ANDREW BIRD-LIVE IN 2007

Posted on January 31st, 2008 by ekko

Andrew Bird’s Armchair Apocrypha was one of the better albums of 2007 that I didn’t get my ears on until 2008. Making my best of 2007 list somewhat less than complete. Oh, well. Can’t hear everything, I suppose. But today I try to make up for that shortcoming, just a little, by posting this September 27, 2007, show, in which Mr. Bird plays quite a few selections off of that album.

Y’all know the drill: A few tastes, and a zip file.

Set list:

Fiery Crash
Opposite Day
Nervous Tic/Motion of the Head
Why
Spare-Ohs
Spare-Ohs Rap
Plasticities
Tenuous
Simple X
Imitosis
Armchairs
Dr. Strings/Fake Palindromes
Skin Is, My
Scythian Empires

ZIP FILE

EMPTY ROOMS-”Lacuna” (EP)

Posted on January 30th, 2008 by ekko

Those of you who were with me when I was on Blogger may recall that in 2006 I picked a little-known record by a band called Empty Rooms as one of the best offerings of that year. It’s taken them a while, but they’re back. And they’re still excellent.

“Lacuna” finds Empty Rooms as spooky as ever, but the lead track, “All’s Well,” breaks new ground for them. Eschewing the echoey indie guitar for monk-like chanting, the band ventures even deeper into Radiohead territory than they’ve ever gone before. And the results are transcendent. The other three songs on the EP reflect the band’s movement into even deeper contemplative and meditative music. There’s still the occasional crunchy riff, but the focus is on percussion and mood, chants and swells.

The album isn’t available yet, but if you go here, you can pre-order it.

Do it. Now.

We’ve Been Waiting for You

ASTER-”Some Things Seldom Heard Of”

Posted on January 29th, 2008 by ekko

Texas-based Aster’s 2007 release, “Some Things Seldom Heard Of,” is actually, apparently, a 2008 release. Go figure. But whatever year you put it down in, it’s worth your eartime. I’m not going to call it shoegazer, because it’s much more than simply soaring. Yeah, it’s lush, with light and airy vocals, trippy beats, and piano swells–the works–but the music has a richness and texture I don’t usually get from shoegazer.

I’m really enjoying this CD, but I’m finding it really hard to write about. Howzabout you all check out these two tracks, or go stream it, and write your own reviews, in the comments.

Some Things Seldom Heard Of

Vaudeville

Stream the whole album here!

A to ZEVON (HAPPY BIRTHDAY WARREN!)

Posted on January 29th, 2008 by ekko

Warren Zevon is probably my favorite songwriter. I dig his classic hits, which always inject bitter humor, like “Lawyers, Guns, and Money” and “Werewolves,” but I also like his lesser known ironies, like “Something Bad Happened to a Clown” and “Rottweiler Blues.” I also appreciate his tender moments, like “The French Inhaler” and “Tenderness on the Block,” as well as his barnstorming blues cuts, like “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” and “Piano Fighter.” All of it is good.

But I rarely post on the man. So, today, it’s Zevon rarities day! His birthday was January 24, so I missed it by about a week, but whatever.

These are all live bootleg tracks, of various levels of quality, that I hope you’ll enjoy. All tracks below are by the WZ, unless otherwise noted.

A is for All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan). A bit long and rambling, but I really like what he does with it. It’s much more like a Bob Dylan cover than a cover of the Jimi Hendrix version, which is what most folks do.

B is for Warren’s long-time friend Jackson B. Mohammed’s Radio w/Jackson Browne

C is for Comes a Time (with Neil Young)

D is for Don’t Let Us Get Sick. An example of sensitive Warren, a beautiful song, and one of the first times it was ever performed.

F is for First We Take Manhattan.

G is for guns and gats. Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner. This isn’t a rare song, but I do love it.

H is for Purple Haze (Hendrix)

I is for I Can’t Tell You Why (The Eagles)-Vox by Timothy B. Schmit (of the Eagles)

J is for Stop Breaking Down (Robert Johnson)

K is for knives, son! Mack the Knife. Yeah, Warren likes show tunes, too.

L is for Lakes Of Pontchartrain. A true rarity, this is the only live performance of this song (that I’m aware of).

M is for masturbation. Dancing With Myself (Billy Idol cover).

N is for a Neil duet! Splendid Isolation (With Neil Young)

O is for old time rock and roll. Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran)

P is for Play it All Night Long (Zevon cover)-Drive By Truckers

R is for Ring Them Bells (Bob Dylan cover)

S is for Surfin’ USA (Beach Boys cover)

T is for The Boss! Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen). Not great quality, but it’s worth a listen.

U is for unpronouncable symbol. Rasberry Beret (Prince) (Actually, the little purple guy did this while he was Prince, which he is again, but whatever.)

V is for Why Can’t This Be Love? (Van Halen)

W is for Back in the Highlife (Steve Windwood)

XYZ is for W again. What’s New Pussycat?

Download these and play ‘em all night long.

RIP Warren.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Posted on January 28th, 2008 by ekko

SLUG. AESOP. BLUEPRINT. AND MORE. “Freestyles”

Posted on January 28th, 2008 by ekko

In the zip file below, you’ll find 18 unreleased freestyles of various quality and length from some of the most popular indie rappers around: Slug (of Atmosphere), Aesop Rock, Eyedea (of Eyedeas and Abilities), and Blueprint (of Soul Position). Joining them are Illogic and Sage.

I know most f you readers aren’t hip hop fans, but I also know that some of you are. If you appreciate these posts, please drop me a comment so I know to keep ‘em coming.

Indie rock can’t be all we listen to, can it?

Taste #1

Taste #2

ZIP FILE

REED KD-“Ashes Bloom”

Posted on January 27th, 2008 by ekko

“Let’s build a wall between/All of the kerosene/So we can juggle road flares/In the yard.” The lines come in the verse that bursts out of a more subdued lament (“Maybe this time I’ll get lucky and you’ll mean all the things you say to me”) on “Road Flares,” off of Reed KD’s “Ashes Bloom” album, a really solid singer-songwriter collection of folk-rock love songs. Reed can be likened to Simon & Garfunkel, or maybe acoustic Death Cab for Cutie (in musical style only—his vocalization is entirely different). All these comparisons are somewhat apt, but above all he’s got his own voice. He eschews witty lyrics for insightful ones, and avoids long musical flourishes, preferring instead to pack many deep thoughts into each song, forcing the listener to constantly ask, “What did he say?” and back up a few seconds to catch it again. This is true poetry, set to guitar, and a sweet gem. Perfect music for a cup of coffee and the Sunday paper.

Road Flares

Maybe By Morning

EVANGELICALS-“The Evening Descends”

Posted on January 26th, 2008 by ekko

The Evening Descends in the first track on the unclassifiable recent release from Evangelicals, on the Dead Oceans label. From the title track, which starts off as shoegazer, stumbles awkwardly through a calliope of carnival hiccups, and ends with a spot of twee, the record throws you up against a phonic wall and never lets you go. Channeling all the best genres rock has ever offered—a diverse pastiche including goth, psychedelia, indie, glam, prog, and emo, recalling The Flaming Lips, The Darkness, The Cure, Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, and countless others–Evangelicals seem ready to take the throne for the most inventive band of 2008.

“Skeleton Man,” which ends in a cymbal-crashing, repeated scream, “Someone loves you very much! Someone loves you very much!”, is my favorite cut on the album. And that’s saying a lot, because there’s many winners here. The aptly titled “Stoned Again” features distant, foggy vocals under a Doors-like keyboard riff and a swirling mass of unidentifiable texture. Every track is full of ambition, and there’s no filler whatsoever.

Overall, “The Evening Descends” is one of my favorite releases of the year so far. I know it’s early in the year, but the intricate guitar work, excellent vocals, and flawless compositions just about guarantee this band a place on my end-of-the-year list.

Skeleton Man

Midnight Vignette

And from an earlier release:

Here Comes Trouble [from the So Gone LP]

Catch ‘em on tour!

02/15/08 Columbia, MO – Mojo’s w/ Headlights
02/16/08 Lexington, KY – The Icehouse w/ Headlights
02/17/08 Nashville, TN – The End w/ Headlights
02/18/08 Athens, GA – The Caledonia Lounge w/ Headlights
02/19/08 Mt. Pleasant, SC – Village Tavern w/ Headlights
02/20/08 Norfolk, VA – The Boot w/ Headlights
02/21/08 Arlington, VA – Iota w/ Headlights
02/24/08 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge w/ Headlights
02/25/08 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s w/ Headlights
02/26/08 Hamden, CT – The Space w/ Headlights
02/27/08 Cambridge, MA – Middle East w/ Headlights
02/28/08 Princeton, NJ – Terrace Club w/ Headlights
02/29/08 Brooklyn, NY – Union Hall w/ Headlights
03/01/08 Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place w/ Headlights
03/02/08 Toronto, ON – El Mocambo w/ Headlights
03/03/08 Cleveland, OH – Beachland w/ Headlights
03/04/08 Bloomington, IN – Waldron Arts Center w/ Headlights
03/06/08 Urbana, IL – Canopy Club w/ Headlights
03/07/08 Chicao, IL – Schuba’s w/ Headlights
03/08/08 St. Louis, MO – Bilken Club w/ Headlights
03/09/08 Springfield, MO – Randy Beacon Gallery w/ Headlights
03/10/08 Norman, OK – Opolis w/ Headlights
03/11/08 Dallas, TX – The Cavern w/ Headlights
03/12/08 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/13/08 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/14/08 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/15/08 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/17/08 Tucson, AZ – Plush w/ Headlights
03/19/08 Los Angeles, CA – Silver Lake Lounge w/ Headlights
03/20/08 Visalia, CA – Howie & Sons w/ Headlights
03/21/08 San Francisco, CA – Hemlock Tavern w/ Headlights
03/23/08 Seattle, WA – Nectar Lounge w/ Headlights
03/24/08 Missoula, MT – Badlander w/ Headlights
03/26/08 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court w/ Headlights
03/27/08 Denver, CO – Hi Dive w/ Headlights
03/28/08 Omaha, NE – Waiting Room w/ Headlights
03/29/08 Minneapolis, MN – Nomad w/ Headlights
03/30/08 Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club w/ Headlights
04/01/08 Dekalb, IL – House Cafe w/ Headlights
04/02/08 Madison, WI – Club 770 w/ Headlights
04/03/08 Iowa City, IA – The Mill w/ Headlights
04/04/08 Lake Forest, IL – The Chapel w/ Headlights
04/05/08 Beloit, WI – Beloit College w/ Headlights

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Posted on January 26th, 2008 by ekko

PICTURE OF THE DAY (NEWS ARTICLES EDITION)

Posted on January 25th, 2008 by ekko

BONUS: 

Actual letters submitted to the Sunday Times, courtesy of What Is Matt. This is hysterical.

——

Dear Maid,

Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Imperial Leather. Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish.

They are in my way.

Thank you,

S. Berman

Dear Room 635,

I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow, Thursday, from her day off. I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish as you requested.

The 6 bars on your shelf I took out of your way and put on top of your Kleenex dispenser in case you should change your mind. This leaves only the 3 bars I left today.

My instructions from the management are to leave 3 soaps daily. I hope this is satisfactory.

Kathy, Relief Maid

Dear Maid.

I hope you are my regular maid.

Apparently Kathy did not tell you about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap.

When I got back to my room this evening, found you had added 3 little Camays to the shelf under my medicine cabinet.

I am going to be here in the hotel for two weeks and have brought my own bath-size Imperial Leather, so I won’t need those 6 little Camays, which are on the shelf. They are in my way when shaving, brushing teeth, etc.

Please remove them.

S. Berman

Dear Mr. Berman,

The assistant manager, Mr. Kensedder, informed me this morning that you called him last evening and said you were unhappy with your maid service.

I have assigned a new girl to your room. I hope you will accept my apologies for any past inconvenience. If you have any future complaints, please contact me so I can give it my personal attention, Call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM.

Thank you.

Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper.

Dear Miss Carmen,

It is impossible to contact you by phone since I leave the hotel for business at 7:45 AM and don’t get back before 5:30 or 6PM. That’s the reason I called Mr. Kensedder last night. You were already off duty.

I only asked Mr. Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap. The new maid you assigned me must have thought I was a new check in today, since she left another 3 bars of hotel soap in my medicine cabinet, along with her regular delivery of 3 bars on the Bathroom shelf.

In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap.

Why are you doing this to me?

S. Berman

Dear Mr. Berman,

Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your room and remove the extra soaps. If I can be of further assistance, please call extension 1108 between 8 AM and 5PM.

Thank you,

Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper.

Dear Mr. Kensedder,

My bath-size Imperial Leather is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my room, including my own bath-size Imperial Leather. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets.

S. Berman.

Dear Mr. Berman,

I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem.

I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room.

The situation will be rectified immediately.

Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience.

Martin L. Kensedder, Assistant Manager.

Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Who the hell left 54 little bars of Camay in my room?

I came in last night and found 54 little bars of soap. I don’t want 54 little bars of Camay. I want my one damn bar of bath-size Imperial Leather.

Do you realise I have 54 bars of soap in here?

All I want is my bath-size Imperial Leather.

Please give me back my bath-size Imperial Leather.

S. Berman.

Dear Mr. Berman,

You complained of too much soap in your room, so I had them removed.

Then you complained to Mr. Kensedder that all your soap was missing, so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily.

I don’t know anything about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets.

Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps, so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays.

I don’t know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-size Imperial Leather.

However, I was able to locate some bath-size Ivory, which I left in your room.

Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper.

Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Just a short note to bring you up-to-date on my latest soap inventory.

As of today I possess:

On the shelf under the medicine cabinet, 18 Camay in 4 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2. On the Kleenex dispenser, 11 Camay in 2 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 3.

On the bedroom dresser, 1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, 1 stack of 4 hotel-size Ivory, and 8 Camay in 2 stacks of 4.

Inside the medicine cabinet, 14 Camay in 3 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.

In the shower soap dish, 6 Camay, very moist.

On the northeast corner of the tub, 1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used.

On the northwest corner of the tub, 6 Camays in 2 stacks of 3.

Please ask Kathy when she services my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted.

Also, please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip over.

May I suggest that my bedroom window sill is not in use and will make an excellent spot for future soap deliveries.

One more item, I have purchased another bar of bath-size Imperial Leather which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings.

S. Berman

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