Hooked on the Happy Pills
Posted on November 29, 2005 at 5:14 pm | No Comments
Greetings overly-faithful readers. Long time no post, I know. Spent the last week giving thanks, practicing for an imminent rock show, and sadly/joyfully getting sucked into a freakin’ MMORPG (that’s “Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game” for you lucky laypeople. Translation: virtual D&D with other dorks). Yes, in a moment of weakness, and more than six years after successfully kicking a nasty EverCrack addiction, I downloaded the trial version of World of Warcraft, and it is slowly sinking its claws into me. Please, send me your thoughts, prayers, and wellwishes before I buy the full version.
Oh, and if you’re on the Dark Iron server, send me your character name. Geek out!
Alright, on to things you might actually care about. Or should care about. Either way. I’m gonna make these brief so I can get working on this week’s already-late live mp3 post…
Huzzah! Word is that the Wedding Present are hitting the road again in mid-February 2006 for a month-long tour of North America. Just six dates confirmed so far, but many more to follow, I’m sure (and Boston had better damn well be one of ’em).
For an idea of what they’ve been playing lately, here’s some (ultra-subjective) highlights from a recent setlist in Aberdeen, according to a Wedding Present discussion group member who was there: Corduroy, Sucker, Don’t Talk Just Kiss, Go Out and Get ‘Em Boy!, Suck, Loveslave, Falling, Crushed, Click Click, Brassneck, & Heather.
Oh my. Click Click live? Yes, please. And the Julee Cruise/Twin Peaks cover? I’ll take that, too. 2006 is lookin’ good already.
Connect the collaboration dots from that news with this next bit: Pop goddess Amelia Fletcher and Tender Trap are back with a new 4-song EP on Matinee Recordings. A baby-shaped bundle will keep them off the road for awhile, but they do say “spring 2006 at the earliest”, so at least the intent is there. Here’s hoping for North American shores.
Excellent interview with American Analog Set’s Andrew Kenny over at Junkmedia. (via Chromewaves)
Speaking of Chromewaves, take a second and go vote for ’em as ‘Best Culture Blog’ in the 2005 Canadian Blog Awards. And not just because I told you to, but because it’s true.
It’s still pretty impossible to fathom that Silkworm’s Michael Dahlquist isn’t out there somewhere, pounding the drums on songs that we’d be lucky to eventually hear, making music with his pals and planning another tour… it hasn’t at all sunk in that there will never be another Silkworm album or show. But that inevitable realization is made slightly easier hearing that his bandmates haven’t shut down creatively… far from it, Tim Midgett and Andy Cohen have started a new band called Bottomless Pit with ex-Seam drummer Chris Manfrin and .22 bassist Brian Orchard. They already played one four-song set a couple weeks back, and have another show coming up on December 21st at Hideout in Chicago. (thanks to False 45th for the heads up)
Oh, and for the curious… yeah, even though Orchard plays bass, Midgett is still playing some kind of six-string bass setup. They won’t be hurting for low end, and I can’t wait to hear it. Someone better be recording that action.
Head over to Ted Leo’s site, where he’s shared up his thoughtful response to a fan’s complaint about a rare 21+ appearance in Seattle. An abundance of food for thought in that letter, there is.
A couple of promising video webcasts are on deck this coming Saturday over at FabChannel: Bloc Party and Stars, live from Amsterdam.
Australia’s Candle Records celebrates their 10th anniversary with an over-four-hour DVD collection of live performances and interviews with their roster, which includes personal faves The Lucksmiths, Darren Hanlon, & The Guild League. Full tracklisting right over here. (via Unfinished)
Merge Records is auctioning off a bunch of cool stuff on eBay as part of a holiday charity auction. Right now there’s just three autographed posters (Spoon, Tenement Halls, & Destroyer), but keep tabs on their eBay page for much more.
Thanks to Excellent Online for reminding me that NPR sure has been sharing up some solid live sets lately. Iron & Wine, Death Cab, Sigur Ros, Bloc Party, & Calexico, just to name a few. Hope they keep it that going.
Torr directs us to the stream of a recent live session by Mark Kozelek on BBC6 (at the 20:40 mark on the Friday, Nov. 25th show). It was part of the whole 4AD Records ‘1980 Forward’ anniversary celebration, so check there for other appearances during Gideon Coe’s show that week, including Kristin Hersh (at the mark on Tuesday, Nov. 22), Rachel Goswell of Mojave 3 (the 20:40 mark on Thursday, Nov 24), & the Mountain Goats. The Rachel Goswell guest spot is missing an illing Neil Halstead, but instead includes an airing of two songs from Mojave 3’s next album, ‘Puzzles Like You‘ and ‘Breaking The Ice‘. Hurry up and check them out, because they’re only up for seven days. Actually, that Kristin Hersh one is gone already, and the Mountain Goats’ Wednesday spot will be gone shortly.
Oh hell, why make you work for it? Here, I’m gonna share these up for a little while…
Mark Kozelek – Bubble (live on BBC6)
Mojave 3 – Puzzles Like You (unmastered preview)
Mojave 3 – Breaking The Ice (unmastered preview)
After just a few listens to those two new Mojave 3 tracks, as well as the preview of ‘Big Star Baby‘ they recently shared, I already think their next album is going to far outshine all their previous ones (which haven’t exactly hit me in the sweet spot). Grab those mp3s quick before the authori-tays come a-knockin’.
On the subject of Kristin Hersh, Throwing Muses fans will find her latest blog entry fairly fascinating, as she candidly discusses her relationship with her old songs, and her old self. Which, as it turns out, is not too emotionally distant from her present self. It’s a refreshingly honest read.
Had the distinct visual pleasure of checking out The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow over at my frequent Cambridge hangout, River Gods. TSYECF is a monthly night of rarely-seen and very cool independent music videos put together by Brainwashed’s Jon Whitney, and it sure made for perfect atmosphere as I checked out River Gods’ rumored wireless internet access. While that night’s blocks of Kranky, Thrill Jockey, and Wax Trax videos went down perfectly with my pints, it ends up the internet access remains a rumor. Oh, it worked alright… but turns out I was just piggybacking on some poor neighbor’s unprotected wireless router. I felt a little dirty… but not so dirty that I wouldn’t maybe try it again.
The next installment of The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow is at 9pm on Thursday, December 22nd at River Gods, 125 River Street, Cambridge, MA.
Speaking of Boston-area visual treats: Local art organization Lumen Eclipse had the inaugural opening reception for their first two shows last night at Upstairs on the Square in Harvard Square. Check out the Lumen Eclipse site for details on where to check out their latest A/V experiments.
I’m still making my way through George R.R. Martin’s new fantasy novel ‘A Feast For Crows‘, and I hope to find the time to finish before he arrives in Boston in late January. He’ll be appearing as the guest of honor at the three day Vericon VI (also in Harvard Square), and here’s what their scheduling director has to say about when Martin will be around:
“Our guest speakers schedule has not been finalized yet. George R.R. Martin will most likely be speaking on Saturday; he may or may not also make an appearance on Friday or Sunday.”
So here’s how I took that response: “Buy a three day pass, ya cheapskate.” Ok, ok.
I’m getting pretty excited for my solo trip to NYC in a couple weekends, where I’ll be seeing Dennis Lehane’s first written-for-the-stage project, Coronado, on Saturday Dec. 10th (new article about the production here), and then one of the three Explosions in the Sky shows at Mercury Lounge on Monday the 12th. On Sunday night? I’m free. Come now, who will drink with me?
Before that, though, I’ve got a show to play: This weekend, after a long break, I’ll be behind the drums again with Charlene. We’re gladly welcoming Canada’s A Northern Chorus back to the Lizard Lounge on Saturday night, December 3rd, and we’ll be joined by The Burdocks. Come out if you can (Saturday Night = No Excuses), and don’t worry about earplugs, we’ll bring ’em for ya.
Speaking of earplugs, the day after that I’ll be at Dinosaur Jr.’s Middle East show (I’ve got a couple extra tickets if you missed out, just ask). And the day after that? I foresee another rough work day.
Ok, I’m so completely outta here. Sorry about the inevitable but so-far undetected typos and spelling f’ups… I rushed this one.
Mp3s on deck: Some live Headphones, and a couple live Pilot to Gunner songs. For the kids.
Mp3s: live American Analog Set
Posted on November 21, 2005 at 7:00 am | No Comments
For me, an American Analog Set show is like taking some kind of serious drug… it’s a yearly fix that I just physically kinda crave. Every time I’ve seen ’em, at some point during the set, I can recall the exact moment where I first lose myself… when I get caught up in a repetitive instrumental moment, and I realize that my eyes have been closed for some unknown amount of time. I end up feeling like I’m the only person in the room, letting the layered build wash over me. It’s tough to describe, but coming out of it feels a bit like you just woke up with your high school head on your desk, surrounded by the rest of your class staring, as you wonder for a second where the hell you are.
During last Wednesday’s show at TTs in Cambridge, that moment came earlier than ever, during their very first song. Even though ‘Fuck This… I’m Leaving‘ is the final track on what may be their last record, they used it to ease us into their set, and it was perfect. What followed was one of the best AmAnSet shows I’ve seen, with a setlist that wasn’t the standard new-album-heavy, but instead pulled from throughout their 10-year discography. The earliest was ‘Don’t Wake Me‘, which closes their 1997 second album, and other appreciated surprises included both ‘Weather Report‘ and ‘New Drifters II‘ from their third disc. A lot of people see these first three albums as the band’s ‘first phase’, and since it was during that period that I fell in love with the band, I hold those songs dearest. That said, I think their latest album, ‘Set Free’, is easily the best of the so-called second phase, and wouldn’t have minded a bunch more from it… well, maybe not at the expense of the older stuff. Knowing it was likely the last time I’d see these five guys together on stage, I’d have stayed far into the morning for more.
As it was, I felt more than lucky that we got an encore, something I’d never seen or heard of them doing before, but that they’re kindly acquiescing to this final time around. To have their last Boston show end on a song I bashfully requested… well, I’ll just say that it meant a hell of a lot. I wrote about that earlier here.
And here’s the whole magical set…
1. Fuck This… I’m Leaving
2. Kindness of Strangers
3. Immaculate Heart I / II
4. New Drifters II
5. Weather Report
6. Choir Vandals
7. Hard to Find
8. Born on the Cusp
9. The Hatist
10. Don’t Wake Me
11. Cool Kids Keep
12. We’re Computerizing And
We Just Don’t Need You Anymore
13. She’s Half (encore)
And as I share this up, I’ll humbly ask a small favor: They’re selling a tour-only vinyl EP, which I fully planned on getting at the show… and had I known they were only rationing 10 per night, I’d have gone straight to the merch table. But recording the set and taking photos while holding a 12 inch platter wasn’t gonna work… so I waited. And lost out. So if anyone bought two, or ends up going to one of the remaining shows on the tour, could you maybe hook me up? Naturally I’ll pay for it and any shipping costs, and I’ll throw in a cd burn of this set for good measure. Plus, there’s the undying gratitude. Priceless. For a guy that owns nearly everything they’ve released, missing out on that is fairly painful.
For some excellent photos from the show, and even a video clip of ‘Cool Kids Keep‘, head over to Sid’s Too Much Rock site. And if you beg him, he might even put up one of the two other videos he recorded. Also, don’t forget to check the recordings section of the AmAnSet site every week, as they’ve been sharing all the demos from the new album. Oh, and for some very cool AAS posters, head over here. I just ordered one of the ‘hearts’ print for my wall, and there are lots of other very spiffy designs for other fine bands available, too.
Towards the end of the set above, you’ll hear Andrew Kenny thank the Boston crowd for their support, not just for that night, but for treating them so well over the years. And to that I say: No, sir… thank you.