speed of dark

Jack-o-lantern contest winners. I vote for Trogdor!

Happy Halloween! Let's see check out some of our buddies:

Music Under Fire has an incredible Halloween playlist today. I would have loved to have featured any of those here, but under the current search-and-destroy policies I have experienced lately, I don't dare.

Check out new band The Danks at Lost In Your Inbox.

Motel de Moka commemorates what hopefully is more than a great moment with a quote from John Rawls on basic liberties and some really fine older tracks.

Read an in-depth review of Ryan Adams' new album Cardinology at Muzzle of Bees. We both like "Fix It," and it sounds like I'm going to like the rest as well.

Be sure to pick up the October Mixtape at Thanks Captain Obvious. It's another masterpiece.

If you're still looking for tracks for the perfect party mix for tonight, I am not much help. Frankly, I think it's scary enough that on this day Republicans are still in control of the country, our soldiers are still dying on foreign soil, anyone of us could go bankrupt from catastrophic medical costs, and some people in my state want to control who total strangers to them can or cannot marry.

Los Angeles band Meho Plaza, consisting of Jennifer Hwang (keys), Mike Thrasher (singer/guitarist), and James Connelly (drums) might scare the britches off you with this weird, jerky, but catchy tune. If that isn't frightening enough, they have a giant bug face on their album cover. They are playing dates around southern California in November.
Meho Plaza: I Sold My Organs from Meho Plaza (2008)
This mp3 was provided by an authorized agent of the artists and/or label for the expressed purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark.
MySpace | Website | Label: Better Looking Records
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Mills, Majlco, and Leaf of Six Red Carpets are from Italy with a strong and dynamic new album. Along with the free download make sure you get the e-booklet, which has beautifully executed illustrations and hand-lettered lyrics for each song. It's a real treat.
Six Red Carpets: Here's to the Nightmare from Nightmares and Lullabies
This mp3 was provided by the artist for the expressed purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark and is also available for free download.
MySpace | Website
Download at Six Red Carpets Website

Drone/dub duo Telepathe of Brooklyn, NY, released this song on 7-inch vinyl, and they'll be appearing at the Echoplex next Tuesday, hopefully celebrating an unprecedented victory in U.S. politics.
Telepathe: Devil's Trident
This mp3 was provided by an authorized agent of the artistfor the expressed purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark.
MySpace | Label: Independent
Buy at Merok Records

The Frowns from the Netherlands play the stalker role in this breezy, 70s-esq song from their debut EP Four Times the Frowns.
The Frowns: The Stalker from Four Times the Frowns
This mp3 was provided by the artist for the expressed purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark and is also available for free download on their website.
MySpace | Website | Label: Independent
Buy at Frowns Website

Photo by Sherret on Flikr

Oh, this is timely. I was watching Jack Cafferty on CNN the other day when I was on the treadmill at my gym, which is the only time I watch TV. He said something like, "The Republicans keep saying Obama will spend too much money. What money? There IS no money. Bush spent it all."

So true. You want more of the same? Vote for the "old guy," as Paris Hilton called him. I never thought I'd be seriously quoting Paris Hilton, but I guess politics does make strange bedfellows.

What could we have done with the money we've spent on the war in Eye-rac? For one, we could have sent every person in high school today through college and thereby increased our global competitiveness. Check out other things we might have done that would have benefitted you and people you know.

In this song, AmpLive remixes a Tapes N Tapes song from their debut album, Walk It Off. By the way, Amplive urge you to VOTE. Vote early if you can; I am. Don't think you have enough information? It's all on the Interwebs. Find it!

Tapes N Tapes + Amplive: The Dirty Dirty (amplive recession remix)
This track was provided by an authorized agent of Amplive or their label for the expressed purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark.
MySpace | Website | Label: LiveUp Records
Buy at iTunes, and eMusic

This next excellent song comes from Banks and Alex of Haunts from London. Their futuristic electronica/dance track goes really well with the Amplive remix, and the lyrics, "it doesn't make sense" are very appropriate for our economic turmoil. The last eight years don't make sense either. Let's start making sense out of this country.

Haunts: Athletes Mix 1
This track was provided by Alex of the Haunts for the expressed purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark.
MySpace | Website | Label: Independent
Buy at Genepool, iTunes, and eMusic

I'm going to level with you, readers: a monster has been eating my blog. I envision it a lot like the one above, kind of bored, mindlessly chomping away, and completely unresponsive to discussion. It's been devouring chunks when I'm not looking. While I'm trying to have a sense of humor about the situation, it really isn't very funny. In the past week, six of our posts have been deleted by Blogger, none with any prior notification, and only two with notification after the fact. I know which ones four of the poofed posts are, but I think maybe the other two are so old that it's not worth my time to look for them. One that I do know of was dated over a year ago, and although the link code was still in place, the songs were long gone off the host server. What was the point of that except outright intimidation?

I'm not the only one this has happened to. Suddenly there seems to be a concerted, strong-armed attack against music blogs hosted on Blogger. It's perfectly understandable that many of us would react by giving up--that option has been going through my mind too. See a thoughtful and well-worded post on Setting the Woods On Fire blog: One Last Post From An Old Blogger?

Very few music bloggers like us or the friends our blogroll make any money from blogging; we spend our time and money on it for the love of music. We hope to turn you on to things we like and support our favorite artists. Speaking for myself and Indie Mom, we have bought a LOT of music because of hearing one free song on some blog, long before we started blogging ourselves. I'm sure a great number of our readers do that too. Want to confirm that, readers?

I acknowledge that most of us tend to draw the line between good and evil just at the point where we ourselves fall on the good side. But knowing that blatant abuse does exist, in the approximately 26 months since Indie Mom and I started Speed of Dark, we have tried to stay on the good side of being an mp3 music blog. A lot of the songs we post come either from the artists themselves or from their representatives. Not every single one, but a lot. We usually don't just dump the songs out there either; we write reviews and relate them to personal commentary. Two of my glowing album reviews were among the deleted posts. Almost every post of ours includes links to the artists' websites and links to buy. We never, ever post full albums, and I take the files off our host server, although I haven't adhered to an exact schedule about that in the past (see changes, below). On the (I think) two occasions we have received an e-mail to take down a track, we have done it immediately, whether it was in legal wording or a simple request.

But apparently to certain powerful elements of the music industry, all music bloggers without distinction are egg-sucking dogs, lower than pond scum. Blogger's response to their not-very-accurate pointing fingers is to be insensitive to its own clients by deleting whole posts without warning or explanation. It's making me feel pretty creepy; like something that I can't see is always watching, and I don't know where it's going to lunge out from next. I have no intention of quitting, but we are making some changes to protect ourselves.

Changes you will note immediately: I am posting only tracks that I have personal permission from the artist or artist's representative to post. I will post a lot fewer tracks in general because securing that specific permission takes time. I am keeping much tighter control over how long the links remain active. I have let that slide from time to time, but I can't be lax anymore. I encourage you to become a subscriber so you don't miss out. Time Travel Tuesday is on indefinite hiatus because all older artists' work is owned by the large labels and record companies that are behind these deletions. I will only post older songs if I can obtain specific permission. Other changes are still in the planning stage.

Speaking of obtaining permission, I wanted this post to include "Somebody's Watching Me," covered by a non-descript group called the Halloween Party Singers under The Orchard label, and "After the Flesh" by My Life With the Thrill Kill Cult from The Crow soundtrack. I e-mailed both and requested permission. I have not heard from either of them, so those songs don't appear. However, you can listen to "Somebody's Watching Me" as my contribution to this week's Contrast Podcast #135 (a fantTAStic Halloween mix!).

To them and to the shadowy entities behind these deletions: the door swings both ways, folks. Bloggers and blog-readers don't just download free music--we BUY music, LOTS of it. We also go to concerts and purchase other merch. Music blogs benefit the artists in ways other methods don't. As evidence, I offer an e-mail I just received from our Aussie reader Mike G, who wrote me:

Thanks for posting Cut Off Your Hands (Irresistible Riffs)! Bought the album and will get a few tickets to their Sydney show after finding your post.

If my readers don't hear your songs, they won't know about them and won't buy them.

Thankfully, there are artists like Frank Hoier (who contributed to Time For Change) and David Azizinamini (Tanned Vampire) who have thanked me personally for hosting their songs and who appreciate the partnership music blogs offer. We will continue to support artists like these.

The benefit of these changes to you, dear readers, is that you have even more opportunity than ever to fall in love with something new. Here are three good examples:

Silvi Wersi and Mawe N. Klave intended to form a Smiths cover band but instead found themselves writing and recording their own songs as Mikrofisch. The Mozz influence lives on in tongue-in-cheek titles like "I Never Get Much Sleep On Weekdays," "Drum Machines Will Save Mankind," "The Kids Are All Shite," and more, many more. But today, "Alien Monsters" fits the theme.
Mikrofisch: Alien Monsters From Masters of the Universe (2007)
MySpace | Website | Label: Komakino Records | Free Download
This track expressly authorized by Matthias Weber of Komakino for publication on Speed of Dark.

San Francisco independents Lilofee, featuring Rob Easson and Kimi Recor, have a beautiful song that reflects a few of my thoughts. Is this how you destroy me? Not if I can help it.
Lilofee: Destroy Me Remix from The Only Years
This track expressly authorized by Kimi Recor of Lilofee for publication on Speed of Dark.
MySpace | Buy: direct from Lilofee

Twin sisters Romy and Sari Lightman of Ghost Bees spin a delicate and haunting folk story of spooky doings while building a story on their EP Tasseomancy. I may be West Coast, but I am not a vampire!
Ghost Bees: Vampires of the West Coast from Tasseomancy EP (2008)
MySpace | Label: Youth Club Records of Halifax
Buy at Youth Club Catalogue Store, iTunes, and eMusic
This track was provided by an authorized agent of the artist for the purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark.


Woodcut used by permission, from Bill Casselman's Canadian Word of the Day website

We saw The Weather Underground at the Echo last May and were so impressed we bought all their EPs on the spot. As is common, bands sometimes have to change in order to move forward. Guitarist Shoichi Bagley decided to leave the band amicably for pursuits outside music and Calvin J. Love, a native of Edmonton, Canada, replaced him on lead guitar. The new line-up has resulted in a new name, Red Cortez, and new songs.

Cortez, of course, is part of lead singer and songwriter Harley Prechtel-Cortez's name. I don't know for sure where Red comes from, but it is a color that connotes power, vibrancy, and luck.

Red Cortez will continue to play Weather Underground releases and will also appear on Daytrotter on November 5 for a session that was planned for WU, playing four of those songs. I hope one is "Fight Song (For the Desalojos)." It's probably my favorite from WU, but if the two I'm posting are any indication, Red Cortez is going to be even better.

In the photo above, from left, Cal Love, Prechtel-Cortez with new moustache and beard, bassist Ryan Kirkpatrick, and drummer Diego Guerrero.

Red Cortez:
All the Difference
World At Rest

These tracks were provided by authorized agents of the artists and/or their labels for the expressed purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark.

MySpace | | Website | Label: Independent
Buy Weather Underground: iTunes and eMusic

Shows:
November 11- the Echoplex with Earlimart and Afternoons

Photo by: Sonia Onate

No nightmares here; just pumpkins
One of my very favorite songs of 2007 was "Curtain of Stars" by the Chicago band with the most un-Googleable name ever, July Fourth. Alas, July Fourth broke up earlier this year.

But the guy with the gorgeous voice, David Azizinamini, now has a fresh focus and a new project with a more memorable name, Tanned Vampire. In spite of the spooky moniker and this scary song title, this is just plain gorgeous. Hear more on Tanned Vampire's MySpace page, and join up and be a friend. You'll see me there! David says he has a lot more to write, and I'm looking forward to it.

Tanned Vampire: Nightmare Like a Kid - (unreleased demo, 2008)
MySpace | Label: Unsigned

This track is authorized by David Azizinamini for the explict purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark.
Photo by my step-daughter

It may have been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, but it's been an exciting week (and not in a good way) at Speed of Dark. The story is still in progress, and I am in the process of deciding a plan of action, so I am not ready to tell it all here yet. Maybe one day.

But there are big hints in some of the archived posts and little hints in particular elements of today's post, so you might guess the general issue. I've been spending a lot of time on blog business, and not much on the blog subject (music) for the last several days, and pretty much no time reading other blogs.

And then there's the rest of life. I have a lot to do today, so today's post is a shorty. One thing I did not scrimp on here is the music. I like all of these new songs.

What part of this song by Los Angeles' Happy Hollows reminds me most of the past few days? The screaming at the end. Note the influence of the Pixies and Kim Deal here. Also, HH is taking the Radiohead approach to marketing: go to their blog site and pay what you think is fair.
The Happy Hollows: Tambourine from Imaginary EP (2008)
MySpace | Website | Label: Heart Records
Buy at Happy Hollows blog

This Little Death is from the U.K. and not the band Moby is in. This single is from their new self-titled mini-album, set for release next month. It will be available for sale online.
Little Death: Baby Can You Dig Your Man?
MySpace | Label: Independent

Local band! The Soft Hands are from Long Beach, which is local to me if you consider the entire southern part of California "local." I bet this is great live.
The Soft Hands: Harbor from Hours Pass By (2008)
MySpace | Website | Label: Fidotrust Records
Buy at Fidotrust Store

Tracks in this post were provided by authorized agents of the artists and/or their labels for the expressed purpose of distribution on Speed of Dark.

Songs by the following bands grabbed my attention with both hands!

Cut Off Your Hands

Cut Off Your Hands are four New Zealanders with influences as classic as the Beatles and Phil Spector and as fresh as Franz Ferdinand and Futureheads. They'll be appearing at CMJ in New York this week, whisking through Europe, and then hit some dates Down Under.

Cut Off Your Hands: Happy As Can Be from Happy As Can Be EP (2008)

MySpace | Label: French Kiss Records
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic


Made In China

It was a lot easier to get the MP3 "How Everything Works" than to find out about who made it, but now I know this sharp-edged, infectious song was produced by two individuals from New York, LK and Palumbo, who became disgusted with "everything except their families and sex." They are using their new album Sonic Blog V1.0 to lash out at all that disappoints them, no holds barred. They include themselves, calling "How Everything Works" an "autobiographical sob story." "Press 1 For English" is going to be very popular.

Made In China: How Everything Works from Sonic Blog V1.0
Stream tracks

MySpace | Website | Label: Recordburger Records
Buy at iTunes, hopefully other outlets soon.


All the Saints



The song titles "Sheffield" and "Leeds" on their album Fire On Corridor X (2008) emphasize the influence of echoey psycho-space Manchester sound of bands like the Stone Roses. I like "Farmacia" a lot too.

All the Saints: Sheffield

MySpace | Label: Touch and Go/Quarterstick Records
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Fighting the Marek Fire, which burned 3700 acres this month

The third week of October is often the worst of fire season in southern California. The largest fires that have produced the most damage and taken the most lives have occurred during this week. The saddest part is that many of them are set on purpose.

Last year by this time there had been two fires within two miles of our house. It is really frightening to see flames licking the sky just behind the next hill over and know that the most flamable object on your property is your house. We knew people who had had to evacuate from the much larger fires south of us. Miraculously, no one we knew lost their homes, although many others did. Even the family cabin in the San Bernardinos was finally determined to have survived against all odds.

Beginning with the late, great Grant McLennan, here are some offerings to the fire gods: please let us get through the rest of the season with no more fires.

Grant McLennan: Lighting Fires from Horsebreaker Star (1995)
Wikipedia | Buy

Pizza!: Griffith Park Fire from Pizza!
MySpace | Website | Free Download

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: House Fire from Broom (2006)
MySpace | Website | Buy

For the time-travel touch, a long-ago fire in Topanga Canyon was documented by Spirit:
Spirit: The Great Canyon Fire from Spirit (LP-1968)
Wikipedia | Buy

I hope Steve Dawson is wrong about this, but I had to include the song because it is such a great blues number.
Steve Dawson: Fire Somewhere Waiting For the Lights To Come Up (2008)
MySpace | Black Hen Music | Buy

Wonderful remix here from the Epochs' debut album:
The Epochs: Head In the Fire (Hayes Remix)The Remixes (2008)
MySpace | Website | Label: Justice Records Records
Buy at Amazon.com and eMusic

Here are another two acts from Uncle T's Day 3 at Austin City Limits 2008.

~alt-gramma~

Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet with Bela Fleck

Deciding this might be different I headed over to the AT&T stage to it check out, and stayed for the entire set because it was so good. This folk group led by vocalist Abigail Washburn included banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck and Grammy nominated fiddler Casey Driessen. In short there’s a wealth of musical talent in this little outfit, and they put on an amazing set.

They played old blues, Canadian French folk songs, Chinese folk songs (yep), and even a Beatles cover song. Bela Fleck is an incredible banjo player, and the other guys played really good as well. Abigail has a great voice, and together this band made a fantastic noise that kept the crowds coming in as their set progressed. Old and young people alike dug this music. The crowd totally loved them.

The band: Abigail Washburn (lead vocals, banjo), Bela Fleck (banjo), Ben Sollee (cello), Casey Driessen (violin/fiddle)

Set list included:
• Nobody's Fault But Mine (Blind Willie Johnson cover)
• Eleanor Rigby (Beatles cover)
• Captain

MySpace | Website | Label: Nettwerk Music Group Records
Buy at Abigail Washington Store, iTunes, and eMusic



Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue



This particular set garnished a lot of pre-show buzz, so it was definitely on my list. The ACL announcer said if there was one festival show that was a “must see”, this one was it. And he wasn’t exaggerating. This was a killer set from ex-Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies vocalist (saved from drugs and resurrected by Jesus) and his great band. They turned this stage into a glorious tent-show revival with their blend of funky and soulful rocked up gospel. The rhythm section laid a foundation of thick Memphis soul groove that you couldn’t help but move to. The full horn section (from Austin) added soul and jazz elements to the mix, while his two great backup singers provided the gospel muscle.


Mike is a great singer and performer; he was all over the stage having a great time. They mainly played songs from his 2007 “Salvation In Lights” CD. The song that I recognized from that CD was the great “Oh, Mary Don’t You Weep, which I already had on my iPod from a Paste magazine CD sampler. I was originally sitting in the front row, but had to move back a row because people kept coming into the area in front of the stage. By the end of the set, the WaMu stage area appeared to be full. This was such a good set; I’d definitely see them again anytime.

Band: Mike Farris (lead vocals, guitar) with other members on bass, drums,lead guitar, keyboard, trumpet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, and 2 backup singers

Set list included (in this general order):
• I’m Gonna Get There
• Selah! Selah!
• Oh, Mary Don’t You Weep
• Take Me (I'll Take You There)
• A Change Is Gonna Come
• Will the Circle Be Unbroken

MySpace | Website | Label: INO Records
Buy at Amazon.com and iTunes

We still have some of Uncle T's reviews from Austin City Limits 2008. Uncle T has attended enough festivals to know that the thing to do is experience new acts. Several of the ones he has written up, I have never even heard of before, and that includes Nakia and His Southern Cousins from Day 3. More tomorrow!

~alt-gramma~

Nakia and His Southern Cousins

Nakia
I saw bits and pieces of their set, which was very entertaining and sounded great. When I initially stuck my head in that stage area to check them out I did a double take when I saw the two Fresh Up Singers (dressed in black and white dresses) up there swaying to the music. They had a little routine going on with Nakia. This Austin-based band sounded pretty good, playing a mix of blues, rock and soul.

Unfortunately, I was in-and-out of this stage area getting water and food provisions in preparation for the next act (Mike Farris), so I didn't have much of a chance to watch them until nearly the end of the set. One song did catch my ear (“Broken Spoke”) near the end of the set, which prompted me to purchase it later via download. I’d love to see them again. The day before, Nakia did a little dancing onstage with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, when she recruited him from the VIP area for her song “How Do You Let A Good Man Down?”


The band: Nakia (lead vocals), Mac McNabb (guitar), Johnny V. (bass), Ed Jarusinky (drums), Derek Morris (keyboards), The Fresh Up Girls (Karla Manzur, Jessie England)

Set list included:
• Broken Spoke
• Playing the Cards


The Fresh Up Girls
MySpace | Website | Merch
Buy at CD Baby, iTunes

Jordan Geiger of Hospital Ships, Shearwater, and Minus Story

Quarterlife Party features clips of five tracks from the new Ryan Adams CD Cardinology. I think this album is going to take a few listens to get into.

Muzzle of Bees gives us a heads-up on the new Oasis album. NOW I'm interested!

Passion of the Weiss saw Jay-Z at the newly remodeled Palladium. Not my kind of music, but boy did he get some nice photos!

I Guess I'm Floating features Three Absurdly Good Animal Collective MPP Covers.

If you're feeling down, go over to The Lonesome Blog for some music to lie down and cry by. They always have tunes I end up loving over there.

I blew out a lot of political frustration on Wednesday (Time For Change, but Lost In Your Inbox has something thoughtful to say almost every day. Today's installment is "Virgin Voting." Lots of good music too.

And Mr. Toad at Song, By Toad waxes wordy on the subject of Chillout music. Hey, it's better than drugs!

Hospital Ships: The Shots I Drank from Oh, Ramona (2008)
MySpace | Graveface Records | Buy

Luomo: Love You All from Love You All remix EP (2008)
MySpace | Website | Buy

Kinetic Stereokids: Have a Nice Day from Have a Nice Day EP (2008)
MySpace | Website | Buy

Boo and Boo Too: I'll Be Your Whore from No Tempo (2008)
MySpace | Website | Buy

I don't usually use this space to express my political opinions. As much as I support Barack Obama for President, I'm not making annoying phone calls (I hate getting them), and I'm not knocking on doors waving a survey. I'm using my own blogspace to speak my views on the coming U.S. Presidential election. Excuse us, international readers, but for the rest of this piece, I'm going to assume you are a young, voting-age, U.S. citizen.

First, if you aren't registered to vote, you need to do that NOW. Our country is in a crisis, and apathy is not acceptable. Your actions count. The results of the election DO affect you personally, so you must get involved. In the past two elections, a matter of only a few votes at crucial polling places handed leadership to the illiterate, roller-skating chimpanzee who has lived in the White House for the past 8 years.

In some states, the deadline for registration for this election has already passed. The deadline for California is coming up fast: October 20, this coming Monday. If you are not registered to vote, it's easy. Go to your post office, public library (if it's open--your tax cuts at work) or go here NOW:

REGISTER TO VOTE ONLINE
A Perfect Circle: Freedom of Choice (Devo cover) from eMOTIVe (2004) [Buy]

Now that you are registered, get informed about the candidates for President if nothing else. Just keep in mind that local elections affect you as well, but right now let's get a good leader at the top. Make sure you're getting correct info and not believing fear-mongering trash. Turn off Sean Hannity on Fox News and turn on NPR. Take advantage of online sites like the Washington Post FactChecker on both candidates. What I am going to say is biased, but I do my best to base what I think on facts.

Xavier Rudd: Choices from White Moth (2007) [Buy]


Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller
Frankly, I can't think of a single reason to vote for McCain/Palin. The Republican Party has spent a decade taking apart every regulation that protected us from the current economic crisis, and McCain was right there supporting it all, right up until he had to try to backpaddle his way out of responsibility (Washington Post). He chose as his running mate the female equivalent of W--an inarticulate, unprepared, unqualified hick who has already been proven to have misused her authority as governor of Alaska. And thank you, Tina Fey, for those impersonations that used nothing more than Palin's own words to be ridiculous. If McCain kicks the bucket, this is our President. Haven't we had enough of that, already?

Are you concerned about income taxes? McCain thinks you are, but when he complains that Obama is going to raise taxes, he's not talking to YOU, honey. He's talking to a very small percentage of Americans who make far more money than you or I do. Here is a visual from ChartJunk blog. Go there to see it full-size with complete explanation.


Notice that in McCain's plan, the biggest cuts go to the people who make the most money. Where is your income on that chart? Which candidate do you think has more sympathy for the larger population of America? Oh, sure, those rich guys were supposed to create all those good-paying jobs for us with the tax breaks they already got under Bush. Instead, they sold your jobs overseas and pocketed the profits. Obama wants to stop that shit too.

Frankly, I would rather pay my taxes and see that our schools are fully funded from pre-K on up, our roads are in good shape, our air and water are clean, and everyone has access to affordable health care. If people are having to declare bankruptcy because of medical costs, that's not affordable. Other western democracies manage to do this much better than we do. Watch the movie Sicko (the latest Sicko News).

Frank Hoier: Jesus Don't Give Tax Breaks to the Rich from Lovers and Dollars (2008) [Buy]

The backers of the Republican Party, and the whole point of the party in general, is not to create a good standard of living for vast majority of people who live and work here, no matter what they try to make you believe. Their goal is to make the top 1 percent richer. Their philosophy is, if you can't make your house payment, or your business closed or moved overseas so you lost your job and can't feed your children, or you can't pay your medical insurance or medical bills, it's your own damn fault. Too bad (Suicides From Financial Crisis, today: Pasadena Woman Found Dead in Burning Home). Anything the government could do to make any of that easier for you is considered a handout that you don't deserve. On the other hand, government policies that help put money in their pockets are fine. Dirtying your water and your air because it would cost them money to keep them clean is fine. And your providing billions of dollars, which will take as much as 20 years to pay back, to bail out the financial crisis they created is hunky-dory too.

I don't care what color our next President is, but I do want someone whose goal is to make our country great again, who can get us out of this blood- and money-sucking war, and whose highest priority is taking care of all of our citizens, not just the rich and powerful. I see no evidence that McCain can do that. I want a calm, capable, smart, person I can respect in the White House, and I see that in Obama.

Frou Frou: Holding Out For a Hero from Shrek 2 Soundtrack [Buy]

We missed out on having that when we let Bush steal the Presidency--not once, but twice! We would be living in a different country, a better country, if we had not let that happen the first time. We would have had a President who understood scientific evidence, for one thing. I want a President who believes in science, who believes in funding education, and who realizes the importance of not making enemies with the entire rest of the world.

Johnny Bertram: Change from Live In My Bedroom (2006) [Free download]

There are enough voting-age Americans to turn this country around in the coming election if the real issues are understood and people actually vote. We must not be distracted by those who think controlling others' personal lives (who should marry whom, for example) is more important than a healthy life for all. Talk To Your Parents has some basic information for talking to others, including your older relatives who may be planning to vote Republican just because they always have. The current Republican Party is not the kindly, fiscally conservative party of small government that it used to be. It hasn't been for some time.

The Black and White Years: Power To Change from The Black and White Years (2008) [Buy]

Let's elect the right guy this time and get some real change going. GObama!

I'm taking a break today from Uncle T's adventures at Austin City Limits so I can talk about this wonderful album I have been listening to.

Outside Our Gates, released in early September, is Liz Durrett's third full-length album. Her papery-dry whisper of a singing voice has been compared to Cat Power's, but there all resemblance ends because Durrett's style is very different, reflecting the Elephant 6 influence of her home state of Georgia (members of Olivia Tremor Control contribute to some songs). She has a facility for matching fascinating melodies with simple words that become profound in context.

Durrett's previous work has been described as ‘threadbare sonic tapestry’, but this album definitely has threads. Hearing the first track, "Wake To Believe," with its chamber-music strings, you think, this is a folk album; but the very next song, "Wild As Them" proves you wrong. Suddenly there are drums and horns! The next song includes piano and skritchy, backwards, electronic sounds. The next, the insanely gorgeous "We Build Bridges," brings in a violin and cello (by Amanda Kapousouz).

In fact, possibly the most striking thing about this album, besides Durrett's impressive song-writing, is that each song has been assembled and crafted as if it is the most important track on the album. I'm sure that is often the goal in making an album, but here the care is brightly evident and the touch is always perfect, each element weighed. If the song is full with only guitar and Liz's voice, like "Not Running," that's all it has. If it blossoms with the addition of strings, horns, drums, and cymbals, like one of my favorites "You Live Alone," it has all that to just the right degree. No matter how good the trick is, it is used only where it works best and is not repeated.

On "We Build Bridges" her uncle Vic Chestnutt harmonizes with Durrett perfectly while the strings gently swell and fade like lapping wavelets.

Oh and the tide moves us out
All right
Oh when the tide brings us back
How sweet it is.

The album follows an arc from simple acoustic through more complex musical additions, then back to focus again on just Durrett's voice and words. The last song, "The Sea A Dream," is achingly lovely, an ending that also promises a beginning, so peaceful, both a benediction and a lullaby. Even the unobtrusive guitar fades away, leaving soothing layer on layer of Durrett's voice.

Tonight we leave on gilded wings
Soaring will be our limbs and leaves
The wind's a dream laid out for you.

On installment #133 of Contrast Podcast, we were asked to contribute the best closing song of an album. I heard this, and my search was done. Even more than an album closer, I told my husband if it were possible for me to wish for one certain song to play just before I died, this would be it.

I looked into Durrett's two earlier albums, and although she is clearly more adventurous on Outside Our Gates, the two older works, The Mezzanine (2006) and Husk (2005) contain high-quality tracks as well, showing that Durrett's talent is no fluke.

From Outside Our Gates (2008):
Wake To Believe
All Of Them All

From The Mezzanine (2006):
In the Throes

MySpace | Website | Label: The Warm Supercomputer
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Uncle T wound up Day 2 at Austin City Limits with this dynamite duo and the legendary T-Bone Burnett on guitar. "Battle of Evermore!" Wowza! That's one of my favorite Led Zep songs.

~alt-gramma~

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

I caught the last 30 minutes of this amazing set. They sounded magnificent; much more powerful than I’d anticipated. These guys went into a musical trance and took the huge crowd with them on their journey. By the time I got there it was dark and much cooler. I was pretty tired by that time, and just wanted to relax in the grass and listen to this wonderful music. I got as close as I could, which wasn’t too close. But I could hear everything (the sound was impeccable) and viewed the stage with my binoculars. Alison was in a black dress with styled-up hair. Plant was wearing blue jeans and a blue un-tucked shirt. The band was tight and the music was just wonderful. They really deliver in concert, so it’s no wonder they’ve been a big concert draw this year.

The band:
• Robert Plant: lead vocals
• Allison Krauss: lead vocals, violin
• T-Bone Burnett: Guitar
• Dennis Crouch: bass
• Buddy Miller: lead guitar
• Stuart Duncan: mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar
• Jay Bellarose: drummer/percussionist

Set list included (last 30 minutes):
• Black Dog [Robert Plant solo from KCRW's Covers Project CD, 2007]: I heard from somebody that did this Led Zeppelin cover earlier in the set; though I didn’t witness this.
• Fortune Teller: I heard this as I was coming walking toward the stage, with Plant singing this old song from their CD. Really nice sound.
• Nothin' (Townes Van Zant cover): Then they did a hypnotically brilliant version of this stark song, with Plant doing some great vocals. Allison provided backing vocals and violin. Amazing performance.
• Dynamite Woman (Doug Sahm cover) or Bon Temps Rouler: T-Bone Burnett did one of these songs, I think. And it was very good.
• Down to the River to Pray [Alison Krauss from the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack]: When Allison Krauss sang this O Brother Where Art Though song her spellbinding vocals put the crowd in a trance. She’s such a great singer.
• The Battle Of Evermore: This Led Zeppelin cover was absolutely incredible and transcendent from the opening mandolin notes, and people jumped up from the grass for its climax. This was totally magical, and was possibly the set’s high point. This was the one I wanted to hear. This was so good in concert.
• Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On): They ended the concert with a wonderful rocking version of this Everly Brothers cover.

MySpace | Website | Label: Rounder Records
Buy at Robert Plant/Alison Krauss Store, Amazon.com

Leaving (Day 2):
Walked back on the riverside trail, which at night was the fastest way to go. Another great day of music. I did quite a bit of walking today, and my legs were very sore.

Photo from Paste Magazine

from Eulogies' myspace
Also out on Tuesday was Eulogies' new EP, Tempted To Do Nothing. We last saw the band in a small setting, at LA's The Echo. Check out this track from the new EP and one from last year's self-titled release. Eulogies has a few dates scheduled this Fall, with The Dears. You can hear more from Eulogies on their myspace.

eulogies: two can play from Tempted To Do Nothing (2008)
eulogies: one man from Eulogies (2007)

Tour Schedule: (with The Dears)
great scott, boston, 10/21
maxwell's, hoboken, 10/22
hiro ballroom, new york, 10/23

official website | myspace

Thanks Peter!

So how many of the nearly 1,000 Reckoner remixes (at the time of this writing) have you listened to? Speaking for myself, only very small fraction, and some of them I haven't cared for very much.

Here is one that I do like. It's by Brendan Merrick, a young Scotsman from the Glasgow area, and this is his first remix--a more than a decent effort, if you ask me.

Brendan, who admits to being a "massive" Radiohead fan, teaches disadvantaged children at a special center in Paisley how to play piano, use music software, and create their own compositions. Studies have proven that music instruction helps children's literacy and numeracy and boosts their self esteem. Having worked in the education system for years myself, I am happy to help someone doing such important work.

So take a listen to Brendan's remix, and if you like it, give the guy your vote--I did. He would greatly appreciate it.

Brendan Merrick: Wreckin' 'Er (Smash the Bitch remix)

VOTE for this remix

Bad news: as of this post, the website that hosts our blogroll (blogrolling.com) is down. I stupidly don't have any of my favorite blogs bookmarked, depending only on the links on SoD to read them. So instead of going down the blogroll list, I went through Hype Machine. I vow to bookmark all my fave blogs from now on.

Fellow L.A. bloggers Rollo & Grady have live covers of Radiohead by Paradigm, some Beatles covers, plus J. Tillman and much, much more.

We Like It Indie features a write-up about The Graduate, who we interviewed back in 2007. The band is re-releasing their debut Anhedonia and embarking on tour in November. Check 'em out!

Inkiostro, a music blog in Italian (?), has a lovely cover of Arcade Fire's "My Body Is A Cage" by Sara Lov.

Thanks Captain Obvious brings good stuff as always, including new Decemberists and a review of the new Annuals EP.

Soundbites saw Franz Ferdinand live this week (I'm horribly jealous).

Berkeley Place shares some covers by Rademacher of Whitney Houston and Talking Heads, and a cover of Whitney Houston by David Byrne of Talking Heads.

arcade fire: wake up [live KCRW 2005] [buy]
the decemberists: human behavior [bjork cover] [buy]
franz ferdinand: walk away (acoustic) [buy]
talking heads: psycho killer [live 1977] [buy]

Find more on Hype Machine.

photo from MtB's myspace
Minus the Bear released a new EP, Acoustics Tuesday, featuring acoustic versions of some of their most popular songs. The EP is available digitally only; the hard copies will be sold on their Fall tour (with Annuals) only.

Check out the single from the EP here:

minus the bear: guns & ammo [buy at iTunes]
minus the bear: knights from Planet of Ice (2007)

Tour Schedule
Oct 9 -- Missoula, MT -- The Other Side
Oct 10 -- Casper, WY -- American Legion
Oct 11 -- Denver, CO -- Gothic Theatre
Oct 12 -- Omaha, NE -- Slowdown
Oct 13 -- Iowa City, IA -- The Picador
Oct 15 -- Minneapolis, MN -- Varsity Theatre
Oct 16 -- Milwaukee, WI -- Turner Hall
Oct 17 -- Chicago, IL -- Vic Theatre
Oct 18 -- Columbus, OH -- Newport Music Hall
Oct 19 -- Detroit, MI -- Majestic Theatre
Oct 20 -- Cleveland, OH -- Grog Shop
Oct 21 -- Boston, MA -- Wilbur Theatre
Oct 22 -- Washington, DC -- 930 Club
Oct 23 -- Philadelphia, PA -- Theatre of Living Arts
Oct 24 -- Providence, RI -- Lupo's at the Strand
Oct 25 -- New York, NY -- Webster Hall
Oct 26 -- Sayreville, NJ -- Starland Ballroom
Oct 28 -- Richmond, VA -- The National
Oct 29 -- Raleigh, NC -- Lincoln Theatre
Oct 30 -- Asheville, NC -- The Orange Peel
Oct 31 -- Knoxville, TN -- Bijou Theatre
Nov 1 -- Atlanta, GA -- Variety Playhouse
Nov 3 -- Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- Revolution
Nov 4 -- Orlando, FL -- House of Blues
Nov 5 -- Jacksonville, FL -- Free Bird Cafe
Nov 7 -- New Orleans, LA -- House of Blues
Nov 8 -- Houston, TX -- House of Blues
Nov 9 -- Austin, TX -- Fun Fun Fun Fest
Nov 10 -- Dallas, TX -- House of Blues
Nov 13 -- Tempe, AZ -- Marquee Theatre
Nov 14 -- San Diego, CA -- Soma
Nov 15 -- Pomona, CA -- Glass House
Nov 16 -- Los Angeles, CA -- Henry Fonda Theatre
Nov 18 -- Sacramento, CA -- Empire
Nov 19 -- San Francisco, CA -- Bimbo's 365 Club
Nov 22 -- Seattle, WA -- Showbox at the Market

official website | myspace

Today we have another installment of Uncle T's Day 1 at Austin City Limits with one of his long-time favorites, Alejandro Escovedo and his band. These wonderful live MP3s are from Escovedo's performance on September 8 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA, except for "Sister Lost Soul" with its irresistible violin intro, which was performed at the Troubadour in Hollywood on September 9. Susan Voelz's violin on "Everybody Loves Me" reminds me a lot of Joan Wasser's work with the Dambuilders in the 90's. Since Uncle T raves about the live version of "Real As an Animal," I was glad I was able to find it.

Alejandro Escovedo

Susan Voelz and Alejandro Escovedo
Excellent set; all killer, no filler. His band was a well-oiled machine, the songs were all great, and a lean-and-mean Alejandro put on a magnificent performance. I was perfectly positioned right by the stage in the middle. Alejandro did some brilliant guitar work, locking horns with both his lead guitar and violin players during musical interludes. This was his first appearance at the ACL festival, and he was amazing.

The band:
• Alejandro Escovedo: vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
• Brian Standefer: cello
• Susan Voelz: violin
• Josh Gravelin: bass
• David Pulkingham: lead guitar
• Hector Munoz: drums


Set list included (in this general order):

• Put You Down: Nice opener, which he opened with the last time I saw him.
• Always A Friend: Great song from his latest CD.
• Chelsea Hotel '78: Another great new down and gritty punk song about his NY 70’s days. Alejandro really sang with passion on this one.
• Sister Lost Soul: One of my favorites from his new CD. Such a good song.
• Everybody Loves Me: This was the show stopping high point. Alejandro started the song with some snarling blues laden guitar licks, and the rest of the band followed suit. Lots of stage interaction among the band members. This was a stunner.
• People (We're Only Gonna Live So Long): He slowed things down with this new song, which he introduced as simply “People.”
• Real As An Animal: He said he wrote this song from his new CD about Iggy Pop, and asked if there were any Stooges fans in the audience. When they kicked it off with an infectious danceable manic groove it sounded so much like an original Stooges song that at first I thought he was doing a Stooges cover but couldn’t figure out what it was. This live version was 1000 times better than the CD version, and I wonder why he didn’t do it that way on the CD. This song was incredible live.
• Castanets: He dedicated this great old song to Joe Strummer, and rocked the house again to end this stunning set.

MySpace | Website | Label: Back Porch Records
Buy at Alejandro Escovedo Store, Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

MP3s from the Belly Up were recorded, mixed, and FLAC'd by James Bartoli; Live sound and PA mix by Debbie Murphy with special thanks to Mike Thompson and Valerie Jones.

Here's another episode from Uncle T's Day 1 at Austin City Limits 2008. I have two older albums by M. Ward, The Transfiguration of Vincent (2003) and End of Amnesia (2001), but I have not been very impressed with Ward's recent partnership with Zooey Deschanel in She and Him (which is not even grammatically correct). On the endorsement of the fan in this account, I will have to give more ear-time to his latest full-length, Post-War (2006).

~alt-gramma~

M. Ward

I have to admit I was never a big M. Ward fan prior to this concert, and the only reason I was there for his set was to get a good seat to see Jenny Lewis’ set immediately following his. I sat beside a young couple, who happened to be from my home state of Mississippi. They live in Cleveland, MS and were very nice. The guy was a big M. Ward fan, and considered seeing his set the significant single moment of this entire festival (what an endorsement).

Afterwards he said M. Ward played songs mainly from his latest Post-War CD, both solo and with a backing band. When I got back from Austin I purchased some songs from Post-War, and they’re very good. So I’m beginning to get into him (better late than never).

Despite a pretty good set from him and his band, there were sound problems (bass and electric guitar feedback) that were never resolved. Before the set started the sound guys worked quite awhile, not getting it right, and delayed the set’s start by 15 minutes, which in turn delayed the start of Jenny Lewis’ set.



The Set list included:
• Roller Coaster (the only Post-War song I recognized simply by the title)
and other songs ("Poison Cup," Chinese Translation," "Requiem," and "Right In the Head") from Post-War
and
• Story of an Artist (Daniel Johnston cover) (from KEXP): Cool cover song.
FYI: I once saw Daniel Johnston in concert in the early 90’s at an independent music festival in Dallas (but that’s another story).

MySpace | Website | Label: Merge Records
Buy at M. Ward Store, Amazon.com, and eMusic

My brother Uncle T attended Austin City Limits the last weekend of September, and boy am I jealous! But he did bring back photos and reviews to share, so I'll be posting these for the next few days. I am always glad to know what music Uncle T is following. Our tastes are a bit different, so he often introduces me to artists I haven't been paying attention to.

That's why I am going to start this short series with Uncle T's review of Jenny Lewis. Her work with the Watson Twins in 2006 did not excite me, so I was ready to ignore Lewis's latest album. But I have been won over by a couple of the songs Uncle T reviewed here. I really like "Acid Tongue" and "Carpetbaggers." The rest of this post is from Uncle T from his first day at ACL 2008.

~alt-gramma~

Jenny Lewis

Jenny Lewis with Johnathan Rice
This excellent set consisted of songs mostly from her new CD Acid Tongue. She came out looking way cool in sun glasses and a hat, short-shorts with suspenders over a tie-died tank top, playing piano and singing the rousing first song. When she flashed the crowd a quick side smile, the audience went nuts. The show took off into the stratosphere from there.

She had a commanding but relaxed stage presence. It was very hot, even under a roof, and she drank a beer or two between songs but that never impacted her performance. She sang with an amazing vocal range, and her band was top notch. She simply has “it”. She’s one of the best singer-songwriters around in my book, and that set only solidified that position.



Band members:
• Jenny Lewis: lead vocals, guitar, piano
• Johnathan Rice: acoustic Guitar, vocals; Jenny’s boyfriend of the past couple of years
• Farmer Dave Scher: pedal steel guitar; he also dispenses free advice on Jenny’s Website (just “Ask Farmer Dave”)
• Blake Mills: guitar
• Jonathan Wilson: bass (also performs as a solo act)
• Barbara Gruska: drums (a really good drummer)

Set list included (in this general order):
• Jack Killed Mom: I thought this was an odd song to open with, but when the band slammed into the gospel sounding chorus they proved me wrong. Great start to a great show.
• Rise Up With Fists!!! : She played this favorite from her first solo CD next. Great song.
• Bad Man’s World: She dedicated this new song to John McCain. Lovely.
• Acid Tongue: She played acoustic guitar on this song, the title cut from her latest CD. It went over very well in concert.
• You Are What You Love: She remained on acoustic, with her entire band to the left of her around a microphone singing the chorus.
•The Charging Sky: Next was this nice song from her first solo CD, with great pedal steel introduction from Farmer Dave.

Jenny left the stage at this point (probably to cool down a bit), and Johnathan Rice humorously introduced the band as they played their instruments “between song style”. The music eventually morphed into the next song when Jenny came back front-and-center to sing it. This one’s a tempo changing rocker from the new CD, and it was great live.

•Next Messiah
•Carpetbaggers: I love this new song with a catchy Byrdsy guitar hook, and they did it perfect. Johnathan Rice sang the part Elvis Costello did on the CD. Excellent.
•Love Hurts (Roy Orbison cover): She and Johnathan did this together, which was reminiscent of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris’ great version. Magical, with Jenny’s vocals hitting new heights.
•See Fernando: They ended the set with this rollicking new song. Great again.

Afterwards the band took a collective bow and exited to loud applause. What a wonderful set.

MySpace | Website | Label: Warner Brothers
Buy at Amazon.com
Show Schedule:
Jenny Lewis is on tour in Europe during the early part of October before a West Coast tour in the second half of the month.

Look for more on ACL 2008 from Uncle T soon.

PSST. Hey, you. Yeah, you! Come over here. Look. You want some free music? Yeah, really! No, there's no gimmick. It didn't fall off a truck, I swear. The guy is giving it away. Yes, it's good! I really mean it. You read about somebody being the next Elliott Smith, but this time it's believable.

Eerie is mostly Eric Obo, a secretive kind of guy who lives in Gothenburg, Sweden, a few months a year and in the Jersey, Channel Islands, the rest of the time. He and a few close friends have created some really beautiful music and made it available for the rest of us to enjoy.

This year Eerie has releasead two EPs of sweet, sad, soft, lovely shoegaze of drum machines, reverbs, and electric guitar that can be downloaded at Komakino Records. The latest is called May In Winter, and according to Eerie's MySpace page, more will be coming. There is already a nice one called "Use Your Desillusion." See if this little taste doesn't make you want more. It's ALL this good.

Eerie: The Arrow from May In Winter, featuring Kristoffer Svärd on accordion
Eerie: In the Twinkle of an Eye from Eerie EP

MySpace | Website | Label: Komakino Records
Free download: Komakino Records

Photo by Nancy Neil
The heat wave finally broke today, and a welcome fall breeze is coming down the hill and through the house. This post is going to be short (and late) because He Might Be Giant is coming to spend the weekend, and I have to do some fast cleaning.

I enjoyed Music Under Fire's post about the songs used in those Geico commercials with the cavemen. I don't watch much TV, but even I have seen a couple of those.

Check Monday's post at Lost In Your Inbox where Marcy suggests making a donation to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's name. Great idea, and all the info is in the post.

Can You See the Sunset expresses his disappointment with his new iPhone.

Thanks, Captain Obvious has news on the new Rosebuds album, Life Like. He also has a video of Fleet Foxes, featuring Robin Pecknold and Josh Tillman in the back of a cab, covering Judee Sill's "Crayon Angels," which I saw them play in June at the Echo. Wonderful!

Contrast Podcast #131 features songs with sound effects. My choice was the Acorn's "Plates and Saucers," with its rattling dishware.

Midlake: Roscoe (acoustic) from Oak and Julian EP (2007) [Buy]
Chrissie Hynde: Talk of the Town - live, acoustic - Listen to podcast on KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic
The Acorn: Plates and Saucers from Blankets EP (2005) [Buy]
Franz Ferdinand: Walk Away - acoustic (2006)

Uncle T gave me Calexico's Garden Ruin for Christmas in 2006, and I tried but I could never get into it. I liked a few of Calexico's songs, but I had only a passing interest up till then. Nonetheless, I took a chance and downloaded Carried To Dust on the basis of the official single, "Two Silver Trees" and found that not only do I keep liking that song better the more I hear it, the fifteen songs on this album are much more what I have wanted to hear.

Musically, Carried To Dust puts the Mexico part back in Calexico, with the return of warm, brassy horns and fluid, Latin-influenced guitars. "Two Silver Trees" shimmers like tinsel. One of the big differences between this album and Garden Ruin was that the whole band was not present the entire time of recording. Instead, founders Joey Burns (vocals, guitar) and John Convertino (drums, percussion) worked by themselves and brought in the other musicians only as they were needed. I think this creates a more focused album as a result.

Thematically, the album embarks on a road trip across southern California, which couldn't please me more, since this is familiar scenery to me. I have not found a source for lyrics yet, so you'll have to put up with what I think the words are. The song "Victor Jara's Hands" refers to the Chilean folkloric artist whose hands were broken when he was tortured after a military coupe overthrew Salvador Allende--way too long a story to tell here--but the Spanish part sets the theme of a journey to the unseen and finding one's destiny in surprising places.

I may be projecting on this, but to me "Two Silver Trees" is about the deep connections between the U.S. and Mexico that cannot be uprooted by conservative elements like Militia. We share history, people, language (yes!), food, and we share water. We must work together to keep our two silver trees from dying. "False sense of warning/no poison cup/Just deception crawlin up like a sneak/Decay of the blossoms in roots well-hacked/Spoil the hidden waters dyin' at the base/Two worlds in need/two silver trees."

"Writer's Minor Holiday" takes its storyline from last fall's writers' strike, as the title character heads up to a cabin in the San Bernardino Mountains. "Man-Made Lake" is a plea for the return of communication: And I'll gather the leaves from the cell phone trees/And return them to their place/And pretend someone's calling for me." The gorgeous "Inpiracion" replies with a lament in Spanish about the pain of separation that reminds us of all those who are separated--by an international border, a war, or a destructive hurricane. Jairo Zavala and Amparo Sanchez (of Amparanoia) contribute the vocals on that one.

"Dialing in a forgotten voice"--"House of Valparaiso" is one of my favorites on this album, with its samba beat and vocals like a haunting voice on the wind. Sam Beam appears on it to further their work together that began with Iron and Wine's In the Reins. "Bend in the Road" is another favorite, and it keeps up the road trip theme beautifully. "El Gatillo" is a desert-heat instrumental in the mold of "Tres Avisos" from Hot Rail (2000).

"Fractured Air" begins with spoken word over an ominous, rumbling melody underlined by the lines of the horns. "Red Blooms" brings the traveler to a city (surprise--Moscow!) where "Strangers plant themselves down in the cold hard ground" and there are shadows drinkin' antifreeze beneath the underpass." But hope prevails because "When February thaws, snowdrops will be in bloom again", accompanied by the swell of synths.

Not every song is a complete winner. "Slowness" is...slow...but does have the lovely voice of Canadian singer Pieta Brown to hold the listener's attention. "Contention City" is beautiful but kind of cold. But taken as a whole, the album is vibrant and satisfying and very sweet listening. One drawback to the digital download is that you don't get the Calexico air freshener that comes with the physical CD.

I am extremely sad that I missed Calexico's show at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood Monday night. Uncle T says they are even better in concert than they are on record, and that's saying a lot.

House of Valparaiso from Carried to Dust (2008)
Two Silver Trees from Carried to Dust (2008)
Convict Pool from Convict Pool (2004)
Quattro (World Drifts In) from Feast of Wire (2003)

Calexico also includes:
Paul Niehaus - pedal steel, guitar
Jacob Valenzuela - keys, trumpet, vibes
Martin Wenk - accordion, guitar, synthesizers, trumpet, vibes
Volker Zander - upright + electric bass

MySpace | Casa de Calexico | Label: Touch and Go Records
Buy at Touch and Go/Quarterstick Records