Captains Dead

as y’all know i am a huge, huge, huge whitley fan, and i want this to get made or at least distributed. they have a hefty goal, but dammit if the internets cant do it, no one can. chris’ music meant a lot to me, and it really pains me to see some of these clips, but still i/we need to see it.

flyer stolen from vintage richmond

top of the day! that flyer is not this show, but from the time period. dont have much time as i actually have “work” to do, but i had a request for this superchunk show which took place on 2.11.92 at the whisky a go go. this performance was actually them opening up for hole. that would have been an interesting crowd. buy superchunk stuff via merge.

1. skip steps 1 & 3
2. cast iron
3. brand new love
4. new low
5. tie a rope to the back of the bus
6. binding
7. slack motherfucker
8. mower
9. cool
10. the breadman
11. for tension
12. fishing
13. throwing things

in my humblest of opinions, i dont believe there are many artists out there that put out extraordinary material as much as joe o’connell aka elephant micah does on a consistent basis. i dont know how many people are aware of his work, but they should be. in fact i believe i did a “you should be listening to elephant micah” post a couple years back. hopefully, at least a few of you took the plunge.

well, mr o’connell and his elephant micah has a spectacular new record out, came out yesterday i believe, entitled louder than thou. after more than a few listens, me thinks its his most straight forward release. where the focus is on the songs, and not on “artistic” noodlings. it still has everything you have come to excect from an elephant micah release, but this one seems as a reach to grab a bigger fan base, which i cant fault him at all for that. maybe that wasnt his design when he set out to record louder than thou, but i can definitely see this reaching a larger audience. this guy and his vast back catalogue needs to be heard.

check out all of his releases here via product of palmyra

if i were a surfer off louder than thou
both of these off elephant micah and the agrarian malaise
malaysia
dont say no

here we meet again. so, mr mangum is doin some dates. not many dates, mind you, but enough to get some really smart people to spend their hard earned cash to travel to these dates. maybe its just me, and it just may be, but i was a huge, huge, huge fan of neutral milk hotel in my 20′s, but now that im on the wrong side of 35, they/he just doesnt ring the same bell as they used to. sure, its still great stuff, but it just doesnt speak to me the way it used to. this time 10 years ago, aeroplane over the sea was probably in my top 10 favorite records, now, not even in my top 50, for some reason. eh, still, when i do listen to anything mangum related, i love it, just not in an every day type of way i used to.

here they are playing at the broad river outpost in danielsville, ga on 9.14.97.

1. naomi, etc…
2. tuesday moon
3. king of carrot flowers, etc…
4. message sent
5. gardenhead, etc…

i really, really hate when this happens. an artist i really dig releases a record, and i am none the wiser. in this case its zoe muth and the lost high rollers’ starlight hotel which was released all the way back in april of 2011. seriously? how did this fly under my radar? some pr person isnt doin their job! or maybe im just not up on the music blogosphere? either way, im into listen number 3, and this could have easily been in my top 14 of 2011. so, so great.

i absolutely adore her voice and lyrical combo. she’s like a chick, woman – im sorry, that could be your best drinking buddy. always giving ya the real deal, no bullshit. you want the truth, look no further than zoe muth and this is why, lyrically, this is one of the better records i have heard in a year or two. i could talk about zoe all day, but her band is top notch and a perfect compliment for what she’s delivering. the album is filled with pedal steel, horns, dobro, some lovely backing haromonies, mandolin, etc. all the shit that i eat up like el famous burrito’s 3 taco diner plate. so highly recommended!

buy starlight hotel via amazon

before the night is gone

for some damn reason during my 3 year stint in nola i didnt go to jazz fest. its not for lack of trying, but it just never worked out in my favor. well, this year its gonna happen as bruce and the rest of the gang are playing said fest on 4.29 – which i believe closes out the first weekend. i cant wait, but also i know its gonna be a fuckin madhouse. still im sure its gonna be awesome.

1. jazz musician
2. southern son
3. its hard to be a saint in the city
4. no need
5. if i was the priest
6. vibes man
7. henry boy
8. she’s leaving #1
9. she’s leaving #2
10. tokyo
11. song of the orphans
12. the lady and the doctor
13. cowboys of the sea

im gonna preface this by stating that i am only a man, and being the heterosexual man that i am, i am drawn to women; especially lovely women you can sing, and play guitar. so, i have zero shame in saying what drew me to listen to ponyboy’s music is that she’s quite an attractive young lady. but, and this is a huge but, it doesnt mean shit if her music doesnt back it up. luckily for all of us, from what i have heard, it does…. ive only heard a handful of songs, but she’s kind some smokey pipes reminiscent of chan marshall but with more a whisky soaked southern lilt – or at least it sounds southern. although, she may be from los angeles? at this point she’s an enigma wrapped in a riddle as i dont know anything about her, and actually thats ok with me. i dont even know if its ponyboy or pony boy? shes got a bunch of tracks streaming on her site, and all of them are pretty damn great. i really, really look forward to hearing more from her aka a full record, and it sounds like it may be in the works. i dont say this often, but she could be huge.

saints & liars

as with the first edition, these are just a bunch of videos from youtube, duh!, that i have been diggin on lately. enjoy…

from their reunion show! awesome…

what a way to end the week! here be a track from lucero’s upcoming ato release, women & work, which is due out on 3.13.12. they’re following up the release with a pretty big tour which hits new orleans on 3.11 at tipitina’s with william elliott whitmore opening up. thats a musicgasm lineup right there… this premiered earlier today on rolling stone where you can read a little bit more about the record. i take that back, i dont know if it premiered there, but thats where i stole it from. make sure you hit the link up there to check out all the dates.

sometimes

i hadnt planned on talking about the new craig finn record, clear heart full eyes – due out next week, cause i figured just about every other blog had talked about it already. maybe they have, maybe they havent? honestly i dont check these things, but sometimes i just hate adding to the noise. what changed my mind? actually listening to it. admittedly, i wasnt a huge fan of the last two hold steady records, and was just a lil leery of a finn solo record. sure, the guy is responsible for 3 of my favorite records of the 2000′s – almost killed me, separation sunday and boys and girls in america, but i didnt want to be let down again. crazy how a person can create magic, see those three records, then create two duds, imo, and all i remember are the duds. i know im not the only one who pulls this kind of shit. it isnt fair, but hey kids! life aint….

anyway, i am really, really diggin it. its no hold steady record, thats for sure, and actually at this point in his career i may like this finn better. the hold steady is great, i am not argue with anyone about that, but maybe its time to hang up that persona, at least for now, and go with this more subdued craig finn? one of my least favorite music critics, jim dero – have hated him for like 20 years, said in his review that the songs “play as watered-down versions of the Hold Steady’s rock-roll roar…” totally moronic take on the songs, imo. yeah when bruce does an acoustic version of “thunder road” it sounds like a tired, boring version of the e street band version. solid logic. if you find the hold steady a little too anthemic or boombastic for your taste, you should find this version of mr finn to your liking. number two addition to the best of 2012 list……

its streaming now on npr which you kind find by clicking here

buy clear heart full eyes via amazon

honolulu blues

a lot of sites have “gone black” today in opposition to sopa, which if dont know what i am talking about that video down there breaks it down very well. i thought about not posting, but why censor myself, when others are trying to do the same thing. if anything, i think some folks should be posting more, maybe pushing some limits. these limits not being in an “illegal” fashion, but something outside the norm. im probably talkin out of my ass, as per usual. but, after watching that video, you’ll understand in what a super grey area my site along with a lot of other music blogs travel through and if this thing passes, say bye bye to most of us, including yours truly.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

honestly, i have never heard fiona apple’s debut record, or her second, but her third record, extraordinary machine, admittedly, is really freakin good. the actual commercial release is good, but if you can find the jon brion mixed version thats where its at. it is leaps and bounds better than said official release and in secret have been listening to it almost weekly since 2005. i havent been able to find a apple show from that era but here’s a nice fm broadcast from what the title suggests.

1. the child is gone
2. sullen girl
3. sleep to dream
4. the first taste
5. sitting in limbo
6. slow like honey
7. shadowboxer
8. pale september
9. criminal
10. carrion
11. never is a promise
12. use me
13. angel

holy, effin crap! i seriously have been waiting on a new jealous sound record since kill them with kindness which was released in what, 2003? i dont know what the hell happened during the past 9 years? nor do i think i want to know, or need to know, but i am very very psyched to listen to this. havent listened to the single yet which somehow has been up on soundcloud for 3 months without my knowledge? crazy talk! getting back to that record, i cant recommend it enough, or any of knapsack’s records which was blair shehan’s previous band – blair being the lead singer/guitarist. the new record entitled a gentle reminder is due out on 1.31 on music is subjective. im only two songs in, but thus far loving it. 9 years is a long time, i was 27 when kill them came out, and i know i have changed a lot since then. so, it only makes sense that some of the angsty/anxiety-ridden songs that filled their debut would be replaced with a man/band who are more comfortable with their place in the world. either way, im just happy their back.

buy kill them with kindness via amazon

Your Eyes Were Shining by The Jealous Sound

hey, howdy, hi! in case y’all were wondering, yes, i am still watching parking wars. this thing has me sucked in like nothing else. i blame it on this massive head cold i am suffering through for my lack of better judgment or, to be honest, my taste in tv shows/movies arent really on par with my taste in music. anyway, here is exactly what the title suggests. got a request for this to be re-upped, and here it is….

thanks to the original taper….

the whole thing/a>

1. in circles
2. pillars
3. guitars and video games
4. the blankets were the stairs
5. every shining time you arrive
6. 100 million
7. dont know
8. the prophet
9. how it feels to be something on
10. rodeo jones
11. j’nuh
12. roses in water
13. days were golden

top of the day! on day two of my parking wars obsession. first it started with storage wars, and ran through those 19 episodes in a day, and then i found this crazy ass show. as a person who has gotten the boot before, i take full responsibility for my, or actually my wifes actions. of course we had like some 600 bucks in unpaid tickets, but damn, philly gives people 3 tickets and then the boot? crazy!

anywho, this matthew sweet boot commonly referred to as shape shifter was recorded live at grant park in chicago on the 4th of july in 1993. saw most of this performance, remember some of it, and not sure how i got home?

1. dinosaur act
2. i wanted to tell you
3. the ugly truth
4. someone to pull the trigger
5. girlfriend
6. do it again
7. in too deep
8. day for night
9. evangeline
10. reaching out
11. devil with the green eyes
12. knowing people
13. divine intervention
14. does she talk
15. time capsule
16. crippled inside
17. i want you

top of the sunday morning, y’all! today is really a bummer, i must admit. my football season is over. of course my bears were never really a factor, well they were until cutler got hurt, but now that the saints lost, its done. sure, ill still watch the games, but my give a shit level is pretty low. much credit to the niners, man. never thought they had a chance, but as per usual what the hell do i know?

oh, and couch by couchwest is starting back up shortly. there has been a facebook fan page created where you can find info and such.

here is a repost of the lemonheads playing at the taste of chicago on the 4th of july in 94. its the xrt radio broadcast. oh and they are playing baton rouge on 2.14 at spanish moon and then 2.15 at one eyed jacks in new orleans. make sure you go check em out, and here are all the tour dates.

1. down about it
2. rest assured
3. shame about ray
4. rockin stroll
5. favorite t
6. hannah & gabbi
7. ride with me
8. big gay heart
9. buddy
10. kitchen
11. into your arms
12. allison is starting to happen
13. great big no
14. paid to smile
15. its about time
16. confetti
17. dawn cant decide
18. you can take it with you
19. being around
20. rudderless

somehow i came across aloha’s 2004 here comes everyone, and of course when i say somehow i just dont ever remember buying it, but it just ended up in my collection. if it were a year earlier, i would have blamed my drunken stumblings into my local chicago record stores, but in 04 we were in atlanta and my drunken stumblings through city streets had come to an end (sad face.) maybe i picked it up at criminal records? maybe i downloaded it illegally? i just dont remember?

what i do remember is being totally enamored by it, and really still am. it’s not a pop record, but they definitely have poppy leanings, its not an art-rock record, but thats definitely evident, they and the record are just a mixed bag of influences. usually when a record is a mixed bag, it usually means it disjointed and unfocused, but the men of aloha know how to reel in their influences and make one amazing cohesive sound. i dont remember what my top ten of 04 looked like, but i am pretty damn sure this was near the top.

amazon has here comes everyone for a paltry 5 bucks. definitely worth it…

all the wars

photo by sandy kim

admittedly, i have just recently gotten into cass mccombs, even though i believe i have posted about him in the past. sometimes when i post stuff, i dont actually getting around to an entire record – sadly, happens more often than not. either way, been digging his two 2011 releases wit’s end and humor risk. well, as the headline suggests he’s coming to new orleans on monday, january 16 – this monday, and is playing at one eyed jacks. you can win a pair of tickets to the show by just leaving a comment tween now and monday, and ill have my three year old pick out her favorite commenter.

Cass McCombs – Bradley Manning by DominoRecordCo

i go through phases in which i envision what my record, if i ever made one, would sound like. my main goal would be to create an acoustic version of it takes a nation of millions to hold us back, but that would require a lot of work, none of which i am prepared to tackle. but, damn, i have been wanting to do something like that for years. when i say years, im talking like at least ten. maybe this decade?

then there are records, free ones at that, like some dark holler’s debut ep, that sound more manageable to accomplish. that is 1. i had talent 2. i had a good voice 3. i had a lovely female accompaniment and 4. everything else that goes into making a record. what they’ve created is definitely in my wheelhouse of what “my record” would sound like. enough about my hopes and dreams, and lets talk about some dark holler’s ep. they got all that i mentioned above, and then some. this is perfect soundtrack for sitting on the back porch, middle of the night, drinking some beers, smoking and enjoying a good rain as it dances across the tin roof. even if that particular situation doesnt present itself, its still a damn fine record/ep and is more than worth your time. oh, and yeah its free, and even if it werent it would be worth whatever the hell theyre charging. grab it here via this is america music.

sweet red wine

Sweet Red Wine from Brad Fleming on Vimeo.

so excited for this, which is due out on 3.27 via bloodshot and the single can be downloaded by visiting here.

filmed backstage and the civic opera house in chicago in december… awesomeness