It had been a while since we had last checked out the fab Black Cab Sessions archives and site, which you can do HERE.  ‘Dem folks been busy!  Check out the Swedish sisters act, First Aid Kit. It’s kinda weird to stash the First Aid Kit in the backseat, but whatever. Our friend John has been onto these gals for quite some time and even tried to book ’em a couple years ago for a house party (unfortunately the sisters’ father was a little suspicious and declined).  Check ’em out.  They have a new album coming out produced by Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis.  Should be mognificent!

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First Aid Kit from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.

Dude, got your attention huh?  The phenomenal Feist showed up with two of the Mountain Man(s?) (currently backing Feist on tour) and a hirsute percussionist for possibly the best Black Cab Session we’ve ever seen. And that’s saying a lot.

This focal Feist-fest is the closest viewing you’re ever gonna get with Leslie Feist so fill up.  Check them performing the song, Undiscovered First, off of her fantastic new album, “Metals.” We love the emphatic roof percussion beginning at 3:53, and the vocal gymnastics finale at 4:41.  Too dang good.  Brava!  Check out other Black Cab Sessions HERE.

WordPress is REALLY sucking these days so click on the “Feist” link below to see the performance.

Feist from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.

Just kidding about those cathode rays…those were back in the tubular (totally!) days.  But Coldplay has been on a TV roll recently, performing on an average of 18 shows a day (give or take a show or two).  The most recent performances were on The Colbert Report and, of all things, The Today Show (huh?).  Regardless, check ’em all out below.

From Colbert comes Paradise:

Then Up in Flames off the new album Mylo Xyloto:

And then here’s a cute Colbert interview with Chris Palthrow:

And then from the Today Show, check out Paradise, Every Tear Drop is a Waterfall, Charlie Brown, Viva la Vida, and Fix You.

Paradise:

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Every Tear Drop is a Waterfall:

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Charlie Brown:

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Viva la Vida (and interview):

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And Fix You:

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And just in case you weren’t already over-scheduled tomorrow night, the YouTube-sensation, Pomplamoose, is coming to Soho tomorrow night courtesy of Club Mercy.  Pomplamoose is the cute (too cute?) duo with the buzzillion hits on YouTube, owing in part to their video covers of Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Aerosmith and Earth, Wind & Fire’s September. While touring, they’re a six-piece band in order to pull off the layered sounds of their songs.  To get a feel, check out a couple of new videos (the Halloween-appropriate and sorta poignant, Monster Mask, and brand new Bust Your Kneecaps), and then their cover of September and, finally, their most popular video, Beyonce’s Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).

Take your kids and get to this show!!  Oh, wait, what??  Soho’s insisting on a 21+ show (despite this fits-all-ages band).  Huh?

If you were in Seattle Thursday night, we hope you attended The Heineken “City Arts Fest” and caught the set by one of our favorites, The Long Winters.  The City Arts Fest continues through Saturday–you can check out the schedule HERE (Ryan Adams, Built to Spill, Shabazz Palaces tonight; The Hold Steady, Mudhoney, Shelby Lynne on Saturday).

Despite the uber-cheezy, local-talk-show surroundings in the video below, check out band leader, John Roderick (one of America’s best songwriters and hilarious funnyman) and one of the band’s other original members, Sean Nelson (former singer for Harvey Danger).  They perform an acoustic version of the new (anti-bullying?) song, New Girl.  It’s the usual great songwriting and harmonies we’ve come to expect from The Long Winters (never a more appropriate name for a Seattle band).  If you have time after the duet, there’s some humorous repartee with the hostess.

And for heavensake, go buy some music from The Long Winters HERE.  Our favorite album is the all-time great “When I Pretend to Fall.”  And by far our favorite song by the band is The Commander Thinks Aloud off the band’s “Ultimatum EP” and featured on the still-rewarding Future Soundtrack of America benefit album.  Check out the song below:

The Long Winters–The Commander Thinks Aloud

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/11-The-Commander-Thinks-Aloud.mp3|titles=11 The Commander Thinks Aloud]

And for you visual learners out there, here’s an older video of the band performing the song live:

But for a great overall feel for the band, you can’t do better than their concert DVD, Live at the Shoebox, a preview of which you can check out below and purchase at their website.

The Long Winters Live at the Showbox DVD Preview from Adam Pranica on Vimeo.

There comes (a time and) a bridge to the Bridge.  Neil Young’s 25th Annual Bridge School Benefit will be webcast this Saturday on YouTube and Facebook.  Check out the announcement below from YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U_E-zFjJec&feature=player_embedded

Our apologies in advance to all Jane’s Addiction fans.  While we acknowledge that band has given us some great songs and performances over the years, we couldn’t help but notice recently (when Jane’s Addiction played the Jimmy Kimmel Show the other night) how much Perry Farrell‘s stage look and persona now resembles TV show Modern Family’s dork-dad, Phil Dunphy (actor Ty Burrell).  Sadly, the similarities are not just in appearance, but also in performance (as we envision dorky-Dunphy performing as a rock ‘n roller).

Just check out the video below, where the resemblance is more clear than the pictures above.  Starting at 0:25 it’s full-on, Dunphy dork-rock.  Of particular note is Farrell’s shimmy at 3:13.  Stop it Phil, you’re killin’ us!!

On top of this, the jury is still out as to what percentage of Farrell’s actual vocals were involved in the chorus of this song.  Perry looks like Fred Astaire up there trying to tap dance all the Milli Vanilli effects/gloss on his pedal board.

The bottom line is that Farrell’s (and the band’s) stodgy stage antics, at least on Kimmel, amount to mere arena-rock caricature.  Just sayin’.  And the poses and playing of David Navarro?  Don’t get us started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFRTS2y9iMg

Wilco recently appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert.  Check it out below.

Bon Iver and Feist (and some other band–OK, Mastodon–we don’t have time for) appeared on Later…with Jools Holland on BBC2 last night.  Check out Bon Iver (big band version) performing their song, Towers, off their recent album. And then check out Feist (with Mountain Man again providing perfect harmony vocals together with a great horn section and dual-drummer attack) slay on How Come You Never Go There and The Bad in Each Other. We are huge fans of the new Feist album, “Metals.”  Highly recommended.