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Tuesday, October 27, 2009  Ladies and gentlemen, Pinback is, um, back. No, not yet with a new album (their latest remains 2007's "Autumn of the Seraphs"), but with a month-long tour that brings them to Boston's Paradise this Halloween night. Without a fresh record to spotlight, I'd assume a discography-spanning setlist (and so far, show reports say so), though those same reports also reveal a distinct lack of new songs. That either means they don't yet exist, or that the band is holding 'em back until the next album arrives (said to be in 2010 by Temporary Residence, who picked them up after Touch & Go stopped releasing new music), but knowing Zach & Rob's prolificacy, I'd guess it's the latter. And yes, prolificacy is a word, despite my spellcheck telling me otherwise. Silly spellcheck.For an opener, a real treat (and, possibly, some tricks) - killer locals Ho-Ag. Now there's a team-up for ya. Hopefully Ho-Ag will make up for Pinback's lack of new songs by sharing some of their own. Wanna go? Wanna bring a friend? You know the drill - Email giveaways[at]bradleysalmanac[dot]com, include your full name, and throw "Pinback please" in the subject line. Make sure it arrives in my inbox before 9am this Friday the 30th, and I'll drop the random winner the good news that morning. Oh, and about Rob & Zach Pinback's songwriting prolificacy? You know, all those other projects and solo efforts? Well, there's another jewel on that spiky crown: Mr. Armistead Burwell Smith IV (that's Zach) has at last released his long-in-the-making solo debut under the name Systems Officer, and it's a freakin' keeper. Hell, I think his "Underslept" (also out on Temporary Residence) might just end up on my faves-of-the-year list. Pinback fans, I know it's hard to keep track of their hit-or-miss offshoots, but seriously, don't let this one get lost in the stack. Make an effort, seek it out when it hits stores on Nov. 3rd (you can already download the album at iTunes), or grab one at these live shows where Zach said he'll have copies available. There are also a couple of iTunes-only non-album tracks available right here if you're game, as part of the "Shape Shifter" digital single. Here's that song, the fourth cut on "Underslept"... You can also get a higher quality Mp3 of that one over at RCRDLBL. Alright, now get with the contest entering. To play it safe, you might want to grab your own ticket to Pinback's Halloween gig right here, or at the Paradise Box Office between Noon and 6pm any day until the show. Labels: giveaways  Thursday, October 22, 2009  After a couple of area shows at Great Scott so far this year, Wheat hits the much-larger downstairs room of the Middle East this Saturday night. Given that both those shows were pretty well packed, the step-up in size is a very good thing, especially given the extra bodies that this weekend's supporting bands will bring: Out-of-towners Jukebox The Ghost along with locals the Motion Sick and the Needy Visions.Thanks to the kind gents of Wheat, I've got a pair of guest list spots to dole out to one 'Nac visitor, providing that visitor drops me an email and is then randomly chosen. Entries go to giveaways [at] bradleysalmanac [dot] com, should be titled "Wheat, Please!", and must arrive before 5pm tomorrow, Friday the 23rd. Yes, the show is the next night, so I'll let the winner know right away that they've got new Saturday night plans with four excellent bands. If you're unfamiliar with Wheat (and really, you shouldn't be), then stop over to the invaluable This Wheat website, where you can freely grab a wealth of studio and live mp3s alike. Here's a live one for you, which I recorded at one of those Great Scott shows earlier this year - a Daft Punk cover... Labels: giveaways Friday, October 16, 2009
Well, this is a strange one to write. To say I'm a little close to the subject at hand would be a slight understatement. For friends and followers who already know that the 'Amie' in the title of this post is my wonderful wife of 8 years, for strangers who can sympathize, and for Boston-area readers and music fans looking for a special show tomorrow, this one's for you. Most of all, this post is for Amie. About a month ago, after a self-examination prompted an appointment, Amie was diagnosed with breast cancer. The 'C' word. The one that no one ever wants to hear and only those who've had it could ever fully understand. The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster of shock, resignation, fitful sleep, doctor's visits, more bad news, insurance questions, and major mood swings. Getting downsized by my corporate overlords in fairly brutal fashion just after her diagnosis didn't exactly help (too much extra time to think, though I'm of course glad for the extra family time), but compared to what Amie's dealing with, that's nothing, really. For those who know Amie, if asked to describe her, the words "not shy" are near the top of the list. So there was no question of sharing the news with all the people in and around our lives. Once it got out there, well... our hearts have been absolutely overwhelmed by the notes, emails, calls, and sincere well wishes. From friends both new and old, even relative strangers who reached out and offered their own stories and words of support. It's still happening, and it's blowing us away. Two of those notes got me thinking - Jay from Clicky Clicky and Jen from Band In Boston both emailed me separately, offering to help organize a benefit. At the same time, Billy O'Connell, who is both married to and manages the amazing Kristin Hersh, offered to help in any way they could. While the idea of gathering funds makes me a bit uncomfortable (yes, we could use it, but we're better off than many, and have a strong support system), the prospect of a pre-surgery party for Amie was too perfect. Something to lift her spirits before the big day. And so, tomorrow at Noon, after emails and invites and the generous acceptance of our friends and favorites, it's actually happening...  So join us downstairs at the Middle East at high noon tomorrow, Saturday, October 17th (during what also happens to be National Breast Cancer Awareness Month), for special sets from our friends The Broken River Prophet, Colin Clary (of the Smittens, driving down from Vermont), Drew O'Doherty (coming up from the Cape), Travels (Mona & Anar!), Bill Janovitz from Buffalo Tom, and Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses & 50 Foot Wave. This is kind of a dream for us, and everyone's invited to share in it. Tickets are $10 and should be available at the door, and we're splitting the proceeds with breastcancer.org, an online resource that Amie has found invaluable. It was very important for us to make this family friendly, so it's not only all ages - kids 12 and under get in free, and the drum-free stage setups should be safe for little ones' ears. The kind crew at Somerville's Kickass Cupcakes are also donating tasty treats, so arrive early to make sure you score one of those. There's a Facebook event page, and you can buy tickets online, although I hate directing you to Ticketmaster, where the fees are disproportionate to the ticket price and won't go to the cause. If you're able, stop by the Middle East's box office today before 7pm to avoid that. Some people have asked about a way to donate if they can't make it to the benefit, but after thinking it over, this really isn't about the money - what we'd really like is for everyone to either get their boobs checked or convince someone in their life to do the same. To everyone playing, to Jay and Jen for the inspiration, to Kevin and the Middle East for hosting, to Kickass Cupcakes, and to everyone who's emailed and RSVP'd and offered to help, we could never possibly thank you enough. See you tomorrow... Wednesday, October 14, 2009  When I eventually sit down to figure out my favorite live shows of '09, there's one spot filled for sure: Loney Dear's springtime set at Allston's Great Scott. It wasn't my first time seeing Sweden's Emil Svanangen and his wonderful backing band, but it was easily the most intimate, and most moving, so far. There's something very special about Emil, a welcoming, warm demeanor that brings you into his world, that allows easy access to his hopes and heartbreak, that lets you ride the rise and fall of his gorgeous songs and their breezy melodies. There are pop songs with heart, speedy tunes that propel perfectly forward, and delicate numbers that build like spiderwebs and disappear in the wind of their final chords. There was one particular moment that May evening, just after the first few notes of "I Love You", that Emil stepped to the front of the small stage, almost into the crowd, leaving the microphone behind him. His voice unamplified, accompanied only by his guitar, singing directly to those of us up close... it felt like we were being let in on a secret. The band joined in subtly - a light cymbal wash, some soft keyboard, light floor tom - and the secret spread as he stepped back to the microphone and the music swelled behind him. Just magical. And lucky us, we get a chance to experience these moments of magic again this very night, when Loney Dear returns to that same venue on the tail-end of a two-week cross-country tour with Asobi Seksu and fellow Swede Anna Ternheim. If you don't already have a ticket, take a listen to the shared songs below, and head over here to remedy that. I'll see you at Great Scott tonight, and if Emil asks you to hang around for a 'minor party' after the show, take him up on it.  Loney, Dear Live at Great Scott in Allston, MA on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 01. I Was Only Going Out 02. Everything Turns To You 03. Harsh Words 04. Under A Silent Sea 05. Airport Surroundings 06. Carrying A Stone 07. I Love You (In With The Arms) 08. Saturday Waits 09. Hard Days 10. Violent 11. any questions? 12. The Meter Marks OK 13. Sinister In A State Of Hope 14. banter 15. Dear John  Some Loney links...
 the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these tracks being made available, just let me know (my contact info is in the 'nac faq linked above). Live sets are captured with a Sony minidisc recorder, converted to .wav, then edited to 192kbps Mp3s. Files are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed. Labels: livemp3s Sunday, October 04, 2009  Happy Mission of Burma Day, everyone! And I'm not just sayin' that - it's freakin' official. In case you hadn't heard, the Boston City Council (thanks to a resolution drafted by Councillor John Tobin, a man with apparent good taste) has declared today, being Sunday, October 4th, 2009, "Mission Of Burma Day". How about that? The text of the resolution:WHEREAS: The City of Boston is the birthplace of some of the world's best musical acts over the last few decades; including the legendary and influential post-punk group group Mission of Burma; andHow to celebrate? Well, at the very least, spend some time listening to a little MoB, but if you're in the Boston area, there's no better way to mark the day than a free, all-ages, outdoor show with the men of Burma themselves.  This afternoon, on MIT's Cambridge campus, the trio will take the stage (with fourth member Bob Weston hopefully at the board doing sound and tape loops) after opening performances by Eula (who earned the right to play though a 'Battle For Burma' contest) and Big Bear. The music should kick off around 2:30pm, the location is right here (take the T or your bike - parking won't be easy around there), and the doppler radar looks pretty clear. Newbury Comics will also be helping you celebrate by selling copies of the new album, "The Sound The Speed The Light", two days before it's official release date this Tuesday, so bring some extra cash as well. Or save your cash and try your luck: In honor of the day, I'm giving away not one, but two copies of the new album on vinyl, each with a copy of the band's brand new, non-album "Innermost"/"Here It Comes" 7". Yup, two winners, two slabs of wax each. For a chance at them, you know the drill: Send an email to giveaways [at] bradleysalmanac [dot] com, title it "MoB!", and make sure it hits my inbox by 9am on Thursday the 8th (also make sure you're in the continental U.S.). As usual, I'll just pick a random name from all entrants, get in touch with them Thursday to get a mailing address, and have the label send them along. Have yourself a good Mission of Burma Day, everyone. And Bostonians, I'll see you this afternoon...  Labels: giveaways Friday, October 02, 2009  Even though Arms and Sleepers' gorgeously mesmerizing sophomore album, "Matador", won't officially be available until mid-November here in North America, anyone fortunate enough to catch them on a string of dates this month will be able to grab one straight from the source. The first opportunity to do so comes this Wednesday, when the duo (namely Boston's Max Lewis and Portland, ME's Mirza Ramic) plays upstairs at the Middle East with a seriously solid lineup that includes Junius, Metavari, and Thunderhole.Can't say for sure if they'll be joined on stage by any of the super-talented area guest stars they recruited to help out with the record (including Philip Jamieson of Caspian and Mona Elliott from Travels), but given the occasion, I wouldn't rule anything out (actually, looking at Caspian's crazy touring schedule, we can rule Phil out). Those album guest stars also include the golden-throated Catherine Worsham of Uzi & Ari, who duets on this song, the album's official preview track, which also features guitar work from Travels' Mona... Thanks to Extinguish Boston, I've got a pair of guest list spots for this Wednesday, October 7th show to hand out to a fortunate Almanac reader. If you're down, send a quick email to giveaways [at] bradleysalmanac [dot] com by Noon sharp on Tuesday the 6th, entitle it "A&S", and let me know which town you live in (and have no fear, your email addy is never shared). I'll pick a random name outta the emailers and get ahold of them that afternoon to say they're on the guest list for the next night's show with a +1. If you're not the lucky chosen one, or if you just wanna make sure you don't get shut out of the show, make sure you pick up tickets of your own at the Middle East box office or online right here. Arms and Sleepers' "Matador" can be pre-ordered from Fake Chapter Records on disc or limited edition vinyl right here.  Labels: giveaways |
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