Archive
The Book of Knots – Garden of Fainting Stars
Update 6/3: this album is now up for pre-order.
Update 6/27: original packaging concept for the album by Aaron Lazar of Tzgani Design.
Just tooling around Ipecac today… and what? New album from The Book of Knots? The official PR follows…
The Book Of Knots has had the pleasure of collaborating with some of the worlds most talented musicians, including Tom Waits, Mike Patton, David Thomas, Blixa Bargeld, Jon Langford, and Carla Bozulich.
Founding members Matthias Bossi (Skeleton Key, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), Joel Hamilton (producer/engineer for BlakRoc, Pretty Lights), Carla Kihlstedt (Tin Hat Trio, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum) and Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu, Frank Black, Bob Mould) forge a sound both epic and intimate, empowering and devastating. 
Cinematic, symphonic landscapes give way to crumbling acoustic chamber ballads. Broken guitars and beautifully warped orchestras describe the ungraceful demise of boats, blast furnaces and bloated industries. Accounts of the failed adventures of tragic would-be heroes are given voice in the band’s two previous critically-acclaimed releases.
Their newest album serves as the final chapter in the bands “By Sea, By Land, By Air” trilogy. GARDEN OF FAINTING STARS, slated for release by Ipecac Recordings on June 14th, 2011, gives dissonant sendoffs to the doomed travelers and early astronauts that plied the skies in a quest for the final frontier: Space.
The imagined utopias that await them at the other end of their fantastical journeys inevitably give way to the grim realization which mankind has faced again and again: at every hopeful turn, commonplace realities await us. A vast and empty universe, stretching far beyond infinity, capable of containing the countless imaginary creatures, civilizations, and otherwise terrestrial impossibilities that inhabit our dreams, dies in the fluorescent lighting of the laundry soap aisle at WalMart.
The Book Of Knots once again cast a wormless, rusty hook into the lifeless seas of the music industry, expecting to reap only sorrow.
~Dan – np: Tides from Nebula – Earthshine 
Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane – North American Tour
Update July 2011: it looks as though funding fell short for a North American Mondo Cane tour for 2011.
Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane was one of the absolute best albums of 2010… and by far the best packaged piece of musical art. He took it on the road for a few European dates and a San Francisco date in 2010, but sadly nothing else. Well, just announced on Cyro Baptista’s Facebook page and confirmed on Patton’s PR firm The Agency Group’s bio page (quote below), Mondo Cane will be at New York City’s Lincoln Center (in August – no specific date yet) with a North American tour as well:
Upcoming appearances include a concert at Lincoln Center with John Zorn, presented by New York City Opera, and a North American tour of Mondo Cane.
I’m hoping there is a good West Coast date or two… Portland? Seattle? Vancouver? Hell, I’ll even hit San Francisco if I can. No word on dates yet, but once they’re announced, be sure I’ll post them! Note: There is already a confirmed date in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 17, 2011.
If you don’t know about Mondo Cane – it’s not like Mike Patton’s other work (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Tomahawk, et cetera). It’s his 50s Italian pop big band group… listen to some samples over on the Amazons:
~Dan – np: Blackfield – Welcome to My DNA
New Incubus album (is done)
I like Incubus.
Sure, they started as a Mr Bungle wannabe band (Fungus Amongus), and morphed into a Faith No More wannabe band (SCIENCE / Make Yourself), and then morphed into a quite popular mainstream rock band (Morning View/etc), and then their last studio work was mainly instrumental (the CD companion to the Look Alive DVD). Brandon Boyd is a great vocalist (a la MB/FNM’s Mike Patton) plus he’s dreamy (yeah, he’s on my switch team), Mike Einziger is an interesting guitarist/composer (straddling rock and avant-garde), DJ Kilmore brings some flavorful turntablism to the mix, and the rest of the guys hold it down mighty fine… mighty fine, indeed.
This just got posted to their webpage…
The long awaited 6th studio album from Incubus is completed! True to the Incubus legacy, this record is nothing like its predecessor, but still maintains the quintessential Incubus vibe. Stay tuned for more updates from Enjoyincubus.com.
Woot. There are also plans for Pacific Rim touring in 2011, and U.S. tour this summer… per Brandon Boyd’s recent interview on Noisecreep, he believes that the new Incubus album will be out in August or September. No official release date has been announced.
Update 4/1 (not expected as an April Fool’s Day joke):
Incubus sent out an email on 4/1 with a link to a website (http://adolescents.enjoyincubus.com/). The website is merely a splash page with “Adolescents / If Not Now, When? 4/4 6pm PST” on it. Is Adolescents the name of the album? Something else? Check that page on 4/4/11 @ 6pm (PST) to find out…
~Dan – np: Glen Phillips – Live at Largo
Clint Mansell hints at show with Mike Patton
This to this FNM blog and this interview in The Quietus, here’s a news snippet about a potential collaboration 
between movie score master Clint Mansell [Pop Will Eat Itself, Nine Inch Nails, Black Swan] and Mike Patton [Faith No More, Mr Bungle, Mondo Cane, etc]…
Do you do much work for other outlets like computer games? Mike Patton, for example, has most recently voiced The Darkness.
CM: I’m doing a video game this year actually. Mass Effect 3. Funnily enough, talking about Mike, we’ve exchanged emails about the possibility of doing a show featuring the Quartet and people they’ve collaborated with. It’d be a Kronos show, with different rooms for other people to do their thing, then bringing it all together. It’s pretty cool-sounding.
I’m definitely interested in different outlets – that’s one of the reasons I get involved in short films. It’s not so much that I can experiment as it is to be in a situation where nobody’s looking over your shoulder. Short films are usually made by young people and they’ve got ideas I can bounce off. They can take me in a different direction.
If any news develops, I’ll post about it…
~Dan – np: OutKast – Idlewild
* Favorite Vocal Albums of 2010 *
Disclaimer: No, I haven’t heard all 8,000+albums released this year. I’ve heard about 120 of them, which makes me at least 98.5% likely to be wrong. I make no claims to objectivity. These albums are my favorites from 2010. You might think that the one you’ve heard that I haven’t heard is the best album of 2010. And you might be right. And, I while I generally agree with John Roderick about Year-End Lists, I still find it quite fun to compile my own.
I’ve been buying less music… or, at least a lot less mainstream (major label) music. This is also my third year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. For that reason, the favorite vocal albums list goes first this go ’round. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, SpaceBook & MyFace pages, yadda yadda yadda. A lot of these also made it on to my 2010 Mix CD.
OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Honorable Mentions: Finger Eleven‘s Life Turns Electric, Gnashing of Teeth‘s Walking the Appian Way, Kaki King‘s Junior, Kim Taylor‘s Little Miracle (out late Dec ’09 digitally), and That1Guy & the Magic Pipe‘s Packs A Wallop!…
 |
 The Weepies – Be My Thrill (Nettwerk) :: Lush singer-songwriter husband/wife duo from Northern California. Syrup-y sweet & poppy, but regardless of my penchant normally against those types of things – The Weepies do it up right. A superb piece of well-crafted pop.     |
 |
 Chali 2Na – Fish Market Part 2 (Decon) :: Another great solo outing from my favorite rapper from Jurassic 5. This is Chali’s 3rd solo album, and while the sound and vibe hasn’t changed much – his consistency is most what I like about him. Hard hitting, booming voice, witting lyricism, and generally moving into more positive territory (he’s not a “bitches and hoes”-type of rapper). |
 |
 Caedmon’s Call – Raising the Dead (INO) :: I’ve been a fan of Caedmon’s Call for going on fifteen years. I’ve stuck with them through some (personal opinion) lackluster lyricism after the departure of my favorite Caedmon’s songwriter – Derek Webb. He came back to produce and be in the band for this one; and quite frankly, I think this is their best record since 40 Acres. Lyrically, it still has a religious bent; but being in a minority of “non-Christian Caedmon’s Call fans,” I still didn’t find it cringe-worthy like most “contemporary Christian music.” |
 |
 Redbird – Live at Café Carpe (Signature Sounds) :: Peter Mulvey, Jeffrey Foucault, Kris Delmhorst and David “Goody” Goodrich put out a great studio album of covers and originals in 2003. At the recent Mulvey/Foucault live shows this fall, they announced this new release. This new release is the live equivalent of the debut seven years ago (but different material) – a great mix of covers of people that influenced them, as well as a few of their own originals. Vocal duties split between Mulvey, Foucault & Delmhorst. I hope they are able to tour behind this in 2011. |
 |
 Ty Tabor – Something’s Coming (Molken) :: I’m a big fan of King’s X. As a trio, they put out a wall of sound, and a big component of their brilliance is Ty Tabor’s stellar guitar-work. His solo work also features his Beatles-esque vocals on top of his southern-grungy-rock sound. 2010 also saw the release of Ty’s Trip Magnet side solo project, Jelly Jam’s Additives bonus material, and the studio time with Jelly Jam (with John Myung & Rod Morgenstein) for their upcoming 3rd record. Whew, he’s been busy. |
 |
 Ben Folds & Nick Hornby – Lonely Avenue (Nonesuch) :: I’m ambivalent about Ben Folds. I never know if I’ll like it; so I put off getting it. Then I get it and love it. This record was a collaboration between Ben and author Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, etc). The lyrics are a little jumpier to me (Nick’s style versus Ben’s style), but it still feels very much like a Ben Folds record. They also feature a bonus song (iTunes version) with “video song” heroes Pomplamoose. |
 |
 Jeanne Cherhal – Charade (Barclay FR) :: I first heard Jeanne Cherhal when we picked up her second album (Douze fois par an) when in Toulouse, France, for my MBA program in 2004. Only available in France, I’ve managed to get her albums via Amazon.fr (good thing the buttons are in roughly the same spot). I still don’t know what she’s saying, but I dig her style. |
 |
 S (Jenn Ghetto) – I’m Not As Good At It As You (Own Records) :: Carissa’s Wierd [sic] front woman promised this 3rd ‘S’ record back in… oh, 2007?? It was worth the wait. Haunting lyrics and vocals, simple yet complex acoustic guitar (that hearkens back to Elliott Smith). Bright emo and depressing pop music. Carissa’s Wierd also put out a retrospective (with a couple new tunes) and a small handful of West coast dates. Who knows – maybe they’ll get active again in the near future? I could dig it… |
 |
 Greydon Square – The Kardashev Scale (self) :: A little more mature in lyricism compared to The CPT Theorem. Perhaps it’s due to putting some of the ‘Rational Response Squad’ fighting behind him. Greydon, the foremost atheist rapper, made his 3rd record into what I think to be his most consistent. It’s solid, smart and superlative-worthy. |
 |
 Damien Jurado – Saint Bartlett (Secretly Canadian) :: I got into Damien Jurado via the Seattle-based melancholy, indie singer-songwriter scene (i.e.- Pedro the Lion / David Bazan). While similar in general geography and friendship, Damien strikes me as more of a pure “songwriter” when compared to David’s social critique set to music. Saint Bartlett fits well into Damien’s oeuvre. At a show this past February (6 months before the album came out), I hardly knew any of the songs but felt as though I did. That’s a testament to his craft. |
 |
 Clogs – The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton (Brassland) :: I first saw Clogs at MusicNow 2007 (in Cincinnati). Padma Newsome and Bryce Dessner (of The National) know how to make some interesting chamber pop. The album (as with the live premiere in 2007) features Sufjan Stevens and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond). It’s quite a lush record – as the title suggests. |
 |
 Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People (Asthmatic Kitty) :: Two albums in 2010, Sufjan’s 50+ minute “EP” hit us first. Beautiful and haunting in “The Owl and the Tanager” and primarily experimental and adventurous throughout, especially compared to his older material. Originally only released online via bandcamp, the EP saw physical form (CD & vinyl) earlier this month. I’m bummed Sufjan nixed future “State” albums, but I’m still glad with his 2010 output. |
 |
 George Hrab – Trebuchet (self) :: George Hrab creates one of my favorite podcasts ever… the Geologic Podcast. It’s not about geology. It’s about science, skepticism, and his general life as a musician from Bethlehem, PA. He is both humorous and intelligent, and he puts out great albums as well. Trebuchet is his 6th studio album, and it features some great instrumental songs as well as some witty numbers fitting his skeptical, atheistic viewpoint. One of my favorite songs on it is “A Small Comfort,” which is about the death of his dog Oscar. I also give George some kudos for kicking off his album with the Christopher Hitchens’ inspired “God Is Not Great” (an atheist pop song). Bravo! |
 |
 Damien & Drake Jurado – Hoquiam (St. Ives) :: Short and sweet and beautiful. My only gripe with this record… well, it wasn’t made available on CD, and the vinyl didn’t include a free download code for the mp3’s. Industry standard practice aside, the Jurado brothers put out some fantastic music. I borrowed a vinyl-to-mp3 device from my friend; so I could enjoy it on my iPod as well. So, my gripes have been abated. |
 |
 Ellery – This Isn’t Over Yet (Set Adrift) :: Ellery is one of my favorite things in Cincinnati… I miss being able to see them multiple times a year (sad face). Husband/wife duo of Justin & Tasha Golden craft singer-songwriter pop songs… usually layered nicely on their albums with the help of producer, knob-twiddler Ric Hordinski (of Over the Rhine fame). This album, they switched it up with Malcolm Burn at the helm (Daniel Lanois / Bob Dylan / Iggy Pop / Kaki King / Emmylou Harris / etc). |
 |
 Nellie McKay – Home Sweet Mobile Home (Verve) :: Nellie McKay’s move to Verve (instead of Sony) has been good for her. They seem to give her free reign to put out Doris Day cover albums one year and an album of originals the next. HSMH is a return to the quirky, diverse collection of songs that drove me to fall in love with her. The album is full of Nellie’s modern piano jazz-pop, ukulele ditties, and even a pro-animal reggae tune. The album has grown on me nicely, and I’m looking forward to more Nellie in the near future. She seems to be in a period of prolificity as of late. This is greatly welcomed. |
 |
 Jónsi – Go (XL) :: Sigur Rós-frontman’s debut solo album was going to be an acoustic affair, and then it turned into a lushly produced, Rós-ian opus with a multimedia firestorm of a tour (two U.S. legs with stunning stage design by 59 Productions). Jónsi is superbly brilliant and and ambivalently hyper-sensitively shy individual (ex. his abrupt cancellation of in-store performance tour) and boisterous-acting performer (ex. his magnificent stageshow). This album makes me excited for more solo work in the future, but I hope his day job with Sigur Rós is not on hold for too much longer. |
 |
 Sarah Kirkland Snider & Shara Worden – Penelope (New Amsterdam) :: Chamber pop featuring Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) is a theme this year (see #10). Quite frankly, I think Shara Worden has one of the best voices in indie rock. Period. Sarah Kirkland Snider is a new musical force for me… she originally wrote Penelope as music for a theater piece and then debuted it as a song cycle with Signal in May 2009. When Shara came aboard, Sarah revised and expanded the songs yet again, tailoring them to Shara’s talents and arranging them for a 25-person orchestra of strings, harp, percussion, drums, electric guitar and bass, and electronics (with sound design by Michael Hammond). It is gorgeous. |
 |
 Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz (Asthmatic Kitty) :: His second album of the year, The Age of Adz is a odd musical assembly. At first I didn’t know what to think of it, then I started to like it, and then after seeing him live – I truly loved the album. For those previously familiar with Sufjan, this album may not fit easily in with his prior albums – but I think if you have an open mind and a desire to explore, you may very well fall in love with this record as well. |
 |
 Mike Patton – Mondo Cane (Ipecac) :: Mike Patton of Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk, Fantômas, et cetera is known for more boisterous, left of center fare. With Mondo Cane, he classes up the joint that is Ipecac Records. Mondo Cane, named after the film, is Mike’s homage to 50s Italian pop songs. He croons some classic Italian songs with the backing of the Orchestra Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini conducted by Aldo Sisillo. The artwork, in both CD digipack and vinyl, is stupendous. This is a magnificent record – both aurally and visually. |
Top 20 instrumental albums coming up later this week…
My Other Favorites of 2010 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts & Photos of ‘10 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave EPs/Vinyl/Live/DVDs/more of ‘10 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Instrumental Albums 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: Kevin Moore – Shine
2010 mix
Time for this years mix CD… check out 2009’s over here. No major theme this time like prior mixes… the only rule I placed before myself was that everything is current (i.e.- released in 2010).
The following songs were put on the mix CD from 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, MyFace & Spacebook (whether official or not), and Amazon links are available for each song below. I’ve also included concert review links if I’ve seen the artist recently.
If you want one of these mix CDs, message me (see my “About” page).
PDF front liner is available HERE (designed to print double-sided).
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
01 Mike Patton “Il Cielo In Una Stanza” from Mondo Cane
Mike Patton of Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk, Fantômas, et cetera is known for more boisterous, left of center fare. With Mondo Cane, he classes up the joint that is Ipecac Records. Mondo Cane, named after the film, is Mike’s homage to 50s Italian pop songs. He croons some classic Italian songs with the backing of the Orchestra Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini conducted by Aldo Sisillo. The artwork, in both CD digipack and vinyl, is stupendous. This is a magnificent record – both aurally and visually. It’ll rank near the top of my upcoming year-end lists…
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
02 Charlotte Gainsbourg & Beck “IRM” from IRM
IRM came out in late November 2009 – which was after I had done last year’s mix; so I’m sneaking it into this year’s mix. Beck collaborated with singer/actress Charlotte on the whole album (outside of one song). It’s a nice poppy-electronic mix… some French tunes as well (her father is French musical legend Serge Gainsbourg). The album and track were inspired by her head trauma in 2007 (“IRM” is the French acronym synonymous with what we call an “MRI machine” in the US). My favorite part may be that the IRM delivers rhythmic support to the track.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
03 Ellery “Pieces (live)” original from This Isn’t Over Yet
This version is from Ellery’s live album that preceded their wonderful 2nd studio album that hit this year. Ellery is one of my favorite things in Cincinnati… I miss being able to see them multiple times a year (sad face). Husband/wife duo of Justin & Tasha Golden craft singer-songwriter pop songs… usually layered nicely on their albums with the help of producer, knob-twiddler Ric Hordinski (of Over the Rhine fame). This album is with Malcolm Burn at the helm (Daniel Lanois / Bob Dylan / Iggy Pop / Kaki King / Emmylou Harris / etc).
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
04 Comic Wow “Nice Chaps” from Library Catalog Music Series: Music for Mysteries of Mind Space and Time
Asthmatic Kitty’s Library Catalog Music Series (LCMS) is much more hit than miss. There have been a couple albums that didn’t interest me for multiple listens, but Comic Wow’s settled nicely from the get go. LCMS (as a series) is made up of instrumental albums designed for possible use in films and television, background sounds for home or office. Per the P.R., “Comic Wow are sonic illustrators, alchemists, designers, dilettantes’, poets, teachers, Socialists, and outdoorsmen whose advocacy of affordable colored cod pieces helped influence the look of thirty-third century America.” Whatever you call it, I like it.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
05 Holy Fuck “Red Lights” from Latin
Despite what you think of their choice of band name, these Toronto band continue to put out great, groove-infused live electronic music that is both experimental and a poppy-force in the indie rock movement. Latin, their third full length album, grabbed me immediately when it came out this past May… and it’s #1 with a bullet as far as instrumental albums go in 2010. To top it off, they swung through Oregon twice this year (both excellent shows), and they put out quite possibly the cutest video for the raddest song (“Red Lights” – click the kitty to the right). The video now has over 1,000,000 views on the YouTubes. Only 900,000 views are from me.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
06 Damien Jurado “Beacon Hill” from Saint Bartlett
I got into Damien Jurado via the Seattle-based melancholy, indie singer-songwriter scene (i.e.- Pedro the Lion / David Bazan). While similar in general geography and friendship, Damien strikes me as more of a pure “songwriter” when compared to David’s social critique set to music. Saint Bartlett fits well into Damien’s oeuvre. At a show this past February (6 months before the album came out), I hardly knew any of the songs but felt as though I did. That’s a testament to his craft.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
07 Jeanne Cherhal “Certains Animaux” from Charade
I first heard Jeanne Cherhal when we picked up her second album (Douze fois par an) when in Toulouse, France, for my MBA program in 2004. Only available in France, I’ve managed to get her albums via Amazon.fr (good thing the buttons are in roughly the same spot). I still don’t know what she’s saying, but I dig her style.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
08 Nellie McKay “The Portal” from Home Sweet Mobile Home
Nellie McKay’s move to Verve (instead of Sony) has been good for her. They seem to give her free reign to put out Doris Day cover albums one year and an album of originals the next. HSMH is a return to the quirky, diverse collection of songs that drove me to fall in love with her. “The Portal” is one of the mellower tunes from the album… the rest of the album is full of Nellie’s modern piano jazz-pop, ukulele ditties, and even a pro-animal reggae tune. The album has grown on me nicely, and I’m looking forward to more Nellie in the near future. She seems to be in a period of prolificity as of late. This is greatly welcomed.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
09 Puscifer “The Humbling River (Duet Mix)” from C is for… EP
When Tool / A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan isn’t rocking with those bands (both had touring activity this year), he’s usually tending to his grapes or noodling around on some mildly offensive, but well-crafted music with his other side-project Puscifer. The C is for… EP actually came out last year, but since it was digital only at that stage and since the 2010 CD & vinyl releases contained a touch of new material – it fits the criteria for this year’s compilation. He also put out new mixes / remixes for the Blood Into Wine documentary (about the Arizona wine scene). That record is called Sounds Into Blood Into Wine. As I type this, I actually got a call from my local Eugene Oregon wine/beer shop (16tons). They have my Caduceus/Merkin order in stock… so, coincidentally, I’ll be dropping some major coin on some of Maynard’s wine very shortly… glug glug.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
10 Haftor Medbøe Group “Pneumatic” from A Box of Monkeys EP
This is another record that came out in late 2009… but I got it in 2010 and iTunes recognized it as 2010 (plus it was too late to be stricken from the CD mix rolls, as I liked it too much). The track faatures some nice guitar-based jazz, and the EP also features some songs with vocals that aren’t too unlike Björk or Under Byen (also known as “a-OK with me”). It’s a delightful EP that put Haftor on my radar… for good.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
11 Sufjan Stevens “Futile Devices” from The Age of Adz
The first Sufjan track that made its way onto this 2010 compilation comes from his second release from 2010. The Age of Adz is a odd musical assembly. At first I didn’t know what to think of it, then I started to like it, and then after seeing him live – I truly loved the album. This song is actually one of the songs that I fell in love with right away. For those not familiar with Sufjan, this track fits better with some of his earlier work and not so much with Adz as a whole. But I think if you have an open mind and a desire to explore, you may very well fall in love with this record as well.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
12 AutorYno “Overture Automatique” from Pastrami Bagel Social Club
I am fans of some of the other Jewish rock acts on John Zorn’s Tzadik label: like Eyal Maoz’s Edom, Jon Madof’s Rashanim, and Yoshie Fruchter’s Pitom. The description for this AutorYno debut from Tzadik was “a wild klezmer/rock fusion by this crazed band of Paris-born punk rockers… AutorYno hits with a hardedged sound and an exciting musical imagination. Full of youthful energy, massive guitar and centered by a powerful beat, they present eleven instrumentals that combine the power of rock with a taste of Jewish tradition.” Regardless of Tzadik’s usual/expected hyperbole, I couldn’t not get it. I’m glad I did, and I will say that it will rank high amongst my instrumental finds in 2010.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
13 Glen Phillips “The Innocent” from Tornillo
The voice of Toad the Wet Sprocket has been putting out some fantastic albums since his first solo album (2000’s Abulum). Tornillo was recorded in 2003 with David Garza, but was shelved / lost. Many of the songs were re-recorded and put out on 2005’s Winter Pays For Summer (a favorite of mine). Regardless of some of the songs making their way out to the fans, there are still some never-before-released gems on here. Glen put it out about a month ago via his bandcamp page. $7. A total steal.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
14 Beats Antique “Egyptic” from Blind Threshold
I got to see Zoe Jakes of Beats Antique twice this year… once with Beats Antique during Eugene Celebration, and once with the Indigo Bellydance troupe as part of their Le Serpent Rouge tour. She had a knee in a brace during Eugene Celebration; so she lended her stage presence to additional percussion instead of dance – which was unfortunate. Beats Antique is a bellydance-friendly, electronic and live instrument band from the Bay Area. Elements of Balkan music and tribal-fusion dance music. “Egyptic” is indicative of their infectuous sound.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
15 The Weepies “Empty Your Hands” from Be My Thrill
Syrupy singer-songwriter pop is not my bailiwick, but I do find myself drawn to it on occasion. I guess even my CD collection needs a “rom-com” soundtrack every now and again. The Weepies write well-crafted songs about love and life. It’s hard to say anything bad about them.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
16 Jónsi “Kolniður” from Go
Sigur Rós-frontman’s debut solo album was going to be an acoustic affair, and then it turned into a lushly produced, Rós-ian opus with a multimedia firestorm of a tour (two U.S. legs with stunning stage design by 59 Productions). Jónsi is superbly brilliant and and ambivalently hyper-sensitively shy individual (ex. his abrupt cancelation of in-store performance tour) and boisterous-acting performer (ex. his magnificent stageshow). This album makes me excited for more solo work in the future, but I hope his day job with Sigur Rós is not on hold for too much longer.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
17 George Hrab “Hai Yookito ‘Ya” from Trebuchet
George Hrab creates one of my favorite podcasts ever… the Geologic Podcast. It’s not about geology. It’s about science, skepticism, and his general life as a musician from Bethlehem, PA. He is both humorous and intelligent, and he puts out great albums as well. Trebuchet is his 6th studio album, and it features some great instrumental songs as well as some witty numbers fitting his skeptical, atheistic viewpoint. One of my favorite songs on it is “A Small Comfort,” which is about the death of his dog Oscar. I’d put it on a mix CD, but it honestly makes me cry everytime I hear it. I also give George some kudos for kicking off his album with the Christopher Hitchens’ inspired “God Is Not Great” (an atheist pop song). Bravo!
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
18 Kaki King “Falling Day” from Junior
Kaki King is a guitar phenom, and this is her second album in a row that seems to be moving more towards turning into a more vocal, indie rock songstress. It’s still full of her amazing guitarwork, but brings in a whistful lyricism. I’m still getting used to her “vocal legs,” but I like what I hear so far.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
19 John Zorn’s The Dreamers “Hashul” from Masada Book Two: Book of Angels, Vol. 14 (Ipos)
Let’s just put this out there now… with thirteen albums and a DVD out in 2010, John Zorn might seem to have more misses than hits. Well, I don’t think there’s been a more consistent set of songs than his Masada songs, and there hasn’t been a more consistently great series than the Masada Book Two series (Zorn’s Masada songs covered by others). The Dreamers is a supergroup, too: Marc Ribot, Joey Baron, Cyro Baptista, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn and Jamie Saft – pillars in the adventurous, downtown NYC scene.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
20 Sufjan Stevens “The Owl and the Tanager” from All Delighted People EP
This is my favorite song from Sufjan’s 50+ minute “EP” from earlier this year. Beautiful and haunting, and again, not as characteristic of the rest of the EP, which seems more experimental and adventurous compared to “Owl” or his older material. Originally only released online via bandcamp, the EP saw physical form (CD & vinyl) earlier this month. I’m looking forward to spinning the vinyl when it hits my front porch.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
Let me know what you think…
unfortunately missing (due to space or flow limitations, or that I simply didn’t get them in the mail yet): Kevin Moore’s Shine, Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl)’s Acoustic Sessions, Mogwai’s Special Moves/Burning, Zero 7’s Record… and John Zorn’s Moonchild Trio Ipsissimus, because I didn’t want to scare you. Oh well, those may make it on my “favorite albums” of 2010 list.
~Dan – np: Radiohead – 101010 (aka OK Computer & In Rainbows cross-fade mix)
for more on the Radiohead cross-fade mix, check out Puddlegum
there are no torrents, free mp3 or other downloads available
Faith No More & Sparks (live last night)
A lot of bands put out special one-off collaborations. Not many actually perform those one-off songs in a live setting.
Well, Faith No More‘s collaboration with Sparks called “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For the Both of Us” is one of my favorite b-sides of theirs. They did it last night at the Los Angeles Paladium show (Dec 1, 2010)… with Sparks…
Officially, surprisingly MORE jealous of those who went – as this seems legendary. FYI, the recorded version was released as a UK single and on Sparks’ Plagiarism album.
~Dan – np: Faith No More vs. Sparks – This Town Ain’t Big Enough
Tango Saloon with Mike Patton (video)
How did I miss this video for two years?
Cartoon animation (from the Portuguese cartoon O Vampiro Turma da Monica) to the Tango Saloon song “Dracula Cha Cha” featuring Mike Patton on vocals.
“Dracula Cha Cha” comes from Tango Saloon’s Transylvania (out in 2008 – which hasn’t appeared stateside, yet). Mike Patton (whose Ipecac label released the Tango Saloon’s debut album in the U.S.) is only featured on the one track. Patton fans, don’t discount that… the entire album is pretty great.
I got my copy via the Amazons… for not too hefty a price (but now it’s ludicrous). you may have better luck contacting bandleader Julian Curwin directly (via one of his MySpace pages).
~Dan – np: Medeski Martin & Wood – Stone: Issue 4
Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane vinyl (photos)
Mike Patton posted these shots of the Mondo Cane vinyl to his Facebook page yesterday. It’s lookin’ niiiiiiice! It’s also limited edition; so if you haven’t ordered it – get on that soon!
Pretty!
~Dan – np: Peter Mulvey – Glencree
Mondo Cane on Vinyl
One of the best records out this year is Mike Patton‘s Mondo Cane. You may know Mike Patton for Faith No More, Mr Bungle, or other avant-garde projects… well, Mondo Cane was recorded at a series of European performances, this album features traditional Italian pop songs as well as a rendition of Ennio Morricone’s “Deep Down.” Sung in Italian, Patton worked with a full orchestra and choir to create the unique new sound. There will only be 5,000 made of the triple-gatefold 180g vinyl.
It comes out November 22nd, and it’s available for pre-order NOW on Amazon.
~Dan – np: Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People
Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane in SF
Wanderlusting took some fantastic photos of Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane show at San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival this past weekend… check ’em out (click the picture below for more):
Stubbadubb also posted a photo of Mr Bungle / Secret Chiefs 3 frontman Trey Spruance playing guitar with Mondo Cane. Here’s hoping Mike and Trey keep up the showing up in the same places together… :)
Also, here’s some video of the show…
I’m so jealous… wish I could have gone…
~Dan – np: The Weepies – Be My Thrill
ha’fway 2010
Happy 234th birthday, United States!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
So, here are my faves of the first half of 2010… it’s all bound to switch around by year’s end:
Artist – Album (label)
- Holy Fuck – Latin (Young Turks)
- Jónsi – Go (XL)
- Mike Patton – Mondo Cane (Ipecac)
- Ellery – This Isn’t Over Yet (Set Adrift)
- Charlie Hunter – Gentlemen, I Neglected To Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid (Spire Artist Media)
- George Hrab – Trebuchet (Geologic)
- Damien Jurado – Saint Bartlett (Secretly Canadian)
- AutorYno – Pastrami Bagel Social Club (Tzadik)
- Clogs (with Shara Worden & Sufjan Stevens) – The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton (Brassland)
- Tin Hat – Foreign Legion (BAG Production)
- The Dreamers play John Zorn‘s Masada Book Two: Ipos, Book of Angels, Vol. 14 (Tzadik)
- Charlotte Gainsbourg & Beck – IRM (Elektra)
- Kaki King – Junior (Rounder)
- Jeanne Cherhal – Charade (Barclay)
- Loose Grip – Looking Glass (Fabrikant)
I didn’t get a few that already came out this year (yet)… the new Chali 2Na, David Cross, Hiromi, Johnny Cash, Beak>, et cetera; but they may make it to the list at the end of the year.
The 2nd half of 2010 promises to bring some potential great ones, too… a few more from John Zorn, Nellie McKay (in the fall), Over the Rhine‘s new one (or maybe that’s early 2011), Zero 7‘s new one, Secret Chiefs 3 Book of Souls (maybe), a new Sufjan Stevens (just speculating, I know he’s working on one), Ani DiFranco always has something coming out, Dave Douglas’ Spark of Being (Trilogy), probably something from one of Mike Patton‘s other bands, and I’m sure another dozen or more that I’ll dig from Tzadik.
Favorite concerts of 2010 (so far):
- Dave Douglas’ Brass Ecstasy – PDX Jazz Fest, Portland, Feb 28th
- Tegan & Sara – Keller Auditorium, Portland, Apr 8th
- Jónsi – Roseland Theater, Portland, Apr 13th
- Kaki King – CD World, Eugene, May 16th
- Holy Fuck – Mississippi Studios, Portland, June 6th
- Zappa Plays Zappa – McDonald Theatre, Eugene, June 12th
- Pink Martini – Oregon Bach Festival, Eugene, June 26th(click pictures below for review links)
~Dan – np: Melvins – The Bride Screamed Murder
Mondo Cane – pre-order
Quick post… Mike Patton‘s Mondo Cane is now available for pre-order… due out May 4th on Ipecac.
~Dan – np: Tegan & Sara – The Con
no free download or mp3 / flac torrent available. support music by buying it.
Mondo Cane Album Art
Expected out on Ipecac from Mike Patton… Mondo Cane now has album art:
My review and pictures from the Fishtank Ensemble house show from last night in Eugene to be posted soon…
~Dan – np: Bill Frisell – Rambler
Faith No More – Coachella 2010
So… the first Faith No More reunion tour U.S. date is on the interweb news wire…
They will be playing Saturday, April 17, 2010 at the Coachella Festival in Indio, CA. I won’t be able to go, but I hope they do a full U.S. tour this spring as well.
Source: http://www.coachella.com/updates/news/2010lineup
There are TONS of other great bands at Coachella this year: Porcupine Tree, Dillinger Escape Plan, Yann Tiersen, Coheed & Cambria, Thom Yorke, Sia, Fever Ray, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sunny Day Real Estate, One eskimO, and more…
~Dan – np: Miho Hatori – Ecdysis
MONDO CANE!
Reblogged from Stubbadub, a Mondo Cane news snippet from Greg Werckman (Mike Patton’s co-partner/co-founder of Ipecac Recordings):
“Got some cool upcoming releases. Just released BEAK> (a Portishead side project), releasing a DJ Rob Swift solo record in Feb, Mondo Cane, Mike Patton’s long awaited Italian pop project comes out in April, followed by new Melvins and more!
Sah-weet! It was supposed to come out in 2009, but got pushed back due to Mike’s Faith No More reunion touring. This album is gonna be excellent, 50’s Italian pop vocal goodness from Mike Patton.
~Dan – np: Nelly Furtado – Mi Plan
Artists of the Decade – 2000s (#11 to 20)
Artists of the Decade – Honorable Mentions (1/1/2010 blog link)
- Dweezil Zappa
- Tori Amos
- Celldweller
- Iron & Wine
- King’s X
- Derek Webb
Artists of the Decade (#21 to 25) (1/1/2010 blog link)
25 ~ Ben Folds (solo)
24 ~ Peter Mulvey
23 ~ Opeth
22 ~ dredg
21 ~ Holy Fuck
And now round 2…
~*~*~
20 ~ Pedro the Lion (and David Bazan solo)
Pedro the Lion released their two most powerful and poignant albums in the early 2000s (Control and Achilles Heel), then frontman David Bazan decided to disband PTL and go solo (though by the 2000s, the writing was primarily Bazan anyway with hired guns for studios and tours). Prior to his first full length solo album, he did a side project called Headphones, put out annual Christmas 7″ vinyls, and released a split electric/acoustic EP. At the end of the decade, he hit the ground running with his fantastic “breaking up with God” record, Curse Your Branches. He’s been touring in a solo fashion fairly regularly since 2007 or so and is going to hit the road again this coming spring…
~*~*~
19 ~ Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5 combined four well-versed, naturally flowing MCs (Chali 2Na, Soup, Marc7 & Akil) and two melodic, creative, musicianship-driven DJs (Cut Chemist and NuMark) to create some excellently catchy hip-hop and rap. What I loved about them is that they weren’t all about the “drugs and bitches” that the gangsta rap had just previously been all about (don’t get me wrong, I love Dr. Dre’s The Chronic from the 90s, but J5 tended to keep it positive and definitely more musically-inclined). All six members have gone on to do solo albums and/or side projects after the band’s official breakup in the late 2000s… my faves have been Cut Chemist’s The Audience’s Listening and Chali 2Na’s Fish Outta Water. I still long for a reunion record, and I bet it’ll happen… maybe in the 2010s?
~*~*~
18 ~ My Brightest Diamond
Shara Worden’s utterly gorgeous, operatic voice is almost too much for the indie rock scene. Almost. It seems to fit in perfectly with Sufjan Stevens’ quirky folk and her own lush My Brightest Diamond string-infused indie pop (and the subsequent remix LPs/EPs centered around her studio albums). In a live setting, her voice is powerful and sublime, and her stage presense is charming. If you can get ahold of her pre-MBD band CDs, do so (AwRy was the name of the band).
~*~*~
17 ~ Nellie McKay
Her debut, Get Away From Me, is a 2-disc / 18-song satirical, poignant, humorous & angsty romp. The tag-line of “Eminem meets Doris Day” rang true. She followed it up with a couple of more subdued albums with the occasional harder edge tune, and then by decade’s end, she released a Doris Day only album. It seems somewhere along the line, she lost the Eminem edge, but she ended up still topping my list with the more gentle album. Her live performance for the Doris Day material was fantastic – which definitely helped its appeal with me. She’s a vegetarian and animal rights activist, too… so, definitely on my friendly artists list.
~*~*~
16 ~ Secret Chiefs 3
Book M and Book of Horizons (both in the early 2000s) were SC3’s last officially “SC3 studio albums,” but since 2007, they have been busy with a handful of impressive 7″ vinyl singles, a “greatest hits” compilation, an amazing John Zorn Masada Book Two release in 2008 (Xaphan), a great concert DVD, a soundtrack to a made-up movie, and the ever-lasting promises of the Book of Souls (an album in the making… since… 2005?).
~*~*~
15 ~ Over the Rhine
In 2001, I think Over the Rhine made one of the best albums of their career… Films for Radio. They followed with a stunning double-album (Ohio), several solo albums by pianist Linford Detweiler, four live compilations, a few more pretty darn decent albums (including a new holiday album), and continual touring every spring & fall/winter. All in all, it was a pretty solid decade of a healthy work ethic. I’m curious what the 2010s will bring in the land of Over the Rhine. One can hope that they keep evolving.
~*~*~
14 ~ Mike Patton
Mr. Bungle broke up at the front end of the decade… but Mike continued on from Fantômas to Tomahawk to Lovage (with Dan the Automator & Elysian Fields’ Jennifer Charles) to Peeping Tom to multiple movie scores to many projects with John Zorn and back to Faith No More in 2009. As we lead into 2010, there are more Faith No More touring plans, more Fantômas plans, new bands Mondo Cane (50s Italian pop) and Crudo (DJ/rock-oriented), another Peeping Tom in 2011, and plenty else up his sleeve. Patton’s vocal versatility and hard work ethic make him one of my faves this past decade.
~*~*~
13 ~ Ani DiFranco
Similar to Tori Amos, the 1990s found a more consistently on her game Ani. While those days are gone, in the 2000s Ani kept delivering album after album after album and has way too many wins than loses, in my book. Revelling / Reckoning is quite possibly the most important release of her career (though not necessarily my favorite in this long oevre). She’s continually active and important in my musical world.
~*~*~
12 ~ Johnny Cash
This decade brought us American III, IV & V, and the Unearthed box set… all true genius from Johnny and Rick Rubin. The video for “Hurt” (a cover of the Nine Inch Nails song) is one of the most powerfully emotional videos I’ve ever seen (he really brought something new to that original NIИ song). If Rick Rubin never does anything important in the world of music ever again, he’ll still be the one who made Johnny Cash a legend (again).
~*~*~
11 ~ Dave Douglas
Founder of Greenleaf Music (a jazz label), and member of John Zorn’s Masada quartet… Dave Douglas is my #1 living trumpet player. My foray into a mega jazz love throughout the decade led me to be a fond admirer of Dave and his varied work. His various incarnations – the Quintet, Keystone, Brass Ecstasy, the Big Band, and more – show that he’s a hard worker. I can safely say, he’ll be back on this list in late 2019. :)
~*~*~
Tune in tomorrow for the final round…
My Other Favorites of 2009 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts of ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave EPs/Vinyl/Live/more of ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Vocal Albums ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Instrumental Albums ’09 are *HERE*
- Old Years: 2008I, 2008V, 2008ep, 2008C, 2007V, 2007I, 2007C, 2006, 2005
~Dan – np: Charlie Hunter – Gentlemen, I Neglected To Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid
Oh, and for those who say that the decade ends at the end of 2010… meh. I’m starting with 0 and ending with 9 (like a LOT of people). Rationale: the 80s, the 90s… you don’t say the 80s went from 1/1/1981 to 12/31/1990 or the 90s from 1/1/1991 to 12/31/2000.
2010 anticipated albums
So, the year end and decade end recaps are in process (the monkeys I ordered are in the back room typing away) … I needed something to fill the gap… here are some artists who are expecting to release new material in 2010, all of which I’m looking forward to…
The Album Leaf‘s A Chorus of Storytellers, My Brightest Diamond‘s Shark Remixes box set, Go from Jónsi Birgisson of Sigur Rós, French singer Jeanne Cherhal‘s Charade, George Hrab‘s Trebuchet, 12 new albums from John Zorn, Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane and hopefully Crudo (if they’re both not put off due to Faith No More reunion touring), Derek Webb‘s Democracy Vol 1 (and he’s even recording with Caedmon’s Call for a 2010 release or two), guitar phenom Kaki King, maybe the Secret Chiefs 3 will finally release Book of Souls (it’s their “Chinese Democracy”), Eisley & Perma (a side project with Sherri from Eisley), Ellery from Cincinnati, Ty Tabor of King’s X, A.N.M. featuring Doug Pinnick of King’s X and Jimi Hazel of 24-7 Spyz, Ken Andrew and Co’s Digital Noise Academy, Trent Reznor’s just announced new Nine Inch Nails album, Silverchair are working on one, Radiohead are hitting the studio (maybe something out by year’s end), and… Ani DiFranco – I mean, it’s inevitable… right?
Plus many more great albums due out in 2010, I’m sure.
~Dan – np: Skerik / Dead Kenny G’s – Bewildered Herd
Faith No More – U.S. Tour is in the planning phase…
Um… kick ass… Faith No More is planning a U.S. Tour as I type this… as reported on BrooklynVegan, here’s a repost of bassist Billy Gould’s tweet…
Stoked,
~Dan
Another Mike Patton Soundtrack
Mike Patton [Faith No More, Mr Bungle, Ipecac, etc] & Justin Broadrick [Godflesh] will contribute to the soundtrack for an upcoming Alan Moore photographic novel on Lex. This comes hot off the heals of Patton’s Crank 2 soundtrack…
Lex founder Tom Brown says that the deluxe release will include the book – which Brown describes as a “photographic novel” rather than a graphic novel like Moore’s “Watchmen” or “V for Vendetta” – as well as art prints, a two-hour audiobook recorded by Moore (possibly on a memory stick) and the soundtrack on vinyl. It is not yet clear if the soundtrack will get a separate release on CD or as a download, but Brown says he wants this to be a special release and was partly inspired by Radiohead’s deluxe version of “In Rainbows.”
~Dan – np: Death – Symbolic
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
Amazon.com mp3 downloads
Creative Commons
This blog and concert photos therein are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Available with Attribution for Non-Commercial, Non-Derivative Use.
pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news 