“Lovely UK songstress” is probably an overused triple word score when it comes to Kate Nash, but it’s certainly appropriate.
Kate’s on another jaunt through the States in support of her Bernard Butler produced release, “My Best Friend Is You” and as the sprightly graphic above imparts – we have a pair of tickets to to put in the hands of one of you guys for Monday’s show at the 9:30.
Let us know why you should be chosen for the pair of tickets to see Ms. Nash in the comments to this post and the most convincing of the bunch will take home the tickets for the show.
We’ll close this one on Monday at 9AM to give you plenty of time to conjure up your response—and remember to leave us a contact email address with your entry.
Remember, we’ve teamed up with ReadysetDC for all of our ticket giveaways so you can enter to win either here at TVD or at ReadysetDC.
“Most sonic freaks will tell you that the record lives on because everything sounds better on vinyl. But I do not think it will be long before that theory dissolves. After all, only our toes are dipping into the ocean of possibilities that digital technology provides us with. Regardless of this inevitability, I think that vinyl will remain significant to me (and many others) because it still offers something all other formats do not ~ the ultimate tactile experience.
Vinyl has touch.
As one who never knows what record to pick, I leave my choice up to instinct. My ritual is to run my fingertips along the spines of my records until I feel the urge to pull one off the shelf. Once the record is in both of my hands, and I have had enough time to admire any particularly great artwork in all its bigness, I gingerly slip the record out of the sleeve. Because vinyl is easily bruised, there is a care that most take during the handling of them. I’ve witnessed the least graceful, least careful individuals carry their records delicately over to the player like they are holding a sheet of paper-thin ice.
My favourite part of the vinyl experience happens after it’s laid onto the platter…when you lift the arm and the record starts to spin. Call me a geek, I don’t care, but I love how much control I have at this point. It couldn’t be more different than the monster inside my laptop that yanks my CD’s from my fingertips. Every time I put a disc in there I never know if it is going to come back from those depths!
While the record is spinning before the needle has landed, it’s like a little warm-up ~ for me, my ears and for the turntable. It’s all about timing at this point. Once I’m ready, with as much accuracy as I can manage, I slowly lower the arm and gently place the needle into the first groove.
As if all that wasn’t satisfying enough, I get to do it all over again at half time and then at the close! Once the record has been placed back onto the shelf, I feel satisfied not only sonically, but physically as well.
Vinyl makes you work for the tunes… it takes real, tactile effort.
Touch. That’s why vinyl lives on in my world.” —kp
Ethereal Swedish tunesmiths Fredrik make a welcome return this week with a new Kora Records 7″ “Origami” and a new member, making the former duo a trio.
We’ve got the new track and the info for your consumption below.
Swedish folk pioneers Fredrik spent the summer folding Japanese paper figures in between recording sessions bearing the name of their new EP and complex craft. Those familiar with Fredrik will recognize the dream like groove of opener Dance of the Peacock Phantom, the wintry chimes, and soothing choirs heard on White on White, and the submersed cadence reverberating throughout the seven minute B side, ABC.
The three songs provide insight into the band’s ever-evolving soundscapes as they ready their third full length album in their garden studio in Malmö, scheduled for release in March 2011. Three is also the magic number behind the group as ORIGAMI is the first release featuring instrumentalist and singer Anna Moberg as she joins original members Fredrik Hultin and O. Lindefelt.
We’re taking a break today from our rummage through AM’s eclectic record collection to give away a copy of his recent sophomore release, “Future Sons & Daughters.”
As Popmatters noted back in February, “(AM) not only makes past aural innovations his own by combining and reworking them into thoroughly modern compositions, but he does so in a delicate and understated way that prevents his songs from becoming bravura displays of pop historical knowledge.” Which is also why we’re delighted to poke around his vinyl this week.
We’ve got a copy of AM’s “Future Son & Daughters” for you to win in exchange for your comment to this post. Tell us the most eclectic piece of vinyl that finds its home in your record collection and the most remote or just plain interesting will be awarded the LP.
You’ve got a week to suitably drum up your entry. We’ll choose our winner for the record on 11/16 and remember to leave us a contact email address so we can let you know you’ve won!
Almost 10 years together, Deb and Steve, The Weepies, have this down: Folk-Pop
It’s sweet, it’s calming, it’s simple.
You may wax nostalgic or get an excruciating toothache; it’s a chance you take with these two. Happiness (the album with the adorable salt and pepper shakers) made me melancholy, Deb’s voice sounded more American folk country, feeling that at any moment she would sing a song written by Arlo Guthrie and add her own oddly optimistic New Englander slant.
Say I Am You (the album with the adorable bird couple) got sweeter, a little lighter, and her voice still grounded driving the song. Those catchy pop-folk tunes, “Gotta Have You” and “Take It From Me” would be on my mental record player for days. For anyone who has ever loved catchy upbeat pop-folk songs you would think that The Weepies were conjured in your dreams and left on in the waking hours.
Imagine a little girl learning music, locking her door, teaching herself to play guitar but she can already sing, that’s the picture Deb’s voice and style paints for me. Hideaway (the album with the whale), is full of happy harmonies, child-like vocals, acoustic-driven guitar, and some campy-fun drums (which I love) but it didn’t have what I was looking for… WEEPS!
That brings us to Be My Thrill (the album with a cow on it?) the fourth full-length Weepies album, was released in August of 2010 and has a title track which seems a little sped-up for them but is, as usual, just catchy enough to hold ones interest until the end. The lyrics to “Not A Lullaby” are heart-expanding:
This is just a quiet tune to bring the light into your room When I’m not right in front of you to hold you in my arms
Who, after hearing this song doesn’t want to say “[He/she] wrote that for me?” Adding pop singer, Colbie Caillat, to the vocals in the smile inducing “I Was Made for Sunny Days (And I Was Made For You)” created a California-pop hit. All of that said, I may be biased (I am) but every song where Steve sings lead vocals falls a bit flat, as if they snuck his tracks in along the way—“Red Red Rose” is cute, “Be My Honeypie” modest. Their marriage seems a thing to be envied, their success with the last album also covetable, but this most recent endeavor may only prove to have six truly successful songs.
This pleasant, honeyed album speaks to their harmony and their candy-coated outlook, which when caught in the proper mood can be intoxicating. If you are looking for head bobbing, first kiss, romantic folk-pop, you’ve pulled the lever and lined up all the cherries and should wait for it to rain coins (and for the bells to sound.)
And if you are ready to hear them sing their little hearts out live, come to The State Theatre in Falls Church this Thursday (11/11) at 9:00pm. I’ll be there snapping my fingers and tearing up.
There are those artists who at the very first listen reveal themselves as having exceptional taste—and exceptional record collections exhibiting that taste.
I mean, who would you rather get to know via a rummage through their records—say, Jack White or Jack Johnson? Joe Jackson or Joe Jonas?
Inventive artist AM falls squarely in the “we’ll be up all night sipping wine, listening to gem after vinyl gem from his eclectic and expansive record collection” – category. His music is infused with a diverse set of influences and international styles which quite literally seem to be the byproduct of a number of those aforementioned evenings.
Thus, in the getting to know you category, we’re spending the week with Mr. AM. And his record collection.
All week, it’s AM’s Vinyl District!
Paavoharju – Ya Hamaraa—I stumbled upon this band while discovering a couple of other Finnish bands I really like, Shogun Kunitoki and Aavikko. All three are very different from one another, but one thing I quickly learned about music coming out of Finland is that it is completely unique.
When I first heard “Paavoharju” I thought it was some early 70’s rare horror soundtrack that was unearthed as a re-issue. I was shocked when I found out they are a current band. This is soundscapist “horror-delica” at it’s best. I wouldn’t ever put this on at night alone in my house. One of my favorite tracks is “Kuu Iohduttaa Huollestuneita.”
Being a huge Brazilian music fan, and Jobim fan, I was shocked to find this gem on the discount rack at Amoeba in Hollywood. Black Orpheus is a beautiful film and you notice the music right away. “O Nosso Amor” is a magical track.
This summer I had the privilege of supporting AIR on their tour of France. While walking around Toulouse, France a day before the tour was to begin I began the hunt for some local record stores. I scored. Paul Emile Vinyls (pictured above) right in the heart of Toulouse. This is the kind of shop that was made for me. It’s got a cozy brick and wood interior with vintage turntables scattered about and a modest, yet deep cut collection. There were so many gems in here I had to really hold myself back. All of the records were in amazing shape (but not cheap). I bought a few albums and one was this copy of Ethiopian Soul and Groove. I was well familiar with the Ethiopiques collection so I knew this would be good. I spent a lot of time at Paul Emile Vinyls listening to so many amazing records (and on their vintage Technics turntable). I could hang out in that place all day.
This Simon and Garfunkel album has been in my parents collection forever. My folks didn’t have a big collection, but a lot of what they had was classic. I snagged this one once I moved out of the house.
Over the years I really enjoyed seeing both Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel acting in some of my favorites 70’s films. And they were great! Simon in Annie Hall (where he classically references his friends “Jack and Angelica”) and of course Garfunkel’s performance with Jack in Carnal Knowledge. “Scarborough Fair” was also on the soundtrack to another one of my favorite films, The Graduate. Above all this is masterful folk.
I was driving around Los Angeles on an overcast night sometime back in 2006/07. I was listening to Miles Perlich do his thing on KJazz and I heard this groovy soundtrack-ish funk that I had to find. After the tune ended he mentioned it was Shawn Lee. Again, I’m thinking this is a lost vintage treasure. I get home and quickly find out that this guy is current.
I’m blown away. I finally said the hell with it and sent Shawn an email. He got back to me and we’ve been friends ever since. Music and Rhythm was the first thing I bought of Shawn’s and I still love it. Much to my delight Shawn and I have started working on a record together. It’s in the very beginning stages, but what we’ve got drummed up so far is funk/soul/psych/folk-tastic.
While in London a couple years back I went to Shawn Lee’s studio in London. It wasn’t long before we were talking about music and albums and he mentioned La Planete Sauvage. We pulled it up on youtube and started watching what is the most futuristic psychedelic cartoon I’ve ever seen. And the music!!! Dark, minimal orchestral magic…and groovy as hell. I bought a copy of this album as soon as I landed back in the U.S.
If it’s the first Friday of the month, it must be the return of our friend (and fellow DC Record Fair collaborator) DJ Nitekrawler’s funky 45 throwdown: MONEYTOWN!
Little Miss Whiskey’s Golden Dollar (1104 H St., NE DC) | 10pm-3am, no cover
Lots and lots of drink options and a killer soundsystem with your host: DJ Nitekrawler, and extra special guest DJ: Chairman Mao (Egotrip, RedBullMusicAcademy, NYC)
About our guest: This month we’re honored to be joined by NYC’s “Chairman” Jefferson Mao. Jeff, as he is known in civilian life, is the founding resident of the Rotten Apple’s late, lamented Bumpshop funk & soul soiree at the also late & great APT.
When he’s not writing for XXL, Wax Poetics, or some other nationally-distributed publication, or hosting his two monthly interwebz radio shows (‘Across 135th Street’ for redbullmusicacademy.com , and ‘Spine Blowing Decisions’ for www.spinetv.net), he’s busy conspiring with his ego trip collective cohorts on such media takeover endeavors as ego trip’s Book of Rap Lists, ego trip’s Big Book of Racism!, ego trip’s The (White) Rapper Show & Miss Rap Supreme, and the oft-delayed but one-of-these-days-forthcoming egotripland.com.
Therefore, you can be sure he’s got the knowledge AND the skills, so don’t miss this master killing it on Moneytown’s decks this Friday!
Our Memphis trip will definitely go down as one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. We arrived in Memphis at 6am on a red-eye flight from L.A. We were dead tired. I think we were all a little drunk from the night before too. That aside, we were stoked to be in Memphis. The history, food etc… Memphis is a great town.
Ardenthad set everything up for us (Gig, Housing, Museum and Studio tours, etc.). Red carpet treatment. We arrived at our hotel (Hunt Phelan) which is definitely the nicest hotel we have ever stayed in as a band.
It was crazy. We walked in, took the tour of the premises. We were staying in the classic suite (two bedrooms, living room, Temperpedic mattresses, room service etc.). I was totally waiting to get punk’d. Have some dude roll out and say “JUST KIDDING, you’re sleeping on my couch tonight”. But it didn’t happen! Apparently the Rolling Stones had stayed in this room. True or not, it was nice to hear.
We explored Memphis a little and went to Sun Studios, which was very special. We ate some BBQ at Paynes then headed over to Ardent to record a one hour live session. When we arrived at Ardent it was pretty surreal. I was pretty nervous because I knew we were going to meet Jody Stephens and John Fry and then have to perform in this studio that has so much history. But, as things tend to unfold, everybody was so nice and welcoming. It was really fun. We played in front of a little audience and hung out for a bit. We had a gig that night at the Young Avenue Deli. A few our friends that live around the area came out. A lot of the folks that were at studio taping came down and we had a great show.
We were the only people in the hotel that night, So we could be as loud as we wanted. It was pretty ridiculous. The next day we rolled out of bed and headed back to Ardent to meet with John Fry. He drove us down to the Stax museum and gave us a free tour. It was a one of kind experience hearing him talk about Stax, Ardent, Memphis and all these artists. He spoke of our heroes like he would about his family and neighbors. It was really comforting to hear the stories.
We all geeked out for a few hours at the museum but had to make our way to Nashville that day. What a truly amazing experience. Thanks Ardent, Memphis. You’re awesome and we can’t wait to come back! —AK
Enter to win Le Switch’s CD “The Rest of Me is Space” by simply leaving a comment, your name, and a contact email address in the comments to this post. We’ll choose one winner each Friday for that week’s giveaway which ALSO includes the entire Ardent Music catalog. (That’s just 2 artists at this point, but hey, who’s counting?)
To hear more great Ardent Sessions please visit Ardent Presents.
Story/Stereo, the brilliant (and free!) convergence of words and music at Bethesda’s Writer’s Center returns with a new edition tomorrow night (11/5) with readings from Doreen Baingana and Alison Pelegrin and music from Medications’ Devin Ocampo.
It’s been somewhat of a tradition in advance of these evenings to spend some time with the musicians on the bill. This time around Devin spills the beans on one of his favorite records of all time.
And it’s a bit of a surprise.
One of my favorite records of all time is Prefab Sprout’s first LP “Swoon.” It’s a record that I’m almost embarrassed about loving because, at first, it seems comical and dated to those that didn’t grow up with it. In some ways, it’s a typical 80’s over-produced English pop record (which was to be hammered home with the subsequent Thomas Dolby produced records) but to my ears it had punk attitude and swagger.
Mostly because the odd time signatures and unconventional song structures took me by surprise and seemed a middle finger to the average listener. The singer, Paddy McAloon, also had this voice that felt at times uncomfortable, but always cool.
His melodies were anything but normal and the bizarre way he approached vocal dynamics and word play just killed me. The closest comparison for me would be Shudder To Think and I actually think I initially liked Shudder because they sounded kinda like Prefab.
Those off you who pop by here even infrequently must know of our undying adoration for Harry Nilsson and the catalog of music he left with us. One of our very first theme weeks, if not the first, was a Harry Nilsson Week.
Jeff Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere put the absorbing and well crafted Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?) on my radar perhaps as far back as 2006 or 2007—but its release remained in limbo for some time. But alas, after several years and infrequent theatrical screenings, today is the official release day of the documentary on DVD.
And we’ve got five of them to give away to five of you.
Some background via IMDB: “The documentary explores the enigmatic life and music of Harry Nilsson in an attempt to answer the question, “Who is Harry Nilsson?” The film includes new and archive audio and film including interviews with Robin Williams, Yoko Ono, Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Ray Cooper, the Smothers Brothers, and Micky Dolenz.
“Who is Harry Nilsson?” uses promotional films, music videos, and home movies; segments from the unreleased documentary made during the recording of Son of Schmilsson (Did Somebody Drop His Mouse?); and excerpts from Nilsson’s rare TV appearances in his BBC specials, the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Playboy After Dark, and in an episode of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
As mentioned, we’ve got five copies of the DVD to get to five of you in exchange for your comment to this post. Share with us your favorite Harry song or memory, and the five most compelling responses will receive a DVD copy of Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?) We’ll give you to 11/9 to enter this one and winners will be selected from the continental U.S. only. Remember to leave us a contact email address as well!
Two weeks back we spent the entire week with LA’s Kitten as they made their way from CMJ showcase to CMJ showcase. Then to London for more gigs.
The whole time—the entire week—I played the final, recorded version of “Kill the Light” over and over again til I thought I was all Kitten’d out. Then yesterday on my walk home from work, it made an appearance on random shuffle and it was love all over again.
Well, during the CMJ week we didn’t do a giveaway because Kitten didn’t have vinyl. Rules are rules, afterall. But released last week is Kitten’s first vinyl 7″—the aforementioned “Kill the Light”—and we’ve got two copies to give to two of you.
Your job: stream or download the track above. Swoon in comments to this post over above track. Be sufficiently convincing and two of you will be sent the 7″. Simple, right?
We’ll give you a week and award 2 winners on 11/10. Remember to leave us a contact email address so we can let you know you won!
My Favorite Vinyl Record| Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” Michael Donohue | Eyes Around, Vocals/Guitar When I was a small kid I remember grabbing one album in particular out of my dad’s record collection to stare at the most. I was too small to even play the thing, but Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” had the artwork that drew me in. My dad was a draftsman at the time, a house designer, and he would use these templates to color over to add brick to the drawings of the outer designs. The templates provided a short cut so he wouldn’t have to pencil in every brick. So I wondered if someone had used a template to put the bricks onto the album cover.
I made an immediate connection and decided this would be the first opportunity I took to actually open one and see what was inside. And this new realm of animation sprung out at me and caught me off guard. I felt that I was seeing something play out in those drawings that I had no concept of, no frame of reference to work with. I couldn’t have been any older than 3, but when I revisited the album as an avid listener in high school, I felt something strangely familiar—stimuli re-stimulated, if that makes since. I enjoy that album still, but it will always be my dad’s album.
I’ve heard Radiohead referred to as “Punk Floyd.” As a Radiohead listener I can say this doesn’t bother me, because I get it. Radiohead is my Pink Floyd so to speak. They’ve had a similar effect dropping their pebble in the water that the Floyd has. They activate the imagination; push the limits with spacey sounds and unconventional song structures and themes. And most importantly, they have no template. But it wasn’t until “In Rainbows” came out on vinyl that I realized I love that band on vinyl. I have all of the Radiohead albums on vinyl, but “In Rainbows” is the one I had to take out of the plastic.
I was on tour with my band recently out west, and that album was played on repeat. So the music was set to the landscape of the mountains in Arizona and the coast of California, all the way up to Oregon. I remember “Reckoner” playing as we first caught a glimpse of Vegas a few miles out. All these cookie-cutter homes housing people bustling in a city that never sleeps lined the road for miles as we approached the strip. The song made it surreal. Who knows where my mind would’ve gone without it? I can’t forget hearing “Videotape” played with the scenery out my window being the windy desert of spring. I don’t know why seeing tumble weeds to that song gave them more depth and purpose, and rhythm. Hearing “Faust ARP” in my ears with Mount Hood in Oregon in my eyes was sensational. The mountain seemed more cold and white than it would have without the song.
Of course that’s all on an ipod. My vinyl experience with the album would come later, with the extra tracks present that would’ve lent themselves beautifully to the soundtrack of the tour. Dropping that needle to hear Thom squirm around on the piano chair at the beginning of “Down is the New UP” is worth owning it. And that’s something you may not catch if there’s remarkable landscape to focus on.
Radiohead do take you through every color of the spectrum on this album. From quirky songs like “15 Step” and “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” to deep somber songs like “Go Slowly” and “Last Flowers,” it’s covered all the colors for sure, even indigo. I love how hearing this vinyl plays back the desert, the ocean, and the mountains so vividly. I can go back anytime without walking out my front door.
Confession: I don’t know the lyrics to my favorite vinyl. This is peculiar considering the fact I’m the lyricist in my band, and normally I’m delving into the meaning of the words if not just to sing along to what I’m listening to. “In Rainbows” doesn’t beg me to sing along, it beckons me to pay attention to the emotion released. That’s what I love about it the most; I don’t have to know the words to experience the record. Would knowing the words enhance it for me further? Maybe yes, maybe no. For this one, my favorite one, I choose to make the exception and leave the meaning lost in the landscape somewhere.
Who knows what Sigor Ros is saying? The point is, you don’t have to. “The Wall” has its animation and story line. “In Rainbows” has red, blue, green, etcetera, etcetera…
I’ve asked Lisa Fancher, Frontier’s founder and our guest here all week, to pull three LPs from their weighty catalog—LPs entirely representative of Frontier’s output and sensibilities—to offer as a giveaway this week. She came back to me with the three you see below.
We’ll have two winners for all three LPs. They are:
“Adolescents is one of the better longplayers to come out of the early Southern California hardcore punk scene. With the legendary Rikk Agnew on guitar, the first album by this high-energy Orange County quintet (drawing some of its teenaged membership from Agent Orange and Social Distortion) has a crisp, metallic guitar sound and clear, comprehensible vocals.” —Trouser Press
Q: In (the) book, American Hardcore, they hint that The Middle Class’ record was possibly the first hardcore record ever. What do you think was the first hardcore punk record was?
Jello Biafra: Either The Middle Class or Sound of Imker Train of Doomsday single in the late ’60s in Holland. The only true ’60s hardcore record I know.
“One of the era’s quintessential expressions of teen dislocation, it converts generation gap misunderstandings into a complete communications breakdown, encapsulating all the punk sociology of such films as Repo Man and Suburbia in four minutes.” —Trouser Press
As always, we’ll ask you to make your case as to why you should be sent this set of Frontier releases in the comments to this post. Make ’em good and it’d be smart to make them Frontier-related as well.
We’ll choose our 2 winners for the 3 LPs this Friday (11/5) at noon. Remember to leave us a contact email address too so we can let you know you won, OK?
