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Monthly Archives: December 2011
TVD’s The Idelic Hour with Jon Sidel
THE TOP TEN IDELIC HITS FOR 2011:
10. Bon Iver – Michicant
9. Black Lips – Raw Meat
8. Alabama Shakes – You Ain’t Alone
7. Florence and The Machine – Lover To Lover
6. Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming
5. Lana Del Rey – Video Games
4. Michael Kiwanuka – Tell Me A Tale
3. Diego Garcia – You Were Never There
2. St Vincent – Cheerleader
1. Dirty Beaches – Lord Knows Best
TOP TEN CLASSICS THAT GOT US THROUGH:
10. Lorraine Ellison- Stay With Me
9. Glen Campbell – By The Time I Get To Phoenix
8. The Beatles – If Needed Someone
7. Bernie Turner & The Armorettes – Ching Ching Wong
6. Marlena Shaw – California Soul
5. Caetano Veloso E Gal Costa – onde wu nasci passa um rio
4. Laura Nyro – Stoned Soul Picnic
3. David Bowie & The Spiders From Mars – It Ain’t Easy
2. JJ Barnes – Don’t Bring Me Bad News
1. Jackie Ross – Dynamite Lovin’
Dig em and have an Idelic Holiday season!
The Idelic Hit of the Week:
Dirty Beaches – Lord Knows Best
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TVD Live: Scott Weiland at the 9:30 Club, 12/19
Christmas came to the 9:30 Club in the form of a yuletide performance by former Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland.
The set consisted of Christmas classics is a very mellow style ala Bing Crosby and David Bowie, with some STP hits thrown in to jazz up the evening. Check out some of the photos of this holiday show.
Photos by Dave Barnhouser, 13th Hour Photography
Posted in TVD Washington, DC 1 Comment
Bio Ritmo: The TVD Interview (and ticket and vinyl giveaway!)
Bio Ritmo is the first and last word in a salsa fusion. They’ve spent two decades modifying a sound that transcends salsa music. It’s a little Nuyorican. It’s a little bomba. It’s a little calypso. It’s a little samba.
On December 30, Bio Ritmo will ordain all these sounds live at the Black Cat.
On the Electric Cowbell Records label, Bio Ritmo is delighted to see the release of La Verdad, the band’s first 12’’ vinyl release. Marlysse Simmons, the band’s pianist and contributing writer, gave me the lowdown on the post-salsa movement, the qualitative distinctions of Latin music, and the bright future of the vinyl medium.
Ms. Simmons came on board Bio Ritmo nearly a decade ago. “We’re based out of Richmond, Virginia. The last 10 years of [the band] is the band line-up today. Since 2002, when I joined and Rei Alvarez – the founder – rejoined, we’ve become a core group and the mission of our band is salsa music, but not its attachment to any scene. Instead, we take the beats and rhythms and incorporate different forms.”
Posted in TVD Washington, DC 2 Comments
Weekend Shots!
TVD is taking next week off, so here are some hints about where the best music is happening in New Orleans as we bring 2011 to a close. Happy New Year!
In the spirit of giving that defines the season, head out to the House of Blues tonight, December 23rd, for the “Home for the Holidays” benefit concert. Lots of musicians are scheduled to perform including headliners Irma Thomas, Trombone Shorty and Kermit Ruffins. This annual event provides scholarships to worthy high school students at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts—a great cause if there ever was one.
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An Idelic Shopping Trip
“Papa, they sure made cool robots in the ’60s.”
As we charge toward Christmas and the end of 2011, it’s only natural I would eventually find myself with the masses, shopping! My Idelic destination of choice this year was the Long Beach swap meet. In all honesty I’m not a huge fan of swap meets and thrift stores. Even most used record stores tire me. In reality, I prefer surfing the internet to the physical treasure hunt.
Swap meets mean milling around in junk. I’m fairly over what I call “stuff.” Maybe it’s a product of the hard economy, but over the last couple of years I’ve streamlined things. I’m “stealth” – into only family, friends, rock ‘n roll, and coffee. The only “stuff” I’m remotely interested in buying are “guys” (meaning action heroes/robots for my 3 year old son) or an odd piece of vinyl.
Over this past year I’ve found that if I’m going to shop, the third Sunday of the month at the old Long Beach College stadium is the most appealing of treasure hunts. At meets, I never pay attention to record dealers, but I can almost never resist someone’s personal collection. If I’m intrigued by a collection for sale, I will always purchase a few records, if for anything they are souvenirs of someone else’s rock ‘n roll journey.
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TVD’s DC Record Store Holiday Shopping Spree!
It’s back for the third year!
Did you know you can walk to four of Washington, DC’s finest record stores in a span of maybe 15-20 minutes? No joke. I do it often.
The folks who wake up each morning, head downtown, and turn on the lights at Crooked Beat Records, Red Onion Records, Smash! Records, and Som Records would like to remind you this holiday season that vinyl makes THE perfect gift for yourself or some other crate digger on your shopping list.
As a reminder, all four shops are dangling a carrot in the form of$25.00 in store credit for ONE winner to extend the season of giving—right to your turntable. That’s $100.00 to wander from store to store in TVD’s third annual DC Record Store Shopping Spree.
Posted in TVD Washington, DC 11 Comments
TVD Ticket Giveaway: Drive-By Truckers
with Lucero at the 9:30 Club, 12/29 (SOLD OUT)
With 2011 coming to a close, the 9:30 Club is delivering an extra-special treat for their final show(s) of the year: A three day stint with the Drive-By Truckers, coming to the club with a different opener each night!
Today we have the chance for you to win tickets to the SOLD OUT opening night on December 29th with Lucero.
Drive-By Truckers is an Alabama-based alternative country band that have been together since 1996, with over a dozen albums to their name. This band isn’t a flash in the pan; they know how to create a good country song, and they know how to make it well, including the songs from their new album this year, Go Go Boots.
Posted in TVD Washington, DC 8 Comments
Twelve Holiday Records (That Don’t Make You Want to Vomit)
Did you know that Mannheim Steamroller has three of the biggest selling holiday records of all time? (Gag.) What about the fact that the all time best selling holiday album is by Kenny G? (Double gag.)
Holiday music has indeed taken a turn for the worst over the years. The last thing I want to hear as I celebrate this most festive time of year is Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber butchering holiday classics, or even worse, attempting to write their own.
As you take time to celebrate the holidays with your friends and family, don’t sacrifice true Holiday classics for the current pop darling capitalizing on the success of a Top 40 hit. Take pride in your holiday music collection and add a selection or two from these timeless recordings with a few modern classics thrown in for fun.
Phil Spector – A Christmas Gift for You: It’s been called the greatest Rock ‘n Roll Christmas album of all time. The legendary wall-of-sound is suited perfectly with The Ronettes, The Crystals, and the incredible Darlene Love.
Ultra-Lounge Presents – Christmas Cocktails: Christmas music from the ’50s and ’60s that was considered to be “adult pop” at the time. Now simply referred to as space-age bachelor-pad music, there are 21 classic tracks that are sure to keep your cocktail party warm and fuzzy.
Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song: It really doesn’t get any better than this. The true “King of Christmas” is an essential for EVERY Holiday music collection.
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The TVD Interview
and Vinyl Giveaway:
fun. ft. Janelle Monáe,
“We Are Young” 7″
On their 2009 debut Aim and Ignite, NYC-based alt-pop rockers fun. delivered ten tracks that were as whimsical as they were riotous. The band (founded by The Format’s Nate Ruess) returns next year with Some Nights, the band’s major label debut. “We Are Young,” the first single from the effort, features Janelle Monáe and is a lush continuation of what the band started in 2009.
The guys released a limited edition vinyl picture disc single of the track this week via Fueled by Ramen, but we have one to win here at TVD! fun.’s Andrew Dost also had a chance to chat with us about the new album, touring, and vinyl.
How did you approach recording the album?
It was very different from Aim and Ignite, in every way. We wanted to step outside our comfort zone and work with a hip hop producer, and Jeff Bhasker really opened us up to a lot of new sounds and ideas. We also did some of the album in New York with Emile Haynie, who is incredible, too. Instead of staying in one studio the whole time, we were kind of all over the place, which was a pretty big change. I think you can hear that travel/motion in the songs.
Posted in TVD New York City 5 Comments
The Best of 2011:
TVD Chicago Interviews
Even though we have only been writing behind the TVD Chicago name for 4 months, we have been lucky enough to interview some of the most talented artists to come in to or out of Chicago this year. We talked about everything from the music scene to the revival of vinyl, and even philosophies on life.
So without further ado, here are, in no particular order, the top 5 quotes from Chicago TVD interviews this year and why we picked them. Enjoy.
Carter Hulsey (Official | TVD Interview)
Carter was one of Chicago TVD’s best interviews of 2011. Overly personable and friendly and an artist who truly was grateful for a vinyl-based interview, he provided us this amazing quote on what inspired him to go the vinyl route.
“For me, when I get out an LP, it’s so personal. You take it out, and you’re holding a record. You put it on your turntable; you bring the needle over to it. You don’t just download it on your phone. You have to have a connection with this record to play it. I wanted to put out something that was more of an experience; that people didn’t just buy a song on iTunes.”
With a vinyl philosophy that is 100% Vinyl District-approved, it was no contest that this quote had to be in our top five. Carter was able to sum up nicely what the experience of listening to a record really is.
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The Best of 2011:
Album Cover Art
Inspired by Cleveland author Matthew Chojnacki’s Put the Needle on the Record, we’ve got our selections for the Best in Album Cover Art for 2011. Chojnacki joined us, selecting the first five covers on this list.
Battles – Gloss Drop
Simple and bizarre, Glass Drop is a pile…of something. Whether it’s fifty tubes of emptied toothpaste or a mound of congealed silly string, it’s a cover that just grabs. I also liked the consistency of the related singles, including “Ice Cream” (featuring piles of just that, in three different “flavors”) and “Battles” (a heap of trash).
The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart
I would love to know the story behind this piece—simultaneously disturbing and fascinating. Is there hidden meaning here, or is it rather just a random gaffe shot? Either way, I would frame this in a second. There’s also a cool timeless element to TH&TH. It’s like Debbie Harry meets Donnie Darko.
Posted in TVD Cleveland 1 Comment
TVD Recommends: Spencer Bohren’s Christmas show
tonight, 12/22
This evening, seasonal joy and merriment will be on tap at Snug Harbor when the wandering troubadour returns to the Frenchmen Street club for his annual holiday celebration.
Spencer Bohren has become a national treasure known the world over for his guitar playing, singing, teaching, storytelling and commitment to the blues and folk traditions that are part of our country’s contribution to human culture. He is also generous with the spotlight as with his time since he frequently appears as a guest performer.
Lately, he has performed with his son Andre’s band, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, and appeared with members of the Dirty Notes, including Andre, at the Malone family show at Tipitina’s. Tonight, Andre will leave his drums aside to play on the grand piano at Snug Harbor. Camile Baudoin and Reggie Scanlan of the Radiators are also expected make guest appearances as is Johnny Sketch himself aka Marc Paradis. Other guests are expected as well.
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The Best of The Idelic Hour with Jon Sidel
We’ve long said that Jon Sidel’s weekly freeform radio podcasts at TVD, The Idelic Hour, are a highlight every week. So we thought we’d highlight a few ourselves this week from this past year to illustrate what we’re all so high on. (Legally.) —Ed.
Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Over the past weekend I found myself day dreaming about the concept of Saturdays. I say the concept because it’s the idea of Saturdays that I find so appealing as this week’s Idelic Hour muse.
Years ago my gig was running clubs and bars. I don’t recall having a Saturday night off until I was well into my mid 30s. It’s my club roots that spawned a bad ass attitude, “I own Saturday nights.” It’s strange to grow older—my Saturdays have changed—and my cockiness has mellowed with age. Now, with a grin I look back thinking, “Once I ruled Saturdays.”
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Shell Zenner Presents
Greater Manchester’s most in the know radio host Shell Zenner broadcasts the best new music every Thursday at 9pm and Sundays at 5pm on Salford City Radio.
You can also catch Shell’s broadcast right here at TVD, each and every Thursday.
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