It was a long Memorial Day weekend. But it was a musically fruitful weekend. I could have made it more fruitful by adding The Shins / Blind Pilot / Head and the Heart as well as the Tenacious D shows on Friday and Saturday in Bend, respectively; alas, I needed to save some time and energy for Beck in Bend on Sunday and Jack White in Eugene on Monday. It was still quite a great full weekend for my ears!
I had never seen either Beck or Jack White in concert. I was familiar with Beck’s music fairly well… having all of his stuff. I was completely unfamiliar with Jack White’s music – outside of some of the White Stripes and Raconteurs that I’d heard. Needless to say, I was equally excited about both shows.
Beck in Bend was the tail-end of a nice “Bend Ale Trail” weekend for me… sampling some new places for me: 10 Barrel Brewing & Good Life Brewing. Both highly recommended for their beer and their food! Bend also had some lovely weather and some odd rainbows in the clouds…
(not photoshopped… photo taken near Deschutes Brewery in Bend, OR)
Metric was Beck’s opener… the Toronto indie rock quartet ripped through a dancey hour-long set. Their fifth album, Synthetica, comes out on June 12, 2012. If the way they had the Bend audience going is any indication, the new album should be a crowd pleaser as well.
Beck went on after a short set break… kicking the show off right with some Odelay goodness by way of “Devil’s Haircut.”
Among his two-hour long set, he bounced around his back and “recent” catalog (2008′s Modern Guilt) fairly well. Every era got some great representation. As mentioned, I had never seen him live before. I was pleasantly surprised with the great mix, especially the songs off of Sea Change…
Beck’s Setlist: about 2 hours
Devil’s Haircut
Loser
Black Tambourine
Soul of a Man
Hotwax
Sissyneck
The Golden Age
Lost Cause
Sunday Sun
Think I’m In Love
The New Pollution
Modern Guilt
Paper Tiger
“Song for Bend” [Improv]
End of the Day
Tropicalia [partial]
Jack-Ass
Gamma Ray
Minus
Girl
Where It’s At
Encore: Soldier Jane
Looking Back
Mutherfuker
E-Pro
Next, on to Eugene…
I missed Jack White’s opener, Quasi. I’d heard of them before, and would have liked to have seen the show (I like Sam Coomes work with Elliott Smith). Alas, driving back from Bend and personal commitments made it so we skated into the venue right as Quasi was ending their set… d’oh!
Jack White’s show… what to say, what to say? Professional, yet muddy. Loud, yet not necessary. Thoroughly energetic, yet confusing. Quite enjoyable, yet painful.
The man writes hooky songs, and plays guitar and piano very well… yet, the sound was cranked through the roof. It lost so many of the lushness and subtlety that I think would have been suited for this show at the Hult Center.
Another thing that can’t go without mentioning, the “III” imagery abounding. Sure, rockstars should have iconic imagery. But a suffix namesake seems like an odd thing to so vehemently brand… unless you’re branding your ego or something.
Several times it seemed as if Eugene wasn’t stroking his ego enough… he quipped that if we didn’t want, they didn’t have to come back out (after their 45 minute initial set). He tried to get the crowd to do a sing-a-long on one song, but it seemed as if the song had ended already, and it was more of a confusing thing (or so it seemed to me).
The loudness, was, again… unnecessary. Fantastic musicianship and seemingly intricate things going on with fantastic players… completely lost in the brash, feedback-induced sound cloud. So many subtleties lost. So many subtleties lost.
Jack White’s Setlist: two sets, ~45 mins & ~35 mins
any help on the setlist??
(pro photos from Eugene will be posted at jwiii.com)
The bottom line… I really enjoyed the Jack White show. The flaws that I saw in the show are totally fixable. Who am I to say what he should do anyhow? :) I’m just thinking that something that shows off his musical chops, his writing prowess, his voice, his players, and his songs at the forefront – not clouded by sheer volume – could have been far, far, FAR more enjoyable… and probably far, far, far more enjoyable to more to others (not just me).
I got to the venue just in the nick of time as Jonathan Kingham was starting his opening set. I had seen him about four years ago in Eugene with Glen Phillips. I thought he was great last time, and he held up to that memory quite well on Thursday night. I think he’s matured a little bit in his songwriting, and still quite the charmer on-stage. Funny, witty, smooth voice, and slow jams. He played some new tunes, some tunes about food, a tune called “Satisfied” (about a poodle?), a cover of Bobby Brown’s “Every Little Step” with an impressive improv rap, and ended the 45 minute set with “Grace” with Glen on backing vocals.
After a short break, Glen Phillips came out and dug right in. He played the first handful of tunes unaccompanied, then Jonathan joined him on guitar and backing vocals for the classic Toad song “Walk On the Ocean.” Jonathan stayed with him for the rest of the set, switching to piano partway through.
The things that draws me in to Glen are his voice and his poetic lyricism. Whether it be with his solo stuff, his side-projects, or with his first band Toad – his humor, wit and joy for life shines through. He played a great mix of songs throughout his career and even treated us to a couple brand new songs. No word on if these new songs will show up on an upcoming solo album, collaboration album, or the rumored upcoming Toad the Wet Sprocket album.
Setlist: ~90 mins
The Next Day
Crowing [Toad the Wet Sprocket]
Thankful
End This Now
Return to Me
Blood Pressurize [RemoteTreeChildren]
Walk on the Ocean* [Toad]
The One Who Got Away
Always Have My Love
Released
Whatever I Fear [Toad]
True
Finally Fading
Windmills [Toad]
new song “I could never be as strong as you”
Solar Flare
Fred Meyers
All I Want [Toad]
Rise Up
Encore: Rare Bird (new song)
Brothers on a Hotel Bed [Death Cab for Cutie] *J. Kingham guest on guitar for “Walk On the Ocean” through
“Whatever I Fear” & on piano from “True” through “Rise Up.”
A great show from two fantastic, silken-voiced singer-songwriters.
GLEN PHILLIPS PHOTOS all pictures (cc) 2012 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
As previously reported, Fiona Apple’s upcoming album The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw, And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do is due out in late June. The official release date is now June 26, 2012. We now have the album art and tracklist…
Jazzy, piano-pop songstress Nellie McKayjust got done with a stint of tour dates for her death-row musical review I Want To Live! (double Oregon show review here).
Now she’s off with a new show entitled SILENT SPRING – It’s Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature, a tribute to trailblazing environmentalist, Rachel Carson (Nellie made up as Rachel to the right).
She is currently amidst her Silent Spring residency at Feinstein’s in NYC. The show runs March 20 to 31, 2012. No word on if Silent Spring will make it out of NYC for a tour, but this seems similar to the path that I Want To Live! took… so, who knows, maybe we’ll see Silent Spring out West in late 2012/early 2013?
Listen to Nellie’s version of the song “Rio de Lua (Moon River)” below:
Shara Worden / My Brightest Diamond has recorded a guitar-based version of “I Have Never Loved Someone” for a limited release (1000 hand-numbered copies) as a 7″ through Holland-based Nowhere Fast Records. For the B-side, Shara has sung Leonard Cohen’s “Bird On A Wire” with guitar accompaniment by Marc Ribot. The album is set for release on Record Store Day (21 April 2012), and it will be available in Europe, the UK and the US markets.
~Dan – np: Boards of Canada – Music Has the Right to Children
No word on when this will hit the US market, but Italian band Guano Padano is releasing their 2nd album, 2, on March 13, 2012(today!). It doesn’t show up in the US Amazon store (yet), but the whole album is streaming on Rolling Stone Italy. The track “Prairie Fire” features Mike Patton on vocals…
~Dan – np: John Zorn & Bobby Previte – Euclid’s Nightmare
Each day or so, until presumably they’ve all been streamed, Midwest singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey is releasing tracks from his upcoming album, The Good Stuff.
Here’s the first one – “But I Do” a standard written by Bobby Charles & Clarence Henry:
(notice: this is linked from PM’s site & may only be available for a short time)
Pre-ordering of the album will be live the week of March 20th (and it comes out March 27th). He’s in my “buy every time without question” club… a perpetual favorite. Do yourself a solid and add him to your collection!
I’ve seen Nellie McKay quite a bit since moving to Oregon. She plays two-week residencies in New York on occasion (lucky!!), but she rarely hit the Midwest when I lived there. Now that I’m here in the Northwest, I’m glad that she tried to swing by at least annually. This time was for her new project, yet to be released officially in any form… I Want To Live! – a story of Barbara Graham, the third woman to be executed in the State of California (via the gas chamber at San Quentin). It’s loosely based on the 1958 film of the same name.
This death row theme shouldn’t be a shock for fans of McKay. She’s never been afraid to push boundaries – hitting political hot-button issues right out of the gate with her debut album, Get Away From Me (“Sari,” “It’s a Pose,” “Won’t U Please B Nice,” et cetera), and some of her non-jazz-standard followups Pretty Little Head (“Cupcake” and “The Big One”) and Obligatory Villagers (“Mother of Pearl”).
In person, though, she’s as lovable and jovial as some of her adorable, campy press photos suggest. She’s also a great thinker, great interpreter of classics & standards, and a great artist in her own right. She may have been “born in the wrong era” (her words), but she’s doing the best with her love of the classics by making a great mark and not giving in to the current trends in what a jazz/pop “woman and a piano” should sound or act.
The first hour of the I Want To Live! tour makes up the story of a woman who falls in with the wrong people, gets caught up in a crime, and – whether innocent or not – is found guilty of murder. Nellie plays all of the emotions perfectly. Love, mystery, joy, pain, frustration – all while weaving in standards and her own tunes to tell Barbara Graham’s story. While she hints at Graham’s fervor for being innocent, Nellie leaves her opinion about guilt or innocence out of the musical. She also leaves her opinion of the death penalty out of it, which – quite honestly – was shocking that she didn’t add some of her thoughts on it, specifically due to her past as being very politically opinionated. Perhaps that will show up in the liner notes if this gets released as an CD or DVD some day…
I Want To Live! setlist: about an hour (both nights)
Billie’s Bounce [Charlie Parker]
Purple Haze [Jimi Hendrix]
Swingin’ On The Reservation [Ella Fitzgerald]
Please
Pity The Downtrodden Landlord [Woolf/Clayton]
April Showers [DeSylva/Silvers]
Isn’t It A Lovely Day [Irving Berlin]
They Say It’s Spring [Blossom Dearie]
Some Other Spring [Billie Holiday]
I Only Have Eyes For You [Warren/Dubin]
Don’t Worry Be Happy [Bobby McFerrin]
The Down Low
Call The Police [Nat King Cole]
Twinkle In Your Eye [Burl Ives]
Song For Troy Davis
I’m So Tired [The Beatles]
There You Are In Me
Small Day Tomorrow [Landesman/Dorough]
Chelsea Bridge [Billy Strayhorn]
Genius Of Love [Tom Tom Club]
Ah! The Sweet Mystery Of Life [from Naughty Marietta operetta by Young/Herbert] (gorgeous operatic chops on Nellie for this one)
Straight To The Top [Tom Waits] I think I got all of the cover tunes identified, if not, please comment& I’ll correct.
Eugene setlist, post-IWTL! (3/2): about 30 mins
One’s On the Way [Shel Silverstein]
Midnight Sun [Ella Fitzgerald]
¡Bodega!
Clonie (audience request)
Sari (audience request)
Encore: A Wonderful Guy [Doris Day]
The Dog Song
Portland setlist, post-IWTL! (3/4): about 30 mins
The Dog Song
In a Sentimental Mood [Duke Ellington] (with false start)
Caribbean Time
I Will Always Love You [Whitney Houston] (snippet)
Encore: One’s On the Way [Shel Silverstein] (dedicated to Rick Santorum)
Mother of Pearl (with Michele Bachmann tagline at end)
I Wanna Get Married
Two wonderfully entertaining nights in Oregon. Nellie and her band are excellent performers and entertainers. Through wardrobe changes, police chases, drug addiction, and working in different musical genres – the band was on point. At one point, the saxophonist mimics a crying baby simply with his mouth as the instrument, and it drives you mad how amazing he pulls it off without a talkbox or effects.
Next show for me… Adam Carolla @ the Newmark (3/11) and Puscifer @ the Schnitzer (3/14).
~Dan – np: Steven Wilson – Catalogue / Preserve / Amass (live in Europe)
NELLIE McKAY PHOTOS Eugene (53 pics) then Portland (32 pics) all pictures (cc) 2012 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Nellie’s 2012 Winter/Spring Tour Dates (so far)
1/25 & 1/26 – Minneapolis, MN Dakota
2/9 – Lafayette, IN Duncan Hall
2/10 & 2/11 – Elgin, IL Elgin Community College Arts Center
2/12 – Louisville, KY Bomhard Theater
2/25 – Park City, UT Eccles Center
2/28 & 2/29 – San Francisco, CA Rrazz Room
3/2 – Eugene, OR Shedd Institute
3/3 – Kirkland, WA Kirkland Performing Arts Center
3/4 – Portland, OR Alberta Rose Theatre
3/7 – Chico, CA Laxson Auditorium
3/8 – Santa Cruz, CA Kuumbwa Jazz Center
3/9 – Hollywood, CA Catalina Jazz Club
3/20 to 3/31 – New York, NY Feinstein’s at Loews Regency ^^^^ “SILENT SPRING – It’s Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature”
Nellie McKay plays the Shedd in Eugene on Friday, March 2nd and the Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland on Sunday, March 4th. Tickets are still available for both Oregon shows… so, get on it. You won’t be disappointed! I’ll have a review with setlists and photos of both shows posted early next week (likely by Tuesday).
I Want to Live! a musical death row revue, conjures the life story of “a woman of dubious moral standards often a guest in seedy bars.”
New York Times’ Stephen Holden writes, “Inspired by the 1958 movie of the same name, I Want to Live! combines Nellie McKay’s virtually unlimited gifts as a singer, songwriter, actress, pianist, ukulele player, mimic, satirist and comedian into a show that is much deeper than its surface might suggest. In the most lighthearted way they evoke a heartless environment of social injustice in which people who fall through the cracks are invisible to everyone else.”
“Pretty darned unique,” adds Michael Musto of the Village Voice.
“The McKay voice is a knife edged with honey. Which is good, because the words she writes are razor sharp beneath a homespun mantle.” – Tony Gieske
It’s a rare treat to have Nellie in our neck of the woods; so I’ll be at both the Eugene and Portland shows. :)
Secret Chiefs 3 & Dengue Fever reviews/setlists/photos from the Eugene & Portland gigs to be
posted tomorrow (Thursday 2/9). Go here for a teaser… now on to some music news…
As previously mentioned, Cincinnati indie power-pop duo Bad Veins have a new album coming out soon… April 24th – The Mess We’ve Made (Modern Outsider Records). They just released their video for “Dancing on TV,” featuring a quaint 70s retro vision and the Bad Veins signature move of girl-meets-boy and missed connections… ’tis quite cute:
Pre-order for The Mess We’ve Made is coming soon, per the label. Bad Veins are not hitting my coast this time… but here are some of their spring tour dates:
Bad Veins 2012 Tour Dates 03/19 – Denver, CO @ Hi Dive * 03/20 – Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room * 03/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater * 03/22 – Dekalb, IL @ The House * 03/23 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge * 03/24 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Lounge * 03/25 – Iowa City, IA @ The Blue Moose Tap * 03/27 – Bloomington, IN @ Bluebird Nightclub * 03/28 – Louisville, KY @ Headliner’s Music Hall * 03/29 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/ In * 03/30 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree * 03/31 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade * 04/02 – Tampa, FL @ Crowbar * 04/03 – Miami, FL @ Bardot * 04/04 – Orlando, FL @ The Social * 04/05 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern * 04/07 – Durham, NC @ Motorco * 04/10 – Baltimore, MD @ Sonar * 04/11 – Pawtucket, RI @ The Met Café * 04/12 – Hamden, CT @ The Space * 04/13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy 04/14 – Annapolis, MA @ The Whiskey 04/15 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott 04/16 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge 05/31 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues ^ 06/01 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs BBQ ^ 06/04 – Orlando, FL @ Beacham Theater ^ 06/05 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution ^ 06/06 – Tampa, FL @ The Ritz ^ 06/10 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade ^ 06/11 – Carrboro,NC @ Cat’s Cradle ^ 06/12 – Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head Live! ^
* = w/ We Were Promised Jetpacks ^ = w/ Two Door Cinema Club
~Dan – np: Sean Lennon – Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Undead
You/all/everybody… have been waiting for a follow-up to the last Jude studio album – technically 2006′s Redemption. He has put out some music since then (the Low Stars album, the Cuba b-sides record, some music for TV’s LOST), but he’s still been in fairly silent mode.
I’ve decided to cobble together some unfinished records and make some new recordings as well. I’m past the point of pain from the writing, past the preciousness that keeps me from finishing songs, and past the point of thinking each track can change my life. So, with that remarkably confident build-up, in case anyone is still out there reading this, I love you for listening, and I hope to please you with this next work.
All I can do is try to be truthful in the songs. My instrument (vox) ain’t exactly what it used to be, but I’ll try to hide that from you with magical over-tracking, just like all the cool kids do now :)
Peace be with you. I expect to take a month, and then maybe get it out this Spring or something, no need to wait, right?
Now be patient and kind or I’ll crawl back into my hole! Oh, and Happy 2012. Peace be with us all.
Wow, no news and then hopefully a new album by Spring? Yay!
One of my good friends from Cincinnati, Ashley Peacock, is back in the saddle making music again. His new band is called the Chance Brothers (Ash is “Butch Chance” and Todd Gilbert is “Bobby Chance”). The recorded their debut album over the holidays, and they just released the first single online – “Ruby.”
Check it out here:
Their album will come out in 2012… Follow them here:
Last November, Cincinnati-based folk-Americana band Over the Rhine stopped by Portland, Oregon. Their show at the Aladdin Theater on 11/17 is recounted at my post HERE.
From the stage, singer Karin Bergquist mentioned that they had stopped by and recorded in-studio with The Portland Sessions. TPS wasn’t up and running yet, but it is now posted… enjoy all 26 minutes!
They play “The King Knows How” (dedicated to Elvis), “Oh Yeah by the Way,” the new song that I’m unofficially calling “On The Sacred Ground,” the Good Dog Bad Dog classic “Latter Days,” and end it with a Q&A.
Follow Over the Rhine: WEB / FB / Tw
Follow The Portland Sessions: WEB / FB / Tw
~Dan – np: Year of the Rabbit – Year of the Rabbit
The first session posted and the last session recorded from Pickathon 2011, Seattle-based singer-songwriter Damien Jurado and his new band take us through “Static To Be Sold” recorded by Live & Breathing in the Pickathon Pumphouse:
Per Damien, the song won’t be on the record, but will be out on a 7″ vinyl…
..and yes, it was as cramped as it looks. i remember, being only able to hear the cymbals. it was awesome!
On February 21, Secretly Canadian will be releasing the upcoming Damien Jurado LP, Maraqopa, another collaboration with musician/producer and Cottage Grove-Oregon resident, Richard Swift.
Go HERE for more info on Maraqopa. You can pre-order it HERE on CD or vinyl. There’s also a free mp3 download of “Nothing is the News” here:
Time for this year’s mix CD, except I decided to go CD-free this year. It’s still formatted to stay contained on one CD (20 tracks ~77 mins); so if you want to download the whole shebang and burn to a CD – go for it!
Check out 2009′s mix over here and 2010′s mix over here. No major theme this time like some of my prior mixes (4 Elements & A-to-Z mixes)… the only rule I placed before myself was that everything is current (i.e.- released in 2011). This year’s mix ended up mellower than most mixes from me. There are a few rock songs, but whilst re-listening, it’s definitely less rocky. I hope you enjoy.
The following songs were put on the mix from mostly lossless sources where possible and for promotional purposes only (read: free direct market advertising to people who decidedly love music). Most of the artists on this compilation are independent (put out the music themselves) or signed to smaller, independent labels. If you like what you hear, check out their music / support them with your wallet if you are able. The artists’ Webpage, Facebook, and Amazon links are available for each song below. I’ve also included concert review links if I’ve seen the artist recently.
Download the ZIP File (136M) available *HERE*, extract then drag & drop the mp3 files to your iTunes (or other playback software).
All Songs Streaming Playlist(click arrows to skip back & forth… for individual songs find them below. Note: Track 20 has explicit content.)
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01 Puscifer “The Green Valley” from Conditions of My Parole
Tool / A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan makes wine and makes other music in his time off from Tool and APC. I loved Puscifer’s debut and the subsequent EP, but this album tops it all. It’s a brilliant record, recorded in one of his wine cellars with his friends – featuring backing vocals from Carina Round. It’s self-released by Puscifer music with a small distribution partner (available in indie shops, primarily). While there are some rockers (maybe 1/3 of the album), this song is fairly representative of the feel of the album. It’s my #1 album in 2011.
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02 My Brightest Diamond “Be Brave” from All Things Will Unwind
Shara Worden (aka My Brightest Diamond) took some time off since her last album – 2008′s A Thousand Shark’s Teeth. She put out some stunning collaborations in the past three years (including her first kiddo); so the lapse in studio work was a-OK. On this album, Shara teams up with NYC-based ensemble yMusic to create a lush backdrop for her gorgeous voice. It’s my #2 album in 2011. I can’t praise it enough!
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03 Ric Hordinski “My Pretty Bagatelle” from Arthur’s Garden
Guitarist extraordinaire Ric Hordinski (formerly of Over the Rhine – in their rockier days) has been a favorite of mine for a LONG TIME. He’s the kind of guitarist who is subtle and unassuming in his approach, but you end up wracking your brain how he gets such lush and complex sounds out of the frets. This album was part of a Kickstarter campaign, and while the physical manifestation hasn’t hit my mailbox yet, I was happy he sent it out to Kickstarter funders early. It’s such a great record… you can get it now on bandcamp!
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04 Goddamn Electric Bill “Sin” from Jazz
GdEB is the one-man brainchild of Jason Torbert. He hits the spot for organic electronic meets post-rock for me. Ambient at times, melodic other times. His latest work has featured some vocals, but he’s primarily a groove-induced soundscape kind of guy. Chirps and glitches, too. Excellent stuff!
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05 Radiohead “Codex” from The King of Limbs
I could probably put the “indie” icon next to Radiohead, too… I think technically they put TKOL out by themselves. But they’re a huge superpower of a band. I like this record, but I’ll admit that it’s still sinking in… I need to give it some more spins. This album spawned a seven 7″ vinyl remix set. The video for “Lotus Flower” also spawned a silly “Thom Yorke dancing” meme… one of my favorites being the tennis/fish and the “Single Ladies” editions.
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06 Garage A Trois “Assault on Precinct 13” from Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil
Skerik, Stanton Moore, Marco Benevento (who replaced Charlie Hunter) and Mike Dillon make their way through Oregon quite a bit. They are a sight to see – you don’t know exactly what kind of show you’ll get, but it’s definitely a fun time. Fun, groove-oriented “new jazz.”
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07 dredg “The Tent” from Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy
I love this band. I hate the album title, but I love the band. Modern progressive rock, tons of talent, thoughtful lyrics, none of that “prog wankery” that is generally detestable. While it’s hard for them to follow-up the stunning The Pariah The Parrot The Delusion, this new album does a hearty job of maintaining their quality rock standards.
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08 Tres Mts. “Makes Me Feel” from Three Mountains
Supergroup made up of dUg Pinnick of King’s X, Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, and Richard Stuverud of the Fastbacks. They jangle through about an hour of solid rock tunes… more closely resembling a soulful King’s X trajectory vs. Pearl Jam – mainly due to dUg’s vocal duties. This is a great trio that I hope isn’t a one-off. With King’s X on tour in 2012, I doubt we’ll hear more from Tres Mts for a while, though.
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09 Chamberlain/Krauss/Phelps “Everest” from Modular: Sonic Explorations
Gorgeous soundscapes from Matt Chamberlain, Viktor Krauss, and Dan Phelps. The Modular Project is the collaboration of the aforementioned musicians working together to “discover what the spontaneous and organic manipulation of sound can yield. Inspired by the world around them, they set out to discover what it might sound like when continents shift, clouds form, and roots push through soil.” This track, “Everest,” features one of my favorite cellists – Eyvind Kang (who has worked with Secret Chiefs 3, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Mike Patton). It’s a great mix of cello, vibes and soaring atmosphere. It’s only available digitally or on vinyl (it’s a luscious triple-gatefold!)…
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10 Jeffrey Foucault “Passerines” from Horse Latitudes
Jeffrey Foucault is a favorite Americana artist that I got turned on to by singer-songwriter/storyteller Peter Mulvey. Jeffrey and Peter work together in the band Redbird (with David Goodrich and Jeffrey’s wife Kris Delmhorst). I didn’t pick up Jeffrey’s albums until the past year and a half. He’s definitely more on the cusp of country than I tend to traverse, but I dig his authenticity, poetic wit and charm. He’s a delight on stage and a fantastic Prine-esque songwriter for the new generation.
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11 Peter Mulvey & David Goodrich “Drumlin Trail” from Nine Days Wonder
Peter Mulvey has toured all over the US and the world for about 2 decades. Some of the first times I saw him in concert, he had “Goody” with him on backing guitar. They don’t get a chance to tour together much lately, but they did find some time to hole-up inside a studio to write and record some instrumental guitar duets. While I love Peter’s vocal storytelling, it’s nice to hear his and Goody’s instrumental interplay tell a different story.
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12 Steven Wilson “Home in Negative” from Grace for Drowning
Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson is a hard worker. Whether he’s producing albums for others or making albums & touring with PT, Blackfield, No-Man, Storm Corrosion, or solo – he’s always busy each and every year. This year brought his second solo album and a small tour. The album is a bit more stripped down from his other projects. It is reminiscent of Pink Floyd in spots – specifically this song “Home in Negative.” He also rocks out a bit in the almost two hour double album… check out the video for “Track One” here (it’s a bit bleak then startling). Gorgeous work.
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13 Wussy “Pulverized” from Strawberry
Well, I was super happy when I found out that Wussy was putting out their fourth full-length studio album this year. They’re a fantastic rock quartet made up of Chuck Cleaver, Lisa Walker, Mark Messerly, and Joe Klug. They write catchy, poppy choruses and meld it perfectly with Midwest Americana-meets-indie-rock grit (or “Midwestern drone” as their press says). Vocal duties are traded off with Chuck (of Ass Ponys) and Lisa (of Magic Words).
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14 Pomplamoose “Telephone” from The Album You Bought At Our Show…
This is the song that got me into Pomplamoose. It’s a cover of the collaboration between Lady Gaga and Beyoncé (whose ridiculous but still kind awesome original video has 129 million hits as of Dec 2011). Pomplamoose does “video songs,” and this was the hook to lure me in. Click the image at the left to see their video of the song. The CD came out this year as part of their first tour ever… which I caught in Portland. Excellent, fun band!
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15 David Bazan “Wolves at the Door” from Strange Negotiations
Continuing in his solo expressions after the official ceasing of Pedro the Lion, David Bazan manifests wit, a sharp tongue, and a questioning mind into his DIY-indie rock. This year, he toured quite a bit, solo and with a band. An album last year (Curse Your Branches), an album this year, and another on the way. He’s slogging away, trekking all over the country, and making some great music on the way.
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16 John Zorn “Song of Experience” from At the Gates of Paradise
“Channeling the work of Romantic visionary William Blake and ancient Gnostic writings from the Nag Hammadi archives, At the Gates of Paradise is the newest installment in Zorn’s ever growing catalog of mystical works. The music is filled with bright light and a childlike innocence, and ranges from long form compositions with constantly shifting time signatures that unfold with a compelling inner logic to mysterious ballads and hypnotic moods.” The album features a quartet that I know and love from many jazz/avant outfits: drummer Joey Baron (Masada and many more), bassist Trevor Dunn (Mr Bungle, Fantômas, Nels Cline Singers), keyboardist John Medeski (Medeski Martin & Wood) and vibraphonist Kenny Wollesen (Sex Mob, Electric Masada, etc).
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17 Over the Rhine “Days Like This” from The Long Surrender
For those that don’t know Over the Rhine, they started out as a four piece in Cincinnati in 1989 and put out their “post-nuclear, pseudo-alternative, folk-tinged art-pop” indie debut ‘Til We Have Faces in 1991. After about a decade as a four-piece, Ric Hordinski (guitars) & Brian Kelley (drums) left. Karin Bergquist (vocals) & Linford Detweiler (keys) carried on the Over the Rhine flame throughout the years… moving away from a rockier feel to a more folky-pop-Americana thing. What I like about Over the Rhine is they continually change and evolve into a different band with each album and each outing. I’ve seen them rock out, I’ve seen them jazz it up, I’ve seen them happy, I’ve seen them somber, I’ve seen them celebratory, and I’ve seen them tell stories that will make you laugh and cry. This tune was written by fellow Cincinnati singer-songwriter Kim Taylor (it originally appeared on her 2008 EP The Greatest Story). I’d highly recommend checking her out as well.
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18 Elysian Fields “Sleepover” from Last Night On Earth
Brooklyn-based sultry art rockers Elysian Fields don’t really tour outside of NYC often. Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow find their way to Europe on occasion, but most U.S. fans only really have their studio albums to sate their musical desires. This is their sixth full-length album in their near 16-year career. Well crafted, well produced, lush vocals and folk meets dusky jazz.
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19 Kevin Moore “Hypnogogic” from Shine
This is a little palette cleanser for the mix CD – right before the end. Kevin Moore’s main projects are the trippy/sample-heavy Chroma Key & heavier prog collaboration band O.S.I. (with Jim Matheos). Shine is the soundtrack to the 2006 Turkish film Küçük Kiyamet (“Little Apocalypse“). It came out in early 2011 after a successful Kickstarter in 2010. The next album from O.S.I. comes out in February 2012 on Metal Blade. I can almost guarantee it will be my Top album of 2012, and I haven’t heard a shred of it yet.
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20 Childish Gambino “Heartbeat” from Camp(warning: explicit content)
I first heard of Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) like many people – via television. Donald plays Troy Barnes on NBC’s Community. I’ve heard a few of his albums, but this was his first full-length with a wide release. This song almost didn’t make the cut, but the melody in the chorus and the grinding keyboards just made it to difficult to ultimately cut from the mix. Brilliant song about the messiness of dating. If you’d like the “clean” version of the song, there is a “clean” version of the whole album on Amazon.
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Near misses from the mix: something from Earth’sAngels of Darkness Demons of Light 1 & Opeth’sHeritage (songs are too long) and Azealia Bank’s “212″ (infectious as hell)… plus songs from several other albums that’ll still be on my Best of 2011 lists (coming soon).
Let me know what you think… If you enjoyed what you heard, please support the music. Definitely feel free to pass the link the mix along:
http://tinyurl.com/MixyD2011
~Dan – np: Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials
there are no torrents, free mp3 or other downloads available
From the 12/13/11 show at Soho in Santa Barbara. Closest I will make it to a holiday song this year. More of an OWS support ditty with a seasonal reference in the chorus… Be happy, be well.
Also, rest in peace, Christopher Hitchens. You were great. God is Not Great.
If anything is certain in life, the move from the Midwest to the West Coast has been good for my David Bazan tour in-take. Being only a short hike from his homebase in Seattle, we get the treat of the former Pedro the Lion frontman in our neck of the woods several times a year.
Many times, he trots out on his own… which is usually more intimate. But the chance to see Bazan with a backing band shouldn’t be passed up. He’s really able to let the rock come forth in his songs. His doubtful, questioning, reflective lyricism work just as well behind a dirty, loud guitar as it does with just him and a guitar in a living room.
Last night at Sam Bond’s, after delightful indie-rock quartet opener Shay Roselip’s short set, Bazan came on to do what I thought was just sound check. Nope… boom goes the dynamite, his mighty three-piece kicked into a tune from Pedro the Lion’s Control… “Second Best.”
Setlist: ~85 mins
Second Best [Pedro the Lion]
Wolves at the Door
Bless This Mess
How I Remember
I Do [PTL]
Of Up and Coming Monarchs [PTL]
Q&A #1
Gas and Matches [Headphones]
Eating Paper
Magazine [PTL]
Climb That Hill [Tom Petty]
Bearing Witness
Q&A #2
Virginia
People
Cold Beer and Cigarettes
Big Trucks [PTL]
Criticism as Inspiration [PTL]
Q&A #3 with lifetime pass drawing
Strange Negotiations No encore
The setlist was similar to other shows on this tour… a great mix of Pedro the Lion tunes, a Headphones tune, a Tom Petty cover and a lot from his two solo albums & EP. Strange Negotiations, this years effort, will definitely be somewhere on my Best of 2011 list (still formulating).
Being the last stop of the 40+ date tour across the country, his voice showed some wear – especially on the “right on” part of “Cold Beer and Cigarettes.” He powered through it, dropping the notes to a more suitable weary-throat range. His band, made up of Alex Westcoat on drums and Andy Fitts on bass, blistered away with David. Despite the aforementioned vocal strain, their musical chops were evident last night.
They were driving through the night to make it home to Seattle by sun-up. If you missed them on this tour, David hinted at a new album being done by March 1st, with it coming out sometime in 2012. So the chance of more tours in 2012? High possibility!
This was the last date of the tour… see other dates below. I’m sure David will be out again in the Spring…
Next show for me… Cellophoria private house concert on 12/18.
~Dan – np: Marketa Irglova – Anar
David Bazan + Band Tour – Fall 2011
11/01 Tue – Spokane WA - A Club 11/02 Wed - Boise ID - Neurolux 11/04 Fri - Colorado Springs - The Black Sheep 11/05 Sat - Lawrence KS - Bottleneck 11/06 Sun - Omaha NE - The Waiting Room 11/07 Mon - Iowa City IA - Blue Moose Taphouse (upstairs) 11/09 Wed - Milwaukee WI - Cactus Club 11/10 Thu - Indianapolis IN - White Rabbit Cabaret 11/11 Fri - Newport KY - Southgate House 11/12 Sat - Grand Rapids MI - Ladies Literary Club 11/13 Sun - Pittsburgh PA - Brillobox 11/14 Mon - Hoboken NJ - Maxwell’s 11/15 Tue - Baltimore MD - Ottobar 11/17 Thu - Charlottesville VA - The Southern 11/18 Fri - Norfolk VA - Jewish Mother 11/19 Sat - Charlotte NC - Evening Muse 11/20 Sun - Columbia SC - New Brookland Tavern 11/21 Mon - Knoxville TN - Pilot Light 11/26 Sat - Athens GA - Caledonia Lounge 11/27 Sun - Nashville TN - Mercy Lounge 11/29 Tue - St Augustine FL - The Original Cafe Eleven 11/30 Wed - Tampa FL - Crowbar 12/01 Thu - Tallahassee FL - Engine Room 12/02 Fri - Oxford MS - Proud Larry’s 12/03 Sat - Memphis TN - Hi Tone 12/04 Sun - Norman OK - Opolis 12/06 Tue - Albuquerque NM - Low Spirits 12/07 Wed - Tucson AZ - Solar Culture 12/08 Thu - Las Vegas NV - Beauty Bar 12/09 Fri - Costa Mesa CA - Constellation Room 12/10 Sat - Santa Cruz - Crepe Place 12/11 Sun - Sacramento CA - Blue Lamp 12/12 Mon - Arcata CA - Jambalaya 12/14 Wed - Eugene OR - Sam Bond’s Garage
Derek Webb’sDemocracy Vol 2… This month, it is “Falling Slowly” by The Swell Season. It starts out not as expected, a little more rough around the edges compared to the original. I love this song, though – and I think Derek does it justice.
For those not in the know, Democracy Vol 2 is a continuation of the covers project Derek started last year. The fans get to nominate songs and then vote once the nominations are tallied. Here’s what he’s done in 2010 and 2011 to date (you can still go back and buy this volume):
January 2010: The Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps
February: Coldplay – Fix You
March: Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin’
April: Gnarls Barkley – Who’s Gonna Save My Soul
May: Sufjan Stevens – Chicago *a personal fave*
June: U2 – Where the Streets Have No Name
July: Huey Lewis & the News – Power of Love
August: The Beatles – Eleanor Rigby *a personal fave*
September: Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence
October: Radiohead – Karma Police *a personal fave*
November: Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah
December: Robert Robinson (traditional hymn) – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
January 2011: off
February: off
March: Cee-Lo Green – F**k You *a personal fave*
April: Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer
May: The Beach Boys – God Only Knows
June: U2 – One
July: Dallán Forgaill (traditional hymn) – Be Thou My Vision
August: Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
September: The Beatles – Revolution *a personal fave*
October: Rich Mullins – Creed
November: The Swell Season – Falling Slowly
~Dan – np: Childish Gambino – Camp
Democracy Vol. 2 is a series of subscription based albums of cover songs that Derek will be recording annually, starting January 2010. Those who participate will not only receive the exclusive album, but will democratically decide what songs Derek will record.
Ever wished you could hear Derek cover your favorite Beatles song? Or Backstreet Boys song? Or even re-record your favorite old Caedmon’s Call song? Here’s your chance. Songs will be nominated and voted down to 10. Derek will record them (demo quality) and deliver them digitally (320kbps MP3s), one song per month for 10 months (March to December). Don’t miss your chance to be part of this unique collaborative project with Derek Webb!
Glen Phillips (from Toad the Wet Sprocket & Works Progress Administration) has been doing what he calls “Sofa Sundays” on Stageit.com for a couple months now. I didn’t know what it was all about until the last one (after it happened). He sits down in his living room and plays (at least) 30 minutes of music directly to his computer-connected audience. His shows thus far have cost only$3, and you can pay more (in tips) – but it’s limited to the first 250 people who buy tickets. You can make requests and also chat with others in “attendance.” Here’s what he played…
11/27/11 Setlist:~50 minutes
Train Wreck
Nanci [Toad the Wet Sprocket]
The Next Day
Back On My Feet
I Still Love You
Cry For You [WPA]
I Will Not Take These Things For Granted [Toad]
Don’t Need Anything [fast version]
Thankful
Rainbow Connection/I’m Going To Go Back There Someday [teasers only]
End This Now
Good Intentions [Toad]
Redemption Song [Bob Marley]
Windmills
Easily the best $3 plus tip I’ve ever spent for live music. From here on out, if I’m around, I’m IN. He mentioned after “Train Wreck” in response to some requests, that he’ll do a show in the near future that’s more request oriented on songs that he doesn’t necessarily know off hand (i.e.- he’ll practice).
Stay tuned… the next Sofa Sunday might even be next week!
Peter Mulvey takes the craft of American singer-songwriter out of the humdrum of a “guy and three chords on a guitar” into the realm of oft-comedic-oft-sentimental storytelling mixed in with the grit of the road and the shine of fine silver in your grandmother’s dining room. He plays Tom Waits with humility and charm, and he plays perfectly ear-worm inducing folk-pop originals. He plays show tunes, rock covers, and Michael Hedges-executed instrumentals. His music gets stuck in your head, and for me, any time I hear of new music from him, I get it without question. I also try to see him whenever I can… which brings me to recount the past three days of fantastic music.
from the house concert, 11/11/11
more photos at the bottom
Three Peter Mulvey concerts, three unique experiences. First up, an interview with Peter Mulvey on KLCC Living Large (stream it here). He talks about his tentative new standards album (tentatively called “Pocket Diamonds“) and played a few new songs in the studio.
The first of three shows was at Sam Bond’s Garage in Eugene on Thursday, November 10th. The opener was local musician Michael Conley. He played a shortish 25 minute set, but I was impressed with his songs… he fit in really well with fans of Peter Mulvey and Jeffrey Foucault. Good guitar work. Gritty songs, yet with a pop edge.
Peter came on at 9:45 and started off with a normal closing song for him, “Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad (And Far Away From Home).” As expected, Peter’s set was a great mix of originals and covers. Despite the large amount of covers that he plays, he really puts his own mark on them. He also pulls songs out that are classics or memorable favorites but not in the forefront of one’s memory. A favorite from the night was his take on U2′s “The Fly“…
Eugene 11/10 Setlist: ~80 minutes
Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad (and Far Away From Home)
Are You Sure? [Willie Nelson]
Old Simon Stimson
“The Rain Comes Down” [new PM song]
The Knuckleball Suite
Two Janes [Los Lobos]
Come All Ye Fair And Tender Ladies [Maybelle Carter]
Some People
Lonely at the Top [Randy Newman]
Black Rabbit
What Else Was It? [new PM song]
Lord I Have Made You a Place in My Heart [Greg Brown]
The Dreams
Blackbird [The Beatles]
Charlie
The Fly [U2]
Kids In The Square
Encore: The Book of Love [The Magnetic Fields]
Peter is usually good with a few one-liners or jokes. Some favorites from the Sam Bond’s gig:
“Freedom should be fried.“
“I had a banjo once, and then someone broke into my car… and they left 12 more banjos.“
SO, how do you make a concert experience better? You invite the musician to your house (or a friend’s house in this instance) and have him play in a living room for 35-40 of your friends.
Well, that’s what we did on Friday, November 11th… we invited Peter to play at a friend’s farm in Creswell (near Eugene). He played two fantastic sets, with only a little bit of overlap from the night before. There was much fantastic music, fantastic food (a HUGE vegetarian smorgasbord thanks to host Jenny!), vegan cupcakes (yay Divine Cupcake!), great craft beer and homebrew beers and sodas, and great discussion!
House Show 11/11 Setlist: two 45-minute sets
Set1 ~You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams [Fats Waller]
“shout the battle cry of freedom” [public domain w/ Beatles instrumental tag at end]
Kids In The Square
Windshield
Pearl Handled Pistol [Jeffrey Foucault]
The Knuckleball Suite
Shirt
What Else Was It? [new PM song]
…Plus The Many Inevitable Fragments / Dynamite Bill
Set2 ~Black Rabbit
Charlie
The Trouble With Poets
Trempealeau [new from 2010, not recorded yet]
Jockey Full of Bourbon [Tom Waits]
“The Rain Comes Down” [new PM song]
The Healthfood Girl [new PM song]
Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad (and Far Away From Home) No Encore
I bought tickets to the Corvallis show (Saturday, November 12th) before I even knew about the Sam Bond’s show and before I could organize the house show. Was I going to go? Um… duh!
This was my first time to the Majestic Theatre in downtown Corvallis. It was a gorgeously remodeled theater, and it looks like they’re ramping up to have a lot more exciting things going on (if you’re local, friend them on Facebook or sign up for their newsletter).
We had a wonderful dinner at Del Alma then dodged the rain to catch the opener Joe Von Appen. I had only seen a YouTube clip of him prior, and it didn’t grab my interest. Well, I’m glad I showed up for his set. He was a mix of thinker/agitator/comedian/one-man freak show. He was thought provoking, humorous, and frighteningly exciting and entrancing. He is from Portland, and I hope he makes his way down south sometime again. He was highly entertaining!
Peter hit the stage at 8:45 and played his longest set of the weekend. Some repeats (hey, we like re-Petes) and tons of untouched music in the three-day run. He did one of my favorite spoken word pieces from Letters From A Flying Machine – “Vlad the Astrophysicist.”
A new Mulvey tune “The Cardinal” made its first appearance for me. It was a touching tune that came along with a seemingly non sequitur story about a squirrel getting into a large batch of THC butter. Another favorite song he played was a Joe Henry cover… “Richard Pryor Addresses a Tearful Nation“… I think I’ve heard Peter play this before. Prior to this, though, I was only familiar with Joe’s producer/mixer work (he does a LOT, specifically Over the Rhine’s latest album that I’m currently listening to in advance of their gig this coming week – The Long Surrender).
Peter also busted out not one, not two, but three Tom Waits tunes – the last one as the encore, sung off-mic. He has a side gig in The LPs, and they play Tom Waits’ Rain Dogs front to back! I’d LOVE to see that gig…
Corvallis 11/12 Setlist: ~1 hour 40 min
Kids In The Square
“man I’m broke and I’ve got nowhere to go” [Mississippi John Hurt, unidentified title]
Black Rabbit
Oh What A Beautiful Morning [Rodgers & Hammerstein Oklahoma! teaser]
The Dreams
Charlie
Shirt
“The Rain Comes Down” [new PM song, guess on title]
Richard Pryor Addresses a Tearful Nation [Joe Henry]
Girl in the Hi-Tops
Old Simon Stimson
Jockey Full of Bourbon [Tom Waits]
Hang Down Your Head [Tom Waits]
The Cardinal [new song]
What Else Was It? [new song]
Some People
Vlad The Astrophysicist
Mailman
Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad (and Far Away From Home)
Encore: Goodnight Irene [off-mic] [Tom Waits]
Some gems of info… Peter was once in an all-rollerskate version of Oklahoma! Also, apparently, scientists have a difficult time showing THC toxicity in small animals. A new expression Peter uttered… “the nickel of espresso dropped.” (explaining when the caffeine kicks in). I dig it!
Peter has a new guitar duets CD out now, Nine Days Wonder, with long-time collaborator David “Goody” Goodrich. It’s a fantastic record (click the image to the rightfor samples) – though it’s not really indicative of his live show. Based on the amount of new material he played this weekend (five songs not on a PM record yet), it looks like he has a good start on a new studio record. Here’s hoping!
In the meantime, check him out on Facebook, iTunes/Amazon, YouTube, etc… and go see him live if you get a chance. He plays upwards of 120 live gigs a year all over the US (and sometimes in Europe, too).
I can guarantee you’ll like him (I’ve yet to hear someone who doesn’t love him when I drag them along to shows). :)
Next shows for me… Cirque du Soliel presents Michael Jackson: The Immortal (Eugene 11/15), rapper Chali 2Na (Eugene 11/16) and the Americana duo Over the Rhine (Portland 1/17).
I can’t go on enough about how much I love My Brightest Diamond and how much I love her newest album, All Things Will Unwind. She hasn’t planned a full tour under this record (yet), but when I saw she was playing a couple one-offs in Seattle and Portland, I jumped out of my chair.
While hitting both shows in a scenario like this isn’t uncommon for me, I showed some restraint and only hit the Portland show…
The opener, Netherfriends, is currently in Portland this week for a “residency” of sorts. Several shows at the Mississippi Studios and two DJ sets (one at Aalto Lounge and one at Beech Street Parlour). He was a veritable one-man rockfolktronic wrecking crew. After his first song, I wasn’t sure what to expect… he powered through some technical difficulties and ripped through 35-40 minutes of fun energy.
Very danceable, very off-kilter, a little spastic, but grounded in melody. Sort of like Holy Fuck, if they were a one-man band. Beatboxing, electronic drums, loops, Harry Nilsson covers (see below).
Since it was billed as a “Shara Worden solo show,” I expected a more stripped down My Brightest Diamond set. Oh, was a wrong… she came out initially in costume (mask, fabric bubbles on her shirt) and danced along to a pre-recorded instrumental number, then immediately took off her mask and started in with the lead-off track, “We Added It Up.” She donned the mask again for “Be Brave“…
She mixed up the set a bit with ukulele, keyboards, pre-recorded drums and strings, acoustic guitar, rockin’ electric guitar, mbira (below), and a hand-held harp-like instrument.
Setlist: just over an hour
Instrumental #1 with dance
We Added It Up
Everything is in Line
Golden Star
Escape Routes
Instrumental #2 with dance
Be Brave
She Does Not Brave the War
There’s a Rat
High Low Middle
Apples
Feeling Good [Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley]
I Have Never Loved Someone [for her son]
Inside A Boy
Encore: Be My Husband [Nina Simone]
My favorite songs of the night were “Be Brave” and “Inside A Boy,” but honestly, I enjoyed it all intently. Even the almost-too-cutesy-for-me “There’s a Rat” was brought to new heights for me with Shara’s adorable story about her rehabbing her “fixer-upper” that she and her husband recently bought in Detroit.
more photos below
I hope she does a bigger/longer tour for the record… but if she doesn’t Portlanders & Seattlites can count themselves blessed.
Next show for me… Puscifertonight (11/7) in Seattle, then a three-day run by Peter Mulvey (11/10 @ Sam Bonds in Eugene, 11/11 @ private house concert in Creswell, 11/12 @ Majestic in Corvallis).
~Dan – Peter Mulvey & David Goodrich – Nine Days Wonder
MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND (SHARA WORDEN)
& THE NETHERFRIENDS PHOTOS all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
This blog and concert photos therein are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Available with Attribution for Non-Commercial, Non-Derivative Use.
File Sharing Policy: There are no free mp3 download or FLAC torrents for any albums on this blog (nor will there ever be). On occasion, there are links for songs for free download (legally provided by the artist). If you like music, support the artists. Buy it!!
(not photoshopped… photo taken near Deschutes Brewery in Bend, OR)
Metric was Beck’s opener… the Toronto indie rock quartet ripped through a dancey hour-long set. Their fifth album, Synthetica, comes out on June 12, 2012. If the way they had the Bend audience going is any indication, the new album should be a crowd pleaser as well.
Jack White’s show… what to say, what to say? Professional, yet muddy. Loud, yet not necessary. Thoroughly energetic, yet confusing. Quite enjoyable, yet painful.
Another thing that can’t go without mentioning, the “III” imagery abounding. Sure, rockstars should have iconic imagery. But a suffix namesake seems like an odd thing to so vehemently brand… unless you’re branding your ego or something.
I’ve seen 
Well on 
Tool / A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan makes wine and makes other music in his time off from Tool and APC. I loved Puscifer’s debut and the subsequent EP, but this album tops it all. It’s a brilliant record, recorded in one of his wine cellars with his friends – featuring backing vocals from Carina Round. It’s self-released by Puscifer music with a small distribution partner (available in indie shops, primarily). While there are some rockers (maybe 1/3 of the album), this song is fairly representative of the feel of the album. It’s my 
http://glenphillips.bandcamp.com/track/the-next-day-2
Strange Negotiations
Black Rabbit
Set2 ~
Amazon.com mp3 downloads
