Here's a tasty little nugget for you coming straight at you from Brighton, England. It's a group of blokes named 4 or 5 Magicians, and they're releasing their debut single, Forever On The Edge, via Alcopop! Records (sister company to Big Scary Monsters Records). The title track has been floating around for a while so there's a good chance you've heard it already. Here's your chance to buy an "official" copy of it and support the band to boot. To tempt you a little bit more, check out the following track, which is a semi-spoof on it by the band doing their best Tom Waits impersonation.


4 or 5 Magicians - Tom Waits' Blues : Forever On The Edge Single






Neko Case - Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis (Tom Waits cover) : New Coat of Paint: Songs of Tom Waits

Sarah McLachlan - Ol' 55 (Tom Waits cover) : Live at the Olympia Theater, Montreal 5-10-94

Tom Waits - Hope I Don't Fall In Love With You : The Early Years Vol. 2

Since I posted on Johnny's Christmas special yesterday, I figured I would share some new music for those of you who celebrate those eight crazy days and nights of Chanukkah! both of these songs are from Louisville artist Brigid Kaelin, who's just signed to Label X with whom she's working on her sophomore release (scheduled to come out early next year). She's dubbed these tracks' genre as "Jewgrass" (her words, not mine!), and they've certainly got that down home sort of feelin' to them! Jews and non-Jews alike - listen and rejoice!


Brigid Kaelin - Mazel Tonk! : Mazel Tonk! single

Brigid Kaelin - Blue Dreidel No. 9 : Mazel! Tonk single

Sometimes an album just jumps out at you. Sometimes it doesn't (and there's a reason). And then there are ones such as Edible Orchids that just sneak up on you. On the first listen, you know it's got something to it, you just can't put your finger on it. So you listen to it again. And again. And again. Each time you hope to crack the code: to figure out what about it makes you keep listening to it instead of putting it in the pile to trade in at the local used music store. But with this album, there is no code; it's just beautifully sublime music.

It's taken Athens' band The Ginger Envelope two years to get the album out to their listeners, but it's finally been delivered a couple of weeks ago. As hinted at above, there's nothing flashy about the album, no gimmicks, just really solidly built melodies that are tight with various levels weaving in and out. That's it. I'd love to throw some sort of hook at you to make you listen. All I can ask is for you to believe and give these couple of tracks a chance. Or maybe a half dozen chances, until they (hopefully) just click for you, too.


The Ginger Envelope - Failsafe : Edible Orchids

The Ginger Envelope - Encapsulate : Edible Orchids

If you're a fan of Moby, make sure to tune into Current TV's "The Daily Fix" on December 3rd and 10th (9:30 EST both days). He'll be serving as a guest host with Douglas Caballero and talking about creating the musical score for the original film soundtrack of the recently released Southland Tales on the 3rd, and then taking an up-close and personal look at label mates Goldfrapp on the 10th. Got a real job? Make sure to TiVo it.


Moby - James Bond Theme (Moby's Re-Version) : I Like to Score

OK folks, Thanksgiving has passed, which means it is officially OK to play holiday music and watch Christmas programs on TV. That being said, if you're not all that excited to watch It's A Wonderful Life for the umpteenth time, here's your alternative: The Johnny Cash Christmas Special from 1976. For those of you not aware, Johnny had his own television program from 1969 to 1971, and also produced several Christmas programs in the mid to late 70's. Thanks to Shout! Factory, these Christmas specials are now available on DVD.

Before November 13, this video hadn't been see for over 30 years. It originally aired December 6, 1976, on CBS and was filmed at the Cash's house in Bon Aqua, and Hendersonville , Tennessee. It includes guests such as Tony Orlando, Roy Clark, Merle Travis, Barbara Mandrell, and Billy Graham interacting with Johnny and June about the holiday, life on the farm, and family memories. While some of it feels a little bit scripted, there are some points that do reveal some genuinely intimate moments. And of course, the music. Listen to these tracks taken from the video, then order a copy of the video for yourself to share with the family. Forget the clay-mation Abominable Snowman - this is a tradition that you'll actually enjoy!


Johnny Cash and Tommy Cash - That Christmasy Feeling : Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976

Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash - Old Time Feeling : Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976

Take a look at the two men above. I wouldn't trust them with operating on my pancreas, but damn they spin some hot hip hop. Their names are Yea Big and Kid Static, and they're teamed up to release a disc creatively named Yea Big + Kid Static, which they released at the end of last month. Individually they both front impressive resumes. Put them together and you have mayhem.

The dynamic duo describes their own music as "retro futuristic comic book hip hop." Do they award a Grammy for that? Seriously though, the pair throws down some lines that remind you of the days when rap wasn't all about gangsta's knockin' each other off, it was !GASP!, fun! Remember those days of doing The Humpty Dance? How about finding out about your girl having some other chump as Just A Friend?

Listen to the following few tracks to give you a reminder if you need it. The first, with a name like We've Built A Time Machine That Runs On Beats. We Shall Only Use It For Good., I just had to include, even if it was the worst track on the album (which it isn't!). The second, Joining Forces, follows the classic rap formula of introducing the rappers, so I've included it as well.


Yea Big + Kid Static - We've Built A Time Machine That Runs On Beats. We Shall Only Use It For Good. : Yea Big + Kid Static

Yea Big + Kid Static - Joining Forces : Yea Big + Kid Static



Digital Underground - The Humpty Dance : Sex Packets

Biz Markie - Just A Friend : A Tribute to D12

So after just releasing A Weekend In the City a few days ago, Bloc Party has already released an EP/single to go with it for the song Flux. Here's the track listing for it:

1. Flux
2. Flux (JFK Remix)
3. Flux (Tomboy's Cowbell Treat)
4. Flux (Good Books Magnetism Mix)
5. Flux (Punx Soundcheck "Tenebrae" Remix)*

If this song doesn't make you want to get up and move your body, you don't have a pulse. Buy all five versions on iTunes or get the UK import from Amazon which has two versions and an additional track (Emma Kate's Accident).


Bloc Party - Tulips (Club Version) : Tulips Single

Retro is definitely in, especially when it comes to music lately. Austin indie-pop band Masonic must have gotten the memo when it came to putting together their fourth release, Things I Am Guilty Of, which came out on the 20th. I can't tell you much about the band except that they've been around since 2002 and are apparently big in their hometown. What I can tell you is they front a very retro groovy feel to their music which reminds me of The Raveonettes if they lost their dark reverbed fetish. (I feel like that's become my recycled line lately, but it's true, and speaking of which, they will be releasing Lust Lust Lust come January. It's already out in the UK so you might have already heard a track or two. If not, there's one below to titillate your taste buds.)

Orchestral sweeps, a sweet voice flowing over it all, and a curve ball here and now to throw you off balance: the throw-back cover-track Runaway (a Del Shannon tune), the almost ABBA inspired Moving On, and the Camera Obscura'ish Way Gone By jump out as stand outs. The whole album is definitely worth a listen, so give Masonic a chance.


Masonic - Under the Radar : Things I Am Guilty Of

Masonic - Runaway (Del Shannon cover) : Things I Am Guilty Of



The Raveonettes - Aly Walk With Me : Lust Lust Lust

Del Shannon - Runaway : American Graffiti Soundtrack (Disc 1)

So last month, I had the opportunity to check out The Harlem Experiment, and it blew my mind. It left me wanting to check out the other two discs on the Experiment collection, so needless to say, I now own both of them. Today, let me tell you a little about The Detroit Experiment.

The series aims not so much to celebrate individual artists, or even specific genres. Rather its focus is on celebrating the musical contributions of entire cities. When most people think of Detroit, Motown comes to mind instantly, but that's not all that is has to offer. Enter The Detroit Experiment. It's a noble endeavor - distilling a wide array of soul, jazz, techno, hip hop, and gospel into a one hour CD.

To keep it real, producer Carl Craig sent out invitations to some of the cities talented performers, both old and new. Artists showed up, tapes were run, five days later the product was turned over to Carl, and he in turn turned over The Detroit Experiment to us. It flows, it grooves, it electrifies, (sometimes all at the same time) and most importantly, it documents a city's musical heritage.


The Detroit Experiment - Church : The Detroit Experiment


The Detroit Experiment - The Way We Make Music (with Athletic Mic League and Invincible) : The Detroit Experiment




Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (live) : Marvin Gaye at the Copa

Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out : All the Great Hits

Looking for an instrumental album to spin in the background that isn't going to put you to sleep like some Mozart or try to make you wear glo-bracelets and dance in techno-land? Give Parker Street Cinema's album Music, In the Blood, slated for release on December 4th, a try. It's dynamic, it's dramatic. It's not your average instrumental album: it rocks and is intricate enough to have supported a scaffold of lyrics above it, but is equally expressive on its own without them. Think of it as silent film, be ready to read into it as you listen, and the album will talk to you.


Parker Street Cinema - These Precious Seconds : Music, In The Blood

and one from their last EP

Parker Street Cinema - Midnight Shakes the Memory : Parker Street Cinema EP

Just in time for the holidays (hits shelves December 18th), Keller Williams is releasing his 12th studio album, aptly titled 12, which will feature one song from each of his previous eleven releases. Keller himself considers this his album of “hitless greatest hits.” In addition to the 11 previously released tracks is an one previously unreleased as a studio track (you might have heard it at one of his shows already): Freshies.

You might have read my reviews of his last album Dream or seeing him play live back in March. Keller is an amazingly accomplished musician who can do more alone than many bands can do collectively. As the majority of these tracks are from previous releases, long time listeners won't find much here, but the album would make an excellent sampler or intro to someone not familiar with his body of work (cough cough - holiday present anyone?).







Keller Williams - Stayin' Alive (Live Bee Gees Cover) : Live at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham, AL 11-4-06

Keller Williams - Sultans of Swing (Live Dire Straits cover) : Live at the Egg, Albany, NY 2-23-07


December 01 Aggie Theatre Fort Collins CO
December 13 Breezes Runaway Bay Runaway Bay Jamaica
December 28 Beacon Theatre New York NY w/ moe.
December 31 Tweeter Center Camden NJ w/ The Disco Biscuits

The legendary new wave band Erasure just refuses to throw in the towel. After over 20 years since their first release, their latest, the Storm Chaser EP, follows on the heels of their full length release of Light at the End of the World earlier this year, and includes remixes of tracks from the album as well as a collaboration with Cyndi Lauper.

What you see is what you get here: Erasure making the music that they've been known for for the last two decades. If it's your thing, and you enjoyed their album earlier this year, then this EP will be right up your alley.


Erasure - Golden Heart (GRN'S 'Golden Glow' Radio Edit) : Storm Chaser EP

Erasure - Early Bird (Featuring Cyndi Lauper) : Storm Chaser EP




Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun : She's So Unusual

I just got this song today, but I felt the immediate need to share it with all of you. It's straight up unapologetic country but give it a listen even if that statement gives you the heebie-jeebies. It's quite an amusing take on a break-up gone bad, and the resulting division of possessions (including music - hence the title of the track).


Ridley Bent - Nine Inch Nails : Buckles & Boots

Last night at the Middle East in Boston, I was able to see Kate Voegele and Cary Brothers open up for perhaps my favorite artist, Ben Lee. Although I could have done without having to deal with some Thanksgiving traffic getting into the city, the show proved well worth it.


Kate Voegele was first up on the bill for the evening, and I was completely unfamiliar with her work beforehand. She played a fairly short set of material (maybe 5 or 6 songs) on acoustic guitar while singing, with an accompanying musician supporting her on a couple different instruments. She's on tour drumming up support for her debut album, Don't Look Away, which is out now. Find some of her songs to listen to HERE. (Is it just me, or does she look a lot like Emmy the Great on the cover?)



Next up was an artist that I was much more familiar with and who I was very eager to see play live again. Cary Brothers has been on the road for most of the year in support of his full length debut, Who You Are. Earlier this year he was opening for Brandi Carlile (read my review of that show and his album), then he was touring on his own, and now he's back at it with Ben. Cary's songs have appeared in a basket-full of TV shows and movies, and I'm sure this album and tour are sure to catapult his career.


Cary Brothers - Honestly (live) : Studio version on Who You Are



Of course the evening wouldn't be complete with Australian Ben Lee. Following up perhaps the what was the most commercially succesful album of his career in 2005 (Awake Is the New Sleep), Ben just released Ripe back in September, and so far it's living up to the pressure (I wrote about the album back here). Unlike his previous tout last year with a complete band, this time Ben was supported by only one other musician on stage, giving the set a somewhat softer edge than the last time I saw him in April of 2006. Regardless, Ben is one of the most consummate entertainers I've ever seen, able to connect with the audience almost immediately and have them eating out of his hand by the end of the night.

Ben opened up with the title track from the new album, and the highlight of his set came within the first third of it with a series of songs that started with his cover of Against Me!'s Thrash Unreal (Ben extended much praise for their latest album and has in fact made a complete cover album of the entire thing which you can download for free). After showing the crowd his Frankie Says Relax t-shirt, Ben then launched into a track from his last album, Gamble Everything for Love, but started out singing the lyrics to Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood over the tune. Eventually this transformed itself into Gamble Everything For Love in earnest, but half-way through Ben decided it was time for an interlude and had a seat at a keyboard and proceeded to bust out Home Sweet Home (by Motley Crue). After going through a few bars, the song once again turned back into Gamble Everything For Love. It was absolutely brilliant!

The rest of the evening passed by quickly, with most of the new album being played as well as some older ones (including one of my favorite tracks off my favorite album, Deep Talk In The Shallow End from Something to Remember Me By). If you have the opportunity to catch the tour (dates at the bottom), make sure not to miss it. All three acts are top notch and you're sure to get your moneys worth.

If anyone has pictures from the show that they'd like to share, please do. If anyone has a recording of the show, I'd trade some stock in Mainstream Isn't So Bad for it.


Ben Lee - Thrash Unreal : Ben Lee Sings Against Me! New Wave

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax : Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Ben Lee - Gamble Everything for Love : Awake Is the New Sleep

Motley Crue - Home Sweet Home : Theatre of Pain

Ben Lee - Gamble Everything for Love (live) : Live 3-21-05 at the Bluebird Theatre

and the title track from his new album:

Ben Lee - Ripe : Ripe


11/23 Montreal @ Cabaret du Musee Juste Pour Rire
11/24 Toronto @ Mod Club
11/26 Alexandria VA @ Birchmere
11/27 Charlottesville VA @ Satellite Ballroom
11/28 Asheville NC @ The Orange Peel
11/29 Atlanta @ The Loft at Center Stage Atlanta
12/01 Birmingham, AL @ Workplay Theater
12/02 Nashville TN @ Exit In
12/04 New Orleans @ The Parish
12/05 Dallas @ Cambridge Room at House of Blues
12/06 Houston @ Red Room at Meridien
12/07 Austin @ The Parish
12/08 Norman OK @ Opolis Production
12/09 Tulsa @ Bob’s at Cain’s
12/11 Tempe AZ @ The Clubhouse
12/12 Los Angeles @ El Rey Theatre
12/13 San Diego @ House of Blues

Prior to passing away this last August, Lee Hazlewood teamed up with Icelandians amiina to produce an alternate version of Hilli (At The Top of the World), a track which focuses on global warming in the form of a rhyming children’s story (the original track is an instrumental that appears on their debut Kurr). That track will be available beginning on December 10th as a digital single through Ever Records. Listen to it now while watching the following video:



If you're not already familiar with Lee's work, he offered a sharp wit and sense of humor, expressed through a style that was part sung, part spoken word, but always done his way. His final album Cake or Death, was released in December of last year. Pick it up as an intro to his deep catalog, and then start digging.


Lee Hazlewood - Nothing : Cake or Death

Lee Hazlewood - Boots (Original Melody) : Cake or Death




Amiina - Sogg : Kuur

Master M.C. Sage Francis is on the road spreading the word - his word. If you're not familiar with Francis, think Kid Rock meets Eminem, except with a lot more skills, more intelligence, and a sharp sense of humor. He's promoting his latest album Human the Death Dance, which has gotten all sorts of praise, by hitting the road with Against Me! through the end of the month. Catch him if you can.

As part of the current tour, Francis will participate in a special benefit for Harvest of Hope in Chicago on Thanksgiving. Proceeds from the November 22nd event at the Metro will help the charity continue to provide migrant farmworkers and their families with emergency aid, inclusive of grants and financial aid for migrant students attending college. Good music, good cause, can't go wrong.


Sage Francis - Underground For Dummies : Human The Death Dance

Sage Francis - Broccolilude : Human The Death Dance



Against Me! - Reinventing Axl Rose (acoustic) : The Acoustic E.P.


11/19, Cleveland , OH , House Of Blues
11/20, Detroit , MI , Clutch Cargo’s
11/21, Chicago , IL , House Of Blues
11/22, Chicago , IL , The Metro
11/23, Minneapolis , MN , First Avenue
11/25, St. Louis , MO , Pop’s
11/27, Memphis , TN , New Daisy Theater
11/28, Cincinnati , OH , Bogart’s

I've been listening to The Kind of Goodnight, the second album from Atlanta band Tiger! Tiger!, a whole bunch lately. In fact, it hasn't left my car since I got it. I'll give it a spin, listen to something else, pop it back in, listen to something different, pop it back in again, etc... I'm not sure why it's had such a solid hold on me. Maybe it's the fact that they remind me of fellow Atlantians The Coathangers, whose debut self-titled album I wrote about back in August and who I'm still rocking out to (don't tell anyone else but I'm guessing it's going to end up on my end of the year list).

Or maybe it's because it reminds me of The Coathangers but still kicks out a style of its own that reminds me of 60's brit-pop with its groovy organ back drop. It looses some of the frantic punk power and replaces it with some retro garage rock roughness. And then you've got Buffi Aguero on vocals fronting some 'tude that will make you believe in grrrl power. No matter which way you spin it, I'm lovin' it. Put these two bands on the bill together on the same night and I'm there, no questions asked.


Tiger! Tiger! - The First Thing : The Kind Of Goodnight

Tiger! Tiger! - Cheap Imitation : The Kind Of Goodnight




The Coathangers - Tonya Harding : The Coathangers

Looking for some sunny-pop confectionery goodness to counterbalance the shortening autumn days? Look no farther than Portland foursome The Dimes. The band is preparing to release their first full length album, The Silent Generation, on December 11th, and it's got an interesting story behind it.

While not completely a concept album, most of the album was inspired by a series of Depression-era newspapers that guitarist, Pierre Kaiser, found buried beneath the old floors of his 1908 Portland home. While at first simply entertaining, the band realized that the cast of characters and their stories contained within those pages offered a strong source of material for an album. They took these kernels from time and brought them back to life in their songs.

With the story-telling element embedded within the album, as well as the overall texture of the sound of the album, listeners will be strongly reminded of another northwest band, The Decemberists. (listen to Battle of San Jacinto below and the The Crane Wife 3 and then try to disagree). Not to say that they're a total knock-off. At points their sound is a little hushed, reminiscent of Owen (albeit sunnier), and similarly in other places, pleasing harmonies hint at Simon & Garfunkel refrains.

I'm not one for making vainglorious predictions, but I think this album is going to stick (at least I'm rooting for it). Help make my foresight 20 / 20 by listening to the following and then buying the entire album.


The Dimes - Jersey Kid : The Silent Generation

The Dimes - Battle of San Jacinto : The Silent Generation




Owen - A Bird In Hand : At Home With Owen

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3 : The Crane Wife

Mary Beth, an astute reader, more knowledgeable than I on Neil Young, dropped me a note letting me know that Farmer John was not originally written by Neil, even if I associated him with the song. She believed that he had covered it from a one-hit wonder group named The Premiers. Upon further inquiry though, I realized that they were not the original artist either. Digging down even deeper, I found out that the song goes back to an R&B group named Don and Dewey. Instead of writing a whole bunch and pretending that I already knew, I'll give you a link to a page which educated me about it. While you're reading, enjoy a trip through the ages with some different versions:

Don and Dewey - Farmer John : Jungle Hop

The Premiers - Farmer John (Don and Dewey cover) : K-tel Jukebox - The Sixties Vol 1

Neil Young - Farmer John (Live Don and Dewey cover) : Weld (disc 2)

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Farmer John (Don and Dewey cover) : Live at Bonnaroo 6-17-2006

You want to talk about musicians that don't often get their share of respect? Neil Young comes to mind instantly. Look at his catalog of music. Vast. Look at the genre boundries he's crossed. Countless. Look at the number of artists who credit him as an influence or cover his work. Inestimable. And yet somehow, his name is too often overlooked in listing the most transcendent artists from the last forty years.

Coming back after the release of the highly political Living With War, Neil's put together a follow-up album to an album that was never released. It's titled Chrome Dreams II (the first Chromes Dreams was supposed to come out in 1977, but was scrapped) and it is more of a collection of songs taken from here and there. As such, it doesn't gel in the way many of his other albums do. That's not to say the album is not worth listening to - you just need to keep in mind that it's a collection of songs from different periods and therefor it's composed of many different musical flavors. It's a solid Neil Young album - in a way that's almost retrospective in some ways instead of evolutionary.

While I can't share any mp3's from the album, I can share some videos of songs from it for you to enjoy. If you like what you hear, order the album, which is out now. And to prove to you his musical legacy and the influence he's had on a diverse range of artists, I've included just a few covers done by various musicians at the bottom.














Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Expecting To Fly (Neil Young cover) : Live at the 9:30 Club, 1-10-2007

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Helpless (Neil Young cover) : Weeping Song

Johnny Cash - Heart Of Gold (Neil Young cover) : Unearthed Disc II: Trouble In Mind

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Farmer John (Neil Young cover) : Live at Bonnaroo 6-17-2006

(an astute reader pointed out that Neil actually covered Farmer John from R&B group Don and Dewey - read about it HERE)

Here's a little sumthin'-sumthin' for your Friday night. It's coming from a Durham / Chapel Hill, NC band (which just seems to be a good music factory with all the talent coming out of the area) named Hammer No More the Fingers (talk about a mouthful). The trio just came together last December but have already put out their self-titled debut this last Wednesday.

The album gets to the point quick with its seven tracks, and the sound is a mix between Pavement (i.e. off-kilter notes here and then that shouldn't harmonize with what's going on but someone work anyway) and Weezer (here I'm thinking of the voice and style of Joe Hall - lead singer of the band). Listen to O.R.G.Y. below to see what I mean and then check out the rest of the album.


Hammer No More The Fingers - O.R.G.Y. : Hammer No More The Fingers

I'm gonna end the work week with another giveaway. In this instance, it's a lovely piece of vinyl, 7 inches in diameter, with a song on one side and another on the flip side. The band: Illinois. A Side: We Were Wrong. B Side: Life Takes A Week. To enter: leave a comment (or e-mail me) with your name and e-mail address. To win: I choose at random next Fridayish.

It's that simple. Enjoy your weekend!


Illinois - Screendoor : What The Hell Do I Know?

If you like remixes, this album is for you. If you like to dance, this album is for you. If you like good music, this album is for you. What is this album...Ewan Pearson's latest release Piece Work. It's a double disc affair which collects twenty-one of Ewan's hottest remixes from the last six years. He massages, manipulates, speeds things up, and generally makes your body want to move.

Ewan has been doing it for almost a decade now, and he's clearly a master of his craft. This album is a great way to jump into his work and appreciate what he brings to the table.




Freeform Five - Perspex Sex (Ewan Pearson's Hi NRG Remix) : Piece Work

Ladytron - Evil (Ewan Pearson radio edit) : Piece Work


Cortney Tidwell - Don’t Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up (Ewan’s Objects In Space remix) : Piece Work

If you've been a reader for a little while, you might remember me confessing a personal secret when Rock of Love showed up on the scene. Well, in that vein, here's another one: my very first concert was seeing Tesla open up for Motley Crue. There. It's out. Take that all you mainstream music haters. If at this point you've decided to boycott Mainstream Isn't So Bad, I wouldn't hold it against you. (As a side note here, I've heard that Rock of Love was VH1's most watched show ever and that they're already planning a second one - not sure who the rocker will be though.)

That being said, big hair rock will always hold a special place in my heart. Which brings me finally to the purpose of this post: Endeverafter. Perhaps 80's glam metal will become the next classic rock, and if so, Endeverafter will be there to carry the torch and provide new music to shred to. They've already opened for KISS, Poison, and Cinderella, and they just released their latest album, Kiss or Kill, on October 30th. And of course besides the raucous, domineering guitar work, what's glam rock without the obligatory power ballad, in this case titled Next Best Thing (listen to it below while imagining making out with your girlfriend in your Camaro). So stock up on the Aquanet, bring your lighter, and dig out your old jeans with the shredded knees, because it's time to RAWK!



Endeverafter - Baby Baby Baby : Kiss or Kill

Endeverafter - Next Best Thing : Kiss or Kill




KISS - Rock And Roll All Nite (Live) : 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection - The Best Of Kiss

Poison - I Want Action : Poison's Greatest Hits 1986-1996

Cinderella - Nobody's Fool : Night Songs


NOVEMBER
16 Ft. Lauderdale , FL Revolution
17 Tampa , FL Jannus Landing
18 Orlando FL House Of Blues
27 Tallahassee , FL Floyd’s Music Store
28 Baton Rouge , LA Varsity Theatre
30 Houston , TX Meridien

DECEMBER
1 Corpus Christi , TX Concrete Street
4 Denver , CO Gothic
5 Albuquerque , NM Sunshine
7 Phoenix , AZ Marquee
8 San Diego , CA House Of Blues
9 Anaheim , CA House Of Blues
11 Las Vegas , CA House Of Blues
12 Los Angeles , CA House Of Blues

It used to be that you had to be from a major city - New York, Boston, Chicago (or at least have visited one of them) - to have heard of Blue Man Group. Now, that's no longer the case; they're a world wide phenomena. Since September of 2006 they have been on the road with their How To Be A Megastar Tour and have played in front of 750,000+ fans. The latest leg of the tour brought them to Mexico and South America, which inspired the translation of Sing Along to Canta Conmigo. This popular concert cut has been twisted and turned into a whole slew of remixes by artists such as Funky Junction, Nickodemus, Onionz, and Gaea. Check out the group this fall while they're touring the states and you might just hear a version for yourself. They're incredibly entertaining, much more so than you would think for a bunch of guys dressed up identically with blue skin.

Check out tour dates here, and in the meantime, check out the following:



Blue Man Group - Canta Conmigo (Funky Junction Spanish Vocal Mix)

Blue Man Group - Canta Conmigo (Nickodemus Dub Funk Mix)

Picture the voice of old school rocker Robert Smith (of the Cure) meeting new school can't sit still for a moment Jamie T and that's a close approximation of the new New Zealander crew Cut Off Your Hands. Prepare for six tracks on their debut Shaky Hands EP of some post-punk dance fury that's insistent you don't just sit there. And if you do, go back to your Cure albums, because you have some serious emotional issues that still need to be worked out!









The Cure - 10:15 Saturday Night : Staring At The Sea: The Singles 1979-1985

Jamie T - Pacemaker : Panic Prevention

Gonna be in Boston this Thursday? Want an excuse to be in Boston this Thursday?

If so, head to Lacoste in the Pru from 6 to 8 to check out some free live music courtesy of Eugene and Marcus Congleton (of Ambulance LTD), the latest threads from Lacoste (if that's your thing), and most importantly, free cocktails (for those of age, of course)!

Tempted to make an appearance? Make sure to RSVP here, otherwise you better have contacts on the inside!

And while we're on the topic of free goodies, if you're interested in a copy of Eugene's debut EP Circles, leave a comment (or e-mail me) with your name and e-mail address. I'll pick a winner next Wednesdayish and contact them post haste.


Eugene - Circles : Circles EP

Ambulance LTD - Arbuckle's Swan Song : New English EP

Nellie McKay - Undecided (Ella Fitzgerald cover) : Live at the 9:30 Club, Washington DC 3-27-07

Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Undecided : The Complete Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong on Verve (Disc 2)

Listening to the self titled debut album of White Shoes and the Couples Company will make you swear that you've been transported back in time to when bell bottoms were groovy, the Love Boat was cruising the high seas, and flower power seemed destine to replace our dependency on gasoline. Even if you weren't old enough to be consciously aware, this music will bring it all to you.

Because of their uncanny ability to capture a cultural past, it's hard to believe that the group actually hails from Indonesia. That being said, about two thirds of the album will be undecipherable to you (unless of course you are also from Indonesia or speak Indonesian), but that doesn't mean that the message is lost without translation. The music itself is a buoyant mix or sing-song-along clap-happy melodies, delicate love songs, and orchestral honey. Try a dose of the following. The first, Nothing To Fear, you'll be able to sing a long with. The second, Senandung Maaf, has lyrics you won't understand, but the feeling will come across just fine.



White Shoes & the Couples Company - Nothing To Fear : White Shoes & the Couples Company

White Shoes & the Couples Company - Senandung Maaf : White Shoes & the Couples Company





Tom Jack Jones - The Love Boat theme : Television's Greatest Hits Vol. 3

Simply put, no other band has done more to ignite my passion for music than Led Zeppelin. Having grown up with my father's collection of classic rock music, perhaps it was inevitable they made such an indelible mark upon my musical psyche. As I grew older, my love for their music would never fade, and when I first started buying music of my own, their catalog of albums was the first I would buy - all nine of them (on cassette at that time). When their first box set came out in 1990, it was the first thing on my Christmas list.

That being said, I was excited to hear about a flurry of Led Zeppelin related news. First, the entire Led Zeppelin catalog will be available via iTunes in a digital boxed set containing Led Zeppelin’s entire discography. It's aptly titled The Complete Led Zeppelin and is now available for pre-order through the iTunes Store. It is a 165-track collection of all 13 of the group’s albums, including the new career-spanning Mothership retrospective, for only $99.

Secondly, the release of the above mentioned retrospective Mothership, as a separate two CD release that is set to be available tomorrow. Its two CDs contain twenty-four tracks hand picked by Page, Plant, and Jones arranged chronologically starting with Good Times Bad Times from Led Zeppelin I and ending with All My Love from In Through the Out Door. Their will also be available an edition with a DVD that includes live concert footage of the band. While everyone will have complaints about what is here and more importantly what is left out, it's an enjoyable collection never the less. Having been lucky enough to receive a copy before hand, I only have two minor complaints about it. First, there is nothing here from Coda. Second, it would have been really interesting to have read the group's reasons for including the songs they did in the liner notes. Regardless, it's a pleasure to listen to these twenty-four tracks remastered back to back.

Finally, the re-release of The Song Remains the Same with SIX additional tracks that were not on the original release, due out November 20th. In addition to the re-release of the soundtrack, a new edition of the DVD will also be available and will include footage of the additional tracks as well as a rare 1976 BBC interview with Robert Plant and Peter Grant; vintage TV footage from the Drake Hotel robbery during the New York concert stand; and a Cameron Crowe radio show.

I can't imagine the pains it must have taken culling through such a lengthy collection of incredible tracks to choose twenty-four for this release (hence the wish for explanations in the liner notes). Imagine my difficulty in now choosing two tracks to share with you here. In the end I settled on one of my favorite Zeppelin tracks, Nobody's Fault But Mine, a fine representation of the band's skills near the end of their career together, and Communication Breakdown, one of their first tracks, which is a great display of their younger rawer sound. Enjoy and count down the minutes for all the new (old) Zeppelin coming our way.


Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown : Mothership

Led Zeppelin - Nobody's Fault But Mine : Mothership





The Yardbirds (with Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton) - You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover (Bo Diddley cover) : London Times Volume 2

Robert Plant and Tori Amos - Down By the Seaside : Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin

How can you go wrong when one of your first live shows is opening for Run-DMC? I mean to me, you're practically at the top already. Where can you go from there - having Run-DMC open for you? I guess if you're Meredith DiMenna or Keith Saunders (collectively known as Saint Bernadette) and you're releasing your debut album (In the Ballroom), you've got plenty of time to figure that out.

Not content to the studio thing, or even the new en vogue move (recording in your bedroom, closet, and bathroom, and playing all the instruments yourself), the pair has taken the path less traveled. They located a local redevelopment project in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the historic Bijou Theatre (pictured on the cover), which housed a magnificent ballroom dating from 1908. They brought every musician on the album into the space, and after three days offered forth their appropriately named child: In the Ballroom. "We've always wanted to create something like Motown or early Atlantic Records," says Meredith. "Where everyone on the label collaborated and performed together."

The album seems to have picked up some ambiance from its incubator. It just might be Meredith's dusky vocals (which very much remind me of Joan Wasser A.K.A. Joan As Police Woman, who also released her debut album earlier this year). It might be the jazzy atmospheric instruments that feel like they belong in a smoky lounge. Either way, the album exudes a certain draw to it. Listen to the album opener (I Own the City) and the album closer (Beat Dialogue) below, then buy the album to listen to the middle.


Saint Bernadette - I Own the City : In the Ballroom

Saint Bernadette - Beat Dialogue : In the Ballroom



Run-DMC - Peter Piper : Raising Hell

Joan As Police Woman - Flushed Chest : Real Life


11/17 Danbury, CT SUB ROSA/Cousin Larry’s
11/29 Knoxville, TN TBA
11/30 Athens, GA TBA
12/01 Asheville, NC Westville Pub
12/02 Philadelphia, PA TBA
12/11 New York, NY Piano’s

Lately there have been some kind people posting Amy Winehouse's cover of Cupid which is from the BBC Radio 1 website. It's been attributed to Johnny Nash by some and The Supremes by others, and while both have performed the song during their respective careers, the true original writer and performer of the tune is Sam Cooke.

Sam was INCREDIBLY important in the acceptance and integration of Aframerican music into pop culture in the 50's and 60's as well as bridging the gap between black and white audiences as well as young and old. If you're not familiar with his story, he deserves your respect. Start here.

If you have a different cover of this song, feel free to send it my way and I'll add it below.


Sam Cooke - Cupid : One Night Stand: Live at the Harlem Square Club

Otis Redding - Cupid (Sam Cooke cover) : Remember Me

Amy Winehouse - Cupid (Sam Cooke cover) : BBC Radio 1 Cover versions

Lately, I've been absolutely loving this little gem from north of the border; Andy Swan (also band leader of The Michael Parks), is set to release his second solo album, Ottawa. Its thirteen tracks were recorded in the Canadian province bearing the same name late in 2006, and its set to hit the shelves on November 13th.

The album starts out a little twingy twangy with If My Daddy Could See Me Now, but it doesn't stay there long. It keeps the down home feeling throughout, but in an authentic and intimate manner that will draw you in, not try to overpower you. By the time you get to track three, Brian Jones, Andy and crew have really gotten into some engaging instrumentation. The song is an ode to one of the founding members of The Rolling Stones, and considering that Brian liked to play a wide range of stringed instruments, the track appropriately employs what I swear is a ukulele.

From there they go into a love song with a slightly different spin on the topic (Maybe It's Love), a heartbreaking song named Buckle, a rollicking song that gets a little wild (No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service), a cry in your beer tune (You Got The Diamonds (I Got The Shaft)), and many more. The whole album is refreshingly light in feeling but deep in artistry. Give Andy a try below.


Andy Swan - Brian Jones : Ottawa

Andy Swan - No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service : Ottawa

and one from his last EP

Andy Swan - New Best Friend : The Sunshine EP


Visit his his label Kelp Records and become his friend on MySpace.

The Michael Parks - Vanessa : Kelpmitzvah (Kelp Turns 13)

The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black : Forty Licks

Looking for some laid back blues tinged Americana to tap your foot to? Look no father than Jon Shain's latest release Army Jacket Winter. The album is his fifth as a solo artist, but his resume goes back for over 15 years, and it shows in the album's mature compositions. It opens with Time To Move On, a Tom Petty cover, and then continues on with twelve of Jon's original songs. There's plenty of finger plucking, bluesy lyrics, and country and folk influence to go around and make this a cozy album. At some points it feels bluegrass, other times more New Orleans, but at all times he retains the atmosphere of a band you could come across on the side of the road traveling through the south (try Song For JoJo below). If you like what you hear of Jon's style, he even gives lessons, so pack up your guitar, and on your way check out the entire album.


Jon Shain - Time To Move On (Tom Petty cover) : Army Jacket Winter

Jon Shain - Song For JoJo : Army Jacket Winter

“Performing these songs in their original, stripped-down form in small halls is like going to the well for water. It reconnects me to the music and puts me back in touch with the audience.”
James Taylor's voice is one that is instantly identifiable. Its crystal clarity, its ability to convey ineffable feelings, its ability to tell a complete story in a song, all characteristics that set him amongst the greatest of singer/songwriters of our time. And with One Man Band, he's returned to where he came from. It's a CD / DVD release that was recorded live at the Colonial Theatre in James' hometown, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, June 19-21. What distinguishes it from just another live recording is the fact that James has left his band behind for really the first time since the late 70's. It's just James and his guitar, with some minimal support from Larry Goldings on piano and keyboards. That's it. A man, his guitar, and songs that have withstood the test of time, hence the name of the album.

Listening to the CD is a rewarding experience in itself, but to truly enjoy the magical evening, watch the DVD that comes with it. The DVD contains footage of the same show on the CD but helps tell the stories behind some of Taylor’s most beloved hits through exclusive interviews, rare multi-media footage, home movies and photographs from Taylor’s personal archives that are woven in between the songs. It's rare for an artist to open up his personal life, experiences, and stories behind his songs like James did this evening. I can't imagine what it must have felt like to be in the audience that night with James Taylor barring is life in front of you. The CD edits out much of the banter and the stories that are so illuminating. Don't just download the musical portion of the album. If you truly are interested in this recording, get a physical copy with both discs.

The album hits the shelves November 13th and as I suggested above, you will want an actual copy of it. Even if you're not already a fan of James, try giving this talented story-teller a chance. In the meantime, here are two songs: one I can almost guarantee you know (You've Got A Friend) and one that you might not (Copperline).


James Taylor - You've Got A Friend : One Man Band

James Taylor - Copperline : One Man Band

First it was Sleeping In the Aviary, then is was The Archivist, now here comes the next big thing from Wisconsin: The Treats. The band is a three piece that hails from Madison and just recently released their second full length album, Reservoir Tales. For their sophomore effort, the band didn't have a shortage of material; the album presents a hefty load of eighteen tracks. They don't mince music either, or fail to rock out for the duration. Any more southern rock & roll than this and you're talking Free Bird. To spice things up a little, you'll note a hint of some Jon Spencer Blues Explosion jamming as well (try Ever Been Down?, below). Don't think the whole album is none stop axe work though. There are the slow burners for you, too, You Don't Have To Change for instance. Try the following, then treat yourself to the rest of the album.


The Treats - Ever Been Down? : Reservoir Tales

The Treats - You Don't Have To Change : Reservoir Tales





The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Bellbottoms : Orange

"I live in a pink house stuffed with soul. There's the soul music I create and the soul icons who are my friends and collaborators. Then there's the swirl of soul kitsch that's around everything I do, shooting my eyeballs a funkattudional zap everywhere I look. I love kitsch because so much of it is the result of deliriously un-self conscious ideas and execution. I love soul because in its most unadulterated form it's a raw expression of the heart. Soul is certainly not always kitsch and kitsch can certainly lack soul. But when they meet, both bursts of joyous exuberance can collide into one funky object. And when that happens I hope it ends up here!"
OK ladies, today's post is all about you. Any men reading this, you had better pull a Tootsie real quick cuz it's a woman thang!

Meet Bubbles & Cheesecake, a collaboration between singer-songwriter Holly Palmer (who's worked with Gnarls Barkley, Dr. Dre, and David Bowie) and Grammy award winning Songwriter Allee Willis (who's wrote chart-busting hits for Earth, Wind and Fire, The Pointer Sisters, the theme to Friends, and many others - as well as being an all around media mastermind). Put the two together and you have an ultra-kitschy dynamic duo that's full of soul, spunk, and funk. If you don't believe me, check out the two songs below.

And while you're listening to them, make sure to check out the pair's website. It's a multi-media extravaganza that you'll kill lots of time exploring. There are games to play, girl-power fuel to consume, a store full of Woman Thang merchandise (I particularly like the "Almost Nude" t-shirt), and a soul patch to inspire you. Take it all in and rejoice in your femininity (even you guys out there - your girl will love you for it).








The Pointer Sisters - Neutron Dance : Break Out

The Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You (Theme From Friends) : L.P.

Picture the low-fi reverbed vocals of The Raveonettes. Add some quick, down n' dirty guitar licks a la Ramones. Now send it surfing with Dick Dale and his surf rock sound. What do you end up with? The Vandelles. Retro sounds packaged up in a spiffy five track self-titled EP. Get it now to listen to while watching Apocalypse Now and screaming "Charlie don't surf!"


The Vandelles - Swell To Heaven : The Vandelles




The Raveonettes - Attack Of The Ghost Riders : Whip It On

The Ramones - Surfin' Safari (Beach Boys cover) : buy some Ramones

Dick Dale & the Del-Tones - Death of a Gremmie : Greatest Hits 1961-1976

Eugene Ormandy: Philadelphia Orchestra - Die Walküre (Ride of Valkyries) : Wagner: Greatest Hits

You know how sometimes you go into gift shops and they have those CD displays that have all the sounds of nature CDs and the display where you can play samples of the songs. Many times there will be an album of Native American music. Don't expect anything like that while listening to Mariee Sioux's debut album Faces In the Rocks.

You will find obvious connections to native American music on Mariee's album, but it's far from hokey. It was recorded in Nevada City with the help of Gentle Thunder’s enchanting sound on a redwood-carved Native American flute as well as her own father Gary Sobonya on mandolin and offers a folk album that feels very connected to the natural world. Over these very earthly instruments, Mariee sings cryptic lyrics with almost a supernatural otherworldly sheen to them through a voice of innocence which reminds me of Jewel's earlier work.

For those of you in the Grass Valley, CA area, Mariee is having performing a record release show on Friday, November 16th with Howlin' Rain and the Moore Brothers. Can't make it? Just pick up the CD instead.


Mariee Sioux - Buried In Teeth : Faces In the Rocks

Mariee Sioux - Two Tongues At One Time (Recorded Live in Studio) : Two Tongues At One Time / Buried In Teeth single (original studio version on Faces In the Rocks)



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Jewel - Flower (Non LP /Live) : Save The Linoleum

Lately you might have seen Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura (A.K.A. Puffy AmiYumi) modeling wide-leg jeans in the latest Gap campaign. You also may know them from the hit Cartoon Network series Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi. Or, maybe you don't know them at all! Although not well known in the U.S., the pair are regular super-stars in their home country of Japan. The girls are trying to change that though with their upcoming album Honeycreeper. Check out the video for one of their new songs here:


They'll be on the west coast this month. Check them out on the following dates:


11/11 Vancouver, BC @ Richard’s on Richards
11/13 Seattle, WA@ Moore Theatre
11/15 San Francisco@ Slim’s
11/16 West Hollywood, CA @ Key Club
11/18 Anaheim, CA@ House of Blues

Puffy AmiYumi - Can-Nana Fever (Guitar Wolf cover) : I Love Guitar Wolf...Very Much

Born of a Nigerian father and Romanian Gypsy mother, singer/songwriter Ayo truly is a musician of the world. Her name means "joy" in Yoruba (one of the many languages spoken in the homeland of her father), and although not all twelve tracks on her debut album Joyful convey a sense of joy, all of them put forth powerfully emotional messages. Behind those lyrics of depth is a reggae tinted, soulfully blended, afro-beat rhythmed, instrumental base that draws its strength from its deceptive simplicity, leaving the focus on Ayo's lyrics.

If you like what you hear, the album comes out on November 20th, and there will be a TV special titled Live from Monte-Carlo which will be presented on U.S. Public Television as both a one hour special and as a 90-minute fundraising special nation-wide during the month of December. Look for it as an alternative to watching It's A Wonderful Life for the 20th time. Ayo's name has spread throughout Europe already, be sure it will do the same here in the States.


Ayo - Down On My Knees : Joyful

Ayo - Only You : Joyful



Van Morrison - Gypsy : Saint Dominic's Preview

Fela Kuti - Gentleman : The Best Best of Fela Kuti

The first offering here is by Chicago band Absentstar. In preparation for their major label debut release on Canvasback Music, titled Sea Trials, the band has put out a short 4 song EP to arouse some attention. The band's got a big sound with some loud sweeping hooks. If you're looking for something to listen to while practicing for Guitar Hero III, here's your thing.


Absentstar - For God's Sake : Sea Trials EP


House of Brothers is actually one man: Andrew Jackson, former member of The Murder of Rosa Luxembourg. He's gone from a post-hardcore band to something much different: lots of strings, gentle guitar lines, uplifting melodies, and velvety vocals. He's releasing his debut solo EP, Deadman, via Big Scary Monsters Records on November 26th, and below is the title track.


House of Brothers - Deadman : Deadman EP


I've really been enjoying listening to Listing Ship lately. Although technically speaking the six tracks I have from them are a promo only and not an EP, I'm going to bend the rules here a little so I can show them some love. The band is a sevensome that is composed of musicians with very strong, yet diverse backgrounds, and has been around since 1997. The promo is a teaser for their fourth full length release, set to be available January of 2008. What's most striking about the band's material is the presence of two very distinct vocals: one a pair of playful popish female voices - the Lockie sisters (somewhat reminiscent to me of early Liz Phair although a bit younger sounding...maybe Pony Up! is a more apt comparison), the other a deep male voice that instantly brings to mind one of the John's from They Might Be Giants or maybe the guy from Crash Test Dummies (remember the Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm song?). Regardless, I'm really looking forward to hearing the entire album once it comes out. Here are two songs, one with the gal singing (Open Your Heart), the other with the guy (the title track-which feels like an Irish sea ditty).


Listing Ship - Open Your Heart : from the forthcoming A Hull Full of Oil and Bone

Listing Ship - Hull Full of Oil and Bone : from the forthcoming A Hull Full of Oil and Bone


Can you really go wrong with free music? What's 5 mb of space on your hard drive for a song? That being said, it's even more of a windfall when that free music is actually pretty good. Take for example The Muckrakers' latest online free single for their song Gravity. In case you didn't know, the band was one of the first to be certified gold from selling mp3's back in 2000, so clearly they know the power of the mp3. Knowing that, it's no surprise that they will be releasing three digital singles (one month at a time) in preparation of their yet-to-be-titled fourth disc, due early 2008. Here's the first, which includes a very listenable cover of the Boss.


The Muckrakers - Gravity : Gravity Single

The Muckrakers - Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen cover) : Gravity Single B-Side

Have you found yourself lamenting the apparent loss of the great jam bands? Still haven't accepted the fact that Jerry is dead and Phish is no more? Well, look no further than Chicago jamsters Umphrey's McGee. If you're not familiar with the sextet, they jam like there is no tomorrow. And I'm not talking hazy-gazey where are you going with that jam jamming, rather jamming that really demonstrates their musical prowess. Although while playing live the group produces extended jams and fronts constant improvisation, they have more of a progressive rock leaning to themselves than the Grateful Dead and Phish, who they are sometimes compared to.

For listeners who haven't attended one of Umphrey's concerts, with the release of Live at the Murat (recorded at the Murat Egyptian Room, in Indianapolis, IN on April 6 & 7, 2007) comes their first official live album, allowing you to get a good feel for their musically meandering ways. While this double CD album can be purchased as a studio produced physical album, other shows can be purchased in digital form on the band's website. Below you'll find the opening track on the album (In the Kitchen - a band staple) and the closing track (Padgett's Profile - a not so common track). If after hearing their recordings you want to take part in the real thing, tour dates can be found below.


Umphrey's McGee - In The Kitchen [Acoustic Structure] : Live At The Murat

Umphrey's McGee - Padgett's Profile : Live At The Murat




November 09 IU Auditorium / Univ. of Indiana Bloomington IN
November 10 Eagles Ballroom Milwaukee WI
November 15 Amos' South End Charlotte NC
November 16 City Hall Nashville TN
November 18 Bear Creek Music Festival Quincy FL
November 29 Orbit Room Grand Rapids MI
November 30 Lifestyle Communities Pavilion Columbus OH
December 01 Michigan Theatre Ann Arbor MI
December 13-17 Caribbean Holidaze Runaway Jamaica
December 29-31 The Aragon Ballroom Chicago IL
March 16-18 Jam in the Dam Amsterdam Netherlands

I'm going to start by coming right out and saying I like Kate Tucker & The Sons of Sweden's self-titled debut album which came out earlier this week. I really do. I want to disclose that first to make sure it's clear before I tell you anything else. Kate's voice in front of the band is wonderfully delicate, even vulnerable at times. You can tell it's got a sweet soothing tone to it (which reminds me of Nina Gordon) that begs the listener to be mesmerized by it. Now I get to the part that made me offer my disclosure up front.

On the first listen, it's hard to connect to that voice which is struggling to pull you in. While listening, you're left feeling a little detached, as if she's on the other side of a big room and you're snatching the echoes of her true voice drifting into your ears. Almost as if the tracks have been touched up just one more time than they should have.

Until the final track that is, appropriately titled In the End. That one track is enough to convince me that her voice really deserves to be listened to. It's a track that very much reminds me of The Last Town Chorus both in tone as well as instrumentation (it includes what sounds like a lap steel guitar - Megan Hickey's trademark instrument). It's genuine enough, full of enough emotion, offering a real connection, that you want to listen to the rest of the album again. And going back through the album a second time you start to connect those pieces of Kate opening up her heart to you.

Again I'll tell you, I like this album and it's one I'm going to continue to listen to. But her next album...that's the one that I'm already looking forward to. In the meantime, I'm going to catch glimpses of Kate flitting here and there in this album and not complain a bit.



Kate Tucker & The Sons Of Sweden - In The End (feat. Damien Jurado) : Kate Tucker & The Sons Of Sweden

Kate Tucker & The Sons Of Sweden - Faster Than Cars Drive : Kate Tucker & The Sons Of Sweden



Nina Gordon - Nobody's Fool (Cinderella cover) : original version from Cinderella's album Night Songs

The Last Town Chorus - Wire Waltz : Wire Waltz

Canadian Corb Lund is getting ready to release his fifth album, Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!, on November 13th. In case the above picture or the album title didn't give it away, the album is of a story-telling type that revolves around the cavalry. And although Corb doesn't have any direct experience as a horse mounted warrior, he instead draws on his Albertan local tradition and familial history to paint a convincing picture for the listener to imagine. “I believe that if you write honestly and authentically about your own culture, no matter what it is, people will pick up on the universality of it,” Corb reflects. “My family has been in Alberta chasing cows for over a century, and in the American west long before that, so that's where I feel at home.”

Although Corb's album is country without a doubt, don't dismiss it as simple twang. There's a larger collection of instrumentation here than just a washboard, harmonica, and acoustic guitar. So strap on your stirrups, wrap your yellow bandanna around your neck, and prepare to mount up with the fifteen tracks of the album driving you forward like a bugler piping out CHARGE.



Corb Lund - Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier : Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!

Today I happened across this article which dealt with the Japanese art of Manga. Now I wouldn't classify myself as a Manga aficionado, but I do see the benefits it and graphic novels in general offer, especially for children who aren't big fans of reading otherwise. Anyway, the article's main focus is not on getting children to read, rather on discussing the Japanese Manga industry's response in dealing with what we in the States would classify as copyright law. Daniel Pink, the article's author investigates that issue, and how it being peacefully resolved in Japan and suggests that the American music industry has a lesson to learn here. While the article is on the lengthy side, I highly suggest it.


Kaiser Chiefs - Learnt My Lesson Well : Yours Truly, Angry Mob

The more observant of you (and the ones with too much time to kill) might have noticed the new banner link in the "Musical Meccas" section of my sidebar. If you were to click on it, you would be magically transported to the Yellow Bird Project. "What is the Yellow Bird Project?" you might ask. Until very recently, I wouldn't have been able to tell you, which is a shame because it's a very meaningful project that deserves your (and my) support.

Here's the gist of it: bands sign on board the project, design some original art to put on a t-shirt, sell the t-shirt to Joe Music-listener, the proceeds help a.) support one of your favorite bands and b.) support a worthy charity designated by your favorite band. It's a win - win - win situation for you - your favorite band - and a worthy charity.

Some artists who've been kind enough to enlist include Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Devendra Banhart, My Brightest Diamond, King Creosoto, Wolfmother, Hayden, Holly Throsby, as well as the following bands:


Rilo Kiley - Breakin' Up : Under The Blacklight

Stars - What I'm Trying To Say : Set Yourself on Fire

Joseph Arthur - Honey and the Moon : Redemption's Son

Au Revoir Simone - Don't See The Sorrow : The Bird Of Music


So download these tunes and head over to http://www.yellowbirdproject.com to pick out the t-shirt you want to be sportin' and the band and its charity you want to be supportin'. I'm personally trying to decide between Rilo Kiley, Stars, and Au Revoir Simone. When you decide to order a shirt (and all of you should), drop a comment and share your purchase with us.