Berkeley Place-A lil' bit of BK from VA One of the top rated indie music blogs on the internet. Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 706 0 72 10564

Articles from Berkeley Place-A lil' bit of BK from VA

DAMIAN MARLEY LIVE–(BY REQUEST) 2007-07-23 16:14:24 I recently got a nice e-mail from someone asking me to upload a live Damian concert I posted a year and a half ago. I don’t usually do requests (or reposts), but this one was from a long time ago so I figgered I’d honor it. Unfortunately, I don’t have that boot anymore. But I do have this one. Hope you like it. Damian’s “Welcome to Jamrock” was my pick for best album of the year in 2005, on my old, defunct and deleted Berkeley Place. And on reflection, I should have rated it higher. It is one of the greatest albums I have ever heard. You won’t go wrong if you buy it. So go do that. Okay. A few tastes and a zip. Damian Marley-San Francisco, Feb. 10, 2006 Roots, Rock, Reggae Confrontation More Justice Hey Girl Where is the Love Beautiful There for You Love and Innity Me Name Jr. Gong/Crazy Baldheads War/No More Trouble Move! (Exodus) In 2 Deep Khaki Suit It Was Written Could You Be Loved? Stand a Chance Forever Loving Jah For the Babi ...

TWO HOURS TRAFFIC-”Little Jabs” 2007-07-23 14:20:52 Today, we’re going to discuss a little band called Two Hours Traffic, on a label I’ve never heard of before now, Bumstead Records. Little Jabs is the band’s second album, a joyful collection of pop rocks that burst open in your mouth with delicious hooks and melodies. There’s some cool power chord pop on song like “Heatseeker” and “Nighthawks,” as well as some ’70s style folk pop like “Heroes of the Sidewalk,” with it’s catchy chorus (”You’re my idea of a lady, hold on to my bootstraps baby, and drag me around by your pony tail”). Lyrically, all of the songs are simply written — which is the only weakness on the album. The words can become simple to the point of being trite. But that’s not a problem on every song, for sure, and the music more than makes up for it. It’s got that distinctive Canada indie rock sound (particularly “Whenever We Finish”), marked by o ...

TAKKA TAKKA-”We Feel Safer at Night” 2007-07-22 07:46:15 taKKa takka (or Takka Takka, depending on where you’re reading about them) hail from New York and most closely approximate folktronica–that odd mix of gentle acoustic guitars, piano, and the occasional horn, punctuated by beeps, burps, whirls and clicks. Some songs are heavy on hook, like “They Built You Up Too Fast,” while others are more meandering. And all are marked by obscure lyrics. Their new release, “We Feel Safer At Night,” is a strong album focussing more on the catchy stuff. They’re definitely arty, which explains why they toured with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah last year. A unique sound that isn’t worried about fitting into any particular category, Takka Takka is for fans of genre-busters like Yo La Tengo, T Rex, and Beck. From “We Feel Safer At Night” Coco on the Corner They Built You Up Too Fast From “Talk Faster” Draw A Map ...

NEES AND VOS-”Extended Play” 2007-07-21 17:08:50 Nees and Vos sent me their debut album about a month ago, and it’s been sitting on my “fence post.” I’ve struggled with how and whether to post on it because it’s “more of a collection of tunes rather than a cohesive set,” and those words come from the band itself (Andrew Neesley), not me. But I’ve given it several repeated listens and I’m glad I did. It’s not simple pop–it didn’t hook me right in. It’s complex blues and jazz. Vocal tracks are somewhere near vintage Michael McDonald, with music like M’shell N’dege O’Cello (I’m sorry if I spelled that wrong!). It’s chill, groovy, and provocative. Especially the great cover of Ain’t No Sunshine, and the well-arranged horn pops. I’d like to hear a proper album from these guys–see what they can do when the wheels come off and they really set to creating a full set. I hope someday I get the chance. Ain&rsquo ...

SMASHING PUMPKINS, A to Z (+ NEW SWAG–JOE ROGAN LIVE!) 2007-07-21 10:16:29 I’m baaaaaack! My connection is finally right, and I’ll be reviewing an indie album before the weekend is through–have to write up my notes. In the meantime, though, I’ve been running over this post ever since I heard Zeitgeist was coming. Unfortunately, it’s not terribly good. The Pumpkins, however, were awesome once. In their prime. Especially live. See for yourself, below. But first drop a comment or send me an e-mail WITH YOUR MAILING ADDRESS if you want a free Joe Rogan DVD. You know Joe, right? From The Ultimate Fighting Championship, Fear Factor, and News Radio? He’s a great stand-up comic–mixing deep metaphysical observations with dick jokes. Like the bit where he compares the planet Earth to a sandwich. Humans are the bacteria, is his point. So if aliens came down, they’d think we were like a cancer on a big host organism, i.e., Earth. It’s kind of a stoner observation, but it’s cool stuff. Spoken come ...

THE GREAT ARCADE FIRE DEMO 2007-07-18 13:47:46 Still stuck with the spotty-at-best wifi here. I happen to have this on my laptop, though, so I’m throwing it up. It’s the 2001 demo of The Arcade Fire’s first work. It’s interesting to see how their sound evolved into Funeral. I can’t say I really love these songs, but they’re worth checking out, for the curious or the insatiable collectors out there. In particular, No Winter for a Year has that same kind of snowy depression that marked Tunnels, while an instrumental track shows glimmers of the complex orchestration they would become known for later on. Then, of course, there’s the tune, The Great Arcade Fire, which is more proof that bands shouldn’t have theme songs. See also: “What’s Your Favorite Color, Baby (Living Colour)?” by Living Colour; “Beastie Revolution” (Beastie Boys). Anyway, a few tastes then a zip. Y’all know the deal. No Winter for a Year Goodnight Boy You Tried to Turn Away M ...

THE NIGHT RYAN MET ELTON 2007-07-17 12:19:25 I’m on vacation and I’ve spotty internet connection at best. So, just time for a quickie. I’ll be running some great giveaways when I return and will be back to reviewing new indie artists. For now, you’ll have to settle for a post I’ve been sitting on for quite some time. The night Ryan Adams and Elton John shared a stage together, April 2, 2002. It’s a great show. I’ve cut out a lot of banter and the interview segment, and I’m just giving you the great music. I’ve never heard either of these two sound better. Enjoy. 1. Firecracker 2. Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters 3. La Cienega Just Smiled 4. Answering Bell 5. Daniel 6. Oh My Sweet Carolina 7. Saturday Night 8. I Still Miss Someone 9. Ooh Las Vegas 10. Great Balls Of Fire 11. Sin City 12. Lovesick Blues 13. He’ll Have To Go 14. Tiny Dancer 15. Rocket Man ...

THE BIGGEST RANDOM COVERS POST IN THE HISTORY OF THE BLOGOSPHERE 2007-07-13 03:46:05 I will now mysteriously disappear, leaving you with this. My Morning Jacket-Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton cover) Bridges and Balloons (Johanna Newsome cover)-Decemberists Human Behavior-Decemberists Six Foot One (Liz Phair)-Baby Teeth Diamonds are Forever (Shirley Bassey)-Arctic Monkeys I Started a Joke-Calexico with Shannon Wright on vocals 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins)-Pavement The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Band)- . . . And They Will Know Us By The Trail of the Dead I Still Miss Someone (J. Cash)-Ryan Adams Running Against the Wind (Bob Seger)-The Hold Steady I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man (Prince)-My Morning Jacket Fool in the Rain (Led Zeppellin cover)-Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians One Wrong Turn (Rainer Ptacek cover)-Calexico Lucifer Sam (Pink Floyd)-Flaming Lips Lithium (Nirvana)-Pavement Borderline (Madonna)-Counting Crows Debaser (Pixies)-Rogue Wave He Was a Friend of Mine (Byrds cover)-The Grateful Dead. A song for JFK. Born Under a Bad Sign (Cream)-Sm ... History

THE TOP 10 WORST CELEBRITY RECORDS EVER 2007-07-12 19:16:12 The other day I’m sitting at a red light and my iPod, with its infinite wisdom and devilishly clever sense of humor, spits Bill Shatner’s Rocket Man at me. I’m sitting there, remembering his appearance at the Sci-Fi awards so long ago when he did a trio with himself and himself, rendering a version of this song so incredibly ironic that it still circulates the internets. (See it here! Follow this link!) The brilliance of it was that, as a viewer, you weren’t sure if T.J. Hooker was in on the joke. On the one hand, he had to know it was funny. On the other, though, you could see in this eyes, through the wisp of cigarette smoke, that he was in on the joke. But when the third Captain Kirk emerged, it seemed he was in on the joke but only so far. Or was he? SIDEBAR: Here is a bonus mp3 of Bill Shatner humiliating a corporate sponsor. Hysterically funny! Bill’s performance has to go down in history as the best celebrity musical performance ever. (Second only to Bill ...

DECEMBERISTS RARITIES AND LIVE CUTS 2007-07-12 04:17:29 I’m not the biggest Decemberists fan in the world, I admit, but I can appreciate the band nevertheless. So here’s a few cuts I’ve been waiting to share with y’all. There will be a few more tomorrow, when I post the biggest cover post in the history of the internet. Believe that. Baby Song Barbara Allen Dreams KINGdom OF sPAIN Let’s Go (Feelies cover) Nobody Home (Pink Floyd cover) Skankhill Southern Girls (Cheap Trick cover) Bandit Queen Tristan And Iseult Valencia ...

THE BUDOS BAND-The Budos Band II 2007-07-12 03:59:27 The Daptone label is known for modern/vintage soul music, so it’s no surprise that Staten Island’s Budos Band has found a home there. Part Booker T and the MGs, part JBs, this collection of throwback psychedelic funk instrumentals is a fine diversion for a BBQ or a dimly light smoking party. It should be listened to while wearing a brown leather jacket. An incredibly tight afrobeat rhythm section pulses with a salsa beat behind grooving horns and fantastic, cinematic riffs and hooks. They don’t make music like this anymore, and when you hear this, you’ll wonder why. It screams to be sampled by Ghostface. Buy it before the summer is over. Chicago Falcon-Budos Band P.S. While we’re on the subject of great bands, The Format is giving away Dog Problems, the entire album, for free! Go here! ...