speed of dark

Remember, today is the last day to enter our Drones giveaway!

Aquarium Drunkard features great music this week, as usual, including The Beach Boys, The Shaky Hands, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and Frankel.

B(oot)log has some live Apostle of Hustle from August.

Berkeley Place is giving away free (legal) copies of The Killers' latest release of B-sides, Sawdust and some Eels covers and rarities, not to mention his Top 20 covers of this century.

Can You See the Sunset spotlights Phoenix band Dust Jacket and put together a Black Friday mix.

Cerulean gives you the heads up on songs that might otherwise pass you by, including those by Rogue Wave and Fleet Foxes.

Concrete Circles starts this year's round of Best Albums of 2007 plus an interview with Cracker's David Lowery.

Just Gimme Indie Rock lists the Top 200 Songs of 2007 plus videos from The Wedding Present.

Local Vertical posts a stunning picture of the planet Mars with a nice mix and highlights The Child Ballads, who feature the former singer from Jonathan Fire*Eater.

Music for Kids takes a walk down memory lane with his Top 25 of 2005 and a review of a Mountain Goats show.

Muzzle of Bees remembers past albums by Uncle Tupelo and R.E.M., plus the Best 25 Concerts of 2007.

neil young: cinnamon girl [live 2007] [buy]
radiohead: the bends [live 2006] [buy]
we are scientists: hoppipolla [sigur ros cover] [buy]
colin meloy: shiny [live 2005] [decemberists]

I didn't think it possible, but I did it: my 20GB iPod is totally and completely full. It now holds over 4,000 songs, and I imagine that there are several hundred that I've never even listened to all the way through. There are also several versions of some songs, including various live and cover tracks (five versions of The Decemberists' "We Both Go Down Together", for example). It's absolutely overwhelming. I guess it's time for a cleaning, or maybe to buy another mp3 player. Any suggestions?

These bands could not be more different, so it's not surprising that each describes their perspective of the capital of Japan in their own unique way. Athlete just released their third album Beyond the Neighbourhood in September (which just may be their best so far), personifies Tokyo, speaking through their song in the first person. The Books, however, provides a lovely little instrumental that was clearly influenced by the sounds of Tokyo, and features recordings heard in the airport. Finally, Headlights, a band I've just discovered through the wonders of my inbox, remarks upon the fast pace of the city and the touring life.

athlete: tokyo from beyond the neighbourhood (2007)
the books: tokyo from the lemon of pink (2003)
headlights: tokyo from friends and loves EP (2007)

athlete: official website | myspace | buy albums
the books: official website | buy albums
headlights: official website | myspace | buy albums

As usual, Christmas songs hit the sound systems of retail establishments before Thanksgiving. If you're like me you've been sick and tired of the same old carols for years. I'm always looking for new gems and different twists on the old standards.

The good news is that there is a whole album's worth of goodies available this season, and the proceeds contribute to an excellent cause. Caleb at Hard To Find a Friend blog conceived the truly brilliant idea of asking indie artists to contribute an original, never-released track for a Christmas compilation album to benefit Toys For Tots.

Have a look at the resulting tracklist below. It contains some names very familiar to indie music lovers and others not so familiar. After you listen, you'll want to look up the ones you don't know. This could be a bunch of throwaway tunes, but they are NOT. There could be stinkers, but there AREN'T. Trust your Gramma: everything on this compilation is good quality.

1. Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers - Shepherd's Song
2. Quiet Company - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
3. Great Lake Swimmers - Gonna Make it Through This Year
4. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin / Sweetwater Abilene - The Wheels Are Off
5. Chris Walla - Coventry Carol
6. David Karsten Daniels - In The Bleak Midwinter
7. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
8. The Winston Jazz Routine - Through the Snow
9. Via Audio - My Boo
10. The Long Winters - Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)
11. TW Walsh - Drop the Bomb
12. Ohtis - American Christians
13. Aaron Robinson - End of the Year
14. The Cotton Jones Basket Ride (Michael Nau of Page France) - White Christmas
15. American Music Club - Please Please
16. Johnny Bertram - Merry Christmas (You Won't Get What You Want)
17. Rosie Thomas - Christmas Time is Here
18. Sleeptalker - This is Christmas

The bands' styles aren't exactly the same, but they are analogous, and the differences serve to add to the interest, not subtract from it. The covers blend well with the original songs. There is a nice ebb and flow to the order. This an album you'll play from beginning to end, not pick out one or two favorites.

Quiet Company, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, and The Cotton Jones Basket Ride make their hoary old numbers feel fresh, while the new compositions by The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers, Great Lake Swimmers, and Johnny Bertram feel like new favorites. Quiet Company have done an especially good job of stripping the sappy sentimentality that usually leaves me trembling with loathing from "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." I especially like the treatment of "White Christmas" with its gentle guitar, soft brush on the cymbals, and snaredrum snap. "Merry Christmas (You Won't Get What You Want)" is an unexpected new beauty, and "Gonna Make It Through the Year" is as good as anything Great Lake Swimmers have ever done.

Via Audio's "My Boo" is perfect for winter lovebirds. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin add a little humor to the mix without becoming stupid. "Coventry Carol" is probably my very favorite of the traditional carols, and while I've heard more beautiful versions, Chris Walla's is very interesting and perhaps closest to the original. The final track, "This Is Christmas" by Sleeptalker begs to become a new classic. I can't imagine anyone of any age not being charmed by it.

Here's another track from Sleeptalker to prove my point:
Sleeptalker: South For the Winter from simplifysimplify (2007)

And you can have all this goodness for only $7. Seven bucks! Think what great Christmas gifts this would be for your indie-loving friends. I bought five of them myself, and if that isn't a recommendation for you, I don't know what is.

Since we're providing only one promo track from this charity benefit CD, I have added links above to each band's MySpace page so you can sample their sound. Don't be afraid--check them out. See? I told you this music is good! Kudos to Caleb for the concept and realization of an excellent holiday collection.

Buy EXCLUSIVELY at Hard To Find a Friend blog

Since Indie Mom and I have a date this Friday with Aimee Mann (2nd Annual Christmas show at the El Rey Theater), I'm reminded of Til Tuesday, the band with which she gained her first foothold in popular music due in large part to a popular MTV video in which the singer finally and literally stands up for herself in an abusive relationship. Interestingly, "Voices Carry" was not the band's first choice to be the single from their 1984 debut album of the same name, but it was the only Til Tuesday song to ever break the top ten.



I was surprised to see "Voices Carry" repeatedly described as a one-hit wonder because I never felt that way about the two CDs I have. In my opinion the lack of chart stature for Til Tuesday's other songs is more due to the public's short attention span than to any lack of quality in Mann's singing, her songwriting, or band members' musical abilities.

Til Tuesday's second album, Welcome Home (1986), contains equally engaging tracks, especially the glowing "Coming Up Close." "No One Is Watching You Now" takes full advantage of Mann's incredible vocal range. However, Mike Thorne, producer of Voices Carry felt that poor sound quality and lack of interest by the record company were more to blame for poor sales (read here).

At any rate, after a bumpy start, Mann has had a very successful solo career in the twenty or so years since Til Tuesday broke up; and I'm looking forward to seeing her sing in person after all this time.

From Voices Carry (1984):
Love In a Vacuum
Looking Over My Shoulder

From Welcome Home (1985):
Coming Up Close
Lover's Day
No One Is Watching You Now

Other group members: Michael Hausman (drums), Robert Holmes (guitar), Joey Pasce (keys) who was later replaced by Michael Montes.

Til Tuesday Fansite | Photo Gallery
Aimee Mann's MySpace | Website | Label: Superego Records
Buy at Amazon, iTunes

Most compilation albums I have purchased turn out to be a hodge-podge of discordant styles attempting to please all tastes and pleasing no one in the process. In contrast, the creators of The Cake Sale had the vision and confidence in their music to produce an album remarkable for its compatibility in tone while still allowing the individual contributors to shine.

Recorded in Dublin in 2006, the bones of The Cake Sale's tracks were laid down by Bell X1 duo Brian Crosby and Paul Noonan along with Crowded House bassist Nick Seymour and drummer Graham Hopkins. All songs were previously unreleased and recorded specifically for the Cake Sale project with all publishing royalties being donated by their writers.

Vocals were provided by Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol), Glen Hansard (The Frames/The Swell Season), Nina Persson (The Cardigans), Lisa Hannigan (former Damien Rice collaborator), and token Yank Josh Ritter among others. The song "All The Way Down" written by Glen Hansard and subsequently appearing on the soundtrack of indie movie hit ONCE , here features vocals by Gemma Hayes.

The funds raised from The Cake Sale have been distributed equally between Oxfam Ireland's Make Trade Fair campaign and its overseas development work. The Make Trade Fair campaign is about working with the public and other organizations to demand trade justice so that trade can be part of the solution to world poverty, not part of the problem. The Cake Sale project has also been supporting Oxfam's livelihood projects in places like Malawi, and its emergency work in conflict countries such as Darfur as well as work with HIV & AIDS.

Although the album is available for download whole and by individual song, do yourself the favor of ordering the physical CD, a lovely package with additional photos and a booklet of info about the project, the artists, and the album. And if you are Christmas shopping for someone who appreciates beautiful contemporary music, especially anyone who is already a fan of any one of these artists, this is a wonderful gift that will be remembered all year while honoring the Christmas spirit by helping others less fortunate. You will see this album again among my Best of 2007.

Nina Persson: Black-Winged Bird
Gary Lightbody and Lisa Hannigan: Some Surprise

MySpace | Official Website
Buy at Yep Roc Records, iTunes, eMusic, and Amazon.com

Take You Away, the second album by Megan Palmer, an Ohio singer/songwriter who plays violin, piano, and guitar, is a sweet, sad, sassy, and beautiful collection of songs. Not quite country and not quite folky, most of it was recorded in a 2-day session in Joshua Tree, CA, near where I lived for over 20 years. Palmer's style is bound to please fans of Victoria Williams, who assisted on the album, and Emmylou Harris, whose voice Palmer's resembles at times.

Most arrangements are simple, showcasing Palmer's talents, as in "Hair of the Dog," an ode to a love affair with repeated endings. There is some banjo on "Matador" and lovely, lonesome slide on both that and on the title song, where it enhances her sweet fiddle. Palmer's piano on "Don't You Worry" makes that track one of my favorites on the CD. "Loss For Words," is rich and orchestral with the dramatic rumble of a kettle drum underlining the violin line.

Other standouts are the two cover songs: "Richland Woman," written by Mississippi John Hurt and famously covered by Maria Muldaur (this is one of my husband's favorite songs ever), and "For No One" from the Beatles' Revolver. The latter has been covered by Emmylou Harris and by Rickie Lee Jones, and Palmer's rendition compares well against these two grande dames of music.

Palmer's voice is not perfect. She occasionally doesn't hit notes square on. In a few places she runs out of breath and her voice quivers to hold a note as long as it requires. I personally find flaws like this forgiveable and even endearing.

Take You Away is well worth checking out, in fact, I could imagine that for some people this could be one of their favorite albums of the year. My husband also gives it a thumbs-up. Only 500 copies of the first edition have been made, and the first 200 sold receive a bonus CD of seven songs, so go directly to Palmer's website to order one of these. If you are not a collector, the songs are available for download as well.

From Take You Away (2007):
Megan Palmer: Deadman
Megan Palmer: Take You Away

MySpace | Website | Label: Sunken Treasure Records
Buy at Megan Palmer's Website |
Download from eMusic and iTunes: Take You Away and Take Away II (bonus CD)
Shows:
Megan Palmer is currently playing shows in Ohio, Kentucky, and New York City through December. Check her MySpace page for dates and venues.

Due to the holidays, alt-gramma and I won't be able to see the Band of Horses and The Drones at the Avalon on Saturday. I had hoped to be able to give away two tickets for the show, but instead I've got something that can be enjoyed by anyone, not just the denizens of the L.A. area.

The Drones' label, ATP Recordings, have put together the first of a series of limited edition double 7" vinyl albums called Custom Made. Fans of The Drones were invited to nominate the songs on this edition based on the old rhyming tradition of a bride, and the following is the tracklisting:

Something old - Cockeyed Lowlife of the Highlands (new recording)
Something new - I Don't Ever Want to Change (from Gala Mill)
Something borrowed - I Drink (originally by Charles Aznavour)
Something blue - Shark Fin Blues (from Wait Long by the River...)

Check out the beautiful artwork on this vinyl by Michael Motorcycle, who has produced posters for bands such as Blonde Redhead and Nick Cave, among others.

Giveaway!
We're giving away one of these limited edition vinyls to one lucky reader of Speed of Dark: all you have to do is leave a comment to this post with your email address and your favorite Band of Horses or Drones song by midnight on Friday, November 30, 2007. I'll select the winner at random and send an email to the lucky commenter by Sunday, December 2, and we'll send out the prize right away!

the drones: this time [live @ Spaceland] [buy]
band of horses: weed party [buy]

Click here to buy tickets for the Avalon show

the drones: official website | myspace
band of horses: official website | myspace

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I'll be gone for the rest of the week.

Tristeza: Stumble_On_Air
Tristeza: Wearing The Blues both from En Nuestro Desafio (2006)
MySpace | Label: Better Looking Records

Sleeping States: Rivers from The London Fields Single (2007)
MySpace

Let's Go Sailing: Come Home Safely from The Chaos in Order (2007)
MySpace

Boy In Static: Bellyful
from Helping Bands: Gute Musik für einen guten Zweck (2005)
MySpace

Voice of the Seven Woods: Silver Morning Branches from Voice of the Seven Woods (2007)
MySpace

The Informati: Rex Tremendae from Requiem to be released in 2008
MySpace

I get lots and lots of mail from band promoters and from bands themselves. It's really great to hear that someone has read our blog and wants to turn us on to their music. I don't like everything, or sometimes it just doesn't fit our format, but there is a lot of good stuff too. Today I'll make a feeble attempt to catch up with some of it, international-style.

House of Brothers

House of Brothers from Nottingham, U.K.,is the solo project of Andrew Jackson. The songs are loaded with beautiful strings, clever guitar lines, and gentle vocals in the vein of Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, Mark Gardner, and Mark Kozelek.

The debut EP, Deadman, is set for release on 26th November. This is definitely worthy of attention. I liked "Deadman" so much I included it in a mix for a friend along with Ferraby Lionheart and Iron and Wine. It fit right in.
Band of Brothers: Deadman

MySpace | Label: Big Scary Monsters Recording Company | Buy


Destroy Cowboy



Destroy Cowboy are a band from Birmingham, U.K., who have supported acts such as Tapes n Tapes, Cold War Kids, The Stills, 1990s and Tokyo Police Club all in the past few months. At the top of their long list of influences is The Notwist, which makes me like them right away, and you can certainly hear that influence on "Needles of the Revolution." Listen to that on their MySpace page, but here's one right here to get you started.

Thank you, Steve State, who provides keys, vocals, and effects for Destroy Cowboy, for writing.
Destroy Cowboy: 1000 Candles

MySpace | Website | Label: Independent


EPO-555



Danish shoegazers epo-555 exhibit gorgeous western-American style guitar and rhythms on "Centipede" before dipping into a gameboy doodle at the end just for fun. Listen to lots more on MySpace, where you can also purchase the tracks directly from the band.
epo-555: Centipede from Mafia (2007)

MySpace | Website | Label: Crunchy Frog/Ryko Distribution
Buy at iTunes


Pet Politics



Magnus Larssen from Gothenburg, Sweden, has a new 7" EP called The Spring under the name of Pet Politics. The title song has a charming Kinks-like feel, and other tracks are good too. I'm especially fond of "Taken Away By Aliens."

Thanks, Magnus, for your e-mail and for these songs.
Pet Politics: The Spring

MySpace | Website | Label: Independent
Buy at The Great Pop Supplement


Think Quick



Back in the U.S.: Izzy Mozero is a DIY kinda guy from Monroe, CT, USA, who records songs under the name of Think Quick. He may prop his microphone up on a box of Ritz crackers (check his MySpace to see how I know that) and record directly into his computer, and certain parts of his songs owe a lot of influence to his friend Mario (in the photo), but he's pretty good with the tools he has. Check out his covers of "Such Great Heights" (Postal Service) and "Just Like Heaven" (the Cure).

Good luck to you, Izzy, and thanks for writing. Every journey has a first step.
Think Quick: The Only Prescription

MySpace

I didn't write a Finally Friday this week, because Thursday night we were out late at a show and I was a mess the next day on three and a half hours of sleep. So instead, enjoy these Sunday morning tidbits.

The Dears are currently working on their follow-up to 2006's Gang of Losers, which was featured on my best of list. In the words of Natalia Yanchak, keyboardist and wife of lead singer Murray Lightburn, "this record has been busting out from all convention" and "it sounds great, the album is amazing, incredible, mind-blowing, whatever, but really how else could I describe something so pure and real, something with an undeniable energy, channeled from the souls of a handful of musicians and written from the heart by one anointed composer? It feels like The Dears are The Dears again." I can't wait for the album and to see the band live again.

In support of Boy With a Coin, Iron & Wine kicks off a tour on November 26 in Tucson, AZ and continues through early December all over the northwest and southwest (L.A. dates are 11/28 and 11/30) before heading to Europe. Click here for full listing.

Nada Surf will release their fifth album, Lucky, in February and have dates scheduled internationally (none in L.A. at this time, sadly). Lucky will feature several guest appearances, including Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Ed Harcourt, and John Roderick (Long Winters).

Check out the MTVU Woodie Awards Show, featuring Rilo Kiley, Tokyo Police Club, and more.

See Aquarium Drunkard's review of The Whigs' rock n roll show.

And finally, we add another blog to our blogroll, Concrete Circles, who started his blog about the same time we did, and introduced me to Coco B's, who should be featured here soon.

the dears: this is a broadcast [buy]
iron and wine: lovesong of the buzzard [buy]
girls in hawaii: blizzard of '77 [nada surf cover] [buy Nada Surf | buy Girls in Hawaii]
coco b's: i live in L.A. [buy]

Indie Mom and I went to the Echoplex for the first time Thursday, November 15, to see Division Day and Eulogies, whom we had seen only a month ago at the Echo, and Film School whom we had not seen before. Both the Plex and its much smaller sibling the Echo are a bit like secret clubhouses where you can almost imagine having to whisper a password to get in. Neither has a sign, and they lurk in dark places in (putting it kindly) a run-down area of the city. We parked next to a homeless person's campsite on the sidewalk then trucked down the street looking for the alley where the Echoplex's doorway was hidden.

The Plex, although set up more like a dance club, has a bigger stage, better sound, and better lighting than the Echo. I was more pleased with my photos this time; however, for the record, I think overdoing the red lighting sucks and makes everyone look like they were boiled. Let's have a little white light in there, OK? Green helps too.

Division Day

Division Day played basically the same set that we heard at the Echo performance, but they seemed much more relaxed, which singer/keyboardist Rohner Segnitz confirmed after the set, saying that the band had felt "under pressure" at the CD release show. Songs included a gorgeous and powerful rendition of "Colorguard" and "Malachite," a new song that will be on their next album.

I had a chance after their set to talk to drummer Kevin Lenhart about the band's methods of songwriting and the new album. He said they hope to release the album by next September, but they have a lot of work and writing to do to meet that goal. Songwriting supports Rohner Segnitz's lyrics but is approached as a team effort. One person will come up with a riff or groove, and the others add and build on it to create the song. He suggested that there may be a move toward more individual songwriting for the next CD.

I love to watch Kevin play. He makes the funniest faces, but he moves so fast he's hard to catch in a photo. I turned my flash on this time and finally captured him. I love that I caught Seb Bailey laughing too.

(Click image for full size):

Division Day: Hurricane from Beatrap Island (2007)

Division Day MySpace | Website | Label: Eenie Meenie Records
Buy at Eenie Meenie Store, Amazon, and iTunes
More about Division Day on Speed of Dark: Review of Beartrap Island


Film School



Both Indie Mom and I have liked Film School's recordings but thought that this live performance did not reproduce those as well as we would have liked. Singer Greg Bertens' vocals and Lorelei Plotczyk's harmonies could not be heard in the dense mix of reverb and distortion that is the band's trademark. The performance was definitely energetic--especially because of Bertens and hyperactive guitarist Dave Dupuis. As a personal touch, Bertens related with self-deprecating humor a story about an unfortunate crotch-related tennis accident he'd had that day. More interaction with the audience would be great.

Most songs were from this year's CD Hideout, although they also played "He's a Deep Deep Lake" and "11:11" from Film School and "Intentions" from 2001's Brilliant Career.

The audience seemed to take the band off-guard by demanding an encore. Two fans even argued about what song it should be. "On and On!" one guy kept yelling. "Florida!" responded the other. Instead they played "Dear Me" and followed that with a song I didn't recognize. Leave a comment if you can fill in that blank.

(Click image for full size):

Film School: Dear Me from Hideout (2007)

MySpace | Website | Label: Beggars Banquet | Lyrics
Buy at Beggars Group, Amazon, iTunes, and eMusic

Previous post about Film School on Speed of Dark


Eulogies

Eulogies have just returned home from touring for several weeks with Film School and Land of Talk, and singer/guitarist Peter Walker and our friend bassist Tim Hutton were recovering from some awful flu. Peter, whose wife is a doctor, had taken the traditional pharmaceutical cure. Tim's girlfriend gave him the homeopathic treatment, which he thought was taking longer to complete. Nonetheless, they seemed much more comfortable onstage than when we saw them previously, with Peter moving away from the microphone to play a fantastic jam at one point. They offered more banter with each other and the audience this time, which I hope they'll continue to develop.

Another nice touch was that Lorelei from Film School joined them to sing harmony on one song. Adding a female vocalist is a possible new direction that Eulogies might consider taking to add depth to their sound.

(Click image for full size):

Eulogies: Big Eyes from their self-titled debut CD

MySpace | Website | Label: Dangerbird Records
Buy at Dangerbird Store, iTunes, and Amazon.com

Previous post about Eulogies on Speed of Dark