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ha’fway 2017
Happy 241st birthday, United States!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ah, the annual halfway through the year music recap where I rarely post an end of year recap. *eyeroll* Eh… I don’t blog much anymore… regardless, here goes for my Top 10 of 2017 so far…
Artist – Album (style)
- Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Mulhy & James McAlister – Planetarium (indie rock)
- Burning Ghosts – Reclamation (jazz metal)
- KXM (Doug Pinnick / George Lynch / Ray Luzier) – Scatterbrain (hard rock)
- Peter Mulvey – Are You Listening? (singer-songwriter)
- Sexmob – Cultural Capital (jazz)
- David Bazan – Care (indie rock)
- Ani DiFranco – Binary (singer-songwriter)
- Future Islands – The Far Field (indie pop)
- Mostly Other People Do the Killing (with Steven Bernstein of Sexmob) – Loafer’s Hollow (jazz)
- Incubus – 8 (rock)
Honorable mentions…
- Albums by Lydia Ainsworth, Alt-J, Brian Marsella Trio’s Masada Book Two, Aimee Mann, Dave Douglas’ Riverside, and Throttle Elevator Music (Kamasi Washington).
- EP – ANOHNI’s Paradise
- Live – ISIS’ Live VII: 2.25.2010
- Re-issues – Pink Floyd early years boxset(s), the Beatles Srgt. Pepper’s 50th, U2 The Joshua Tree 30th, Radiohead OK Computer 20th
- Novelty – A**l Trump’s If You Thought ********* **** Was a Lot of People, You Should Have Seen My Inauguration 5″ vinyl (in “Seth Putnam form,” shall we say).
What’s still to come in 2017…
Claypool-Lennon Delirium 12″ (RSD wider-issue), Spotlights, Antibalas, Steven Wilson, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Mogwai, Radiohead OKNOTOK (physical), Failure live vinyl, Lo Tom (David Bazan, TW Walsh & Starflyer 59 folks), Celldweller, The National, Secret Chiefs 3, Weird Al boxset, plus much more, I’m sure.
Will I continue with blogs in the future? I don’t know. :P
Dan – np: Critters Buggin – Muti -EP-
Favorite Albums & Concerts of 2016
- Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial (lo-fi indie rock) fave song: “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales” (#6)
- Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket) – Swallowed by the New (singer-songwriter) fave song: “Criminal Career” (#3)
- Sia – This Is Acting (pop) fave song: “Alive” (#2)
- Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool (rock) fave song: “Ful Stop” (#5)
- Wussy – Forever Sounds (lo-fi indie rock) fave song: “Dropping Houses” (#1)
- Holy Fuck – CONGRATS (groove electronic) fave song: “Tom Tom” (#2)
- Elliott Smith – Heaven Adores You (indie rock) fave song: “Plainclothes Man” (#6)
- Steve Taylor & the Danielson Foil – WOW to the Deadness -EP- coffin (indie rock) fave song: “Wow to the Deadness” (#1)
- Circle of Dust – Machines of Our Disgrace (hard industrial) fave song: “Machines of Our Disgrace” (#2)
- Lily & Madeleine – Keep It Together (singer-songwriter duo) fave song: “For the Weak” (#2)
- Charlie Hunter, Bobby Previte, and more – Everybody Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Mouth (jazz) fave song: “No Money, No Honey” (#7)
- Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom – Otis Was a Polar Bear (jazz) fave song: “Fuster” (#1)
- David Bazan (of Pedro the Lion) – Blanco (indie rock) fave song: “Little Landslide” (#7)
- Anna Tivel – Heroes Waking Up (singer-songwriter) fave song: “Black Balloon” (#2)
- The Jelly Jam –
ProphetProfit (prog rock) fave song: “Care” (#1) - Dave Douglas’ High Risk – Dark Territory (jazz with electronics) fave song: “Celine” (#1)
- Amendola vs. Blades – Greatest Hits (jazz) fave song: “Lima Bean” (#1)
- Damien Jurado – Visions of Us on the Land (indie rock) fave song: “Exit 353” (#11)
- Greydon Square – Omniverse : Type 3 : Aum Niverse (rap/hip hop) fave song: “Defiant” (#5)
- Elysian Fields – Ghosts of No (sultry indie rock) fave song: “Shadows of the Living Light” (#11)
- Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree) – 4 ½ -EP- (prog rock) fave song: “My Book of Regrets” (#1)
- Opeth – Sorceress (prog metal) fave song: “Will o’ the Wisp” (#4)
- Scandroid – Scandroid (keyboard electronic) fave song: “Aphelion” (#3)
- The Claypool-Lennon Delirium – Monolith of Phobos (weird rock) fave song: “Cricket and the Genie, Movement I: The Delirium” (#2)
- Kaada & Patton – Bacteria Cult (ambient experimental) fave song: “Immodium” (#7)
- {8 Apr} Peter Mulvey w/ Anna Tivel :: Alberta Rose Theatre :: Portland, OR
- {22 Apr} Sufjan Stevens, BØRNS, Parov Stelar, LCD Soundsystem & more :: Coachella 2016 :: Indio, CA
- {23 Apr} CHVRCHES, Guns N’ Roses, Gary Clark Jr., Ice Cube, GoGo Penguin & more :: Coachella 2016 :: Indio, CA
- {24 Apr} Sia, Kamasi Washington, Wolf Alice, Joywave & more :: Coachella 2016 :: Indio, CA
- {16 Jun} Holy Fuck :: Doug Fir Lounge :: Portland, OR
- {25 Jun} Flight of the Conchords with Eugene Mirman :: Keller Auditorium :: Portland, OR
- {28 Jul} Ozomatli :: HiFi Music Hall :: Eugene, OR
- {29 Jul} Weird Al Yankovic :: Cuthbert Amphitheater :: Eugene, OR
- {13 Aug} Buster Keaton’s The General film with live score by Mark Orton, Carla Kihlstedt, Matthias Bossi, Todd Sickafoose :: Bohemia Park :: Cottage Grove, OR
- {29 Oct} Failure presents Fantastic Planet’s 20th Anniversary :: Star Theater :: Portland, OR
- {9 Nov} Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket :: Alberta Rose Theatre :: Portland, OR
- {17 Nov} Car Seat Headrest :: The WOW Hall :: Eugene, OR
ha’fway 2016
Happy 240th birthday, United States!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ah, the annual halfway through the year music recap where I never post an end of year recap. *eyeroll* Eh… I don’t blog much anymore… regardless, here goes for my Top 10 of 2016 so far…
Artist – Album (style)
- Sia – This Is Acting (pop)
- Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool (rock)
- Wussy – Forever Sounds (indie rock)
- Holy Fuck – CONGRATS (live electronic)
- Elliott Smith – Heaven Adores You (soundtrack) (indie rock)
- Steve Taylor & the Danielson Foil – WOW to the Deadness -EP- (indie rock)
- David Bazan – Blanco (indie rock)
- Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom – Otis Was a Polar Bear (jazz)
- The Claypool-Lennon Delirium – Monolith of Phobos (rock)
- Damien Jurado – Visions of Us on the Land (indie rock)
What’s still to come in 2016…
Chevelle, Peter Mulvey (it’s in the can), Alex Somers’ score for Captain Fantastic, John Zorn (about every month), TOOL (music done, lyrics nearing completion?), Sigur Rós (maybe 2017), Charlie Hunter, and based on kickstarters/pledgemusic that I’ve supported: Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate, Derek Webb‘s Mockingbird Remixed and Fleming & John, plus much more, I’m sure.
Will I continue with blogs in the future? I don’t know. :P
Dan – np: Auragami – Formation (single)
PHOTOS: Secret Chiefs 3 – The Seattle Residency (5/7/13 & 5/8/13)
Better late than never, I got the Secret Chiefs 3 Seattle residency photos edited. Two days and four amazing sets by this amazing band. Go here for the SUNSET 5/7 SETLISTS (UR & Ishraqiyun) and here for the CROCODILE 5/8 SETLISTS (John Zorn’s Masada Book Two: Xaphan & FORMS).
Note: The new album, Book of Souls: Folio 1, originally announced to come out in May has now been pushed back.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Secret Chiefs 3 / Web of Mimicry Record Label Site
- Secret Chiefs 3 on Facebook
- My Other Related Reviews~
- SC3 in Oregon 2012 (Eugene & Portland – Feb 2012)
- SC3 @ Doug Fir (Portland – Aug 2008)
- SC3 @ Bowery (NYC – Mar 2007)
- (Timba’s old band) Estradasphere @ 2nd Story (Bloomington, IN – Oct 2006)
- The Sunset’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
- The Crocodile’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
SECRET CHIEFS 3 PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2013 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Secret Chiefs 3 – 2013 SPRING RESIDENCY TOUR
Seattle, WA
Tue May 7, 2013 @ The Sunset
Wed May 8, 2013 @ The Crocodile
San Francisco, CA
Fri May 10, 2013 @ Cafe Du Nord
Sat May 11, 2013 @ Cafe Du Nord
Los Angeles, CA
Sun May 12, 2013 @ Bootleg Bar
Tue May 14, 2013 @ Bootleg Bar
New York, NY
Fri May 17, 2013 @ Mercury Lounge
Brooklyn, NY
Sat May 18, 2013 @ Union Pool
Sun May 19, 2013 @ Union Pool
Chicago, IL
Tue May 21, 2013 @ Schubas Tavern
Wed May 22, 2013 @ Beat Kitchen
Toronto, ON
Fri May 24, 2013 @ The Drake
Sat May 25, 2013 @ The Drake
New York, NY @ The Stone (6 nights, 12 shows)
May 28, 2013
8pm: UR
10pm: FORMS etc.
May 29, 2013
8pm: Tesselations / Magic Squares
10pm: Ishraqiyun
May 30, 2013
8pm: FORMS etc. (expanded set + new material)
10pm: Xaphan
May 31, 2013
8pm: John Carpenter tribute + new material from Forms, UR, etc.
10pm: Tessellation 2: with guests Ches Smith and Gyan Riley
Jun 01, 2013
8pm: FORMS (new material adding Ches Smith, pipe organ favorites etc)
10pm: Ishraqiyun Kenny/Ches double-drum Cthulu mutations.
Jun 02, 2013
8pm: Final SC3 set, best of Stone week recap (with Ches Smith & Kenny Grohowski)
10pm: Masada (adding Gyan Riley to previous ensemble, the whole crew)
SETLIST: David Bazan @ Gutenberg College (Eugene, OR – 4/24/13)
David Bazan is off on another jaunt of a 40+ house concert tour. Last night’s show at the McKenzie Study Center at Gutenberg College wasn’t technically a “house,” but it still had that living room feel.
He showed up a tad late, but after quickly setting up, he entertained a few questions and then kicked into his set…
Setlist: about 75 minutes
- Q&A #1
- Hot Girls [Headphones]
- Fewer Broken Pieces
- Big Trucks [Pedro the Lion]
- Man In Me [Bob Dylan]
- Q&A #2
- “I write it down for what it’s worth” [new song, no title mentioned]
- Hard To Be
- Virginia
- Shit Talker [Headphones]
- Q&A #3
- Wolves At The Door
- Selling Advertising
- Of Minor Prophets and Their Prostitute Wives [Pedro the Lion]
- Q&A #4
- The Fleecing [Pedro the Lion]
- Cold Beer and Cigarettes
- Q&A #5
- Strange Negotiations
No Encore
Some Bazan-related news…
1) His newest side-project Overseas is up for pre-order now. If you pre-order it, you get a download of the full album immediately. I got it a couple weeks ago, and I dig it. Overseas is David Bazan, Will Johnson, Matt Kadane and Bubba Kadane…. and in the 2nd Q&A I asked if they were going to tour. He said that they will likely do a limited set of dates: a few Texas dates, New York area dates, and then a limited West Coast run (LA, SF, Portland, Seattle).
2) On this tour, though he didn’t have them available last night, is a art print that comes with a download code for a Covers EP. He didn’t have them last night, but noted that we could buy it online (soon) without shipping fees. He should have them soon on some of the other dates on this tour. He mentioned the Bob Dylan cover, Radiohead’s “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box,” and a few others will be included.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- David Bazan’s Site
- David Bazan’s Social Media Links (see below)
- My Other Related Reviews~
- House Show (Portland, OR – Feb 2012)
- Sam Bond’s Garage (Eugene, OR – Dec 2011)
- House Show (Eugene, OR – Sep 2011)
- Sam Bond’s Garage (Eugene, OR – Mar 2010)
- Mississippi Studios (Portland, OR – Nov 2009)
- House Show (Eugene, OR – Jul 2009)
- The Indigo (Eugene, OR – Dec 2007)
This was his second date of this tour… check out more tour dates below (sorry, many are already sold out).
Next show for me… Infected Mushroom at McDonald Theater (4/25).
~Dan – np: Pet Bottle Ningen – Non-Recyclable
David Bazan – Spring 2013 House Show Tour
04/23/13 Tue – Portland OR – SOLD OUT
04/24/13 Wed – Eugene OR – SOLD OUT
04/25/13 Thu – Redding CA
04/26/13 Fri – Sacramento CA – SOLD OUT
04/27/13 Sat – San Francisco CA – SOLD OUT
04/28/13 Sun – Hollister CA
04/29/13 Mon – OFF
04/30/13 Tue – Los Angeles CA – SOLD OUT
05/01/13 Wed – Costa Mesa CA – SOLD OUT
05/02/13 Thu – Riverside CA – SOLD OUT
05/03/13 Fri – San Diego CA – SOLD OUT
05/04/13 Sat – Tucson AZ – SOLD OUT
05/05/13 Sun – Phoenix AZ – SOLD OUT
05/06/13 Mon – OFF
05/07/13 Tue – Graham TX
05/08/13 Wed – San Antonio TX – SOLD OUT
05/09/13 Thu – Houston TX – SOLD OUT
05/10/13 Fri – Baton Rouge LA
05/11/13 Sat – New Orleans LA – SOLD OUT
05/12/13 Sun – OFF
05/13/13 Mon – Orlando FL – SOLD OUT
05/14/13 Tue – Jacksonville FL – SOLD OUT
05/15/13 Wed – Augusta GA – SOLD OUT
05/16/13 Thu – Atlanta GA – SOLD OUT
05/17/13 Fri – Columbus GA
05/18/13 Sat – Birmingham AL – SOLD OUT
05/19/13 Sun – Memphis TN
05/20/13 Mon – OFF
05/21/13 Tue – St Louis MO – SOLD OUT
05/22/13 Wed – Kansas City MO – SOLD OUT
05/23/13 Thu – Tulsa OK – SOLD OUT
05/24/13 Fri – Oklahoma City OK – SOLD OUT
05/25/13 Sat – Lubbock TX
05/26/13 Sun – Los Alamos NM
05/27/13 Mon – Prescott AZ
05/28/13 Tue – Las Vegas NV
05/29/13 Wed – OFF
05/30/13 Thu – Davis CA
05/31/13 Fri – Chico CA – SOLD OUT
06/01/13 Sat – Phoenix OR (Medford)
06/02/13 Sun – Portland OR – SOLD OUT
PHOTOS: Booker T Jones, Charlie Hunter & Carlton Jackson @ Soul’d Out Music Fest (Dante’s, Portland – 4/14/13)
The first time ever playing together, Booker T Jones (keys, voice, guitar), Charlie Hunter (guitar magic) and Carlton Jackson (drums) ripped up a 70 minute set at the Soul’d Out Music Festival last night at Dante’s in Portland. Booker T. actually played on many of, if not all of, the studio recordings of the classics played last night… such a legend!!
Here are some photos and the setlist:
Setlist: ~70 minutes
- Hip Hug-Her
- Melting Pot
- Born Under a Bad Sign (Albert King cover)
- Green Onions
- Oh Pretty Woman (Albert King cover)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
- (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding cover)
- Take Me to the River (Al Green cover)
- Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers cover)
- Time Is Tight
- I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (Otis Redding cover)
- Encore: Unknown (by me)
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Booker T. Jones’ Site
- Charlie Hunter’s Site
- Carlton Jackson’s Site
- My Other Related Reviews/Photos~
- Charlie Hunter Trio @ Sam Bond’s Garage (Eugene – Dec 2010)
- Charlie Hunter @ WOW Hall (Eugene – May 2010)
- Dante’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
- Soul’d Out Music Festival’s Site / Facebook
~Dan
REVIEW: John Zorn at 60 @ Walker Art Center & St. Mark’s (Minneapolis, MN – 4/6/13)
John Zorn turns 60 this coming September, and Minneapolis’ Walker Art Center wanted to throw a Zorn Fest of sorts. Since Zorn doesn’t like to travel, he wanted to keep it to a minimum: not a 3+ day fest, but hey, let’s do it all on one day! And thus “Zorn @ 60” at Walker Art Center was born!
Check out what 60 of Zorn’s contemporaries have said about him… Part 1 & Part 2.
There have already been a few great reviews already posted (Jazz Police / Walker Art / City Pages); so I’ll keep my write-up to my own personal reflections, and not as in-depth, per se. Here’s who Zorn had with him for this fest, in different assemblies… Cyro Baptista, percussion; Joey Baron, drums; Greg Cohen, bass; Chris Cunningham, guitar; Marc Feldman, violin; Eric Friedlander, cello; Michelle Kinney, cello; John Medeski, piano, Hammond B3; Ikue Mori, electronics; Marc Ribot, guitar; Joey Schad, electric keyboards; Kenny Wollesen, vibraphone, percussion, and drums.
Well, first off, due to documentaries, I know what Zorn sounds like… and I was getting off the elevator at my hotel and I heard a familiar voice. Then I looked up, and “whoa, John Zorn is getting on the elevator that I’m getting off of.” I almost wanted to act like I forgot something in my room and ride up with him. Alas, I wussed out. Then in the lobby, Marc Ribot was futzing around on his phone, and Greg Cohen’s massive upright bass case was blocking the front desk. It all added to my overall giddiness for the day…
John Zorn discussion w/ Philip Bither
The full day of Zorn @ 60 started at 3pm with a sit down with fest curator Philip Bither. Zorn is a lively, humorous, acerbic character. I kinda love him. Probably more f-bombs and frivolity than most Q&A sessions, the near hourlong session was highly interesting.
The first part of the discussion talked about Zorn’s age… as the fest was all about his experience and what got him to where he is now in the scene at 60. Zorn talked a little bit about other “60” celebrations he’s doing this year (of all things MySpace has the best list), and one that he’s doing at The Met (NYC) completely intrigued me… ten performances every hour on the hour in different galleries throughout the museum on September 1st (Facebook link). if I can swing a way to be in NYC for most of September, I’d be happy. Unlikely, though.
Some of the best quotes from the interview and Q&A (paraphrased from my scribbles):
[about turning 60]“You don’t have any more doubts.”
“They’ve been saying I’ve been playing ironically for decades… that’s bullshit. But they don’t believe me when I say that’s bullshit.”
“Ribot plays guitar like a mutha’fucka!”
“I live in a library [of books, LPs, CDs, DVDs]… I didn’t have a kitchen for over a decade, but I didn’t have cockroaches either!”
[on creativity] “There were probably Bach-types banging on logs [in the earliest times]. Creativity is mystical, spiritual, ineffable.”
[on his schedule for the day] “Eating is a drag… it’ll only slow you down.”
[on critics] “The secret to longevity is to stay away from negative people… all reviews are bad. We don’t need that bullshit.”
And while I write reviews (and perhaps this is one), I understand his take on the industry of critique.
Marc Ribot plays selections from The Book of Heads
(about 20 minutes)
First music of the day… Marc Ribot by himself with a guitar, some pedals, a violin bow, some balloons, and an intenseness in his eyes. The Book of Heads, an album of solo Etudes composed by Zorn, is a very difficult listen. It screeches, it hurtles into many different directions. It’s hard to follow, it’s hard to even want to listen to at some times. Seeing it live, though, was quite fascinating. It’s highly composed, but seemingly improvised. Just seeing Marc’s stern look at the sheet music showed the composition. He was intently following the haphazard that was on the page. When one of the greatest guitarists is using balloons as a key part of the music making process, you know things are weird. Weird but gripping.
Ribot played the following Etudes (not necessarily in this order): 13, 23, 9, 24, 22, 27, 7, 2.
Game Piece: Hockey with Kenny Wollesen & Erik Friedlander
(about 10 minutes)
The next piece was a trio game piece first created in 1978. Zorn’s game pieces are a strict set of rules and is a structured, improvisational collaboration between the artists. Hockey on record is OK to listen to, but like The Book of Heads and Cobra (below), it’s far more interesting in the live setting.
A game piece is…
As well as a sports game, a game piece may also be considered analogous to language: The performance is directed by a well defined set of rules (a grammar) but by no means fixed or predetermined (just as all sentences generated by the same grammar are not the same). The length of a piece may be arbitrary, just as a sentence can be of any imaginable length while still conforming to a strictly defined syntax.
This time is was Zorn on birdcalls, Kenny Wollesen on bird calls and percussion, and Erik Friedlander on cello. With Kenny and Erik looking intently at Zorn for his verbal and hand motion directions. The level of musicianship of these three players is amazing, and the game pieces are basically a way to stretch their creative musical muscles while making sounds that you’d never expect. It’s not for the casual listener.
Game Piece: Cobra (for 11 players)
(3 games; about 30 minutes total)
John Zorn heard off stage before Cobra started: “Just don’t make any mistakes!”
Cobra takes the game piece concept to whole new levels. The rules are more complex, and John Zorn doesn’t play but directs at the front. Based on the card he holds up and his verbal and non-verbal cues, the musicians go off on an adventure – never the same in any repeat performance.
With eleven players on stage (all listed at the top of this post), they played three games of Cobra. This was my first time seeing Cobra. It’s very interactive, starting with Zorn’s lead, but the players get room to lead things too. It’s improv, but still with a structure. Here’s a glimpse at the cue card structure:
Highlight for me: Joey Baron’s smile. I get such a kick out of watching him play. He’s probably the musician having the most fun ever on stage every time I see him.
Cobra was the end of the first program, and the fest broke for a couple hours.
Erik Friedlander plays selections from Masada Book Two: Volac
Masada String Trio, and
Bar Kokhba Sextet
(a little over an hour – total)
The second program was the chamber music segment (and also the part of the day where my notes have now gone missing).
I’d seen Erik Friedlander before (both solo with his own stuff and playing Volac), and it was a great warm up for the increasingly larger groups playing music from John Zorn’s Masada Book Two set of music. He played a gorgeous 20 minute selections from Volac.
Up next was the Masada String Trio made up of the aforementioned Erik Friedlander on cello, Mark Feldman on violin, and Greg Cohen on upright bass. While the music they played was composed (same with Bar Kokhba Sextet), John Zorn sat on the floor in front of them, conducting. They played about 20 minutes from their Masada Book Two set. Gorgeous players, gorgeous music!
Continuing in the chamber music written & conducted by Zorn, the Bar Kokhba Sextet found the Masada String Trio joined by Joey Baron on drums, Cyro Baptista on percussion, and Marc Ribot on guitar. This was probably the best part of the night for me – outside of the experience of seeing Cobra played for the first time. The group effortlessly brought Zorn’s Masada tunes some groove, and seeing both Baron and Baptista work together percussively was a delight.
John Zorn’s Nova Express & The Concealed
encore:
John Zorn playing to Wallace Berman’s film Aleph
with Kenny Wollesen & Greg Cohen
(about 75 minutes total)
At the beginning of the third program, someone yelled out from the audience, “where’s your horn!?” to which John Zorn yelled back, “at home mother fucker!” Irreverent and hilarious. Even though he was lying (he brought out his alto sax for the final piece).
Nova Express and The Concealed songs were played by Joey Baron on drums, show-stealer Kenny Wollesen on vibes, Erik Friedlander on cello, Mark Feldman on violin, Greg Cohen on upright bass, and John Medeski on piano. These are two of Zorn’s better albums in the recent three years’ output (of ~36 albums!!!!). Partly classical takes on Masada tunes (Nova Express), and partly mystical (The Concealed).
As mentioned, the only time John Zorn brought out his sax was for the visual installation piece Aleph – set to Wallace Bergman’s short cut-up film of the same name. Iit was a ripping, avant-garde piece in the dark, backlit by the film, with Zorn wailing on sax, Kenny Wollesen moving off of vibes on to the drums, and Greg Cohen on bass. Stellar!
John Zorn’s The Hermetic Organ (midnight) @ St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral
A special free midnight performance of John Zorn’s The Hermetic Organ was across the street after the final third program of Zorn @ 60. Most of the crowd piled over to St. Mark’s Cathedral to watch the contrasting and turgid organ piece. I stayed for about half of the 30+ minute set and then slowly started my 2 mile, midnight walk back to my hotel – content at the day’s musical gifts.
A brilliant, music-packed day! If you want to check out some videos of what went down, the French Zorn website le zornographe has linked to some performances posted from the Walker Art Center “Zorn @ 60” fest on YouTube:
Bar Kokhba Sextet “Sother”
The Concealed “Towards Kafiristan”
Nova Express “Between Two Worlds”
The Appropriate Linkage:
- John Zorn’s label Tzadik Records
- Tzadik Record’s Social Media Links (see below)
- My Other Related Reviews~
- Zorn’s Masada, Ikue Mori and other shows (New York – Mar 2007)
- Zorn’s Moonchild Trio (Seattle – Nov 2007)
- Medeski Martin & Wood (Eugene – Nov 2008)
- Erik Friedlander’s Block Ice & Propane (Portland – Sept 2009)
- Medeski Martin & Wood (Eugene – Feb 2010)
- Erik Friedlander plays Zorn’s Volac (Eugene – Jan 2011)
- Walker Art Center’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Next show for me… Soul’d Out Festival’s Charlie Hunter with Booker T. Jones & Carlton Jackson (first time as a trio) @ Dante’s (Portland 4/14)..
~Dan – np: Ellery – Lying Awake
Sigur Rós album Kveikur (news) and “Brennisteinn” (video)
4/25 Update: There are now no plans for a deluxe edition per sigur rós’ official website. It is available on CD and LPx2 from Amazon NOW.
I’ve been lax in posting as of late… sorry… what to get me out of the funk? News about the new Sigur Rós album Kveikur, album art, tracklist, and a new video…
“Brennisteinn“
Gorgeous use of limited colors, and a little more loud (maybe Kjartan was keeping the rockiness at bay) – this video bodes well for the what is to come in the new album. They begin their North American tour tomorrow (I get to see them in Bend, OR in May), including their biggest headline show to date at NYC’s Madison Square Garden.
Kveikur comes out June 18, 2013, and pre-order is live over on sigur-ros.co.uk for both CD & vinyl versions. The limited edition pre-order should be live soon.
Kveikur Tracklist:
1 Brennisteinn
2 Hrafntinna
3 Isjaki
4 Yfirbord
5 Stormur
6 Kveikur
7 Rafstraumur
8 Bláprádur
9 Var
Oh, and this was also announced yesterday… PRINCE is playing two shows in one night at small rock club Roseland Theater in downtown Portland, Oregon.
And guess who snagged tickets to see the 8pm show on April 21st? Me! Whoa!
~Dan – np: Garage A Trois – Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil
REVIEW: Tomahawk @ Wonder Ballroom (Portland, OR – 2/13/13)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
Being a longtime Mike Patton fan, I got into Tomahawk right when the self-titled debut hit in 2001. Mike Patton stated early on that Tomahawk was led by Duane Denison (from The Jesus Lizard). It comes and goes at Duane’s pace. With that, Tomahawk has tended to change a fair bit from album to album. While Mit Gas (2003) was fairly similar to the debut in approach, the shape-shifting sound really caught me off-guard with their Native American-inspired third album – Anonymous (2007).
Their latest album, Oddfellows, hit two weeks ago. I’ve let it sink in a bit. It’s a bit more “straight-forward” rock than their prior albums. Still some Patton & Denison-isms thrown in to make it buck the normal rock trend. Overall, it’s a solid record and I’ve been warming up nicely to it, getting ready for the show.
Their official video for the song “Oddfellows” came out late last week. This is the one song on the album that I could see on the final Faith No More album (sandwiched in between Home Sick Home & Pristina perhaps)… it just has that “feel” to me…
The opener was Retox… and they played 30 minutes of homogenous tunes that were fairly screamy with muddy-drumming. Nothing else to say there…
Tomahawk hit the stage a bit later than expected… at about 10pm after a 45-minute loop of the “Tomahawk Chop” chant (think Atlanta Braves cheering section, but with no game). The band this go around is the previously mentioned Mike Patton on vocals/keys/sounds and Duane Denison on guitars with original Helmet drummer John Stanier and Mr. Bungle/Fantômas/Trio Convulsant/many more groups/NYC jazz bassist Trevor Dunn.
They played a great mix from their four records – showcasing the difference in the band’s catalog and the variety in Patton’s voice. As this was the start to the tour, they seemed amped to be out there. At one point during “God Hates A Coward,” Patton got a bit overzealous and yanked the cord out of his mic. He got us to help him out, and while that’s oddly not a song where the “crowd takes over” technique would seem to fit, we worked through the technical difficulty well.
Setlist: about 90 minutes
- Oddfellows
- Flashback
- 101 North
- Stone Letter
- Birdsong
- Rape This Day
- Baby Let’s Play ____
- Capt. Midnight
- White Hats / Black Hats
- God Hates a Coward
- I.O.U.
- Rotgut
- South Paw
- Point and Click
- Waratorium
- Laredo
- Encore 1: Totem
- Stalkin’ [Duane Eddy]
- *Encore 2: Pay To Cum [Bad Brains]
- Just One More [George Jones]
*per FB & Setlist.fm commenters
Apparently they came back on after the 1st encore. The house lights had already come on, and I was out the door before I heard anything; alas, I missed the 2nd encore. Damn! I’m still stoked to have gotten to see them live – it had been far too long!
many more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Tomahawk’s Site (Ipecac Records)
- Tomahawk’s Social Media Links (see below)
- Retox’s Site / Facebook
- Other Related Reviews~
- Trevor Dunn solo (Eugene – Jan 2012)
- Moonchild Trio (Seattle – Nov 2007)
- Trevor Dunn solo (Eugene – Jan 2012)
- Wonder Ballroom’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
This was only the second date of the West Coast U.S. Tour; so definitely check out more tour dates below. They’re hitting Australia after the U.S. West Coast and then hitting the rest of the U.S. hopefully later in the year.
Next show for me… two shows at the PDX Jazz Fest next weekend in Portland (Steve Kuhn Trio & Steven Bernstein’s Sex Mob).
~Dan – np: Tomahawk – Mit Gas
TOMAHAWK PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2013 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Tomahawk – West Coast & Australia 2013 Tour
- 2/12 Seattle, WA Showbox at the Market
- 2/13 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
- 2/15 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
- 2/16 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
- 2/17 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory
- 2/19 Los Angeles, CA The Mayan
- 2/23 Brisbane, AUS RNA Showgrounds
- 2/24 Sydney, AUS Olympic Park
- 2/26 Sydney, AUS Metro Theatre
- 2/27 Melbourne, AUS Billboard the Venue
- 3/1 Melbourne, AUS Flemington Racecourse
- 3/2 Adelaide, AUS Bonython Park
- 3/4 Perth, AUS Claremont Showground
- 3/30 Sao Paolo, BR Lollapalooza Brazil
- 4/2 Buenos Aires, AR Malvinas Argentinas Stadium
- 4/4 Santiago, CH Teatro La Cupula del Parque O’Higgins
- 4/6 Santiago, CH Lollapalooza Chile
New music coming from Jude!
Call it intuition, call it luck, call it the power of the letter “J” – but I haven’t thought of Jude (Christodal) in forever. After spinning some Jurassic 5 on my iPod yesterday afternoon and flipped on over to Jude’s lovely No One Is Really Beautiful shortly after that.
Then I thought… what the hell has Jude been up to lately?
Time to hop on over to www.judemusic.com, and what do you know… he had posted this bit of news only a day before…
Thurs, Jan 24th, 2012: (bold by me)
I’ve decided to cobble together some unfinished records and make some new recordings as well. I’m past the point of pain from the writing, past the preciousness that keeps me from finishing songs, and past the point of thinking each track can change my life. So, with that remarkably confident build-up, in case anyone is still out there reading this, I love you for listening, and I hope to please you with this next work.
All I can do is try to be truthful in the songs. My instrument (vox) ain’t exactly what it used to be, but I’ll try to hide that from you with magical over-tracking, just like all the cool kids do now :)
Peace be with you. I expect to take a month, and then maybe get it out this Spring or something, no need to wait, right?
Now be patient and kind or I’ll crawl back into my hole! Oh, and Happy 2012. Peace be with us all.
His last post prior to Thursday’s post was March 17th… 2010. Yay! New Jude music on the very near horizon!
In other news… sorry for my own lack of posts lately. Crazy busy time for me lately. I still plan to have my “Best of 2012” post out soon, too. WTF is wrong with me?!
~Dan – np: Jude – No One Is Really Beautiful
*FREE DOWNLOAD* Wussy’s Berneice Huff and son, Bill sings… Popular Favorites
Cincinnati rock quartet Wussy just released this collection of rarities, bsides and live tracks FOR FREE…
Berneice Huff and son, Bill sings… Popular Favorites
As a thank-you to our fans’ support and generosity in 2012, we are happy to present a free download album of rarities, B-sides and demos.
- Terry Gross Intro
- Nomenclature
- Maglite (remix)
- First Concert
- Bought It Again (demo)
- Blood & Guts
- WOXY Intro
- Rigor Mortis (live)
- Retarded
- Bedroom Posters
- Jonah (demo)
- Airborne (acoustic)
- Musical Style
- Linda Linda/Sweetie Sweetie (live)
- All the Bugs Are Growing (demo)
- Run Away
- What Band Would You Erase…
- Soak It Up (demo)
~Dan – np: O.S.I. – Fire Make Thunder
Pinnick Gales Pridgen!
Pinnick Gales Pridgen is a new 3-piece “super group” featuring King’s X bassist Dug Pinnick, blues rock guitarist Eric Gales, and former The Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen. Their self-titled debut album will come out on Magna Carta Records on February 12th.
The album has been described as a mix of psychedelic blues, hard rock and progressive Soul/R&B. Bassist and vocalist Dug Pinnick: “This record is three guys, with music in us, who said, ‘Let’s go for it’. It was built upon raw energy.”
Audio sample:
Album trailer is here:
Pre-order now via Magna Carta Records.
~Dan – np: Pinnick Gales Pridgen – Pinnick Gales Pridgen
2012 mix
Time for this year’s mix CD, except I decided to go CD-free again (like 2011’s mix). It’s still formatted to stay contained on one CD (21 tracks ~79 mins); so if you want to download the whole shebang and burn to a CD – go for it!
Check out prior year-based mixes: 2009 (CD) and 2010 (CD) and 2011 (digital). No major theme this time like some of my prior mixes (4 Elements & A-to-Z mixes)… the only rule I placed before myself was that everything is current (i.e.- released in 2012). A few of the songs were technically released in 2012, but the album will hit in 2013.
This year’s mix ended up poppier and/or melancholier than prior mixes. Sometimes that’s just how things shake out. I hope you enjoy.
The following songs were put on the mix from mostly lossless sources where possible and for promotional purposes only (read: free direct market advertising to people who decidedly love music). Most of the artists on this compilation are independent (put out the music themselves) or signed to smaller, independent labels. If you like what you hear, check out their music / support them with your wallet if you are able. The artists’ Webpage, Facebook, and Amazon links are available for each song below. I’ve also included concert review links if I’ve seen the artist recently.
Download the ZIP File (140M) available *HERE*, extract then drag & drop the mp3 files to your iTunes (or other playback software).
All Songs Streaming Playlist (click arrows to skip back & forth… for individual songs find them below.)
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01 Brian Borcherdt / Dusted “(Into The) Atmosphere” from Total Dust
Brian Borcherdt from Canadian live-electronic band Holy Fuck has done some singer-songwriter-y solo projects in the past, but this album in-between HF albums still held on to some electronics and keys versus the standard acoustic guitar fare. This lo-fi, melodic, and haunting affair hit me well this rainy Oregon fall.
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02 O.S.I. “Wind Won’t Howl” from Fire Make Thunder
The fourth album in the O.S.I. partnership of Kevin Moore (Chroma Key) and Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) isn’t a metal heavy as the other albums. I love how there’s a bit of rock in this track to offset the melancholy delivery of Kevin’s vocals. Guest drummer on the entire album is Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree. The album fits in with what I’d call “glitch prog,” to which Kevin liked my moniker. Organic/real drums cut up electronically alongside with prog rock keys & guitars. This album is easily one of my favorites of 2012.
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03 Peter Mulvey “Egg Radio (instrumental)” from The Good Stuff
04 Peter Mulvey “Green Grass” from The Good Stuff
Peter Mulvey is an American treasure. His lyrical storytelling, guitar prowess, and overall charm and earnestness make him a favorite artists of mine, period. With his recent album, he put together a band and re-purposed others’ music… “new standards” if you will. The instrumental “Egg Radio” is originally penned by jazz guitarist Bill Frisell and “Green Grass” is from Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan.
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05 Levi Weaver “Talk Me Down” from I Am Only A Tiny Noise [EP]
Less than a year ago, I had no idea who Levi Weaver was. I joined a fantasy baseball league online (uncharacteristic of me) and met Levi via that. I had no idea he was a travelling musician until he mentioned on twitter something about a documentary being shot about him (String Theory). Then the cards fell in place for him to play a show at my house, and then I bought and fell in love with all of his records. Such is my musical addiction. Sometimes I luck into gems. Levi put out the Tiny Noise EP in 2012, but I also strongly urge you to check out his earlier work.
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06 Emily Wells “Instrumental (Lolo Remix)” from Mama Remixed
08 Emily Wells “Fire Song (Doctor Rosen Rosen Remix)” from Mama Remixed
Emily spans indie rock, chamber music, and hip-hop near flawlessly (check her cover of the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy“). With her latest album, Mama, she has continued in that vein… and then also released a remix album for free on Soundcloud.
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07 Kim Taylor “Save My Life (demo)” from the forthcoming album Love’s A Dog
Heartfelt Cincinnati singer-songwriter Kim Taylor successfully Kickstarted her forthcoming album. I loved this song so much; so here’s a glimpse in what is to come. Since the Kickstarter is officially done, keep in the loop via her webpage and Facebook for when it’ll hit regular retail outlets in 2013. Also, take a listen to her back catalog… her music has a special place in my heart.
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09 Sufjan Stevens “Alphabet St.” from Silver & Gold: Christmas Infinity Voyage [EP]
Five EPs of Christmas music released this year, and I find a non-holiday-forward Prince cover to break things up on this mix. This song is more indicative of things on The Age of Adz versus the rest of the Christmas EPs. Enjoy! Skip below for the other Sufjan track on my 2012 mix for something different…
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10 Digital Noise Academy “Melting Inside” from the forthcoming album DNA
Way back in 2006, the Los Angeles Digital Noise Academy (LADNA) did a couple of shared tracks… passing around pieces via the internet as they’re all busy musicians in their own rights. Back in those days, there was mention of releasing an album, but nothing ever materialized. Well, in 2012, they changed things up to just DNA and finally had enough momentum to get a Kickstarter going – which succeeded on its 2nd try. The album will come out in 2013. DNA is the cooperative of Ken Andrews (Failure, On, producer/mixer of tons of rock bands), Charlotte Martin (pop singer-songwriter), Sharky Laguana (Creeper Lagoon), Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck & NIN), Fernando Sanchez (popular hired gun), and Jordan Zadorozny (Blinker the Star).
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11 Aimee Mann “Labrador” from Charmer
I don’t have much to say about this song outside of that I love Aimee Mann, and the video for it was a shot-for-shot remake of the “Voices Carry” video from her ‘Til Tuesday days. Wacky and fun!
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12 The Album Leaf “Stretched Home” from Forward/Return [EP]
The Album Leaf is Jimmy LaValle, and he’s had some good success making some great keyboard-driven, organic post-rock. This EP almost escaped me, though, as the word on the street was faint. Jimmy has an upcoming project with Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon); so I guess I’ll have to keep my eyes & ears peeled better!
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13 Damien Jurado “Museum of Flight” from Maraqopa
Damien Jurado is one of those pure songwriters that hits me hard with his lyrics. This song has impacted me a lot this year, and I think I’ve listened to it more than 100 times, which knowing the amount of music I go through each year is saying something. Maraqopa is a gorgeous record, and it will end up high on my list for 2012.
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14 Glen Phillips “Still Carrying You” from Coyote Sessions
Glen Phillips (the voice behind Toad the Wet Sprocket) can bend my ear no matter what he’s doing. His latest self-release, Coyote Sessions (via bandcamp), is full of some old favorites that he’s done for a while in a live setting, but have never made their way onto formal releases. A must purchase for the pop singer-songwriter in me.
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15 Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola “Not Getting Behind Is The New Getting Ahead” from album of the same name
The ease at which Charlie Hunter plays both the guitar and bass parts on his 8-string guitar makes witnessing him in concert confounding. Fuck that guy! He’s too damn good to be an actual human being. He’s been working with drummer Scott Amendola in several incarnations in the past (trios, quartets). For this recent album and tour, it was just the two of them. Stripped down, yet full of sound. Highly recommended guitar jazz.
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16 Ben Folds Five “Away When You Were Here” from The Sound of the Life of the Mind
One of the saddest days was when I heard that Ben Folds Five broke up. I kind of always hoped they’d get back together, but Ben Folds kept chugging away on his solo stuff… which was excellent, but not… you know, not “the same.” There was a glint of hope a handful of years ago when Darren Jessee and Robert Sledge joined forces with their pianist brother for some live shows. This year, they got back together for real in the studio! They’ll hit the road in early Winter 2013. I’ll be lucky to see them in Portland in February. When I saw them back in the late 90s/early 2000s, they blew me away. Truly a fun band to see live!
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17 Bad Veins “If Then” from The Mess We’ve Made
Cincinnati rock duo Bad Veins should own the world. Their 2nd full length is lush, hooky, and a perfect follow-up to their 2009 debut. With the lushness on this record, Ben & Sebastien are probably giving “Irene,” their reel-to-reel band member, a good workout. Hopefully they buy her new cords and oil her joints in between gigs.
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18 John Zorn “Pathway of Fire” from The Concealed
One of nine releases from John Zorn this year, this album is a jauntier, more accessible jazz compared to some of his other work. I desperately wanted to put on some screeching, grating stuff from Music & Its Double, but I spared you all. I was *that* close to doing it, too. You’re welcome! Anyway, The Concealed album features some excellent packaging – embossed white inks on white digipack with die-cut shapes in the front. Kudos to Tzadik’s designer Chippy for her always stunning work. The music was written by Zorn and performed by the usual suspects in his arsenal – the stellar cast of NYC jazz cats: Joey Baron on drums, Trevor Dunn on bass, Mark Feldman on violin, Erik Friedlander on cello, John Medeski on piano, and Kenny Wollesen on vibes.
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19 Fiona Apple “Werewolf” from The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
It’s Fiona. What can I say? Great standout track on her stupendous new album. There’s “nothing wrong when a song ends in a minor key.”
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20 Sufjan Stevens “Justice Delivers Its Death” from Silver & Gold: Christmas Unicorn [EP]
Sparse acoustic guitar and Sufjan’s angelic voice thrust this song into my head and heart like no other. I take its lyrics as disappointment in the temporary, which can also be a call to do more fruitful things while we’re here. Which I think is good advice for everyone. This song is also not too indicative of most of what you’ll find on the Christmas EPs. I don’t really like Christmas music, but I think Sufjan makes some wonderful art. And, whoa, his concert tour this year was amazing (see review with photos of the Portland/Aladdin show)!!!
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21 Au4 “So Just Hang On, Beautiful One” from the forthcoming album …And Down Goes the Sky
These Canadian soundscapers haven’t released music since 2006. I found them in the halcyon “MySpace days,” if that tells you anything. Their first album (On: Audio) is amazing and textured. Their 2nd album from which this song is from is out now (digitally) with an official release date in 2013. It’s also textured and gorgeous, with a little mixing up on the vocal duties. I’m still digesting it, but I can still very much recommend it!
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Let me know what you think… If you enjoyed what you heard, please support the music. Definitely feel free to pass the link the mix along:
~Dan – np: Au4 – On: Audio
there are no torrents, free mp3 or other downloads available
Thom Yorke’s Atoms for Peace – AMOK
Yesterday Radiohead’s Thom Yorke announced the official release date for his side project, Atoms For Peace. Thom Yorke on vocals, Nigel Godrich producing, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea on bass, Joey Waronker on drums and Mauro Refosco on percussion, the debut album Amok will hit Feb 26, 2013.
To tide fans over until February, Yorke advises fans to visit Atoms For Peace’s official site for something to “stare at.”
“We formed to learn to play The Eraser record, if you don’t know that, and discovered a really good energy doing that… and it fell into this record,” Yorke said in a press release.
“I’m still reeling from being on tour for much of the year but we are planning to get together and play etc next year ! We’re figuring all that out right now.
“Atoms is a ongoing and open ended project, where it leads i know not for certain… which is what is nice about it.”
The album can be pre-ordered now here. It will be released as a CD, limited edition CD, double gatefold vinyl LP, and limited edition double gatefold vinyl LP.
Amok Tracklist
1 – Before Your Very Eyes
2 – Default
3 – Ingenue
4 – Dropped
5 – Unless
6 – Stuck Together Pieces
7 – Judge Jury and Executioner
8 – Reverse Running
9 – Amok
~Dan – np: John Zorn – The Gnostic Preludes
REVIEW: Over the Rhine @ the Triple Door (Seattle, WA – 11/17/12)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
How many times can you see a band and finally get tired of them? I honestly can’t answer that question. After 50+ times seeing Over the Rhine over more than a decade, in various venues and cities and states, I’ll still drive 10 hours over a 30 hour period to go see them because they’re not playing anywhere closer.
I had seen Jeffrey Foucault in September at the Triple Door in downtown Seattle. At that time, I had never been there, and after seeing the set-up, tasting the menu, and witnessing their light-show, I viewed their calendar and noted that they had the sole Over the Rhine show in the PacNW this fall. I bought my OTR tickets via my iPhone during the Jeffrey Foucault intermission.
This show was billed as “An Acoustic Evening with Over the Rhine,” and it featured the husband-wife duo of Linford Detweiler (piano, guitars, vocals) and Karin Bergquist (vocals, guitars) with drums/percussive support from Nick Radina.
The set was heavily from The Long Surrender (the album from late 2010/early 2011, depending on how you got it). That record is a gem; so I didn’t mind its heavy presence on Saturday. They also threw in some new songs that should make their way onto their upcoming album, The Farm (GO HERE for more on how to support that 2013 album)…
Setlist: ~1 hr 45 mins
- Born
- All My Favorite People
- The Laugh Of Recognition
- Undamned
- Sacred Ground [new song]
- Earthbound Love Song (aka Johnny & June)
- Gonna Let My Soul Catch My Body [new song]
- The King Knows How
- Suitcase
- Blue Jean Sky [new song]
- Favorite Time of Light
- Let It Fall [new song]
- Little Did I Know
- Trouble
- All I Need Is Everything
- Encore: Rave On
- Watching the Wheels [John Lennon]
- Drunkard’s Prayer
- Latter Days
As far as the new songs, “Sacred Ground” seems like a classic favorite already. They debuted it last fall, and I loved it immediately. The chorus doesn’t seem like a “tradition OTR song,” but it really works well with both Karin & Linford singing. “Blue Jean Sky” had some nice imagery, as well as a repeated line of “kick ass beauty.” The main set and encore cappers from Good Dog Bad Dog made me happy as well… all in all, another gorgeous evening by two of my favorite musical friends.
more photos below
they’re a bit grainy when
you blow them up (sorry…
we were mid-crowd)
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Over the Rhine’s Site
- Over the Rhine’s Social Media Links (see below)
- My Other Related Reviews~
- Aladdin Theater (Portland – Nov 2011)
- Aladdin Theater (Portland – Nov 2010)
- WOW Hall (Eugene – Nov 2010)
- Doug Fir Lounge (Portland – Sept 2007)
- Bogarts (Cincinnati – March 2001)
- Canal Street Tavern (Dayton – June 2000)
- The Triple Door’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Next show for me… Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band at the Rose Garden (Portland 11/28).
~Dan – np: Isis – Temporal
OVER THE RHINE PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2012 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Wussy “Waiting Room” & “Asteroids” (live on Ultra Sessions)
One of the best indie rock bands around, Wussy, had an Ultra Sessions. Here’s “Waiting Room“…
http://ultrasessions.com/home/wussy-waiting-room/
And “Asteroids“…
http://ultrasessions.com/home/wussy-asteroids/
Check out their latest album, Strawberry, listen and buy if you like it on Amazon.
I saw Over the Rhine last night at the Triple Door in Seattle. Review, setlist, and photos up before Thanksgiving!
~Dan – np: Damien Jurado – Maraqopa
Ashley Peacock… help him make a new solo record in 2013!
My good-good friend from the Cincinnati area, Ashley Peacock, is breaking his 9 year silence as a solo musical artist. His last solo album was 2003’s Precursor EP, which led into his brit-pop band The Times’ 2005 album Begin (link w/ audio samples). His last album with a group was 2012’s Growing Concern (link w/ audio samples) under the Chance Brothers moniker.
He is long overdue for a solo album, and he’s trying to raise $1,750 via Kickstarter to put the finishing touches on the record.
I’m not sure where he’ll go with his new record. I love a lot of music, but I know when he’s working on something I need to support it. I hope you’ll listen to some of his past stuff and give him your attention for what’s to come.
Odds weigh heavily that you’ll like it! Go to the Kickstarter HERE.
~Dan – np: Over the Rhine – The Long Surrender
October 2012 Oregon concert recap
I feel so bad for not blogging as much this past month or so… busy at work and in real life. I have still gone to quite a bit of shows, especially in October – Aimee Mann, Nellie McKay twice, Peter Mulvey & Kris Delmhorst three times, and Dan Deacon, I snapped a few iPhone shots (sorry for lower quality). I tracked most of the setlists, too. So, here’s a quick run-down.
Aimee Mann @ the Aladdin Theater, Portland, Oregon (Tu 10/2)
Aimee Mann put on a great show, a good mix of old tunes and ones from her brand new album, Charmer. Here’s what she played – 10/2 setlist. This was my second time seeing her, and I was not disappointed. She’s charming, smiles much more than her songs lead on, and is quite the jokester.
Nellie McKay @ the Shedd, Eugene, Oregon (Wed 10/10)
Nellie McKay @ the Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland, Oregon (Th 10/11)
Two shows, back-to-back seems to be a habit for me when Nellie McKay swings through Oregon. The shows were fairly similar (Eugene setlist / Portland setlist) save for a few changes in songs. Both shows were great. She seemed for relaxed and vocally on-point in Eugene. In Portland, she had a few lyrical miss-steps, but she was as charming as ever. Any time she comes through, I’m excited to see her. No news on another album, yet (her last was 2010’s Home Sweet Mobile Home).
Peter Mulvey & Kris Delmhorst @ the Majestic Theatre, Corvallis, Oregon (Wed 10/17)
Peter Mulvey & Kris Delmhorst @ the Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland, Oregon (Th 10/18)
Peter Mulvey & Kris Delmhorst @ Tsunami Books, Eugene, Oregon (Fri 10/19)
Three shows, not one the same. Another artist I see every time he comes through, Peter Mulvey, brought his long-time musical friend Kris Delmhorst (wife of another singer-songwriter Jeffrey Foucault). The three of them are in a band Redbird with guitarist David Goodrich. Well, this Fall 2012 west coast jaunt was just Peter & Kris, doing a switch-off storyteller-type show. All of the shows were two sets, split with a short intermission. Peter changed up his set fairly well, and Kris mixed hers up some as well (Corvallis setlist / Portland setlist / Eugene setlist). I only had a few of her albums before this tour, but at the final show, I had to rectify that and pick up the rest of the catalog. It seemed based on their new material and various discussions that they were both working on new albums… for 2013?
Dan Deacon @ Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, Oregon (Th 10/25)
The openers were also odd (TEDtalk-styled humor from Alan Resnick), bombastic (two-piece rock powerhouse Chester Endersby), and truly enlightening (rock/rap from Height with Friends). For Dan Deacon‘s set, he played a lot from his latest album, America. This show was intense and amazing. He has an amazing way of getting people to step out of their shells. At one point, Dan was going to have us do a arm tunnel outside the venue (something he does at most of his shows). The bouncer and club management wouldn’t let him… so he complied and said,” we’ll just do something far more dangerous.” With a wide circle, he started with one guy running around, and with every revolution, he would bring one more person in to run around… 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, … after a very short time the entire audience was running in a circle… I had to pull myself out of it and grab some water… It was a very sweaty, dancey, fun-as-hell show. Truly inspiring how the seeming group of outcasts becomes a group of like-minded lovers of life.
I’ll try to do a better job of consistent concert reviews going forward, time permitting. A couple shows for me this week: The Dead Kenny G’s (Skerik, Matt Dillon etc) on 11/15 @ Sam Bond’s Garage (Eugene) and Over the Rhine on 11/17 @ the Triple Door (Seattle).
~Dan – np: Sufjan Stevens – Silver & Gold (Songs For Christmas) Vol. VI: Gloria!
Sufjan Stevens’ Silver & Gold (Xmas EP #’s 6-10)
Update: the stop-motion Lego video is at the bottom.
Pre-order his upcoming Silver and Gold (Christmas EP boxset #2) on 5 CDs or 58 mp3. The 5-vinyl set appears to be sold out (via bandcamp).
“Happy Holidays! On November 13, 2012, Asthmatic Kitty Records will release (another!) Christmas box-set extravaganza by the implacable singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens—Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6-10, a compilation of 5 EPs recorded between 2006 and 2010.
Expanding on the tradition of the first box-set (Songs for Christmas, Vols. 1-5 from 2006), Silver & Gold is a generous document of five more years of holly-jolly jubilee — Christmas caroling, sleigh-bell-ringing, collaborative songwriting — undertaken by Sufjan and his various musical cohorts. Originally intended as gifts for family and friends, these musical snapshots have been re-mixed and re-assembled for the public in an exquisitely-designed gift box containing all the Yuletide pleasures money can buy: Christmas stickers, temporary tattoos, lyric sheets and chord charts, a paper ornament, an apocalyptic pull-out poster, photos, illustrations, and extensive liner notes—a veritable Christmas feast for the eyes and ears.
The album features collaborations with a running line-up of friends and musical peers, including Aaron and Bryce Dessner (The National), Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire), Cat Martino (Sufjan’s right-hand woman on all things Age of Adz), Sebastian Krueger (Inlets), Gabriel Kahane, Vesper Stamper, and members of Danielson (Daniel, Elin, Lilly, and Ida). Sufjan’s own indelible aesthetic and his tireless oblique strategies (in vain pursuit of the perfect Christmas song) maintain the album’s center of gravity, resulting in an abundant compilation (nearly 60 tracks) that investigates the canon of devotional hymns and holiday pop songs with reckless abandon (totaling nearly three hours of music).
Silver & Gold surpasses its predecessor both in style and scope by taking a wider stance and embracing a more liberal ethos. The box-set sails through musical fashions as various as ornaments on a Christmas tree (covering songs from John Dowland to Johnny Marks). The folksy old-world renaissance of Gloria (Vol. 6) gives way to bi-polar impertinence on I Am Santa’s Helper (Vol. 7). Christmas Infinity Voyage (Vol. 8) looks to the cosmos (and the drum machine) for inspiration, while Let It Snow (Vol. 9) and Christmas Unicorn (Vol.10) show a giddy return to form, unselfconsciously reveling in all the bubble-gum show tunes from the 1950s and 60s (“A Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” to name a few).
There are also 18 original songs intermixed throughout (some of them co-written or wholly composed by guest collaborators). Sufjan’s contribution to the Christmas canon exhibits an ever-expanding canopy of approaches: there’s the moody and affectionate Christmas ballad (“Happy Karma Christmas”), an ecclesiastical take on the Burl Ives classic “Silver & Gold” (re-titled here as “Justice Delivers Its Gift”), the rowdy, garage-rock, rumble-in-the-snow-bank (“Mr. Frosty Man”) and the psychedelic pop-anthem (“Christmas Unicorn”) that attempts to reconcile new age magic, fantasy fiction, and the commodification of Christmas with expository deftness.
Silver & Gold is more than just another Christmas album, but an ongoing exercise in theme and variation, an annual tradition that offers this songwriter a chance to experiment with fashion and technique without taking himself too seriously. Sufjan’s playful (yet purposeful) expedition through the superficial landscape of sugar plum fairies and marshmallow fluff has produced an exuberant musical account of “all things Christmas” in the pursuit of the sublime. What distinguishes this project from the glut of Christmas albums saturating the market today are Sufjan’s unguarded enthusiasm for the genre itself (the sense of freedom he shows in celebrating with reverence and rebellion) and the belief that Christmas music contains a multiplicity of sacred and secular significance (from Baby Jesus to Babes in Toyland) that is ultimately ours for the taking. It’s safe to say that no one has taken it further than Sufjan, for better and for worse.
Thanks for listening and may all your Christmas dreams come true.
Silver & Gold will be available in digital download, a CD box-set available November 13th, with a limited edition of 2000 vinyl box-sets available later this year or early 2013.
A special edition of the vinyl boxset, which will include some extra surprises, is available to US/Canada/EU for pre-order:
http://sufjanstevens.bandcamp.com/album/silver-gold
The CD Boxset includes: (price not listed yet)
1. Five CD EPs
2. Christmas stickers
3. Temporary tattoos (non-toxic & safe for children)
4. A paper ornament (self-assembly with directions)
5. An apocalyptic pull-out poster
6. Song lyrics and chord charts (sing along with your friends and enemies)
7. Hallucinogenic photographs and psychedelic graphic design (by Sufjan Stevens, drug-free since 1975)
8. Extensive liner notes (introductory salutations and an essay on the Christmas tree by Sufjan Stevens, and a few theological words on the End Times by Pastor Vito Aiuto)
The vinyl boxset includes: ($120 + S/H)
1. Five EPs on 6 vinyl discs
2. Christmas stickers
3. Temporary tattoos
4. A paper ornament
5. A 40-page Christmas songbook with vocal and piano reductions
6. A Christmas coloring book
7. Hallucinogenic photographs and psychedelic graphic design
8. Extensive liner notes
Whoa!
Sufjan Stevens Lego Movie
~Dan – np: Carla Kihlstedt & Matthias Bossi – Niagara Falling: Tales for the Stage, III
REVIEW: My Brightest Diamond @ Pantages Theater (Tacoma, WA – 9/22/12)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
Outside of a college football traffic-filled I-5 and a rainbow roll sushi before the show, there was no opener for My Brightest Diamond this weekend for me. She was the first after “dinner break” act for Tacoma’s 9/22-9/23 weekend Broadway Center Free For All. A free one-off show in the Pacific Northwest by one of my absolute favorite artists!! Well, free outside of the time and gas money… I wasn’t going to pass this up.
Dressed in colorful balls, spikes, and pipe cleaner, My Brightest Diamond (Shara Worden) started the show by coming out in a mask and dumping two large trash bags full of bright orange balloons on the stage.
She played a short set, but hit some great high-points from her three album catalog and switched around a lot on various instruments: ukulele, keyboards, mbira, electric guitar…
Setlist:
- We Added It Up
- Golden Star
- Escape Routes
- Be Brave
- Apples
- High Low Middle
- I Have Never Loved Someone
- Inside A Boy
Her quirkiness and fun-loving vibe shone through. This being a free show, I’m hoping she attracted some new followers with her charms. As far as what’s next for her? Well, she’s bound to show up on someone’s record here, or a collaborative single there, or a remix album over there, or a new album in a bit. She’s currently not specifically touring; so any chance she comes through your parts for a one-off show – check her out. You shan’t be disappointed!
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- My Brightest Diamond’s Website
- MBD’s record label: Asthmatic Kitty
- MBD music video compendium (non-exhaustive, but pretty chock full)
- My Brightest Diamond’s Social Media Links (see below)
- My Other Related Reviews & Links~
- MusicNow Fest 2007 (Cincinnati – April 2007)
- WOW Hall (Eugene – Nov 2008)
- Face Time with John Norris 2011 (20 minute interview video)
- Mississippi Studios (Portland – Nov 2011)
- Pantages Theater’s Site / Facebook
Next show for me… Chevelle at Crystal Ballroom on 9/25.
~Dan – np: Chevelle – This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In)
My Brightest Diamond PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2012 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
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