Monthly Archives: May 2008

And we’re giving away two free tickets…

The Los Angeles-based Uh Huh Her is the brainchild of musician/actress Leisha Hailey, formerly of alt-pop band The Murmurs who currently appears on Showtime’s hit series ‘The L Word’, and Camila Grey, bassist and keyboardist with lo-fi rock band Mellowdrone, who has also worked with Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, Melissa Auf Der Maur, and Kelly Osbourne. Introduced through mutual friends, Hailey and Grey began making music together at the beginning of 2007, writing the emotionally charged electro-pop tunes that make up their debut release ‘I See Red.’ “Vocals were done in the bathroom,” Hailey says. Produced by Grey and mixed by Al Clay (who has worked with the Pixies, Frank Black, and Blur), ‘I See Red’, with its laser-sharp melodies, ethereal harmonies, lush string arrangements, and muscular drums, is a great introduction to the duo.

Uh Huh Her release their new LP ‘Common Reaction’ (and yes, it is out on vinyl) on August 19. With ‘Common Reaction’, Hailey and Grey are looking to a horizon that’s as expansive as their sound – which is to say, seemingly infinite. “We’re getting a chance that a lot of bands aren’t,” Hailey says. “It’s just about us showing up and proving that we can do it.”

Uh Huh Her will indeed be showing up at the 9:30 next Wednesday night–and so will the TVD reader with the most well written plea for two free tickets. Really, it’s that simple. Fan of the band or fan of ‘The L Word’ for that matter? Put pen to pixels and let us know. We’ll accept your passionate pleas here in the blog comments section up to next Tuesday (5/13) at noon and notify the winner shortly thereafter.

Check out Uh Huh Her here and here and stream tracks from ‘Common Reaction’ here.

Not only do I feel fortunate to have had parents who encouraged my bourgeoning musical tastes as a kid, but I feel damn fortunate to have grown up at a time when those tastes were forged by — wait for it — radio. Really, when was the last time you heard a song on the radio and ran right to a store — not your computer — to purchase it? It’s been some time, huh? Record stores and radio/radio and record stores — that was the formula. (Insert rant against corporate suits poisoning the well here.)

A poster named Wayne over at the New Wave Outpost Message Board uploaded this radio snippet from 1979 of the WPIX Penthouse Party hosted by Dan Neer. ..and the memories trickled through. As Wayne wrote, “Listen for an early Crazy Eddie commercial, Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, Ian Dury, Joe Jackson, and at the tail end Meg Griffin playing The Stranglers. Plus throughout the clip some good old rock n’ roll….”

So here it is, the sound of free form radio out of New York City, circa 1979. Two words: Crazy Eddie.

Dan Neer’s WPIX Penthouse Party (1979) (Mp3 – 41MGs)

Rick Carlisle at Orpheus Records in Clarendon. (Photo by John Mcdonnell)

Direct from the source: “I know, how can you miss us if we won’t go away! No we’re not following the example of rug merchants everywhere, we’re not making it all up, we really did lose our lease. However, the original deal our landlord had with a local bar/restaurant fell through. That means, we get to stay while they continue the search & negotiations with whomever. The good news: we get to continue selling records at tremendous savings to you. The bad news: lots of uncertainty for everyone, a declining customer base as people assume we’re closed, or spent all their money or think they purchased everything we had of interest to them. The reality: We are still open for business, we still have a lot of lps, and we are putting out more records as quickly as possible, many for the first time AND we are still ordering and stocking new releases & reissues.. I would like to sincerely thank all of you who have purchased a WHOLE LOT OF VINYL these last 15 weeks. The response has been overwhelming, quite literally. Our daily operating systems were not designed for the volume of business we’ve experienced recently, nor do we have the staff to keep up efficiently. I appreciate everyone’s patience and diligence. Things have settled down and we are doing our best to restock so that we may continue to offer quality lps to you and get them out of here. I hope this clarifies some of the questions in peoples minds, now get down here and buy records…..Please,…. Thank you!!!.”

Crowded House lived up to its name literally on Friday night, as a wall-to-wall throng packed the 9:30 club to see the headlining group. And for good reason. Having reconvened last year after splitting up at the peak of its powers in 1996, it’s got everything you could want in a band: an embarrassment of superb material, a charismatic frontman, a set list that’s rewritten nightly, a tolerance for — nay, encouragement of — spontaneity and, most important, that palpable love of performing that can’t be faked.

Led by underrated singer-guitarist Neil Finn — who’s revered as a songwriter of Lennonesque lyrical gifts and McCartneyesque melodic talent — Crowded House has overcome every obstacle with grace: from the devastating (the 2005 suicide of drummer Paul Hester) to the merely annoying (the impudence of some of their own alleged fans, who welcomed the band to its first D.C. gig in more than a decade by yapping throughout the 130-minute concert). Fortunately, the reverent outnumbered the rude: “You’re in very fine voice tonight, Washington,” Finn gushed, deputizing 1,200 backup singers to fill out the soaring “World Where You Live.” Read the rest here.
(Via The Washington Post. Image courtesy Baby, You Got a Stew Goin’!)

Crowded House set list – 9:30 Club, 5/2/08
Everything is Good For You / World Where You Live / Isolation? (new) / Bangin’ the Dust? (new) / Distant Sun / Whispers & Moans / Cinematic 9? (new) / Either Side of the World (new) / English Trees / Nails in My Feet / Don’t Dream It’s Over / Four Seasons In One Day / Twice If You’re Lucky / Weather With You / Encore One / Locked Out / Something So Strong / Private Universe / Encore Two / Into Temptation / Pineapple Head / Improv song w/ crowd / Mansion In The Slums / She Goes On / Better Be Home Soon

College rock. Just those two words together in a sentence make me want to hurl. REM, Camper Van Beethoven, They Might be Giants, 10,000 Maniacs, Cracker, Blind Melon, Pearl Jam, et al…keep it. Keep all of it.

But how then to justify my BTE love? It’s impossible – but there it is. OK, maybe it’s not impossible. This could be the best LP of that loathsome era of 90’s godawful “alternative” radio…and that’s not damning with faint praise.

As I wrote at Fun and Heartbreak and referenced last Friday, I was out of town at the New Orleans Jazz Fest when I got the news that my friend Anne had killed herself. If there’s ever a reason to jump on a plane and get home, that was it…but I was convinced to stay in town and that night was persuaded that seeing BTE at Tip’s was probably the better idea than just sitting in the hotel room drinking. A lot. So, BTE takes the stage on a sticky, humid New Orleans night and opens with a loopy, slow and mournful “Live Again.” And that was sweat streaming down my face just then. Really.

Better Than Ezra – Je Ne M’en Souviens Pas (Mp3)
Better Than Ezra – One More Murder (Mp3)
Better Than Ezra – At The Stars (Mp3)
Better Than Ezra – Live Again (Mp3)
Better Than Ezra – Everything In 2’s (Mp3)

…from last night:

It’s just not lived in enough I think to have its tracks considered for tomorrow’s Crowded House Top Ten. It’s a fine return to form and I’m sure after a few more bottles of wine and some late night spins it’ll walk its way into the favourites lane. But for now, it’s merely a wonderful and welcome return. And as tomorrow’s list will reveal, Finn & Co. aren’t the sunny and breezy little outfit that much of the first LP and ‘Woodface’ lead one to believe…there are some seriously dark undercurrents at work texturally, sonically, and lyrically–and after the death of original drummer Paul Hester, that tone is front and center here. Absences do indeed have shapes.

Crowded House – Don’t Stop Now (Mp3)
Crowded House – Heaven That I’m Making (Mp3)
Crowded House – People Are Like Suns (Mp3)
Crowded House – Silent House (Mp3)
Crowded House – You Are The Only One To Make Me Cry (Mp3)