speed of dark

First a couple of notes:

Contrast Podcast 78 is up with the theme of music released on 78 rpm, and a very eclectic set it is. The scary part for me was that I was really beginning to enjoy those old Hawaiian tunes that provided my own contribution, "Naughty Hula Eyes" by Andy Iona.

Check out Lost In Your Inbox for some nice older Sufjan Stevens and Art Brut, not to mention a video by They Might Be Giants about growing older. And a reminder: none of us are going the other way.

Steve Earle

Steve Earle's brand new album Washington Square Serenade is unabashed tribute to the time when Greenwich Village in New York was the fertile soil from which grew many of the branches of modern music. In defiance of the popular political view that "immigrant" is a dirty word, Earle refers to himself as one, transplanted from Tennessee, and reminds us that in the U.S., there is a great tradition of immigration.

Says Earle: “I’ve been pretty heartbroken about the way things have gone politically in this country the last few years, and I seriously considered moving someplace else,” he concludes. “Then I figured out that I didn’t have to leave the country. All I had to do was come to New York."

Earle and his wife are living near Bob Dylan's old stomping grounds, and Earle recorded this music in the studio that Jimi Hendrix built in the 1960's, Electric Lady. In line with the music of those times, the album is also a rallying cry for "what America should be about." With an election year coming up, the topic is timely, but don't let that make you think he slacked on the music while focused on the message. If this track, the fourth on the album, is any indication, the music carries as much weight as the words.

Steve Earl: City of Immigrants from Washington Square Serenade (2007)
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MySpace | Website | Label: New West Records
Buy at Steve Earle Store, iTunes, Amazon.com (MP3 album download now available)



Oakley Hall



Founded by former Oneida member Pat Sullivan, Brooklyn's Oakley Hall packs a lot of the best things about both country and rock into their songs. The best results occur when Rachel Cox, who shares songwriting credits with Sullivan, winds her powerful vocals around his, and Claudia Mogel adds her fiddle. The vocal blend is similar to John Doe and Exene Cervenka in X.

I'll Follow You, released September 11, is Oakley Hall's third full-length CD in two years, and they just seem to get the sound down tighter with each one.

Oakley Hall: No Dreams from I'll Follow You (2007)
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Oakley Hall: Eyes, Lock, and Steel from Second Guessing (2006)
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MySpace | Website | Label: Merge Records
Buy at Merge Store, Amazon.com (available for MP3 download), and eMusic

Show Schedule:
Sep 25 2007 - Crocodile Café, Seattle, WA
Sep 28 2007 - 7th St. Entry, Minneapolis, MN
Sep 29 2007 - Waiting Room, Omaha, NB
Sep 30 2007 - Jackpot Saloon, Lawrence, KS
Oct 2 2007 - Schuba's, Chicago, IL
Oct 3 2007 - The Union, Athens, OH
Oct 4 2007 - Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY
Oct 5 2007 - Horseshoe Tavern w/ Black Mountain, Toronto, Ont
Oct 6 2007 - Theatre National POP Montreal Festival w/ Black Mountain. Montreal, Quebec
Oct 7 2007 - Bennington College, Bennington, VT
Oct 8 2007 - SPACE Gallery, Portland, ME
Oct 9 2007 - TT the Bears, Boston, MA
Oct 13 2007 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY



Tim Gilbertson



Tim Gilbertson is the tall, lanky fellow in the photo above. Although only 20 years old, this Edmonton native comes from a musical family and has already been playing for a dozen years. He and his cohorts Drew, Graeme, and Cam have just released their debut album, and Gilbertson says he has already written more than half of the next one.

The songs consist of gentle rockers with soft vocals--no screamo here--sort of like America without the skin-crawling cuteness. Very pleasant listening, and a nice first effort. This one is my favorite of the bunch.

Tim Gilbertson: Palm Trees and Postcards from Tim Gilbertson (2007)
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MySpace | Band Blog | Label: POP ECHO Records
Buy at Pop Echo Store, iTunes, and eMusic

Show Schedule:
Oct 12 2007 - Broken City, Calgary, Alberta
Oct 17 2007 - The Apollo, Thunder Bay, Ont
Oct 19 2007 - The Arc, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont
Oct 22 2007 - Ottawa, Ontario
Oct 23 2007 - The Albion Hotel, Guelph
Oct 25 2007 - The Coach and Horses, Windsor, Ont
Oct 27 2007 - The Spill, Peterborough, Ont
Oct 28 2007 - The Boat, Toronto
Nov 2 2007 - Last Drop, London
Nov 11 2007 - Edmonton, Alberta