speed of dark

This sculpture employed basket-weaving on a giant scale
--small pods around the base provided pockets of shade

We did not attempt to take notes or write down the setlist for DeVotchKa. It was mid-afternoon, there was no breeze, and it was very hot. The crowd was packed in front of the Outdoor Stage, so it was difficult to do anything but enjoy the music and take lots of photos over the heads of the tall young men who always seem to be in front of me.

I guess DeVotchka did not see my post about not wearing black at the Coachella. Both lead singer Nick Urata and violinist/accordionist/keyboardist Tom Hagerman were wearing buttoned-up black suits over dress shirts. Jeanie Schroder, who plays tuba and standup bass, was wearing a lovely long-sleeved black dress with red accents on the sleeves. This is all good for the nightclub but bad in plus-100 degrees. Jeanie was standing in full sun with those two heavy instruments. Near the end of the performance, the poor girl must have gotten sick from the heat. I didn't see it, but suddenly she was down, and stage people were running over to assist her. I hope she recovered and was able to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

The two acrobatic Slavic Sisters appeared in the second half of the show, climbing up to the rigging on long scarves. Those gals were dressed properly for the weather! Was I dressed like that? Uh...no.


DeVotchKa, with disco ball hanging overhead, at the Outdoor Stage


Nick Urata croons


Tom Hagerman provided additional gypsy ambiance.


Nick on the theramin, with Jeanie Schroder on tuba.


The Slavic Sisters performed incredible acrobatics!





DeVotchKa: Basso Profundo from A Mad and Faithful Telling (2008)

More songs by DeVotchKa, and look for more of our posts on Coachella 2008

MySpace | Website | Label: Anti Records
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Show Schedule:
DeVotchKa are touring constantly during May 2008, starting in the northwest U.S. and continuing through the Midwest and many east coast cities before returning home to Colorado at the end of the month. Check out their schedule on MySpace.

Indie Mom and I had a great Saturday at the Coachella. We managed to stay fairly comfortable and see a total of seven bands, which I consider quite successful. Furthermore, although the temptation is to run around seeing parts of as many shows as possible, we mostly saw entire acts. We did not attempt to take a lot of notes or write down set lists. We just enjoyed the shows and took pictures. We'll be showing off our gobs of photos in the next couple of weeks.

Our first stop was The Bird and the Bee at the Mojave Tent. The Los Angeles duo of Inara George (daughter of the late Lowell George, founding member of Little Feat) and Greg Kurstin (producer of Lily Allen and Beck and half of Geggy Tah) were backed by their full band.


The Bird and the Bee with full band


The Bird (Inara George) and the Bee (Greg Kurstin, at right)


Inara George


With backup singers Willow Geer and Megan Geer-Alsop


The ladies refreshed the audience with welcome blasts from water guns.




They also had a bubble machine.

During the show, a blissful breath of air suddenly blew over the hot crowd. I happened to turn around to see that a small whirlwind had lifted flimsy cardboard waste receptacles, papers, and plastic bags, and these were spiraling around in the air behind us outside the tent. The band also saw this, although most of the crowd was looking the opposite way at the stage. Inara commented on it and took credit for The Bird and the Bee creating a small hurricane.

Their set included "Birthday" and "F-cking Boyfriend" as well as "Man," which Inara said they were playing for the band, Man Man, also playing the same day.

The Bird and the Bee: Man from Please Clap Your Hands EP (2007)
More songs by The Bird and the Bee on Speed of Dark

MySpace | Website | Label: Blue Note Records
Buy at Amazon, iTunes

Look for more of our posts about Coachella 2008 soon, but tonight we have yet another show: Colin Meloy's solo acoustic show at the Henry Fonda Theater.

We almost got tickets for Sunday, since there are so many bands that we wanted to see. But since this blog is ad-free and we don't make a cent from it, we decided not to stay for the last day of the festival. Listed below are some of the bands I would have liked to catch on the last day of Coachella 2008:

My Morning Jacket is a big draw for me. Although Pink Floyd was a big part of my early life, I could easily bypass Roger Waters. I haven't seen MMJ live, but I have a ton of live tracks, including their amazing covers. If you are going on Sunday, do not miss MMJ!

my morning jacket: tyrone [erykah badu cover] [buy]
my morning jacket: pictures of you [live 2000] [buy]

This year, we fell in love with Sons and Daughters based on their new album, The Gift. I have to admit, I've got their song "Darling" on constant repeat on the ole iPod. Watch the video here:


Do you need more reasons? Try Gogol Bordello, Metric, Stars, Annuals, Modeselektor, Manchester Orchestra, and The Shout Out Louds, for starters.

manchester orchestra: brother [annuals cover] [buy]
metric: poster of a girl [buy]

Find more from these artists and others on Hype Machine.

Indie Mom is right--it's going to be hot this weekend at the Coachella, although hopefully not quite as hot as it was when we were there four years ago. Here's a tip: don't wear black. Dark colors are hotter.

If you will be in Indio this weekend or any other time, and you're not into Mexican food, here are some other restaurants that may be more to your taste.

Italian
Ciro's , (81963 Hwy 111, Indio) near the corner of Monroe and the Coachella Valley's main drag, Highway 111, is one of the oldest of Indio's restaurants and features a familiar Italian menu of lasagna, spaghetti, and other pastas. It also has very good pizza, and you can watch the pizza chef throw the dough up in the air. If Ciro's is too crowded, walk about a half-block west to Mario's Italian Restaurant, which is also pretty good. Anyway, it's hard to mess up basic Italian food.

Seafood
Frankie's Fresh Fish (81944 Hwy 111, Indio), tucked into a strip mall between Hollywood Video and the Pak Inn (decent Chinese), puts the emphasis on the food, not decoration. There is always a crowd for lunch, which can make service slow.
Fisherman's Market and Grill (78575 Hwy 111, La Quinta, best approached from south of 111 on Washington) is a bit more expensive but the ambiance is more pleasant than Frankie's. Menu items are hit and miss--remember, the desert is a long way from the ocean. Spinach-stuffed salmon was very good when we had it.

Burgers
Burgers and Beer (82530 Hwy 111, Indio) looks like a castle made of concrete block. I am told that the hamburgers here are very good, they have a large selection of beers, and they also have good salads and a breakfast menu.

Health Food
You'll have to go to (78370 Hwy 111, Suite 110) La Quinta for TLC Mind and Body, but it isn't terribly far. You'd never find this place without help: it's on the north corner of the intersection of Washington and Hwy 111, in the strip mall behind Del Taco (on Washington) and a gas station (on 111). TLC is a small health-food market that also features specialty teas, ready-made salads, and really good deli sandwiches made with organic breads. Stop in early--they sell out. Opens 9:00 AM M-F, 9:30 AM Sat, Closed Sunday.
Also in this area: Bad Ass Coffee. I've never tried it, but the name makes it sound fun.

Thai
I haven't tried Thai Smile (78-902 Highway 111, La Quinta) myself, but it's worth mentioning because it has a stellar reputation. When it opened, there were long lines. I don't have any reservation about recommending it.

Bands on my list to see this Saturday:

From Montreal, Islands, who just released the single "The Arm" from their second album, due for release on May 20.
The Arm from Arm's Way (2008)
MySpace | Website | Buy




Philadelphia's Man Man who have a brand-new album called Rabbit Habits on Anti Records.
Top Drawer from Rabbit Habits (2008)
MySpace | Buy






Norwegian electro-rockers 120 Days
Sedated Times from 120 Days (2006)
MySpace | Website |Buy


Unfortunately Man Man and 120 Days conflict with each other, so I'll have to make a decision. That's the bad part about festivals.

if you see these, you're almost there (photo)
Saturday is the biggest day of the Coachella Festival, and will probably attract the greatest number of people. Alt-gramma and I are filling up our respective Coachooser lists, and will have to coordinate or split up depending on what we want to see. The good news? The set times are finally up at the official site. The bad news? Rumor has it that it's going to be around 100 degrees on Saturday. Bring sunblock, a hat, and stay hydrated if you're coming! Here are three bands that I'm looking forward to seeing most, in no particular order:

L.A. band The Bird and the Bee released their EP of dreamy retro love songs, One Too Many Hearts on Valentine's Day. Say it with me, now...awwwwwww how cute.

the bird and the bee: birthday [buy]
the bird and the bee: how deep is your love [bee gees] [buy]

Minus the Bear is a band that I keep trying to get into but something's missing. I like this song from 2007's Planet of Ice, but so far I haven't been inspired to seek out more. Maybe I just need to see them live, and I'll get an opportunity on Saturday.

minus the bear: knights [buy]


We saw MGMT open for Of Montreal in November, but I'm excited to see them again. I think this band is going to be swamped with new fans, however, and I'm sure they'll be as impressed as I was by them.

MGMT: pieces of what [buy]

Find more from these artists and others on Hype Machine.

In four days, thousands of people will descend on the little desert town of Indio, California, for the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. Indie Mom and I will be there on Saturday.

The usual fast-food joints are easy to locate, and most of our food consumption will be on the polo grounds anyway. But for anyone with some extra time and the desire to try some of the local restaurants, I'm posting a couple of short guides based on my years of living in the area. Today the focus is on Mexican cuisine, of which Coachella Valley has some of the best examples of southern Mexican and Mexican seafood available.

Heading east from the Los Angeles area on Interstate 10, the Jefferson exit to Indio becomes Indio Boulevard, which runs just south of the train tracks and is the location of several good Mexican restaurants. None I have listed here are fancy or expensive, but I can attest to the quality of the food. All of these are also chile verde-approved by my husband Mr. Folkie, who always orders that dish.

Macario's
The grand dame of Indio's Mexican restaurants is less than a mile from the exit and has one thing most Indio eateries lack: ambiance. Booths made of lovely, carved wooden pews create a feeling of intimacy and privacy in the main room, and the female staff wear traditional flouncy white blouses with colorful embroidery.
What to order: All the seafood dishes are very good. Vuelve a la vida is a marvelous, cold seafood cocktail that contains a variety of shellfish and could possibly return you to life, as the name suggests. Two people can split a large one. The weather is probably too hot for soup, but they have some really good ones; my favorite is caldo xuchil (a chicken soup with a dollop of chili arbole paste in the middle). Order a small, large is enough for two. Evelina's Chicken Salad is good too. Open at 11 AM. (80793 Indio Blvd)

Mexico Tipico
This tiny place is my personal favorite, plain but homey, like sitting in your mom's kitchen if you had a Mexican mom. It's very popular with local folks and fills up fast at meal times, so try mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
What to order: All the dishes I have had there are good. I especially like chicken enchiladas with green sauce and the chili relleno. But they have one dish that the other restaurants don't: pollo en mole (chicken in a rich, dark sauce that includes unsweetened chocolate and ground peanuts). I recommend this highly. They also serve breakfast. (82485 Indio Blvd)

Taco Jalisco
Feeling adventurous? This is the real thing--the polar opposite of Taco Bell. From Indio Boulevard, turn on Fargo St. into the old downtown area to find Taco Jalisco about a block south on the right (45333 Fargo St.). You might be the only gringo in the place, and you may have to use your high school Spanish to order. Don't be disturbed by menu items such as the famous Mexican hangover cure menudo (tripe soup), bírria (goat), lengua (tongue), and cesos (I'd rather not say).
What to order: Both Taco Jalisco and its bigger sister, Jalisco Restaurant in Coachella, serve the best tortas anywhere. A torta is a sandwich made on a special bun, slathered with crema (like sour cream only not sour) and filled with your choice of meat filling. Get carne asada (chewy chunks of grilled beef) with avocado and jalapeños. Small appetites can share one. Yummy--and fiery!

Teresa's Cafe
This mainstay of long-time Indio natives is also very good for the usual traditional dishes like tacos and enchiladas. (45682 Towne St.) Across the street is La Casita; which is also OK, as is El Rincon Norteño on Indio Blvd. at Fargo near the Jackson St. overpass. El Campanario just off Indio Blvd near the Monroe overpass is also pretty good. It has a larger dining room than most of the other places, a more upscale menu that includes quail and lamb, and a bit higher prices.

If you are staying in the cove in La Quinta, El Ranchito in the old downtown area (78039 Calle Estado) makes the best-ever chili relleno (large, mild green chili stuffed with cheese, battered and deep-fried).

These bands will be performing at the Coachella:
Friday, April 25
Cut Copy: Hearts On Fire

Saturday, April 26
Café Tacvba: Y Es Que

Sunday, April 27
Love and Rockets: So Alive

Next I'll write about some of the other types of restaurants in the area. Questions? Ask away, and I'll do my best to answer.

The three-day Coachella festival kicks off on Friday, April 25. Although we won't be in attendance that day, over 60,000 people are expected to make it to at least one day of the festival. If you're going, put these bands on your Coachooser schedule - these are the bands I would see if I was going to be there on Friday.

Rogue Wave will spend most of the summer on tour with Friday headliner Jack Johnson and Saturday headliner Death Cab for Cutie. The band recently performed live on NPR and discussed their past year of terrible personal hardships and setbacks. Check out this track from 2007's Asleep at Heaven's Gate, which was featured on my Favorites of 2007 list.

rogue wave: christians in black [buy]

Vampire Weekend are sure to be a major attraction on Friday, so make sure to arrive to their location early to stake out a place close to the stage. I haven't seen them live myself, but I hear they out on a hellova show. Check out this track from 2008's self-titled debut album. (photo by phototypical)

vampire weekend: the kids don't stand a chance [buy]

Another band on my favorites of 2007 is The National, and another band that should be a major attraction. Check out this live track which was my favorite from 2007's Boxer.


the national: mistaken for strangers [live] [buy]

And finally, The Verve reunited?!? This band alone on Friday's lineup almost pushed me over the edge to buy tickets. I'm truly sorry that I will miss them, since it's unlikely that I'll ever get the chance again. If you're going, check them out and report back to me pls!! I'm sure they won't play *this* song...which I'm reposting by popular demand.

the verve: brush your bittersweet shoulders off [mashup w/ Jay Z]

I usually leave our Friday posts to Indie Mom, but sometimes she gets too busy to write, and then I'm busy too. So today I'm going to throw out some goodies from my bulging mailbox. These bands really deserve more time and thought than I'm giving them here, but I hope you listen to them and let them speak for themselves.

Lemuria

Lemuria is really nice girl-rock, kind of like Superchunk with a female vocalist. Guitarist/vocalist Sheena Ozzella, bassist Jason Draper, and drummer/vocalist Alex Kerns make up the band.

From Get Better:
Get Some Sleep
Pants

MySpace | Website | Label: Asian Man



Lo Fine


Lo Fine, fronted by Kevin O'Rourke, is such a treat to listen to, especially if you, like me, are into such singer-guitarists as Jackson Browne and Matthew Sweet. This album will put you right into those easy grooves. Very, very nice.

From Not For Us Two
Remotely Together
#37

MySpace | Website | Label: Pigeon



The Priddle Concern


Last but not least, The Priddle Concern from Ontario, Canada, who sound a little bit like They Might Be Giants might sound if they decided not to be so silly. Above, Bill Priddle.

Back Around

MySpace | Label: Sparks Music

I've been looking over the "Coachooser," the personal scheduler for the Coachella to decide who I want to see. Someone new I am now looking forward to is Yoav.

This solo artist was born to Romanian parents in Israel but grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, and is now based in London. As a child he was exposed to classical music and opera, which he hated. He had to sneak pop records into the house as a teenager and teach himself guitar in secret. He performs solo onstage with acoustic guitar and the help of a pile of electronic equipment to fill out the sound and incorporate African rhythms. The results are simply beautiful and haunting.

Do yourself a favor and listen to Yoav's KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic performance on Feb. 20, 2008. His vocal range is just incredible. He'll be performing on Saturday, April 26, at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival.

From Charmed and Strange (2008) [Buy]
Yoav: Adore Adore
Yoav: Beautiful Lie

MySpace | Website | Label: Verve Forecast | Lyrics
Buy at Yoav's website, Amazon, iTunes


Speaking of KCRW, our pals Division Day are on Morning Becomes Eclectic TODAY.

Rock festivals often provide an opportunity for older bands that haven't performed in years to reunite, and the Coachella Music and Arts Festival is no exception. An example at this year's Coachella lineup is Redd Kross.

Formed by brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald (in the center, above) in Hawthorne, a city in the L.A. megalopolis, Redd Kross are masters of frenzied power pop whose members have been closely associated with L.A. punk and hard rock bands like the Circle Jerks and Black Flag. The band Shonen Knife named themselves for a song on Redd Kross's third full-length album, 1990's Third Eye. Shonen Knife acknowledged the debt with a song called "Redd Kross" on their 1991 EP 712.

They released their first self-titled EP in 1980 under the name Red Cross, in reference to the masturbation scene in The Exorcist, but were forced to change the spelling to Redd Kross after being threatened with a lawsuit by the International Red Cross. True sons of Tinsel Town, many early songs reference television and movie personalities and Saturday morning cartoon shows and the breakfast cereals that supported them. The McDonald brothers have even acted in films and TV shows from time to time.

Apart from the McDonald brothers, over the years there have been many changes to the band's lineup, which now includes Roy McDonald, who is also a member of the Muffs and apparently no relation to Jeff and Steve, on drums.
The band took a hiatus after their 1997 release Show World. While they have no plans for extensive touring, since 2006 the McDonald brothers have been playing select shows with Roy McDonald (above left), drums, and Robert Hecker (above right) on lead guitar. Last September they began working in the studio on a new album.

I had forgotten how much I liked Redd Kross, especially Show World, until I tried to pick the songs for this post. The "Lady In the Front Row" could be me! Listen to other songs from the early albums on their MySpace page.

St. Lita Ford Blues from Born Innocent (1982)
Frosted Flake from Neurotica (1987)
Lady In the Front Row from Phaseshifter (1993)
From Show World (1997):
Mess Around
Girl God

MySpace | Website | Label: Five Foot Two Records
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic
Full biography of the band at Wikipedia

Show Schedule:
Redd Kross will perform on Friday, April 25, at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CA. Click here to create your personal schedule.

I had been thinking of waiting to get the French Kicks' new album Swimming until it came out on CD May 1, but I changed my mind and bought the download from iTunes, and I'm glad I did. Their 2006 CD Two Thousand is a hard album to top, but the Kicks may have managed to do it. Swimming is filled with stunners that present more blended harmonies than before, all underlaid with solid rhythms by drummer Aaron Thurston. You'll notice during this review that I never say the Kicks sound like someone else--because they don't.

The Kicks have been together as a band for 10 years, but it was only in 2003 while writing and recording The Trial of the Century (released in 2004) that singer/keyboardist Nick Stumpf and guitarist Josh Wise began to craft the sound that is fully realized on Swimming. The gorgeous melodies and smooth, layered vocals are better than ever here. This is music to close your eyes and melt into.

In addition to Nick's brother bassist Lawrence Stumpf, for live shows the Kicks have added multi-instrumentalist Kush El Amin to assist with extra percussion, second guitar, and a lot of keyboards.

The single "Abandon" is the first track of the dozen, with a strong, distinctive guitar riff that sets the framework for the delicious multilayered vocals to slide into. Next is "Over the World" with its snappy percussion, followed by one of my favorites, "Carried Away" --my only complaint is that it's too short! The Kicks seem to know exactly how to hypnotize with repetition without overdoing the effect.

Please stop me when you see I'm off again
It's not enough to say it once
I was carried away
I was carried away
I was carried away
And I've been carried away before

"Said So What" asks sweetly, "Why, tell me why? I don't know." And then, my very favorite, "Atlanta." That went straight to my Favorites of 2008 folder. I do not know how Josh Wise makes that mandolin sound with the guitar. You can find it also on "Cloche" on Two Thousand; I would say that "Cloche" is a precursor to what the Kicks have done here on Swimming. On "Atlanta" the drums and guitar build a tension that is then cooled by those heavenly vocals and a mesmerizing synthesizer. I don't even know what they're saying; it's just incredibly beautiful, with eddies and undercurrents of vocals and synth weaving around each other.

"Love In the Ruins" starts off in a different direction with acoustic plucking, but it is nearly equal in beauty to "Atlanta." "With the Fishes" is another smooth glider, but the following song, "The Way You Arrive" has bite underneath the soaring vocals.

"All Our Weekends" glows like a sunset and proposes:
Why don't we take all our weekends in the fall, at the same time...
The Kicks make that sound like a feasible idea before dancing cheek-to-cheek with your ears on "Sex Tourists." "This Could Go Wrong" lets you down easy, with those incredible harmonies contrasting with sort of a jungle-drum pounding.

I just love this album, and I recommend it highly. I'll probably get the physical CD too when it comes out.


Atlanta from Swimming (2008)
Go On from Two Thousand (2006)

MySpace | Website | Label: Vagrant Records
Buy at iTunes now, and everywhere else on May 1



Show Schedule:
The French Kicks are touring all over the continental U.S. this summer, so check their MySpace for dates and venues. We'll be seeing them in Los Angeles at the Echo with The Weather Underground and Junior Panthers on May 22.

Morris Dam, San Gabriel Valley

I have to start this week's Finally Friday post with an announcement of pure, unadulterated happiness: Radiohead is coming back to the Hollywood Bowl for two shows on August 24 and 25. Tickets go on sale on Saturday at 10 am.

The Yellow Stereo reviews The OaKs and has an amazing Daily Graboid, full of great stuff, including Tapes N Tapes, Spoon, Colin Meloy, and much more.

Check out Trendwhore for live video and songs by The Dodos and Throw Me the Statue, a review of the new Tapes N Tapes, plus a mixtape and someone else who is as excited as I am for Radiohead's upcoming tour.

Muzzle of Bees has several great show reviews, including Bon Iver, David Byrne (!), and Great Lake Swimmers, among others. And STP tour info (!!).

Visit Music Under Fire, start with the Spoon EP review, continue through the Radiohead remixes and videos, and then just keep reading. In the immortal words of Rev. Lovejoy, "...it's all good."

Welcome back, Can You See the Sunset...I have to say, I know the feeling. That's why you see long breaks in between my posts, and poor alt-gramma has to pick up my slack. Maybe you need a blog partner?

And finally, I haven't been listening to enough new music these days. Outside of the lovely Broken Records tracks I have, the last new album I bought was Elephant Shell by Tokyo Police Club and I haven't even been listening to it. Instead, I've been listening to classic rock and some other albums from 2007 and prior. Here's a sampling of what's been on my heavy rotation.

the beatles: i'm only sleeping [buy]
led zeppelin: over the hills and far away [live 1975] [buy]
the hives: back in black [ACDC cover] [buy]
the rolling stones: gimme shelter [buy]
george harrison: my sweet lord [buy]

The Dodos

Fresh from their success at SXSW, this San Francisco-based band is rocking out shows nationwide. Check out their myspace for tour dates, including a show at Amoeba Records and at L.A.'s Natural History Museum (how cool is that?). All of the tracks I've heard from their 2008 album Visiter are amazing, but "Jody" is my favorite. See show reviews and pics at Brightest Young Things and a video, pics, and live mp3 at Earfarm.

the dodos: jody [buy]

official site | myspace

Broken Records

I first heard Broken Records from Song By Toad's first Toad Session, with the band live in his living room. I was blown away by the haunting, beautiful arrangement of strings and guitar. Ever since, I've picked up everything else I can find and I have not been disappointed. Do not miss the opportunity to watch the videos and hear the music of Broken Records on Song By Toad. Absolutely stunning.

broken records: lies [preorder]

myspace | Label: Rough Trade

Steve Smith
I've been listening a lot to the best album of 2007 that I didn't hear until 2008, UNKLE's War Stories and I think that's why this song from Steve Smith's latest, This Town appeals to me. I like the strange noises, thumping beats, and the sound of his voice in this song about someone searching for their place in the world.

steve smith: that town [buy]

myspace

And finally, the final artist that I planned to write about has been exposed as a fraud. Read about Laromlab's shameless plagarism of all or nearly every track on the upcoming album.

"You don't know what you got till it's gone..." Joni Mitchell was so right. Something I used to take for granted was having the time to play an album over and over until I knew every word and note better than my own face in the mirror. These days I'm lucky to listen to one twice, zip out a review, and say, "OK, what's next?"

Jackson Browne's first three albums are a good example of some that just about became part of my skin. Part of the reason was that I was living in a remote desert town in the early 70's, far from a decent radio station or record store. I had a few albums, and I played them nearly to death. I bought Browne's debut album, popularly known as (but not officially named) Saturate Before Using, three times: twice as a vinyl and once as a CD. The LPs are very worn and scratched from being played so much.

I was so charmed by the beauty and simplicity of these songs, and David Crosby's backup vocals, as exemplified so well on "Jamaica Say You Will" and "Something Fine," only made them more irresistible, since the other stuff that I played endlessly belonged to the whole Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young crowd and their extended family of musicians. It was incredible to me that a young man about the same age as I was could write such introspective and beautiful songs. "Doctor My Eyes" was the sort-of radio hit of the album, but it was always my least favorite. The other "hit" was "Rock Me On the Water," which was covered by Linda Ronstadt on her 1971 self-titled album.

I remained a dedicated Browne fan for almost two decades until I was finally exposed to punk and alternative. I still have great respect for his talents, so that I was blown away when he appeared onstage as a surprise guest at Aimee Mann's 2nd Annual Christmas Show last November.


"My Opening Farewell," the last track, is a song that turns a sad goodbye into a gift of endless possibilities:
There's a train everyday
Leaving either way
There's world, you know
You got a way to go"

From Jackson Browne, AKA Saturate Before Using (1972)
Something Fine
Rock Me On the Water
My Opening Farewell

Jackson Browne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Some other Tuesday I'll go into For Everyman (1973) and Late For the Sky (1974).

Official Website | Label: Elektra/Asylum Records | Buy | iTunes
Buy Jackson Browne's latest Solo Acoustic CD, Vol 2

It has been a long wait for fans, but with their latest album, A Mad and Faithful Telling, DeVotchKa serves up another helping of their mongrel mixture of East European polkas, Russian chansons, Mexican mariachi, French and Italian cafe accordion melodies, punk sizzle, and rock percussion. It is mad, as in passionate, and completely faithful to the eclectic niche they have carved. Vocalist Nick Urata must have one of the most beautiful and expressive voices in alternative rock. influenced by

Amazingly, this Denver-based quartet went unsigned for years because the big labels considered their style of music "unmarketable." That is, until one of their songs was featured in the movie Everything Is Illuminated (2005), a big favorite of mine, and their songs monopolized the Grammy-nominated sound track for the popular Little Miss Sunshine (2006).

The pace of this album waxes and wanes from track to track, with the first one, "Basso Profundo", kicking off with all the frantic energy of a Danny Elfman composition. Each song that follows has its own character, but dance is the unifying theme, from polkas to waltzes to gentle swaying.

"Blessing In Disguise" is a heartache set to waltz time. "The Clockwise Witness" begins with a synchopated toy piano that soon blends into pizzicato strings accompanying a plea for forgiveness.

There are two instrumentals, the violin-laced "Comrade Z" which conjures visions of squat-kicking Ukrainians in fur hats, and "Strizzalo," which would not be out of place in an Italian restaurant--actually it makes me think of another movie I love, the French film Amelie. Whether "Undone," the epic lament of a dying man, is more beautiful than "Along the Way" is hard to say. Although none of the lyrics are real stunners, Urata's earnest vocals and the intricately twining instruments on songs like "Along the Way" and "The Clockwise Witness" create a musical richness that has few comparisons. The set culminates in the sweet and sentimental "New World."

The ten tracks of A Mad and Faithful Telling are a strong offering that solidify DeVotchKa's place in alternative rock and create a work of grace and beauty that will not disappoint anyone who has enjoyed their previous albums.

The Clockwise Witness from A Mad and Faithful Telling (2008)
Such A Lovely Thing from How It Ends (2005)

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

More links: NPR Interview with Nick Urata | Album review at Lost In Your Inbox

Show Schedule:
We will see DeVotchKa perform at the Coachella on April 26. They also have an extensive U.S. tour schedule--check their MySpace for dates and venues.

2008 seems to be particularly rich in excellent new CDs. Here are just a few of the goodies that are out now or will be available soon:

The French Kicks
Swimming, the French Kicks' fifth album is out now on iTunes, with the physical CD slated to be on the shelves May 20. Just from the preview samples, I can tell it's absolutely delicious, with all the creamy-smooth harmonies you'd expect. The band is on tour now.
The French Kicks: Abandon
MySpace | Website | Label: Startime Records

Could We Survive, the first of Joseph Arthur's planned five EP releases for 2008, is out, and if this sample track is any indication, it marks a return to style more like Come To Where I'm From (2000) and Redemption's Son (2002). The second EP of the series, Crazy Rain, is scheduled for release mid-April.
Joseph Arthur: Rages of Babylon
MySpace | Website | Label: Lonely Astronaut Records
Buy | iTunes

Also just released is the Annuals' new EP Wet Zoo, featuring some truly beautiful compositions by the North Carolina band. The Annuals will play the Coachella on Sunday, April 27. Stand by for a full-length release this fall.
The Annuals: Sore
MySpace | | Label: Canvasback Music
Buy at Insound, iTunes

Aimee Mann's latest album, her seventh as a solo artist, @#%&! SMILERS, will be released on June 3. Listen to "Freeway," another track from this CD, on her MySpace Page.
Aimee Mann: 31 Today

MySpace | Website | Label: Superego Records

The Accidental

This actually did not come out of my inbox and I'm not sure where I picked it up, but it's a lovely song off of Wolves, the upcoming album by The Accidential, set to be released on June 3 in the US. The album will be released in the UK on April 14. Fans of Elbow should definitely check out every amazing track on their myspace page and download the free (legal) track from their upcoming album, "Illuminated Red".

the accidental: illuminated red

official site | myspace | Label: Thrill Jockey (US)

Misfortune500

From the first listen to Misfortune500's single "Panther Panther", I was hooked. I hear a little of The Killers in this Athens, GA band, who is currently embarking on a massive tour of the east coast and southern US between now and June. Their debut, Before This Winter Ends was self-released in 2007, but hopefully the band will get picked up by a major label soon. Check out my favorites from the album and hear more on their myspace.

misfortune500: panther panther [buy]
misfortune500: a ready defense [buy]

myspace | official site

Apteka

Alt-gramma mentioned Chicago band Apteka in her SXSW fantasies, but I just got to them with the lovely "It's a Wilderness" and "Where You Sleep", both demo tracks available on their myspace page. This unsigned band wrapped up a hectic tour, including SXSW, and I look forward to hearing more. Check their myspace page for a bunch of great tracks.

apteka: it's a wilderness
apteka: where you sleep

official site | myspace

(all photos from individual band's myspace)

No foolishness today, as R.E.M. releases Accelerate, which Rolling Stone says is their first studio album since 1997, when Bill Berry left the band. I'm listening to it, but I'm not ready to write my review yet, so let's take a Time Travel trip through R.E.M.'s rich back catalogue. Look how much hair Michael Stipe used to have!

Although I've never liked every single thing they've ever recorded, I did like R.E.M.'s earlier albums that featured Michael Stipe's lyrics buried in muddy lo-fi. From 1983 to 1988 they put out an album every year.

"Driver 8" is one of my very favorite tracks. Here R.E.M. are not trying to deliver any message; they are simply describing images that flash by, both from the perspective of being on a train and from those watching it pass.

I saw a treehouse on the outskirts of the farm.
The power lines have floaters so the airplanes won’t get snagged.
Bells are ringing through the town again,
Children look up, all they hear is sky-blue bells ringin'.
And the train conductor says, Take a break, Driver 8,
Driver 8, take a break.
We can reach our destination, but it's still a ways away.

I can remember Indie Mom and I pressing our ears to the stereo speakers, trying to figure out all the lyrics. Thank goodness, there are now Internet sites where I can simply look them up! I posted a link to a good one below.

I saw them in 1995 after the release of Monster at Arrowhead Pond, which is a tremendous stadium, and of course I was nowhere near the stage. I really hate huge shows, and I think this contributed to my lack of interest in the band since then. Also, about that time alternative rock was in its peak years, and I was discovering so many other artists that I liked that more. But you can hardly discount a band that has consistently turned out quality music for 25 years and nurtured and inspired so many other bands.

I have chosen some of the songs that I like the best that are perhaps not as well known as the big hits.

COPYRIGHTED CONTENT HAS BEEN REMOVED

Gardening At Night, live from Murmur (1983)
Maps and Legends from Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
Cuyahoga from Life's Rich Pageant (1986)
Oddfellows Local 15 from Document (1987)
Driver 8 from Eponymous (1988, originally on Fables of the Reconstruction)
World Leader Pretend from Green (1988)

MySpace | Website | Label: Warner Bros. | Lyrics
Buy at R.E.M. Store (world-wide access!),
iTunes, and Amazon.com