Mp3s: Martin Carr live in Allston, MA
Posted on February 16, 2007 at 1:58 pm | No Comments
A few months back, Boston was very fortunate to be treated to a visit from Boo Radleys guitarist/songwriter Martin Carr, who was making some extremely rare U.S. appearances. In fact, the short five-show tour marked his first North American dates since the Boo’s breakup way back in ’99. Our good fortune was not exactly by chance: it was due in no small part to Martin’s friend and musical collaborator Corin Ashley, longtime Boston resident, solo performer, and member of the Pills. Corin not only assisted Martin on bass and backing vocals, but helped flesh out his backing band by recruiting fellow Boston musicians Ad Frank on keyboards and local DJ Jim “Ning Nong” on drums.
After a night at the Manhan Cafe out in western Mass., the assembled quartet played among friends at Allston’s Great Scott as part of The Pill. The room was full of appreciative fans (including massive Boo-phile Mr. Clary, who drove down from VT), and provided the band a relaxed place to play before heading slightly south. Their next stops included an in-store at Brooklyn’s Fix Cafe / Soundfix Records (which was put together by Jack Rabid and his essential Big Takeover Magazine), along with a couple of other club dates to finish out the trip.
The shows came just after Martin had decided to officially abandon the Bravecaptain moniker that he’d been recording and performing under during the 7 years since his former band packed it in. When I read that he was retiring the name, I was worried he’d stop making music altogether… and instead we get treated right away to his first live appearances under his own name. Hopefully a sign of more recorded material and return visits to come.
So here’s Martin Carr and his Boston-flavored backing band performing at Great Scott back in November. The eleven-song set is made up not only of Bravecaptain songs, but two ace Boo Radleys numbers: “Lazarus” from 1993’s “Giant Steps”, and “The Old Newstand at Hamilton Square” from their final album, 1998’s “Kingsize”. Scroll below the set for lots of links, including where to download many more Martin mp3s…
Live at The Pill @ Great Scott
in Allston, Mass.
on Friday, November 10th, 2006
01. Whatever Happened to the Fingertipsaint?
02. My Mind Pictures
03. Oh You
04. The Old Newstand at Hamilton Square
05. Hermit Versus the World
06. Dive
07. This Weight That You Have Found
08. Good Life
09. Big Black Pig Pile
10. Dead of Winter
11. Lazarus
Some Carr-centric links…
The Bravecaptain site, MySpace page, Martin’s Wikipedia entry, the Boo Radleys’ site, and the Boo’s Wikipedia entry. “Distractions“, Martin’s sixth and final full-length release under the Bravecaptain name, is available as a free download right here. All previously released Bravecaptain studio material is listed here, where you can find links to several more free mp3s. The full discs can be purchased through the Bravecaptain shop. The 10th anniversary of the Boo Radley’s phenomenal album “Giant Steps” was marked with this commemorative minisite, which includes commentary on every track from Boo-members Martin, singer Sice, and bassist Tim. Martin’s commentary is particularly candid: one track is “shite!”, another is “fucking ace!”, and that’s just the tip of it. There are also several demo and live versions of the tracks to be streamed within the descriptions, and here’s one of ’em… Corin Ashley’s own website can be found here, although it’s been down for a little while, so you’re much better off visiting his MySpace page. Check out some of his solo songs over there, including, and I kid you not, a ukulele cover of Tears For Fears’ “Head Over Heels” that totally works. You can pick up Corin’s 2006 solo album “Songs From the Brill Bedroom” (which includes a guest appearance from Martin) over at CD Baby or via iTunes. As I mentioned, Martin and the band headed down to Brooklyn after their Boston show, and you can check out a review of their Big Takeover party appearance over at Sound Bites, and some words from BT-publisher Jack Rabid right here.
the ever-present fine print… If anyone has an issue with this live set being made available, just say the word (contact info in the ‘nac faq). Recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 192kbps mp3s. Tracks are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed.
Boston Bits, Tix, + Music Flicks
Posted on February 12, 2007 at 10:47 am | No Comments
Here’s a quick one this morning before I share up the weekly live set…
We shouldn’t have much longer to wait for the arrival of perennial Boston band (and Jon Stewart fave) Buffalo Tom’s seventh album. According to an update from singer/guitarist Bill Janovitz: “Looks like our record will be out around May“. Here’s hoping. Looks like Bill, Chris, and Tom will be heading down to SxSW next month, so catch ’em for me if you’re down there.
For those in the downtown Boston area this week, Bill will be playing a free solo set at noon on Wednesday the 14th at the First Act Guitar Store on Boylston (and I’m sure he won’t be able to resist covering a love song of some sort). The following week, on Friday the 23rd, you can catch another free lunchtime set from Dear Leader / Sheila Divine frontman Aaron Perrino.
Another Valentine’s Day show to make note of is an appearance by The Community Sisters, which brings together three of Boston’s best: Seana Carmody (Swirlies/Syrup USA/Shenzou 5), Mona Elliott (Victory at Sea/Spore), and Deb Warfield (Broken River Prophet/Shenzou 5). The acoustic trio plays on Wednesday night at PA’s Lounge in Somerville with Carlisle Sound, Kahoots, and Jeff Chasse, and if the Community Sisters’ MySpace page gives any indication, fans of our furry outdoor friends will be most pleased.
Former Bostonian and ex-Helium frontwoman Mary Timony has announced the title and release date for the next album with her band (which includes Medications singer/guitarist Devin Ocampo on drums and bass player Chad Molter). It’ll be called “The Shapes We Make”, and will be out on May 8th, 2007 on Kill Rock Stars. I’m sure we’ll get a preview during a March tour they have planned, which includes a stop at SxSW.
Here’s a link to the track that the band contributed to the recent KRS “Winter Holiday Album“, which was recorded at J. Robbins’ Magpie Cage studios in Baltimore during the same sessions for “The Shapes We Make”…
In case you hadn’t yet heard, former Belly frontwoman and Throwing Muse Tanya Donelly has generously offered up 10 downloadable demos that she recorded before the album that eventually became Belly’s “Star”. According to Tanya’s notes, some of the tracks include contributions from Kim Deal, as they almost ended up as Breeders songs before the parting of musical ways that resulted in Belly and a Tanya-less Breeders. Along with those 10 tracks, you’ll find almost 20 other demos from her solo career, and while all the songs are freely shared, there’s a Paypal tip jar you can use to return Tanya’s generosity with a little of your own.
The Shins just added a bunch more stops to their now-in-progress North American tour, and Boston is one of ’em. The band will hit the Orpheum on Thursday, March 15th with Viva Voce (so, yes, look for Anita Robinson to add her gorgeous harmonies to some Shins songs on stage). Tickets will go on sale this Saturday, February 17th, at 10am, and will sell out shortly thereafter.
I’m actually slightly surprised that Bloc Party hasn’t yet sold out their own show at the Orpheum on March 28th, but I’m guessing it’s gotta be close. I was on the fence about seeing them this time around, but after spending tons of time with “Weekend In The City” (and the dozen-or-so b-sides), I checked ticket availability over the weekend and scored a couple seats in the front row of a balcony box. Tight budget be damned, I’m there.
You have until this Wednesday night to catch one of the only Boston-area showings of the re-released mid-90s indie-rock-ish flick Half-Cocked (that’s a lotta hyphens). The film, which was co-directed by Suki Hawley and former Sleepyhead bass player Michael Galinsky, is screening daily at 6:30 and 8:30pm at The Video Underground in Jamaica Plain (pdf flyer here). If you’re at all a fan of the American indie-rock scene circa 15 years ago, the black and white film will either spark all sorts of fond memories, or act as a minor history lesson if you weren’t paying attention back then. But a rocking history lesson, to be sure. The Grifters‘ performance of “She Blows Blasts of Static” is worth the price of admission alone.
If you’re looking to see it on your own smaller screen, the film has just been released on a 10th-anniverary DVD, which includes Galinksy & Hawley’s follow-up film, “Radiation“, and a slew of bonus material. I’ll write more on the DVD release later on, but you can check out some of the bonus material over at the Half-Cocked site.
Another music-specific film I’m really looking forward to is coming to Boston in April, just a month after it premieres at Austin’s SXSW. “The Silver Jew“, which follows David Berman as he plays the Middle East (yes, the actual Middle East, not our local club) with his band, The Silver Jews (via Aquarium Drunkard). The 50-minute documentary (.mov trailer here) will be part of the 2007 Independent Film Festival of Boston, which will be marking its fifth year on April 25th through the 30th. This is the first bit of lineup news I’ve heard about the festival, and I’m already excited… can’t wait to see what else the IFFBoston crew has planned for this year.
Lastly, thanks to Will at Northeast Performer magazine for asking me to contribute some music-blog-related ramblings to an article in their February issue titled “Blogs and Internet Radio: The Online Explosion of Personal Preference“. I was pretty pleased to discover my thoughts alongside those of WOXY’s Bryan Jay Miller (I do love me some WOXY), and also to read the phrase “as Searles wisely points out”. I’m not sure the word “wisely” and I have ever been linked.