bradley's almanac - a boston-based music blog

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sunday, march 14th

a special screening of the

white stripes tour documentary

"under the great white northern lights"

free admission / prize pack drawing

10pm @ the otherside cafe

sunday, march 14th

carbon leaf

@ the paradise

monday, march 15th

one happy island

standard fare

summer cats

@ great scott

monday, march 15th

letting up despite great faults

the brother kite

plumerai

singing bridges

@ the middle east upstairs

tuesday, march 16th

bacchus king

croquet

cathy cathodic

the ugly fucklings

@ the middle east upstairs

wednesday, march 17th

joanna newsom

@ the sanders theatre, harvard

wednesday, march 17th

henry rollins (spoken word)

@ the somerville theatre

thursday, march 18th

apollo sunshine

drug rug

@ the paradise

friday, march 19th

i, pistol

mascara

planetoid

forgetful jones

@ tt the bears

saturday, march 20th

the whitehaus family blastfest

needy visions, manners,

morgan shaker, avi jacob,

and many more

@ cambridge ymca theatre

saturday, march 20th

air

@ berklee performance center

sunday, march 21st

the clientele

field music

@ great scott

wednesday, march 24th

extraneous noise presents...

golden spurs

spirit kid

some say fire

the novel ideas

@ the middle east upstairs

thursday, march 25th

"thursday night alright!" with

the beatings

aloud

action camp

hello ninja

@ great scott

thursday, march 25th

the donnas

@ the paradise

friday, march 26th

eldridge rodriguez (the beatings)

ryan lee crosby

ted billings (age rings/hot protestants)

@ the somerville armory

friday, march 26th

basia bulat

marissa nadler

lady lamb the beekeeper

@ tt the bears

saturday, march 27th

your say party! we say die!

the new collisions

static of the gods (cd release)

@ tt the bears

saturday, march 27th

the big pink

a place to bury strangers

magic magic

@ the paradise

saturday, march 27th

spoon

deerhunter

@ the house of blues

sunday, march 28th

beach house

bachelorette

@ the paradise

monday, march 29th

the soft pack

nodzzz

beaters

@ great scott

tuesday, march 30th

shearwater

wye oak

hospital ships

@ tt the bears

tuesday, march 30th

manchester orchestra

the features

biffy clyro

o'brother

@ the paradise

wednesday, march 31st

japandroids

love is all

girlfriends

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, march 31st

miike snow

delorean

@ the paradise

wednesday, march 31st

a sunny day in glasgow

pants yell!

bearstronaut

@ great scott

thursday, april 1st

girls

dum dum girls

@ the paradise

friday, april 2nd

the xx

jj (late show only)

two shows @ the paradise

friday, april 2nd

drive-by truckers

lucero

langhorne slim

@ the house of blues

saturday, april 3rd

cassavettes

the grownup noise

kingsley flood (cd release)

spouse

@ the middle east upstairs

saturday, april 3rd

black rebel motorcycle club

alberta cross

@ the house of blues

saturday, april 3rd

nada surf

dawn landes & the hounds

@ the paradise

sunday, april 4th

serena maneesh

depreciation guild

black fortress of opium

@ tt the bears

tuesday, april 6th

wilco

@ the orpheum

tuesday, april 6th

ben fold & a piano

kate miller-heidke

@ the house of blues

wednesday, april 7th

florence & the machine

@ the paradise

wednesday, april 7th

rocky votolato

brooke waggoner

@ great scott

thursday, april 8th

faces on film

hands & knees

st. claire (cd release!)

mr. sister

@ tt the bears

thursday, april 8th

thom yorke + atoms for peace

flying lotus

@ the citi/wang theatre

friday, april 9th

midlake

@ the paradise

saturday, april 10th

xiu xiu

tune-yards

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, april 10th

ted leo & the pharmacists

obits

screaming females

@ the paradise

saturday, april 10th

pissed jeans

confines

sqrm

@ great scott

sunday, april 11th

fanfarlo

lawrence arabia

robert francis

@ the paradise

monday, april 12th

the wedding present

play their 1989 lp 'bizarro'

with openers girl in a coma

@ the middle east downstairs

monday, april 12th

titus andronicus

the babies

@ great scott

thursday, april 15th

jakob dylan with guests

neko case + kelly hogan

@ the wilbur theatre

thursday, april 15th

red sparowes

doomriders

@ the middle east downstairs

friday, april 16th

guillermo sexo

freddie t and the people

(ex-june of 44 / hoover)

travels

ghost box orchestra

@ pa's lounge

friday, april 16th

have nots (vinyl release!)

the appreciation post

razors in the night

wicked whiskey

the swaggerin growlers

@ tt the bears

saturday, april 17th

kaki king

an horse

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, april 17th

the morning benders

miniature tigers

@ tt the bears

sunday, april 18th

heavy trash (w/jon spencer)

the konks

the cobra-matics

@ tt the bears

sunday, april 18th

the thermals

past lives

@ the middle east downstairs

monday, april 19th

trans am

@ the middle east downstairs

tuesday, april 20th

owen pallett (aka final fantasy)

@ the ica boston

tuesday, april 20th

elvis costello & the sugarcanes

@ the orpheum

tuesday, april 20th

the low anthem

timber timbre

@ the paradise

tuesday, april 20th

quasi

let's wrestle

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, april 21st

the church

special 30th anniversary

acoustic career retrospective

@ the somerville armory

wednesday, april 21st through

wednesday, april 28th

the 8th annual independent

film festival of boston

@ various boston area theatres

including the somerville + brattle

thursday, april 22nd

the mary onettes

@ great scott

saturday, april 24th

graham parker with

the figgs

@ johnny d's, somerville

saturday, april 24th

los campesinos!

here we go magic

@ the paradise

sunday, april 25th

harlem

@ the great scott

monday, april 26th

echo + the bunneymen

hatcham social

@ the paradise

wednesday, april 28th

gogol bordello

devotchka

jesse malin

st. mark's social

@ the house of blues

thursday, april 29th

frightened rabbit

@ the paradise

friday, april 30th

the everyday visuals

the lights out

the flying machines

aloud

@ tt the bears

friday, april 30th

corinne bailey ray

@ the house of blues

friday, april 30th

the album leaf

sea wolf

@ the paradise

wednesday, april 28th

little boots

dragonette

fan death

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, may 1st

white rabbits

here we go magic

@ the paradise

monday, may 3rd

yeasayer

sleigh bells

@ the paradise

tuesday, may 4th

gregory & the hawk

lady lamb the beekeeper

@ tt the bears

tuesday & wednesday

may 4th & 5th

public image ltd.

@ the royale (formerly the roxy)

wednesday & thursday

may 5th & 6th

jonsi (from sigur ros)

@ the house of blues

thursday, may 6th

shout out louds

@ the paradise

friday, may 7th

ok go

earl greyhound

robert francis

@ the paradise

saturday, may 8th

local natives

@ great scott

tuesday & wednesday

may 11th & 12th

dr. dog

deer tick

@ the paradise

thursday, may 13th

small brown bike

bridge and tunnel

your skull my closet

wallcreeper

@ great scott

saturday, may 22nd

killing joke

@ the paradise

tuesday, may 18th

spectrum (featuring sonic boom

from spacemen 3 + e.a.r.)

with the broken river prophet

@ the middle east upstairs

tuesday, may 25th

the smittens

allo darlin'

one happy island

hearts!attack

a smile and a ribbon

horowitz

@ the lizard lounge

wednesday, may 26th

reverend horton heat

cracker

miss derringer

@ the house of blues

friday, may 28th

mono

the twilight sad

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, june 2nd

kings of convenience

franklin for short

@ the paradise

wednesday, june 2nd

ryan bingham & the dead horses

@ tt the bears

wednesday & thursday

june 2nd & 3rd

the national

@ the house of blues

friday, june 4th

brian jonestown massacre

@ the paradise

friday, june 18th

reigning sound

movers & shakers

triplethick

@ tt the bears

saturday, june 19th

james taylor

carole king

@ the garden

sunday + monday

june 20th + 21st

isis

melvins

totimoshi

@ the paradise

thursday + saturday

august 19th + 21st

tom petty + the heartbreakers

my morning jacket

@ the comcast center

visit tourfilter for more shows

Just a short stab of randomness to follow, covering Film School, Pinback, Adam Franklin, the Descendants, and regrettably, author Robert Jordan.

From here on out, I'm hoping to make these miscellaneous posts shorter but more frequent... although I may have made that vow before. We'll see how the plan pans out soon enough...

I can't help but loudly declare my infinitely growing love for Film School's just-released third album, "Hideout", to anyone that'll listen. I snagged it on a trip to my local disc shop last Tuesday (along with the new Pinback, but more on them next), and as much as I dug their 2006 self-titled sophomore effort, this one is just leaps and bounds above it. They may wear their influences on their sleeves (MBV, Swervedriver, Swirlies, even early pre-programming New Order), but those influences are so right in my wheelhouse, and so masterfully incorporated into these new songs, that I cannot resist instant obsession. It feels not at all like an appropriation of a sound, but a love letter to it; not derivative, but instead a logical extension of what was going on 15 years or so ago. Hasn't left my car cd player since I unwrapped it, and I find myself, for the first time ever, wishing my commute was a little longer. Whatever trials and changes the band has gone through over the past couple years (a mugging, stolen equipment, a major lineup overhaul), it has resulted in one hell of an album.

Here's a taste, track two from "Hideout", just one of many great songs to be had there...

Mp3: Film School - "Lectric"

Buy the album here for just ten bucks. Film School plays TT the Bears in Cambridge on Wednesday, October 24th. Get your tickets here, and do it quick.

As Pinback fans know, their latest Touch & Go full-lengther, "Autumn of the Seraphs", also came out last week (pre-orders got a bonus EP), and its fantasy-flavored artwork is either a "love it or hate it" kind of a thing. Me, I'm into it, but that's probably my old D&D characters talking. Anyone who knows much about singer/guitarist Rob Crow will find it unsurprising that the cover art was drawn by fantasy artist Michael Sutfin, who's done a bunch of work for Magic: The Gathering and World of Warcraft trading cards.

As for the songs found inside said packaging, well, after my effusive praise of that Film School disc, this is going to sound repetitive: I think it's Pinback's best. I may have said exactly the same thing when 2004's "Summer In Abbadon" came out, and I was as sure of that as I am that this one's even better. They've both expanded their sound and retained whatever makes them Pinback: The restrained energy, the percussive bass/guitar interplay, the vocal tradeoffs and overlaps, the warm production, the undeniable catchiness. It's all there, and while a clunker or two has traditionally marred their previous discs, I haven't found one here yet. Hell, even the three songs on the bonus EP, which surprisingly came with the copy I bought at Newbury Comics, are keepers (and in the fine tradition of Ride's "Going Blank Again" and Ted Leo's "Living With The Living", the album's title track is not on the disc itself, but instead on the EP).

"From Nothing to Nowhere", the lead-off track, was the first song to hit the web in advance of the album, courtesy of Touch & Go...

Mp3: Pinback - "From Nothing To Nowhere"

... and MySpace recently premiered the video for it. More newness: The excellent Pinbackfreak fansite has pulled together a Pinback FAQ, so check it out or add to it if you're able.

The band will be touring extensively in support "AotS", hitting the Roxy in Boston on October 10th, with, amazingly, MC Chris opening up. Yes, MC Chris, frequent Adult Swim/ATHF collaborator and all around geek-rap genius. A reason to get there early, if ever, if ever a reason there was.

Oh, and by the way, the Touch & Go Anniversary video clip featured Pinback a few weeks back, with Rob doing the (modest and reverent) interview thing and the band performing "Non-Photo Blue" and "Syracuse". Go watch. 3,4, cha-cha-cha.

And, most importantly: Rob Crow cut off his mighty beard. Total transformation, back to the Crow of olde.

I'm still kicking myself for missing former Swervedriver frontman Adam Franklin's show here in town a few weeks back, which launched a short tour with Hopewell. Check out BV for many more of his dates to come in October.

Something that made Mr. Franklin even more admirable in my eyes: Billy Corgan asked him to be play guitar in the so-called Smashing Pumpkins "reunion" earlier this year, and Adam declined. Proving both that Corgan has good taste in co-guitarists, and that Adam is a very wise man to stay away from that mess.

Idolator tipped me to CMJ tipping us to the fact that Descendents/ALL bassist Karl Alvarez suffered a heart attack last month, and while he's recovering, the bills are mounting. There's a Kyle Alvarez Benefit Page set up at MySpace, where you can donate or get details on upcoming benefit shows (including one in Colorado on September 29th) that'll also raise funds to help the man out.

And because I don't think I've ever shared it on the 'Nac, here's a band I used to be in covering a Descendents song, which originally appeared on the Coolidge Records "Homage" compilation...

Mp3: Snowplow - "Cheer" (Descendents cover)

Aside from the Pinback and Film School dates mentioned about, here are a few Boston-area shows you'd be wise to pick up tickets for soon-ish...

The Lucksmiths, The Ladybug Transistor, Still Flyin', & One Happy Island team up for a night of pure pop-goodness at TT the Bears on Thursday, September 27th (tickets). Gonna sell out, mark my words.

Sucktastically, I'm gonna be out of town when +/-, Sleepyhead, Moools, and my pals in the Broken River Prophet all play together at the Middle East Upstairs on Saturday night, September 29th (tickets). So kindly go in my place and let me know how it is, k? I can already guess that your report will be solidly on the positive side, so it's just a matter of degrees.

Buffalo Tom will be at the Somerville Theatre on Friday night, October 26th (tickets). BT singer/guitarist Bill Janovitz has a new blog, by the way. It allows him a place to share his thoughts uninterrupted, replacing his now-dead forum, which was constantly sullied by a couple of, shall we say, overly-enthusiastic baseball fans.

Lastly, I was both completely shocked and deeply saddened to wake up this morning and learn that author James Rigney, known to readers as Robert Jordan, passed away yesterday at the too-young age of 58 after a battle with cardiac amyloidosis. I first read the news on fellow fantasy author George RR Martin's blog, and it has since spread across the web like balefire. The server that hosts Jordan's own blog is buckling under the weight of commiserating fans, but you can read how his cousin announced his passing here.

I've been reading his "Wheel of Time" fantasy series since the first book, "The Eye of the World", was published in 1990 (on the recommendation of a wise college professor at UVM), and while I was often frustrated by the ever-lengthening story (it was originally supposed to be 6 or 7 books, I believe, but number 11 came out in 2005), the overwhelming number of characters, and the infrequency of new volumes, I never expected we'd lose the man before he could finish off his life's masterwork. I honestly looked forward to the day, whenever it would come, that I could read the entire tale, start-to-finish (and while speculation is that we may still get that chance, it does nothing to lessen the blow). But what I really looked forward to was what might come next, with new tales on a clean slate, if he ever chose to do that. He provided my imagination with so many hours and hours of escape... I owe the man a great debt. Such a huge loss to fans of truly epic storytelling, and such sad day.

posted by brad at 1:10 PM | direct link | rss (1 :2) |