bradley's almanac - a boston music blog

boston area shows of note:

thursday, august 21st

yndi halda

caspian

irepress

@ tt the bears

friday, august 22nd

varsity drag

lump

charcoal lavage

jake and the jakes

@ o'briens

friday, august 22nd

obits (ex-hot snakes/rftc)

viva viva

dead cats dead rats

sunday morning music

@ the middle east

saturday, august 23rd

the soft drugs

higgins

the toothaches

drama queens

@ pa's lounge

saturday, august 23rd

amo joy!

franklin bruno

(from nothing painted blue)

one happy island (ep release!)

@ the lily pad

saturday, august 23rd

newbury comics / unnatural axe

30th anniversary bash

the meatmen, queers, nasties,

unnatural axe, sleazies

@ the middle east down

sunday, august 24th

don cabellero

ponytail

irepress

@ harper's ferry

tuesday, august 26th

the final installment of...

neil cleary's 'doozy'

a guest-packed august residency

@ the lizard lounge

wednesday, august 27th

liz phair performing

'exile in guyville'

@ the paradise

wednesday, august 27th

xiu xiu

prurient

@ the paradise

friday, august 29th

liz phair performs

'exile in guyville'

@ the paradise

monday, september 1st

the juan maclean

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, september 3rd

ryan's smashing life presents...

justice of the unicorns

tigers & monkeys

spanish armada

wild business

@ the middle east

friday, september 5th

silver jews

hallelujah the hills

who shot hollywood

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, september 6th

my morning jacket

@ the bank of america pavilion

saturday, september 6th

matt pryor (get up kids)

kevin devine

mike fiore (faces on film)

@ harper's ferry

sunday, september 7th

ryan adams & the cardinals

@ the bank of america pavilion

tuesday, september 9th

paul weller

@ the berklee performance center

friday, september 12th

mission of burma

in-store performance

7pm @ newbury comics, newbury st.

friday, september 12th

buffalo tom

as part of the boston arts festival

@ christopher columbus park

saturday, september 13th

wfnx disorientation 2008

the kooks, flogging molly,

alkaline trio, rogue wave,

and more to be announced

@ bank of america pavilion

sunday, september 14th

lymbyc systym

this will destroy you

arms and sleepers

@ harper's ferry

monday, september 15th

lagwagon, mxpx,

only crime, & tat

@ harper's ferry

monday, september 15th

sunset rubdown

@ the middle east

monday, september 15th

james

@ the paradise

tuesday, september 16th

a place to bury strangers

@ the paradise

thursday, september 18th

the walkmen

@ the middle east downstairs

friday, september 19th

sigur ros

@ the bank of america pavilion

friday, september 19th to

sunday, september 21st

all tomorrow's parties

with my bloody valentine, low

built to spill, mogwai, shellac,

polvo, yo la tengo, lilys, autolux

dinosaur jr, mercury rev, & more

@ the catskills in nyc

saturday, september 20th

mike viola (solo)

(1st of 3 weekly residencies)

with guest blue and their

band, the major labels

@ the lizard lounge

saturday, september 20th

noah & the whale

@ toad

sunday, september 21st

the low lows

magic magic

ryan lee crosby

@ tt the bears

monday, september 22nd

the broken west

@ the middle east

monday, september 22nd

oxford collapse

love as laughter

takka takka

@ tt the bears

monday, september 22nd

mogwai

fuck buttons

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday, september 23rd

writer dennis lehane

(release day for 'the given day')

@ the coolidge corner theatre

tuesday, september 23rd

weezer

angels & airwaves

tokyo police club

@ the tsongas arena

tuesday, september 23rd

cut copy

the presets

@ the paradise

wednesday, september 24th

joan as policewoman

@ the middle east

wednesday, september 24th

low

tulsa

@ the museum of fine arts boston

saturday, september 27th

mike viola (solo)

(2nd of 3 weekly residencies)

@ the lizard lounge

saturday, september 27th

built to spill

performing 'perfect from now on'

dinosaur jr.

meat puppets

@ the orpheum

sunday, september 28th

the bird and the bee

willoughby

@ great scott

sunday and monday

september 28th and 29th

ratatat

@ the paradise

thursday, september 30th

boston spaceships

(gbv's robert pollard)

big dipper

@ the paradise

thursday, september 30th

say hi

jukebox the ghost

@ the middle east

thursday & friday

october 2nd & 3rd

baltimore round robin

29 bands playing in a circle,

non-stop, one song at a time,

with you in the very center

with dan deacon, beach house,

creepers, the death set, adventure,

and everyone listed here

@ mass art

friday, october 3rd

death cab for cutie

@ agganis arena

friday, october 3rd

the fratellis

airborne toxic event

electric touch

@ the orpheum

saturday, october 4th

mike viola @ friends

(3rd of 3 weekly residencies)

@ the lizard lounge

sunday, october 5th

old 97s

@ the wilbur theatre

sunday, october 5th

pinback

@ the paradise

monday, october 6th

the wedding present

the jealous girlfriends

@ the middle east downstairs

monday, october 6th

fleet foxes

@ the somerville theatre

monday, october 6th

stereolab

monade

@ the paradise

tuesday, october 7th

liam finn

the veils

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 8th

wire

@ the middle east downstairs

thursday, october 9th

chuck ragan (of hot water music)

ben nichols (of lucero)

tim barry (of avail)

with guest jesse malin

@ the middle east

saturday, october 11th

the feelies

@ the roxy

sunday, october 12th

the residents

@ showcase live, foxboro

sunday, october 12th

the notwist

@ the roxy

sunday, october 12th

jamie lidell

@ the paradise

sunday, october 12th

against me!

ted leo & the pharmacists

the future of the left

@ the wilbur theatre

monday, october 13th

tv on the radio

the dirtbombs

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday, october 14th

cold war kids

@ the paradise

thursday, october 16th

ben kweller

whitley

@ the paradise

thursday, october 16th

jonatha brooke

glen phillips

(from toad the wet sprocket)

@ the wilbur theatre

friday, october 17th

hallelujah the hills

wonderful spells

capstan shafts

@ tt the bears

friday, october 17th

jonathan richman

with drummer tommy larkin

@ the somerville theatre

saturday, october 18th

ra ra riot

walter meego

the morning benders

@ the middle east

sunday, october 19th

the spinto band

frightened rabbit

@ the middle east

monday, october 20th

magnetic morning

(adam swervedriver & sam interpol)

julie ocean

springhouse (w/jack rabid)

@ great scott

tuesday, october 21st

minus the bear

annuals

sylvie

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday & wednesday

october 21st & 22nd

billy bragg

@ the somerville theatre

wednesday, october 22nd

yeasayer

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 22nd

lyle lovett & john hiatt

(acoustic, on stage together)

@ the orpheum

thursday, october 23rd

lykke li

@ the paradise

thursday, october 23rd

deerhoof

experimental dental school

@ the middle east down

friday, october 24th

fujiya & miyagi

@ the paradise

sunday, october 26th

broken social scene

land of talk

@ the wilbur theatre

monday, october 27th

matthew sweet

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 29th

legendary pink dots

@ the middle east down

thursday, october 30th

of montreal

@ the orpheum

friday, october 31st

the rumble strips

birdmonster

@ tt the bears

friday, october 31st

david byrne

performing the songs of byrne & eno

@ the wang center

saturday, november 1st

henry rollins (spoken word)

@ the orpheum

monday, november 3rd

coldplay

@ the td banknorth garden

sunday, november 9th

the hold steady

drive-by truckers

@ the orpheum

tuesday, november 11th

deerhunter

times new viking

the vivian girls

@ the paradise

wedneseday, november 12th

kings of leon

we are scientists

the whigs

@ the orpheum

tuesday, november 18th

m83

school of seven bells

@ the middle east down

thursday, november 20th

bishop allen

@ the middle east

saturday, december 13th

neil young

wilco

@ the dcu center, worcester

visit tourfilter for more shows

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Spotlit: Silkworm Tribute + the Soft Drugs

Trying something new here on the 'Nac, where I take a couple discs or artists I've been listening to lately and shine a brief but bright spotlight on them. Reasons can be timely (a tour, a new release), nostalgic (a rediscovered old fave), or entirely random, but it's all music I feel deserves your utmost attention...

The world lost Silkworm when the world lost Michael Dahlquist, a prince of a man and one hell of a drummer, a guy who attacked his kit with the same passion he led his life. It's no surprise that there was already a Silkworm covers project in the works well before Michael passed away, or that it's become as much a tribute to the man as it has to his beloved band. The collection is called "An Idiot To Not Appreciate Your Time - The Songs of Silkworm", and it's a labor of DIY love all the way. Pulled together by a motivated fan, with contributions from messageboard loyalists, far-away followers, and a bunch of music-making, SKWM-loving friends, it compiles 29 varied tracks over two discs, and the thing is just 8 bucks including shipping (proceeds go to Michael's charities of choice, the Jane Addams Hull House and the Nature Conservancy).

There are far too many great versions on the tribute to list 'em all, but personal highlights so far are Treasure State's cover of 'Something Hyper', the Kadane Bros. (Bedhead / The New Year) with their piano-based 'Clean'd Me Out', The Bismarck's 'The Cigarette Lighters', a French language take on 'Beyond Repair' by Grand Hotel... oh hell, I'm not even past the first 7 tracks. Take my word for it, I've yet to hear a tribute so infused with love and respect for the artist it covers. From the names you might recognize, to the ones you've never heard of, everyone's admiration for one of the best bands there ever was is obvious.

The Silkworm tribute record site has a few of the covers available to download, so here they are with their original counterparts...

The Kyle Sowashes - 'Slave Wages'
Silkworm - 'Slave Wages'

Temper - 'Ticket Tulane'
Silkworm - 'Ticket Tulane'

Trestle Music - 'Don't Make Plans Friday'
Silkworm - 'Don't Make Plans Friday'

The complete tracklisting...

'An Idiot To Not Appreciate Your Time:
The Songs of Silkworm'

disc one...
01. Navigations - 'Ritz Dance'
02. Matt & Bubba Kadane - 'Clean'd Me Out'
03. Grand Hotel - 'Beyond Repair'
04. T.T. Diamond - 'Contempt'
05. The Bills - 'Garden City Blues'
06. Treasure State - 'Something Hyper'
07. The Bismarck - 'The Cigarette Lighters'
08. Bass 666 - 'That's Entertainment'
09. Mirror America - 'Couldn't You Wait?'
10. Suzanne the Plan - 'Grotto of Miracles'
11. Tre Orsi - 'Insomnia'
12. toomanyhelicopters - 'Drunk'
13. The Nectarines - 'Miracle Mile'
14. The Soft Drugs - 'Give Me Some Skin'

disc two...
01. Heather Whinna & Steve Albini - 'Bourbon Beard'
02. .22 - 'Raised By Tigers'
03. Chin & Lester & Franks - 'Treat the New Guy Right'
04. LUFF - 'Quicksand'
05. mtar - 'Is She A Sign?'
06. The Kyle Sowashes - 'Slave Wages'
07. The Family Ghost - 'Oh, How We Laughed'
08. Tiny Monk - 'Raging Bull'
09. The Turnarounders - 'Young'
10. Temper - 'Ticket Tulane'
11. Maurice Rickard - 'Shitty Little Yacht'
12. J. Britt Robisheaux - 'Pearly Gates'
13. Joe Sepi - 'A Cockfight of Feelings'
14. Volume - 'Around the Outline'
15. Trestle - 'Don't Make Plans This Friday'

While you may quickly recognize names like the Kadanes or Steve Albini, there are some other fine artists behind the less-familiar monikers. Here are just a few details, courtesy of compilation curator Isaac himself...

Bass 666 is 2/3 of a legendary North Dakota band called Straphanger (the longest running NoDak band, forming and playing since 1997).
Tre Orsi features the sound man for the New Year, Shearwater, and many other great Texas bands. They also include a member of Okkervil River/Shearwater and a member of Slobberbone.
Navigations hail from Finland, and their frontman is also Trestle Music.
Grand Hotel/Temper are from France, and are actually the same band (one sings in English and the other in French).
.22 are from Chicago/Boise, Idaho and Brian O. is now a member of Bottomless Pit.
The Bismarck are from Seattle, but all the members grew up in NoDak.
Treasure State is another band from Seattle featuring Mr. Mercer of Joel RL Phelps and the Downer Trio. Mr. Mercer's brother is the lead singer for the Shins, if anyone cares (and according to Isaac: "Mitch, Treasure State's drummer, may be the biggest SKWM fan I've ever met").
The Bills features Mike Dahlquist's brother on drums.
Mirror America is John Lee (from aMinature) and friends.
The Soft Drugs is TW Walsh, formerly of Pedro the Lion and Headphones (more on TW below).
mtar is Michael the Angry Russian. He owns Russian Recording in Nashville, IN.
Joe Sepi is an all around great dude and a wizened vet of many, many punk rock bands.
Suzanne the Plan is a guy named Nick McGaw.

And that's barely half the contributors.

So here's the thing: Just 1,000 copies of this thing were printed, and when they're gone, they're gone. No do-overs. I'm guessing they won't last much longer than the Touch & Go Anniversary shows this weekend, where Silkworm's Andy Cohen & Tim Midgett are playing a set of songs, as is their new band, Bottomless Pit. So head here and order one up straightaway.

And fellow fans, have no fear, 'cuz this ain't the last time you'll be able to buy some Silkworm songs: there's one more Silkworm disc coming in October from the 12xu label, an EP titled 'Chokes'. An unintended, and bittersweet, swan song of sorts.

The artist that brings disc one of the Silkworm tribute to a beautiful close is The Soft Drugs, the name under which longtime solo songwriter (and former Pedro the Lion/Headphones member) T.W. Walsh has chosen to release his latest recordings. He gets the honor of singing the collection's title in the last lingering lyrics of 'Give Me Some Skin' ('You never saw what I'd become, an idiot to not appreciate your time'), and he delivers the line perfectly.

The Soft Drug's excellent debut EP, 'In Moderation' (which christens Walsh's own imprint, Tower of Song) came out a couple months back, and while some summer releases can get lost in the deluge of discs that arrive in autumn, this five-track fix deserves a lasting listen.

There's a comfort found in these songs, in their meticulously warm crafting, and it's as ideal for a Sunday morning spin as it is for a late-night mellow out. The EP reveals a impressive attention to multi-track detail, with each song taking on a whole new life between a pair of headphones. While the production may be warm, the song subjects are weighty ones, as Walsh sings of his own self-doubt, strained relationships, driving dilemmas, and growing older. Maybe I'm reading a little too much into the material, since I know a bit about T.W.'s struggle to balance his craft, his day job, and his family life, but there's much to relate to for anyone trying to juggle those very things as time carries us along.

A couple songs, including 'Brand New Name', have an almost mid-70s soul feel, with bouncing bass lines, gentle keyboard lines, distant falsetto harmonies. I picked up even a hint of Gerry Rafferty's solo side, with a noticeable (though less strained) Neil Young quality to Walsh's vocals (and for the few who'll get the reference, his voice more closely resembles Tom Lawson of the recently-reunited Pants).

It's worth noting that while it's clearly T.W.'s project, he enlisted the assistance of some talented friends to play along, including ex-Pedro and current-Senator Senator bassist Ken Maiuri, and ace journeyman drummer/solo artist Frank Lenz behind the kit. Other contributors include Ester Drang's James McAlister on percussion, Seldom/Crystal Skulls drummer Casey Foubert on drums & guitar for a track, and Crystal Skull's frontman Christian Wargo for a bit of backing vox. Frequent T.W. collaborators Frank Padellaro and Pedro's David Bazan (who, interestingly, stopped using a band name for his releases around the same time that T.W. started using one) also pop up in the credits, collectively providing the indispensable services of "online poker, wine, carpentry, and conspiracy theories".

'In Moderation' is the best kind of EP: There's a cohesiveness in production and songwriting that works ideally in a five-song dose. That said, and assuming a full length may come eventually, I would love to hear T.W. break things up with a full-on rocker (his guitar playing, especially on the great bridge of 'Defending the Paint', shows he can go there), or maybe sparser song or two, like the acoustic Silkworm cover. Either way, I look forward to more; sometimes that fade out on track five comes far too soon, so I hit up The Soft Drugs 'free monthly demos' page for more. Or I start searching online stores for his hard-to-find 1999 debut 'How We Spend Our Days, the 2001 follow-up 'Blue Laws', or 2002's 'Pollensongs' EP. I was an idiot to not appreciate them the first time.

Two songs from the 'In Moderation' EP...