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ha’fway 2017
Happy 241st birthday, United States!
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Ah, the annual halfway through the year music recap where I rarely post an end of year recap. *eyeroll* Eh… I don’t blog much anymore… regardless, here goes for my Top 10 of 2017 so far…
Artist – Album (style)
- Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Mulhy & James McAlister – Planetarium (indie rock)
- Burning Ghosts – Reclamation (jazz metal)
- KXM (Doug Pinnick / George Lynch / Ray Luzier) – Scatterbrain (hard rock)
- Peter Mulvey – Are You Listening? (singer-songwriter)
- Sexmob – Cultural Capital (jazz)
- David Bazan – Care (indie rock)
- Ani DiFranco – Binary (singer-songwriter)
- Future Islands – The Far Field (indie pop)
- Mostly Other People Do the Killing (with Steven Bernstein of Sexmob) – Loafer’s Hollow (jazz)
- Incubus – 8 (rock)
Honorable mentions…
- Albums by Lydia Ainsworth, Alt-J, Brian Marsella Trio’s Masada Book Two, Aimee Mann, Dave Douglas’ Riverside, and Throttle Elevator Music (Kamasi Washington).
- EP – ANOHNI’s Paradise
- Live – ISIS’ Live VII: 2.25.2010
- Re-issues – Pink Floyd early years boxset(s), the Beatles Srgt. Pepper’s 50th, U2 The Joshua Tree 30th, Radiohead OK Computer 20th
- Novelty – A**l Trump’s If You Thought ********* **** Was a Lot of People, You Should Have Seen My Inauguration 5″ vinyl (in “Seth Putnam form,” shall we say).
What’s still to come in 2017…
Claypool-Lennon Delirium 12″ (RSD wider-issue), Spotlights, Antibalas, Steven Wilson, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Mogwai, Radiohead OKNOTOK (physical), Failure live vinyl, Lo Tom (David Bazan, TW Walsh & Starflyer 59 folks), Celldweller, The National, Secret Chiefs 3, Weird Al boxset, plus much more, I’m sure.
Will I continue with blogs in the future? I don’t know. :P
Dan – np: Critters Buggin – Muti -EP-
PALMS’ ‘Future Warrior’ (music video)
One of my favorite albums this year so far is by PALMS, the post-rock super group made up of the Deftones’ Chino Moreno and three-fifths of post-rock icons ISIS,. Well, they finally released a video for “Future Warriors” (a fave track off the debut album)… a creepy love story with an explosive ending.
Get the PALMS debut on Ipecac over HERE for dirt cheap (less than $6):
~Dan – np: Puscifer – All Remixed Up
* Favorite EPs / Vinyl / Live Albums & more of 2010 *
This is sort of a precursor to my “official” Favorites of 2010 blogs. Up later this week, I’ll post my favorite vocal and favorite instrumental albums of 2010. Anyway, on with the music pimping…
Favorite EPs of 2010
- Holy Fuck – +Ghost (bonus disc with Latin)
- Auragami – Resistance (thanks, Michael)
- Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People
- Owen Pallett – Demo (with Shara Worden – FREE)
- Haftor Medbøe Group – Box of Monkeys (technically 2009, but I got it late)
Favorite Vinyl-only Release of 2010
- My Brightest Diamond & Dayna Kurtz – Gone Away / Postcards from Downtown 7″
- Erik Friedlander – Alchemy 10″
- Isis / Melvins split 12″
- Damien & Drake Jurado – Hoquiam 12″
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers – The Gentle Side 12″
fave non-vinyl-only issue: Mike Patton‘s Mondo Cane 12″ (is luscious)
Favorite DVDs of 2010 (I didn’t really get any outside of music-related and an old H.Potter)
- Porcupine Tree – Anesthetize: Live in Tilburg
- Steven Wilson – Insurgentes
- Jónsi – Go Quiet & Go Live
- John Zorn & Richard Foreman – Astronome: A Night at the Opera
Favorite Internet Only Releases of 2010
- Kembwe – Kembwe
- Derek Webb – Democracy Vol 1 (monthly series)
- My Terrible Friend EP (a folky Pomplamoose spin-off)
- Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar (a few chapters)
- Puya – Areyto EP
- Ty Tabor – Trip Magnet & Jelly Jam‘s Additives
- Asthmatic Kitty‘s Library Catalog Music Series (I think they also put some of these out as vinyl)
- Glen Phillips – Tornillo
- Kevin Moore – Shine (late, late 2010 – CD in early 2011)
- Rafter – Animal Feelings (maybe it came out on CD, too?)
Favorite Live Albums of 2010
- King’s X – Live Love in London
- Jónsi – Go Live
- Redbird (Peter Mulvey / Jeffrey Foucault / Kris Delmhorst / David “Goody” Goodrich) – Live at Café Carpe 2008 & 2009
Favorite Podcasts in 2010 (they’re free, yo! Search for them on iTunes)
- George Hrab – Geologic Podcast
- Keith Olbermann’s Countdown on MSNBC
- The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC
- Bill Maher‘s New Rules
- The Adam Carolla Podcast
- Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier – SModcast
- Kevin Smith & Ralph Garman – Hollywood Babble On
- Starfucking with Kevin Smith (OK, not free – proceeds for charity, though)
- SMoviemakers with Kevin Smith
- The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
Best Cover Art & Packaging in 2010 (all vinyl, but the CDs were cool, too)
- Mike Patton – Mondo Cane
- Jónsi – Go
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers – Gentle Side (vinyl, designed by Chippy)
Favorite Local Releases in 2010 (PacNW represent)
- Kembwe – Kembwe (Ashland-based ambient, vocal alchemy)
- I suck… that’s all the local-ish stuff I got this year…
Best Re-issues in 2010
- Carissa’s Wierd‘s first three albums (Ugly But Honest / You Should Be Home Here / Songs About Leaving)
- Mr. Bungle – California (on vinyl)
- Frank Zappa – Greasy Love Songs (deluxe re-issue of Cruisin’ with Rueben & the Jets)
- Elliott Smith – An Introduction to… (career spanning compilation)
Best Not-for-Profit Release in 2010
- Medeski Martin & Wood – The Stone Issue Four (for The Stone NYC)
Worst Music News in 2010 (for me)
- Cincinnati rock band Noctaluca broke up. Here’s hoping Jason Ludwig goes on to do some more interesting stuff.
- Faith No More‘s reunion tour didn’t hit the U.S. proper. Argh.
Best Late-Getter in 2010 (something that came out before 2010)
- Abagail’s Ghost – d_letion (from 2009)
- Fever Ray – Fever Ray (also from 2009)
Best Musical Novelty / Ingenuity
- Tristan Perich – 1-Bit Symphony
Best Music Videos
- Holy Fuck “Red Lights”
- Turf Fienz “Rain Dance”
- Cee-Lo Green “Fuck You” (original)
- The Gregory Brothers & Antoine Dodson “The Bed Intruder”
So, yeah, this was the catch-all post… check back later this week for the more traditional year end wrap-up festivities…
My Other Favorites of 2010 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts & Photos of ‘10 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Vocal Albums ‘10 are coming soon
- Fave Instrumental of ‘10 are coming soon
- Old Years: Best of the Decade (1-10, 11-20, 21-25), 2009I, 2009V, 2009ep, 2009C, 2008I, 2008V, 2008ep, 2008C, 2007V, 2007I, 2007C, 2006, 2005
~Dan – np: Anakronic Electro Orkestra – Speak With Ghosts 
REVIEW: final ISIS tour @ WOW Hall (Eugene, OR – 5/29/10)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
On May 18, 2010, post-metal powerhouse ISIS officially called it quits. They did everything they wanted to do, and said everything they wanted to say… and this May & June tour would be their last. It was a good run: 13 years and 5 brilliant studio albums.
The break-up news was deeply saddening news to the fans, but at least we get one last hurrah.
The show opened with Jakob (a three-piece from New Zealand). They played a solid 40-minute set of instrumental post-rock. They had heavy moments, but they were decidedly the “calmest” of the trio of bands last night. They were really tight and created a great, building wall of sound. Great for fans of a harder edged Explosions in the Sky. Jakob’s debut, Solace, is out now.
Tombs (a four-piece from Brooklyn) were more in the metal category. Guttural vocals, double kick drum blasts, but more building in their guitar sound compared to other metal fare (e.g.- similar to ISIS versus Slayer). A great 40-minute onslaught to our ears. Check out their album, Winterhours.
ISIS went on just before 11pm and came out hard and heavy… while both Jakob and Tombs were tight, it seemed as though things got kicked up a notch when Isis hit the stage. The audience crowded the stage to be pummeled by the sweeping and soaring musical backbone amidst Aaron Turner’s powerful voice…
They played a hauntingly brutal mix from Wavering Radiant, In the Absence of Truth, and a few oldies thrown in as well. There were a handful of moments of Aaron’s more melodic vocals, but that was few and far between… the show tended to show off Isis’s more pained vocal cuts. They played about 90 minutes…
Setlist: (thanks for corrections from a fellow fans)
- Deconstructing Towers
- Not In Rivers, But In Drops
- So Did We
- Threshold of Tranformation
- Ghost Key
- Collapse and Crush
- From Sinking
- Encore: In Fiction
- The Beginning and the End
It’s sad to see Isis end, but at least they are ending with a kick ass tour. Also, if you go to one of the shows (see below), there is a TON of merch… they’ve brought about everything each member has ever been involved in. I dropped some coin for the Japanese limited edition Panopticon, Oceanic, 7.23.06 live, and the Melvin split 12″ vinyl. That was barely scratching the surface for this excellent “Isis Garage Sale.”
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
Check out the final tour dates for ISIS below.
~Dan – np: Ellery – This Isn’t Over Yet
ISIS, Jakob & Tombs PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2010 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
ISIS – 2010 TOUR DATES
May 26 2010 The Casbah w/ Jakob & Tombs San Diego, California, US
May 29 2010 Wow Hall w/ Jakob & Tombs Eugene, Oregon , US
May 31 2010 Rickshaw Theatre w/ Jakob & Tombs Vancouver, British Co, CA
Jun 1 2010 Neumo’s w/ Jakob & Tombs Seattle, Washington, US
Jun 2 2010 Doug Fir Lounge w/ Jakob & Tombs Portland, Oregon , US
Jun 4 2010 Great American Music Hall w/ Jakob & Tombs San Francisco, California, US
Jun 5 2010 The Troubadour w/ Jakob & Tombs Los Angeles, California, US
Jun 12 2010 Bonnaroo Festival W/ Clutch, Melvins, Flaming Lips, etc. Manchester, Tennessee , US
Jun 14 2010 40 Watt Club w/ Melvins Athens, Georgia , US
Jun 16 2010 9:30 Club w/Melvins Washington, Washington, US
Jun 17 2010 Theater Of Living Arts (TLA) w/ Melvins Philadelphia, Pennsylvan, US
Jun 18 2010 Webster Hall w/ Melvins New York, New York , US
Jun 19 2010 Music Hall Of Williamsburg w/ Melvins Brooklyn, New York , US
Jun 20 2010 Paradise Rock Club w/ Melvins Boston, Massachuse, US
Jun 21 2010 Paradise Rock Club w/ Melvins Boston, Massachuse, US
Jun 22 2010 Port City Music Hall w/ Cave In Portland, Maine , US
Jun 23 2010 Club Soda w/ Cave In Montreal, Quebec , CA
ISIS calling it quits
After the current tour, post-metal band ISIS is sadly calling it quits. There last tour date will be in Montreal, where they played their first gig 13 years ago. You can read the official press release here.
Explosions in the Sky, it’s time to kick up the volume. I’ll be at ISIS’ last stop in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, May 29th. Here are the rest of their final tour dates…
ISIS – 2010 TOUR DATES
May 26 2010 The Casbah w/ Jakob & Tombs San Diego, California, US
May 29 2010 Wow Hall w/ Jakob & Tombs Eugene, Oregon , US
May 31 2010 Rickshaw Theatre w/ Jakob & Tombs Vancouver, British Co, CA
Jun 1 2010 Neumo’s w/ Jakob & Tombs Seattle, Washington, US
Jun 2 2010 Doug Fir Lounge w/ Jakob & Tombs Portland, Oregon , US
Jun 4 2010 Great American Music Hall w/ Jakob & Tombs San Francisco, California, US
Jun 5 2010 The Troubadour w/ Jakob & Tombs Los Angeles, California, US
Jun 12 2010 Bonnaroo Festival W/ Clutch, Melvins, Flaming Lips, etc. Manchester, Tennessee , US
Jun 14 2010 40 Watt Club w/ Melvins Athens, Georgia , US
Jun 16 2010 9:30 Club w/Melvins Washington, Washington, US
Jun 17 2010 Theater Of Living Arts (TLA) w/ Melvins Philadelphia, Pennsylvan, US
Jun 18 2010 Webster Hall w/ Melvins New York, New York , US
Jun 19 2010 Music Hall Of Williamsburg w/ Melvins Brooklyn, New York , US
Jun 20 2010 Paradise Rock Club w/ Melvins Boston, Massachuse, US
Jun 21 2010 Paradise Rock Club w/ Melvins Boston, Massachuse, US
Jun 22 2010 Port City Music Hall w/ Cave In Portland, Maine , US
Jun 23 2010 Club Soda w/ Cave In Montreal, Quebec , CA
~Dan – np: Method of Defiance – Inamorata
ha’fway 2009
Happy 233rd birthday, United States!
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(Sub)consciously prompted by these music blogs, here are my favs of the first half of 2009… it’s all bound to switch around by year’s end:
Artist – Album (label)
- Dredg – The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion (Ohlone)
- Masada Quintet + Joe Lovano – Masada Book Two: Book of Angels, Vol. 12 ~ Stolas (Tzadik)
- OSI – Blood (Inside Out Records)
- Wussy – Wussy (Shake It Records)
- Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy – Spirit Moves (Green Leaf Music)
- Wynton Marsalis – He and She (EMI / Blue Note)
- John Zorn – Alhambra: Love Songs (Tzadik)
- Regina Spektor – Far (Sire / Warner)
- Isis – Wavering Radiant (Ipecac)
- Zu – Carboniferous (Ipecac)
- Dream Theater – Black Clouds & Silver Linings, really only the instrumental disc (Roadrunner)
- Jamie Saft – Black Shabbis (Tzadik)
- Madeleine Peyroux – Bare Bones (Rounder)
- Secret Chiefs 3 – Le Mani Destre Recise Degli Ultimi Uomini (Web of Mimicry)
- Ember Swift – Lentic :: 子玉 (Few’ll Ignite Sound)
I didn’t get a few that already came out this year… the new Green Day, U2, Placebo, Eminem, Dave Matthews Band, Fever Ray, Crank 2 soundtrack (by Mike Patton). I’m waiting for them to be cheaper used, but they may make it to the list at the end of the year.
The 2nd half of 2009 promises to bring some potential great ones, too… John Zorn’s O’o, Medeski Martin & Wood Radiolarians 3, Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane (possibly by November), Secret Chiefs 3 Book of Souls (maybe), a new Sufjan Stevens (just speculating, since it’s been a while), Ani DiFranco always has something coming out, Jon Madof’s CircuitBreaker debut (maybe) & another Rashanim, The Tango Saloon’s Transylvania (stateside release?), new Tristeza, Over the Rhine Live from Nowhere IV, George Hrab ‘s 6th album Trebuchet, Derek Webb‘s Stockholm Syndrome, SFJazz 2009 with Dave Douglas & Joe Lovano and others, A Perfect Circle internet only single releases (as mentioned back here), and a new Tool record (they’ve worked on it some, but I doubt it’ll hit until 2010)… and I’m sure another dozen or more that I’ll dig from Tzadik.
~Dan – np: Cut Chemist – The Audience’s Listening
again… Happy 233rd birthday, United States!
This July 4th, celebrate Sarah Palin resigning as Alaskan governor!
Isis, Geo 100, and a Secret DVD
A trio of music news about Isis, George Hrab, and the Secret Chiefs 3…
As foretold in Pitchfork, post-metal band Isis is due out with their follow-up to the amazingly great In the Absence of Truth (2006) on May 5th on Ipecac Recordings. The release is April 21 for the special edition vinyl. Wavering Point is their 5th full-length album, and it features TOOL guitarist Adam Jones on a coupe of songs. The blurb in Pitchfork cracked me up…
And this is just a wild guess, but I’m thinking most of the songs will start out really quiet and pretty and they they’ll get epically loud and crunchy and they’ll last for about eight minutes. Call me crazy.
…because it’s true.
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George Hrab‘s Geologic Podcast (i.e.- the best free thing on the internets) just turned 100. With one every week (give or take), that’s roughly 2 solid years of putting out an almost album’s worth of comedy and musical goodness every stinkin’ week!? Check him out:
http://geologicpodcast.com/
http://geologicrecords.com/
Oh, and he’s working on album #6… which is oh so nice…
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And according to the prophecies and the motto of “screen shot or it didn’t happen,” I present you with this gem of “based on their track record, it probably won’t actually come out on time“… the Secret Chiefs 3 have a live DVD coming out in “March” on Web of Mimicry:
We shall see…
~Dan – np: Baby Animals – Shaved and Dangerous
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
Amazon.com mp3 downloads
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