bradley's almanac - a boston-based music blog

almanac mp3 archives
live show photo archive
'my life or some dream' original mp3 compilation
bands i've been in
the almanac faq

the almanac rss feed
follow me on twitter
the 'nac on facebook
hype machine 'nac page
the 'nac songkick gig page
the almanac last.fm page

the almanac archives

thursday, july 2nd

the church

adam franklin (swervedriver)

@ showcase live, foxborough

sunday, july 5th

city breathing

deep sea diver

adam rich

steve pardo & lindley cameron

@ the middle east upstairs

saturday, july 11th

the luxury

the click five

midatlantic

aloud

@ the paradise

sunday, july 12th

the dead weather

screaming females

@ the house of blues

saturday, july 18th

butterflies

travels

@ pa's lounge

sunday, july 19th

grand duchy (w/frank black)

the bunnies

van elk (w/valerie mistle thrush)

@ the middle east downstairs

sunday, july 19th

lymbyc systym

coralcola

the cush

the pandas

@ the middle east upstairs

monday, july 20th

you can be a wesley (cd release!)

casper & the cookies

everything, now!

magic magic

@ the middle east upstairs

monday, july 20th

green day

the bravery

@ the garden

tuesday, july 21st

mark eitzel & marc capelle

performing american music club songs

@ the lizard lounge

friday, july 24th

varsity drag (cd release!)

the grownup noise

winterpills

brendan boogie & the best intentions

@ the middle east upstairs

sunday, july 26th

pete yorn

@ the house of blues

tuesday, july 28th

cass mccombs

jennifer o'connor & band

mike bones

@ tt the bears

wednesday, july 29th

foreign born

the veils

faces on film

@ tt the bears

thursday, july 30th

justin ripley & his band

@ pa's lounge

friday, july 31st

destroyer (dan bejar)

iran

wooden wand

@ the paradise

friday, july 31st

depeche mode

peter bjorn & john

@ great woods

saturday, august 1st

alasdair roberts

@ lorem ipsum books, inman square

saturday, august 1st

wheat (cd release show!)

the xyz affair

@ great scott

sunday, august 2nd

soft power (featuring mary timony)

gramercy arms (featuring dave derby)

@ tt the bears

monday, august 3rd

billy bragg

@ the berklee performance center

monday, august 3rd

tinted windows

(james iha, adam schlesinger,

taylor hanson, & bun e. carlos)

@ the paradise

monday, august 3rd

coldplay

elbow

kitty daisy & lewis

@ the comcast center

wednesday, august 5th

the rural alberta advantage

joshua english (ex-six going on seven)

with lisa molinaro

baby teeth

@ the middle east upstairs

wednesday, august 5th

arctic monkeys

modey lemon

@ the paradise

wednesday, august 5th

joe pernice (solo show & book tour)

@ the brattle theatre (2 shows)

wednesday and thursday

august 5th and 6th

paul mccartney

@ fenway park

friday, august 7th

the electric prunes

love

sky saxon (of the seeds)

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, august 8th

blondie

pat benatar

@ the b.o.a. pavilion

wednesday, august 12th

the warlocks

@ great scott

wednesday, august 12th

the pretenders

cat power

juliette lewis

@ the bank of american pavilion

thursday, august 13th

bat for lashes

@ the paradise

friday, august 14th

six finger satellite

@ tt the bears

sunday, august 16th

the decemberists

heartless bastards

@ mountain park, holyoke

sunday, august 16th

trashcan sinatras

@ tt the bears

monday, august 17th

the breeders

@ the paradise

friday, august 21st

choo choo la rouge (cd release!)

the big disappointments

impossible hair

the operators

@ pa's lounge

saturday & sunday

august 22nd & 23rd

bruce springsteen & the e street band

@ the comcast center / great woods

saturday, august 29th

caspain

actors & actresses

irepress

arms & sleepers

@ tt the bears

sunday, august 30th

the flaming lips

explosions in the sky

stardeath and white dwarfs

@ the boa pavilion

thursday, september 3rd

kay hanley (letters to cleo)

antisocialites

ingenue

@ tt the bears

saturday, september 5th

the pains of being pure at heart

cymbals eat guitars

depreciation guild

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, september 5th

pet shop boys

@ the house of blues

thursday, september 10th

autolux

sleepy sun

@ the paradise

thursday, september 10th

dirty three

@ the i.c.a. boston

friday, september 11th

kings of leon

glasvegas

@ the comcast center / great woods

saturday, september 12th

the cult

performing 'love' in its entirety

@ the house of blues

sunday, september 13th

down

melvins

@ the house of blues

tuesday, september 15th

the horrors

@ the paradise

saturday & sunday

september 19th & 20th

boston lebowski fest

with movie screening & bowling

@ the house of blues & kings

sunday, september 20th

snow patrol

@ gillette stadium

tuesday, september 22nd

son volt

@ the paradise

friday, september 25th

township

the lights out (cd release!)

reverse

gravehaven

@ tt the bears

friday, september 25th

charlatans uk

hatcham social

@ the paradise

saturday, september 26th

kmfdm

@ the house of blues

sunday, september 20th

maximo park

@ the paradise

monday, september 28th

sunny day real estate

@ the house of blues

wednesday, september 30th

mono

maserati

@ the middle east downstairs

sunday, october 4th

the "loud & rich" tour

richard thompson &

loudon wainwright iii

performing solo & together

@ the sanders theatre, harvard

wednesday, october 7th

bob mould

@ the paradise

saturday, october 10th

the psychedelic furs

happy monday

@ the house of blues

wednesday, october 14th

loney dear

asobi seksu

@ great scott

wednesday, october 21st

mum

@ the somerville theatre

saturday, october 31st

pinback

@ the paradise

friday, november 13th

janeane garofalo

rob riggle

two shows @ the wilbur theatre

visit tourfilter for more shows

Check, check... is this thing on? Anyone out there? If you're reading this, it means I've successfully overcome a severe case of blogger's block. Not that I haven't had anything to share - the opposite is true, actually - just that I've been stuck in a simple catch-22: When I'm in the mood to write, I lack the time, and when I find some time, I lack the mood. Wanting to spend all my non-work moments with A & B means my priorities are properly in order, but it sure keeps the 'Nac quiet.

My trip to ATP NY is partially to blame, as the time away and overwhelming amount of music through my brain (along with a demanding job schedule since my return) turned me into a homebody for a couple weeks there. But I've recovered, so I'll be sharing some words, and more importantly some sounds, from that incredible experience in the days to come. In the meantime, there are many ATPictures. And for now, a quick Sunday afternoon post. Check back tomorrow morning for a new live recording that I'm very, very psyched to be sharing up.

Also coming tomorrow is the first of two painful live music conflicts this week: While the Wedding Present will be downstairs at the Middle East, Stereolab are across the river at the Paradise. As much as I love the 'Lab and their best-in-awhile new album, my loyalty lies with with the Weddoes. Gedge and co. are well aware of the dueling shows, as they acknowledged it with a MySpace bulletin saying that Stereolab's set should be over before they start. But given that the doors to the Middle East open early at 7:30, and there's only one opening band (The Jealous Girlfriends), I have a tough time swallowing that one. Either way, I won't be risking the double-dip, so please refrain from telling me how great the Stereolab show was, k? I can't heeeaaaar yoooouuuu...

(and I can take some comfort in NYCtaper's wonderful recording of the band's NYC stop last Thursday).

There are now two Tim Middlewick-directed videos from the Wedding Present's "El Rey" album, so have a look...

Video: The Wedding Present -
"The Thing I Like Best About Him Is His Girlfriend"

Video: The Wedding Present -
"Don't Take Me Home Until I'm Drunk"

Know what I love? The perfectly judicious use of tambourine in the above "The Thing I Like Best...". I don't think they're able to do that live, though. Maybe they'll let me handle that part tomorrow? I can both shake it and not break it.

And look what's going on just before the show, pretty nearby the club... Elephant Parade! With added zebra action. I'm so there.

Here, have some songs, all from albums that will be arriving in the coming weeks...

Eric Bachmann's Crooked Fingers gives us "Forfeit / Fortune" this week, and the preview track is...

Mp3: Crooked Fingers - "Phony Revolutions"

My own fingers are crossed in hopes that my pre-order of the album and accompanying DVD arrive in the next day or two. And by the way, Mr. Bachmann, the lack of a Boston-area date on your current tour schedule saddens me.

(an update - My deluxe edition of Crooked Fingers' "Forfeit / Fortune" arrived on Monday, a day ahead of the official date. Let's hear it for self-released shipping punctuality! Now that's service.)

+/- {Plus/Minus} releases "X's On Your Eyes" on October 21st thanks to Absolutely Kosher, and I've been fortunate to spend some serious time with it over the past couple weeks. Enough time to know it's my favorite +/- record yet, hands down. The preview cut is...

Mp3: +/- {Plus/Minus} - "Snowblind"

... and it's one of many, many great songs to be found within. I'm especially loving "Unsung", which I'm told I can share up in a couple weeks.

Here's a happy surprise that just arrived in my inbox: News from Planting Seeds Records of tomorrow's (digital) release of the debut EP from International Jetsetters. Why the happiness? Well, check this pedigree:

"International Jetsetters is an Oxford-based five piece. The band was formed in March 2007 by singer and guitarist Mark Crozer (The Jesus And Mary Chain) and bass player Bert Audubert. The line-up also features drummer Loz Colbert (The Jesus And Mary Chain, Ride), lead guitarist Paul Crozer, and vocalist Fi McFall."

Hey, it's Loz! Even without the added JAMC connection, that would rate instant addition to my playlist, and yours, too...

Mp3: International Jetsetters - "Inside Yourself"

International Jetsetters' six-song "Heart Is Black" EP arrives digitally tomorrow at Planting Seeds, and physically through the wonderful Darla Distribution on October 21st.

The Sea & Cake quickly follow up last year's "Everybody" with a new Thrill Jockey disc on October 21st entitled "Car Alarm", and with just a couple days of listening under my belt, I'm into it even more. It's still smooth S&C, but with an added energy that I found lacking from the previous album. Here's a preview, the title track...

Mp3: The Sea & Cake - "Car Alarm"

The Sea & Cake plays downstairs at the Middle East in Central Square, Cambridge on November 21st. Tickets here or at the MidEast box office from 1-7pm daily.

And here's a new song from the ever-transforming Labrador one-man band The Legends, who will release it as a single on November 5th...

Mp3: The Legends - "Seconds Away"

It is, of course, a catchy little number, but rather than the early-Cure electronic sparsity of their last album, we get a song about tryptizol covered in a crunchy coating of Flying-Saucer-Attack style fuzz. The single will also include the song "Over and Over" and its remix, and can be preordered here.

Well whaddya know, there's a video for a song from New Radiant Storm King's excellent new one, "Drinking in the Moonlight". Check out the Hollinsworth-directed clip right here...

Video: New Radiant Storm King - "Clouds Cover Everything"

A higher-rez version is here, and I also discovered a fun-with-microfiche video for "Quicksand Under Carpet" off their previous record, which I didn't even know existed. And here I thought I was a semi-knowledgeable NRSK fan. For shame.

The disbanded Hot Snakes have given us two new bands, and while we got the recorded debut of John Reis' Night Marchers last April ("See You In Magic" on Vagrant), we've only heard a couple live recordings from Rick Froberg's Obits. Until now. Discriminating record label Comedy Minus One has just shared up a song from the band's debut 7" on their MySpace and Facebook pages. Just use the embedded players to stream Obit's "One Cross Apiece", which will accompany "Put It In Writing" on the out-in-December 7". Another 7" will follow in January 2009, along with the band's debut full-lengther on Sub Pop shortly after.

Former Juno frontman Arlie Carstens has shared up some new (well, new to the internet, at least) recordings under his Ghost Wars banner: a song called "The Conductor" and a 4-track cover of Husker Du's "Divide & Conquer" (with Boston's own Drew O'Doherty on guitar). They join four other previously-shared songs.

Vermont band Farm's sophomore long player, titled "The Cave", will be out officially next Saturday, October 11th. While the trio doesn't have a Boston-area show scheduled yet, they'll be in Northampton, MA this Thursday, October 9th, opening for Grace Potter & the Nocturnals at the Pearl Street Ballroom. Stream some Farm sounds at their MySpace page.

Alright, little B is fast approaching the keyboard, so the time has come to post this sucker before he uea,djeioad014. Too late...

posted by brad at 12:47 PM | direct link | rss (1 :2) | |