Friday Music Miscellany
Posted on April 11, 2008 at 9:50 am | No Comments
This will be brief. There are things you must know…
Tickets for all the films showing during the upcoming Independent Film Festival of Boston are now on sale. Go get ’em, procrastinators will suffer. I’ll have a post next week focusing on all the music-related aspects of this year’s fest.
Mission of Burma keeps their rocking career retrospective going with not one, but two shows at the Paradise here in Boston this summer. On Thursday, June 12th, they’ll run through the entirety of their 1980 “Signals, Calls and Marches” release, and On Friday the 13th, we’ll be lucky enough to get a complete live performance of their 1983 “Vs” record (as you know, both were just reissued and expanded). A pre-sale for two-day passes ended this morning, but individual tickets for the general admission gigs can be had here starting at 10am on Thursday, April 17th.
If you’re a New Yorker, you’ll get your own version of the MoB album run-throughs on June 14th and 15th at the Bowery Ballroom. Tickets here, on sale at noon today.
Mission of Burma drummer Peter Prescott further embraces his musical past by taking part in another Boston band reunion: The Volcano Suns are coming up for air again. I totally missed this when it was announced in December, but Harp details what will be the band’s second reunion tour (a few shows took place in 2005), which will coincide with the Taang Records reissue of a double-cd collecting two albums: “The Bright Orange Years” and “All Night Lotus Party”. While the 2005 reunion had Prescott playing with David Kleiler and Bob Weston (who is remastering the reissue), this year’s tour has the original lineup of Prescott, Jeff Weigand and Jon Willams hitting the road.
According to the article, the reissue was originally planned for this month, but there’s been no news for while, so hopefully that means it’s only delayed a bit.
That Hallelujah the Hills free EP I wrote about last week is now available for your downloading and listening pleasure. The 7-track “Prepare To Qualify” EP will help us pass the time between HtH’s excellent debut disc and their sophomore record, which should be out next year. The tracks, along with lyrics, and downloadable artwork, can be grabbed here. The band plays a release show tomorrow night at Great Scott with Ho-Ag, Pretty & Nice (update: P&N had to bow out due to injury, but Big Digits are stepping up to the plate in their place), Thunderhole, and DJ Mark Pearson. Tickets here. It’ll be a busy day for ’em, as they’re also playing a G.S. Rock-n-Romp kid-friendly show that afternoon. Details here. If B was a little older, we’d be there.
Archers of Loaf / Crooked Fingers frontman Eric Bachmann recorded a session for Spinner’s Interface recently, running through a few acoustic numbers, including one of the greatest songs of all time, the Archer’s “Web In Front”. Here’s his solo version…
For the rest of the performance, with audio and video of Eric doing “Devil’s Train“, “Little Bird“, and “Run, Lt., Run“, hit up Spinner. Eric mentions in the interview portion that another Crooked Fingers album is in the works. Very nice. Also cool to see a Richard Thompson name check, although the misspelling is a bummer. AOL needs to hire another proofreader.
Some shows on Tokyo Police Club‘s upcoming tour are already selling out, and once their debut full-length “Elephant Shell” arrives on April 22nd, more will likely follow. It’s a great record, with short, sharp shocks of ultra-catchy songs that reveal a few new tricks we didn’t hear on their inaugural EP. They put on an excellent show at Great Scott when they first hit town in 2006, nice to see ’em graduate to the Paradise stage relatively quickly. Tickets for the Boston show are still available, but not for long I’d wager, especially with Smoosh and Meligrove Band sharing the bill.
Check out the video for TPC’s “Tessellate“, and download the Mp3s for two other songs (“Juno” and “In A Cave“) right here.
Psyched about all those Rhino Replacements reissues I mentioned recently? They’re coming out in just a couple weeks, and to wet your whistle, Enough Cowbell directs us to some classic live ‘Mats video hosted over at their old label, Twin/Tone. We’re talkin’ 1981-style here, people. Two full sets of Quicktime vids, with seriously early material and covers. Pure gold.
NPR will stream the entirety of Nada Surf‘s performance tomorrow night (Saturday 4/12) at Washington, D.C.’s 9:30 Club, starting around, well, 9:30pm EST. Calexico‘s Martin Wenk will join the band on keys and trumpet, and the set should be archived for listening later on.
A reminder: Tickets for Radiohead‘s August 13th show at the Mansfield, MA Tweeter Center go on sale tomorrow morning at 10am via Live Nation. Brooklyn’s Grizzly Bear opens up.
Boston-area old-school videogame geeks take note: Tomorrow I’ll be roadtripping to New Hampshire’s Weir’s Beach for a visit to gamer’s paradise Funspot. If you’ve seen the excellent King of Kong documentary, you know what I’m talking about. I’ve got a bag full of leftover tokens from my last trip in 2003, and it’s the perfect prescription for a rainy spring Saturday. So who’s with me?
Weekending Music Miscellany
Posted on April 4, 2008 at 2:33 pm | No Comments
Yes, another link-burst, filled with the various and the sundry…
For a city that’s cruelly passed over by the occasional cool tour (by bands that feel NYC is close enough to count), you really can’t beat Boston’s good fortune lately. Not only are we getting that visit in June from the reunited Swervedriver, but we’re going to be graced by the presence of the almighty Polvo just a couple weeks later. On June 20th, the reunited North Carolinians will hit the Middle East Downstairs, and tickets are already on sale.
Wye Oak is coming back to town, but this time you’ll be able to spend time with their excellent debut disc before they return. Next week, Merge will release “If Children”, and a month later, on May 4th, the Baltimore duo plays Allston’s Great Scott with openers Drew O’Doherty and Hands and Knees. Tickets can be bought here, and I’ll also be giving away a pair as the show gets closer.
I’ve spent a lot of time with “If Children”, and I’ve no doubt it’ll end up high on my faves of the year list (that’s saying a lot with all the great stuff that’s come out so far, and what’s still ahead). If my praise, or the live songs I offered up a few weeks ago, aren’t enough to convince you, have a listen to the two Mp3s that Merge has made available for preview…
Mp3: Wye Oak – “I Don’t Feel Young“
Mp3: Wye Oak – “Warning“
Another show at Great Scott, and one that will likely pack the place to the rafters: Former Sunny Day Real Estate and Fire Theft frontman Jeremy Enigk teams up for a show with Damien Jurado on Saturday night, May 31st. Tickets here. Unless there’s something new coming up soon, Jeremy will be hawking his third solo album, “World Waits”, which came out last August on his own Lewis Hollow label, and Damien will probably play lots of songs from his next full-length, which he said was ‘nearing completion’ in January.
Sleepyhead continues to reawaken, releasing new recordings in the wake of their return to live stages last fall after a three-year absence. The (now based out of) West Roxbury trio have just let loose two songs exclusively through esteemed record store Other Music‘s new digital shop, and you can buy them here right after you stream each track (“Red Letter Daze” and “The Family Tree“) on MySpace. Which you’ll do, as they’re both great songs. “Red Letter Daze” will become the title cut from their eventual fifth full-length, which should be out later this year. So nice to have them back, and right here in town where more live shows are likely. But hang in there, non-Bostonians, as summertime should see the band traveling a bit.
Great Scott keeps the good stuff coming with yet another should-be-good show: Atlanta’s Snowden returns to the same stage they blew me away on back in 2006, when they play GS on Sunday, May 18th with Colour Revolt and The Epochs in support. It’s been a couple years since they released their “Anti-Anti” album, so I’m glad to read on guitarist David Payne’s blog that they’ll be trying out “a lot of new material” on the 18-date tour. Grab tickets for that one here, and again, I’ll have a pair to give away as well.
Fifty percent of Fugazi will be visiting the Boston area this spring, albeit separately, what with Joe Lally playing a show in May, and Ian Mackaye coming to town next week for a free and open-to-the-public discussion at Brandeis.
Ian’s appearance, which has doors opening at 7:00 in Schwartz Hall, is part of the school’s “Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts”, and is presented by the Punk, Rock n’ Roll Club. Because, really, what other club did you think would be presenting it?
Lally’s May 23rd show is upstairs at the Middle East, and opening is Geoff Farina’s Glorytellers, so we’re talking sell-out (Lally, lally, lally, get your tickets here. And if you get that reference, you’re old, too). Joe’s latest long-player is last November’s “Nothing Is Underrated”, which I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t yet heard. Must remedy that soon.
Really nice write-up on Brian Sullivan and his Dylan In The Movies over at the Phoenix. His song “Massachusetts Avenue” popped up in my random playlist the other day and reminded me of how much I’m looking forward to his proper full-length debut (it’s been way too long since the 2005 “Feel The Pull” EP). Glad to read in that article that he hopes to have the album, which will have guest vocals from the Watson Twins, out in May. Add my hopes to the pile. Stream “Massachusetts Avenue“, another new one, as well as songs from that debut EP, at MySpace.
There’s a fairly unique show happening this Tuesday in Somerville at PA’s Lounge, when Washington DC’s These United States comes to town. The band, which consists of three main members, is nearing the end of 33 shows in 33 cities – with 33 different lineups. In every ‘burg they hit, they’re recruiting area musicians to sit in with them, so every single night promises to be something special. According to the band, this was to be no improv-style someone-grab-a-tamborine mess, but a rehearsed affair with pre-show practices and set tweaks. For the PA’s show, we may see members of openers Pretty & Nice take part, but beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess… which is the whole point. Anyone seen them elsewhere yet? How was your city’s version?
For those in the remaining locations (which after Somerville includes Bard College, NYC, Brooklyn, Baltimore, and finally home to DC), here’s a T.U.S. track to prepare yourself…
The band’s debut album, “A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden”, can and should be purchased straight from What Are Records, or from the band at one of those remaining shows. Confluence: As I’m typing this, T.U.S. just started playing live at this very moment on our beloved WOXY. Look for that archived soon.
So John Vanderslice played the Paradise last night with Stephen Malkmus & his Jicks, and no, I wasn’t there. Such are the sacrifices this novice dad must make. But I’ll have another chance to see JV this Monday when he plays the far-more-intimate Oxfam Cafe at Tufts in Medford. Bonus: The Soft Drugs are opening. Now, the Oxfam isn’t exactly my preferred place to see shows (usually cramped, no stage, no view… like I said, ‘intimate’), but I may have to brave this one. Students only, unfortunately. Looks like my decision is made for me.
Well, at least I can listen to NYCtaper’s excellent recording of last Sunday’s Vanderslice show at the Mercury Lounge. Another fine offering from my ally to the south.
South‘s fourth full-length, “You Are Here”, is out on April 15th via bluhammock music/Young American Recordings, and they’re playing Great Scott a couple weeks later to show it off. Mark May 1st down in your datebook, when they’ll team up with The Silver State and Johnny Lloyd Rollins for another fine Fenway Recordings-presented evening. Tickets will be available here.
For an idea of what’s to come on South’s “You Are Here”, have a listen…
Stream: South – “Wasted“
Got some good news in my inbox yesterday: My pre-order for the latest Teenbeat Records release ships out today, so I’ll have it in my hot hands very soon. It’s the debut full-length from Maybe It’s Reno, which is the name Bridget Cross has chosen to release her new solo recordings under. The one-time Velocity Girl frontwoman and former Unrest/Air Miami bassist/singer isn’t exactly stripped down on this one, though, as she’s got a couple familiar faces along for the ride: Her old Unrest teammates, Teenbeat head Mark Robinson and drummer Phil Krauth, join her on seven of the album’s ten tracks. Can’t wait to hear what the results sound like. While the album isn’t officially ‘out’ until April 22nd, order yours here and I’d wager it’ll show up straightaway.
This Tuesday, Boston’s own Hallelujah The Hills will share up the seven song “Prepare To Qualify” EP on their website, for the affordable price of absolutely free (and with printable artwork, no less). The digital collection pulls together five non-album tracks the band has trickled out at random online outlets over the past year (places like the Village Voice, Largehearted Boy, & Stereogum), along with a couple previously unreleased cuts: “When Night Falls“, and a live version of “(You Better Hope You) Die Before Me“. If you’re one of those remaining freaks (like yours truly) who is compelled to hold something in your greedy mitts, some physical copies of the EP will be available to buy through Misra Records and at HtH shows.
One of those shows is next Saturday, April 12th, at Great Scott (jeez, Great Scott must be butter), which stands as the official EP release event, and features their friends in Ho-Ag. But noooo, Ho-Ag won’t be doing something as simple as opening up… they’ll also be combining with HtH, Transformer-like, to make a 12-part mega-machine of rock dubbed Hallelujah The Ho-Ag. Pretty & Nice and Thunderhole will be opening up as well, with the between-band soundtrack being provided by DJ Mark Pearson of the almighty Neptune. Tickets here.
I’m as surprised as anyone that in 2008 I was excited enough about a new R.E.M. album to buy the disc on the day it was released. And so I did. And as I said after I heard the preview stream, “Accelerate” is rocking me old school. To mark their return to catchy choruses and distortion pedals, here are a few recent live Mp3s from the ancient Athenians (I kid, I kid)…
Mp3: R.E.M. – “Munich” (Editors cover on BBC1)
Mp3: R.E.M. – “Second Guessing” (live at Schuba’s SxSW / NPR)
Also rocking me still is that Alan-Sparhawk-fronted Retribution Gospel Choir album, and you can now download a companion live set of the March 8th Duluth, MN release show over at the Live Music Archive. And remember, after some dates overseas in April, RGC will play stateside in June, including a stop in Cambridge at the Middle East on Thursday, June 19th. Tickets here or cheaper at the MidEast box office.
Kristin Hersh did a Daytrotter session back in March that aired a few days back, performing four songs including the old Throwing Muses track “Juno“.
Have a sketchy YouTube video of the Cure performing a newer song called “A Boy I Never Knew“. Hopefully that won’t be the only new one they share when they play the Agganis Arena here in Boston next month.
Long as I’m getting all nostalgic, here, have a look at the details for the upcoming Rhino early-era Replacements reissues. I am, uncontrollably, fully on board for those wallet-drainers.
Alright, I have to wrap this up, as it’s time to hit the road: It’s a banner week for personal favorites here in Boston — last night was Hellboy creator Mike Mignola being interviewed by collaborator Christopher Golden at the ICA Boston, tomorrow I get to see Travels play their first area live show ever at PA’s with the Broken River Prophet, and right now I’m heading out on a rainy walk to Harvard to catch that panel focusing on The Wire that includes creator David Simon. Truly a time to celebrate those whose mere existence makes my life better.