June, 2012 Archives
Jun
Check Out Cold Specks
by Lefort in Music
While Adele is off on pregnancy-leave, what better time to check out other (better?) artists in the same genre? In addition to Brandi Carlile, check out Cold Specks, which is primarily the work of Canada-born and London, England-based singer/songwriter Al Spx. Having rapidly gained attention and appearing on Later With Jools Holland last year, Cold Specks has released their critically-acclaimed debut album, I Predict A Graceful Expulsion, on Arts & Crafts Records. To get a feel for the band, check out below recent performances by Cold Specks (sometimes with band, sometimes without) who have/has been making the rounds in support of the album. We like what we hear. Simple, yet lyrically complex. Intelligent, and not afraid to use it. And yes, the girl can sing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcAWMxddNHs&feature=plcp
Jun
Watch New Lana Del Rey Video for “National Anthem”
by Lefort in Music
Lana Del Rey does not shy away from controversy. Just in time for the 4th of July, Del Rey has released an official video for her song, National Anthem. In the video, A$AP Rocky makes a cameo as Camelot’s John F. Kennedy, while Del Rey appears (apparently) as an amalgam of JFK’s loves–starting with Marilyn Monroe and segueing into Jackie Kennedy. Back in the day, this would have been considered treasonous and/or heretical in certain segments. Nearly 50 years later, time has soothed (not healed), and the American iconography has been repeatedly scrambled and reinvented in an attempt to examine the inexplicable. Regardless, we’ll take the unsettling imagery and bravura just to catch that gorgeous…chorus.
Jun
Watch Tenacious D on The Daily Show
by Lefort in Music
To help segue properly into the weekend, check out Tenacious D performing Deth Starr and Throwdown last night on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The brazen boys are touring in support of their new album Rize of the Fenix.
Jun
Listen to New Avett Brothers Song “Live and Die”
by Lefort in Music
The big-hearted Avett Brothers have a new Rick Rubin-produced album imminent entitled The Carpenter. The band has released the first song off the album, Live and Die. You can listen to the banjo-buoyed song HERE. After reading up a bit, we must add our prayers for bassist Bob Crawford and his daughter, Hallie. How could you not bring in Crawford to help cover Closer Walk With Thee on Memorial Day? As always, the Avetts do life with soul and grace.
Jun
Watch Brandi Carlile Sing “That Wasn’t Me” on The Current
by Lefort in Music
We continue to scratch our heads and wonder how Adele can be so popular and not others. If there was any justice in the world of music, Brandi Carlile would be at least as popular as the Grammy-winning Brit. Check Carlile out below singing her moving song, That Wasn’t Me, off of her fine 2012 album, Bear Creek, on The Current. Oh how the girl can sing.
You can go to The Current HERE to listen to the whole session. The lyrics are below the video.
That Wasn’t Me
“Hang on, just hang on for a minute
I’ve got something to say
I’m not asking you to move on or forget it
But these are better days
To be wrong all along and admit it is not amazing grace
But to be loved like a song you remember
Even when you’ve changed
Tell me did I go on a tangent?
Did I lie through my teeth?
Did I cause you to stumble onto your feet?
Did I bring shame on my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
Whatever you’ve seen, that wasn’t me
That wasn’t me, that wasn’t me
When you’re lost you will toss every lucky coin you’ll ever trust
And you’ll hide from your God like he ever turns his back on us
And you will fall all the way to the bottom and land on your own knife
But you’ll learn who you are even if it doesn’t take your life
Tell me did I go on a tangent?
Did I lie through my teeth?
Did I cause you to stumble onto your feet?
Did I bring shame on my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
Whatever you’ve seen, that wasn’t me
That wasn’t me, that wasn’t me
But I want you to know that you’ll never be alone
I wanna believe
Do I make myself a blessing to everyone I meet?
When you fall I will get you on your feet
Do I spend time with my family?
Does it show when I am weak?
When that’s what you see, that will be me
That will be me, that will be me
That will be me”
Jun
Our Favorite Rock Album So Far This Year: Like Pioneers’ “Oh, Magic”
by Lefort in Music
Let’s not beat around the bush. Chicago’s Like Pioneers’ new album, Oh Magic, is our Favorite Rock Album of the year so far. While we won’t deny the talent-tossin’ swagger of the Blunderbuss house that Jack White built, nor the kinetic appeal of Japandroids’ Celebration Rock album, Oh, Magic is a hook-filled indie-rocker with more cohesion, art and intelligence than either of those or any other rock albums released so far this year. There. We said it.
Having grown a little gummed up in the first half of the year with predominantly softer and syrupy sounds, we had been straining to hear some rocking abandon to help kickstart our summer. And then Like Pioneers came hurtling down to hypnotize with Oh, Magic (on Abandoned Love Records). You knew this band was capable of big things after 2010’s debut album, Piecemeal, which included superb throttlers like Crop Circle Plus Legs (one of our favorite songs of 2010), but we weren’t prepared for the quantum leap made by the band on their new album.
Like Pioneers’ hook-laden, indie-rock sound bears the influence of the best of the best: The Replacements, The Walkmen, Guided by Voices, Modest Mouse, Nada Surf, and even a bit of Built to Spill. But the Chicago lads (Bobby Gallivan, Jesse Woghin, Dan Radzicki, and Matt Holland) and lass (Janie Porche) add just the right twists and turns, mixing in dexterous and dynamic divergences to create their own unique sonorities and make the sound their own. Add to this mix the fact that Mike Lust, who engineered and recorded the album, and the band have masterfully produced the album with incessantly apt Factory Records-esque drum, bounding bass and propulsive guitar effects and sounds throughout.
As we said, there are great melodies throughout the band’s songs, but where Like Pioneers really shine is in the intelligence of their lyrics and their inspired delivery. Like many of our favorite bands (REM, Radiohead, etc.), the band’s lyrics feature enigmatic, elliptical wordplay that nevertheless enable the spirit and meaning(s) of the songs to shake through. Each listener is left to conjure his or her own throughlines from the marvelously malleable lyrics. To go way out on a limb, Oh, Magic is a concept album of sorts. The listener is left to decide which concept(s) to adopt. Various themes consistently run through the songs (with only limited breaks or diversions). Though the songs sing generally of adversity, loss, resolve and renewal, you might hear more specific themes, such as lamentations for forgotten bands and music, and musicians falling in and out of favor (particularly in this Anno Domini Domini era). Or you may hear tales of relationships drowned but still breathing. Or the songs may sing to you of a nation (America) past its prime. Still again, you might recognize family/generational issues (boomers/parents vs. youngers). Or, all of the above. Regardless, we guaranty you will be moved.
But don’t let any of the above guesswork get in the way of the shear enjoyment of the music, songs and singing on Oh, Magic. After a listen or two, we guaranty you will be involuntarily twitching and shout-singing along. The album kicks off suitably with the refrain, “My heart felt frozen, won’t you please, please, please move closer,” from inspirational opening track Champion. The song seems to be a clarion call announcing a newly-inspired and evolved band. And from there the album proceeds to rack up one rollicking highlight after another, ultimately finishing with three of the best songs of this or any other year. Following Champion, the (self?) motivational All Wrapped propels with its chiming guitar and singalong chorus: “It’s all wrapped around you, this house of cards; it’s all stacked against you. And I guess we could focus on this for far too f@#ing long. I know that it looks all right. Oh, but I know this is not your time to fade out.” Other sublime songs and moments are strewn throughout the album, with not a clinker to be found. The band continuously lulls you in and then impressively shifts gears during songs, such as on Tell ‘Em Ghost when the chorus hits at 2:32 and demands “Now all hands on the spaceship, and you were gearing up to leave. Out here in your basement you were too stoic to believe, and we wasted the obvious engagement. We’re wasted for the opportunity.” We imagine a crowded club and the entire audience loudly answering the call for all hands. And then Janie Porche steps in on National Spectre and at 3:05 levitates the chorus to new heights in her quest (in the process reminding of Mates of State’s Kori Gordner, but with more aggression):
“Let this be the reason we’re trying.
Let this be the season we’re dry.
Let this be the reason we’re fine.”
Powerful stuff. After a few more charmers, we get to the last three songs on the album. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does. On Requiem for Some Band, Like Pioneers have delivered one of the most compelling songs of the year. Jesse Woghin does his best Westerberg impression (listen in at 1:26 and thereafter), and Like Pioneers give us a poignant anthem for all bands who have shown huge promise only to end up toiling in obscurity. Woghin is literally haunted by the prospect:
“Ghosts that come to me come through the stereo.
And there’s nothing quite like it, the sound of leaving.
Ghosts that come to me come through the stereo.”
Requiem is followed by the “epic” Boggs with Bobby Gallivan regaling throughout the near-six-minute song, and the band stretching out a bit a la Built to Spill. Boggs feels somewhat a call-to-arms response to Requiem, with Gallivan seemingly exhorting the band and their audience (Lonely Adora?) to stay the course and not give up the fight:
“Lonely Adora, I’m on my way.
Lonely Adora, I’m on my way, don’t move anything.
The freezing rain sent cars off the street,
but well-wishers staggered along
and helped us back to our feet.
So now we stand, as we planned, arms to shoulder.”
The album closes with one final mini-masterpiece, July 2. Jesse Woghin again evinces his lyrical magic (“It was old at the taste of it, and it doesn’t matter how it’s plated”), and the band builds and moves behind him to perfection. The album ends fittingly with Woghin’s repeated encouragement:
“Holding down, down. Holding down, down.
We will all ride.”
So listen up: do yourselves and Like Pioneers a favor, and go buy (or stream if you must) the entire Oh, Magic album HERE. You will be richly rewarded. Like Pioneers have only made a few live appearances in recent months. We hope this is only a temporary state of affairs and that the band is merely off fine-tuning its stage act for an assault on America. To quote Neil Young on the subject: “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.” These songs deserve a large following and venues filled with ardent fans singing along at the top of their lungs. It would be, oh…magic.
While you’re at it, check out the band’s official video for Tell ‘Em Ghost below.
Jun
Watch the Underrated Ben Kweller on Sleepover Shows
by Lefort in Music
There have been quite a few underrated Bens in the musical realm. Folds, Howard and Kweller, come to mind for starters. Ben Kweller is one of our best songwriters and performers who’s been honing his craft since he was nine years old. Check him out below performing his initially unnerving, but ultimately touching, song On My Way for Boston’s Sleepover Shows while in his tour bus bedroom. And then go HERE to check out a couple more Kweller gems (Mean to Me and Gossip) courtesy of Sleepover Shows.
Jun
Listen to New Songs from Yeasayer and The Antlers
by Lefort in Music
Two of our favorites, Yeasayer and The Antlers, have new recordings about to be released. Yeasayer will soon release album Fragrant World, and The Antlers will release EP Undersea.
You can stream Yeasayer’s new song, Longevity, off the new album below, and can stream The Antlers’ new song Drift Drive HERE.
Jun
Watch Smoke Fairies on Best Fit Session
by Lefort in Music
We were pleasantly surprised by the London duo known as Smoke Fairies when they opened for Dawes/Blitzen Trapper last October at Soho in Santa Barbara. Check the lasses below performing their song Awake for The Line of Best Fit Sessions. The setting adds to the midsummer night’s dream–you know, all sylvan and Peaseblossom and Mustardseed stylee.
Jun
Tom Waits on TV (No, Really!)
by Lefort in Music
Turns out Tom Waits and his minions couldn’t read a flippin’ calendar when they announced in April that Waits would appear on the Letterman and Fallon shows later that month. Hmm…missed it by that much. What Waits and his wait-staff meant to say is that the Governor of Growl will appear on Letterman on July 9 and Fallon on July 10. Waits will be joined by his son Casey Waits on drums, long-time bassist Larry Taylor, guitarist David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), keyboardist Augie Myers (Sir Douglas Quintet) and guitarist Big Bill Morganfield (Muddy Waters’ son). You’ve been warned. Set your DVRs (though you might want to also set ’em for three months later….just in case).
