It’s a little late for me to rave about Last Town Chorus‘ 2006 album, Wire Waltz, so instead I’ll tell you about their new single, Loud and Clear, featuring Megan Hickey’s wonderful voice and steel guitar. Listen for yourself–it’s easily as good as any Cowboy Junkies or Edie Brickell single.
And check out a few covers she’s done, as well:
I’ll tell you what, next to The Clash, my favorite group of all time just might be The Kinks. Not because every album (or every song on most albums) is a gem, because the band has sure had their clunkers. But because those albums and songs that did hit, stayed with me.
The first cassette I ever owned was “Misfits.†It was a birthday present, and at the time, “Low Budget†was a mash hit, and that was the one I’d asked for. So I was sad to see Ray Davies’ warped face on the cover, instead of the high-heeled painted-toenail of a lady’s foot. But I gave it a chance. From the opening notes of the album, the wistful rain of guitar notes before the drums kick in on the title track, I was hooked. I played it until I could hear the other side through the tape. Then I bought the CD. Then the import version came available, and I bought that.
With so much product on the market these days, it’s tough for albums to have shelf-life. But for me, there are many Kinks albums that I still listen to, end-to-end, on a regular basis. I even prefer the records from their more commercial phase, in the late ‘70s to the mid ‘80s, to some of their more “classic,†earlier albums. But there’s so many great ones. Their first, eponymous record, Village Green Preservation Society, Schoolboys in Disgrace, Low Budget, Give the People What They Want . . . Even their relatively recent double album, To The Bone, is great. So, the Kinks need a post.
1. Tired of Waiting-Of Montreal and Days-Of Montreal
2. Act Nice And Gentle-The Black Keys
7. Nothin’ In the World Can Stop Me From Thinkin’ About That Girl-Feist
8. This is Where I Belong-Ron Sexsmith
I don’t think I’ve had the opportunity to write much about Chicago’s Big Buildings since I arrived at wordpress, but on my old site I interviewed them and found them to be genuine, funny guys (I also found Michael Wood to be a bit of a wiseass). The last time I talked with them, I told them they should name their next album, “Dark Side of the Moon.”
They didn’t take my suggestion.
If you don’t know, Big Buildings released their first EP, This Is The Bricks, in 2002 on the Stars/No Stars label (which they still belong to). It was a rough collection of songs that they followed in 2004 with their debut full-length, Hang Together For All Time (available on eMusic), a fantastic collection of gritty, lo-fi rock. I discovered the band in ’06, when they released one of the best records of that year: “Water Everywhere.†It still gets regular spins from me.
On their new release, the band has swelled to a quintet, and their sound has expanded, too. The first song, The Nipper, is the sort of intro track you’d expect from a more pretentious band—featuring produced swirl and psychelic tambourine-quite a surprise from a band that in past has consistently walked the line between punk and alt-country. The second song, North To Alaska, is almost beautiful, with wonderful harmonies and crying guitars. Can it be that Big Buildings has grown up? No, wait. The third song, Questiontown, is a rootsy rocker. As the album proceeds, it becomes clear they haven’t changed. They’ve just gained more control over their instruments. The difference between Wampum and 2004′s Hang Together For All Time is like the difference between “Hootenanny†and “All Shook Down.†Big Buildings is still playing the same great music, only they seem to have come closer to playing it like it must sound in their heads.
The Wampum LP is now available at Permanent Records, but it is vinyl only (order includes an MP3 download). I asked them why no CD, and they said their last CD barely moved physical copies (while their first did pretty well), which they are chalking up to the fact that nobody buys CDs anymore. Interesting approach to distribution, and perhaps another way that labels can save money.
I am a huuuuuuge fan of Love & Squalor, even if the band did sign with Virgin for it. It’s a fantastic album–nonstop fun and thrills.
As for Brain Thrust Mastery . . . Eh. Not so much. It’s got a few good tunes, but it’s a little too slick. They’ve lost their indie sound completely, and just sound like corporate alternative rock.
Live, though, they still kick ass.
Rockstar (Nickleback cover)-We Are Scientists
You Don’t Know My Name (Alicia Keyes cover)-We Are Scientists
MIDNIGHT MOVIES-”Vinyl Nights” (EP)
The L.A. indie pop foursome Midnight Movies has released a digital EP featuring a cover of the Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin” and original material remixed by James Iha (Smashing Pumpkings) and Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs). It also includes Nights sung in French!
Nights in White Satin (Moody Blues cover)-Midnight Movies
KENSINGTON PRAIRIE-”Captured in Still Life”
A solid country/folk record by a band fronted by Rebecca Rowan of Maplewood Lane (actually, it’s virtually all Ms. Rowan, with help from producer producer Jonathan Anderson). Beautiful vocals, rich and lush music, even if this isn’t a style of music I tend to listen to.
QUICK HITS: THE DEXATEENS-“ Lost and Found†(FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD!)
The Dexateens and Skybucket Records present Lost and Found, free and
legal (F-you, Web Sherrif), a solid, if a little unspectacular, Americana record that skews to the pop side. There
are several catchy tunes here, but the band sounds a little to fresh-faced to pull off the blues. It’s best when it’s bright and upbeat, and there’s plenty of that here.
I mentioned in my review of Chuck Prophet’s Waylon tribute album that I thought most country rock albums don’t work (i.e., suck). But I also said that they sometimes work. Here’s a few examples of the good ones. For the tunes covered, I avoided “pop” country tunes, like Amie, and rock/country bands, like Creedence and The Eagles. Also, you’ll notice an undue number of Cash covers. That’s because he’s cool. (You can tell he was cool ’cause he smoked and wore black.) I haven’t put up covers that are well known (like Social Distortion’s, “Ring of Fire”), either, because this blog is about expanding musical tastes, not confirming them.
Here’s 10 reasons to dig country covers, in order of how much you should dig them . . .
10. Your Cheatin’ Heart-Beck (Hank Williams Cover). I like this cover, but it’s very odd. And I can understand how some might find it boring. So it’s only the tenth best here.
9. Rhinestone Cowboy-Radiohead (G. Campbell). This one doesn’t rank higher because the band doesn’t really do a lot with it. but it’s still cool for the curiousity factor, if nothing else.
8. Get Rhythm-The White Stripes (J. Cash). Turning rockabilly into grinding blues. I wish this one were longer!
7. Crystal Chandeliers And Burgundy-Josh Ritter (Johnny Cash). A bit too much crowd noise, but I do loves me some Ritter. Such a great voice.
6. I Gotta Get Drunk-Redbird (Willie Nelson). If you aren’t familiar with Redbird’s brilliant album, you should be. Check out my old review of it, then go buy it.
5. King of the Road-The Clash (Roger Miller).
4. You Win Again-Alejandro Escovedo (Hank Williams).
3. It Makes No Difference-Eddie Vedder and My Morning Jacket (The Band). I recognize that the Band aren’t traditionally a country band, but they’re pretty damn close. And this is a great song, with great Eddie vocals.
2. Cocaine Blues-Uncle Tupelo (J. Cash). It may be unfair to call Uncle Tupelo rockers, but they definitely skew more rock than country. Besides, they kick ass.
1. I Still Miss Someone-Elton John and Ryan Adams (J. Cash). Ryan fancies himself a country boy, but he’s never gotten past indie Americana. These two guys together put on a great show, and this is a high point from it.
Bonus: Also good: Dagger Through the Heart-Sinead O’Connor (Dolly Parton). A great cover that you can find here.
A rep from Beat Garden Entertainment has introduced me to the Yadibox.com mixtape. Yadibox is a collective designed solely at helping unsigned artists get ears to listen. They recently sent me their 2007 mixtape, The Beat Garden Presents, and it’s fantastic.
Unlike most label gangbangs, on this one every artist has skills, and all of the beats (all original music) are hot. There’s not a single toss off, and each cut is fully formed–no sudden drops, no obnoxious DJ shouts over the music. This is more of a sampler than a mixtape.
It’s hard to pick which songs to write up, because all are good, but here’s some notes on a few choice cuts: The Grind, by Fairmount Park Commission, featuring 2ew Gunnz Ciz, an ode to street life and the rap game (“We forced to eat, with no rationale to teach”), is an intelligent head bobber as good as anything from Rhymefest. Sling Blade Flow, by DAME and Nico the Beast featuring Tourguide Chuck is a witty rant against suburban rap fans–not a topic I’d generally encourage, as it does nothing but accentuate the sort of anti-white/pro-my-hood-at-the-expense-of-yours thinking that is destroying hip hop, but I have to admit this one is well done. Born to Roll freestyle, by DAME, is another example of fantastic beats and flawless flow. And every track with Clean Guns is hot.
I’m loving this.
You can sample it and buy it, for just six bucks, at CD Baby.
Put It On The Ritz (Triple Nickels & Zilla Rocca)
Sleep in the 80s
Crooklyn Dodgers Freestyle-M.O.G. and Clean Guns
So. Who do you think the market is for this?
If you don’t have this yet, you need to. Best mixtape of 2008 so far.
And buy their great album, Moonlighting, here.
https://sites.google.com/a/mogmusicnetwork.com/mmn-quantcast-tag/