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Tuesday, May 01, 2012  On any given day, if you forced me to shout out my favorite album ever, there's a very good chance I'd yell "NOWHERE"! For many, many months after Ride's 1990 start-to-finish masterpiece was released it rarely left my walkman, soundtracking a very volatile chunk of my formative years. The 11 songs on Ride's debut full-length (after a string of ace EPs) settled down very, very deep into my heart and brain, and to this day I've never once tired of hearing it. Hell, I nearly named this blog after a "Nowhere" lyric, but didn't want to step on Frank's already-Ride-referencing toes.So when the album hit the 20-year mark and Rhino Handmade released remastered double-disc/single LP versions in late 2010, you're damn right I re-bought it. Sure, I have that purist part of me that screamed "Don't mess with perfection!", but I needed to know what they'd done to my dearly beloved. Even if it was going to cost me 40 bucks plus shipping to find that out. Well, whaddya know... they done good. Today, to coincide with Clicky Clicky's release of the lovingly-curated "NOFUCKINGWHERE" tribute compilation (on which 11 Boston bands cover every single song from the record), and realizing that a $40 pricetag is tough for your average Ride fan to throw down for a 20-year old album they probably know by heart, I thought I'd lay out some simple audio/visual evidence in support of the reissue. Whether you've heard the original never, a dozen, or a million times, the remastered "Nowhere" should be on your shelf. Thanks to Rhino, by the way, for allowing me to use the audio tracks below.  The aural dynamics are a vital part of "Nowhere", so when I heard they were remastering the thing, I feared that we'd get unnecessary compression and over-maximization of valleys vs. hills (don't worry if you didn't understand that, it may not actually make sense). The album came out well before the hot-levels craze, where every track was squashed to hell and pinned to max volume. Fortunately those days have (mostly) passed, and Nick Webb at Abbey Road (a former Beatles engineer who handled the remastering) kept all the lows, highs, and dynamic shifts intact - to me, they feel more powerful than ever.(For a far better explanation of mastering, specifically "loudness", than I could ever hope to write, check out this excellent primer over at Bob Weston & Jason Ward's Chicago Mastering Service. It'll help you understand what I'm trying to get across. Basically this image = bad.) Compare the waveform of the original 1990 version of "Vapour Trail" with its remastered counterpart, and you'll see how the volume was increased without maxing all the levels to their highest points...  But more importantly, listen to the original and the remaster back-to-back. Yes, obviously the new version is a bit louder, but pay particular attention to when the drums kick in, or when the strings arrive... The bass drum and snare are punchier but still in the pocket - they don't distract from the guitars or vocals. They're clearer, as are the all-important strings, which are given added definition without sterile separation. I hear details in these songs that I've never heard before, and given how many times I've listened to them, that's a mastering miracle. It's really a near-perfect production job, finding a balance between added clarity and the original's warm blanket sound. For another taste (unfortunate but unplanned pun), have a look and listen to "Paralysed", a longer and more dynamic track than "Vapour Trail"...    Aside from the audio improvement the remaster provides, the bonus material is the other obvious reason to pick up the "Nowhere" reissue: The 4 ridiculously great songs from "Today Forever" EP, which were also remastered, are tacked on the first disc at the end of the album. The original version of EP track "Today" suffered from very low levels, and was a bit muffled - that's finally been remedied, and it positively sparkles now. (side note - check out Lou Barlow's thoughts on the "Today Forever" EP right here)The second disc of the pair holds a previously-unreleased live recording of the band at what some would call the peak of their power, during their first U.S. tour in 1991 at the Roxy in LA. 12 tracks, including 7 from "Nowhere". It's probably the best live document of the band I've ever heard, and I've heard more than my share. The packaging of the double-disc is impressive as well, featuring a 6" x 6" hardbound book with a lenticular version of iconic blue wave image on the front, and photos, lyrics, artwork, and an understandably gushing essay from music critic Jim DeRogatis on the inside. The presentation nearly does the audio justice. I haven't checked out the 180g vinyl remaster, which keeps things simple with just the original "Nowhere" tracks, but it looks, and likely sounds, just as gorgeous. This is the first time the LP version has been available in the states, and pulling together this post has just convinced me I really need to upgrade my original import-only copy. So hit up Rhino before I grab the last LP (it actually says "Low stock", so I'm not really kidding), or snag the 2CD version. Then head straight to Clicky Clicky and download "NOFUCKINGWHERE" (for free) so you have something to listen to while you wait by your mailbox.  Thursday, April 19, 2012  In less than a week, on Wednesday, April 25th, the 10th annual Independent Film Festival Boston kicks off with an opening night screening of Mike Birbiglia's "Sleepwalk With Me" (and a post-film Q&A from producer and This American Life host Ira Glass), wrapping up 8 long days later with Lauren Greenfield's riches-to-way-less-riches documentary "The Queen of Versailles" on Wednesday, May 2nd. In between, over 130 carefully-curated films will roll on projectors at the Somerville Theatre, The Brattle in Harvard Square, and Brookline's Coolidge Corner Theatre.As with previous years' lineups, the 2012 edition has a healthy handful of music-related documentaries. The staff, who spend endless (volunteered) hours screening hundreds of submitted films, has always made a point of including music docs in their varied schedule, and that's one of the many reasons I've never missed a single IFFBoston. Hard for me to believe it's been a decade, maybe even harder for the tireless (actually, probably very tired) crew. So here's a quick rundown of the seven music-related documentaries screening at this year's IFFB, most of which will have their directors in attendance for post-film Q&As. Make sure you pick up individual advance tickets for the ones that strike you, or better yet, grab a full festival pass and make the most of it. Many screenings sell out early, so unless you're up for waiting in risky rush lines, play it safe... Independent Film Fest Boston: The Music Docs All Ages: The Boston Hardcore Film Directed by Drew Stone, who will attend for a post-film Q&A Boston. Hardcore. Those words carry a lot of history, a lot of weight. This documentary has been in the works for awhile now, so I'm pretty psyched it's finally ready to roll. Even more psyched that it's the IFFBoston that scored the premiere. Given the deep local ties this film has, I'm not at all surprised it sold out quickly, so if you got caught off guard, you'll either have to pick up a festival pass or show up at least an hour before showtime and cross your fingers in the rush line. [ Tickets / Facebook / Brattle page / IMDB ] Screening at 7:30pm on Friday, April 27th at the Brattle Theatre Andrew Bird: Fever Year Directed by Xan Aranda, who will attend for a post-film Q&A As with past years, I was asked to screen a couple IFFB films early and write synopses for their program guide. "Fever Year" was one of them, and here's what I had to say... "I’m either sweating bullets or I’m freezing all the time... but it seems like a worthy thing to do with your life." —Andrew Bird In director Xan Aranda’s new documentary, which covers the final months of singer/songwriter/master whistler Andrew Bird’s nonstop 2009 tour, Aranda’s subject truly embodies the old adage of “suffering for your art.” Wrestling with a low-grade fever throughout and a foot injury in the last stretch, Bird never lets his afflictions get between him, his songs, and the audiences that come to hear them. The film deftly balances biography and live footage (mostly from a two-night stand at Milwaukee’s Pabst Theatre), offering real insight into Bird’s creative process, artistic motivations, and evolution as a music maker. It’s a fascinatingly in-depth portrait of a true artist—one who is driven by a pure, singular compulsion, maladies be damned. Highlights include early performances of songs from his just-released album, Break It Yourself (including a gorgeous duet with Annie Clark of St. Vincent), as well as fan favorites “Fake Palindromes,” “Fitz and the Dizzyspells,” and “Opposite Day.” [ Tickets / Website / Facebook / Twitter / IMDB ] Screening at 7:45pm on Thursday, April 26th at the Somerville Theatre Beware of Mr. Baker Directed by Jay Bulger, who will attend for a post-film Q&A Peter Edward Baker - aka "Ginger". Legendary drummer for Cream, Blind Faith, and many, many others. Incorporating percussion elements of rock, metal, jazz, and African rhythms into his varied career, he's a madman behind the kit, and as those familiar with him know, not just when he's playing. His colorful, sometimes sordid past is told here in his own words, and his influence is measured by the likes of Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Charlie Watts, Mickey Hart, Carlos Santana, Neal Peart, and Marky Ramone, who all make appearances in the film. [ Tickets / Website / Facebook / Twitter / IMDB ] Screening at 9:15pm on Monday, April 30th at the Somerville Theatre Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet Directed by Jesse Vile Can't recommend this one highly enough. It's another film I was fortunate enough to screen early, so here's my write-up for the IFFBoston program guide... Outside certain circles, only a handful of virtuoso metal guitarists have achieved the mainstream name recognition of an Eddie Van Halen, a Steve Vai, or an Yngwie Malmsteen. And, in a just world, Jason Becker would be among them. The guy couldn’t just play, he could shred—and, like most late-’80s metalheads, he did it with huge hair, tight pants, and some all-pro guitar faces. Unlike his peers, though, Jason was just as likely to toss off a Bach fugue as a vintage Clapton solo. Fans and fellow players called him a prodigy, and they weren’t wrong. So what happened? Where did he go? Why speak of his talent in the past tense? Therein lies a tale compassionately told in director Jesse Vile's JASON BECKER: NOT DEAD YET. At once tragic and uplifting—the title itself is a spoiler—it will melt your heart as it breaks it in two. It tackles big questions: What would you do if you lost everything? How much of yourself would you sacrifice for a loved one? Can pure willpower overcome physical limitation? Jason’s story is uniquely powerful, truly moving, and deeply inspirational—something many biopics strive for, but few achieve. [ Tickets / Website / Twitter / IMDB ] Screening at 9:15pm on Saturday, April 28th at the Brattle Theatre Just Like Being There Directed by Scout Shannon, who will attend for a post-film Q&A along with subject/artist Daniel Danger No, not technically a music doc, but one that'll strike a chord in many music fans: Gig posters and the artists behind them. From the official website: "In the gig poster community, artists such as Daniel Danger and Jay Ryan prove that creating this artwork is a way of life, more than just a career. These artists are at the forefront of an expansion of the gig poster genre. MONDO's reinvigoration of "the film poster as an art form," and Gallery 1988's theme based exhibits are only two ways in which this artwork is reaching a greater public. In a community with strong roots, dating back to the 1960s, this expansion is controversial- refreshing to some, sacrilegious to others." The soundtrack sounds killer, too, with tracks from Okkervil River, Tokyo Police Club and Spoon. [ Tickets / Website / Facebook / Twitter / IMDB ] Screening at 7:30pm on Sunday, April 29th at the Somerville Theatre Paul Williams Still Alive Directed by Stephen Kessler, who will attend for a post-film Q&A If you grew up in the 70s, and paid any particular attention to pop culture, you knew about Paul Williams. The diminutive songwriter and performer was seemingly everywhere for awhile there, and if you couldn't see him, you were hearing his songs sung by the likes of Karen Carpenter, Barbara Streisand, and yes, a certain frog named Kermit. Eventually, though, Williams just sort of... disappeared. Off the radar. Well, as the director of this documentary discovered, he's very much still alive, and the film exploration of his past and present is getting raves all around. Bonus: Watch a clip of Williams performing "The Rainbow Connection" with a cast of many Muppets, just last week at Carnegie Hall during a tribute show called "Jim Henson's Musical World". [ Tickets / Website / IMDB ] Screening at 7:00pm on Tuesday, May 1st at the Coolidge Corner Theatre Under African Skies Directed by Joe Berlinger, who will attend for a post-film Q&A An in-depth look at the recording of, controversy surrounding, and influence of Paul Simon's renowned 1986 "Graceland" album on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. Features interviews with Simon's collaborators (and detractors), footage of Simon's recent return to Africa, and clips of the original Graceland live performances. Director Berlinger was the man behind the camera for acclaimed documentaries "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster" and the West Memphis Three "Paradise Lost" films. [ Tickets / Website / Twitter / IMDB ] Screening at 8:00pm on Sunday, April 29th at the Somerville Theatre Labels: iffb Thursday, March 29, 2012  Under normal circumstances, one goal of this Joy Formidable post would be: "If you haven't heard this band, well, here you go... you should totally see them when they play the Paradise tomorrow." But, well, that ship has sailed. The show sold out awhile ago, so if you don't have tickets by now - barring Craigslist or out-front-begging - you're outta luck. Over the past year, the band has kind of blown up, especially here in Boston, due in no small part to their incendiary area live sets, generous WFNX airplay, and an opening slot for the Foo Fighters at the Garden late last year.They've been relentlessly touring "The Big Roar", their 2011 debut full-length, which feels like it's been out far longer than a year. Not sure what kind of a writing-while-touring band they are, but let's hope they've got some new songs in the pipeline. I'm ready. Until then, we'll keep getting blistering live versions of the songs from that debut, and the EP preceding it. Here's their set from Allston's Brighton Music Hall, exactly one year ago tonight. And hey, if you didn't get tickets to tomorrow night's show at the 'Dise, well, here's some sound advice: Catch the ridiculously stacked bill across the river at TT the Bears instead. I'm talkin' Young Adults, Soccer Mom, Autochrome (celebrating the release of their new album), and Night Fruit. Four of Boston's best, all in one place. As much as I dig the Joy Formidable, there's no way in hell I'd miss that lineup.  The Joy Formidable Live at Brighton Music Hall in Allston, MA on Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 [Download all 13 tracks in one 117 MB .zip file] 01. The Everchanging Spectrum Of A Lie 02. The Magnifying Glass 03. Austere 04. The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade 05. Cradle 06. banter 07. A Heavy Abacus 08. banter 09. Buoy 10. 9669 11. Whirring encore... 12. Greyhounds In The Slip 13. I Don't Want To See You Like This  Post post-script...
 the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these Mp3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Files are generally made available for a limited time. Labels: livemp3s Monday, March 19, 2012  By necessity, longtime followers of Mark Kozelek have become a patient people. The wait for 2001's last-ever Red House Painters LP was five slow-going years. And after the debut full-length from his follow-up project, Sun Kil Moon, we waited another half-decade for their 2nd album in 2008 (no, I won't count Mark's 2005 time-killing collection of Modest Mouse covers). Sure, there are the relatively frequent live releases and compilations to ease some withdrawal symptoms, but proper LPs and tour dates were hard to come by for good while there.Which makes the recent past so surprising, and so very welcome - especially for us devotees in the Boston area. Check this: In the past year-or-so alone we've had not just one, but two Koz live performances here, along with the release of his first-ever DVD ("Mark Kozelek - On Tour"), and last month's announcement of his next full-length under the Sun Kil Moon moniker, "Among The Leaves", arriving in late May on his own Caldo Verde label. Throw in last year's live collection ("Live at Union Chapel & Sodra Teatern") and another one on deck ("Live At Lincoln Hall", out May 1st), and we're in the midst of a bonafide bonanza. In short: It's a very, very good time to be a Mark Kozelek fan. Consider this post an informational catch-all, of not just what's ahead for "crazy Koz" (hey, Mojave 3 said it, not me), but of his past couple visits to a particular Cambridge, Massachusetts church... First the important stuff: A brand new album of original Kozelek-compositions, out on May 29th, and available for pre-order here. He's been playing many of the songs from "Among The Leaves" at shows over the past 6 months, though you'd be hard-pressed to find those performances online - he's notoriously strict about live recording. A rare exception: Video of a new one performed on February 4th at the Wilmot Church in Fredericton, New Brunswick during the Shivering Songs Festival. Here's Mark doing "Sunshine In Chicago", after a performance of "Heron Blue"... We've also been privy to previews of the new record in the form of officially-approved MP3s from a couple different music blogs, including Stereogum (the LP version of "Sunshine In Chicago") and Paste Magazine (a stream of "Track Number 8"). While Mark's songs have traditionally been known for being on the sad side (yeah, ok, understatement), the tracks on the new LP promise to be among his most amusing yet. Well, maybe amusing is the wrong word. Wry? Sarcastic? Biting? Somewhere in there. All you have to do is look at the "Among The Leaves" track list to know he's letting loose a little bit... Sun Kil MoonOk, so maybe there are only 3 or 4 songs titles that hint at Morrissey-style humor, but hey, it's more than he's given us in the past. I will say that the last time I saw him, just two months ago at the First Church in Cambridge Congregation, I've never laughed so much at one of his shows. Relatively speaking, it was the "Koz Comedy Hour". And it wasn't just new stuff that did it, but his between-song banter. Here's what he played, with asterisks on the new ones... Mark Kozelek liveYeah, so many new ones, and I relished them all. If the new material suggests an overall theme, it's of his life on the road as an aging songwriter, of the struggle with making and performing music after two decades in the "biz". He's writing what he knows, and what he knows is wrestling with his muse. Highlights included the laugh-out-loud main-set-closer "UK Blues", with echoes of Monty Python of all things ("Finland, Finland...") while taking shots at various tour stops ("London, London... it's all the rage, if your favorite color's beige"), "Sunshine In Chicago" ("My band played here a lot in the 90s when we had / Lots of female fans, and fuck, they all were cute / Now I just sign posters for guys in tennis shoes."), and "Track Number 8" ("Well I wrote this one and I know it ain't great, will probably sequence at track number eight"), which is, of course, sequenced at track number 11. That song also brought what was, for me, the saddest moment of his set, with Mark acknowledging the loss of some songwriting peers... "Songwriting costs, it doesn't come freeThat was a rough one to hear for the first time in a crowd. His live performance of "Sunshine In Chicago" namechecked another songwriter, Jolie Holland, though not in a reverential way - she was apparently booked to play Lincoln Hall a few days after his own July 2010 appearance, and her name on the marquee prompted Mark to sing... "and I looked up at the marquee, and hey, it was my nameHe says the same in the live video above, though he softens up the slight on the studio version ("... next to Julie Holland, think that was her name".) Gotta wonder if Mark decided to change the line after he recorded it, or if he just didn't want the dig to be loose in the world? Either way, the Southern Souls video above lets it out there, so cue the inevitable comment-section war between Koz and Jolie fans. Ok, maybe not. The number of new songs in that set stands in contrast to his performance in the same church just 11 months earlier. In place of new ones, we were treated to a few more choice covers... Mark Kozelek liveLike the most recent Cambridge show, that one was dark. And I'm not talkin' lyrically (though, of course, it was at times), but instead literally - the lights were brought down so low that Mark could barely be seen. In fact, when asked if I'd seen him play, I could only say that, well, I'd heard him play. I'm guessing it's as much a mood thing as an image thing - he's as protective of captured photos as he is of recorded audio. Recent live shots, like YouTube footage, are relatively rare. The January show was a bit better, thanks to a candle set on stage, though even Mark said that while he'd forgot some lyric sheets, he probably wouldn't be able to read them even if he'd remembered. Late last summer, about halfway between his two area appearances, Kozelek released his "On Tour" DVD. And like the latest show, it allows his lighter side shine through a lot more. As the title suggests, it documents Mark's life on the road, not just through live performances (of which there are plenty), but with a fair amount of solitary travel footage. It begins near his home, as he waits for a cab in San Francisco's Nob Hill neighborhood, and ends months later with a homeward-bound flight from gray Toronto back to sunny SF. In between are a multitude of planes, trains and automobiles that connect solo stops in Sweden, Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Spain, Denmark, and the States. In fact, after arriving in Boston by train, there's a bit of soundcheck from that 2010 First Unitarian Church of Cambridge show, after which he plays the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. And as a nod to both, you'll hear a new instrumental called "First Unitarian Piece". Along with the travelogue, there are interviews throughout, with Mark reflecting on his 20-year touring history, which started with the Red House Painters opening for 4AD labelmates the Pale Saints in 1992. He talks about how invigorating it was to switch from playing steel guitar strings to nylon ("It's almost like playing a brand new instrument"). In a particularly touching moment, he laments being away from home so often, and of not making it back in time to say goodbye to the cat he had for 16 years. The lightness comes in a few forms, through his interaction with autograph-and-photo-seeking fans (some not wearing tennis shoes), a little puppy-petting (see, it's not just cats he loves), but especially from a particularly infectious hotel-room giggle fit. Blame exhaustion, blame jetlag, but it's cool to see. If you've read this far, either you're a real Koz fan, or you're ready to become one, so it's time I gavee you a shot at a gift... One of the true highlights of Mark's January 2011 Cambridge show was a cover of the song "Natural Light", written by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone's Owen Ashworth. It really struck me that night, and I was glad to find a recorded version on his 4-song "I'll Be There" EP. In addition to that cover, the disc includes an alternate version of "Third and Seneca", along with a Stereolab cover ("Tomorrow Is Already Here") and, of course, his take on the Jackson 5/Berry Gordy classic "I'll be There". Thanks to its inclusion as a freebie when buying one of Mark's other releases, I've got an extra copy of the EP, so it's up for grabs. If you live in the US or Canada, fire off an email to giveaways [at] bradleysalmanac [dot] com with your shipping address (don't worry, won't share it) and a subject line of "Koz EP". Do it before Noon on Monday, March 25th, when I'll pick a random winner, let them know, and send it on its way. Pre-order Sun Kil Moon's "Among The Leaves" (out May 29th) over at Caldo Verde, where you can also stream "Sunshine In Chicago" and "Track Number 8". The CD release of the album comes with a 5-track bonus disc of live songs and a couple alternate tracks. All pre-orders of "Among The Leaves" (as well as any other orders placed at Caldo Verde after May 1st) will also come with a free copy of the new "Live At Lincoln Hall" CD, recorded last July in Chicago. It addition to live versions of new songs "Young Love" and "Sunshine In Chicago", the set includes his Danzig, Bonnie Prince Billy, and Cars covers. That live collection replaces last year's "Live at Union Chapel & Sodra Teatern", which will be officially out-of-print at the end of April, so if you're looking for that one, place an order at Caldo Verde soon and hopefully they'll throw one of those in with your shipment. Drop a note to make sure, though. There's also a 2-CD live companion soundtrack to the "On Tour" DVD on the way, which arrives in late August. Mark's admiration for Owen Ashworth of (the now retired) doesn't end with just one cover version: He'll be putting out the debut album from Ashworth's new project, Advance Base. Titled "A Shut-In's Prayer", the full-length arrives May 1st from Caldo Verde, and can be pre-ordered right here. That two-decades-old photo of Mark above comes from the 4AD Records "13 Year Itch" anniversary celebration, which took place at ICA London in July 1993. I took some time last week to scan in and share my shots from that life-altering experience, and you can see the whole set right here. Includes photos of Kristin Hersh, Pale Saints, Unrest, Breeders, His Name Is Alive, Wolfgang Press, and more. And lastly, any self-respecting Koz follower should keep an eye on the oft-updated Sad Reminders fansite. Just sayin'. Alright, get those giveaway entries on their way... Tuesday, February 21, 2012
It's a bit behind schedule, but here's my annual list of recorded releases I'm most looking forward to this year. A handful of 2012 Tuesdays have already passed, but the lag time allowed me to sneak in a bunch of just-announced full-lengths. I've included those that have already hit shelves (or servers), along with some rumored speculation and a couple of wishful thoughts to wrap it up. If something's not here, it's either due to apathy, ignorance, or forgetfulness. Your mission? Fill in the gaps. What'd I miss? What do I need to hear? What do you really hope shows up this year? Leave a comment here or on Facebook, gimme some info, lemme know. Click the label names for more info, or to buy/pre-order. Boston-area releases are noted with a couple asterisks. I may keep this post updated as more albums get announced, at least until late summer when I'll run a whole new list for autumn... My most anticipated 2012 album releases... So far this year...
Out today ...
Next week...
March...
April...
Later in 2012...
Completed, or in the works, but no dates announced yet...
No word, but here's hoping... Monday, January 30, 2012  As promised a couple weeks back in my Faves of 2011 post, I have extra vinyl editions of two of those fine records to grant to some lucky souls. And they couldn't be more different: Camp Radio's "Campista Socialista" full-length and Idaho's "You Were A Dick" LP. A blast of Canadian trio power-pop and one man's LA-based, keyboard-driven melancholia.As I started prepping this giveaway this morning, Chromewaves happened to post a review of the Camp Radio album (confluence!), so head over there to read Frank's thoughts, then come back here to try and win the sucker. If you're not convinced you want it, head to Bandcamp and stream away. Here's a track... [MP3]: "Turn Up The Radio" And if you're not already familiar with Idaho's extensive discography, well, you've got a lot of listening ahead of you. Start by trying to win "You Were A Dick", then you'll want to head back to the beginning with 1993's brilliant "Year After Year". Here's the title track off YWAD... [MP3]: "You Were A Dick" You can thank Camp Radio guitarist Chris Page for the 2 vinyl copies I've got to hand out (each of which include a digital download code), and you can To enter: send an email in my direction [giveaways (at) bradleysalmanac (dot) com] before next Monday, February 6th, at Noon, specify which vinyl LP you'd like (Camp Radio or Idaho), and include your postal address (US/Canada only, and don't worry, I won't share it). On Monday I'll pick three random winners - two for the Camp Radio vinyl and one for the Idaho - then head to the post office. Labels: giveaways Friday, January 27, 2012
Roughly 12 hours ago I was up in the River Gods DJ booth for the first New Music Night of twenty-twelve, once again splitting the 4-hour shift with fellow Boston-based music blogger extraordinaire Jay Clicky Clicky. While I've been doing the RGs DJ thing for something like 5 years now, this was just the 4th edition of the every-other-month NMN... and I've never had a more difficult time cutting my set down to a measly 2 hours. The whittling was made a bit easier once I discovered a whole lotta track overlap with Jay's pre-planned playlist - which was no surprise, really; his impeccable taste is why he's my co-pilot, after all. No way in hell was I going to let him play Destroyer's New Order cover, though. That one was mine, ALL MINE. Here are the songs I sent through the River Gods sound system last night. And make sure you hit up Clicky Clicky for Jay's playlist.  NEW MUSIC NIGHT IV Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at River Gods in Cambridge, MA co-hosted by DJs Brad Almanac & Jay Clicky Clicky [ download the 8 guilt-free MP3s shared below in a 49 MB .zip file ] [ * = Boston-area artist ] Set One / 9pm-10pm Brad Almanac 01. Ume - "Gleam" (For Esme) [ stream, download, & donate here ] 02. Guy Capecelatro III - "Like Anything" [ from the forthcoming Dromedary LP / stream & download here ] 03. Darren Hayman with Elizabeth Morris (of Allo Darlin') - "I Know I Fucked Up" [ from his January Songs project / stream & download here / video here ] 04. Lightships - "Two Lines" [ new project from Teenage Fanclub's Gerard Love / video here ] 05. Real Estate - "In My Care" (Live) [ new song debuted Jan. 13th on NPR's World Cafe / listen here ] 06. Shearwater - "Animal Life" [ from their forthcoming Sub Pop LP / stream at NPR ] 07. Sharon Van Etten - "Serpents" [ from the forthcoming Jagjaguwar LP / download MP3 ] 08. Field Music - "(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing" [ From the forthcoming Memphis Industries LP / download MP3 ] * 09. Leisure - "The Invisible Hand" [ from their forthcoming debut LP / stream song here ] 10. School of Seven Bells - "Lafaye" [ from the forthcoming Vagrant LP / stream song here ] * 11. Drifterswift - "Rule of the Twelfths" [ from their forthcoming debut EP / stream song here ] * 12. Night Fruit - "Paper Thin" [ from their "Dark Horse" 7-inch / stream song & buy 7-inch here ] 13. Secretary - "I Know It’s Wrong" [ 1st-ever song from ex-Summer At Shatter Creek / download MP3 ] 14. Magnetic Fields - "Andrew In Drag" [ from their forthcoming Merge LP / Stream song here ] 15. Allo Darlin’ - "Capricornia" [ from their forthcoming Slumberland LP / stream song here ] * 16. In The Audience - "Squall Song" [ from their new "Terminal" EP / free EP download here / download MP3 ] * 17. Bon Savants - "The Song Destroyer" [ from their forthcoming 2nd LP / download song at OTD ] 18. Fanfarlo - "Shiny Things" [ from their forthcoming Atlantic LP / watch video here ] Visit Clicky Clicky for Jay's 10-11pm playlist Set Three / 11pm-12pm Brad Almanac 19. Lee Ranaldo - "Off The Wall" [ from his upcoming Matador solo LP / download MP3 ] 20. Memoryhouse - "The Kids Were Wrong" [ from their forthcoming Sub Pop LP / download MP3 ] 21. Heartless Bastards - "Parted Ways" [ from their forthcoming Partisan Records LP / stream song here ] 22. New Multitudes - "Old LA" [ Will Johnson, Jay Farrar, Yim Yames, & Anders Parker do Woody Guthrie / stream here ] * 23. Nothings The Rule - "One Can Never Win" [ 1st installment of 12 "monthly songs" project / download MP3 ] 24. Now, Now - "Dead Oaks" [ from their forthcoming Trans-Records LP / stream & download song here ] * 25. Wheat - "Gettin’ Ready To" [ from the 2nd installment of a 3-single series / buy here ] * 26. Butterknife - "Coattails" [ from the out-tomorrow "Do The Needful" EP / free download here soon ] 27. Nada Surf - "Teenage Dreams" [ from their just-released Barsuk LP / stream & download another song here ] 28. Superchunk - "Blinders" (Slow Version) [ outtake from the "Majesty Shredding" LP / stream here / download MP3 ] * 29. Bellwire - "Surfing Out Your High School" [ from their just-released "Waterbed" EP / stream & name your price download here ] 30. The Jealous Sound - "Your Eyes Were Shining" [ from their forthcoming, long-awaited 2nd LP / stream song here / stream LP here ] * 31. Bookkeeper - "Tyro" [ first track from their upcoming EP / free download here ] * 32. Yale, MA - "Danger City, Population: ME" [ from their new 7-inch / stream song here / video here / buy 7-inch here ] 33. Chris Brokaw - "Stories" [ title track from his new Limited Appeal 12-inch / buy it here ] * 34. Girlfriends - "Big Machines" [ 1 of 4 newly-recorded songs / stream them here ] 35. David Bazan - "Gas and Matches" (full band) [ b-side of the new Polyvinyl 7-inch with Deerhoof / buy it here ] 36. Destroyer - "Leave Me Alone" (New Order cover) [ from the Mojo Magazine "Power, Corruption, & Lies" covers project / Stream samples here / download song at A.D.] [ download the 8 guilt-free MP3s shared above in a 49 MB .zip file ] Visit Clicky Clicky for Jay's 12-1am playlist Thursday, January 19, 2012  Just about every comment I've read on the passing of 2011 boiled down to "good riddance". Not too shocking, since the internet was built for complaining after all (also - more than a few friends really were struggling), but I'm both surprised and very grateful to state that mine wasn't all that bad. I'd hazard to say it was actually pretty good, all things considered. After the personal hell that was my own 2010, things really had nowhere to go but up, and so up they went. Way up, at times. Mostly having to do with music. Fancy that.I'd thought about writing an entire "personal highlights of 2011" post, but that would be too self-indulgent even for me. As much as I want to take note of the fine times, too many words on the subject would cross the invisible ego-line. Instead, just a quick rundown of the ridiculously fortunate music-related experiences I had last year: Hosted a David Bazan show in my living room, inadvertently took the cover photo for Low's latest (amazing) record, shared a stage with Dan, Liz, Jean, & Storey from Ida with my little boy watching from the front row, moderated the IFFBoston "Rock Docs" panel, got up the guts to do my first-ever karaoke performance (apologies to fellow Silkworm fans), somehow found myself touring the UK playing drums with good friends (while making brand new ones), which included playing inside one of the best comic shops on Earth, and finished the year watching one of my favorite-ever bands perform one of my favorite-ever albums. Whew. Seriously, that all actually happened. Humbles me to run it down. It's like some crazy karmic payoff for my utterly ass-tacular 2010. Just hope that doesn't leave me with nowhere to go but down in the newly-christened twenty-twelve. So far, so good, though. Knock, knock. What follows is my personal soundtrack for all that great fortune, my 11th (!?) annual non-alphabetized list of my favorite records of the year. In late 2010, Long Winters frontman John Roderick echoed some of my long-held thoughts on year-end lists in wittier, more succinct written form than I could - although I disagree with him on point #3: "If you are too busy to discover new albums for yourself, the last thing you need is a list of more albums to buy." Sorry, John, but I've gotten too many very appreciative emails and comments over the past decade to dismiss the value of music-blog-supplied suggestions. Sometimes people need filters, musical Virgils through the occasional purgatory of new releases. It's why music blogs exist. Well, one of the reasons anyway. Aside from pure, unfiltered OCD. But yeah, overall, he's right on. I've never numbered my lists, don't limit myself to just ten records, would never presume to claim these are the 'best' of the year, and never rush to get my list out until after the calendar turns - when I've truly absorbed everything I've spent time with. I've mostly learned to let go of self-imposed-deadline-stress when it comes to the 'Nac (to its own detriment, but my betterment), the year-end listing especially. But, hey, it's done, and almost a couple weeks earlier last year's list was posted. 'Nac back pat! Off we go... First, my 20-something favorite full-lengths in alphabetical order with some commentary and audio/video, then a few short-players (and shorter comments), and finally a couple of reissues/collections I loved... Favorite 2011 full-lengths... I'd lamented the apparent shelving of the Boston-based combo Age Rings a few years back - which was tempered by frontman Ted Billings' follow-up project, Hot Protestants - so I was obviously psyched when, about a year go, an Age Rings Kickstarter project appeared out of nowhere to fund a double-album that was "four years in the making". I gladly pitched in some cash, helped 'em make their goal, and totally dug the results. While that lengthy collection of songs probably would have ended up on this list, the leaner, meaner, pared-down version (officially released a few months back by ace area label Midriff) is a shoe-in. Billings is one of the best songwriters and singing voices this town has, and we should consider ourselves lucky that he and his Age Rings bandmates saw these songs through, and that Midriff stepped up to shine a light on them. Age Rings - "Black Honey" (on Midriff) Rock and Roll Is Dead by Age Rings Stream more songs over at Midriff I was a fan of singer/songwriter Ross Flournoy's previous band, The Broken West, but was for some reason not prepared for how blown away I'd be by his debut as Apex Manor. This follow-up project (which includes Broken Westerner Brian Whelan) is full of snappy, shimmering pop songs - catchy as hell and great from beginning to end. I couldn't make the band's first Boston-area appearance, and was psyched to see them return until Flournoy shared news of a trip to rehab last August (subtitled "THE YEAR OF MAGICAL DRINKING HAS ENDED"). Here's hoping that 2012 brings the guy both health and happiness (and, selfishly, brings us some more of his songs). Keep an eye on his Facebook page for updates. Yeah, it's almost embarrassing... David has ended up on my faves list three years running. But I'm not gonna lie just to prevent myself from being predictable. What's surprising is that he followed up 2009's "Curse Your Branches" (and 2010's "Live at Electrical Audio" full-band album) so quickly with another cracking collection of confessional songs. Rather than sounding rushed, it sounds energetic and immediate - the lead off track rocks more than he's allowed himself to in awhile. As I said above, sitting on my couch and seeing Dave play in front of me was a personal highlight of last year, and getting a preview of a couple new tracks was a big part of that. Wonder if he'll play anything new at his next Boston house show in March? I'll find out soon enough. (and, um, if he cranks another album out... well, yeah, I'll save a spot on next year's list) Former Stand GT frontman Chris Page put out his best-ever solo effort in 2010 (yes, it's on the list) then follows it up with another top-notch collection of full-band songs with his Canadian compadres in Camp Radio. This is power-pop of the highest order, catchy as all-get-out, a record that compels you to see them live. Sadly, it's been way too damn long since I've seen Chris pogo-ing on a stage in front of me, and I really need to change that. Come south, my friend. I'll be giving away a vinyl copy of this fantastic record (with a bonus 7-inch) on the Almanac shortly, so keep an eye out. Will Johnson puts out a lot of music. I'd never go so far as to say too much music (because, when it comes to Will, there's no such thing), but it can be hard to keep up. Solo songs, collaborations, full band stuff, he's a prolific gent. Somehow, he's able to give each project its own identity, and it was immeasurably gratifying to see 2011 give us Centro-matic's strongest, most cohesive collection of songs in awhile. It showed sonic growth while staying unmistakably them, and was bolstered by a live show that mixed the best of the new with choice cuts from their immense back catalog. If Will's involved, I'm in. The latest: Woody Guthrie tribute project New Multitudes, with Will, Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron) and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk). The album hits next month, and the all-star band plays Boston on March 16th at the Paradise. Yes, Archers of Loaf reunited last year. As amazing as that simple fact still feels, it's not like frontman Eric Bachmann needed the creative outlet. I mean, the guy has been regularly releasing brilliant records since the Archers broke up, and the latest CF album ranks high among them. You'd think he'd be spinning up his old rock band during a lull in his solo career, but instead he has 'em both going at once, alternating the sonic assault with the softer side. We're richer for it. "The Counterfeiter", track 4 on "Breaks In The Armor", was easily one of my favorite songs of the year. Listen to their newly-shared World Cafe session right here (and note that during interview, Eric mentions they're about to record another album). Oh, and Boston-area Archers fans, get ready... they're coming. Dan Bejar, the mad genius. The man makes a total stylistic shift, throws in a heaping helping of smoooooth saxophone, and completely pulls it off. Whatever guise he takes on stage - full band frontman, solo acoustic performer, or part-time New Pornographer - he leaves me walking away a bigger fan than when I walked in. Can't even guess what he's going to try next, and I love that. These Brooklyn boys walk a very fine homage/derivative line very well, and while I was a bit put-off by the slightly-irritating first single ("Money"), the rest of the album was strong enough to recover and ultimately win me over. It didn't have the immediate impact their first full-length did, but instead revealed its charms over time. Seeing them on stage has eluded me so far, and I'd like to see this year change that. With criminally little fanfare, Jeff Martin finally gave us a collection of new Idaho songs last summer, 6 long years after his previous LP. His musical output mostly consists of soundtrack work, so anytime we get a proper album we should consider ourselves very lucky. The record's title is a pretty incongruous to the beauty within - gorgeous mood-pieces Martin conjures with his guitar, keyboards, and singular voice. It's at once fragile and powerful stuff, perfect rainy-day music, and my only complaint is that we don't get enough of it. The vinyl version was meticulously put together (180 gram cut directly from a hi-res 24-bit master), and includes not just download codes, but a bonus data-DVD with higher fidelity digital audio and a bunch Jeff's beautiful soundtrack work. Keep an eye here here on the 'Nac in the next week or so, as I've got an extra copy of the vinyl package to give away. It was the video above that got me, almost exactly a year ago. Hook, line, sinker, the whole tackle box. The song, that performance, the self-contained energy that didn't even need an audience to feed off. Grabbed the album shortly after, found even better songs to love, and my fandom was sealed last March when they blew away a packed house at Boston's Brighton Music Hall. Sure, some of the end-of-song, instrument-destroying theatrics might fall a little flat, but damned if they don't earn the right. A slow-burner from Swedish son Emil Svanängen and his friends, more understated and less immediately gripping than 2009's "Dear John", but ultimately more moving. I eagerly await his live return to the Boston area, either solo or with a backing band. Both are stunning experiences. A half-decade after 2007's relatively unsettling "Drums and Guns", Low reemerges with their best long-players in ages. They took just a tiny bit of the disquieting distance of that previous album and blended it with their long-familiar warmth and subtle hooks, coming up with one of their strongest-ever sets of songs. And hey, that album cover kinda rules, too. I'm in awe of how Frenchman Anthony Gonzalez can keep mining the same keyboard-swell, 80s-style caves and continue to come up with pure audio gold. He's found a formula, he's sticking to it, and I'm totally good with that. Even a double-album's worth sustains the synthy satisfaction. As much as I'm bothered when guitar-based bands try to go all electro (I'm looking at you, Bloc Party & Editors), I'm truly hoping M83 never decides to go all guitary. Don't go changin', Anthony. Keep on digging. 2011 was a rough year for us Mogwai fans, despite the release of this ridiculously good new record. I'm talking about the live show tease that still has no payoff. Here in Boston, we were promised a springtime, post-album performance at the Paradise, which was postponed and replaced with an autumn appearance at the far-larger (and far-inferior) House of Blues... which was then canceled altogether. All I really want is to see them rock out "George Square Thatcher Death Party" while I watch, thank you very much. Is that so much to ask?  Jennifer O'Connor - "I Want What You Want" (on Kiam Records) [MP3]: "Running Start" Stream the whole record at Soundcloud It should be noted - while "I Want What You Want" was released digitally a few months back, the physical release on vinyl and compact disc is happening in early March, just as her tour kicks off. Order direct from Kiam Records, or just pick one up at the merch table when you see her. A full-length, full-band rock record from (former Jawbox frontman) J. Robbins, complete with cello accompaniment? Um... sold!! This sucker was pre-destined to find itself in my faves, and so here it sits. If you're a Jawbox fan and don't have this, well, you need to take care of that. Hit up Dischord toot sweet.  Real Estate - "Days" (on Domino) [MP3]: "Green Aisles" (via Domino) Real Estate - It's Real by DominoRecordCo  Standard Fare - "Out Of Sight, Out Of Town" (on Melodic / Thee SPC (UK)) Standard Fare "Darth Vader" by Thee SPC And yes, this already has a guaranteed spot on next year's favorites list. So there.  Telekinesis - "12 Desperate Straight Lines" (on Merge) [MP3]: "Car Crash" Telekinesis - Car Crash by telekinesismusic Delivering strongly on the promise of 2009's "Sunshower" EP and their subsequent live shows, Austin's Ume finally gave us a full-length last year, and it ruled. The trio will spend the first part of 2012 touring the western part of the U.S., but I'm optimistic they'll head East once the temperatures out here start warming up. Ume singer/guitarist Lauren just recorded a song in honor of Austin's Esme Barrera (read about her here), with all proceeds going to her family. Please download and donate when you can. The decade spent between his solo releases was a long one, as TW's output was funneled through Pedro the Lion and his (too) short-lived combo The Soft Drugs, but it served him (and us) well - this album distills his songwriting and production skills into their purest form and rewards us with the most solid, cohesive batch of songs he's ever made. So many steps above your traditional singer/songwriter vanity project, this is more like a full-band album that happened to be made by one talented dude. Hope all his mixing and mastering projects leave him enough time to start thinking about playing live again. This was kind of a given, yeah? Expectations were pretty damn high, and they crushed 'em. Considering the parts (Timony/Helium, Cole/Minders, Brownstein/Sleater-Kinney, & Weiss/S-K/Quasi), who would've thought that the sum would be somehow greater? It's a living tribute to classic rock that never comes across as stale or ironic, just plain rockin'. And even though the album's great, the live show still trumps it. They'll be back in Boston on Saturday, March 31st at the Paradise, and you'd best be getting tickets before it gets too close. Another silver lining on the already-golden-colored cloud that was my UK getaway was learning of the one-man-band that is Withered Hand. Dan Willson is a Scotsman with a knack for melody and a tendency to over-share, delivering brutally confessional songs a unique singing voice that some might consider an acquired taste - though it took me just 3 songs to not just acquire it, but embrace it. I've woken up many mornings with the melody from "Religious Songs" stuck in my head, and that's not a complaint... in fact, it's back in my brain right now, and it'll probably be in yours when you stream it above. Do not resist. Criminally under-appreciated this year was The Wooden Birds' second record, "Two Matchsticks". Main-man (and former American Analog Set frontguy) Andrew Kenny made this one a more collaborative affair, with increased contributions from singer/guitarist Leslie Sisson and Mr. Matt Pond (on break from his own excellent band), along with guest appearances from DCFC's Ben Gibbard and Ola Podrida's David Wingo. It gave the record a more fleshed-out feel than the debut, while still retaining that certain sparseness Kenny has been cultivating since AmAnSet's demise. In my alternate-universe utopia, The Wooden Birds are dominating the airwaves and playing sold-out shows all around. Do your part to make that happen, willya? Would it sound silly if I said how proud I was of Wye Oak? Yeah, probably would. But I am, just the same. Jenn & Andy started out making an album I really liked, followed it up with a record I totally loved, then made one that pretty much blew me away... and the media attention and crowd sizes have increased proportionately. It's sort of crazy how things are working the way they're supposed to with this duo... organic growth based on actual quality and effort? In an age of fickle fandom and hype-backlash-burnout, they're doing things just right. Not sure how album four can keep it going, but I'm pretty damn excited to find out. Read a great year-end interview with J&A at the Village Voice, and check out Jenn's solo project, "Flock of Dimes". Favorite 2011 Short-Players... A lengthy EP that serves as a very satisfying stop-gap between full-lengths. Hoping 2012 gives us another long-player. Beach Fossils - "What A Pleasure" EP (on Captured Tracks) Face It by Captured Tracks Rose Melberg back in a full band with a release on Slumberland Records? Hello new favorite! So psyched to see Rose reuniting with Jen Sbragia as the Softies in April for one of Chickfactor's 20th anniversary shows in NYC. Just wish I could be there for it. Sigh. Two proper Cuffs studio songs while we wait for the eventual full-length, and they're as good as the demos and live shows suggested. There's another 7-inch in the can and on the way, but I'm hoping that's not all we get this year. Get crackin' on that full-length, gentlemen. Is any Girlfriends good Girlfriends? So far, that's kinda true. I dug their first cassette, loved the 7-inch, but the brand new 4-song demo crushes. seriously excited for a first full-length. As I said last month, it took mere moments for me to become a Night Fruit fan when I caught them at an Allston basement show early last year. Following up on their first demo, this 3-song 7-inch hints at even better things to come... and according to Facebook, the next thing will be another 7-inch sometime soon. Yes, please. I have no idea (argh, pun!) what is going on with Tacoma's Seaweed nowadays. I was a fan in the 90s, heard whispers of a reformation a couple years back, and out of nowhere a friend hips me to this new 7-inch. It's great, yeah, but I remain clueless on future plans... the band has approximately zero web presence. Full-length to follow? Live shows? Who knows? I'll just take these two songs and consider them a gift. Oh jeez, is this band ever good. Any city would be lucky to have them, but we get to call them our own. This, their debut, is a stunning, guitar-driving, neo-shoegaze set, but their blistering live show is usually even better. The Boston-based bastard sons of Swervedriver, at times. More recordings soon, please. Longtime personal Boston-area faves YCBAW keep the good stuff coming with this 6-song EP. Go here to stream or download the band's recent live performance on WMBR's esteemed Pipeline program. Favorite 2011 reissues/collections... Bless you, Merge Records. The label is in the process of remastering and reissuing all of the Archers' full-lengths, starting with "Icky Mettle" last year, "Vee Vee" next month, and the remaining two later in 2012. Each album is not just sonically improved, but comes with a second disc of demos, EP tracks, and compilation cuts. They're must-own albums, and their re-release is a big part of the reason we're seeing the Loaf back in action and touring again (and getting their own live concert film). Archers of Loaf - "Icky Mettle" 2-disc remastered edition (on Merge) The $40 online-only price tag may have put off longtime Ride followers, but take my word for it as a serious fanboy, this new edition is totally worth it. I've got a full-length post in the works on the magic of this remastering, but until then you'll just have to trust me. It's one of the greatest albums of all-time, and somehow it now sounds even better. Just get it. This 2-disc collection is far from your typical "best of", and certainly not a "greatest hits", of which the band sadly has very few. Instead, it's a collection of the current Throwing Muses lineup's faves, turning a bit of a blind eye to former Muse Tanya Donelly's contributions, and instead focusing on the songs they feel they can best play live. Which, thankfully, they've been doing recently, and will supposedly be doing more of soon. In fact, work continues on a brand new TM album, and with luck (and contributions from Strange Angels), we'll see that this year. Whenever I post one of these, I take a glance back at the yearly "looking forward to..." post to see which albums missed the mark, which ones came outta nowhere, and which hopeful wishes never came true. My 2012 forecast is already in progress. Links to my faves from years past, for the I do have a resolution for 2012: Try to spend more quality time on the Almanac (I was going to go with 'less beer', but, um, nah). With all the good goings-on in 2011, I totally bottomed out on posting (also: see the "less self-imposed deadline stress" above). The statistical proof: A measly 34 total posts, and just 9 live shows shared, easily my weakest year in the decade or so I've been doing this. I came close to shuttering the place many times, but always found just enough inspiration to leave the doors open. May that inspiration keep on coming. |
 the joy formidable live in allston, ma on march 29th, 2011 previously: fugazi - vermont 1991 recent posts on the 'nac...
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