tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-260523782012-02-16T12:16:22.303-08:00music, etc.Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.comBlogger1431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-50669988348773627662007-01-17T17:02:00.000-08:002007-01-17T17:11:54.127-08:00

But between a full class load, a job, a radio show and various other endeavors, I really don't have the time to make this blog what it should be. So, unless I stumble upon some more free time in the future, this will be the end of Tall Buildings Shake. I may do some updates here and there if the mood strikes me, but there won't be regular posting. This has been a fun little project and a great

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-61900057577633675122007-01-12T17:42:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:20.004-08:00

Big surprise, huh? I listened to this album two times before I burned copies of it for all my roommates - and that was before a good copy even leaked to the internets. And then I structured a vacation to New York City around seeing these guys at Irving Plaza. And then I bought a copy just so I could turn it up loud in my car without losing any sound quality on that staccato guitar line that

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-53452310574333086102007-01-12T17:04:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:20.132-08:00

With the possible exception of Ys, no album released this year sounds like it had as much time and effort put into it as Neko Case's Fox Confessor Brings The Flood. Of course I have no way of knowing that, but just listen to this thing - every single lyric moves Case's prose forward, every single instrument was recorded beautifully and no instrumental lick sounds out of place. With the help of

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-42653823026580213382007-01-12T16:15:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:20.239-08:00

Put simply, Destroyer's Rubies was the album of my summer. Couple some of Dan Bejar's best lyrical work with a whole slew of classic rock "la la la" choruses, and you have what may go down as Destroyer's most accessible, yet most impressive work. Previous albums, though notable, tended to lose direction - awash in Bejar's impressionistic wordplay without the framework of memorable melodies

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-48600230044327021962007-01-05T16:10:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:20.409-08:00

WTF?Seriously, what the hell is this thing? Where do I even begin? Five tracks, most of which are over 10 minutes long, of surreal harp-based music embellished by a full orchestra full of counter-melodies. Who sits down and decides to make music like this?And then you gradually get over the shock of comprehending what you're listening to and realize that this album is stuffed to the brim with

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-70548455213044419582007-01-03T19:04:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:20.721-08:00

I resisted it for a while, mostly to spite the slew of hyperbolic reviews that would make you think that God himself constructed this album from one of Adam’s ribs on the seventh day. But it was only a matter of time before I, too, was hypnotized by TV On The Radio's Return to Cookie Mountain. From the very beginning, you know it’s something special. It’s as if someone threw every major style

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-16701404730264526512007-01-02T23:03:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:20.839-08:00

We put a premium on originality and ingenuity in music, and for good reason – we can only hear the same story so many times before it becomes boring and cliched. But every once in a while, an album comes along that pulls off the old tricks so well, we give it a pass. Let’s Get Out of This Country follows the same formula that Belle & Sebastian and The Softies have many times before – wistful,

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-6337107243311507222007-01-01T21:16:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:20.988-08:00

The problem many, myself included, have with most modern Top 40 pop music is the inherent inorganic quality of it all. Even when a pop star finds a shtick that isn’t rife with cliché (some would tell you Justin Timberlake this year), all the sound is compressed and digitized past the point of recognition. Turn on the radio – most of it doesn’t even sound like it came from a living, breathing

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-29185951357830089642006-12-23T18:40:00.000-08:002006-12-23T18:45:38.368-08:00

The rest of TBS's list might have to wait for vacation and work, but it will be done in the near future. Quality > speed. In the meantime, here's a round-up of other (better written) year-end lists from around the internets.PitchforkCoke Machine GlowTiny Mix TapesStylus

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-46504692043444901722006-12-23T17:15:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:21.128-08:00

As the year came to an end and the weather started getting colder, I put off revisiting this - psychedelic country rock just isn't winter music. But the minute I did put it on, I was instantly transported back to that three-week period in June when I couldn't listen to anything but Howlin' Rain.Think CCR or the Grateful Dead with Sonic Youth-ian distortion freak-outs. And for as much as that

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-83112434728099630752006-12-18T19:26:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:21.197-08:00

A Yo La Tengo album that is pretty average as far as Yo La Tengo albums go. But Yo La Tengo on autopilot is still pretty damn engaging, as the band switches from the tried-and-true (Shoegazey psychadelic rock and hypnotic, Velvet Underground-inspired pop) to new experiments (the Brian Wilson-esque "Beanbag Chair," the Belle & Sebastian-ish neo-funk of "Mr. Tough" and whatever the shit "Watch Out

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-88257287689784069082006-12-16T13:30:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:21.325-08:00

The best "sad bastard" artists aren't the ones that turn out album after album of pure "bottom-of-the-barell" pieces of self-loathing and depression, it's the artists that know how to take a nice, cheery pop tune and tweak it slightly, giving it a bittersweet vibe that leaves the listener guessing as to the artist's intentions. Subtlety and moderation are key in the "indie-singer-songwriter"

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-24193350185853437122006-12-11T20:05:00.000-08:002006-12-11T21:28:21.243-08:00

So now that all but one final is over with, I can blog again. Sorry about that. To make up for it, I'll be listing my favorite albums of the year, in order, on a semi-day-to-day basis.First, the runners up. The following albums made valiant efforts to get into my top ten list, but ended up falling short for one reason or another. To their credit, there are some absolute gems on here that

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-45184806408703615932006-12-04T15:11:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:51:21.733-08:00

Brooklyn-based Pela play an enjoyable mix of early, anthemic U2 (before they got shitty) and The National. It's all fairly simple stuff, but the band pulls it off without sounding too epic and earnest (like U2 now). "The Trouble with River Cities" in particular has been stuck in my head for several weeks now. The band has a couple of EPs out now and is planning a full length next year. Pela-

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-53549506088747785132006-11-29T12:18:00.000-08:002006-11-29T12:36:34.224-08:00

In honor of Tom Waits crawling out of his cave to do some publicity this week, it's Tom Waits week on Tall Buildings Shake.Tom Waits- "The Piano Has Been Drinking"David Letterman this week- "Lie To Me"And a beautiful performance of a masterfully written song ("Day After Tomorrow" from Real Gone) on The Daily Show last night: Tom Waits on The Daily Show

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-33530675163094182682006-11-27T10:58:00.000-08:002006-11-27T17:08:47.496-08:00

Tom Waits is one of the finest American songwriters ever. Orphans is out now. Awesome interview in P4K today:Pitchfork: You have a fine reputation for haunting California's salvage yards and pawn shops. What attracts you to certain objects?Tom Waits: I'm interested in things when I don't know what they are. Like "Hey, Ray, what the hell is this?" Oh, that's lipstick from the 1700s, that's dog

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-69357192364537586082006-11-22T10:33:00.000-08:002006-11-22T11:02:47.292-08:00

How come bands don't play like this anymore? Live at the Fillmore East is a perfect example of how good Neil Young and Crazy Horse were in 1970 - pre-Danny Whitten's unfortunate passing. There's a sense of raw passion here - like everything is teetering on the edge of chaos without ever quite getting there - that is far too rare these days.Neil Young & Crazy Horse- Cowgirl In The Sand from Live

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-79223276997037777742006-11-20T19:04:00.000-08:002006-11-20T20:04:04.460-08:00

The Hold Steady- Stuck Between Stations from Boys And Girls In AmericaI'm sure I've said enough by now. One of the best pieces of rock n' roll you're likely to hear all year. The band always rocked, but never have they sounded so anthemic. Sure, the Van Halen guitar riffs, electric keyboard arpeggios and Craig Finn's Elvis Costello vocals sound a bit silly to the jaded and disillusioned part

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-43144176364205457832006-11-16T16:30:00.000-08:002006-11-16T19:45:34.451-08:00

You ever have one of those albums that you love to death and try to tell all your friends about, but people just look at you like you're weird? David Thomas Broughton's debut, The Complete Guide To Insufficiency became one of my favorite albums ever the first time I put it on. My interest was piqued by Coke Machine Glow's Best of 2005 list (which placed him ahead of Bonnie Prince Billy, The

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-71200629941835320162006-11-13T12:56:00.000-08:002006-11-13T14:22:45.588-08:00

Sorry about the lack of activity. A guy's gotta have some downtime, and with a full schedule shaping up for next quarter, several-day intervals in between blog posts could happen again. But you'll come crawling back. You always do. A selection of some of my favorite songs released this year:Sunset Rubdown- Stadiums And Shrines from Shut Up I Am DreamingSpencer Krug has proven himself as one of

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-317992345020639422006-11-09T21:22:00.000-08:002006-12-04T21:06:23.395-08:00

It's a rare opportunity to see one of the more important voices in modern folk music in a venue as intimate as Anacortes, Washington's Department of Safety. So it didn't matter that I wasn't feeling well and had to work early the next morning, I went, job performance be damned. Anacortes being the home to several artists from the Olympia-based experimental pop collective K Records, D+ (Mount

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-38826500025750842192006-11-06T17:19:00.000-08:002006-11-06T17:25:18.312-08:00

No time! The waters are rising! Midterm on Wednesday! Have to be at work two hours before the sun comes up tommorrow! If I don't make it out alive, at least this will be a great track to end my blogging career on!The Band- The Night The Drove Old Dixie Down from 1978's The Last Waltz

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-2507858801738955312006-11-04T11:40:00.000-08:002006-11-04T12:17:39.774-08:00

I missed the blogging boat on these guys. Bishop Allen are an awesome Brooklyn-based indie pop group that is nearing the end of this year's "one EP a month" project. Amazingly, most of the songs sound just as well-developed as most bands' year-long projects. With a diverse sound and weary vocals like Wilco and a well-tempered earnestness like good Death Cab For Cutie, this is the sound of a

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-73444094373134749902006-11-02T21:00:00.000-08:002006-11-02T21:22:53.263-08:00

Tell me I shouldn't go see Joanna Newsom in this venue in December, because it is during dead week and would make me bomb my finals and make my term papers suck. Someone needs to.Also, awesome interview with The Hold Steady on Tiny Mix Tapes. Though I don't know if it makes Boston fans feel any better. Sounds like the whole boozing thing went a bit too far.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-73679130013536028362006-11-01T13:35:00.000-08:002006-11-01T15:10:51.186-08:00

Peter Bjorn & John are a Swedish trio that have gathered a lot of praise for their recent full length Writer's Block. I've been reaching for what to compare their sound to, but haven't been able to come up with anything useful. What makes my apparent lack of comparative analysis talent notable is the fact that nothing this band does really breaks any rules or does anything that hasn't been done

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-42409564065215375602006-10-30T17:26:00.000-08:002006-10-30T18:33:09.830-08:00

O'Death is one of those "WTF" bands. Banjos, fiddles and hillbilly vocals taken to sometimes absurd extremes mixed with psychedelic drug trips and theatrical, furious energy. It's basically how Man Man would sound if they had all grown up in rural Kentucky. It's certainly not for anyone, but for fans of Man Man, Primus or Tom Waits' frantic 1990's work, O'Death may tickle your sick, twisted

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-21327861243297431402006-10-28T13:14:00.000-07:002006-10-28T13:44:07.788-07:00

In the words of Tall Buildings Shake's first guest blogger, Ms. Alexa Sparks:Okkervil River - an amazing band with good hair. Basically everyone should like them. They played two shows this month at New York City's Bowery Ballroom (which, in my opinion, is a pretty sweet venue.) The Saturday night show was sold out, but I was able to go to the Sunday night show. I would be curious to find out

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-12063273719169980212006-10-27T14:02:00.000-07:002006-10-28T13:11:01.925-07:00

Portland-based Norfolk & Western just released another full length, The Unsung Colony, building on their understated folk-rock sound. Featuring former and current members of fellow Portland-ites (how did Portland get to be the hippest town in the country all of a sudden?) The Decemberists, the band is a vehicle for Adam Selzer, who has also worked with what has to be the most talented man to

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-75387978537002639332006-10-25T14:56:00.000-07:002006-10-25T15:03:44.939-07:00

Wow. After all the hard work, I finally got the chance to pay tribute to my favorite American musician - on my favorite television show, even! Thanks to my team of backup dancers. I couldn't have done it without them. We're gonna take Broadway by storm, gals!(Thanks to Stereogum)

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1201620651309572272006-10-23T22:21:00.000-07:002006-10-23T22:36:11.900-07:00

Caution, shameless plug ahead:Last night's radio show went especially well. Just a reminder that if you're in the mood for bittersweetness from 10 p.m. until midnight (PST) on Sunday nights, On The Rocks is just a couple clicks away. Elliott Smith: Sweet AdelineBobby Bare Jr.: Where Is My Mind?The Court & Spark: Steeplechasing Townes Van Zandt: Dead Flowers Johnny Cash: Folsom Prison Blues

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-47122740058482177782006-10-22T10:25:00.000-07:002006-10-22T10:49:13.309-07:00

Busy weekend with an even busier week coming up, but a couple things bear mentioning:1) I saw The Hold Steady for the second time this tour last night, and I don't know what exactly I can say anymore to make people understand how much I love this band. It's like I'm 13 and hearing rock music for the first time. Amazing show that included a drunken/shirtless Shawn Na Na to open, "Stevie Nix" and

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-76965854472452740552006-10-20T16:19:00.000-07:002006-10-20T16:57:44.390-07:00

Bobby Bare Jr. is all over the map in a beautiful way. With one of those raspy, yelpy voices that sounds like a better version of that guy from Kings of Leon, Bare Jr. does raucous rockabilly, tender My Morning Jacket-ian balladry and a strait-up mariachi-flavored Gram Parsons country tune - and that's just the first three tracks of his most recent release The Longest Meow. 11 songs recorded in

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-3932685941280293512006-10-18T13:56:00.000-07:002006-10-18T13:59:59.951-07:00

Pitchfork's Jet Review

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-18117652483507327672006-10-17T17:51:00.000-07:002006-10-17T18:25:05.669-07:00

Nina Nastasia writes sparse, affecting folk music, reminiscent of Cat Power, Hem or Gillian Welch. The arrangements are fairly minimalist (a few piano chords, a little bass or three-piece drum kit and the occasional bit of atmospherics), allowing Nastasia's songwriting to take center stage. There's enough going on here to set her apart from your average sad-chick-with-a-guitar. You're sure to

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-39886346898808806342006-10-16T15:51:00.000-07:002006-10-16T16:20:09.663-07:00

If this proves to be true, Scarlet Johanson just got about 50 times hotter. As Stereogum pointed out for us, Fox News' entertainment page (literally the bottom of the media barrel, take it with a grain of salt) reports that Johanson will be releasing an album full of Tom Waits covers entitled Scarlett Sings Tom Waits. I don't know that I've ever heard the woman sing, but this is still pretty

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-37369260619982808022006-10-14T11:14:00.000-07:002006-10-14T11:23:49.065-07:00

I don't know if this is a compliment or not, but I think that if I was ever in a band, I'd want my band to be just like Okkervil River in every way. Tight band that can play rock and roll just as well as tears-in-your-beer folk, a perfect balance between sonic experimentation and pop sensibilities, well-written lyrics and a huge dose of passion. Here's a live video of "Kansas City," courtesy of

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-19782738932656588062006-10-13T20:06:00.000-07:002006-10-13T20:18:42.143-07:00

So I'm a few years too late, but Guided By Voices were a great band. The sheer volume of material is a bit intimidating, but Bee Thousand, at least, lives up to the hype you've probably heard about this band. Robert Pollard's fractured, esoteric lyrics and the band's lo-fi mastery of doing a lot with a very little make these guys one hell of an intriguing indie rock band. It may not be

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-14034567048147874472006-10-11T18:21:00.000-07:002006-10-11T20:15:29.833-07:00

As big of a Neil Young fan as I claim to be, it's a shame it took so long for me to give Time Fades Away a listen. The story goes like this: After the country-rock perfection of 1972's Harvest made him a superstar, Young went on tour, sans roadie/guitarist Danny Whitten (the guy who trades those awesome staccato guitar licks with Young on "Down By The River"), who died of a drug overdose after

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-23007005075072148022006-10-09T15:32:00.000-07:002006-10-09T16:07:24.756-07:00

Wooden Wand (aka James Toth) is an obscenely productive psych-folk singer-songwriter from New York. I haven't had the time or energy to dive into the numerous albums he's been involved with over the last couple years, but Second Attention, reportedly the least-indulgent of his numerous releases, is very diggable. Gothic-yet-pretty folk songs with esoteric, religious lyrical themes sung in

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-31531114745537888012006-10-06T14:45:00.000-07:002006-10-06T14:57:01.571-07:00

Wilcoworld has a preview of the new Jeff Tweedy Solo DVD up. The song is kind of average, but the DVD looks and sounds great. Tweedy and My Morning Jacket are going to be in a battle for the best music-related DVD released this year. Here's the tracklist:01 Sunken Treasure02 Theologians03 The Ruling Class04 How to Fight Loneliness05 Summerteeth06 The Thanks I Get07 I Am Trying to Break Your

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-20986139769329863972006-10-05T18:59:00.000-07:002006-10-05T19:27:24.767-07:00

So if you're not getting drunk and listening to Boys And Girls In America (and really, there is no reason you should be doing anything else at this juncture), but are in the mood for something a bit more moody and introspective, give Beach House a listen. The Baltimore male/female duo's new album is actually suprisingly unique, fusing brooding, layered Hammond organs, slide guitar and whispy

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-40383834990762345682006-10-03T08:42:00.000-07:002006-10-03T08:45:21.199-07:00

Everyone knows at least one. The kid in school who was generally good-natured, but drank and did drugs and never went to college because he lacked the desire, not the brains. He probably stuck around home when you went away to college that fall, working various jobs and moving in an out of his parents' basements for a few years before he found other kids just like him and moved into a shitty

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-49331814862638378482006-09-28T17:46:00.000-07:002006-09-28T17:58:17.527-07:00

I'm out of town for the long weekend, visiting someone special and seeing The Motherfucking Hold Steady. Here are some love songs to tide you over:Neil Young- Harvest Moon from Harvest MoonBeach Boys- God Only Knows from Pet Sounds

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-52631911726312115422006-09-27T18:54:00.000-07:002006-09-27T19:20:46.303-07:00

Visitors to Ryan Adams' web site are now greeted with a Star Wars-influenced menu soundtracked by Mr. Adams keeping it real ... or something. Here are the lyrics thanks to Stereogum:"Look Who Got A Website" ©Ryan Adams | Barland Music 2006Awwwwwww shit.Look who got a website.That's right.Dot com.What the fuck.CHORUS: Welcome to RyanAdams.com motherfuckerNew York City it's up!CHORUS: Mix masters

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-16937295620014045752006-09-25T19:48:00.000-07:002006-09-25T20:28:28.298-07:00

I'll admit it. I had never heard of Harry Nilsson until The Walkmen decided to cover the entirety of his 1974 album Pussy Cats. Since I'm not qualified to give the back story, I'll let allmusic.com do it for me.The relationship between Harry Nilsson and John Lennon is legendary. They were notorious booze hounds and carousers, getting kicked out of clubs for misbehavior and generally terrorizing

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-51939341119306354082006-09-23T14:34:00.000-07:002006-09-23T14:55:53.798-07:00

So The Eraser was pretty average and we will have to wait until next year to hear new studio stuff from Thom and Co., but here's a compilation I made of (I think) all the new songs Radiohead played live this year. These may not be the best sources out there of the tracks, but they are all listenable and a good reminder that if music were basketball, these guys would be Michael Jordan.Radiohead-

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-3118328911323132892006-09-22T18:07:00.000-07:002006-09-22T18:36:35.992-07:00

Much of the charm of hit Showtime series Weeds is in the quirky theme song, sung by 1960's folk artist Malvina Reynolds. Her most popular song, "Little Boxes" is light-hearted counter-culture look at the conformity of suburban America.Malvina Reynolds- Little Boxes from "Weeds"

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-21494198842236463392006-09-20T18:37:00.000-07:002006-09-20T19:16:03.824-07:00

Considering how much I've grown to love last year's Black Sheep Boy, I don't know why it took me so long to get ahold of the new Australian-only Okkervil River EP, but it was certainly my loss. With each passing album, Will Sheff writes better and better lyrics and the band sounds better and better behind him. "The President's Dead" shows it, but not as much as one of the band's best tracks yet

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-7597388853261768192006-09-18T12:19:00.000-07:002006-09-18T12:40:13.728-07:00

In the one and only time I link to People Magazine, everyone's favorite country-legend-turned-hippie Willie Nelson got busted with a pound and a half of marijuana on his tour bus. That Willie Nelson - always contributing to society's depravity.Daytrotter has a great piece on exactly why I can't really get into Final Fantasy's music. Technical prowess can only get you so far. People don't remember

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-30466224638929330932006-09-16T09:35:00.000-07:002006-09-16T09:58:59.742-07:00

Keeping with this week's "bands from Athens, Georgia" vibe, Venice Is Sinking are an above average introspective indie group. Think Pedro The Lion with whispery male/female vocals and without the Christian imagery, but with a hypnotic twist, Interpol-style. "Pulaski Heights" reminds me a bit of Something About Airplanes-era Death Cab with violins. Great soundtrack to the ever-approaching fall

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-15756545926552768662006-09-15T12:52:00.000-07:002006-09-15T12:53:03.205-07:00

TV On The Radio- Letterman (9/12/06)

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-36707537185977462012006-09-14T18:15:00.000-07:002006-09-14T23:56:04.048-07:00

Ever get the feeling when you hear a song for the first time and you know immediately that it is going to be one of your favorite songs ever? I've had that with every other track of The Hold Steady's new one, Boys And Girls In America. These guys are the Led Zeppelin of bar bands. Separation Sunday had been growing on me, but this has me floored. Oh, and they just happen to be playing Irving

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-73401897538920814592006-09-12T22:34:00.000-07:002006-09-12T23:57:31.607-07:00

These will be no-brainers for the long time fans out there, but for the uninitiated, here's some of my favorite R.E.M. tracks that you may not have heard on the radio.R.E.M.- Perfect Circle from 1983's MurmurA gem from the band's classic debut, "Perfect Circle" is a bastion of the great things the band had in store in its future. As a gentle waltz led by Mike Mills' bittersweet piano line, it

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-50880677549063059002006-09-11T20:47:00.000-07:002006-09-11T22:35:31.075-07:00

The history of my musical tastes is one of obsession. Looking back, some of those obsessions I am proud of and others I am not. I'll not delve into my embarrassing Garth Brooks obsession in elementary school. (Though I'm sure it planted the seeds that grew into my current appreciation of good country/roots/bluegrass.) In my angsty middle school years, it was the Smashing Pumpkins. Then came the

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-11942999017063458072006-09-08T09:25:00.000-07:002006-09-08T10:07:56.132-07:00

New TV On The Radio video for "Wolf Like Me" is available through AOL. Asians, hilarious dialogue and werewolves that look like the Abominable Snowman from Rudolph. How much better can you get?Black Keys rocked, someone flaked out on me for the Silver Jews and I couldn't face the prospect of anymore driving. If I don't move to an urban area within the next year I may end myself.I'll be gone

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-26818149638205019172006-09-06T18:24:00.000-07:002006-09-06T18:40:28.161-07:00

Awesome Daytrotter session from Bonnie "Prince" Billy, whose upcoming album The Letting Go and sprawling back catalog is quickly becoming this fall's go-to music. I shouldn't need to tell you, but this guy is one of a kind. He keeps the weirdness to a minimum on The Letting Go, making parent-friendly yet engaging folk. Check out Palace tune "The Sun Highlights the Lack in Each."Really funny

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-22045469600928727522006-09-05T17:53:00.000-07:002006-09-05T18:00:30.208-07:00

I have high hopes for Wilco in 2007. Who needs sonic experimentation anyways? All the good songs have already been written, why rock the boat, man? A return to Being There-style Wilco would be clutch.Apologies for the break, blogging is a form of labor too.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-10116187335419906462006-09-04T11:11:00.000-07:002006-09-04T11:28:02.815-07:00

M. Ward has always been one of the most unique voices in this decade's Americana scene, and this, his fourth full length, is a huge step forward for Ward - the youngest man with the oldest voice. Post-War, with its layered (or more layered, anyways) production, is a bit of a departure for long-time fans of Ward's bare-bones, ghostly-warm crooning. But like all good artists, Ward is evolving.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-10037645494738817942006-08-31T19:42:00.000-07:002006-08-31T20:01:07.873-07:00

Technologically inclined readers can probably get their hands on the new Joanna Newsom album, which is really indescribable. I can't decide whether it is brilliant or overly indulgent, but it's probably both and has me transfixed in the meantime. People have and will mock me, but there is something about her way with words (not to mention unconventional vocal style) that reminds me of Dylan.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-33482885927039512232006-08-30T21:17:00.000-07:002006-08-30T22:05:48.480-07:00

Sad news. These guys (and girl) put on one of the most entertaining live shows I've ever seen and (though I hate to say it) are one of the first bands to open me up to the world of bluegrass music, which I have come to adore. This was a band that made great records and generated a loyal fanbase outside of any distinct musical circle. They were often too "out there" (translation: not Toby Keith

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-92016837953199169392006-08-29T19:10:00.000-07:002006-08-29T19:12:50.823-07:00

America's greatest living songwriter released Modern Times, his 31st studio album, on Tuesday, and it's already getting obscenely good reviews. At this point, the guy could fart into an analog tape recorder and the critics would eat it up. Lucky for us, Dylan's voice hasn't gotten to that point yet.In the last year or so I have absolutely fallen in love with Dylan's recent output. 1993's all

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-38728512413772456772006-08-28T16:16:00.000-07:002006-08-28T16:36:41.541-07:00

Everyone's (my) favorite drugged out, shirtless, psychedelic-hippie-folk musicians are backing someone by the name of Baby Gramps on Letterman tonight. In all likelihood this is past my bedtime (I gots to get up early to pay the bills), but someone hook a brother up and capture it and put it online for me. K.thanx. Here's to hoping they dance around like the picture above. (Thanks to Brooklyn

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-71957266930306372952006-08-27T15:37:00.000-07:002006-08-27T16:22:53.134-07:00

A full grown Grizzly Bear can reach close to 1,800 pounds and reach heights of close to 7 feet when standing on its hind legs. In the wild, Grizzlies can live between 25 and 30 years. But what can't a Grizzly Bear do that a group of four Brooklyn-based musicians that perform under the moniker of Grizzly Bear can? Make one of the year's most impressive experimental indie folk albums, that's

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-39039490574296681152006-08-25T20:26:00.000-07:002006-08-25T21:04:45.446-07:00

His Tweedy-ness is releasing a DVD of his recent West Coast solo tour, entitled Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest. (West Coast, hollajiggawordtoyamutha) I attended the Seattle show and had a great time despite being in the very last row of the Moore Theater. Not enough can be said about this guy's songwriting chops. His solo shows are a testament to how affecting a guy with a

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-46276398573515655392006-08-24T20:42:00.000-07:002006-08-24T21:05:58.949-07:00

Bands like Vancouver, B.C.'s Ladyhawk make me think this whole "reinventing the wheel" and "being experimental" thing is so last year. I mean what is the point when you can just get together with a few of your friends, drink a few Pabst, turn your amps up to 11 and crank out some rock n roll music like your dad used to? Not everyone has to try to be Radiohead. There's no shame in making

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-45116976955424814532006-08-23T18:18:00.000-07:002006-08-23T18:27:57.490-07:00

Here's a tralier for the upcoming live My Morning Jacket DVD, which should be proof enough that these guys are one of the best live rock and roll bands around these days. CD comes out on September 26th and is very good as far as live CD's go. DVD (complete with killer 5.1 Surround Sound) comes out on Oct. 31.My Morning Jacket- Okonokos traler (Windows Media)

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-81160243186562173472006-08-22T21:17:00.000-07:002006-08-22T21:33:28.892-07:00

Here's a video from the single from Chad VanGaalen's Skelliconnection, which is for sale at local CD stores and on the internets. VanGaalen did all the animation for the video as well. His stuff is all over the map, but the guy has some great talent and produces some of the best bedroom pop you're going to hear.Chad VanGaalen- Sing Me To Sleep from SkelliconnectionChad VanGaalen- Flower Gardens

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-3373832524242155922006-08-21T18:59:00.000-07:002006-08-21T19:20:51.448-07:00

The Muso has a couple tracks from the new Decemberists album, The Crane Wife, which comes out October 3rd. A little bird told me the album is an interesting departure for the band, and includes a couple passages of Jefferson Airplane organ and some hot disco beats alongside some more normal Decemberists fare. Is that as bad as it sounds? Remains to be seen. Suffice it to say, though, that The

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-36154238727505865252006-08-20T13:29:00.000-07:002006-08-20T15:04:17.264-07:00

And The Sadies' new live double album, In Concert, Vol. 1, bears striking resemblance to The Band's 1978 farewell concert, The Last Waltz. Start-studded guest appearances (or as star-studded as the Toronto Americana scene gets) including Neko Case (the same one that released one of the best records this year, Fox Confessor Brings The Flood), Garth Hudson of The Band (see, I'm not insane), Gary

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-24130167881295643932006-08-18T19:49:00.000-07:002006-08-18T19:52:40.078-07:00

Tom Waits will release a 3-CD album of B-sides and outtakes, entitled (in true Waits style) Orphans. Not as good of news as brand new material or a large-scale tour, but good news all the same. I'm sure I've covered it before, but Waits and his wife Kathleen Brennan deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Elton John/Bernie Taupin and Lennon/McCartney when it comes to songwriting teams.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1313049157725522002006-08-17T18:43:00.000-07:002006-08-17T20:25:14.181-07:00

Jason Molina is back with a solo and Magnolia Electric Co. album, proving once again that he is the closest thing we currently have to a 1970's Neil Young (you know, the drugged out, depressive as hell, Tonight's The Night one). The guy has a voice to kill things for. Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go is just the guy and a piano or guitar, lo-fi like The Microphones- The Glow, Pt. 2, all insular,

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1155498898603814202006-08-13T12:05:00.000-07:002006-08-14T08:51:09.936-07:00

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists- Me And MiaElliott Smith- The Biggest LieAkron/Family- Love And SpaceMy Morning Jacket- At Dawn (Bonnaroo)

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1155318227887821892006-08-11T10:21:00.000-07:002006-08-11T10:44:21.773-07:00

In addition to having a boss band name, The Heartless Bastards make awesome female-led garage rock. Their newest album is titled All This Time. Think of a less post-punky, more Midwestern Yeah Yeah Yeahs or a bluesier Sleater-Kinney. It's very simple yet anthemic in a Ragged Glory-era Neil Young sort of way.Heartless Bastards- All This Time from All This TimeHeartless Bastards- Searching For

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1155278954043581442006-08-10T22:50:00.000-07:002006-08-10T23:50:46.600-07:00

Ryan Adams showing how awesome he can be when he puts his mind to it:Jeff Tweedy solo- "Theologians":Yo La Tengo- "Stockholm Syndrome"

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1155171983360178352006-08-09T17:43:00.000-07:002006-08-09T18:07:08.700-07:00

Four days between posts? What a bad blogger I am. Apologies; learning half-assed bluegrass songs for a friend's wedding, entertaining another friend in the country from Brazil and working for no pay keeps me busy. But speaking of Brazil, I have something for you. You may hate it - you'd be well within your rights to do so. But I promise you'll be entertained at least for a bit. Guillemots

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1154824171283042422006-08-05T17:00:00.000-07:002006-08-07T08:39:26.106-07:00

It's August, the sun it out, the birds and the bees are doing their thing and even those of us that are more predisposed to mellowness feel the need to drive real fast with the windows down and listen to loud, fast and happy music. August is made for rocking out. It is, therefore, time for some Ted Leo & The Pharmacists. Guy knows how to blend all the good parts of punk, pop and indie music.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1154670341688634782006-08-03T22:35:00.000-07:002006-08-03T22:46:37.523-07:00

First track from the upcoming Swan Lake project from Dan Bejar (Destroyer), Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade/Sunset Rubdown) and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes). Hopefully just the beginning of the awesomeness to come. Supergroup of the year. So awesome that complete sentences are pointless.Swan Lake- All FiresThanks to The Rawking Refuses To Stop

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1154662804988377912006-08-03T20:19:00.000-07:002006-08-03T20:40:05.003-07:00

Here's a three-part mini-documentary on The National, complete with band drama and kinda silly commentary. In hind sight, I was wrong when I thought Alligator was really good. It was fucking awesome - hands down one of the best albums of last year. Like all of the best albums, it only gets better with each listen. This thing is full of one-liners that say more than most full songs.For those

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1154578324466437752006-08-02T20:50:00.000-07:002006-08-02T21:33:22.726-07:00

New album is apparently called The Ys. 11/14. A self-indulgent review about how no one but me seems to understand the brilliance of this woman's earlier work, The Milk-Eyed Mender, is in the future. Can't wait to explain to the new roommates why I'm listening to what sounds like a ten-year-old girl singing and playing harp for two weeks. For now, just enjoy and admire the beauty (I'd be her

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1154377745781519792006-07-31T13:06:00.000-07:002006-07-31T13:34:47.033-07:00

Some great pictures from Chicago's 2006 Pitchfork Festival are up at Good Hodgkins. Unreal amount of awesome bands. Destroyer, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, The Walkmen and The Silver Jews in the same evening? I'm speechless.Apologies for the brief posting absence, but it bears repeating that all material posted on this blog is meant to wet your appetite for the mentioned bands - perhaps you will

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1154052083747470832006-07-27T18:43:00.000-07:002006-07-28T20:18:24.566-07:00

So you're in a pleasant yet unassuming indie pop band, and you get together and make music and put it out and see what happens. Turns out that the music you are making sounds really similar to another pleasant yet unassuming indie pop band, who just happen to have come along years before you and monopolized the sound you're going for and have become untouchable and cannonized in the eyes of

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1153873352104601112006-07-25T16:50:00.000-07:002006-07-27T11:43:47.980-07:00

Generally pleasant yet apparently thin-skinned singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne has been making a bit of a name for himself recently for on-stage tantrums and canceling tours, inevitably inviting comparisons to other folky primadonnas such as His Excellency David Ryan Adams. Adams is currently back playing 29-song shows with an incarnation of his best backing band since Whiskeytown, The

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1153804480611170972006-07-24T22:00:00.000-07:002006-07-29T09:04:53.906-07:00

Thanks to the good people at Matador records and Stereogum, we have a full version of "Pass The Hatchet" from the upcoming (9/12) Yo La Tengo record. I'm waiting to hear a complete version of the album, but what I've heard so far has me floored and made me add these guys to the short but growing list of bands/artists I must see before I die. Now only if we could get Tom Waits to split the bill

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1153709243211709872006-07-23T19:37:00.000-07:002006-07-23T19:49:29.040-07:00

My Old Kentucky Blog has some My Morning Jacket covers. Elton John's "Rocketman" is a must listen and Erykah Badu's "Tyrone" is pretty awesome, as is hearing Jim James refer to himself in the third person.My Morning Jacket- Tyrone (Erykah Badu)

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1153682348610969982006-07-23T11:46:00.000-07:002006-07-23T12:19:09.116-07:00

I can't believe I've been doing this blog for three months and have yet to mention one of the more promising bands to come along in ages. Akron/Family released two of the most innovative and strong albums of last year, their folkier self-titled album and a more rocking split with Michael Gira, founder of freak-folk super-label Young God Records. News came last month that they are prepping a "

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1153583952983286922006-07-22T08:53:00.000-07:002006-08-03T03:00:21.160-07:00

A confession: If something says "world music" in the description I rarely bother to listen. I should really break this habit, because Konono No. 1 is an example of something genuinely groundbreaking coming out of that all-encompassing and generally dull genre of "world music."Turns out that the unique lo-fi-Afro-electro-ambient project recorded with Bjork last month. There are no release plans

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1153451099901935862006-07-20T18:42:00.000-07:002006-07-28T20:15:52.376-07:00

I remember the first time I heard the Pixies pretty clearly. Not because I loved it - I’m not even a huge Pixies fan compared to many out there. The reason I remember is because of the feeling it gave me. It’s a feeling that those of us that listen to music religiously have all had – the feeling that we were hearing something that was singularly unique and completely unclassifiable in our mind

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1153202969426508482006-07-17T22:18:00.000-07:002006-07-18T15:04:27.310-07:00

Last week saw the release of Sufjan Stevens' The Avalanche, a collection of B-sides from the Illinois sessions. As I'm sure I've mentioned before (I tend to tell anyone who will listen, like one of those old men at the bus stop that is starved for attention), everyone's favorite indie pop superstar has written some killer tracks in his day. The problem is that those great songs are generally

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1152843006261389342006-07-13T18:52:00.000-07:002006-07-13T19:11:54.316-07:00

Is The Arcade Fire one of "those"* bands, or was Funeral just a flash in the pan? Only time will tell, but this news looks really promising."The band went into the church ahead of me and my assistant James Ogilvie," Colburn wrote. "They recorded a sample of the organ playing a chord in different registers. Win called me and told me how excited he was about the organ. He said is [it] was super

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1152841397333472642006-07-13T18:13:00.000-07:002006-07-13T18:43:17.346-07:00

Shearwater is the side project of Okkervil River, who is awesome. Their new album is called Palo Santo. Think of Okkervil River music, Jeff Buckley lyrics with The National aesthetic. Great gentle, folk-based indie, the likes of which can often be heard on www.kugs.org on Sunday nights from 10-midnight.Shearwater- Red Sea Black Sea from Palo SantoShearwater- Failed Queen from Palo SantoEnough

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1152666862711842872006-07-11T18:06:00.000-07:002006-07-11T18:14:22.723-07:00

Some Velvet Blog has the new Black Keys single, which makes me feel inadequate as a guitar player. Their new album, Magic Potion, will be released September 12, and they kick off a fall tour at The Showbox in Seattle on September 6. Absolutely do not miss these guys. They put on one of the best rock and roll shows I've ever seen.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1152593031866506592006-07-10T21:13:00.000-07:002006-07-10T21:50:20.766-07:00

Forgive the over-the-top simile, but listening to Brightblack Morning Light is like wandering out in the woods on a beautiful spring day, hearing mysterious sounds floating through the air and coming upon a clearing where there is a rag tag group of hippies, hillbillies, burnouts and other sorts of riff raff drugged out of their minds and playing old school R&B/Funk/Soul music at half of its

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1152411005990726452006-07-08T17:10:00.000-07:002006-07-08T19:10:06.123-07:00

As you've probably heard, our boy Thom Yorke made a solo record, entitled The Eraser. Seeing as how Radiohead has written maybe two or three songs that aren't fucking stellar in the last, oh, eleven years, you'd think this would be a great album. It isn't. It's actually quite average. But if I've learned anything from the Dave Matthews Band, it's that you can't expect too much from the

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1152241108713431142006-07-06T19:41:00.000-07:002006-07-06T19:58:55.113-07:00

Chad VanGaalen's new album, Skelliconnection , is due out in August. One listen through and it seems much more mature, though still pleasantly sophomoric and lo-fi. It's all over the map, but the guy has some talent that shines through no matter if he's doing gentle acoustic ballads, moody electronic pieces or aggressive rock tunes.Chad VanGaalen- Sing Me To Sleep from Skelliconnection

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1151950761269767542006-07-03T10:48:00.000-07:002006-07-03T11:22:38.430-07:00

So The Court & Spark are a pretty essential band for any fan of modern alt-country music. Folk sensibilities, plenty of sonic experimentation and beautiful production - they're like a poor man's Wilco. (I mean that in the best way possible.) Their new album, Hearts, isn't as solid as 2001's Bless You or 2004's Witch Season, but still very much worth the listen, with the exception of "Let's Get

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1151818474029832552006-07-01T22:27:00.000-07:002006-07-01T22:42:02.913-07:00

I need a catchy title for my series on some of the greatest balls-to-the-wall Rock n Roll songs I know, "Young Lions" being today's selection. Help a brotha out.The Constantines- Young Lions from Shine A Light.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1151553988986206302006-06-28T20:07:00.000-07:002006-06-28T21:06:29.000-07:00

Now that 2006 is half over, it's a perfect time to reflect back on 2005 albums that I and others somehow missed the memo on. While this is not an exhaustive look at overlooked 2005 albums, the following have really grown on me in the last six months.Okkervil River's Black Sheep Boy didn't grab me on the first few listens. Will Sheff's vocals sounded a bit too whiney and the repetitive lyrical

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1151443111170162062006-06-27T14:00:00.000-07:002006-06-27T14:18:31.210-07:00

A vauge and unconfirmed post on the Elephant 6 messageboards indicates that indie wunderkind (he's technically too old for that title, I just wanted an excuse to use it) Jeff Magnum of Neutral Milk Hotel fame is working on new material. Normal journalistic standards would call for careful research as to the accuracy of such information, but what are blogs for besides taking vauge, unconfirmed

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1151261147517695372006-06-25T11:20:00.000-07:002006-06-26T00:59:58.956-07:00

My Morning Jacket/Boston Pops doing "Wordless Chorus." I hope an official recording comes out. That sound that Jim James makes at the end is so inhumanly cool.

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26052378.post-1151093675196307012006-06-23T13:12:00.000-07:002006-06-23T13:14:35.213-07:00

Calebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03640371904489301163noreply@blogger.com0