Monthly Archives: September 2017

Play Something Good with John Foster

By John Foster | Published: September 27, 2017

The Vinyl District’s Play Something Good is a weekly radio show broadcast from Washington, DC.

Featuring a mix of songs from today to the 00s/90s/80s/70s/60s and giving you liberal doses of indie, psych, dub, post punk, americana, shoegaze, and a few genres we haven’t even thought up clever names for just yet. The only rule is that the music has to be good. Pretty simple.

Hosted by John Foster, world-renowned designer and author (and occasional record label A+R man), don’t be surprised to hear quick excursions and interviews on album packaging, food, books, and general nonsense about the music industry, as he gets you from Jamie xx to Liquid Liquid and from Courtney Barnett to The Replacements. The only thing you can be sure of is that he will never ever play Mac DeMarco. Never. Ever.

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Graded on a Curve:
The Wedding Present,
George Best 30

By Joseph Neff | Published: September 27, 2017

Although they sprouted from ’80s indie pop soil, indeed making the cut for the New Musical Express’ legendary C86 compilation, The Wedding Present have long transcended the style. Still, those early days continue to radiate with engaging verve; tampering with its essence would seem decidedly not smart, but that’s just what David Gedge and company went and did. George Best 30 is a rerecording of their full-length debut, and the results defy the odds through precision, live-performance energy, and the assistance of Steve Albini. It’s out now on vinyl and compact disc through Scopitones in the UK and Happy Happy Birthday to Me in the US.

The Wedding Present has maintained a high enough standard of quality that I’m guessing there’s no overwhelming consensus regarding their best album. For example, this writer’s pick is 1989’s Bizarro, and it’s safe to surmise that their three ’90s studio discs all have their partisans, with the same holding true for their output since the turn of the century (let’s leave the numerous compilations and live recordings out of this).

However, if the band has an essential full-length, it’s probably ’87’s George Best. Even if it’s not one’s beloved choice, as the record that put them on the ’80s indie pop radar screen, it was a smashing success, combining hyperactive jangle, energetic rhythms, thick bass, and the distinctive vocal moodiness of sole constant member David Gedge. Paving the way forward, three decades later it still holds up; it may not be everyone’s fave, but it’s difficult to imagine a Wedding Present fan that doesn’t hold George Best in high esteem.

Therefore, it would seem, if not necessarily foolish, then certainly a precarious move to release a rerecording of the LP’s dozen tunes, even with Steve Albini at the console. But here it’s worth stressing that this George Best redux isn’t exactly new; it was cut with Albini in 2008 directly after finishing the El Rey album, and more importantly while Best was still fresh in the band’s collective memory after the 20th anniversary tour for the album the previous year.

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In rotation: 9/27/17

By TVD HQ | Published: September 27, 2017

Historic Leeds building becomes bar and record shop: The building at 93 Kirkgate is now open as The Doghouse cafe and bar, with Paula’s Vinyl record shop above it. It comes after developers were given a £110,000 grant to support repair work at the city centre building, through the Kirkgate Townscape Heritage Initiative. The project has brought all three floors of the previously vacant building and its basement back into use. Jacob Kelly, who owns the building with business partner Stuart Dixon, said they had tried to keep its historical identity in tact where possible. He said: “We know that the street [Kirkgate] is known for being a really cool and independent street for industry. We have kept as much of the original building on show as possible.”

Record Shop Flashback Plans 20th Birthday Celebration: 20 years ago, Mark Burgess founded record shop Flashback Records at its original location of Essex Road in Islington, and the store still stands there today, alongside two further Flashback branches in Crouch End and Shoreditch. To celebrate the passing of two decades since Flashback first opened at Essex Road, the shop will host a birthday party at The Lexington on October 7. A number of Flashback staff members will be supplying music, while psychedelic band Dead Coasts will play live with support from Deathcount in Silicon Valley’s Andi Nixon and Lindsay Corstorphine of Cold Pumas and Sauna Youth, who will pair up for some live analogue synth experimentations.

Vinyl records help Flat, Black & Circular party on: EAST LANSING – The entrance is an archway made of 45s, but finding it isn’t always simple. Flat, Black & Circular is upstairs in the Campus Town Mall on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing, across from the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. “A lot of people don’t know where we are, we’re hidden,” said owner Dave Bernath. “Every day I get a call asking ‘where are you, I’ve been up and down Grand River.'” But enough folks have found them to keep the independently-owned vinyl and CD store in business for 40 years. Flat, Black & Circular will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an all-day, pre-party celebration from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday in the store. Customers are invited to come help celebrate.

Record shop Vintage Trax joins in with BBC Radio 1 celebrations to mark the station being on air for 50 years: Redditch’s only dedicated record shop will be joining in with BBC Radio 1 celebrating 50 years of being on air. It will broadcast on DAB and iPlayer for three days from Saturday, September 30. Tony Blackburn, who was the first voice ever heard on the station, will team up with current breakfast show host Nick Grimshaw, to launch the project. Independent vinyl record shop Vintage Trax will be marking the special birthday with its own 60s themed event at its Birchfield Road, Headless Cross, shop between 10.30am and 5pm on Saturday.

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TVD Live: The Magnificent Seven
at Tipitina’s, 9/22

By Jay Mazza | Published: September 26, 2017

PHOTOS: DAVID TRACER | The self-described “band of bandleaders” put on a show Friday night at Tipitina’s that was brimming with familial camaraderie, casual virtuosity, and infectious joy. The band features Dave and Tommy Malone on guitars and vocals, John “Papa” Gros on keyboards and vocals, and Mark Mullins on trombone and vocals. The unstoppable, deep-in-the-pocket rhythm section includes Rob Mercurio on bass, Raymond Weber on drums, and Michael Skinkus on percussion.

These seven musicians have such a deep catalog of songs to choose from that the audience was occasionally left baffled by some tunes and amazed at the inclusion of others. They started the show off with a bang with Sam and Dave’s classic, “You Got Me Hummin’.”

For many in the crowd, the show was as much about seeing the Malone brothers perform together as the intense musicianship of the other players, But Mullins, for one, was not going to be upstaged. He got right into the middle of the jam with a trombone solo loaded up from the start.

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TVD Live: Take Me to the River Memphis Revue at the National Museum of American History, 9/19

By Roger Catlin | Published: September 26, 2017

Since Martin Shore released his 2014 documentary Take Me to the River, telling the story of Memphis soul while trying to introduce the genre to a hip hop generation, a number of its featured artists have died, including Bobby “Blue” Bland, Hubert Sumlin, and Teenie Hodges. But three other of its featured participants went on to win their first Grammys this year — singer and songwriter William Bell, bluesman Bobby Rush, and producer Boo Mitchell. The latter three are now part of a touring version called “Take Me to the River: Memphis Soul and Rhythm & Blues Revue National Concert Tour” that gave a taste of what they can do before a receptive but reserved audience at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History.

The event, which included snippets from the film that can now be found on Netflix, also offered BBQ, drinks, and a formal presentation to the Smithsonian of the spangly green suit Rush wore about the time of Porcupine Meat, what he calls his 374th album, which got him his first Grammy in February. But once the Hi Rhythm Section got on stage with the Stax Academy Alumni, the main event began, largely with familiar tunes made hits by Al Green and Otis Redding. (The director Shore was also on stage, adding negligible additions on conga).

Usually when this many members of the Hi Rhythm Section are in DC and start kicking into “Let’s Stay Together,” you always hope in your heart of hearts that city resident Barack Obama will step up to the mic and unleash his falsetto, as he famously did at a 2012 fundraiser at the Apollo Theatre. Instead, the lead vocals tended to be by workmanlike vocalists who were of the type you’d see on The Voice than in a juke joint. Things livened up, though, when Frayser Boy, formerly of Three 6 Mafia, strolled on stage to add a rap to “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay.”

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TVD Radar: Havana Meets Kingston blending the sounds of 2 islands,
in stores 11/3

By TVD HQ | Published: September 26, 2017

VIA PRESS RELEASE | On November 3rd, VP Records/17 North Parade will release Havana Meets Kingston. The innovative, culture-centric album pairs legendary and emerging Cuban and Jamaican musicians to reimagine classic songs and create new compositions, infused with Jamaican reggae and dancehall, traditional Cuban and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Produced by Australia’s leading reggae and dancehall producer Mista Savona (aka Jake Savona), Havana Meets Kingston is the first full-length project to present the blended sounds of these two distinct island nations supported by an all-star cast of musicians.

Of the 15 new recordings on the album, fresh versions of ‘Chan, Chan,’ ‘El Cuarto De Tula,’ and ‘Candela,’ made famous by the album/film Buena Vista Social Club present a blended Caribbean flair. The album was recorded at Egrem Studios (Estudios Areito 101) in Havana and features performances by Grammy award winning reggae duo Sly & Robbie with original Buena Vista Social Club instrumentalists Ronaldo Luna and Barbarito Torres among others.

New renditions of classic reggae songs; “Vibracion Positive” (Rastaman Vibration), “Row Fisherman Row” and “100 Pounds of Collie” feature the talents of vocalists Turbulence, Randy Valentine and Prince Alla among others. The music video and single ‘Carnival’ featuring emerging Cuban artist Solis and Randy Valentine, will be followed closely by “El Cuarto De Tula” featuring Maikel Ante, El Medico and Turbulence. A feature-length documentary chronicling the recording sessions is slated for release in 2018.

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The Cuckoos,
The TVD First Date
& Vinyl Giveaway

By Special to TVD | Published: September 26, 2017

“My first record was Let It Be by The Beatles. It was given to me by a random woman (I can’t remember where) when I was in the 8th grade. At the time, I had just started getting into the Beatles and music in general, so I didn’t have a record player. I had to beg my sister to let me use hers, and even then she only let me listen to it once.”

“By the time I got my own record player, I discovered The Doors and their debut album ended up being the first record I purchased myself. I later got it signed by John Densmore. Since then, a majority of my money goes to purchasing records. I go to record shops regularly, even making sure to stop in a few in different cities while on tour. I still listen to digital music all the time, but there’s just just something special about vinyl.

Digital music is easy to carry around with you on your phone, but listening to vinyl is an experience—everything from hunting down the records, purchasing them, listening to them, admiring the artwork… it’s like a ritual. I get a buzz from digging through old boxes of LPs, taking them home and listening to them for the first time.

Records are what opened my eyes (and ears) to music not just as a background noise, but as a mythical art form filled with emotion and passion. Every day since my first vinyl experience, I’ve had music on my brain 24/7.

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UK Artist of the Week: LIEZA

By Katie Moore | Published: September 26, 2017

Having travelled alone to Nashville to follow her dream, artist Meghan Roner—aka LIEZA—began her musical journey as an intern for Grammy Award winning Femke Weidema, and has now collaborated with the producer to create her infectious new single.

A shimmering slice of electro-pop, “Eyeliner” is a truly heartfelt creation. Of the track, LIEZA explains: “…’Eyeliner’ is that anthem that you sing to yourself in the mirror when you’ve had a bad day and you’ve forgotten what makes you unique, what makes you strong…Put on your ‘eyeliner,’ whatever armour that may be for you, and then go out and take on the world…”

Flowing with the soaring power of Roner’s twinkling vocals, “Eyeliner” juxtaposes a delicate melodic beauty with sweeping electronic hooks and the subtle empowering sentiment of its rich, lyrical honesty. With shades of the likes of Banks, or even the emotion-strewn power of Lana Del Rey, this elegant new offering from LIEZA marks the young artist as a definite one to watch for the rest of 2017 and beyond.

“Eyeliner” is in stores now via LV Music.

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Graded on a Curve:
Pere Ubu,
20 Years in a Montana Missile Silo

By Joseph Neff | Published: September 26, 2017

The last two years have seen Pere Ubu bringing thoughtful revision to a prodigious and highly influential back catalog; after touring in support of it to considerable success, the focus has returned to fresh material. The new album is 20 Years in a Montana Missile Silo, their first for the Cherry Red label, and it finds vocalist-leader David Thomas and the band in sharp, distinctive form. Adding another layer to the avant-garage institution’s discography, this tidy, frequently rocking, and wholly rewarding set is out now on vinyl, compact disc, and digital.

On occasion, the longevity of highly acclaimed, once-groundbreaking acts will codify into touring-circuit predictability, the lineups rigid and the setlists devoid of new material, mainly for fear of lowering the energy level in the room. To the other extreme, sometimes the stature of long-loved acts gets devalued by the dubious persistence of one (or two) original members and whomever they manage to dredge up to assist, with the outcome a series of underwhelming studio efforts and endless tour dates.

Such is not the case with Pere Ubu. Yes, David Thomas is the band’s sole original member, but 20 Years in a Montana Missile is far from an “If it’s me and yer granny on bongos, it’s the Fall”-style situation. Bassist Michele Temple, drummer Steve Mehlman, and analog synth-Theremin man Robert Wheeler have been part of the group since the mid-’90s, while guitarist Keith Moliné joined the roster in 2005.

They, along with digital synthesist Gagarin and clarinetist Darryl Boon (members since ’07 and ’12, respectively) establish continuity as Ubu moves from its Chinese Whispers-Orange Period into a phase described as The Dark Room (quote Thomas: “Put a bunch of musicians in a lightless room and by feeling one small section of an unknown object have them figure what it must be.”). Bringing a new twist to this development is a three-guitar lineup, with Moliné joined by Gary Siperko (from Thomas’ other band Rocket from the Tombs) and Kristof Hahn (from Swans) on steel guitar.

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In rotation: 9/26/17

By TVD HQ | Published: September 26, 2017

See inside Prophets of Rage’s performance at a Long Beach record store: On the heels of the release of the self-titled debut from Prophets of Rage, the supergroup played a sold-out in-store performance at Long Beach’s Fingerprints Records Friday, Sept. 22. The 250-person capacity record store was packed with eager fans who scored tickets by buying the new album. The group is made up of Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine, Chuck D and DJ Lord of Public Enemy and B-Real of Cypress Hill. The performance was yet another get for the well-known record store which often hosts big name acts on its tiny stage, including Cold War Kids, the Foo Fighters and Ryan Adams. Fingerprints owner Rand Foster said members of the Prophets of Rage reached out to set up the performance.

Paisley’s Paolo Nutini set to wow fans with unique gig in town’s record store, The singer wants to give a boost to local shop Feel The Groove by staging a one-off show for people who buy music there: Paolo Nutini is giving 60 fans the chance to see him play a tiny one-off show in a Paisley record store. The singer wants to boost his local shop Feel The Groove, on Causeyside Street, by staging the unique show for people who buy music there.Paolo told the Sunday Mail: “We want to encourage that thing of making the trip to your local record store. It’s easy enough to go on iTunes or Spotify and get a song. “It’s not like I have a record out I’m trying to sell. The idea is you buy any music in the shop, you spend a fiver, you get a token. A tenner you get two, £20 you get four. “Each token is a chance to win – they go in the hat and 30 people are picked. Each gets to bring somebody along to the in-store show.

LCD Soundsystem Hid a Secret Message on the Vinyl of American Dream: If you’re in possession of a vinyl copy of American Dream, a look at the LP’s D-side will reveal an etching that reads “SEE U IN 5 YEARS.” Of course, it’s some self-deprecating humour in reference to their own five-year hiatus that they ended up returning from. You can find some proof of the American Dream etching below. Messages in the runout grooves of vinyl records are hardly uncommon. The D-side of Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories vinyl release reads “IF LOVE IS THE ANSWER YOU’RE HOME” in reference to their song “Touch,” while some pressings of the Clash’s London Calling feature the words “Tear,” “Down,” “The” and “Walls” on sides A, B, C and D, respectively. And those are just two of countless examples.

The Rolling Stones hope fans will warm to a deluxe version of ‘Their Satanic Majesties Request,’ their most disparaged albums: “The average concert ticket for the band’s 2012 50th Anniversary tour cost $624,” he said. “The fans filling all of those arenas probably won’t balk at spending a little bit more than average for this reissue.” With teenagers and millennials helping to drive resurgent sales in vinyl and other physical media, there may be an audience beyond just Baby Boomers, Furbee said. “There’s a good chance that anyone in their teens or early to mid-20s may have only experienced music as a digital file,” he said. “I’m not surprised at all that young adults are building record collections now, as they strive to find a deeper connection with the artists and music they love.”

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TVD Live Shots: The Struts at the Electric Ballroom, 9/18

By Jason Miller | Published: September 25, 2017

Here’s something you don’t see every day—a UK band that’s much more well-known in the States than their home country. I’m talking about English glam rock band The Struts. Being a fan of all things glam rock myself, these guys have been on my radar from the day that they signed with Interscope Records when a friend of mine sent me a message that only read, “You need to hear this.”

It’s no secret that The Struts wear their influences on their sleeves and that’s a good thing because they know exactly who they are. Frontman Luke Spiller is the spitting image of the late, great Freddie Mercury, and he has the moves and voice to back it up. You can tell within the first few seconds of a Struts show that this guy was born to do this. He uses every square inch of the stage at his disposal and ignites the crowd with the energy of a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific.

Highlights from the set? How about the entire fucking set was one big highlight. New songs “One Night Only” and “Who Am I” take the band’s songwriting to a new level underscoring the fact that these guys are the real deal. “Kiss This” and “Could Have Been Me” just about blew the roof off of the Electric Ballroom.

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TVD Live Shots: Future Islands at the Greek, 9/19

By Julia Lofstrand | Published: September 25, 2017

Baltimore-based Future Islands released their fifth album, The Far Field, earlier in 2017. Since then they’ve been selling out shows all over Europe and the United States, and have recently performed at Coachella, Bonnaroo, and the Glastonbury Festival. On September 19, they played to a packed house in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre.

FR/BLCK/PR, brainchild of Los Angeles rapper Busdriver, opened the show.

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TVD Radar: Ella with
the London Symphony Orchestra, Someone
To Watch Over Me in stores 9/29

By TVD HQ | Published: September 25, 2017

VIA PRESS RELEASE | The centennial of Ella Fitzgerald’s birthday has been celebrated throughout this year and is culminated with the release of Someone To Watch Over Me, featuring digitally remastered vocal tracks from Ella’s original Decca and Verve recordings paired with newly orchestrated and arranged performances by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist Gregory Porter duets with Ella on the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, “People Will Say We’re In Love” from the Broadway musical “Oklahoma.” Oscar and Grammy Award winning arranger Jorge Calandrelli collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra on the several tracks as well as James Morgan and Juliette Pochin, who also produced the record. James Morgan and Jorge Calandrelli share conducting credits for the project and the symphony sessions were recorded at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London.

Someone To Watch Over Me presents Ella Fitzgerald at the height of her vocal powers during her prolific and historical relationship with Decca and continuing with Verve, founded by Ella’s manager Norman Granz in 1956 for the express purpose of providing the “First Lady of Song” with a home for her musical legacy. The songlist covers the period from 1950 to 1961 among them “Misty,” “Bewitched,” “These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You),” “I Get A Kick Out of You,” from The Cole Porter Songbook, Ella’s first recording for Verve in 1956, as well as two duets with Louis Armstrong on “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off” and “They Can’t Take Away From Me,” from their classic recordings together. The title track, a poignant and mesmerizing portrait of Ella’s singular talents, originally appeared on her first studio album in with Ellis Larkins, Ella Sings Gershwin.

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Josh Jacobson,
The TVD First Date

By TVD HQ | Published: September 25, 2017

“I’m not an analog purist by any means, but to me the whole experience of vinyl just feels like music the way music it was meant to be listened to.”

“There’s a certain magic about the format—it’s the perfect size to be able to appreciate the art design on a physical level, the instrumentalist and producer credits are there so you know who’s playing, and often there are lyrics and a personal statement from the artist too. Then there’s that irresistible sound! I’ll never forget the first time I listened to Errol Garner’s Concert by the Sea on vinyl and heard that familiar album open up in a completely new way.

When I was a kid, the house was mostly quiet when my mom wasn’t practicing or teaching violin lessons. But sometimes my dad would play his favorite records—Blood, Sweat and Tears, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Thelonious Monk, and more out there favorites like Switched On Bach.

I’ve always appreciated the look and feel of vinyl, and would check out record stores when visiting a new city and pick up a few used records here and there. But the first vinyl I really bought with intention was much more recent: The Staves’ If I Was. I had listened to the album on repeat on Spotify and loved the blue snowy forest album art, and at their show when I held the vinyl at their merch table, something about it was just irresistible to me.