3 on the 4th

I've been catching up on my "Saved for Later" list in Google Reader. Here are the links I'd like to share:

My Old Kentucky Blog summed up my feelings exactly about Matthew Ryan. I've been a semi-fan of his since 1999 right after May Day came out and during the release of East Autumn Grin. I've seen him twice live, once opening for Badly Drawn Boy and then opening for Matt Pond PA with his band Strays Don't Sleep. I keep dipping in and out of his albums and...well, just read here.

Lemuria, a really cool band from Buffalo, NY, just got a pretty decent review for their new record at Pitchfork. Read it here. As always, I take issue with some of the ridiculousness in the review, but I digress. My friend works for the records label that they released some of their earlier records on, Art of the Underground. I recommend their split with Kind of Like Spitting
...if you can find a copy. Fire up your eBay profiles.

Just discovered mp3Tunes.com, thanks to Medialoper. So far, I'm happy. Read about it here and decide if it's right for you.

Finally, I've got another album review over at Horizon Records' blog. Read it here and support your local record store.

Silence Keeps Company

Metavari, Ambling EP
Self-released, 2008

Metavari come to us from the "The Former Black Swamp, Indiana" according to their MySpace page. But they may as well descended to us from the heavens or some other ether of celestial beauty because that's the only imaginable space I can conjure whenever I spin their gorgeous debut Ambling EP.

Metavari are a post-rock instrumental band with tinges of electronic and digital sounds, though I'd like to dispense with using ill-fitting tags to pin their music down because there's always a shining layer of natural textures behind the tracks that defies traditional post-rock sounds. On the sublime opening track, "Satellites Made It Possible" the song keeps to a quiet build, starting innocently enough with electric bleeps before chiming guitars pick and slide their way in amidst a ride cymbal that sounds like a church bell on a clear day. When track one ends, it's a sad moment. I'd like for it to go on for an additional 4 or 5 minutes. It's a short-lived sadness because there's the equally transcendent "Everything Is Fine" in line behind it.

The beats and synths are out in full force here; that's not to say they dominate the track (nor, I should add, is it necessarily bad that electronic instruments make such a good showing on the record). Metavari seem to have pinned the thin balance of interplay between natural and unnatural sounds; almost to suggest there should be no distinction between the two. Rather, they should align in unison, side-by-side. It's not a new concept to be sure, but it is one that is rarely executed so seamlessly. A listener might mistake one for the other if not paying attention.

The remainder of the album is just as soothing and structured. From the crystal chimes of "Road to Awe" to the controlled deconstruction of "There You Are," Metavari are on level with the giants of their genre (Mogwai, Explosions In the Sky, Panda Bear, etc). But, if their first EP is any indication, these five will probably be smart enough to subvert their work into something even greater than the sum of post-rock's collective parts. And I, for one, am looking forward to what they have to offer.

*Metavari will open for El Ten Eleven this Tuesday, June 24 at the Village Tavern in Mt Pleasant. Show starts @ 9PM for $6. Be there.*

MySpace (one of the best looking MySpace sites I've seen; listen to their cover of Panda Bear's "Comfy In Nautica")

Official Website
Buy their CD
Download from iTunes

The Cure 4 Tour

I believe I am close to being able to die a happy man. Saw The Cure last night in Charlotte, NC at the Time Warner Cable Arena (formerly Charlotte Bobcats Arena). I was about 12 rows back from the stage and could have hit any band member with the sweat flying off my brow. Thankfully, I did not.

Security was militant. No cameras allowed. When I tried to sneak a picture with my crappy camera phone I was immediately flagged down. I only got three not-so-good pics that I'll post when I can get them off my f*!@*ng camera. In the meantime, here's a fantastic Cure fansite.
Three hours worth of music. No keyboards. Just guitar. Lovely.

The Setlist:
Underneath The Stars
Prayers For Rain
A Night Like This
The End of the World
Lovesong
A Letter To Elise
Want
Pictures of You
Lullaby
From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea
The Perfect Boy
Hot Hot Hot
The Only One
Wrong Number
The Walk
Sleep When I'm Dead
Push
How Beautiful You Are
Inbetween Days
Just Like Heaven
Primary
Shake Dog Shake
Charlotte Sometimes
One Hundred Years
Baby Rag Dog Book

Encore 1:
The Holy Hour
Other Voices
Drowning Man
Faith

Encore 2:
Freakshow
Close To Me
Why Can't I Be You?

Encore 3:
Boys Don't Cry
10:15 Saturday Night
Killing An Arab

And, just found out that Pinback will be playing Charleston's own Music Farm September 24. Now if we could just get Built to Spill here?

Surrey Is a Word I Hardly Ever Use

The Trouble With Sweeney, "(I Know You Destroy)"
Burnt Toast Vinyl, 2003

This gem was leftover from last Sunday's house cleaning. It's one of the better literary-pop bands you've never heard of. At first listen "(I Know You Destroy)" offered me little in the way of enjoyment. The songs seemed too plodding to be considered pop and the poppier ones seemed too dense to be appreciated. But, ever the faithful listener, I kept spinning it. And eventually I decided I still didn't like it. So I shelved it.

But have you ever been drawn to an album simply because of the way it looks on your shelf? Or its album title? Yeah, me neither.

The Trouble With Sweeney will, however, grow on your skin like so many barnacles. Their lyrics are a plaintive mixture of novelty and sincerity and their melodies are whispers on a Philadelphia street (the band's hometown); akin to a Virginia Woolf novel with more structure and narrative. I believe I read that their lyricist completed his PhD in History after completing this album and was a music journalist for a while. If that's true, it shows in the subtlety of the song structures and in lyrics like ("If you're worried that I'll snitch/you really shouldn't bother/you can rest assured/I'm telling everyone I know).

After a quick check of their website, it looks like the band is on semi-permanent hiatus. In the meantime, check out two of their best tracks for download, both from "(I Know You Destroy)."

mp3: The Trouble With Sweeney: "The Break Up"
mp3: The Trouble With Sweeney: "The Snitch"

Take More But Give Less

Ha Ha! Now I will make believers of you all. Here are some photos from The Helio Sequence/The Explorer's Club show at the Village Tavern last Friday night. All of these will be posted on Flickr this weekend, but enjoy these for the time being.

We're sweating our nads off here in Charleston: 105 degrees, full humidity.

mp3: Sigur Ros--"Gobbledigook" (follow the link and enter your email address for a free download)

What? They're from Iceland...where I wouldn't mind being right now.

It's Pudding Time, Children

I did make it out to see The Helio Sequence and The Explorer's Club Friday, at the Village Tavern. I'll have pics by the end of the week (I know, I know...my promises are empty shells of human disappointment).

Saturday I spent painting the garage at the in-laws house. Sunday I cleaned for four hours, but only got in one album b/c the vacuum is loud. Here's the playlist (CD images link to Amazon):

Modest Mouse--We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

What the hell happened to this album? So much hype surrounded it and then so many fairweather fans and critics disappeared. It may be their finest moment. Have I said that already?

Primus--Frizzle Fry

The tightest album of the 90s; the best moment comes in the breakdown during "Pudding Time." And the lyrics are insanely poignant...not just throwaways.

Built to Spill--There's Nothing Wrong With Love

My love affair with BTS continues. Leave me alone. I know it's unhealthy. I can't help it I want to curl up in Doug Martsch's beard and sleep forever.

Nirvana--Nirvana

Purging Nirvana from my system for years now has only made me appreciate them more. "You Know You're Right" should be required listening for anyone considering starting any type of angsty-knock off band. That should be enough to convince your shitty group to pack it in before you start.

Go, Bo...Go

This makes me quite sad. Most people cite Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, or Elvis as being their rock saviors. For me, it was definitely Diddley. His music sounds like it comes from some primal spot in the gut that's long since disappeared in rock.

I recommend this album if you don't know Bo.

You Can Make Him Like You

Sweet zombie Jesus, The Hold Steady have lined up a date at Charleston's Pour House on August 10. The Loved Ones open the show.

Also at the lovely Pour House on July 25th, an evening with Jason Isbell. Two sets, no opener. That's what I'm talking about.

Built to Spill are taking "Perfect From Now On" on the road for a Summer/Fall tour. I would much prefer a "Keep It Like a Secret" tour, but I'll take what I can get to see Built to Spill before I die. (They are nowhere near the Southeast--unless you count VA, and really who does--so roadtrip people.)

I'll be at the Village Tavern this tomorrow night for The Helio Sequence and The Explorer's Club. Apparently those boys from The Explorer's Club are blowing up. Nice job, boys. Represent Chucktown, ya hear?

(Those boys need some sunlight, stat.)

mp3: The Hold Steady: "Sequestered in Memphis" (Thanks, I Guess I'm Floating)
mp3: The Helio Sequence: "Can't Say No" One of my favorite tracks of the past month. (Thanks, Sub Pop)

When Yuppies Grow Up

Just discovered this today courtesy of my super-cool co-worker.

Here's my favorite one so far.

All Together Now

Make yourself a part of the music you love:

Parts and Labor need your help for their new album!

mp3: "Fractured Skies" from the LP Mapmaker

mp3: "A Great Divide" from the LP Stay Afraid

You thought Kenny Rogers sucked? You're right! But don't tell that to Canadians The Constantines and Feist. You can receive a limited edition seven inch from Daytrotter. It's just takes a little motivation and, ummm....writing an essay about Kenny Roger's beard?

Sound Forged Like Spine

In addition to having one of the best titles for a song I've heard in a long time (re: the blog post title), The Winter Sounds are one of those bands that hold the coveted spot in my library of "repeat player." Seldom few albums make it to this spot and the ones that do are in good company--"Destroyer's Rubies" by Destroyer, "Fort Recovery" by Centro-matic, "Blue Screen Life" by Pinback, etc. The Winter Sounds' debut full length, "Porcelain Empire" has that brilliant quality of suiting every mood during any given week of the year. I'm not sure what a sound forged like (out of?) spine would sound like, but I bet The Winter Sounds' know exactly what it is. And they know how to recreate it from scratch every night.

I was fortunate enough to catch them at Charleston's latest (and so far divey-ist, in a good way) bar, The Tin Roof. For a Monday night, these guys and gal weren't phoning it in and I enjoyed every minute of it--from the $1.50 PBRs to the stage left exit at around midnight. I'll definitely be back...especially now that The Map Room has closed its doors. (Sniff.)

It would be easy to dismiss The Winter Sounds as just another pop band from Athens, GA but there is so much more to discover with this band. And you can almost rest assured they will come play a city near you.

Check out their MySpace page and listen to samples.
The Winter Sounds website.




More photos of the band at my Flickr site

Visit The Tin Roof's MySpace page to see upcoming shows.

Live Review: Radiohead, Charlotte, NC, May 9, 2008

Would it be asking too much to go ahead and proclaim Radiohead to be the biggest band in the world right now? Who are the competitors? In terms of cash, the Rolling Stones would be at the top of the heap, and for sheer longevity I’ll award R.E.M. and U2 for their 20+ year careers. But in terms of sustainability, fanbase (casual or otherwise), and sheer unpredictability, I’ll vote for Radiohead to claim the top spot. So what does the biggest band in the world sound like live?

Pretty boring, actually.

I’m not going to pan Radiohead in a live review. I enjoyed every minute of my time at the concert (even when some 17-year-old punks decided it would be okay to smoke pot beside me in seats that weren’t theirs). It’s over three hours to Charlotte from Charleston, and I-77 is an unforgiving stretch of interstate at 2 AM—but that’s neither here nor there. The sheer enjoyment of being able to say, “Yes, I’ve seen Radiohead live” was enough to make me go all a-twitter.

My companion, P, and I arrived late, missing the opening set by The Liars (though we did hear them from the road into the venue where we sat in traffic for 90 minutes). And once we found our seats the show started as the clouds released threatening lightning overhead. P was of the mindset that they would open with “15 Step” since the last time he saw Radiohead in Atlanta the opened with “2 + 2=5,” the first track of their then-released Hail to the Thief. I was banking on a livelier opener, like “Bodysnatchers.”

Both wrong, we were greeted with “All I Need” followed by “There There,” two songs that show such a restrained climax it’s almost unbearable. The show picked up after a few songs with “Airbag” and “Idioteque” but remained restrained most all evening until the end of their set when an amped-up version of “Everything In its Right Place,” “Bangers and Mash,” and “Bodysnatchers” materialized. “We might need to go lay down and take a nap after this one,” Thom Yorke joked before “Bodysnatchers” began.

They left the stage, but then reappeared for two encores. The first encore held an incredibly dull song with acoustic guitar, “Talk Show Host” (you know, that cool track from the lame Romeo + Juliet movie?), “Exit Music (For A Film),” and “House of Cards.” I was in the parking lot by the time encore number 2 started, I heard the opening stanza of “Paranoid Android” and kicked myself for leaving, but not too badly.

You see, I’m not entirely sure what I want out of stadium concerts at this point in my life. I’m spoiled by intimate venues where I can talk to the artists, take photos, and buy a cd directly from them. I could barely see the band onstage, the sound was great, but all the songs basically sounded like they were coming out of my home stereo, only louder. Radiohead have nothing to prove to me or anyone, and that’s what makes them a phenomenal band and I’m sure they struggle with the lack on intimacy in a stadium show. But for anyone who didn’t make it out to see them, or who won’t make it as they continue across the US of A, don’t worry; you’ve got all that you need right there on CD or vinyl. Enjoy it.

Radiohead 5/9/08 Charlotte, NC Set List

Set 1: All I Need, There There, Airbag, 15 Step, Nude, Sail to the Moon, Weird Fishes/Apreggi, Myxomatosis, Idioteque, Morning Bell, Videotape, Optimistic, Where I End and You Begin, You and Whose Army?, Everything in Its Right Place, Bangers & Mash, Bodysnatchers

Encore 1: Go Slowly, Talk Show Host, Exit Music, Planet Telex , House of Cards

Encore 2: Paranoid Android, Reckoner

Read this guy's blog (solely dedicated to Phish) who was apparently live blogging at the show. His descriptions of the people in the parking lot are dead on.

Girl, Why Not Take Out the Trash?

This past Sunday I dug into the mess that is my bonus room (or FROG - Front Room Over the Garage here in Chucktown). CDs, books, comics, computers parts, and random papers were everywhere. Here's the soundtrack to Sunday cleaning. As you can tell I gave up after about three hours. A body can only take so much. (CD images link to amazon.com)

Built to Spill, Live--My obsession with BTS continues. One day I will see them live. Or not. Either way 20 minutes of Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer" was enough to drive my wife and cats crazy.

They Might Be Giants, The Else--TMBG rock better than most bands who have been around for 20 years. (Yes, I'm looking in your direction U2, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, R.E.M., etc.) Every album manages to sound fresh to me despite whatever beef Pitchfork has with them. P4K seems incapable of handing them a good review.

Band of Gypsys, Live--Picked this one up on Record Store Day on vinyl. Even remastered the sound is still just-okay. But damn, Billy Cox and Buddy Miles make a hell of a rhythm section. An awkward, but fitting end to Hendrix's career...and really the only album I can stomach listening to now (they all remind me too much of Jr High when I was cranking out Hendrix licks on my axe).

You can still download Piltdown from Wide Awake Press, the Free Comic offered as part of Free Comic Book Day! Do it! To see my stellar piece, view the HTML version and I'm at the end (page 43). Or just skip to this link. (Sorry, Chris.)

Guess who's going to see Radiohead this Friday in Charlotte? (Hint: It's me.)

Reading is For Closers

Get some downloads a-plenty today and tomorrow and read some funny books while you listen to the muzak:

-You Ain't No Picasso has a five song CBC session with Wolf Parade. I'm not the biggest Wolf Parade fan but I do like these tracks.

-Thanks to So Much Silence for pointing me to a band called Source Victoria. Their album The Fast Escape is available for a free download until tomorrow. Follow this link and click on the "take the fast escape" link.

-Most importantly, though is the free comic book being offered by Wide Awake Press for Free Comic Book Day. Tons of great artists (some of them even talented!) and the best part is...it's free. Oh, and there's a piece by your favorite blogger. Get it here, starting tomorrow and not a moment sooner cheaters.

Honey, I Don't Believe This

#5: Hated: GG Allin & the Murder Junkies

(dir. Todd Phillips, 1994; released on DVD, 1997)

Only circumstantially aware of GG Allin and who he was, my main familiarity with his (ahem) work were the tales of theatrical and scatological stage antics and one great song by the Drive-By Truckers, "The Night GG Allin Came to Town" on the just-okay LP Pizza Deliverance.

I never meant to watch Hated, but if you're so inclined you can watch it on Pitchfork TV; it's being shown online as part of the "One Week Only" feature and will be available until Monday, May 5. Watch it here (NSFW!).

I've watched horrible things in my lifetime. I've seen most of Pink Flamingos, enjoyed Man Bites Dog, and highly recommend The Devil's Rejects as authentic campy horror. I didn't mean to watch Hated; I was just checking out Pitchfork TV and it happened to be the first thing that started playing. I can't say I'm glad I watched it, but I don't feel worse for seeing it.

My problem with Allin isn't the onstage defecation, the nudity, the indignancy toward humanity, or even the gross-out factor. Instead I take offense at the lack of a message in his body of work. The music itself is only secondary to his behavior and, in levels of fuckedupedness, drummer Dino ranks a bit higher than Allin. (Watch for him to start babbling in random words about the Lunachicks, yet in his mind he's making perfect sense.)

Instead, Hated takes on a sadly comic tone after the intial shock wears off. GG's brother Merle is as loving a brother as anyone could ask for--when asked about GG's propensity for violence towards others and his claim of committing suicide onstage Merle seems genuinely awkward and upset (even though he is sporting a Hitler-stache). Then there's the GG Allin fan Unk, who essentially boils Allin and his music down to a "hilarious" circus act, nothing more.

There are two scenes that stand out in this genuine mess of a documentary. The first I can't describe because it has to be witnessed for impact. I'll just say it involves a request that GG makes for his birthday that involves human waste and a female companion. But the second scene that captivates is the steady shot of GG playing an acoustic guitar powerfully and belting out an old-fashioned drug-murder-outlaw ballad that would stand tall on any Hank Williams or Johnny Cash album. It is here that one may come to realize that GG created the shell of a cycle that he became trapped in; perhaps his "serious" musical qualities could have been known had he not fallen into the endless pit of audience expectations and a persona he couldn't live up to, but could never live down.

Read about GG Allin's death at Wikipedia here. It's quite interesting.

Read the Drive By Truckers' lyrics to "The Night GG Allin Came to Town" here. You can listen to the song here if you have Rhapsody installed.

You Know You Want It

Go ahead and get your free downloads of the Death Cab for Cutie Daytrotter session at this link. They are well into their 100,000th download.
Bandwidth issues, Daytrotter? Hope not. Thanks for the free tunes.

Sorry Ma, Forgot Irony Was a Dead Scene

Aww, hells yeah. The Replacement re-issues are out, finally and you can bet your penny loafers I'm gonna drop some cash on all of them. The Mats deserve nothing less. Pitchfork has reviews of the first four re-issues (Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, Stink, Hootenanny, and Let It Be) right here. Guess which one got a perfect 10.0? C'mon, guess.

Also, The Onion AV Club has an interview with Chris Carter. Anybody else besides me find it weird that another X-Files movie is coming out ten years after the shows finale? Wait a minute, who cares? There's another X-Files movie...hell yeah!

The Constantines have a video up for "Hard Feelings" the first track off of their better-than-their-last-album-but-still-not-as-good-as-the-one-before-it album Kensington Heights on their new label Arts and Crafts.




And, finally there's this:


Guess nobody told them this would only be funny for about ten seconds.

STREAM: Weezer, "Pork and Beans"

The Blind Pig

Photos are up from the Man Man show at the Village Tavern that I was at on March 7. I think they are some of my better photos--mostly because I used a flash and had some decent equipment. Follow this link to see them.

I'll be back in town this Friday from Waldorf, MD. Monday, April 28 I'll be at The Tin Roof taking pics of Athens, GA's The Winter Sounds.
I love this band and you should too. I'll post the interview I did with singer/bassist Patrick Kennan about a year ago for the now-defunct free weekly The Beat.

Thanks much to You Ain't No Picasso who has posted a free download of the entire Man Man show at The Blind Pig in Michigan. Good sound quality, too! Follow this link for all the goodness.
Note that the files are in M4A format, so get out your converters or drop them into iTunes.

Additionally, Sixeyes (have I mentioned how much I love this guy?) has reposted a free Radiohead concert, Live from BBC Radio. As the man says, get 'em while they're hot. Again, amazing sound quality. Here's the link to the goodness.

On Record Store Day I bought the new Helio Sequence album, but haven't had a chance to listen to it, yet. There's something about Maryland that makes one lethargic against all the things we should love. (They're playing the Village Tavern on May 30.) And I managed to snag a copy of Bob Marley, Legend and The Stone Roses, The Complete Stone Roses on the $1 table. I put Nirvana, Unplugged back, though now I wish I hadn't. I've got a fever for some grunge lately.

No Post-Rock for Me

Well, who would have thought that a little old instrumental band from Texas would have sold out a show in little old Charleston, SC? Actually, it makes sense when you consider the fact that they sold out two shows in Atlanta--the second show they scheduled in the middle of the afternoon to accomodate fans (wasn't that nice of them?). Needless to say, I did not have tickets and E and I turned around and went home to watch The Brothers Solomon. Which was funny.

No worries, there's always the NPR podcast of their show at the 9:3o Club in DC available for download here. (Just right click and "Save As" for the file.)

I do have an exciting announcement, however. Last Thursday, Horizon Records in Greenville, SC (one of the best record stores in the country--no, seriously) launched their spiffy new website with a certain writer who shares a name with me appearing on their blog. Yippee! It goes without saying that I am honored and thrilled to be a part of the Horizon Records family, even if it is from afar. Buy something from the site, as that is one of the new perks. And look for more postings from your faithful author soon.

I'm in Waldorf, MD for the next two weeks on business. I'm lonely and on the computer a lot so holla atcha boy if you feelin' me.

Local Edition

Check out the poster for Kulture Klash 2, April 19 a week from this Saturday. I like it.

The official description of Kulture Klash is as follows:

"Kulture Klash 2 - Event highlights the local, eclectic, and innovative creative minds in the Charleston area. A new feature this go ‘round is a week-long exhibit of all the artwork that has been installed for the event. Exhibit runs April 19-25. Sat., April 19, 7 p.m.-12 a.m."

It's in the area where the old Navy base used to be, an area that is slated for major overhaul and redevelopment.

Additionally, @ The Music Farm this Saturday I get to see EITS.

But first I got to get through the garage sale I'm having Saturday...

And sadly, I won't be able to attend Fluke this year. And that makes me sad because it's always a splendid good time. But be sure to go if you can and check out my boys at Wide Awake Press.
They are the coolest cats in the mini-comics game. Just check out this poster:


Like I said, the coolest. I'll see you guys at Heroes Con.

Much love to my G-ville peeps. Holla.