Articles from Berkeley Place-A lil' bit of BK from VA |
THE TRIPWIRES-”Makes You Look Around”
2007-11-21 03:57:33
Remember the awesomeness that was Nick Lowe, circa 1979? The blazing riffs and sheer muscle of Dave Edmunds? The pop-with-attitude of Elvis Costello, before he became an old-man-singing-slow-classical-doldrummy-bore?
Well, if you look back on those days with happy nostalgia, I’ve got a band to recommend. No, scratch that. I’ve got a band that I insist you listen to.
The Tripwires, on Paisley Pop Records, are fucking awesome. “Makes You Look Around” gets an eleven on a scale of one to ten. John Ramberg (Model Rockets, Minus 5), Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3, R.E.M.), and sometime REM drummer Bill Rieflin, have teamed up to make an incredibly good rock/pop record, that has the jangle of the Byrds, the grind of R.E.M. . . . And all the best things in guitar rock. Other contributors on the record include Johnny Sangster (engineer for Mudhoney,The Posies), Jim Sangster (Young Fresh Fellows, Sgt Major, The Picketts ...
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10 REASONS THE EELS ARE A GREAT COVER BAND
2007-11-20 04:48:56
I loves me some eel. Whether it’s unagi nigiri or wrapped up in some cool little rice rolls, or playing on my stereo with all its unforced, ironic brilliance.
1. Sweet Home Alabama. This one is way too short, but it’s cool to hear it on the piano. Makes me think of Warren Zevon.
2. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man (Prince). This song has been covered by quite a few folks, and I love it every time.
3. Sixteen Tons.
4. Can’t Help Falling In Love
5. Livin’ Life (Daniel Johnston)
6. Lone Wolf/Stairway to Heaven.
7. Get UR Freak On (Missy Elliot).
8. Dead Flowers (Rolling Stones). A bit conventional–I mean, who hasn’t done this tune–but cool nonetheless.
9. I’m a Loser (John Lennon).
10. La Grange (ZZ Top)
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Want more?
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SAUL WILLIAMS-“ The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!”
2007-11-20 04:05:10
I’ve blogged on this album a few times already, but that was all about the distribution concept and not about the content. Upstate N.Y.’s Saul Williams, best known for his impressive role in the 1998 film “Slam,” chose to give his latest release away, just like Radiohead. Record execs, you may recall, scoffed at Radiohead’s effort saying that the band had already benefited from a decade of major label backing by developing a fanbase. So Saul, an underground backpacker with a small following and a few shots on MTV’s Subterranean, put that theory to the test. I don’t know how successful it’s been, but in my case I downloaded the record for free. Then I finally listened to it. I went back, downloaded it again, and this time I paid for it. (Those who pony up at least $5 benefit from 320kbps MP3 version or lossless FLAC version.)
Saul Williams, an artist in the tradition of The Fugees, Lyrics Born, Blackalicious, BDP, and the like, pushes the boundaries of his chosen ...
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WEST INDIAN GIRL/TANK THEORY-THE GIVEAWAY!
2007-11-19 18:09:42
Another great giveaway! A great CD from West Indian Girl
(”4th and Wall”-reviewed here)
and a great T-Shirt from Tank Theory.
For those who don’t remember what I wrote about West Indian Girl, and are too lazy to link back to it, you can sample it here.
“To Die In LA“
So, how do you win? Simple! Go here and provide a list of at least 10 nominees for best cover song of the Century (so far). One entry per reader. I’ll pick a winner in a week, and get your address from you if you’re it.
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10 REASONS I LIKE DAVID BOWIE COVERS
2007-11-19 03:47:19
Don’t forget to go here, gimme a list of you favorite covers of this Century (so far), and get a chance to win some Johnny Cash DVDs (among other prizes).
1. Let’s Dance-Smashing Pumpkins
2. Moonage Daydream-White Stripes
3. Heroes-Yo La Tengo
4. The Man Who Sold the World-Alejandro Escovedo
5. Moonage Daydream-Of Montreal
6. Moonage Daydream-Low vs. Diamond
7. Jean Genie-Smashing Pumpkins
8. Let’s Dance-The Futureheads
9. Ashes to Ashes (digital spacepop replicant)-Lassigue Bendthaus
10. Life on Mars-L’Aura
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HYPE MACHINE WHORING
2007-11-18 09:12:25
Skttrbrain (Four Tet remix)-Radiohead
Emma Kate’s Accident [Weekend in the City Bonus Track]-Bloc Party
Without Love (Nick Lowe cover)-Johnny Cash
Tears of a Clown-Cat Power (live)
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HUGE CASH GIVEAWAY
2007-11-18 06:57:45
Over the years, I’ve given away a lot of stuff here at the corner: CDs, DVDs, T-Shirts . . . But this is the first time I’ve given away Cash. Johnny Cash, that is. On November 13th, Shout! Factory will release two Johnny Cash Christmas Special DVDs, originally (and exclusively) broadcast way back in 1976 and ’77.
The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976 features Johnny giving Tony Orlando a tour of his property, and performances like Tony, Johnny, and June Carter Cash doing, “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree”; JC doing “That Lucky Old Sun”; Merle Travis doing “Cannonball Rag”; and other performances by Roy Clark,
the Carter Family, Barbara Mandrell, and, of course, Johnny.
The kitsch value of the ’76 show is only slightly surpassed by The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1977, which includes an all-star tribute to Elvis Presley (who died just two months earlier), and features a virtual Sun Records who’s who, including Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbi ...
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K-RINO-“Book Number 7”
2007-11-17 05:09:03
K-Rino is Houston’s great[est?] MC, a 20-year veteran of the rap game and self-professed “worst rapper alive.” His new album, on Black Book Int’l, is a fiery independent conscious album that begins with a rapid fire “intro” track that immediately proves his skill. How many guys out there can roll phrases like “uncontrollable scoliosis plus liver cirrhosis” without a break, stumble or pause?
It’s not always clear from whence K-Rino’s inspiration is drawn: “Amensia” tells a gritty story of a man who wakes up in the hospital with no memory, but the listener can’t help but think that this is an allegory for racial consciousness. “Imagination” is also metaphysical, discussing the genetic origins of various characters . . . A science rhyme, performed by a gangsta. I’d bet you won’t hear songs like this anywhere else.
Many tracks are like that—unique and eclectic to the extreme–but others, like the triumph, “Raised In The Dead End”, tell a ...
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THE GREATEST COVERS . . . CONTINUED
2007-11-16 17:18:51
Zack from All Things Go sent me a top 10 list that’s damn close to a list I could see myself making (absent the Sufjan, natch), so I thought I’d share it with you. Remember, if you give me a list by e-mail or by dropping a comment here, you’ll be entered to win some cool swag. And you’ll be taking part in making history!
Here’s Zack’s top 10:
1. The Shins - We Will Become Silhouettes (Postal Service Cover)
2. Britt Daniel (of Spoon) - Bring it Home to Me (Sam Cooke Cover)
3. Gary Jules - Mad World (Tears for Fears Cover)
4. Kate Nash - Flourescent Adolescent (Arctic Monkeys Cover)
5. Islands - Waterloo Sunset (The Kinks Cover)
6. Sufjan Stevens - Free Man in Paris (Joni Mitchell Cover)
7. Klaxons - No Diggity (Blackstreet Cover)
8. The Strokes - Take a Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed Cover)
9. Jose Gonzalez - Crosses (The Knife Cover)
10. Feist - Sea Lion Woman (Nina Simone Cover)
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ANDY SWAN-Ottawa
2007-11-16 17:10:09
I’ve written often here about the virtually unknown but completely awesome The Michael Parks (a.k.a. Detective Kalita), whose self-titled album is a rare example of a gentle indie album that I return to year after year. If you have a few bucks to drop on some beautiful music, go to Kelp Records’ site and get The Michael Parks. And if you’ve got a few more bucks, check out Andy Swan’s latest iteration, using his own name now, the country-tinged “Ottawa.” The first thing I thought of when I first heard it was Kris Kristofferson, and I was delighted to see that Blade’s familiar is indeed cited in the press release, along with George Jones. Ottawa is an all-too-brief collection of 13 songs, most clocking in at about 3 minutes, and each is a succinct, perfectly crafted tune. The label offers two songs for download, and although I really enjoy “Can I Pay You With Sunshine,” I think “Maybe It’s Love” is the killer tr ...
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THE BEST COVERS OF THE CENTURY . . . So far
2007-11-15 18:29:41
Time for another reader participation post! I’m looking to find the best cover version of the double-ohs, so far. Is it Jonathan Coulton’s revelatory, “Baby Got Back”? Is it Petra Haden’s brilliant accapella “Don’t Stop Believin’”? It can’t possibly be The Hold Steady’s Led Zeppellin butchery, “Hey Hey What Can I Do?”, which gets the worst-cover-by-a-great-band award from me. . .
Send me a list, via either a comment or by e-mailing me at ekalett(at)yahoo(dot)com, of up to 20 of your picks for best cover song of the century. The rules are:
1. The song must be a recognizable cover (in other words, although Bruce Springsteen wrote “Light of Day,” he did it for Joan Jett, so neither of them could really have “covered” the song).
2. It must have come out after January 1, 2000.
3. It can be a live cover or a studio one, whatever you like.
Bonus:
Everyone who e-mails me at least 10 se ...
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10 MORE REASONS I LOVE LED ZEP COVERS
2007-11-15 03:32:49
1. Whole Lotta Love-Prince (Acoustic, live version)
2. Hey Hey What Can I Do?-The Hold Steady. Possibly the worst cover by a great band, ever.
3. Black Dog-David Gray
4. Stairway to Heaven-Rodrigo Y Gabriela
5. Whole Lotta Love/Thank You-Tori Amos
6. The Ocean-Soulive
7. Stairway to Heaven-Neil Pepper
8. Dazed and Confused-Rose Hill Drive
9. Whole Lotta Love-Cato Salsa Experience and The Thing with Joe McPhee
10. Drop it like it’s a whole lotta Led Zep-Snoop Dogg. Probably one of my all-time favorite mashes.
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VAMPIRE WEEKEND
2007-11-14 04:01:23
St8 outta B’klyn (or at least Columbia University), Vampire Weekend are getting tons of blog love these days, mostly based on their Blue CD-R demo. We weren’t one of the gifted few who actually received a copy of the CD from VW’s powers-that-be . . . Here on this humble streetcorner, we don’t get much recognition and we don’t get blog awards. Others have the guns, but we got the numbers. So, when the supply truck drove by, we jacked a copy. The band has said in press interviews that it supports the communal blognature of publicity and mp3s these days, so I wanted to jump on the bandwagon and show them some support.
On it, we found ten crisp pop tunes that preview their upcoming official release (slated for early ‘08). We were bowled over by songs like “Boston,” with its great karate-chop riff and wonderfully lively drumming; the heavily blogged-on Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, a simpler song that could easily have been written by Donovan ( ...
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BLITZEN TRAPPER-”Wild Mountain Nation”
2007-11-13 04:20:07
The opening of “Wild Mountain Nation” is decidedly misleading. It’s a straightforward power chord, leading into what sounds like a tribute to a ’60s golden nugget. The next song,”Devil’s A-Go-Go” takes you a little farther down the same track, but hints of dischord and rhythmic stumbles take you out of pop and into experimental rock–and force the listener to take notice. Brilliantly, the album continues to deconstruct, even as it takes detours though facially straightforward twee like “Futures and Folly” (in which the lyrics compare “my love” to a “cloudless rain,” whatever that means).
Blitzen Trapper never seem to get tired of challenging the listener’s expectations, bouncing through all forms of retro rock: From Glam Pop (”Murder Babe”) to early Pink Floyd (”Woof and Warp”), from the garage psychedelics of Moby Grape (”Sci Fi Kid”) all the way to the oddba ...
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