Misc. Music Archives
« Page 22 of 29 »James are reforming! With Booth, Gott, Glennie, Davies, Hunter and Baynton-Power, the line-up that recorded Laid! They are one of my favorite bands ever. Unfortunately the only time I was able to see them was on their ill-fated Lollapalooza jaunt, where they were just before KoRn on the bill. Yep, they went over like gangbusters. Not only that, they played a craptastic set full of songs from their album Whiplash. I've never seen them play a full on set of hits. Which reminds me, I need to get a copy of Getting Away With It... Live.
PS - Come to the USA!
**UPDATE** - Here are some downloadable James songs for you.
Other reasons why I'm happy today:
- Suns v. Wizards at the Phone Booth tonight! Nash v. Agent Zero. Butler v. Marion.
- New Veronica Mars on tonight! Which, like 24 and Heroes last night, I will have to DVR and watch later. So breathe not a peep here!
- Lastly, new Travis! I have no idea why I like this band so much, but I do. So there. I really like this tune. Anyone got the MP3?
[via Stereogum]
Saw Camera Obscura last night. Not the most energetic live performers if you know what I mean. But they were great, if a bit mellow. They played "Lets Get Out Of The Country," "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken," and "Looks Could Kill" in succession about 3/4 of the way throught he set, so that was the high point (and pretty great). They closed with a wonderful "Razzle Dazzle Rose" and Ms. Smith and I both thought it was a great show to start the year out with. I took some photos but didn't have the time to upload them. Tomorrow hopefully.
For the DC pre-sale, click here. The password is LILYMTV.
Pre-sales for other cities (same password):
NYC
Ian and the boys in Middle Distance Runner ran in to some troubles in New York yesterday when their gear was stolen out of their van. Somebody broke the window on their van and helped themselves to the following:
-Fender Jazzmaster 1962 re-issue (sunburst w/ tortoise pick guard)
-Fender American Telecaster (sunburst w/ white pick guard)
-Fender 5-string Jazz Bass, HM model (white w/ paint chipping off near pickups)
-Drum hardware ... cymbals, stands, tambourine, cowbell, shaker, etc...
If you happen to see any of this stuff in a local pawnshop, holler at the band.
Sucks for any recently signed bands to that label. Hope they got a big front end. I doubt it.
I guess this is where I say karma's a bitch.
Last night I read this and then I got so excited that I went here and bought this and have listened to it three times so far today. I figure I can get another three in before the day is out. It's. that. good. I only "saw" Spiritualized once, at The Supper Club in NYC when they were touring behind Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space. We got there late and I simply could not find a place where I could actually see the stage, and since I was still relatively unfamiliar with the band and their work, I spent the show at the bar with a few friends half paying attention and mostly drinking. I stupidly passed on seeing them twice opening for Radiohead when they played Radio City Music Hall on consecutive nights at the end of the OK Computer tour. But I digress... Lazer Guided Melodies is the shit. Go get a copy if you don't have it in your collection. Oh, and about that possible gig at the 9:30? Yes, please.
The Mighty Mozzer kicks Mikey and and Gary out of the band (**sniff**) and announces three shows in Pasadena in February. Tix on sale this weekend. *taps foot impatiently waiting for a U.S. tour.* I am dying to shoot Moz in concert.
Related: Take a bow Morrissey, saviour of Eurovision.
I'm skeptical, and I honestly wonder if anyone gives a shit about Madge anymore. But I think the Thin White Duke's remix of Starsailor's "Four On The Floor" is teh hottness. Track it down if you've never heard it.
OK, back to waiting for the iPhone details.
**Update** Like Woah. Although methinks it's a little too pricey for me right now. And I wouldn't exactly be thrilled to have to switch to Cingular.
I am totally on the record as being a recent D.C. transplant so you know I don't claim any connection to the old "D.C. scene" as it was. Frankly, I was relieved to find, upon moving here, that D.C. is full of wonderful, non-hardcore bands. But I digress...
Former Jawbox frontman J. Robbins recently found out his son Callum was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy which is as bad as it sounds. Many medical procedures and medical bills are in the little tyke's future and, let's be honest, working in the music industry doesn't pay that well. So, if you are so moved, head over to the DeSoto website and make a donation to the family. Or if you're in NYC or Chicago, you can go see some rock shows while you get your charity on.
One band that I somehow could not find space for in my year end round-up posts that definitely deserves some love is Pela. I caught them on a whim during last fall's DAM!fest and they were so much awesome. I bought their EP via iTunes a few days later and it's been in heavy rotation for the last two months or so. The above video is from last year's SXSW festival and should give you a good idea as to what they're all about. Simply put, if you like thinking man's rock, like The Hold Steady, then you need to give these guys a spin. This tune, "Waiting At The Stairs" is a bit more Okkervil River than the rest of their stuff, which tends to lean towards War-era U2 at times, but, like I said, it's the hotness. I can't recommend their EP Exit Columbia Street enough. But then again, I heart EP's.
[MP3] Pela | Lost to the Lonesome (AAC file)
But don't take my word for it. Jeff pegged them as "Big in '07" over at Gothamist.
Also, if you want more, and I know that you will, the good folks over at World's Fair pointed me in the direction if RySpace, which has a recent Pela gig from the Bowery Ballroom up for your downloading pleasure. I just grabbed it and am going to see how it sounds. I suggest you do the same.
I logged into 1115.org today, just like I do pretty much every day, and was deeply saddened to read that The Godfather of Soul passed away yesterday at the age of 73. I just started immersing myself his vast back catalog over the summer, but as most everyone knows, if you've listened to any hip-hop in the last 15 years, you've heard plenty of his work. Matt 1115 gives The Hardest Working Man In Show Business a proper sendoff and also has a mixtape for those of you that want to pump some JB today in remembrance.
Ghostface Killah | Fishscale - He ain't been this hungry since Supreme Clientele. I might have given up on hip hop if not for this record. It's that good. If you you would have told me waaay back in 1993, when I was listening to Enter The Wu-Tang non-stop, that Ghost would have been the Wu's most prolific and consistent MC, I would have never believed you.
Goldfrapp | Supernature - I'm totally late to the Goldfrapp party, but now I'm trying to cut to the front of the line. This is the record I probably listened to the most this year. There's a wealth of different electro grooves on this record, enough that something new will grab you every time you listen to it.
The Changes | Today Is Tonight - A late edition to the list. I just got this CD last month but it's been in heavy rotation since. Part Fountains of Wayne, part Tahiti 80, part Cars...If you like pretty pop records that hit you over the head with killer hooks, you need to buy this album.
Morrissey | Ringleader of the Tormentors - THIS is the record I wanted two years ago when The Mighty Mozzer made his "comeback." You Are The Quarry, to me, sounded like Moz trying to be all things to all people. This record showcases a more confident and focused Moz, all the while giving his band a bit more room to do their thing. This album will age really well and be looked back as one of his best when it's all said and done.
Camera Obscura | Lets Get Out of This Country - I hate twee but the appeal of this record is undeniable, from the Motown leanings of "If Looks Could Kill" to the pure pop genius that is "LLoyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken." Detractors say this sounds too much like Belle & Sebastian, but I don't really listen to them, so it sounds fresh to me.
William Orbit | Hello Waveforms - Perhaps the most enjoyable album to listen to out of the entire bunch listed here, for no other reason than nothing else you hear this year can come close to the tunes floating around in Billy Bubbles' head. Just gorgeous. I can guarantee you that this record is much more enjoyable than any "chill" compilation that you have. In the interests of full disclosure, I used to help manage William, so I am a bit biased.
Maximo Park | Missing Songs - A collection of odds n' sods that I enjoy much more than the record they came from. Hey, I have to indulge my b-sides fetish somehow. "Fear of Falling" and "Stray Talk" are better than anything on A Certain Trigger.
Silversun Pickups | Carnavas - I think DCeiver put it best in this year's Top 40: "The rest of you music bloggers and your darling, pointyheaded folk princes and twee-pop bullshittery bore the fucking hell out of me. So: here's a rock band, bringing actual rock. Listen to them." That pretty much says it all.
Art Brut | Bang Bang Rock n' Roll - I played "Good Weekend" for as many people as I could this year. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a song that is more fun to listen to. The same thing can be said for this album. And their live show.
Editors | The Back Room - A slow burner that definitely didn't grab me on the first few listens. But seeing them live made me listen to this album with a new outlook. It suffers a bit from a lack of dynamics, but the tunes are there if you give it a chance.
I'm in meetings all day, so instead of hastily throwing together some random linkage, I leave you instead with a Paul Weller primer, for no other reason than he's so hot right now and I am totally bummed I won't be attending his upcoming career spanning shows in NYC and LA.
I had the pleasure of seeing him during the US leg of the Days Of Speed tour, a show that was mind-blowingly awesome. I have never seen someone plays the guitar as effortlessly as Paul Weller. It was incredible, like the instrument was simply an extension of his body.
I was introduced to the Modfather through the one and only Noel Gallagher. He did a cover of The Jam's "To Be Someone" on an Oasis tour in the mid-90's and I went out and bought The Jam's Greatest Hits the very next day. After devouring their catalog, I moved onto Weller's solo work (I skipped the shaky Style Council period that made up the middle of his career). Weller's influence touches many of the British bands I love, Oasis in particular. He is credited as the father of Britpop (a term he detests) and after watching the above performance of "The Changingman," you can see the inspiration for Liam's hairstyles and Noel's fashion sense, right down to his love of scarves.
Here's a Later with Jools Holland Session from 1993:
[MP3] Paul Weller | Sunflower
[MP3] Paul Weller | Has My Fire Really Gone Out?
[MP3] Paul Weller | What's Going On (Marvin Gaye cover)
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