Ha! Tasty Little Bite of Apple

Early Day Miners - All Harm Ends Here Well, well, well... whaddya know? It's been a little while since I've come across a new one that's on Rhapsody but not on iTunes. You go Secretly Canadian! That's the way to prioritize! Are you listening Merge??? Hmmmmm??? We wanta stream Arcade Fire, M. Ward, Richard Buckner, Crooked Fingers, The Rosebuds, American Music Club, etc, etc, etc! Of course, Secretly Canadian still owes us Sufjan Stevens... Anyway, I am really enjoying this new one from the Early Day Miners. For whatever reason, I haven't listened to their older stuff too much. One of those groups I always intended to listen to, but never did. My loss apparently as this album here is fantastic. I've read that this one is a definite step in the right direction and may even be a career definer, but from an objective viewpoint I'd say it's a solid release that is very sweeping, very mellow, very beautiful. Recommended for lazy, pensive days. Enjoy!

"Some Cities" Preview

Just a quick post here to let you know about a "Some Cities" album preview site the Doves have created. Just got it today in a mailing list email. The album was released this past Monday in the UK and should be out here in the US this coming Tuesday. I'm not too concerned about whether or not it hits Rhapsody as I will certainly be buying the CD for this one. One of my all time favorite bands. Click here to go to the preview site.

Hanging on Her Every Word

Tift Merritt / Hotel Lights Cat's Cradle, Carrboro NC February 19, 2005 Ok, the third and final live show in the "Best of 2004" series... at least so far, that is. Only live show I have nailed down coming up is the Ash / The Bravery show in March. Might go see the Rosebuds that same weekend, too... But I digress. My (wonderful) wife and I were both excited about this show as we both really like Tift Merritt's albums. She provides us a nice middle ground on which to meet. Plus, I was excited about the opening band as Hotel Lights is Darren Jesse's new band. Darren, as the astute popsters in the crowd know, was the drummer in Ben Folds Five. He's pulled a "Dave Grohl" and is playing guitar, keys, and singing lead vocals in his new band. So, with all this excitement, you can imagine my disappointment when we had made it over halfway to Carrboro and realized we'd forgotten the tickets. Grrrrrrrrrr. It's like a disease we have. Would you believe we had tickets to the Continental Tire Bowl a few years back when my Virginia was playing and left the damn tickets on the refrigerator? Unbelievable, I know. Luckily, this time we had purchased the tickets online at etix.com... Mix that with a little quick thinking and you're scanning your brain thinking of where in the world the closest Kinko's is (excuse me...make that FedExKinko's). I knew where one was nearby, but of course hit every single traffic light getting to it and got there 5 minutes after it closed. Luckily, Chapel Hill is a college town so we found a Kinko's there and $2.25 later had reprinted the tickets. Which means we weren't too terribly late to the show. Got to see the last few Hotel Lights songs. From what I could tell, they were lulling the crowd to sleep. Their music is very peaceful, *very* mellow. I thought that maybe live they'd turn it up a bit, but no... they were happy to make it a sleepy affair. Unfortunately, I just think it was the wrong crowd to truly appreciate it and to tell you the truth, I don't think I was in the right mood or mindset to enjoy it either. I did pick up their self-released debut and I'll be reviewing it soon. Fortunately, Tift Merritt was easily able to turn things around for the crowd. The middle-ground I mentioned earlier apparently applies to others as well as the crowd was extremely diverse. From the young college-age kids (man, I'm getting old) to folks who could have been my parents and even grandparents were in attendance and seemed to be very aware of her music. There were the hipsters, the not-so-hipsters, the I-don't-even-know-what-a-hipster-is-ers, and the nerds, like me. But, everyone in attendance seemed to be totally entranced by this woman. In between some of the songs there was a weird silence after the applause and shouting subsided... Tift joked about it saying we were so well-behaved but eventually someone shouted out "We're hanging on your every word!" which I think was completely the case. No one wanted to miss a thing she said. It was very different than any other show I'd been to. There is really something special about her and people are just drawn to her... Maybe it's her sheer talent, maybe it's her songwriting, maybe it's her sweet beauty, maybe it's what comes across as the most intense kindness, maybe it's her innocence... who knows? Whatever it is, it works. Throughout the main set of her show, she was fantastic. Her vocals were tight, even though she was having serious monitor problems early on and couldn't hear herself at all. Her band was perfect for her. The backing vocals were spot on. The keyboards were rockin'... and so on and so on. Had the crowd dancing and singing along. But, all that said, Tift really nailed in the fact that she is a special talent during her encore set. She came out with just her acoustic guitar and let us into an intimacy that I hadn't experienced for a while at a live show. What a voice, what a spirit. I love it when a performer validates praise live. Tift definitely did that. I obviously recommend checking her out if you get a chance. See if the crowd is set into the same trance where you are. Perhaps it was all because this is her howetown, but I'm guessing it's because she really has what it takes.

Hook and Ladder to Heaven

The Fire Theft - The Fire Theft Ok, who added this one to Rhapsody without telling me? I mean, come on people, work with me here... Just kidding, of course. I need to pay someone to sit and scan the music services for the albums I'm waiting on and tell me when they are added. This is one that I waited on for a while into early last year but then finally gave in an purchased the CD... I know, I know... the HORROR! I had just heard the song "Chain" enough times to know that I wanted to 1) listen to the entire album and 2) blast that song in my car with the windows down. Well, luckily the whole album is good and it actually has a song or two better for blasting than "Chain." Fire Theft is, as I am sure many of you know, 3/4 of Sunny Day Real Estate whom many credit with being the originators of true emo. But, don't pigeon-hole this group into just a SDRE reunion as there is a lot more going on here. Vocals here are as large as ever provided by the illustrious Jeremy Engik, but this incarnation has the band channelling much less "emo" and much more classic rock. I even hear some Led Zepplin influence on some of the sweeping instrumentals. But, don't let me scare you away. I'm not a big classic rock fan either. The music is very intense, very huge, very inspiring. And if you're not completely sold by the first few tracks, skip on up to "Heaven" and turn your speakers to 10. One of the best builds in recent music history. Enjoy!

Dressed Up Like The Hamptons

Josh Rouse - Nashville I've been a fan of Josh Rouse's since way back at the release of his debut, "Dressed Up Like Nebraska." Since then, it's been very interesting to watch him grow as a performer and songwriter. If you first listen to his debut and then go immediately to his last release, "1972," you might think you were listening to two different performers... the first being extremely introspective, unsure, fragile... the second being more extroverted, more outwardly emotional, a bit more confident. But, the constant thread has been the fantastic songwriting and strong focus of each album. With this latest release, Josh doesn't change his most recent formula too much. Still more upbeat, still more extroverted. But this time, I'd say its an even better mix between the old and new and the whole affair stays very engaging throughout. Now, understand that we're not talking absolute rocking here or anything... It's Josh Rouse, for God's sake... But if you turn it up it will keep a strong hold on your focus. It feels as if he's even more comfortable with this more outward stance than before... Sounds has if he's been performing this way forever. I especially love the Smiths-tinged "Winter in the Hamptons." Enjoy!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Ok, I've listened to a lot of stuff lately that has just not inspired me enough to write about it. So, here's a list of things that have recently been added and then subsequently removed from My Library in Rhapsody:

Eisley - Room Noises Boring, boring, boring. What's the point of fluff like this?

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart I think they named the album after the two main opinions on this album. I have some friends who will argue with me on this one, but I am falling on thie "ick" side of the polarized reviews of this album. I think they lost me on the "Hey, fuck you man" followed by children's laughter. Very disappointing.

Blue Merle - Burning In The Sun See folks? THIS is what a Coldplay clone sounds like. (Don't you dare use that assessment of Keane anymore!) When this band doesn't sound like Coldplay, they sound like bad Counting Crows. Makes me queasy.

Erasure - Nightbird It's not bad. I just don't get it. Why come out with a new album like this when it's just as easy to listen to their great 80's stuff that is *exactly* the same. Pretty at times, but generally forgettable.

Annie - Chewing Gum Pitchfork, what are you doing to me here? You've been singing the praises of this woman since sometime last year, even putting her album in your year-end top 100 and giving one of her singles the top single of the year. Are you kidding me? One of her songs just showed up on Rhapsody so I could finally give her a listen... and I'm starting to think she must be sleeping with one of the Pitchfork writers or something...

Ok, that's enough for now. There have certainly been more things I've listen to and not liked, but I need to get back to listening to the good stuff now. Maybe I'll do this again someday soon.

17 Going On 35

Kyle Riabko - What Did I Get Myself Into? I actually had dinner Kyle last fall when my good friend Justin Rosolino was in town playing with Matt Wertz. Kyle was the opening act for the show at the Lincoln Theatre here in Raleigh. Meeting him in person before seeing him on stage really nailed down what a phenom this guy is. The stage can make just about anyone seem larger than life, but when I first met Kyle at Poole's, I just thought he was a young friend of the band, or one of the backing musicians of the band perhaps. He is a small framed guy and when standing next to him he looks his age... which is only 17. He was very nice, fairly quiet, definitely polite, very cool. Now cut to him on stage and I will paint you a very different picture. The first striking thing about Kyle is that he can freakin' *play* the guitar. I mean really play. He spews musicality through his fingers and totally envelopes himself in his playing. When I leaned over to my brother who was with me at the show and told him that Kyle is only 17, he looked at me like I was crazy. His playing alone puts at least 10 years on him. Then comes his singing. What a surprise to hear this bluesy, intense voice come out of this skater-looking guy. Totally fitting of his music, full of pent up tension. Then add in his very entertaining wit which continued to draw in the audience and kept us all laughing in between songs and you end up with a guy who comes off as a very seasoned performer. Now, his music is not my normal fare, but he does what he does so well that I find myself enjoying it. This is a rerecorded single from his last EP that is now fully produced with a full band. Bluesy rock teeming with intensity. He unfortunately gets compared to John Mayer (who is the current reigning champ of the worst-show-I've-ever-ever-ever-seen award) which is unfair as he has more talent in his little finger than Mayer has ever dreamed of having. Oh, and if I have any teen girl readers (doubtful, I know), Kyle is much, much hotter as well. Enjoy!

Dozing Off in the Men's Room

Readymade - On Point and Red Ok, this one's a few years old but I totally missed its original release. As a matter of fact, I totally missed both of this band's releases. Never heard of them until today. Before today, if someone had put me through a word association test and said "readymade," I would have yelled out "urinal." (Duchamp, anyone?) And if the band had been in earshot, I'd have felt really bad because I don't feel that way about their music at all. As a matter fact, I quite like it. They have a new release that came out Jan 9th, but hasn't been propagated out to the music download services or even to Amazon. Just available on toneVENDOR. So, I'm listening to their previous release which is apparently a good segway into the new one. Some of you may know that I have a thing for shoegazer as well as a thing for dream pop occasionally. Well, Readymade is a mix of the two... It's kinda like My Bloody Valentine mixed with Bedhead. A wonderfully sleepy affair that is just what I was looking for today, sitting in my favorite coffee shop with my headphones on my head and a light breeze on my side. The song "A Blind Tomorrow" is pure joy that sucked me into a perfect daydream in which I am still swimming. Totally my kind of stuff here. Can't wait to hear their new one. Might just have to make a purchase and not wait for it to show up on Rhapsody. Enjoy!

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Lead Guitar

Death from Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A Machine There's been a whole bunch of buzz around this band since this was released towards the end of December. I've been checking Rhapsody every so often and just noticed today that it had been added. One time through and I can understand the buzz... not only because this band makes the most noise of any 2 instrument band (yes, White Stripes included), not only because those 2 instruments are drum and bass (do not confuse with drum'n'bass... not even close), but because cutting through the fuzzy, distorted bass, pounding drums, and wailing vocals, their songs are actually very infectuous. It's a sorta rock-metal-funk-swagger affair with a definite groove throughout. Some standouts are "Black History Month" and the first single, "Romantic Rights," but the whole thing is very solid. Strongly recommended for your rock-out days. Enjoy!

Whaddareya, a buncha hippies or sumthin?

Lovers - The Gutter and the Garden It appears that Orange Twin just made available a bunch of its artists. It is a "label," so to speak, owned by the members of the band Elf Power. According to their website, Orange Twin "is raising funds for land preservation and sustainable development. We are currently working on an 150 acre eco-village in Athens, Ga. We support artists by providing an affordable place for them to display and sell artwork and music at www.orangetwin.com." This one is a great release from 2004. As you can expect from an Athens label, there is some Elephant 6 influence here, especially Neutral Milk Hotel... but a female singer, and a quite a bit more sweetness added in. I am really enjoying this one so far and it is growing on me more and more after each listen. Enjoy!

Music Dorkage Alert

Archer Prewitt - Wilderness This one just showed up on Rhapsody about a week after release date. Archer Prewitt is a member of the band The Sea and Cake, but has had a pretty strong solo career as well since the release of his solo debut back in 1997. I've had a chance to listen to this one a few times though now and I find it very interesting. Definitely one that will continue to grow on me, but it's ability to hook you early on is damn right stealthy. Through the mist of the rolling, swirling, folk pop, Archer likes to throw you totally unexpected curve balls. They are very subtle, but enough to perk you out of any sort of lull the peaceful music has pulled you into and bring you back to the surface. Being the Music major dweeb (yes, that's college major... not that I am a major dweeb although I am sure that's up for debate) that I am, I was perhaps pulled in by one of these little surprises earlier than some. Towards the end of the first track "Way of the Sun," he throws a 3/4 time handclap over the 6/8 of the song. Again, very subtle, but just so freakin' cool that I love it. I've always loved the 3 over 2 effect, and it is pulled of sweetly here, with the split 3's of 6/8 time adding a nice complexity. Another of my favorites on the album is "Judy, Judy" which has very slight changes in tempo between the 1st and 2nd verse, and then a chorus that jumps from 4 time to 6 time followed by a bridge that hops between 4 and 6 time. All the while, the music has a very smooth, flowing feel about it. Very cool stuff here. Stays beautiful and interesting throughout. Enjoy!

We're Huge in Belgium

The Frames - Burn The Maps This album was just released today and hit Rhapsody immediately. And, after listening to it a few times, I'd have to say that I disagree with Pitchfork on this one. I've never really been too into this band, but have enjoyed a few of their songs over the years, especially the classic "Revelate." Still a little known band over here in the States, these guys are superstars in their home country, Ireland... which to me makes this new release even more impressive. They are surely living very comfortably in their homeland, which usually leads to less intense music. Not the case here as the Frames continue to produce wonderfully raw and passionate stuff. The Frames have always been known for their heartfelt, anthemic songs which fit well in the large venues they play in Ireland. This release does have a few songs that fit perfectly into that model, especially the sure-to-be-a-classic-in-Ireland "Finally" which will swoon those crowds with its intense, slow build. Or "Dream Awake" to which I can envision the crowds jumping in unison when the strong, frantic drums come hailing in halfway through the song. I do agree with the Pitchfork reviewer that this album has a bit more noodling experimentation than other albums, but I think they pull it off. Especially the beautiful "Sideways Down" or the slightly Radiohead-esque, trip-hoppy "Ship Caught in the Bay." The album does wind down to a slow crawl on the last 3 songs, but in my opinion they still carry the Frames' trademark intensity. Sure, maybe not the driving drums and wailing vocals of their great songs, but in my opinion a fine way to end an album. Enjoy!

When Did the World Stop Revolving Around Me?

Mellowdrone - Go Get 'Em Tiger Ok, here's another find from XMU, the new music station on XM Radio which is great. I made a mental note of this band after hearing them play the song "I'm Too Young" a couple of times and really being charmed by its gorgeous melody and harmonies and its overall beauty and peacefullness. So, I went out looking for more of their music. Turns out they don't have a full-length release yet. 4 EPs of which only 2 are still available. Seem to be starting to get some attention so maybe there will be more soon. Who knows? They are not on Rhapsody yet, but on their website you can download all of the two available EPs. Rock on! Of course, with a name like Mellowdrone I expected all their stuff to have the same quiet, slow, beautiful quality of the song I heard on XM. Well, it turns out I was wrong. They are mostly upbeat pop, with occasional electronic embellishments. Not groundbreaking stuff here, but some beautiful soaring melodies wrapped up in solid songwriting. "I'm Too Young" is still the standout for me, appearing on their most recent EP, Go Get 'Em Tiger. There's just something about those harmonies that gets me. Love it. Looks like their latest EP came out in September of 2003, which may have made them a bit more different at the time (pre-Killers, etc). Will be interesting to see what they offer us next, for sure. Enjoy!

Ed, Edwina, Edleton, Edgerton, Edwardo, and Edmond Harcourt

Ed Harcourt - Strangers I've never really zeroed in on Mr. Harcourt. I've given his previous stuff a listen as it has come out but never was inspired enough to make the leap and purchase it. Of course, now that I have Rhapsody, its not as big a deal to give it multiple listens and let it grow on me (are you listening record companies?). I've given his older stuff another listen and I do like it, but this new one is my favorite. Released last year in the UK and this week in the US, this one is a much more upbeat affair than anything he's released to date. He's apparently a pretty talented guy as he not only plays a zillion instruments, he also manages to touch on just about every incarnation of "brit pop/rock" in this release. The usual mentions for his music are here such as Jeff Buckley (I know, not a Brit), Chris Martin, Fran Healey, Bono (I know, not a Brit... I would NEVER make that mistake), Rufus Wainwright... But on this release, you will probably hear less of the mentions of Tom Waits and you certainly have to start throwing in such references as Radiohead and Muse. Its a very schizophrenic affair, song to song sounding like different albums, but overall is very enjoyable... his voice acting as a sort of glue that holds the whole thing together. The first single "Lonliness" is a perfect brip-pop barn-burner, while "Something to Live For" is a beautiful, fragile song so delicately delivered. Definitely a talented guy and a great album that shows off a good portion of his amazing chops. Enjoy!

A Tale of Two Ci... Uh... Shows

Ah, what a weekend. Definitely one I'll never forget. Filled with fantastic music and fantastic friends (and a fantastic wife, of course). As my regular readers know, I hit the Arcade Fire show in Carrboro, NC on Friday night and the Keane show in Charleston, SC on Sunday night. Both absolutely wonderful shows, both absolutely different shows... The Arcade Fire / Final Fantasy Cat's Cradle, Carrboro NC January 29, 2005 So, as you probably know, I was hyped as hell for this show. The Arcade Fire's debut album was my favorite release of 2004 and one of my favorites of all time. I couldn't believe I was able to get tickets to this one as I just happened to notice they were coming to the Cradle one day and bought the tickets right away in what was apparently just a two or three day window before the show sold out. Friday night was a cold night and unfortunately there was something going on in the neighboring Carrboro Arts Center so we had to park very far away even though the line for the Arcade Fire had barely started to form. We had some pizza there next door at Amante's Pizza and watched as more and more people lined up and more and more people showed up with "Wanted: One Ticket" signs, desperately wanting to get into this show. When we finally gave in and decided to wait in the cold, there were probably 50 or so people in front of us. Only had to wait about 10 minutes out there before they let us in... and I was very surprised when we got in that we were still able to get a spot right in the front row. I know, not always the best place to stand for sound, but just wanted to experience this band up close. The show started with a single, thin guy with a violin who said "Hi, I am Owen and I am in the band Final Fantasy." So, of course we thought there were a few more people in the wings who were going to join him at some point. Quickly though, we realized this was not the case. Instead, this guy is a one man string quartet (sometimes quintet, sometimes octet, etc.) and vocalist. Amazingly, he uses a loop pedal to create loops of violin parts on the fly, using his foot to tell it when to start recording and when to loop, etc. Within a minute he has many intricate, swirling, intertwining string lines building while he then sings over top. Truly an astounding performance. The crowd was definitely amazed and definitely showed their enjoyment by totally getting into the show and giving him the praise he deserved. I bought his handmade disc and have only given it one listen so far, but I'll review it once I get to mull it over some more. Due to the lack of a necessity to change stage set up, the Arcade Fire came on fairly quickly after Final Fantasy finished. From the first note they played, I knew we were in for a great show. I've never seen anything like it. By my count, there were 6 members of the band onstage (with Owen of Final Fantasy also playing on many songs) and just the violinist played her single instrument throughout the night. The others all switched between all songs but one. While this does mean there is a bit of a break between songs as they trade instruments and places, it is totally worth it as each of them have a different way of playing the instruments. They have a musicality surpassed by few, and an energy unmatched by any show I've ever seen. To me, it's amazing that they put this much into their shows night after night after night. I don't know how they do it. The only negative point I have from the show is that the amp for the keyboards was up WAAAAAAY too loud. While I am sure at the soundboard things sounded good once they were routed through the large stage speakers and made it back to the back of the room, there was no reason the keyboard MusicMan amp had to be up so much louder than the rest of the amps on stage. On the songs where the keyboard played a major role, the other instruments were drowned out. Now, keep in mind that I was in the front row, but still... a good sound person will try to make the sound acceptable from all spots in the room. She (I am pretty sure it was a she) should have turned that keyboard amp down and then pushed it up in the overall mix for the large stage speakers.... simple as that. Anyway, I thought we might should move back, but I decided that for this show the experience of being 2 feet from the band was too awesome to pass up... So overall, in my opinion, the Arcade Fire has the potential to become one of the greats of our time. They certainly have the live show to back the incredible studio work which makes such a big difference to me. They played one new song, "Intervention" which was great and makes me look forward to their next studio stint. They played most, if not all, songs from Funeral and I believe just one song, "No cars go," from their self-released EP, which I bought at the show and will review soon (pictured above). If the Arcade Fire comes anywhere near your town, go see them. Do whatever it takes and go see them. Totally worth it. I don't think I've sweat that much in a long time which is always a good measure of a show! Keane / The Zutons / The Redwalls Center Stage at the Plex, Charleston SC January 30, 2005 Ok, so I had way too much fun in Charleston this weekend. Headed down on Saturday so we could take in the city and its nightlife a night before the show. Had a great time with good friends. So by the time I made it to the Keane show I was in great spirits and probably the perfect mood to take in this show. Well, we arrived at the show probably halfway through the Zutons show so I missed the Redwalls altogether. Don't really like any of their stuff though so I really didn't mind too much. Just not into those who sound more like a copy than influenced... But anyway, I have to say that I was very unimpressed with the Zutons. While they were very tight in their sound, they seemed to have an uncanny ability to lose the audience in an instance. One second the audience is dancing and enjoying the show and the next second it was as if we were in a club with a random house band as they dilly dallied through some uninteresting stuff. I am just not into their music, nor was I into their live vibe. Not engaging. Now Keane is a totally different story. Keep in mind that there are just 3 of them. The lead singer (who only played an instrument on one song ... another keyboard!), the pianist, and the drummer. The bass "guitar" is added by the pianist via a laptop and some sort of bizarre integration that I have yet to figure out. I whipped out my camera phone and snapped a few (bad quality) pics to show that they had a good light setup that added just the right theatrics to their beautiful music. The band itself was fairly calm on stage, the lead singer not resorting to much dancing or overt expression. As many of you know, I am a singer and I have to say that the lead singer is perhaps the most talented vocalist I have ever heard. I don't think he hit one wrong note all night... not even slightly off pitch. Truly amazing. When I first heard their album I thought for sure he had a "studio voice" that could never really sound like that live. Well, I was completely proven wrong. I stood there most of the show completely in awe of what I was hearing come out those pipes. The crowd was VERY into what they were doing and even really got into the new stuff they played. Just a fun, happy, inspiring, impressive show. It is great to see a band who is just that good, that talented, and just knows how to write and perform perfect pop songs.... you know? I recommend seeing them if you have the chance. Oh, and they are performing on SNL this weekend. You'll swear they're pulling an "Ashlee" but I can assure you he's really making that beautiful sound. I have tickets in hand to two more shows over the next month or so... So I'll keep the live reviews coming as I can. Thanks for reading!