I got back from NYC last Friday evening to some of the warmest nights I’ve ever experienced in LA. It’s truly been more than a wild Indian summer. To cool down I’m still listening to the sounds of the streets of New York. I’ve always loved the month of October in NYC. The Autumn brings out night owls, and oh how those night owls thrive in the Big Apple.
It comes down to reality / And it’s fine with me cause I’ve let it slide / I don’t care if it’s Chinatown or on Riverside / I don’t have any reasons / I left them all behind / I’m in a New York state of mind…
This week is the annual CMJ music festival in the city. Although the actual CMJ conference is not what it used to be, the lure of a gathering of indie rock tribes is still very appealing.
Kinky Friedman, the legendary ex-Texas Jewboy turned author/ musician/ politician, is one hilarious mofo. There’s nothing he loves more than to offend tender sensibilities, with the possible exceptions of cigars and tequila, and on Monday, October 12 at The Hamilton in Washington, D.C. he explained why. “I have a serious medical condition,” he said. “It’s called EOA. That stands for Early Onset Asshole disease.” And he said that before he’d launched any lewd or derogatory assaults on political correctness. No worries on that front, however; he got around to them.
Friedman is touring to support his first album of new material in decades, The Loneliest Man I Ever Met. The Hamilton was only his fourth stop on The Loneliest Man I Ever Met tour, but he had his shtick down. He peppered the intervals between songs with jokes and more jokes, but also demonstrated his serious side by reading a poignant piece on his late father from his autobiographical work, Heroes of a Texas Childhood.
He also played his fair share of serious songs, including that old saw, “Pretty Boy Floyd,” with which he opened the show. His version was moving, but he quickly reverted to comedic form afterwards, going on a hilarious rant about tequila. “It’s the Barry Manilow drink,” he said. “It makes you feel good for a short period of time.” Then, addressing the fellow who gave us “Mandy,” Friedman said, “So don’t die on me, motherfucker.” He also described the proper Texas method of drinking tequila. “You spread a line of salt on the table, snort the salt, squeeze the lemon into your own eye, and then drink the shot.”
The purpose of a lot of band’s tours is to promote the new album. But I can’t imagine many being so thorough about it than the Bottle Rockets, who played all 11 tracks of their new Bloodshot Records release, South Broadway Athletic Club in order during their fine show Monday at Gypsy Sally’s in Washington, D.C.
Frontman Brian Henneman even called out between songs, “On to No. 6!” He even indicated the point at which the vinyl should be flipped over—and brought more vinyl than CDs to sell of the title that’s been doing better for the 20-year-old band than the 11 before it. The good news is that the album is as full of solid, simple songs as anything since their early days. Their “Dog,” so simple it’s almost like a Zen koan or at least a Ramones song: “I love my dog/ He’s my dog/ If you don’t love my dog, that’s OK/ I don’t want you to/ He’s my dog.”
It was good to see the solid four-piece from St. Louis headlining on their own—most local shows have them opening for and then backing Marshall Crenshaw (and indeed they’ll be returning in a couple of months with just that format). And the quality of South Broadway, the first album they recorded entirely in St. Louis in years, and with longtime producer Eric Roscoe Ambel meant that pushing the new product so hard wasn’t an unpleasant prospect.
PHOTO: ZACK SMITH | Heads up jazz and adventurous music lovers. Snug Harbor is the place to be on Saturday night for two sets by a new quartet playing music recently recorded in New Orleans for a debut album set to be released in early 2016.
The Modern Nolatet features Mike Dillon (pictured) on vibes, James Singleton on bass, Johnny Vidacovich on drums, and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey’sBrian Haas on piano.
“The Modern Nolatet is the result of a Jazz Fest gig where the music and improv made us howl like dogs in the wild,” explains Dillon. “Playing with Johnny V. and James is still one of the best experiences for a musician who loves conversations on the bandstand. Throw in my nearly 20 years of playing with Brian and the musical gods from on high deemed it to be good and bountiful.”
The Snug Harbor show is part of a string of New Orleans dates for pianist Brian Haas who is also playing at The Maple Leaf tonight with Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. Haas will round out his stay at Monday night’s ongoing Instant Opus Jazz Improv Series with Jason Marsalis and others at the Dragon’s Den.
The Modern Nolatet is set to release their debut album, Dogs, next year. It was recorded at Esplanade Studios and will be released by Royal Potato Family.
“I’ve loved vinyl since I was about 17. I was obsessed with classic rock, so my parents bought me one of those shitty brown suitcase turntables, and then showed me where they had stashed their old records. I’ve been pretty much hooked since then.”
“There’s a lot to love about records; the smell, the tactile experience, the warm sound, the big cover etc. But one of the things that I like the most is how individual records seem to be able to bring me back to a moment from my past.
My Ziggy Stardust LP that I bought in Edinburgh, my I Am Oak LP that I bought to remind me of the girl who broke my heart, the Microcastle my dad bought me to listen to as I recovered from a surgery, my mom’s copy of Are You Experienced… When I pull those albums out, it’s like catching a phantom scent on the wind that takes me back through time.
All Boy/All Girl has always done things its own way. This is a band that began, after all, as the ukulele/ double bass duo of Danielle Lovier and Nicholas Rahn busking on the streets of Philadelphia, before moving to New York and expanding to seven members, adding viola, cello, guitar, drums, and a pair of vocalists.
All acoustic to be sure, but as their website puts it, a unit whose “sonic domain is constructed entirely from mechanical oscillations.” As if they are fulfilling only what the marketplace is demanding in a musical M.O.: Mechanical oscillations! Though they seem at times like a chamber folk ensemble, they’ve always dabbled in experimentation, both on their 2013 album Tiny Iglesias and on the pair of EPs that sandwiched it.
We’re proud today to debut their new standalone single, a six-minute suite about the 16th century Italian luther credited with making the first instruments of the violin family, “Andrea Amati.”
“The lyrics tell a fictional but fact based story of the extensive process that was necessary for Amati to build one of his instruments in the early 1500s in Northern Italy,” says All Boy/All Girl bassist Rahn. “The story also follows his horse who would be there during the process of finding timber, and ultimately his body be used in the construction of the instrument .”
Hank Williams’ very last performance in this life was at the Skyline Club in Austin, Texas in December 1953. On stage with him was an unusual figure; the 11-year-old Douglas Wayne Sahm, a prodigy who had made his radio debut at the age of five. Come 1965, Sahm became the front man of The Sir Douglas Quintet, whose “She’s About a Mover” is nothing less than one of the greatest songs ever. (Yeah, that’s right.) Now jump forward to 1973 and Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records, who produced Sahm’s debut solo LP, Doug Sahm and Band.
That “band” was misleading; the folks in that studio were nothing less than a supergroup, and had no intention of hitting the road together. Bob Dylan, Dr. John, David Bromberg, and the Tejano Mexican accordionist Flaco Jiménez were all involved, as was famed saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman and ex-Sir Douglas Quintet keyboardist Augie Meyers, who produced that great organ sound on “She’s About a Mover.”
It could have turned into a self-indulgent fiasco, as so many sessions crowded with big names do, but instead it was an instant classic—energetic, ecstatic, and in general the kind of LP guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Its mix of Tex-Mex, blues, and rock’n’roll means it’s all over the place, but the band put their magic touch on whatever genre they turned their heads to. Sahm wrote only 3 of the LP’s 12 songs—other contributors included Dylan, Willie Nelson, and T-Bone Walker, amongst others—but he managed to make them his own.
Vinyl Mania 2 event celebrates popularity of vinyl records: “You think it’s all audiophile nerds, people in their 40s or 50s lining up to drop north of $30 for a “new” vinyl copy of an album they already own in multiple formats, or rock geeks unable to come to terms with the whole “digital streaming is both the present and the future” edict. But you’re wrong.“
Dynomite Records – the second-hand vinyl music store in Kambah: “The resurgence of vinyl as a preferred listening format has been well documented in recent years and the three independent record stores scattered across Canberra, along with JB Hi-Fi in the city, have embraced this trend with record racks now a familiar sight alongside the usual CDs and DVDs.”
Musicians, others start local record label: “A partnership of Sioux Falls music artists and entrepreneurs wants to help bring back vinyl records in a big way. Different Folk Records LLC started recently to help musicians turn their work into an album.”
Tower Records on Sunset Blvd to be Restored for One Night Only: “The Tower Records building on Sunset Boulevard was once a major WeHo landmark. It was saved from the threat of demolition last year, and will now return to its full former glory for just one night, thanks to a new documentary about the brand. Colin Hanks’ All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records is a new documentary exploring the history and legacy of Tower Records, which began in California in 1960 and expanded nationwide, with international franchises, before going bankrupt in 2006.”
Is vinyl worth it? “Vinyl album sales have been on the rise for a few years now. Is it just a fad or a real trend? What does it say about what true audiophiles want in sound quality?”
Vinyl treasures await: “Vinyl lovers will find heaven on earth at Nelson’s annual record fair. Organised by avid vinyl collector Grant Smithies, the fair will be held on October 31 from 2PM at the Free House’s yurt. As there are no more record shops left in Nelson, Smithies feels the Record Fair might fills the void a little.”
For any of the naysayers out there who think that rock is dead, Rock Allegiance just proved you wrong. Saturday’s festival in Chester, PA hosted two side by side main stages and a tent stage featuring some of hard rock and heavy metal’s finest.
Rob Zombie, Korn, Godsmack, and Five Finger Death Punch topped the evening’s bill and was rounded out with support from Papa Roach, Butcher Babies, PopEvil, Bring Me the Horizon, and my current favorites Atreyu and In This Moment. This line up had something for everyone—including an on-site after party hosted by Steel Panther.
Gourmet food trucks provided nourishment for the event which was a huge breath of fresh air compared to the usual festival afterthoughts. An outdoor music festival in the cool autumn air of October was also a refreshing change from the sweltering heat of other rock festivals like Mayhem and the Warped tour.
This was easily one for the record books and it was great to hear that they plan on doing it again next year—and given sold out crowd, they would be crazy not to. This was hands down one of the best-managed festivals this reviewer has ever gone to. Check out some of the sights below and support this festival next year. You will be glad you did.
With three big shows this weekend and a new nationally distributed album, guitarist/ singer/ songwriter/ bandleader Marc Stone is on a roll. Poison and Medicine recently dropped on Louisiana Red Hot Records and his weekend officially begins tonight (10/15) with a prestigious set at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Friday night finds him at the Little Gem Saloon and Sunday he will bring it all home at D.B.A.
Stone is no stranger to TVD or to music lovers in New Orleans, across the country and across the pond. He has been plugging away, honing his style, dubbed “Roots in the Present Tense,” and collaborating with a wide range of artists all while maintaining a long running and incredibly informative program on WWOZ 90.7 FM.
With the release of Poison and Medicine, Stone has reached another career pinnacle. He begins his big week with an acoustic set in the atrium of the Ogden at 6 PM tonight. His all-star band features New Orleans piano master and James Booker expert Joshua Paxton, along with classically trained upright bassist Jack Joshua, and world-renowned percussionist and vibraphonist Mike Dillon.
“The word vinyl takes me back to my parents’ basement in Woodinville, Washington. My 28-year-old Mama has her hair in a ponytail and we’re sitting on the carpet together, a bootleg Steel Mill-topped pile of records before us.”
“The records are almost too big for my hands, and we listen to song after song—her more overcome by the memories and me more overcome by the music. My barely baby boomer parents keep two early ’80s record players in the house, and on days like this, she’ll pull out her records and we’ll relive her youth together. We won’t own a CD player until the late 1990s. Madman Across the Water, Nebraska, and Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs instead crackle through the house on their original format.
A few years later, my Mom and I happen upon a bunch of classic records at Value Village. I’m a very awkward pre-teen spinning Betty Everett over and over, Shoop-Shooping until I can’t breathe. I learn to sing (and how to discern if he ‘loves you so’) alone in the family room, resetting the needle again and again. It sounds huge, like the whole band is playing right there in the room. I’ll spend an entire summer in Junior High looping that vinyl, motioning to the invisible band behind me, and pretending it’s my own.
A Badge Of Friendship are back with another new music podcast to brighten up your Thursday!
It was Claire’s birthday this week, so the gang decided to put together a “Best of ABoF” special so she could be taken out and spoilt rotten by her better half, Paul.
The trio revisit their interview with Armando Iannucci, the Emmy award-winning creator of Veep and Alan Partridge (to name but a few), as well as interviews with Matt from Dinosaur Pile-Up, James from The Twilight Sad, and James from Pulled Apart By Horses. They’ve also hand-picked their favourite tracks that have been given a spin in the studio over the last few months.
Music heard live on the show cannot be heard on this podcast but check out the tracks featured on this week’s show below:
The Brit folk scene of the late ‘60s/early ‘70s was a deeper happening than a casual observer might suppose, and prime evidence is offered by the duo of Judy Dyble and Jackie McAuley. Borrowing John Peel’s nickname for his nanny, they called themselves Trader Horne and in 1970 cut a terrific LP for Pye Record’s underground subsidiary Dawn. Possessing acumen, range, and enthusiasm, Morning Way is out on vinyl, compact disc, and digital October 16 through Earth Recordings.
At a glance it would seem that Judy Dyble is uncommonly familiar with the precipice of fame. To begin, she was replaced in Fairport Convention by Sandy Denny before the group broke big (in context). But if overshadowed her contribution was far from negligible; there’s the sunshiny psych-folk of the debut single’s “If I Had a Ribbon Bow” plus two Joni Mitchell interpretations, “I Don’t Know Where I Stand” and “Chelsea Morning,” strengthening the eponymous first album. She also co-wrote the nifty instrumental “Portfolio” with Ashley Hutchings.
She’s further noted as a pioneer in multitasking, knitting scarves and dishcloths onstage while her bandmates took flight. Shortly thereafter she was out of the Fairport picture, and it was around this point that she guested on The Incredible String Band’s The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter, lending her voice to “The Minotaur’s Song.”
Dyble’s second dalliance with wide recognition came in the prelude to King Crimson, specifically as a contributor to Giles, Giles, & Fripp. A handful of tracks on The BrondesburyTapes carry her mark, most notably “I Talk to the Wind,” the alternative to Greg Lake additionally collected on A Young Person’s Guide to King Crimson. Just as interesting but significantly less retrospectively cited is her brief spot on “Ashes of the Empire/The End” from G.F. Fitz-Gerald’s Mouseproof.
New cafe and record store opens in former Jimmyz Bar on Newcastle Quayside: “‘We basically came up with the idea whilst working together in a coffee shop in Newcastle, as we’re both vinyl collectors and thought it would be great to open a coffee shop and record store.'”
Rega Research to sponsor Record Store Day 2016: “The partnership will enter its second year following the success of Rega’s Record Store Day-branded turntables, which were made available through independent shops for Record Store Day 2015. All 500 of the limited edition range sold soon after the day – including the 12 decks secretly signed by the likes of Liam Gallagher, Royal Blood and Suede.”
From Grateful Dead To Dylan And Winehouse, A Sneak Peek At 2015’s Big Music Box Sets: “The Grateful Dead is doing its bit to keep CDs alive. Simon & Garfunkel and Amy Winehouse are reviving vinyl. Bob Dylan, the Velvet Underground and the Isley Brothers are boosting the box set, even as digital’s advance gathers pace. The annual avalanche of gift sets may redress the balance in favor of physical products.”
Check out this awesome ‘Back to the Future’ vinyl box set: “You can grab each movie individually as a two-record set for $35 each, or the entire vinyl kit for $105. The individual album versions include artwork by Matt Taylor, who was responsible for the screen-print Back to the Future posters for Mondo while the box set artwork and design was done by DKNG Studios.”
UK vinyl boom sends prices spinning into ‘premium’ territory: “HMV shoppers can buy a CD copy of Iron Maiden’s recent chart-topping double album The Book of Souls for £9.99, but for the vinyl version – which contains three LPs, as it is too long to be squeezed on to two – they will need to shell out £29.99.“
Maggart brothers opening Mission music store to sell vinyl records, offer lessons: “Five years ago, Kyle Maggart’s new girlfriend introduced him to one of her passions: vinyl records. Her passion became his passion. ‘It is so much more of an experience than just downloading a song off the Internet,’ he said. ‘And it is something to share with friends and family. The sound also is a little better, a little richer.’
Last Thursday evening the 9:30 Club hosted two of Philadelphia’s finest acts—Kurt Vile and Waxahatchee—in performance for a sold out and eager DC crowd.
Touring to promote his sixth album released in September on Matador, B’lieve I’m Goin Down… features twelve tracks and has already received its fair share of critical acclaim. It’s been said that the album was recorded in ten different recording studios, and the deluxe edition, B’lieve I’m Goin (Deep) Down… will feature six additional tracks.
Live, Kurt Vile’s sound is just what any fan of his music might expect—chock full of dynamics with an extremely resonant guitar tone—and a top-notch performance from Vile and backing band, The Violators, which quite frankly, almost mimics his recordings with only slight variations.
Kurt Vile and the Violators have several tour dates scheduled across the US through October before the band heads to Europe for the rest of the year, then to Australia by January.
Waxahatchee, the indie music project from fellow Philadelphian Katie Crutchfield, is touring to promote the band’s latest release, Ivy Tripp, which arrived in stores in April of 2015 on Merge Records. The band was phenomenal, particularly the vocals from Crutchfield. I’ve listened to all their recordings countless times and although they are wonderfully done, there’s something about her voice in a live setting that really pulls you in.
