Archive
Porcupine Tree – Bonnie the Cat (video)
Check out the new, Tool-esque video for Porcupine Tree‘s “Bonnie the Cat” from 2009’s The Incident…
click for video at Roadrunner.com
It’s weird… the song didn’t even make me think of Tool, but now watching the CGI/Adam Jones–y stop-animation video, the bass line comes through more and the song definitely reminds me of Tool. Hmmm… I’d expect a little more originality from Steven Wilson & Co… well, at least they’re copying a band for which I have a lot of respect.
~Dan – np: Susan Enan – Plainsong 
Porcupine Tree’s Anesthetize DVD
Porcupine Tree‘s new live film is approaching completion and a special edition will be available in April, with a regular version to follow in May. Anesthetize was filmed live over 2 nights in Tilburg, The Netherlands in October 2008, at the end of the Fear of a Blank Planet tour. The 130 minute live film includes a complete performance of the Blank Planet album and 11 other tracks, and was directed and edited by Lasse Hoile on high definition cameras, with the soundtrack mixed into stereo and 5.1 sound.
The special edition will take the form of a cloth bound hard back 120 page book (as per The Incident and Insurgentes deluxe versions) featuring live photography of the band taken over the last 5 years. The book will house both a DVD and a much higher quality Blu-Ray disc version of the film, as well as 2 audio CDs of the soundtrack including one bonus track not featured in the film. The book and audio CDs will not be included with the standard retail versions of the Blu-Ray/DVD.
~Dan – np: I.E.M. – 1996-1999
Ty Tabor – Something’s Coming
King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor‘s next solo album, Something’s Coming, now has a release date and a song streaming over at tytabor.com and molkenmusic.com. It’s out on March 20, 2010 and is up for pre-order over at Molken.
Ty Tabor – Something’s Coming
Besides Ty’s usual fantastic guitarwork and vocals, it features Jimi Hazel and Rick Skatore from 24-7 Spyz, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal from Guns N’ Roses, and Wally Farkas of Galactic Cowboys and Xenuphobe.
Unrelated, the new boxset for Steven Wilson‘s Cover Versions showed up today. It’s fantastic!
Also, unrelated, Derek Webb (who I dig a bunch) just released his entire last album (Stockholm Syndrome) for free. It’s on Noise Trade for free until midnight on Thursday (2/25).
~Dan – np: Steven Wilson – Cover Versions VI
Steven Wilson Cover Versions boxset
Steven Wilson‘s 6th and final Cover Versions is finally coming out…
It comes with a special box to house all six discs. The CDs are available via Burning Shed or Headphone Dust. CV5 & CV6 will be out on 7″ vinyl from Tonefloat when they’re ready. For those that don’t know Steven Wilson… he’s the frontman of Porcupine Tree, co-leader of Blackfield and No-Man, and involved in many other side projects like IEM, Bass Communion, and more…
Two other quick newsbits…
The Maynard James Keenan (Tool/A Perfect Circle/Puscifer) & Eric Glomski documentary about Arizona wines, Blood Into Wine, is hitting limited silver screens in February. A DVD release is scheduled for May 2010. More info over at Blabbermouth.
Radiohead drummer Phil Selway is branching out and going on a solo tour in Italy/Spain/Portugal in March & April 2010. More info over at Paste.
Floss // Steven Wilson
2010… rollin’ in with some music news…
Floss, a jazz band that is part of Seattle’s Monktail Creative Music Concern, has a new album out called Vitamin A. It’s for sale at their shows… or for a limited time as a freebie on their website. Download it, and if you like what you hear, send them some coin (buy it)!
http://monktail.com/monknew/blog/archives/105
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson started his Cover Versions singles (CDR and 7″ vinyl) back in 2005. They are always one new SW song and one “mysterious” cover version (CV1 was Alanis Morissette’s “Thank You”). Coming the next few months will be the 6th and final CV release, complete with a box to house all six. SWHQ/Headphone Dust will have the CDs once available (no conclusive date was mentioned – – but the original SW song “An End to End” is now streaming on his MySpace page). ToneFloat Records will have the CV5 & CV6 vinyl singles once released.
~Dan – np: Medeski Martin & Wood – Live at Moog
Artists of the Decade – 2000s (#1 to 10)
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
Artists of the Decade (#11 to 20) (1/4/2010 blog link)
20 ~ Pedro the Lion (and David Bazan solo)
19 ~ Jurassic 5
18 ~ My Brightest Diamond
17 ~ Nellie McKay
16 ~ Secret Chiefs 3
15 ~ Over the Rhine
14 ~ Mike Patton
13 ~ Ani DiFranco
12 ~ Johnny Cash
11 ~ Dave Douglas
And now on to the final ten…
~*~*~
10 ~ Glen Phillips
At the turn of the decade / century / millenium, Glen’s band Toad the Wet Sprocket were breaking up. He went on to make several solo albums (Winter Pays For Summer being my fave thus far), several mostly brilliant side ventures (Plover, RemoteTreeChildren, WPA, Mutual Admiration Society), and even reunite with Toad for some tours. He’s as active as ever and also quite the tweeter (oft humorous / oft political).
~*~*~
9 ~ Porcupine Tree (and Steven Wilson projects)
Near the beginning of the decade, I was giving up on “prog rock.” Then a buddy told me about Porcupine Tree (thanks, SteveC). 2002’s In Absentia is amazing, and I quickly bought PT’s catalogue. The entire decade was full of Steven Wilson projects – whether Porcupine Tree or his many (and I mean many) side projects. Speaking of… Steven’s 6th and final Cover Versions CD and 7″ vinyl will be out sometime soon in the coming months.
~*~*~
8 ~ Sufjan Stevens
Illinoise was Paste’s #1 album of the decade. I think it’s in my Top 10 (as mentioned earlier, I honestly can’t bring myself to widdle down my album list to 20 or even 50 for the decade). Illinoise was my first foray into Sufjan’s world. The infatuation was near immediate. He ranges from poppy, to eclectic folk, to avant-electronic, to chamber music… and I think his song titles, while sometimes considered pretentious, put him in my hero list. :) The later part of the decade showed a more secluded Sufjan and a recant on the 50 States “promise.” However, I’m still very excited about what’s up his sleeves for the next decade.
~*~*~
7 ~ John Zorn (Masada and otherwise)
I knew of Zorn in the 1990s (via the connection to Mike Patton and specifically Mr. Bungle), but didn’t get into him until 2003 or so. Even still, I didn’t know about Masada (his klezmer-jazz quartet) until mid-decade. Their recorded studio work was all in the 1990s, but they stayed active touring throughout the 2000s… and John Zorn kept actively writing Masada Book Two – which is a book of music covered by other bands and has seen a dozen fantastic releases on his label, Tzadik. I just counted, and I have 82 John Zorn related disks from the decade (CDs, DVDs, vinyl). So, um, yeah, he’s prolific. The Masada / Bar Kokhba / Electric Masada is my favorite category of Zorn releases; but his Filmworks series, Moonchild Trio (Mike Patton, Joey Baron & Trevor Dunn), and The Gift / Dreamers band are also key releases. 2010 has 12 new Zorn releases on the docket. *drool*
~*~*~
6 ~ Maynard James Keenan (Tool / A Perfect Circle / Puscifer)
One of the best singers in the world of rock, Maynard has kept busy… this decade: three bands and eight or so albums, several DVD releases, remix albums & singles, vinyl singles, and a new winery. While he doesn’t always nail it every time, his and his bands’ hit rates far exceed most. His solid work ethic points to more releases next decade. A recent interview leads me to believe that the touring side of things may slow down some, but I’m hoping that just means “less touring” and not “no touring.” There have been hints of Tool and A Perfect Circle studio stuff in the near future… and Puscifer seems alive and kicking (and keen on the internet EP thing). Puscifer is hitting the Midwest and East Coast in early 2010.
~*~*~
5 ~ Daniel Johns (Silverchair & The Dissociatives)
2002’s Diorama (by Silverchair) is a contender for best album of the decade for me. Daniel Johns followed that up with a side project with Paul Mac called The Dissociatives. Their self-titled debut (2004) is also a contender for best album of the decade… then Silverchair came roaring back in 2007 with Young Modern – another strong contender. Daniel Johns and his couple of bands has large gaps between studio releases, but they all score high every time for me. They’ve moved well beyond their debut (which they released in the 90s at age 15). 2010 promises the follow-up to Young Modern… so, look out, Best of 2010 lists…
~*~*~
4 ~ Elliott Smith
I found out about Elliott in early 2000, a little bit after Figure 8 came out. I had the opportunity to see him live at Southgate House (Newport, KY) on the Figure 8 Tour. He quickly became an important part of my musical diet. His albums hit me emotionally, but he left us too early (he died of apparent self-induced stab wounds to the heart on October 21, 2003). I still get goosebumps with his music and quite frankly have never been affected by a celebrity’s death like I am by Elliott’s. An album and more of his unreleased material has made its way out since his death. I don’t believe in an afterlife, but if there were one, I’d hope to get to meet Elliott and have a beer with him.
~*~*~
3 ~ Sigur Rós
Ágætis byrjun and ( ) may be the most beautiful things that I don’t understand due to language barriers – two perfect albums, if you ask me. This past decade Sigur Rós went on to make four full length albums, a handful of EPs and soundtracks, several world tours, an utterly gorgeous tour documentary called Heima (that rivals Pink Floyd’s Live at Pompeii in stunning beauty), and still find time to take time off (well, time off except for Jónsi – who released a duo album with his partner Alex Sommers and is set to release a solo album in early 2010).
~*~*~
2 ~ Radiohead (and Thom & Jonny solo)
One of the most unarguably overrated bands of all-time… yet, one of my favorites. The decade started with Kid A and ended with some Thom Yorke solo activity… it was a full decade of albums, tours, solo work (the aforementioned Thom solo stuff plus two soundtracks from Jonny). They branch out and sometimes get more praise and credit than is merited (I know skads of indie artists doing the “pay what you want” method years before In Rainbows), but I suppose Radiohead were the first formerly major-label / international band to do so. Anyway, Radiohead, despite public pressure, continue to evolve as a band. That scores major points with me. They’re hitting the studio in January 2010… yippie.
~*~*~
1 ~ Kevin Moore (Chroma Key & OSI)
Yeah, the #1 of the decade who few know about… Kevin Moore left the progressive rock band Dream Theater in 1994, shedding the seemingly antithetic “progressive” constraints of the progressive scene to make his own music. Chroma Key’s debut Dead Air For Radios (1999) is my #1 album of all-time… but it came out in the late 90s. The 2000 album You Go Now is probably in my Top 10 of all-time as well. The branching out into scoring with Kevin’s solo soundtrack Ghost Book (for the Turkish horror movie OKUL), political/religious-imagery radio/mix-taping with Memory Hole 1, and the new band project with Jim Matheos called the Office of Strategic Influence (aka O.S.I.) solidified Kevin in my favorite artists list. I’m looking forward to more Chroma Key, O.S.I., Memory Hole, or solo work that Kevin puts out… hopefully soon.
~*~*~*~*~
As pointed out the other day, the 2010s are shaping up to be a great decade… see you on the other side!
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.
* Favorite Vocal Albums of 2009 *
Disclaimer (with a nod to Andy Whitman of Paste): No, I haven’t heard all 8,000+albums released this year. I’ve heard about 200 of them, which makes me at least 97.5% likely to be wrong. I make no claims to objectivity. These albums are my favorites from 2009. You might think that the one you’ve heard that I haven’t heard is the best album of 2009. And you might be right. So go ahead and vent. Enjoy!
As I start this post, I will say that this is the second 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 pages, yadda yadda yadda. OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Honorable Mentions: Jars of Clay‘s The Long Fall Back to Earth, U2‘s No Line on the Horizon, Madeleine Peyroux‘s Bare Bones, Piano Magic‘s Ovations, and Ember Swift‘s Lentic :: 子玉.
 |
 Chevelle – Sci-Fi Crimes (Epic) :: I don’t find Chevelle to be all that original. I mean, I found them early on (the Squint days) and I liked them due to their sound similar to Tool. I don’t know… I continue to like what Chevelle puts out, regardless of its similarities to other bands. They have good hooks, vocals, and melodies. I’ve yet to see them live… they tend to always show up where I’m not. Maybe I’ll get lucky on their next batch of tour dates.    |
 |
 Kim Taylor – Little Miracle (indie) :: Kim is a Cincinnati favorite of mine. She tours a lot with another Cincinnati band, Over the Rhine – which is how I first heard of her (so many years ago). Anyway, if you’re in Cincinnati, swing by her coffee shop – Pleasant Perk (and buy a CD along with the Mocha you’re craving). This record came out only about a week ago. It still needs to sink in, but it’s got that Kim Taylor vibe – sultry/smoky vocals with heartfelt lyrics. This album is more stripped down than her prior releases, full of warmth. |
 |
 Tori Amos – Abnormally Attracted to Sin (Universal) :: Tori’s heyday for me was the 1990s. Sin hearkens back to those days, but still remains in this weird phase of “I don’t know if I like, but I do kinda like it” for me. It’s not classic Tori, but it is a good record. Her live show this year in Portland helped me get into this album a bit more. After 20 or so years of touring, she still delivers the goods consistently.  |
 |
 Chali 2Na – Fish Outta Water (Decon) :: Chali 2Na was always my favorite rapper in Jurassic 5. I dig all of those gents, but Chali has that powerful booming baritone with quick delivery. His first official solo album [he had a mixtape type thing a few years back], this one doesn’t disappoint the J5 fan in me. |
 |
 Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue (EMI Virgin) :: New singer, same great grunge sound. Jerry Cantrell and Company are back with a great new hard rocking record. While Layne can’t be replaced, the band goes on and it doesn’t disappoint. Their live show this year was excellent as well. |
 |
 Isis – Wavering Radiant (Ipecac) :: Post-rock, post-metal, ambient metal… I don’t know what you want to call it. I first saw these guys open up for Tool a few years back, and I subsequently quit putting off getting their music. They’re on Mike Patton’s Ipecac label (so I had heard of them prior to the Tool gig), and they are both meandering and powerful. This is not a metal band full of riffs… they would fit more in the camp with post-rockers Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed! You Black Emperor than with Metallica and Megadeth. |
 |
 Talking Snakes (Gary Lenaire) – Nonogram Zen (indie) :: Former guitarist/vocalist for metal band Tourniquet, Gary Lenaire, released his book An Infidel Manifesto a few years back. This album is his first solo album as being an out atheist. I love the music and lyrics in Nonogram Zen. I think this album stacks up to anything he did in Tourniquet (OK, Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance still “owns” Gary’s catalogue, in my opinion). Musically, Nonogram Zen ranges from really heavy, to electronic-tinged, to more melodic pop songs (with auto-tune… *shudder*) – but all in all, I’d consider it to be a metal/hard rock album. It’s only currently available as a digital release, but perhaps it will see a physical form in the near future. |
 |
 Dream Theater – Black Clouds and Silver Linings (Roadrunner) :: I bought the special edition of this record, mainly for the CD of completely instrumental versions of Black Clouds songs. While I love the instrumental versions better, the entire album is really well crafted. As much as I think James LaBrie’s vocals and Mike Portnoy’s oft-clunky rhyme-writing get in the way, I think this album holds up in their ever-expanding catalogue. |
 |
 Bad Veins – Bad Veins (Dangerbird) :: Three years in existence and the band finally gets their debut album out the door. While I think it’s a solid album, and I think the song-writing is superb, I think my fondness of their early live shows and acoustic / in-studio sets have more musical magic to me. I did get a chance to see Bad Veins twice this year, which was quite the coup – as they live 2,300+ miles from me. I’m glad that this album finally made its way out and I hope there’s another one to follow in less than three years time. |
 |
|
 |
 Regina Spektor – Far (Sire Warner) :: Regina’s latest album grew on me slowly. By the time I saw her in Portland (in early November), I was digging this latest album the best out of her material thus far. It is quirky, poppy, and makes you think (especially on “Laughing With”). Her live show is energetic and quite a full night of music. |
 |
 Extra Golden – Thank You Very Quickly Vol. 3 (Thrill Jockey) :: I didn’t know about Extra Golden until about 3 or 4 months ago, when my friend Aaron told me about their set at Eugene Celebration. I went to that show and was a fan. They are a half American, half Kenyan group… and they play sort of jammy, sort of African songs. It’s a great melting pot of sound. Their record and live show are highly recommended! |
 |
 Various Artists (produced by Ric Hordinski) – Notes From the Monastery (indie) :: Rarely do I buy a “various artists” album… in the age of iTunes, it’s easier (and usually beneficial) to just buy the few tracks from artists that I know. Well, this compilation is all music produced by a person who I enjoy and respect… Mr. Ric Hordinski. He was a founding member of Cincinnati band Over the Rhine, the creative force behind the more meandering band MONK, and the knob-noodler for his Monastery Studios. This album features all new, previously unreleased songs by Ellery, Over the Rhine, Sarah Masen, Ric Hordinski, Phil Keaggy, David Wilcox, and more. There is not a bad song on the whole disc. Kudos, Ric! |
 |
 Works Progress Administration (featuring Glen Phillips) – WPA (Elite Artist Services) :: While I often lump this in the “Glen Phillips side project” category, it that doesn’t really do it justice. My favorite songs are the Glen ones, but Luke Bulla and Sean & Sara Watkins (of Nickel Creek) round this album out into an important Americana album in 2009. Let’s just say, I came to find WPA due to Glen, but I stuck around due to it being a great band with a great new record. |
 |
 Fanfarlo – Reservoir (indie) :: The best way to build a fanbase overnight… have a moderately successful internationally touring artist pimp your music directly via their website and offer your album for a $1 download months before it’s available in shops. Sigur Rós’s web viewers and mailing list got a first taste and nudge to check out Fanfarlo, and that’s all it took – a gentle nudge. While Fanfarlo isn’t really all too much like Sigur Rós, I can see why their fans intersect… gentle songs with complex and often unusual instrumentation. I missed Fanfarlo as they swung through the Pacific Northwest, as I was on vacation, but I hope they come through again soon. |
 |
 Tegan and Sara – Sainthood (Sire Vapor) :: This T&S album is rockier than their last few albums, but after the second listen, I think I like it more than both The Con and So Jealous (and, yeah, their pre-Jealous ones, too). I think with The Con, they had started to really figure out to write really hooky yet still mature songs. While Sainthood heats it up on the rockier edge, I think the songs are better overall. This was their first album where they wrote a large chunk of the songs together in the same room – maybe that was their secret formula. I’m looking forward to their upcoming tour… April 2010 in Portland! |
 |
 The Swell Season – Strict Joy (Anti-) :: The ONCE soundtrack sunk in immediately after I heard it. While Strict Joy took a while to sink in, I think it’s a more solid record than Once. While this album represents their personal “break up,” I hope they keep working together as a band. I’ve heard some of Glen’s work with The Frames, and it’s good – but Marketa and Glen together really seems magical. |
 |
 David Bazan – Curse Your Branches (Barsuk) :: The oft-used tagline for this record is “David’s break-up album with God.” Sure, OK. I never really thought his prior albums were all that ostentatiously “God-y” anyway. I admired David’s doubting and questioning in his prior Pedro the Lion music. His move to a more agnostic / atheistic-leaning artistic expression is a-OK with me. I realize that it’s a personal journey, and as long as he keeps putting out challenging and witty lyrical numbers, and he keeps touring & bringing some fun Q&A time to stages near me – I’m fine with whatever his philosophy moves towards. |
 |
 O.S.I. – Blood (Inside Out) :: What, a Kevin Moore album at #7 in its release year? I know, I know… Chroma Key and the first two O.S.I. albums were at least Top 3 spots in their respective years. While I have been moving towards a lot more instrumental music, this year’s vocal albums that I did get had some great music… the Top 10 vocal albums for me this year are especially strong albums, regardless of my bent towards the sans vocal route. Anyway, I really dig this new O.S.I. record. I wish more news and touring from Kevin Moore would leak out… I mean, news bites are few and far between. It gets a bit frustrating in this era of readily available information. Chroma Key or O.S.I. album #4… I hope not too far out there. |
 |
 Nellie McKay – Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day (Verve) :: While I dig Nellie’s own music better than this batch of mostly Doris Day cover songs (there is one Nellie original), this may be the most perfect tribute album. From the cover art, to the campy photos inside, to the delivery that truly honors Doris Day, to Nellie’s excellent jaunt with The Aristocrats – this album I think is more than the sum of its parts. Back on a major label (this time Verve instead of Sony), I hope they give Nellie some creative control to go back in the studio to make her next originals album. |
 |
Porcupine Tree – The Incident (Roadrunner) :: I think I like the non-concept songs on disc 2 more than the individual parts in The Incident concept disc. Regardless, I think Steven Wilson has turned the corner away from Fear of a Blank Planet, and maybe he’s heading back into a more interesting progressive arena. The tour was also great this year, but maybe they play their instruments too perfectly. I almost felt as if I could have gotten as much out of the DVD of the show as the actual show (hey, my only negative about this latest effort is that they play “too perfectly”). Go figure! |
 |
 Peter Mulvey – Letters From a Flying Machine (Signature Sounds) :: Half spoken word, half poppy singer-songwriter tunes… that doesn’t scream “Top 5” album release. But it is. I think this is Peter’s most solid piece of work in a while, and it ranks amongst The Trouble with Poets and Kitchen Radio for me. Peter is still fairly unknown… but he is quite prolific (12+ full lengths in 17+ years), hard-working (constantly touring all places from Alaska to Ireland), quite witty (he could be a comedian if the whole music thing doesn’t work out), and energetic (he did a 1,100 bicycle tour this year – playing gigs from Michigan to Massachusetts). He plans to do a bicycle tour from Wisconsin to the West Coast in 2010… yay! |
 |
 Derek Webb – Stockholm Syndrome (INO) :: I grew up with Derek Webb as he made his musical start in the contemporary christian music scene – with Caedmon’s Call. I always loved his songs and vocals the best; so when he left the band, I followed. His latest album gets it right in both music and lyrics… calling out those who hate others due to their sexuality (the “controversial” What Matters More) and calling out hate in the name of God (“Freddie, Please” dedicated to Westboro Baptist’s jackass preacher). I feel that even though I have differing (non-)religious beliefs, I still can call Derek Webb a compatriot. The more electronic-tinged music is also welcome from his more “guy & a guitar” days (though, he carried that sound well, too). I look forward to his upcoming subscriber series in 2010 – Democracy, Volume 1. |
 |
 Wussy – Wussy (Shake It) :: Wussy just keeps getting better. Lisa and Chuck & Company have really stepped it up on their third full-length. I wish I still lived in Cincinnati sometimes after seeing their “hey, we’re playing at Northside Tavern” posts on SpaceBook and MyFace. Anyway, I’m utterly delighted with this record, and they’ve unofficially promised to hit the West Coast in Spring 2010. Fingers crossed… |
 |
 dredg – The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion (Ohlone) :: dredg has evolved from “good opener” the first time I saw them to “really good rock band” after I delved into Catch Without Arms (specifically “Ode to the Sun” and the b-side “Stone By Stone”) to one of my favorite bands with this new release. Quite honestly, from the first full listen back in June, I knew this would be my #1 album for 2009. It’s a concept album based loosely on Salmon Rushdie’s “Letter to the Six Billionth Citizen,” and, well, it shows off dredg’s great vocals, subtle progressive guitars, and unique and inspiring drumming. I hope album #5 is not another 4 years away… or, if it is, I hope they keep touring. I got to see them twice this year – both fantastic shows. |
Top 25 instrumental albums coming up later this week… still making my way through them at this point… oy…
My Other Favorites of 2009 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts of ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave EPs/Vinyl/Live/more of ‘09 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Instrumental Albums ‘09 are coming soon
- Fave Artists of the Decade are coming soon
- Old Years: 2008I, 2008V, 2008ep, 2008C, 2007V, 2007I, 2007C, 2006, 2005
~Dan – np: Roberto Rodriguez – The First Basket
2009 mix
Well, thanks to a certain bigwig, I got off of my duff to make a mix CD for his round robin dealio. No major theme this time like prior mixes… the only rule I placed before myself was that everything is current (i.e.- released in 2009).
{If you aren’t part of the round robin and want a CD, contact me. If you’re local, even better. I’ll get ’em out around Thanksgiving.}
The following songs were put on the mix CD from lossless sources 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.
PDF front liner is available HERE (designed to print double-sided).
UPDATE (12/18): free download / bonus track #18 below
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
01 Nellie McKay “Do Do Do” from Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day
Well, the person who got this round robin going (Brad) was a direct influence in me getting into Nellie McKay back when Get Away From Me came out. I’ve been a fan ever since. I think GAFM is my favorite of hers, but she’s still quite consistently entertaining to me. Her latest album is a tribute to the late great Doris Day. It’s missing some of Nellie’s sly wit, but is definitely fitting in her “I wish I was born in another era” wishes. The album art is 135% fitting for Nellie, too. Perfect choice!
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
02 John Zorn “Miller’s Crake” from O’o
I could have put on some more skwoky Zorn, but I opted for a more accessible number. John Zorn is prolific, but this was actually a slow year – I only count six Zorn-related releases. O’o is twelve lyrical and adventurous instrumentals combining world music, surf, exotica, soundtracks, easy listening, and minimalism dedicated to twelve different birds (Chippy’s artwork is amazing). “Miller’s Crake” is a delightful Guaraldi-esque jaunt from the band that came out of the Electric Masada / The Gift / The Dreamers sessions: Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron, and Cyro Baptista.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
03 Extra Golden “Gimakiny Akia” from Thank You Very Quickly Vol 3
I was planning on going to Eugene Celebration anyway, but I got a call from a friend who suggested that we meet and definitely go to see Extra Golden. Um, OK, sure. Then I saw them, and wow… fuuuuun. I love African music, but sometimes it’s gets all too similar unless you do something fun (a la Fela Kuti, Antibalas, etc). Well, Extra Golden are half Kenyan and half American (which I guess is the “something fun” part? I don’t know). They fuse some great jam-rock with Kenyan beats* and singing… great stuff. Fantastic live show, too. *-Though, coincidentally, not so much Kenyan beats on this track. Yeah, sorry.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
04 Ember Swift “Hollowed Bones 空骨” from Lentic :: 子玉
Ember Swift (yes, her real name) is finally starting to head in a new direction. I mean, I dig her a lot, but her past albums have been slightly derivative of Ani DiFranco (with maybe a little more adventurism). She’s from Canada, but has spent time living in China recently. In fact, I think she’s still living there (don’t quote me on that)… that culture has definitely had an impact on her music.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
05 Works Progress Administration / Glen Phillips “Rise Up” from Works Progress Administration
This song first showed up on the Concert to End Slavery compilation as a Glen Phillips solo song. It’s my favorite from WPA, but it’s not very representative of the album. The album is more folky / americana via the heavy influence of Sean & Sara Watkins from Nickelcreek and Luke Bulla (from Lyle Lovett’s band).
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
06 Madeleine Peyroux “Damn the Circumstances” from Bare Bones
I am usually not a fan of vocal jazz… it’s usually too full of schlock, if you ask me. Well, Madeleine’s smoky voice overrides that generalism for me. She’s a fantastic vocalist, a throwback to the golden era of jazz vocalists. This album is her first of non-covers. All original, either written solo or co-written, Bare Bones moves her from a “fantastic standards” singer to bringing vocal jazz back into fresh territory.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
07 dredg “Gathering Pebbles” from The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
dredg is one of my favorite bands now. 2005’s Catch Without Arms floored me, and I was eagerly awaiting the follow-up. It took too long (4 years), but it was well worth it. The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion is by far my favorite album this year. It was inspired by Salmon Rushdie’s essay “Imagine There’s No Heaven: A Letter to the Sixth Billionth Citizen.” In fact, this past fall, dredg and Salmon did a joint show that was captured by Spin magazine.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
08 Porcupine Tree “Flicker” from The Incident
The best progressive rock band around, Porcupine Tree’s The Incident is a 55-minute epic concept album/song. “Flicker” is actually a session b-side from the 2nd disc from the collection. I got a chance to see Porcupine Tree this September, and Steven Wilson & Co delivered the impeccable studio sound to the stage. It’s almost magic.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
09 O.S.I. “Terminal” from Blood
I really like this 3rd record by O.S.I. (formerly know as the Office of Strategic Influence). O.S.I. is a joint collaboration of Chroma Key’s Kevin Moore and Fates Warning’s Jim Matheos. Most of Blood is heavier progressive rock, but I tend to like the more Chroma Key-esque tracks like “Terminal.” The album has guests Gavin Harrison (of Porcupine Tree) on drums, Mikael Åkerfeldt (of Opeth) on vocals for one track, and Tim Bowness (or No-Man) on vocals for one track as well. The 2nd disc also features a Kevin Moore-sung, rockin’ tribute to Elliott Smith (“Christian Brothers”).
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
10 900X “The Black Beach” from Library Catalog Music Series: Music For Lubbock, 1980
Sufjan Steven’s label Asthmatic Kitty is really becoming a favorite. They host music by Sufjan, My Brightest Diamond, Fol Chen, Osso, and now the excellent experimentation from the various Library Catalog Music Series artists. The 900X release is my favorite of the six releases so far. I received the high quality mp3s from the record label for free, and I loved it so much that I bought it on vinyl.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
11 Chali 2Na featuring Talib Kweli “Lock Sh*t Down” from Fish Outta Water
I’m still sad that Jurassic 5 broke up, but now we get albums from Portable Payback (Marc7 & Soup), Cut Chemist, DJ Nu Mark, Akil the MC, and, of course, Chali 2Na (my favorite from the group). Chali’s got that deep booming voice that makes you pay attention. This song’s lyrics (and video) are kinda cheesy, IMO, but it still features some nice flow from the “lyrical manphibian.”
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
12 Peter Mulvey “Vlad the Astrophysicist” from Letters From a Flying Machine
Storytelling has always been a fantastic part of Peter’s live shows. Nine years ago, when his first niece was born, Peter got into the habit of writing physical letters to his nieces and nephews (now 17 kids in total). This album is interspersed with spoken word letters and new music. I think it’s his strongest album since 2000’s The Trouble With Poets. I like a lot of different music, but with that being said, I think Peter is by far my favorite singer-songwriter. Support indie music!
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
13 David Bazan “Curse Your Branches” from Curse Your Branches
I wanted to put on “Hard to Be,” but due to space limitations, I went for a shorter song. This is David’s first full-length solo album since disbanding the indie rock band Pedro the Lion. PTL was really David’s thing anyway; so him disbanding the band isn’t that big of a deal, if you ask me. This album also marks his first decided move away from the “religious guy” things into the “heavily agnostic thing” (kudos to him, from me at least). This album is peppered with his thoughts and doubts of his religious upbringing – even moreso than in his prior Pedro days. It very well called a “breakup letter to God” by some.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
14 John Zorn “Novato” from Alhambra Love Songs
Alhambra Love Songs is a set of 11 songs that are an eclectic homage to San Francisco Bay area musicians. This particular song is dedicated to Mike Patton (and, no, that’s not why I picked it). The album is played by pianist Rob Burger, bassist Greg Cohen, and drummer Ben Perowsky – and also falls into the “more accessible” John Zorn camp.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
15 Wussy “Little Paper Birds” from Wussy
This little band that could from Cincinnati is getting some good buzz in major publications (I know Spin has featured them several times). I went to college with their female lead singer, Lisa Walker, and remember when she did a more folky thing. I think Wussy’s sound suits her well (and vice versa). Anyway, this is their third record, and features some great songs from both Lisa and Ass Ponys’ Chuck Cleaver.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
16 The Dead Kenny G’s “Birther Blues” from Bewildered Herd
Prior to moving to the PacNW, I had heard of saxophonist Skerik via John Zorn and other avant-garde connections. I never got to hear him until I moved here and saw him at Sam Bond’s. He seems to be down here in Eugene every other month or so, in different band incarnations. The Dead Kenny G’s features Skerik on tenor sax & pianos, Mike Dillon on drums (who I recently saw drum with Ani DiFranco), and Brad Houser on bass & baritone sax.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
17 Ikue Mori “Redeye Skimmer” from Class Insecta
Ikue Mori is an interesting instrumentalist. She mostly utilizes a laptop, and I saw her play live with Ellery Eskelin & Jim Black in NYC in 2007 and was wowed by the improvisational nature of her craft. Most of her albums are more avant-garde. She has one album that I’d consider to be much more accessible (1995’s Painted Desert on Japan’s DIY/Avant label). Class Insecta is also more accessible than most of her work. I suppose if you like well composed, electronic music dedicated to insect species, it’s for you!
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
18 Derek Webb “What Matters More” from Stockholm Syndrome
(bonus mp3) DOWNLOAD it >> http://www.derekwebb.com/387/WMM.zip
Stockholm Syndrome is an album that I’m bummed I didn’t get fit on the CD version of this compilation. It’s going to place fairly well in my year-end “Best of 2009” list. I think it’s the best thing Derek’s ever done, including Caedmon’s Call and prior solo work. It has a great overall vibe, and a message that I can agree with, even though I don’t agree with his religious philosophy. This song, while not the best on the album (IMO), has a great lyric and pro-gay marriage position and was actually banned by his independent Christian label (INO Records). He subsequently released an “uncensored” version of the album, and now has the song available for free on his site.
«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»
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): pop from Regina Spektor, Zero 7 & the Swell Season; jazz from Dave Douglas’ Brass Ecstasy and A Single Sky, Masada Quintet + Lovano, and The Fantastic Terrific Munkle; comedy from Flight of the Conchords; and some metal Ahleuchatistas, Megadeth, Isis, Dream Theater, Puscifer, Tides From Nebula & Alice in Chains. Oh well, those may make it on my “favorite albums” of 2009 list.
~Dan – np: Puscifer – C is For…
there are no torrents, free mp3 or other downloads available
REVIEW: Porcupine Tree w/ That1Guy @ Roseland (Portland, OR – 9/16/09)
Rarely do two bands you like happen to tour together. Porcupine Tree is touring with King’s X on this U.S. Leg… well… ok, starting in a week in Ohio. This West Coast leg, though gets That1Guy (another musician I like a lot). I’m bummed I’m missing a KXC/PT show, but That1Guy is a fun live act as well.
I guess I’ll have to get used to the Roseland, as I imagine I’ll be seeing more and more shows here over the years. It’s an “OK” venue… a basic stand-y rock club. They do have a nice food menu, though… and I got as Zappa veggie dog (I heart the PacNW). The band had a ban on cameras, outside of the officially selected photographer for the Incident tour blog; so no photos from me this time.
That1Guy played a short set. Pretty much the same set as the last time I saw him in Feb, but just cut short. I was kind of bummed that he didn’t play “Buttmachine” or “Mustaches.” Maybe he was trying to be “more serious” for the prog fans. I don’t know. I think “Buttmachine” is one of his catchiest songs, regardless of its ridiculous lyrics. Watch the video here. Overall his set & jams were a bit redundant / repetitive, but he’s still fun to watch.
Setlist: about 40 mins
- Intro Jam
- Jigsaw
- Weasel Potpie leading into Instrumental Jam
- Heaven or Heck
- Dig (with the magic boot)
- Outro Jam (T1G’s credit card jam with snippets of “Smoke on the Water”)
That1Guy’s 2007 album, The Moon is Disgusting, aged well. I’m still digging it a bunch, and wish he would have played more off of it outside of “Jigsaw” and “Dig.” You can listen to samples of the album HERE.
Next up, Porcupine Tree, whose new album, The Incident, arrived to my earbuds last weekend (thanks to Demonoid) but also hit my hands in a the lush limited edition on Tuesday. Wow… it’s freakin’ excellent. Great packaging in the deluxe edition. I think the limited edition is sold out, but the standard CD is available worldwide now.
Porcupine Tree hit the stage around 9:15 and played a first set entirely made up of The Incident‘s 1st disc. They didn’t stray from the album in scope or sound. It was very great being in the same room as Steven again. He’s truly a great musician and songwriter, which is a hard moniker to assign to a progressive rock musician (most of them can’t write a song to save their lives). Their set…
Setlist:
- The Incident (in its entirety)
I – Occam’s Razor
II – The Blind House
III – Great Expectations
IV – Kneel and Disconnect
V – Drawing the Line
VI – The Incident
VII – Your Unpleasant Family
VIII – The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train
IX – Time Flies
X – Degree Zero of Liberty
XI – Octane Twisted
XII – The Séance
XIII – Circle of Manias
XIV – I Drive the Hearse
2nd Set - The Start of Something Beautiful
- Buying New Soul
- Anesthetize Part 2
- Lazarus
- Strip the Soul
- .3
- Bonnie the Cat
- Encore: Way Out of Here
- Trains
Great show for their fantastic new album. They played right around 2 hours total. The Incident is easily the best album they’ve done since In Absentia, IMO. This was only the 2nd show of their tour, and it didn’t really show. I mean, they were on top of their game. Steven mentioned that they were a little nervous at the Seattle show the day prior. Somehow I’m skeptical of that. They probably roll out of bed and could play these songs blindfolded. :)
The Appropriate Linkage:
- PorcupineTree.com
- The Incident on Tour (official blog)
- Another Portland 9/16 Review (by Mark Colman)
- Porcupine Tree on MySpace
- That1Guy & the Magic Pipe
- That1Guy on MySpace
- Roseland Theater
~Dan – np: Patton Oswalt – My Weakness is Strong
Further U.S> Porcupine Tree Tour Dates (as of now)
Tue 15 Sep SEATTLE, WA MOORE THEATER [opener: That1Guy]
Wed 16 Sep PORTLAND, OR ROSELAND [opener: That 1 Guy]
Fri 18 Sep SAN FRANCISCO WARFIELD [opener: That 1 Guy]
Sat 19 Sep LOS ANGELES CLUB NOKIA [opener: Big Elf]
Mon 21 Sep CLEVELAND, OH HOUSE OF BLUES [opener: King’s X]
Tue 22 Sep CHICAGO, IL VIC THEATER [opener: King’s X]
Thu 24 Sep NY, NY TERMINAL 5 [opener: King’s X]
Fri 25 Sep BALTIMORE RAM’S HEAD [opener: King’s X]
Sat 26 Sep PHILLY ELECTRIC FACTORY [opener: King’s X]
Sun 27 Sep BOSTON, MA HOUSE OF BLUES [opener: King’s X]
Tue 29 Sep MONTREAL METROPOLIS [opener: King’s X]
Wed 30 Sep TORONTO QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE [opener: King’s X]
McKay, Porcupine Tree, Mulvey & Bazan news
Music news that I care about seems to be hitting often lately…
Nellie McKay‘s album that was supposed to be out “last fall,” will finally be out “this fall.” No album name, but we at least have a street date – October 13th. There’s not much more content over at the Direct Current Music website; so I hope they are right on this one… .COM, .NET, and .ORG have failed to provide any corroboration. I hope “this fall” doesn’t turn into “next fall“… yet again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Porcupine Tree just put their newest one, The Incident (due out 9/15 in the U.S.), up for pre-order. Much like Steven Wilson’s Insurgentes, this one has a deluxe edition that would make the Pope curse. It looks freakin’ gorgeous (and huge)…
On the pre-order page there’s a video of PT frontman Steven Wilson talking about what’s to be included. Oh, it’s a’spensive, but it makes sense if you’ve ever read this “1,000 True Fans” article by Kevin Kelly. Not to say that only the “true fans” will buy it, but, well… anyway, the article is a good read…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One of my favorite singer-songwriters Peter Mulvey is coming through the PacNW in November. One Portland date that I may try to make, and one Eugene date that I will make. He’s also got a new one coming out (in September on Signature Sounds). It’s called Letters from a Flying Machine…
(click for larger)
Here are his 2009 tourdates (as of now):
- Mon 08/10/09 – Saugatuck, MI – Saugatuck Center For The Arts
- Wed 09/09/09 – Grand Rapids, MI – Wealthy Street Theatre
- Thu 09/10/09 – Kalamazoo, MI – The Strutt
- Fri 09/11/09 – Lansing, MI – Creole Gallery
- Sat 09/12/09 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
- Tue 09/15/09 – Buffalo, NY – 9th Ward
- Sun 09/20/09 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
- Thu 09/24/09 – Cambridge, MA – Lizard Lounge
- Fri 09/25/09 – Cambridge, MA – Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center
- Sat 09/26/09 – Northampton, MA – Iron Horse Music Hall
- Sun 09/27/09 – Norfolk, CT – Infinity Hall
- Fri 10/09/09 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
- Sat 10/10/09 – Evanston, IL – SPACE
- Thu 10/22/09 – The Hague, Netherlands – Transvaria
- Fri 10/23/09 – Bakkeveen, Netherlands – De Slotplaats
- Sat 10/24/09 – Bemmel, Netherlands – Top
- Wed 11/04/09 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
- Sat 11/07/09 – Portland, OR – Alberta Street Pub
- Sun 11/08/09 – Eugene, OR – Sam Bond’s Garage
- Thu 11/12/09 – Felton, CA – Don Quixote’s Int’l Music Hall
- Sat 11/14/09 – San Diego, CA – Acoustic Music San Diego
- Fri 11/20/09 – Burlington, VT – UVM Recital Hall
- Sat 11/21/09 – Framingham, MA – Amazing Things Art Center
- Tue 12/01/09 – Fairbanks, AK – College Coffeehouse
- Wed 12/02/09 – Fairbanks, AK – College Coffeehouse
- Thu 12/03/09 – Tok, AK – Fast Eddy’s
- Sat 12/05/09 – Anchorage, AK – Snow Goose Theatre
- Sun 12/06/09 – Palmer, AK – Vagabond Blues
- Tue 12/08/09 – Kodiak, AK – Golden Anchor
- Fri 12/11/09 – Denver, CO – Swallow Hill Music Association
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(photo by Ryan Russell)
no, the Office’s Jon Krasinski is not hitting the road with Mr Bazan
And as reported earlier, indie-rocker David Bazan is hitting the road with a band (but not to be mistaken as a “Pedro the Lion reunion”). Announced yesterday on db.com (but unofficially announced at the Eugene house show the other day), he’ll be in Portland in November (the day before Peter Mulvey, actually). Anyway, here are the Bazan band members and tour dates. Eric Elbogen: guitar (Say Hi), Andy Fitts: keyboards + guitar (Aqueduct), Casey Foubert: drums (Richard Swift, Sufjan Stevens), and Blake Wescott: guitar (long-time Bazan collaborator).
- 10/01 – San Francisco CA – Independent
- 10/02 – Costa Mesa CA – Detroit Bar
- 10/03 – San Diego CA – Casbah
- 10/04 – Los Angeles CA – Troubadour
- 10/05 – Tucson AZ – Solar Culture
- 10/07 – Austin TX – Mohawk
- 10/08 – Denton TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
- 10/09 – Memphis TN – Hi-Tone Café
- 10/10 – Murray KY – Lovett Auditorium / Murray State
- 10/11 – Birmingham AL – Bottletree
- 10/13 – Orlando FL – The Social
- 10/14 – Atlanta GA – Drunken Unicorn
- 10/15 – Chapel Hill NC – Cat’s Cradle
- 10/16 – Washington DC – Black Cat
- 10/17 – Philadelphia PA – Kung Fu Necktie
- 10/18 – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom
- 10/20 – Cambridge MA – TT the Bear’s +
- 10/21 – Montreal QC – Il Motore
- 10/22 – Toronto ON – Lee’s Palace
- 10/23 – Pontiac MI – Pike Room
- 10/24 – Chicago IL – TBA
- 10/25 – Champaign IL – Highdive
- 10/27 – Madison WI High – Noon Saloon
- 10/28 – Minneapolis MN – Turf Club
- 10/29 – Iowa City IA – The Picador
- 10/30 – Lawrence KS – Jackpot Saloon
- 10/31 – Omaha NE – Slowdown
- 11/01 – Denver CO – Hi Dive
- 11/02 – Salt Lake City UT – Kilby Court
- 11/05 – Vancouver BC – Media Club
- 11/06 – Portland OR – Mississippi Studios
- 11/07 – Seattle WA – Neumos
all dates with Say Hi
+ TW Walsh in Boston
Yep… this is gonna be one packed fall of music for me. Yippie!
~Dan – np: Drain STH – Freaks of Nature
Porcupine Tree / Larry David & Woody Allen
UK progrockers Porcupine Tree have a new album coming out in September, and it now has a name: The Incident. It’s out September 21st on Roadrunner Records in the United States. It’ll be a double-album: first CD being the (cough) 55-minute title track. The 2nd CD being an EP-lengthed featuring these four songs: “Flicker,” “Bonnie The Cat,” “Black Dahlia,” and “Remember Me Lover.”
My fandom of Steven Wilson’s songwriting (examples: Stupid Dream & Lightbulb Sun) will probably lead me to gravitate to the 2nd CD, but we shall see. Their counterpart in the prog world, Dream Theater, can’t write their way out of a wet paper bag (when it comes to a “song”)… so at least Steven tends to do that every once in a while…
As previously reported, Porcupine Tree hits the road with King’s X and That1Guy this fall (two favorite artists of mine). I’ll be at the That1Guy-opened show in Portland, OR.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Larry David is a busy man. As previously reported, the 7th season of Curb Your Enthusiasm is underway (and will host all major members of the Seinfeld cast). Larry’s feature movie from writer/director Woody Allen is hitting the streets this June/July. Here’s a trailer for Whatever Works:
~Dan – np: Celldweller – The Last Firstborn Remixes
Porcupine Tree, King’s X, and That 1 Guy walk into a bar…
Porcupine Tree is working on a new album, due out in September on Roadrunner Records (in the U.S.). For their upcoming North American tour in support of its new album, the following dates have been confirmed (more to follow):
Tue 15 Sep SEATTLE, WA MOORE THEATER [opener: That1Guy]
Wed 16 Sep PORTLAND, OR ROSELAND [opener: That 1 Guy]
Fri 18 Sep SAN FRANCISCO WARFIELD [opener: That 1 Guy]
Sat 19 Sep LOS ANGELES CLUB NOKIA [opener: Big Elf]
Mon 21 Sep CLEVELAND, OH HOUSE OF BLUES [opener: King’s X]
Tue 22 Sep CHICAGO, IL VIC THEATER [opener: King’s X]
Thu 24 Sep NY, NY TERMINAL 5 [opener: King’s X]
Sat 26 Sep PHILLY ELECTRIC FACTORY [opener: King’s X]
Sun 27 Sep BOSTON, MA HOUSE OF BLUES [opener: King’s X]
Tue 29 Sep MONTREAL METROPOLIS [opener: King’s X]
Wed 30 Sep TORONTO QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE [opener: King’s X]
General onsale date is April 17th for all dates, except Boston/Chicago (4/18) and San Fran (4/19). If you’re a PT “ROABP” fanclub member, you can get tickets earlier (4/10)… but most are probably GA venues anyway… so… yeah… you do the math.
I’d kind of hope to see the PT / KX bill, but I guess I’ll settle for PT/T1G. And who the heck is Big Elf?
~Dan
Harmony Korine
“Harmony Korine” will be the first single off of Steven Wilson‘s Insurgentes album. It is being released on 7″ vinyl only with a non-LP b-side “The 78.” It is available on black, white, and blood red (in limited quantities) via KScope.
Also reported on SWHQ.co.uk, over the next few weeks they’ll unveiling the Lasse Hoile video for “Harmony Korine,” downloadable remixes, and a remix competition.
~Dan – np: Marie McAuliffe’s Ark Sextet plays the music of Burt Bacharach
Porcupine Tree News
Hot off the heels of Steven Wilson’s excellent Insurgentes solo album, this was posted on Porcupine Tree‘s blog about a new PT record in 2009:
Writing for the next Porcupine Tree studio record is well underway, with the band recently spending 2 weeks secluded in the English countryside working on new tracks. Recording of these pieces and a new 35 minute Steven Wilson song cycle is due to start in February, and tour plans are being put in place from September onwards following release of the new album.
I hope it’s as good as Insurgentes or at least much better than PT’s last two “band” offerings.
Steven Wilson is also going out on tour with Aviv Geffen next month:
16th Jan – Rotunda Club, Krakow, Poland
17th Jan – Postbanhof, Berlin, Germany
18th Jan – Knust, Hamburg, Germany
20th Jan – Luxor, Koln, Germany
21st Jan – Melkweg, Amsterdam, Netherlands
22nd Jan – Ampere, Munich, Germany
24th Jan – Cafe de la Danse, Paris, France
27th Jan – Proud Galleries, London, UK
The band will be the full Blackfield line up (with Tomer Z, Seffy Efrati, and Eran Mittelman). There will be a few Blackfield songs performed, but most of the songs will be from Aviv’s forthcoming debut English language solo album (produced by Trevor Horn).
http://www.myspace.com/porcupinetree
http://www.porcupinetree.com/
http://www.swhq.co.uk/
~Dan – np: John Zorn – The Crucible (with Mike Patton, Joey Baron, Trevor Dunn & Marc Ribot)
limited editions up the ying yang
(photo by xPyralisx)
Holy cow… I got (Porcupine Tree, No-man, Blackfield frontman) Steven Wilson‘s double-disc+dvd uber-deluxe edition of his first solo album Insurgentes in the mail today. Holy cow. Like, seriously… wow. Gorgeous artwork. Utterly gorgeous. If most albums are just normal, this one is a Hyperbole Department’s Executive Management. Check out http://www.swhq.co.uk/ for a trailer or two for the album. The limited edition only had 3,000 pressings (for the 2CD/1DVD version) and 1,000 pressings for the (2CD/1DVD/vinyl version). Alas, the normal album will be well worth the cover price as well (and out in Feb 2009 on KScope)… Steven Wilson is one artist in the rock scene that truly excites me lately.
I also got a notification for “not enough postage” on the Sigur Rós uber-deluxe edition of Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. Gotta pick that up at the post office tomorrow and bring my $3.28 to resolve the postal inequity.
I’ll post reviews with pics over the weekend, while I’m chillin’ the empty cavities where my wisdom teeth used to be.
~Dan – np: MSNBC Countdown Keith Olberman – 11/24/08 podcast
-and then after it ripped to my iTunes-
Steven Wilson – Insurgentes
art
update on OSI’s #3 album
As previously mentioned, O.S.I. (a band led by Kevin Moore from Chroma Key / Dream Theater and Jim Matheos from Fates Warning) is being worked on now. This just in from Mikael Åkerfeldt, lead “singer” / guitarist from OPETH, is that he’s contributing vocals to a song…
It’s a very moody song and completely unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I wrote the lyrics and the vocal lines for the piece that I simply decided to call “Stockholm“.
Cool… The album also features Gavin Harrison (from Porcupine Tree) on drums.
~Dan – np: Goddamn Electric Bill – Topics for Gossip
O.S.I. #3
Updated (3/9/09): go here… https://jazzsick.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/more-osi-details/
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Well, I just checked chromakey.com and osiband.com just last week. No updates since 2006.
Now this from Blabbermouth…
OSI (OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INFLUENCE), the project featuring FATES WARNING guitarist Jim Matheos and ex-DREAM THEATER keyboardist Kevin Moore, has spent the past several months working on its third album. According to Moore, “Gavin Harrison (PORCUPINE TREE) is playing drums on this one; he’s nearly done tracking and it sounds great. Along with guitar, Jim is handling bass this time. I still get to sing but may get some help.”
For those not in the know, Kevin Moore‘s Chroma Key is my favorite band ever. This is not hyperbole. Dead Air For Radios is my #1 favorite album ever. O.S.I. is essentially a rockin’ continuation of Chroma Key for me.
(Kevin / CK promo shot)
I’m stoked. I don’t care that it snuck up on me. O.S.I. #2 snuck up on me as well… it makes for a happy present. Now, if I can only convince Kevin to tour Chroma Key or O.S.I.
I suppose watch this blog space for future news… or this one…
~Dan
Greydon Square, Ani DiFranco & Steven Wilson
Atheist rapper Greydon Square comes back strong on his latest album, The CPT Theorem. This is his third album, though his debut (Absolute from 2004) is long out-of-print… so it’s only the 2nd album of his that I am lucky to own. His album The Compton Effect was one of my favorite albums in 2007. This album branches out more beyond the primarily atheist lyrics, more about his life and other topics (to some extent). I’m on my 2nd time through, and I’m diggin’ it. Fav track thus far… “Cubed.” The album is on some internet stores, specifically iTunes. Give it a listen… as well as his last one (The Compton Effect), too…
In non-atheist rap news, Ani DiFranco‘s got a new song posted to her MyScpae page*. The song is called “Smiling Underneath.” I dig its more “band-oriented” sound. Her new (20th studio) album, Red Letter Year, comes out on 9/30/08.
Yep, 20 albums in, what, 18-19 years?! Crazy… but I dig just about all of ’em.
Regarding Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson, of whom I posted a news bit 2 weeks or so ago, there’s a YouTube trailer for his upcoming solo album, Insurgentes:
Coming up this weekend for me… King’s X and Extreme playing on the same stage. Woot! How’s that for diverse music in one post: atheist rap, hipster folk, progressive rock, the founders of grunge, and a hair band. :)
~Dan – np: Jude – Cuba
*– MyScpae is a new networking site for people who can’t tuckin’ fype.
Steven Wilson’s Rad Self
Steven Wilson is a musical hero of mine. He’s the guitarist/singer/songwriter for Porcupine Tree, Blackfield (with Aviv Geffen), and No-Man (with Tim Bowness). He’s produced several other artists, most notably Swedish metal band Opeth. He’s got several other solo or collaboration side-projects like Bass Communion, I.E.M., and a song on the debut Office of Strategic Influence record (with another hero of mine — Kevin Moore & Jim Matheos). He’s a veritable berry farm harvest of prolificity… er… um… or something.
Per his web’s splash page, now he’s got a “proper solo album” in the works:
Niiiiice…
While “TBD” at this time, knowing SW’s prior output level, Insurgentes will likely be out by year’s end.
http://www.swhq.co.uk/ (Steven’s webpage)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In unrelated news, Ozomatli (SoCal Latino rock/hip-hop outfit) & Chali 2Na (baritone rapper from Jurassic 5) are teaming up for a tour. Chali 2Na and Cut Chemist (also from J5) were the “hip-hop angle” on Ozo’s 1st album (in 1998). Cut is not on this tour (he’s been busy with DJ Shadow). Ozomatli & Chali 2Na will be in Portland (Crystal Ballroom) on Friday, Nov 7th – – and I’m currently scheduled to be up at a client that week… hmmm… here’s the rest of their tour plans (as of now):
10/26: Voodoo Music Experience – New Orleans, LA
10/27: Warehouse/Numbers – Houston, TX
10/29: Stubb’s – Austin, TX
10/30: House of Blues – Dallas, TX
10/31: Liberty Hall – Lawrence, KS
11/1-11/2: Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
11/5: Wilma Theatre – Missoula, MT
11/6: Big Easy – Boise, ID
11/7: Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
11/8-/11/9: Showbox – Seattle, WA
11/12: Senator Theatre – Chico, CA
11/13: Crystal Bay Casino – Crystal Bay, NV
I really dig Chali 2Na… he’s my fave rapper from J5 (though Marc7, Akil & Soup are great as well). He’s done a lot of stuff recently with jamband Galactic that’s worth checkin’ out, too.
http://myspace.com/ozomatli
http://www.myspace.com/chali2na
~Dan – np: Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins – Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins
ha’fway
(Sub)consciously prompted by this music blog, here are my favs of the first half of 2008… it’s all bound to switch around by year’s end:
Artist Album (label)
- The Secret Chiefs 3 play Masada Book Two: Book of Angels, Vol. 9: Xaphan (Tzadik)
- The Bar Kokhba Sextet play Masada Book Two: Book of Angels, Vol. 10: Lucifer (Tzadik)
- My Brightest Diamond A Thousand Shark’s Teeth (Asthmatic Kitty)
- Opeth Watershed (RoadRunner)
- Earth The Bees Make Honey in the Lion’s Skull (Southern Lord)
- Dave Douglas & Keystone Live at Jazz Standard, 4/10/2008 to 4/13/2008 (2 sets each night = 8 CDs worth, each set downloadable within 24 hours of the performance… cool stuff…) (Green Leaf)
- Sigur Rós Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (XL)
- Reptet Chicken or Beef? (Monktail Creative Music Concern)
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers (Tzadik)
- King’s X XV (Inside Out)
- Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket) Secrets of the New Explorers -EP- (Umami)
- Ashes Divide (Bill Howerdel of A Perfect Circle) Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright (Island)
- Mike Patton A Perfect Place (Ipecac)
- Puscifer V is for Viagra – The Remixes (Puscifer)
- Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey Lil’ Tae Rides Again (Hyena)
- Bill Frisell History, Mystery (Nonesuch)
- Steven Bernstein (of Sex Mob) Diaspora Suite (Tzadik)
- Hiromi Beyond Standard (Telarc)
- Stebmo Stebmo (Stebmo)
- Bobby Previte & New Bump New Bump: Set the Alarm for Monday (Palmetto)
- Swami Late Plate (Previte & Saft) Doom Jazz (Veal)
- Porcupine Tree We Lost the Skyline -EP- (Transmission)
- Raquy and the Cavemen Mischief (Meef)
- Aimee Mann @#%&*! Smilers (Super Ego)
- Kaki King Dreaming of Revenge (Velour)
The 2nd half of 2008 promises to bring some potential great ones, too… Medeski Martin & Wood play John Zorn’s Masada Book Two, 3 other Medeski Martin & Wood albums (later in the year), Secret Chiefs 3 Book of Souls (maybe), God of Shamisen debut, Extreme Saudades de Rock, Mike Patton‘s Mondo Cane, Mike Patton & Dan the Automator’s Crudo, a new Sufjan Stevens (just speculating, since it’s been a while), Ben Folds is working on one, Ani DiFranco always has something coming out, Jude‘s Cuba, Jon Madof‘s CircuitBreaker debut (and maybe another Rashanim?), The Tango Saloon‘s Transylvania, new Tristeza, Over the Rhine Live from Nowhere III, David Bazan full-length, George Hrab (maybe?), SFJazz 2008 with Dave Douglas & Joe Lovano and others, Frank Zappa‘s One Shot Deal, another installment of the John Zorn avant-metal trio of Mike Patton/Trevor Dunn/Joey Baron… and I’m sure another dozen or more that I’ll dig from Tzadik.
-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 