a merch table, specifically the excellent sticker she had on her keyboard, she took the time to talk to me about stuff, shake my hand, and she gave me a whole bunch of stickers (see more about this at the end of this post). But I digress...

The Dears were charismatic, exciting, and they rocked superhard. All six band members looked happy to be there and like they were having fun playing together, which always makes for a great show. Lead singer Murray Lightburn was not a man to smile much, and he got a little testy when at first his keytar wouldn't work. But when he figured out that all he had to do was "pump up the volume," as he said, then all was right with the world and he continued to play the hell out of several guitars, the aforementioned keytar, and a tunonica, a small, handheld keyboard that you blow into and play.

At several points in the show, Murray stood directly in front of me. And by directly, I mean his body was two or three inches from my face and I had to put my head ALL the way back to look up at him. Then he decided to climb on the speaker in front of me, and I put out my hand and leaned back a bit, because I was afraid he was going to fall on me. He put one foot on the speaker and one foot on the teeeeeenyist bit of stage that was in front of me, and I grabbed his leg, again afraid that he was going to fall on me. That, and he kicked me in the stomach a little bit. Obviously, I survived and I have no plans to sue for pain and suffering. There were a couple of times that bass guitarist Martin Pelland leaned down and swung the neck of his guitar right above my head and that was a little bit freaky. And then there was the overzealous photographer to my left who kept jabbing me in the side and pushing her camera lens in front of me. But who cares.

At the end of the show as he walked off of the stage, I shook hands with the drummer George Donoso III. I had watched him with fascination during much of their set because his drumming was awesome and, as I recently confessed to alt-gramma, I want a drum kit. Someone (now I don't remember who, if it was a band member or roadie, I was so excited to get it) gave me the set list (click for full size) which was also used to tell Murray to wish Renaud, their sound mixer, a happy birthday. We all sang happy birthday to him, led by Murray, and there was the distinct smell of burning candle wax, so they must have given him something on fire to blow out. After the show, we could hear the band members and hangers-on singing happy birthday to him again in the "green room". As we were leaving, I spotted guitarist Patrick Krief outside on the street and asked him to autograph the set list, which he very nicely did. He confirmed that they may be playing at the El Rey, which is probably my favorite venue, in November.

The Dears were outstanding, they played a tremendous show, and they are highly, highly recommended. I'll post some pictures that I took soon.

the dears: bandwagoneers
the dears: whites only party

Buy the album Gang of Losers today! You won't be disappointed!

As I mentioned earlier, I was given several fields stickers as seen here:

If you want one, email me at indie-mom AT speedofdark-web DOT com with your name and mailing address, and I'll send you one (supplies are limited - no rainchecks).

Check out the Dears tour schedule at MySpace to see if they're coming your way soon.

Several new CDs are being released this fall, and one of the most anticipated is Lindsey Buckingham's Under the Skin. It's his first since 1992, so this is a biggie.

Buckingham has been one of my guitar heroes since he joined Fleetwood Mac, through his work on the fabulous Tusk, and up through all the solo albums. "Go Insane," the title song of the album Go Insane is still one of my top favorite songs ever and may be my top favorite video as well. You forget, with all the CGI and special effects we have now, what a visionary and ground-breaking video that was. That was the 80's, for gosh sakes!

On a par with Buckingham's incomparable skills on the strings are his carefully choreographed vocal layers and impeccable recording values. Each note on 1992's Out of the Cradle is crystalline and perfect, yet does not lack for warmth. This is perfect headphone music.

For musicianship, vocal and instrumental arrangement, and production, Under the Skin does not disappoint. Several of the songs would have appeared on the unreleased Gift of Screws album in 2000, so Buckingham has had a long, long time to tinker them to perfection. Some, like "Red Rover," didn't make it. But in spite of the technical expertise and beauty, too many of the songs just don't hit me in the right place. I'll keep listening to it and see if I change my mind. I've posted here a couple of the cuts that I like the best.

Also check Buckingham's own personal website to stream tunes from this release and check out his other neat stuff, including tour dates!

Lindsey Buckingham: To Try For the Sun (Under the Skin version)

Lindsey Buckingham: Try For The Sun (Gift of Screws version)

Lindsey Buckingham: Cast Away Dreams

Lindsey Buckingham: Show You How

Lindsey Buckingham: Red Rover from Gift of Screws

If you've never watched the video for "Go Insane," you must! Click here to view it at Youtube. My favorite part is the nested boxes, each one with a Lindsey in it, looking over his shoulder at himself.

Dang, he's still just as cute as he was then.

I think I've mentioned before that I don't buy many actual CDs anymore, ever since my collection got way out of control and I finally had to admit it was getting nuts. My husband complains about them (but if you saw all the crap he collects, then you'd know he has no place to talk). Instead I download from iTunes and collect them all on my iPod.

But there are some new releases this week that I plan to buy in disc form. October 3rd seems to be a good Tuesday for music releases:

beck: cell phone's dead from the information

the dears: there goes my outfit from gang of losers
(highly recommended, especially for someone who is going to see them on Wednesday)

the decemberists: shankill butchers from the crane wife

These are definite purchases. I'd like to hear more of The Killer's Sam's Town and Lindsey Buckingham's Under the Skin. Click the album link to pre-order from Amazon.

p.s. - i hate ezarchive...follow the mp3 links to download the song...

My husband and I built an outdoor enclosure for my cats when I moved to the country with him. They can go in and out when they want through a pet door from one of our windows, which they really enjoy. The enclosure is 10 feet high and has shelves at many levels for them to climb up and down on.

Last week one of my cats was up on the highest shelf. I was going out to the grocery store, and I spoke to her as I went toward the car. She rolled over on the shelf, as a cat does when the sound of your voice is as good as a caress. I turned to go, then something made me look back again. She was now dangling 9 feet up in the air, hanging only by her front claws from the shelf! She had accidentally rolled off.

I dropped everything and ran into the cage through the people-door. She was too high for me to reach, and the only thing to stand on was one of those flimsy plastic stacking chairs. I grabbed it and got under her. By this time she had her hind legs braced against the chicken wire and was hanging onto the shelf by only one front paw, the other waving around trying to grab something. I stood on the chair and was able to get my hands on her sides.

Most cats at this point would be in such a panic that they'd either claw you to death trying to go back up, or they'd turn around and claw you to death on their way down. Not this cat. When I put my hands on her and said, "I've got you," she relaxed, sheathed all her claws, and let go. I turned her around, and she curled up against me while I petted her and reassured both of us that she was OK.

When I put her on the ground, she kind of shook herself and huffed, like "What a humiliating experience!"

Here are two songs from a new children's album called See You On the Moon, put out by Disney. I've sampled all the songs, and I can't imagine that children would be very interested in it. I think people who take a lot of downers might like it.

However, I like these two, and they happen to be cat-related or mention cats. Both Mark Kozelek and Great Lake Swimmers made my Favorites of 2005 CD with other songs.

Mark Kozelek: Leo and Luna

Great Lake Swimmers: See You On The Moon

And because I felt like adding it:
Mayonnaise: Falling Star from Mayonnaise (2004)

My little falling star is the one on the left in the picture.

Click the album links above to get more info or purchase them on Amazon.