Articles from Berkeley Place-A lil' bit of BK from VA |
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS-”Brighter Than Creation’s Dark”
2008-01-23 03:07:15
It’s finally here! I’ve got my grubby hands on a copy of Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, and it was worth the wait. At 19 songs, you might at first think it’s bloated. You’d be a little right, but not too much so. You might also worry because the band is so different now. There, your fears are baseless. Patterson Hood is still there, of course, as is Mike Cooley. Jason Isbell is gone. But, in the divorce, the DBTs got Shonna Tucker (Jason’s ex-wife). Although Isbell’s solo album, released last year, was a fine record, the Drive-By Truckers clearly got the better end of the deal. Also new to the band are John Neff on Pedal Steel, Mussel Shoal’s session keyboardist Spooner Oldham (who worked on When a Man Loves a Woman with Percy Sledge, and songs with Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin, to name a few), and the best addition of all, Jason Isbell’s former girl, Shonna Tucker. From the opening track, Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wif ...
|
BON IVER-“For Emma, Forever Ago”
2008-01-22 16:31:48
Last year, Wisconsin born-and-bred Justin Vernon (formerly of DeYarmond Edison) released, D.I.Y., his first album as Bon Iver. It sold out quick and is out of print, but I managed to hear a copy back in December, too late for my best of ’07 lists (although one commenter on the page did shame me for not including the album). But I did my research and found that Bon Iver had been bought up by the greatest indie label around, Jagjaguwar, and was set to release in February of 2008. So, I’ll have my chance to include the album on this year’s list.
And it’s pretty much a shoo-in. My first pick for one of the likely absolute best albums of 2008. (Above, if you click the link, you can find all the albums released this year that I think are worth your hard-earned cash.) It’s quiet, thoughtful, haunting, and vocally extraordinary indie rock/folk work that’s been embraced already by CMJ, big-time bloggers like Pitchfork, and reputable newsfolk like The New York Times. And now, ...
|
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS: Anxiously Awaiting
2008-01-22 03:34:18
As I mentioned in yesterday’s cover post, I’m psyched about the new DBT. I’m posting tunes by the band every day until the album is released. Kinda like a hostage watch. This is day two: Rarities.
Dress Blues. A fantastically beautiful song, showcasing the band’s softer side.
Putting People on the Moon (acoustic version)
You Don’t Know Me At All-Bettye LaVette with the DBTS, from her magnificent “Scene of the Crime” release–the 17th best album of 2007.
Panties in Your Purse (live version)
...
|
WHO THE HELL IS BLOCKHEAD?
2008-01-21 18:25:46
Anthony Simon, a.k.a. “Blockhead” is perhaps best known for his work producing Def Jux indie-rap headliner Aesop Rock, but that’s not how I found out about him. (Blockhead was behind all Aesop’s big releases, including Labor Days, Bazooka Tooth, and last year’s None Shall Pass.) I know it reduces my indie cred to near zero, but I’m not a huge Aesop fan—I never dug his flow. I appreciate the Rock’s lyricism, but I rarely if ever find myself wanting to put on one of his albums. No, I found out about Blockhead through one of my favorite blogs, Passion of the Weiss, when Jeff picked “Uncle Tony’s Coloring Book” as one of his favorite releases of 2007. He was right, and I quickly got my hands on Mr. Simon’s complete discography. I come to find out he’s also worked with Cage and with two of my favorite underground rappers, Slug (of Atmosphere) and Murs. Okay, I thought, Block needs a post. A big post. A tribute. To his own work, not to his many songs wi ...
|
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS: ANTICIPATION
2008-01-21 03:53:07
The new DBT album, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, has a January 22 release date, and I can’t wait to hear it. Fortunately, I’m already familiar with most of the songs thanks to the fact that the band has been playing them on the road in a few shows. To whet everyone’s appetites, I’m going to be throwing up DBT posts every day until I get my copy.
Today: Covers!
Give My Love To Rose (Johnny Cash cover)
Every Mother’s Son (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
Rebels (Tom Petty cover)
Summer of 69 Jam (Bryan Adams). At the end, they said, “That was a Bryan. With a B!” Nice smack at the too-too precious Ryan, eh?
Hey Ya (Outkast cover)
State Trooper (Bruce Springsteen cover)
...
|
DAMU THE FUDGEMUNK-”Spare Time” (FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD!)
2008-01-20 05:26:17
If you’re a regular reader and were paying attention, you’ll recall that I picked Y Society’s release as one of the best new indie albums of 2007. If you agreed with me, you’ll be excited by this release by The Fudgemunk (half of Y Society), a crate-digging collection of amazing beats. It’s got everything from jazzy horn-driven beats to murky drum-and-keyboard crawls (”Randi 2006″ is a track I recommend) to backpacker rap over hardcore beats . . . It’s being called an instrumental album, but there’s vocal tracks here as well, and all of them are the essence of what Hip Hop should be. If the major labels would pay attention to music like this, mainstream rap wouldn’t suck and blow so hard.
“Spare Time” is a free release, so you can cop the whole entire thing for the cost of nothing at all. Aaah, free. My favorite flavor!
Readers, please give this a listen and drop a comment about it. This is the kind of art we all ...
Download
|
THE WHIGS-“Mission Control”
2008-01-19 07:15:10
Blowing out your speakers next week should be The Whigs new record, “Mission Control.” Some folks make serious music, others come to party. The Whigs do a little of both, kinda like late-era Replacements, but the emphasis of the music is on powerful beats and heavy riffs. “Mission Control” is a solid album that doesn’t bother taking risks or making statements because it doesn’t have to. As soon as the first track, “Like a Vibration,” began, I was in pig heaven. Or I should say Whig heaven. It begins with one long, expanding, 12-second riff, before the vocals kick in and the stellar drums take control.
There’s so few bar bands making good, solid rock and roll these days that the Whigs are a welcome addition to 2008. If you don’t know The Whigs, you should.
For fans of: Johnny Lives!, Paul Westerberg, The Blakes, Marah, and good-time rock and roll. Oh, and The Foo Fighters, because when my buddy was listening to this, he heard asked me, “Hey! ...
|
BLACK MOUNTAIN-”In the Future”
2008-01-19 04:56:33
I’m sure I’m not alone in this: Black Mountain’s sophmore album, In the Future, was one of my most anticipated albums of 2008. And as luck would have it, it’s piping in my ears right now! Their eponymous first album was an amazing collection of rough-hewn psychedelia (they call it “psych-and-prog-spiritual” in the press release). Southern grunge with extended jams and obscure lyrics: Sort of a Drive-By Truckers for the Deadhead set.
I’m thrilled to report that “In the Future” does not disappoint. “Stormy High,” the first song, is a raucous singalong that’s as good as anything off their first record. “Angels” gets a little lighter, with it’s bright falsetto. “Tyrants” is the first extended jam on the record, a nearly 8-minute opus that erupts out of a whisper-quiet opening, like Black Sabbath covering the Foo Fighters. “Stay Free” is almost pastoral, a sweet surprise ...
|
MAIL
2008-01-18 17:44:43
A quick whip through the mailbag, beginning with a pic of the mailbox I wish I had . . .
Shooting a Rhino Between the Shoulders-Instruments of Science and Technology. New from Richard Swift, on Secretly Canadian, of instrumental music.
One Way Ticket To Rome-Dragged By Horses. Punky rock. Aggressive!!
One of the oddest-named bands, and I have no idea how to say it, offers hot dance remixes of its dance hit, “Rapture.” Yes, that’s right, dance remixes of a dance song. So meta.
Rapture-iiO (Creamer & Stephane K Edit)
Rapture-iiO (Riva Edit)
Albeit-Leaf to Feather. From the band’s debut LP.
M4 Part One-Faunts The Faunts’ EP, “M4,” is a 40 minute release, available at iTunes and eMusic.
The Octagon are excellent and generous. Fantastic Four Tunes! (Please tell me you recognize the above as Stan Lee playing the F4’s mailman, Willie Lumpkin.)
The Octagon - “The Narrow Road to Oku”
The Octagon - Macaca
The Octago ...
|
10 REASONS PAUL WESTERBERG IS A MOTHER-F’IN’ GENIUS
2008-01-18 04:30:28
Rare Westerberg/Replacements cuts:
1. Bundle Up (Demo)-Replacements
2. Color Me Impressed (Replacements cover)/I Wanna Be Sedated (Ramones cover)-Wilco
3. Backlash-Joan Jett and Paul Westerberg. Catch their tremendous duet on “Let’s Do It” from The Tank Girl soundtrack (great CD, terrible movie).
4. California Sun-Replacements
5. Unsatisfied (Replacements cover)-Counting Crows
6. I Think I Love You (David Cassidy cover)-Paul Westerberg
7. Kissing in Action-Replacements
8. Daydream Believer-Paul Westerberg (live)
9. Make Your Own Kind of Music-Paul Westerberg
10. Nowhere Is My Home-The Replacements
...
|
MARAH-“Angels of Destruction!”
2008-01-17 03:59:52
Perhaps in the spirit of Lil’ Wayne’s admonishments to “please say the baby,” Marah’s latest record demands your attention by not just telling you its name—but exclaiming it! Still noticeably influenced by old-time rock and rollers like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, and, of course, Bruce Springsteen, Marah offers another collection of bluesy bar guitar barnburners. I’ve always liked about half a Marah album, but by the time I get to the midway point I’m often ready to change it. This latest release still suffers from a little of the awkward lyricism in that marks many of their songs, but on the whole it hangs together a lot better than any of their earliest efforts. The songs offer enough change from track to track to keep from descending into predictability and, although they’re still not breaking any new ground, this album is the best one so far to communicate the sheer joy of their live shows.
“Angels on a Passing Train” is almos ...
|
NEW COUNTING CROWS!
2008-01-16 19:24:28
I don’t usually post press releases/single mp3s without reviewing them, but this one begs to be heard. I’ve been a Counting Crows fan for years, and I’m psyched to hear their new release, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, due on a major label on March 25. The label has authorized this release, so check it out!
1492
When I Dream of Michelangelo
...
|
ALII VEGAS-America’s Prince
2008-01-16 04:36:02
http://www.myspace.com/alivegas
Ali Vegas has taken the rare step of releasing a mixtape with original production by incredible DJs and producers like Premier and Scott Storch, all in advance of his May album, Generation Gap 2: The Prequel. If you don’t know, Ali is a Queens rapper, just 25 but he’s been rapping since the late 1990s, calling himself the “Prince of New York.” He’s recognized by many as a comer–do yourself a favor and check it out.
America’s Prince Mixtape - Tracklisting
1. Intro
2. Bloodline
3. That’s Where I’m From (feat. Beezo)
4. King Of NY
5. Pushing Green (feat. Troubleman)
6. Alpha Beta Rapper (feat. Whip Montez, Siah-Mez & Secret)
7. Jump
8. Always Forgive
9. The Little Light
10. Street Life (feat. Troubleman)
11. Walking With Your Head Down (feat. S.O.L.I.D.)
12. Mirror
13. War
14. Please
15. You Don’t Want It With Me (feat. Siah-Mez, Laura, & Storm P.)
16. Hustle Hard
Get it!
...
America
|
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS MEET CHEAP TRICK!
2008-01-16 03:47:27
Back in 1998, when they were still on the top of their game, The Smashing Pumpkins played a brief live set on what Mayor Richard M. Daly called “Smashing Pumpkins Day,” and were joined on stage by the greatest garage band ever . . . Cheap Trick!
This isn’t great quality, but it ain’t half bad either. Check it out. A few tastes and a zip.
For Martha
I Want You to Want Me w/Cheap Trick
1979 w/Cheap Trick
Blank Page w/Gershwin’s “Summertime”
Transmission (incomplete)
ZIP FILE
...
|
|
|