I've been a fan of Tom Waits for over 30 years (Christ I'm old, it's great when you remind yourself how old you are... but it's much, much better than having someone else remind you). This mix is all Mr Waits music, some done by the legend himself and a few choice covers.
Canadian chanteuse Feist will soon once again make the road her home beginning July 17th in England and then hopscotching between Europe, North America, and Japan.
Here are some mp3s from a CBC radio session recorded on the sidewalk outside the Toronto club, El Mocambo in June 2004. mushaboom intuition one evening
Tour Dates 07-17 Portsmouth, England - Wedgewood Rooms 07-19 Manchester, England - Academy 3 07-22 Birmingham, England - Birmingham Glee Club 07-24 London, England - Scala 07-28 Mt. Fuji, Japan - Fuji Rock Festival 08-29 Brooklyn, NY - McCarren Park Pool * 09-08 Montreal, Quebec - Osheaga Music Festival 09-20 Baden Baden, Germany - Radio Festival 09-21 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg 09-23 Nottingham, England - Social 09-24 London, England - Shepherds Bush Empire 09-25 Dublin, Ireland - Tripod 09-26 Glasgow, Scotland - Oran Mor 09-28 Bristol, England - Trinity Arts Centre 09-30 Berlin, Germany - Admiralspalast 10-01 Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega 10-02 Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus 10-04 Hamburg, Germany - CCH Saal 2 10-05 Cologne, Germany - E-Werk 10-06 Munich, Germany - Georg-Elser Halle 10-08 Paris, France - La Cigalle 10-09 Paris, France - La Cigalle 10-11 Countance, France - Cultural Centre 10-12 Yzeure, France - Cultural Centre 10-13 Bordeaux, France - Salle de Vigean 10-15 Nancy, France - Jazz Pulsation Festival 10-16 Geneva, Switzerland - Grand Casino 10-17 Mulhouse, France - Cultural Centre 10-19 Brussels, Belgium - Cirque Royale
The Veils have just completed the first leg of their US/Canada tour 2007, but during that wild ride they stopped in at KEXP radio in Seattle to talk and play some music. This is the whole enchilada, some talking and some well recorded live Veils to start your week.
Here are their upcoming tour dates again, but with a few California additions: Jul 11 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada Jul 12 - Austin, TX - Stubbs Jr Jul 13 - Houston, TX - The Mink Jul 20 - Oklahoma City, OK - LIT Jul 27 - Tulsa, OK - D-Fest w/ Flaming Lips/Shiny Toy Guns/The Format and more Aug 1 - Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge Aug 3 - Oklahoma City, OK - LIT Aug 13 - Phoenix, Arizona - The Paper Heart Aug 15 - San Diego CA - Beauty Bar Aug 16 - Los Angeles Ca - Hotel Cafe Aug 17 - Los Angeles CA - Hotel Cafe Sep 10 - New York, New York - Bowery Ballroom
The National: White Sessions MP3s: "Apartment Story" + "Racing Like A Pro" + "Ada"
Here's the third installment of my re-posting of The National's White Sessions. The mp3s are being posted in the order the band performed the songs live in France's Inter Radio studios on May 28th. You can find the first two posts here and here. And don't forget there's more to come in the coming week or so.
Julian Carax (if that is his real name) is a French musician who happens to have the same name as a fictional writer in a best-selling book of fiction titled, The Shadow of the Wind. His new EP, Turnpike, boasts the song,"Under The Sun", and this is the Julian Carax song which makes me feel good. It's a strong melody, rising and falling, definite in it's pattern while the vocal is soft and nearly timid, although this is Carax's style, I believe. Another song of his, "Turnpike", is also very good... skittering drums, a repeating piano figure building tension, and strings swelling around the music. His vocals have an unmistakable European flavour, reminding me of many Swedish singers who record in English. And not surprisingly, perhaps, is the fact that he recorded this EP in a true studio setting in Sweden (all previous recordings were done at home). Maybe it's merely the sound of an accent being stretched and pulled, elongated to meet the demands of the melody. Whatever it is, it's appeal is evidenced by the many, many European artists finding success in North America today (in fact, his myspace page says he's moving to Canada in the near future, so he may join the swelling ranks of artists finding success). Julian Carax should be no exception, these two songs are strong pieces of indie pop that you should listen to and buy (the buy link is just below).
While UK-based band, The Veils, have spent most of the past month discovering that a) the US and Canada is one helluva big place, b) some rattlesnakes are pretty nice guys (or Finn has a horseshoe up his arse! Btw, you guys should play the Horseshoe next time you come to Toronto... no, seriously), and c) just how addictive those damn caffeinated energy drinks can be, and even though Friday night was the final date on their tour, they've added MORE! IT WAS JUST THE FIRST LEG! THERE'S ANOTHER LEG!! This should make getting about much easier on the band (having two legs and all). And after a week and a half at a quiet house somewhere in Oklahoma they'll start touring again... yes, it's true, the dates don't lie. And there are more dates to come, so as soon as I hear anything, I'll let you know.
But now I've some bad news to pass on... Liam Gerrard (that's Liam in the pic above, shirtless with his finger up Henning's rear... don't ask) has left the Veils. It was on good terms and things will move on for the band, with recording and these upcoming tour dates filling their schedule.
THE DATES Jul 11 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada Jul 12 - Austin, TX - Stubbs Jr Jul 13 - Houston, TX - The Mink Jul 20 - Oklahoma City, OK - LIT Jul 27 - Tulsa, OK - D-Fest w/ Flaming Lips/Shiny Toy Guns/The Format and more Aug 1 - Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge Aug 3 - Oklahoma City, OK - LIT Aug 13 - Phoenix, Arizona - The Paper Heart Sep 10 - New York, New York - Bowery Ballroom
Here's a special bonus for all, this is a new song that the band has been playing during the tour. When they played it around two and a half weeks ago in Toronto, Finn didn't give a title, all he said was it was a new song, but in this live recording from their Seattle show at Crocodile Cafe he call it "Fearless Fly". And I loved it. Loved it live and love it still.
fearless fly (live at Seattle's Crocodile Cafe June 25th) thanks Scott
The National: White Sessions: "Slow Show + "Squalor Victoria"
This is number two in a series of posts bringing the much sought after White Sessions mp3s of The National. I'd previously posted the entire thing, but killed the links after about two weeks. That's when the emails started... asking for the mp3s to be re-posted. After some long and deliberate ruminations I've decided to give you the whole damn thing again in bits and pieces. Here's the first post from the other day and these are today's mp3s:
Distortion is in. Just ask John Vanderslice. His upcoming record, Emerald City, (July 24th Barsuk) uses distortion from beginning to end, and does so beautifully. Just listen to the first track made available from the album. "White Dove" crackles in startling contrast to JV's astringent vocals, the drums and acoustic guitar buzzing like a golden bee hive. The man has simply surpassed himself with Emerald City, which has several tracks, "White Dove" included, that rise above the wonderful songs on Pixel Revolt. And I think it's due to his being much more focused and in touch with his muse. Confusion and despair doesn't always produce the best art, sometimes love and happiness do a pretty good job, too.
PRE-ORDER Emerald City Keep an eye out for Sixeyes upcoming interview with the man himself.
Sixeyes had their very own intrepid reporter at this year's Bonnaroo (June 14-17), but since we have little in the way of cash, said intrepid reporter, Christos Mountzouros, only just made his way back home after the long walk from Manchester, TN to NYC. Here's Christos account of the festivities after, of course, he wrote them out longhand in pencil and dropped the three ring binder paper in the post (okay, perhaps I exaggerate)... here's his account:
My First Bonnaroo was a pretty amazing experience. The entire festival was set up so well with tons to do, tons to eat (I had NO idea they made veggie corn dogs – A+), and a TON of amazing music. I think the only draw back of Bonnaroo is you simply can't see every act. You have to learn to deal, but damn, it sucks sometimes. Still, I felt really lucky to be experiencing some of my favorite actus up close and personal. Overall, everyone rocked my world.
Also, something that must be mentioned about this year's Bonnaroo is their initiative to take care of the environment. This year, they went all out spreading awareness about green products and also used a full line of organic cotton t-shirts, biodegradable concession service items, revolutionary waste management strategies, and cleaner fuel options. "In partnership with Tennessee-based company WastAway, Bonnaroo will participate in a revolutionary recycling process that will turn 250 tons of festival garbage into construction material and park benches to be used at future events." If that weren't enough the festival program will be printed on 100% recycled paper. Now, I think THAT is RAD.
On to the music!
THE NATIONAL The first show that really grabbed me, shook me, made me realize why I traveled to TN in the first place, was the National show. They opened with "Start a War" and I was immediately blown away. The other acts I caught in the day failed to really interact with the audience, but the National delivered a brilliant performance transforming the songs from "Boxer" into stadium sized pop operas equipped with stage theatrics reminiscent, but not as over the top, as their recent tour mates The Arcade Fire. You couldn't help but be happy for this band. They were polished, energetic, and overall brilliant in their execution. "Apartment Story" was the next song that blew the audience away while most of the crowd sang and screamed in utter delight. There were maracas, call and response between vocals and instruments, song after song I literally was BLOWN away. It wasn't just the songs from the "The Boxer" that were so brilliant but most of the set was new material, which I was fine with. The lead singers voice truly soared during "fake empire" where his lower bass vocals were truly able to be heard and felt. He's a great singer, who has mastered the use of dynamics enabling him to switch from a subdued deep sound to a rocking, throat tearing one with the flick of switch.
The highlight was "Slow Show" which sounded COMPLETELY different than it does on "Boxer." As he sang, "You know I dreamed about you for twenty-nine years before I saw you," over and over, the instrumentation grew and swelled and I tell you, I nearly lost it. I can't stress enough how these songs came alive and took on new forms on stage. Being in the photo pit for The National will make anyone a believer.
COLD WAR KIDS First of all, these kids should have been on a main stage because the crowd was HUGE! Besides being huge they were dying to get their cold war fix! They opened with "We used to vacation" and it sounded perfect. The lead singer's voice is pretty perfect live; I had no idea. Their ability to recreate the raw energy of "Robbers and Cowards" in a live setting was a welcomed surprise. They really shined during "Tell me in the Morning" as well as the crowd favorite and sing-along, "Saint John." "Hospital Beds" was a quicker, more up-beat version that really worked for the festival. The haunting "God Make Up Your Mind" also stuck with me hard. I think the CWK performance at Bonnaroo was a huge success and I would not be surprised if this was not their last performance at the fest. I also think that the CWK backlash can immediately cease; these kids are good.
I was also lucky enough to attend a press performance of the Cold War Kids, Elvis Perkins (who is pretty amazing and charming), and Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! Alec's harmonies were sick and everyone meshed so well, especially on "Expensive Tastes”. My only beef was the set wasn't long enough! They were all so great together, a really good combination, props to Ken (Weinstein) at Big Hassle for putting that all together… spectacular. LILLY ALLEN Drunk ass Lilly Allen. God Bless her. This girl had me CRACKING up… the shit that came out of her mouth was priceless.
Most memorable quotes "This song is about very small penises. You may have seen them… they're pretty annoying. I used to have one as a boyfriend. I hope he never gets laid again."
She opened with "LDN" and "Nan, You're a Window Shopper" both sweet and fun pop numbers perfect for the middle of the day. She did three covers "Heart of Glass" which sounded WAY better than it did on the Today Show, one of my favorites "Oh My God" by the Kaiser Chiefs, and "Gangstas" by The Specials, which was a hell of a good time.
As drunk as she was, (she mentioned she finished an entire bottle of Jagermeister herself), she was having a genuinely good time! It was refreshing to see a joyous Lily! She made it through almost the entire set without messing up her words! She was pretty proud and mentioned it to the crowd… then of course… she forgot them on her last number! But it didn't matter! "Friday Night" was hilarious good fun and the whole crowd got off of their blanket and onto their feet. The audience loved her and closing with "Alphie" was genius. In a year where I thought I couldn't bear to hear anymore about her, from her canceling shows, forgetting words, being obsessed with her weight, etc. she proves that she is just as adorable as she is naughty, a wonderful addition to the Bonnaroo stage.
REGINA SPEKTOR What a lady! This was one of my favorite sets. It was cool out, the sun was up, and everyone was being really attentive. She played everything people wanted to hear (except "edit"). The set list included "Samson," "Bobbing for Apples," "On the Radio," "That Time," "Hotel Song," "Poor Little Rich Boy," and a slew of other gorgeous numbers. "Fidelity" was her toke sing-along and a stupendous time at that. Her voice was flawless. She was as charming as she was focused, and she set the mood right as she entered the stage exclaiming, "You're all so beautiful! FUCK!" She had moments where she was truly subdued and others where she rocked out making beats by tapping her finger on the microphone. She even warned us to drink lots of water and wear sunscreen, explaining it was the "Russian Jew" in her. She got real with us saying, "I'm from Moscow and the Bronx. I can do whatever I want." YES YOU CAN! YES YOU CAN! She commanded the stage like a woman with much more experience, all the while appearing completely unaware of her immense talent and stage presence. I was both surprised and impressed that she could hold a crowd that large on a huge open stage. However, I really need to see her somewhere small and intimate, her voice will gives me the chills. (website)
FEIST OK. FEIST IS UNREAL. Besides the fact that I got the set list, which had everything you needed to hear from "Gatekeeper" to "1,2,3,4", she covered all the material I wanted to hear from "Let it Die" and "The Reminder", as well. She is a rock star. She wore this white baseball cap and had a sexy arrogance about her that you couldn't help but love. "My Moon, My Man" was gorgeous, as was "Let it die." She had the crowd harmonize together picking what pitch they should be on based on how far they traveled. While it sounded horrific it was a beautiful moment. There was this strange mystique about Feist that I wasn't necessarily expecting to see. I think myself and my photographer screamed for most of her set, I just couldn't control myself. The entire set had a beautiful duality, a dichotomy that was as refreshing as it was deeply moving. One moment I was dancing with my arms all over the place, the next I was glued to the ground watching her every move. I'm really excited to see more of Feist… what a lady.
THE WHITE STRIPES I'm sure everyone will be talking about this set. I have never seen the White Stripes before. I stood on the stage, next to Elvis Perkins, looking out on an audience obsessed! It was unreal! I couldn't even jot down what songs they played because I was simply in awe. I don't think I've ever been star struck, and I wouldn't even call this being star struck, but I really felt like I was in another world. This new record is going to be insane if it sounds anything like the way it does live. And the older stripes songs just seem to get better and better and better.
THE POLICE Now, I don't want to be a hater, but I left the Police set early because I was extremely under whelmed. Perhaps it was too hyped? Perhaps I was tired? But they cut their set short, played "jammed" out versions of their classics, and were overall sort of boring… I don't even think Sting knew where Tennessee was to be honest or that he was there. I'll probably go to hell for saying this, but I wasn't impressed at all. I left the set early but as I understand it, I think they finished early too? I guess something just wasn't right… oh well… I saw The Police.
ANNUALS The Annuals are young. The Annuals are also super talented, super grateful, and super beautiful people. Their epic song, "Brother" was one of the best performances of the festival. Each band member brings their unique energy and style to the stage and the whole works beautifully. If I had to give this band a superlative for the festival it would have to be "most likely to succeed." I would definitely keep my eye on these dudes.
Other memorable moments:
The Flaming Lips, David Cross, DJ Shadow, El-P, DJ Sasha.
* * * * * *
Special thanks to Christos for doing this and for sending along these pictures which he took, as well.
The National: White Sessions: "Start A War" + "Brainy"
Brooklyn based five piece The National have been slogging away at this music thing for a handful of years now and it is paying off like a Vegas slot machine. But in the beginning it wasn't quite as successful a career path, at least on this side of the Atlantic, but they built up a sizable following in Europe and made some good friends like France's Bernard Lenoir at Inter Radio. He's the guy you hear during breaks in the popular Black Sessions and White Sessions that many indie bands have been a part of. And you know, you've got to like a guy who gets The National to drop by to reel off their entire upcoming album (Boxer) weeks before it's released. If you're already well acquainted with Boxer you'll find many interesting things to hear in these in-studio recordings. And you'll hear them two at a time, as I'm going to post the entirety of these White Sessions in bits and pieces starting with these in response to numerous requests via email and blog comments:
I don't think either of these songs loses anything in these live versions. What they gain is an immediacy that is lost in the sterile environment of a recording studio, although most of that spark of immediacy can be traced directly to the outstanding way the musicians compliment each other and their idiosyncrasies... and that's what makes live music so thrilling. BUYBoxerand/or Alligator (2005) Download The National's albums or individual songs through eMusic's free trial offer of 25 DRM-Free downloads.
The band also did an interview, here's an excerpt:
Daytrotter: What are the plans for the next record? When we last talked, they sounded up in the air. Jonathan Eaton: Oh funny you ask. Just this week, we finalized some plans to hop over to the west coast and spend a few weeks with Dave Trumfio at his studio in LA. Most of the record is written and we are all super anxious to put it to tape. It should be recorded by the end of August and on record shelves sometime in 2008. We put together an EP as well, hopefully that will see the light of day in the coming months, but who knows. Also, we need to wait for our manager to get out of a Mexican prison.
Tonight's show scheduled for San Diego has been cancelled by Brooklyn's The National, here are the details from the band:
Hello everyone, Really sorry to say that we had to cancel tonight's show in San Diego because of a family emergency in the band.
The rest of the tour, including tomorrow in LA, will go on as scheduled. We don't have any information about when the San Diego show will be rescheduled, but as soon as we know we'll pass that on.
Refunds will be granted at place of purchase for tonight's show.
The rest of our upcoming tour dates are below.
Hope to see you all soon.
26 JUN: LOS ANGELES, CA / EL REY THEATER w/ The Broken West // SOLD OUT 27 JUN: SAN FRANCISCO, CA / BIMBO'S 365 CLUB w/ The Broken West // SOLD OUT 28 JUN: PORTLAND, OR / BERBATIS PAN w/ The Broken West // 29 JUN: VANCOUVER, CANADA / RICHARDS ON RICHARDS w/ The Broken West // SOLD OUT 30 JUN: SEATTLE, WA / NEUMOS w/ The Broken West // SOLD OUT
07 JUL: DENMARK, ROSKILDE / ROSKILDE FESTIVAL // 08 JUL: IRELAND, KILDARE Punchestown Racecourse, Naas / OXEGEN FESTIVAL // 10 JUL: UK, STOKE-ON-TRENT / SUGARMILL // 11 JUL: UK, NOTTINGHAM / RESCUE ROOMS // 13 JUL: BELGIUM, DOUR / DOUR FESTIVAL // 14 JUL: BELGIUM, HERK / ROCK HERK FESTIVAL // 15 JUL: UK, SUFFOLK Henham Park Estate, Southwold, / LATITUDE FESTIVAL //
05 AUG: PORTUGAL, Nr.Zambujeira do mar / SUDOESTE FESTIVAL // 15 AUG: FRANCE, St. Malo / LA ROUTE DU ROCK FESTIVAL // 17 AUG: USA, New York, NY / SOUTH STREET SEAPORT // w/ Takka Takka + The Forms
01 NOV: IRELAND, Dublin, Olympia Theatre // Tickets >> / Tel 0818 719 330 02 NOV: UK, Glasgow, ABC // Tickets >> / Tel 0870 1690100 03 NOV: UK, Sheffield, Leadmill // Tickets >> / Tel 0870 010 4555 04 NOV: UK, Manchester, Academy 2 // Tickets >> / Tel 0161 832 1111 06 NOV: UK, Birmingham, Irish Centre // Tickets >> / Tel 0871 2200 260 07 NOV: UK, London, Shepherds Bush Empire // Tickets >> / Tel 0870 400 0688 09 NOV: UK, Bristol, Anson Rooms // Tickets >> / Tel 0870 400 0688 10 NOV: UK, Portsmouth, Pyramids // Tickets >> / Tel 023 9282 4355 14 NOV: FRANCE, Paris, Elysee-Montmartre //
The 'sunparlour' is an area of southern Ontario that is renowned for it's farming and tomato production and this is where Andrew Penner, the main force behind the Sunparlour Players is from, Leamington, Ontario, the 'Tomato Capital of Canada'. In fact, Penner grew up on a Mennonite tomato farm outside the small city of Leamington. This is where he befriended Mark Schachowskoy, the other original Sunparlour Player, when they were both five years old. Life pulled them apart as they grew older, as it often does, but they met up again in Toronto in 2005 and began to play music together once more. The years apart had matured their respective tastes and the music now, although it still bore the energy of the hard rock they admired, seemed to be springing from the soulful energy of the soil of their hometown and the migrant workers who worked the land each harvest. A year after forming the Sunparlour Players the duo self-released their debut album, Hymns for The Happy, in the summer of 2006 through their website and iTunes, a record that stomped and wailed, that crackled with resonator guitar, dual kick drums, plucky banjo, and Penner's unrestrained vocals. Throw in tent revival shouts, New Orleans horns, and heart felt lyrics and this is truly a record, and band, that deserves a second chance at life and at re-release. And that very record will finally get a proper label release this fall when award winning Toronto indie Baudelaire Records issues a remastered version that will feature a beefed up sound according to Penner:
"I'm recording some stuff. One entire track is being replaced with a stronger version, cause I feel like we didn't get it the first time round. And lots of other little things are being added. All subtle changes that I think are really neat and important. Nicer vocals, better banjo sounds, heavier drums, bigger bass. Basically, beefing up the sound of the album. Then I'm re-mixing the album at the House of Miracles (London, Ontario) again, and re-mastering the whole thing."
Penner is an interesting character. He writes music for theatre, works as a part-time shoe shiner, and is now working on some songs for the upcoming film "This Beautiful City". And 'he' was what turned my head a little over a week ago after I walked in on Penner and his new band mates, Dennis Van Dine and Michael 'Rosie' Rosenthal (original Sunparlour Player, Mark Schachowskoy, left the band about six months ago) at the El Mocambo where I had gone to see The Veils. What luck! What luck that The Veils touring partners, The Comas, had van trouble and didn't make it. What luck that I arrived early enough to hear this trio. I have to admit, at first I didn't pay much attention, but it's hard to ignore the sheer force and energy of Penner's music and the man himself. Penner puts all his soul into the songs when he's performing, and this is what tells me these guys should catch, you can hear that energy and soul on the recorded output as well. But at the time I said to the lucky person along with me to witness the performance, "I bet these are the kind of guys that grab you by the throat (and heart) live, but fall flat on record." Wrong. The recorded songs come very close to capturing the energy and fury of a Sunparlour Players live show. Here's a sample from the original self-release of Hymns For The Happy, a record that, as previously stated, will see it's label release on Toronto indie Baudelaire Records this fall:
Carl Newman of the New Pornographers has a song by song commentary of the upcoming New Pornos record, Challengers (to be released August 21st 2007), on the Matador Records website. A short, but interesting read, it kindly offers up, from time to time, what he feels inspired these new songs, or what old favourites these songs resemble. Required reading for all of you out there sharpening your pencils to write a review of the upcoming and highly anticipated Challengers record. But I've had my interest piqued in another way and I went in search of some of these songs, or artists, he mentions... here's some of what I found in today's Sunday Mix at Sixeyes.
The Veils @ Grand Emporium, Kansas City MO | Photos
Wow! Another set of photos from a Veils concert... this one from Kansas City MO. A special thanks to photographer Scott Spychalski for sharing these shots. These were taken in the 'ladies' at the venue, it turns out that Scott took hundreds of shots, but because of the abysmal lighting only one turned out. Yeah, he couldn've used a flash, but with all the photos he took the band would now be blind. So, the ever gracious Finn Andrews offered to play a short acoustic set in the blue-tiled bathroom, which is what you see here.
Yeah, this is the only shot that turned out from the live performance on stage. I, for one, hope that Scott gets another crack at these guys on stage.
It's been awhile since I've checked in on eMusic. It's good to know that the new Spoon and New Pornographers will be on site when they are released. Both very good albums and highly anticipated by a lot of people out there. Here's what caught my eye this morning, but remember there's a helluva lot that I missed, so you should check out their Free trial offer of 25 mp3 downloads and then peruse the site and it's massive selection of indie music.
Blitzen Trapper Wild Mountain Nation Minus Story My Ion Truss Matthew Dear Asa Breed The National Boxer Meat Puppets Rise To Your Knees Grand National A Drink And A Quick Decision Camera Obscura Tears for affairs Chet Baker Round Midnight
Merge Records will re-release M Ward's debut album, Duet for guitars #2, on July 10th. In and out of print since first seeing life on Co-dependent Records in 1999 this time Merge will see that it stays in print.
Duet for guitars #2 Track List: 1. Duet For Guitars #2 2. Beautiful Car 3. Fishing Boat Song 4. Scene From #12 5. Good News 6. Crooked Spine, The 7. Look Me Over 8. Who May Be Lazy 9. It Won't Happen Twice 10. He Asked Me To Be A Snake And Live Underground 11. Song From Debby's Stairs 12. It Was A Beautiful Car 13. Were You There? 14. Not A Gang 15. Duet For Guitars #1
Kevin Drew will release his solo debut on Arts & Crafts September 18th. Titled Spirit If... it shows, at least from this early offering, that Drew has more than enough talent to stand alone from BSS. "Tbtf" has piano, heavy bass, Drew's soft vocal, and what sounds like bottles skittering across a bare floor. You gotta love those bottles.
Spirit If... Track List: farewell to the pressure kids tbtf f_cked up kid safety bricks lucky ones broke me up gang bang suicide frightening lives underneath the skin big love backed out on the... aging faces/losing places bodhi sappy weekend when it begins
Spoon: 'Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga' Stream, New Video, and MP3s
Spoon's new album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, will be released July 10th on Merge Records. It will be worth the few measly dollars you dust off to purchase, so don't sweat it... the buy link is below.
Back in 2004 Loretta Lynn released the acclaimed 'comeback' album Van Lear Rose which was produced by The White Stripes Jack White. The first song I heard from that disc was the amazing track "Portland, Oregon". I don't love Loretta Lynn's voice, but I don't mind it and this song just pushed the right buttons for me. With Jack White's playing and singing bolstering an already strong piece of music and faint memories of my slapping Johnny Cash vinyl on the stereo back when I was finding black heads in my chin and thinking I was gettin' whiskers, this song didn't have to try too hard to win me over.
Iron & Wine's new album, The Shepherd's Dog, will be released on Sub Pop September 25th. The first single, "Boy With a Coin" will be unveiled July 10, with two other songs, "Carried Home" and "Kingdom of the Animals". Here's what you've got to look forward to... and believe me even though this is the single, it's not the best track on the album.
While you're waiting for this one to drop, here's what Mr Sam Beam has done already... BUY. The Shepherd's Dog Track List: 01 Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car 02 White Tooth Man 03 Lovesong of the Buzzard 04 Carousel 05 House by the Sea 06 Innocent Bones 07 Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog) 08 Resurrection Fern 09 Boy With a Coin 10 The Devil Never Sleeps 11 Peace Beneath the City 12 Flightless Bird, American Mouth
Here's a little something extra, James Mercer from The Shins and Iron & Wine's Sam Beam: From the Subpop single -The Shins - Fighting In A Sack 2004 new slang (a Shins song performed live by Mercer and Beam)
Full Album Streams: Art Brut, Polyphonic Spree and More
Aol's Spinner is where you can now listen to full album streams of Art Brut's It's A Bit Complicated, Polyphonic Spree's The Fragile Army, and new releases from Chromeo, Grand National, Benji Cossa, Maps, Memphis, Rocky Votolato, The Mooney Suzuki, and Digitalism.
Every week they've got ten new albums streaming on their site... Go here to listen.
Since there aren't any lyrics included with the album, or any Boxer lyrics posted on the band's website (yet) these uncredited transcriptions will have to do. If you have any corrections or opinions on these lyrics, please leave a comment.
If you haven't got the album yet, go here... or your nearest record store of choice and buy the disc. Boxer was released on May 22nd and has garnered acclaim from many in-the-know.
The National: Boxer: Lyrics FAKE EMPIRE Stay out super late tonight picking apples, making pies put a little something in our lemonade and take it with us we’re half-awake in a fake empire we’re half-awake in a fake empire
Tiptoe through our shiny city with our diamond slippers on Do our gay ballet on ice bluebirds on our shoulders we’re half-awake in a fake empire we’re half-awake in a fake empire
Turn the light out say goodnight no thinking for a little while lets not try to figure out everything it wants It’s hard to keep track of you falling through the sky we’re half-awake in a fake empire we’re half-awake in a fake empire
MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS You have to do it running but you do everything that they ask you to cause you don’t mind seeing yourself in a picture as long as you look faraway, as long as you look removed showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters
You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends when you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery citibank lights arm in arm in arm and eyes and eyes glazing under oh you wouldn’t want an angel watching over surprise, surprise they wouldn’t wannna watch another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults
Make up something to believe in your heart of hearts so you have something to wear on your sleeve of sleeves so you swear you just saw a feathery woman carry a blindfolded man through the trees showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters
You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends when you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery citibank lights arm in arm in arm and eyes and eyes glazing under oh you wouldn’t want an angel watching over surprise, surprise they wouldn’t wannna watch another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults
You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends when you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery citibank lights arm in arm in arm and eyes and eyes glazing under oh you wouldn’t want an angel watching over surprise, surprise they wouldn’t wannna watch another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults
BRAINY I’ve been draggin around from the end of you coat for two weeks, ah ah. Everywhere you go is swirlin, everything you say has water under it, ah ah. You know I keep your fingerprints in a pink folder in the middle of my table you’re the tall kingdom I surround think I better follow you around
You might need me more than you think you will come home in the car you love, brainy brainy brainy
I’ve been draggin around from the end of you coat for two weeks, ah ah. You keep changing you’re fancy fancy mind every time I decide to let go I was up all night again, boning up and reading the American dictionary you’ll never believe me what I found think I better follow you around
You might need me more than you think you will come home in the car you love, brainy brainy brainy You might need me more than you think you will come home in the car you love, brainy brainy brainy
SQUALOR VICTORIA Underline everything, I’m a professional in my beloved white shirt Underline everything, I’m a professional in my beloved white shirt I'm going down among the saints
Raise our heavenly glasses to the heavens! Squalor Victoria! Squalor Victoria! Raise our heavenly glasses to the heavens! Squalor Victoria! Squalor Victoria!
Out of my league, I have birds in my sleeves and I wanna rush in with the fools Out of my league, I have birds in my sleeves and I wanna rush in with the fools
Raise our heavenly glasses to the heavens! Squalor Victoria! Squalor Victoria! Raise our heavenly glasses to the heavens! Squalor Victoria! Squalor Victoria!
3:30 in the last night for you to save this You’re zoning out, zoning out, zoning out, zoning out 3:30 in the last night for you to save this You’re zoning out, zoning out, zoning out, zoning out
This isn’t working, you, my middlebrow fuck-up
GREEN GLOVES Falling out of touch with all my friends are somewhere getting wasted, hope they’re staying glued together, I have arms for them.
Take another sip of them, it floats around and takes me over like a little drop of ink in a glass of water
Get inside their clothes with my green gloves watch their videos, in their chairs. Get inside their beds with my green gloves Get inside their heads, love their loves.
Cinderella through the room I glide and swan cause I’m the best slow dancer in the universe
Falling out of touch with all my friends are somewhere getting wasted, hope they’re staying glued together, I have arms for them.
Get inside their clothes with my green gloves watch their videos, in their chairs. Get inside their beds with my green gloves Get inside their heads, love their loves.
Now I hardly know them and I’ll take my time I’ll carry them over, and I’ll make them mine.
Get inside their clothes with my green gloves watch their videos, in their chairs. Get inside their beds with my green gloves Get inside their heads, love their loves.
SLOW SHOW Standing at the punch table swallowing punch can’t pay attention to the sound of anyone a little more stupid, a little more scared every minute more unprepared
I made a mistake in my life today everything I love gets lost in drawers I want to start over, I want to be winning way out of sync from the beginning
I wanna hurry home to you put on a slow, dumb show for you and crack you up so you can put a blue ribbon on my brain god I’m very, very frightening I’ll overdo it
Looking for somewhere to stand and stay I leaned on the wall and the wall leaned away Can I get a minute of not being nervous and not thinking of my dick My leg is sparkles, my leg is pins I better get my shit together, better gather my shit in You could drive a car through my head in five minutes from one side of it to the other
I wanna hurry home to you put on a slow, dumb show for you and crack you up so you can put a blue ribbon on my brain god I’m very, very frightening I’ll overdo it
You know I dreamed about you for twenty-nine years before I saw you You know I dreamed about you I missed you for for twenty-nine years
You know I dreamed about you for twenty-nine years before I saw you You know I dreamed about you I missed you for for twenty-nine years
APARTMENT STORY Be still for a second while I try and try to pin your flowers on la la la la Can you carry my drink I have everything else I can tie my tie all by myself I’m getting tied, I’m forgetting why
Oh we’re so disarming darling, everything we did believe is diving diving diving diving off the balcony Tired and wired we ruin too easy sleep in our clothes and wait for winter to leave
Hold ourselves together with our arms around the stereo for hours, la la la la While it sings to itself or whatever it does when it sings to itself of its long lost loves I’m getting tied, I’m forgetting why
Tired and wired we ruin too easy sleep in our clothes and wait for winter to leave but I’ll be with you behind the couch when they come on a different day just like this one
We’ll stay inside til somebody finds us do whatever the TV tells us stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz for days We’ll stay inside til somebody finds us do whatever the TV tells us stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz
so worry not all things are well we’ll be alright we have our looks and perfume
stay inside til somebody finds us do whatever the TV tells us stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz
so worry not all things are well we’ll be alright we have our looks and perfume on
START A WAR We expected something, something better than before. We expected something more Do you really think you can just put it in a safe behind a painting, lock it up and leave Do you really think you can just put it in a safe behind a painting, lock it up and leave Walk away now and you’re gonna start a war
Whatever went away I’ll get it over again. I’ll get money, I’ll get funny again Whatever went away I’ll get it over again. I’ll get money, I’ll get funny again Walk away now and you’re gonna start a war
We expected something, something better than before. We expected something more We were always weird but I never had to hold you by the edges like I do now We were always weird but I never had to hold you by the edges like I do now Walk away now and you’re gonna start a war
Whatever went away I’ll get it over again. I’ll get money, I’ll get funny again Whatever went away I’ll get it over again. I’ll get money, I’ll get funny again Walk away now and you’re gonna start a war Walk away now and you’re gonna start a war
GUEST ROOM They’re gonna send us to prison for jerks for having vague ideas of the way to turn each other on again They’re gonna send us to prison for jerks
They’ll find us here here here in the guest room where we throw money at each other and cry, oh my
We miss being ruffians, going wild and bright in the corners of front yards getting in and out of cars we miss being deviants
They’ll find us here here here in the guest room where we throw money at each other and cry, oh my
We can’t stay here we’re starting to stay the same We can’t stay here we can’t stay this way
Just tie your woman to your wrist give her room to tie the other
They’ll find us here here here in the guest room where we throw money at each other and cry, oh my
RACING LIKE A PRO You’re pink you’re young you’re middle-class they say it doesn’t matter Fifteen blue shirts and womanly hands you’re shooting up the ladder
Your mind is racing like a pro, now Oh my god it doesn’t mean a lot to you One time you were a glowing young ruffian Oh my god it was a million years ago
Sometimes you get up and bake a cake or something sometimes you stay in bed sometimes you go la di da di da di da da til your eyes roll back into your head
Your mind is racing like a pro, now Oh my god it doesn’t mean a lot to you One time you were a glowing young ruffian Oh my god it was a million years ago
You’re dumbstruck baby You’re dumbstruck baby now you know You’re dumbstruck baby You’re dumbstruck baby now you know
Your mind is racing like a pro, now Oh my god it doesn’t mean a lot to you One time you were a glowing young ruffian Oh my god it was a million years ago
You’re dumbstruck baby You’re dumbstruck baby now you know You’re dumbstruck baby You’re dumbstruck baby now you know You’re dumbstruck baby
ADA Ada don’t talk about reasons why you don’t want to talk about reasons why you don’t wanna talk Now that you got everybody you consider sharp all alone. all together, all together in the dark Leave it all up in the air Leave it all up in the air Leave it all up in the air
Ada put the sounds of your house in a song try to be speechless for a minute If you think you gonna faint go out in the hallway Let them all have your neck Ada don’t stay in the lake too long it lives alone and it barely knows you It’ll have a nervous breakdown and fall into a thousand pieces around you
Stand inside an empty tuxedo with grapes in my mouth waiting for Ada Ada hold onto yourself by the sleeves I think everything counts a little more than we think Leave it all up in the air Leave it all up in the air Leave it all up in the air
Ada Ada Ada Ada Ada I can hear the sound of your laugh through the wall
Ada don’t talk about reasons why you don’t want to talk about reasons why you don’t wanna talk Now that you got everybody you consider sharp all alone. all together, all together in the dark Leave it all up in the air Leave it all up in the air Leave it all up in the air
Ada Ada Ada Ada Ada I can hear the sound of your laugh through the wall Ada Ada Ada Ada Ada, I’ve been hoping you know your way around
GOSPEL I got two armfuls of magazines for you I’ll bring em over so hang your holiday rainbow lights in the garden hang your holiday rainbow lights in the garden and I’ll I’ll bring a nice icy drink to you
Let me come over I can waist your time I’m bored Invite me to the war every night of the summer and we’ll play G.I. blood, G.I. blood we’ll stand by the pool we’ll through out our golden arms
Darlin can you tie my string killers are callin on me my angel face is fallin feathers are fallin on my feet Darlin can you tie my string killers are callin on me
Stay near your, stay near your television Set it up outside and hang your holiday rainbow lights in the garden hang your holiday rainbow lights in the garden and I’ll I’ll bring a nice icy drink to you
Let me come over I can waist your time I’m bored Invite me to the war every night of the summer and we’ll play G.I. blood, G.I. blood we’ll stand by the pool we’ll through out our golden arms
Darlin can you tie my string killers are callin on me my angel face is fallin feathers are fallin on my feet my angel face is fallin feathers are fallin on my feet Darlin can you tie my string killers are callin on me Darlin can you tie my string killers are callin on me
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I was lucky enough to make it into Toronto on Thursday night to see Finn Andrews and his band The Veils. The only sour point of the evening was after we arrived (drove by the venue) we then spent twenty minutes looking for a parking spot. The spot we found was a 10 minute walk away and just as we were about to turn the corner at the end of the walk we see a parking lot behind the goddamn venue! As for the show (and this is the important bit), the band was great. Finn looked happy and relaxed when he wasn't looking extremely intense and passionate during the songs. In fact the whole band looked like they were having a good time (this may seem like a little thing, but it does affect the crowd and how they receive the band playing). And even though the crowd could have been bigger they roared heartily at many spots during the set and demanded the band return for an encore. I'll nitpick and say the encore should have been at least two songs, not one (they played a wild version of "More Heat Than Light"). The biggest surprise of the night was the inclusion of a new song that Finn didn't name, but it sounded great and it definitely has me looking forward to their next album. In fact, the band is going to spend some time in Oklahoma after the tour to record at the Flaming Lips compound. What this venture brings out in the writing and recording of the band is something I can't wait to hear.
Devendra Banhart has something to say about the new record he's working on, he posted this on his myspace:
Dear Freinds! its a beautiful day in California , we began Mixing the record today, lets see....... its about 16 songs, some very unexpected guests , the main band is Me, Noah, Luckey, Pete, Greg, and Andy, Rodrigo will be playin some shows here and there with us until duty with Los Hermanos beckons and/or the Saudade kicks in.
no titles yet , but tentative who knows Maybes are: Milk the wind Shes a hot dog Mountaneous Confunktion Greatest Hits Hubba Hubba Planet Electric Pizza Cops Foreskin Sword (what it is & how to use it) Mama, mujhe mall se jeans lenee hai Porkin' the broken Knee (Electroxtensial chop!) Who is Kadamon? The Burnt Frizbee Abhor the coagulator (1964 version) Koala Mans Return to Pineapple temple ihop ihop Bacchanalian Beat Box Thrice the phat Magus Gaga blood & the balls of ....... Rich Gals Shampoo n' Conditioner Blues Talkin Weleda Haushka Bronners Blues Military Massengill Cyber Christ and the Gnostic Titi-Slap part deux you who are familiar with grandmas Hyacinth ......... ................ ............. ......... ............ ........ .......... thats about it right now ! we are just starting to mix today , we will keep ya posted as new ones arise! on and Onward and Love Above All! oh , i almost forgot, we still dont have a band name, at least not one thats made it past a couple shows, if anyone has a suggestion , we would LOVE to try it out!
Go to Devendra's myspace to suggest a band name! From the looks of his song titles I expect he'll consider any suggestion.
I never paid much attention to Bill Callahan before. I had heard of Smog, but it's likely that the name itself pushed me away from listening, or at the least, seeking out the music to hear. But now along comes Bill Callahan, minus the depressing name 'Smog', and playing some uplifting and even catchy music on his first album sans the Smog moniker. And did I mention that I like it? I like it, it's good. Give a listen to these tracks from the Drag City release, Woke on a Whaleheart. It's his first recording without the established name Smog hanging on him and from what I have now heard of Smog, it seems to have lightened his soul. The music is lighter and doesn't have the dissonance so prevalent in some of the Smog music. The Smog has finally lifted and the sun is shining? Maybe.
In honour of tonights journey into the heart of darkness (Toronto's Chinatown) to see The Veils play the El Mocambo, here's the complete Black Sessions they did for French radio Inter.
TOUR DATES 14th: El Mocambo, Toronto, Canada 15th: Shelter 16, Detroit, Michigan, USA 17th: Empty Bottle, Chicago, Illinois, USA 18th: 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA 19th: Grand Emporium, Kansas City, Missouri, USA 21st: Larimer Lounge, Denver, Colorado, USA 24th: Plaza Club, Vancouver, Canada 25th: Crocodile Club, Seattle, Washington, USA 26th: Doug Fir, Portland, Oregon, USA 28th: Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, California, USA 29th: Spaceland, Los Angeles, California, USA
A trio based in Bolgna, Italy, A Classic Education (Jonathan Clancy, Paul Pieretto & Luca Mazzieri) are an extremely young and promising band. In fact with only a three song demo under their belt they've already opened for Modest Mouse (June 4th) and that's not too shabby. Band member Jonathon Clancy (a fellow Canadian) tells me that they're working on a 7" and a record and they've also been talking to some UK labels.
Their song "Stay, Son" has a near-epic grandeur which is wonderfully grounded by the vocal's indie scruffiness. Simply put, this is orchestral-pop that pulsates with an indie vibe.
This song, "The Tower", is simply a beautiful melody. It's what JV does best, but how does he consistently conjure such potent melodies? Does the gifted songwriter start with something most of us would find difficult to decipher and then distills it. I don't know. Maybe Mr Vanderslice doesn't know, or wants to know. Some songwriters abhor the very thought of self-examination when it comes to their writing (a prime example would be John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats), perhaps it's just superstition. As these lines and the title of "The Tower" suggest, JV may have more than a passing interest in Tarot and superstition.
Tonight I'm staying in to do my Tarot I got stuck on a card I... I couldn't let it go
A burning tower hit by lightning And people are jumping out it's coming down, it's coming down
The Tower is one of the most feared cards in the Tarot deck. It's said to be a card about war and it's fascinating the way JV connects Tarot, 9/11, and traces of his musical hero in this wonderful song. This track like most of Emerald City uses distortion to add a worn frayed warmth to the song. And JV brings his hero worship of David Bowie to the fore, at least that's what I hear, in the "Oh oh ohh's" in the burning tower stanza.
I'll state this right now, this album is better than his last masterpiece Pixel Revolt. Emerald City is out on Barsuk July 24th. Sorry, but I've been asked to remove the stream of JV's new song, "The Tower". But trust me, it's great.
Chicago native and Houston based Arthur Yoria has a definitive knack for sounding laidback, kind of like Jeff Tweedy if he was a surfer, or if Wilco's latest Sky Blue Sky was a collaboration with Jack Johnson. Yoria even brings to mind the lovely solo record released by Broken Social Scene regular, Jason Collett, titled Idols Of Exile. There are some damn fine songs here that you've got to hear and that's why I'm telling you about Yoria... so you'll listen. These are from his latest effort, Handshake Smiles, on his own label 12Records Inc.
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VOTE FOR ME!! (please) A special thanks to all who've voted for Sixeyes as 'Best Blogg' at The MUSIC BLOG AWARDS2007, so far. You can still take a crack at the ballot for this brand spankin' new event presented by eMusic. After placing your votes you can download 40 free mp3s from eMusic! Go vote!
Here at +sixeyes we've been doing these Sunday Mixes for a month or so, but this is the first time I want to point out one of the artists. Between the Pine is the solo work of Rhode Island's Jim Diotte. He's a little known artist who deserves to be heard by those of you seeking out good music.
If you'd like to win two tickets to any one show by The Veils, a Sixeyes favourite, plus a copy of the critically acclaimed album, Nux Vomica, you're at the right place. All you've got to do is use your imagination and tell me your answer to this simple question: "If Finn Andrews of The Veils were an animal, what would he be, and why?"
That's all it takes and you may find yourself enjoying The Veils up close and personal at one of the bands current tour stops (and a copy of the fantastic Nux Vomica will be yours to keep).Please leave your answer in the comments, along with your email address, so you can be contacted when you win!
Oh yeah, Finn Andrews (center in the picture above) himself will select the lucky winner.
Good luck!
Tour Dates 11th: DC9, Washington DC, USA 12th: The Khyber, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 14th: El Mocambo, Toronto, Canada 15th: Shelter 16, Detroit, Michigan, USA 17th: Empty Bottle, Chicago, Illinois, USA 18th: 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA 19th: Grand Emporium, Kansas City, Missouri, USA 21st: Larimer Lounge, Denver, Colorado, USA 24th: Plaza Club, Vancouver, Canada 25th: Crocodile Club, Seattle, Washington, USA 26th: Doug Fir, Portland, Oregon, USA 28th: Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, California, USA 29th: Spaceland, Los Angeles, California, USA
Here's The National's White Session for France Inter radio on May 7th 2007. White Sessions are the same as Black Sessions, but without an audience. These are essential for all National fans and 'must hear' stuff for those of you who haven't snapped up any remaining tickets for the band's tour dates.
UPDATE: Sixeyes has begun to re-post the entire White Session 2007 by the band. The songs will be doled out two at a time. Post number 1 Post number 2
07/05/28 - White Session - Radio France 01. start a war 02. brainy 03. slow show 04.squalor victoria 05. apartment story 06. racing like a pro 07. ada 08. you've done it again virginia 09. mistaken for strangers 10. fake empire 11. about today
You can download The National's Boxer and Alligator at eMusic with their free trial offer.
Lionel Vanhaute is Elvy, a one man band based in Namur, Belgium. A one man band whose music is quiet and soft, the confessions of a talented young man singing alone from the edge of his bed, or into a mic propped upon a kitchen table. This is the sound of someone not afraid to expose themselves in song, but I believe he may be cautious about letting the songs get heard. That may sound strange when you discover that Elvy has three full length albums free to download on his website, but when you hear the talent he has, you'll wonder why you haven't heard the music and the name before. With close to ten years of recording his songs behind him, it's about time music lovers discovered this musician. Working with a few instruments and his computer, Elvy sounds like he's making demos for a fictional band that describes themselves on their (fictional) myspace as a cross between Band of Horses, Great Lake Swimmers, and Hayden. If you like to hear a lovely soft song bundled up in a lo-fi coat, give a listen to Elvy. And even if that doesn't appeal, the talent should.
I forgot to add this plea from Elvy, found on his myspace page:
I would like to record a "best of" of those three demo albums in a real professional studio. If you can help me in that direction, please contact me. I'M LOOKING FOR A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKING PERSON TO CORRECT THE LYRICS IN ORDER TO RECORD DEFINITIVE VERSIONS IN STUDIO.
Here's Elvy's email:elvymusic(at)hotmail(dot)com - don't hesitate to contact him if you can help out.
Austin TX band, Spoon, are set to unveil their sixth full length on Merge Records this July 10th; and out of the ten tracks offered the best is "The Underdog", a song recorded in LA by the, nearing legendary status, Jon Brion. This track, like so many of Spoon's recent best, is once again driven by a chunky sounding acoustic rhythm guitar and the always welcome Spoon-ish hand claps. But what makes this one different is the punchy horn line that drives home the melody. Buried in the mix at song's opening, the brass then drops off completely to return beneath Britt Daniel as the chorus begins. But those horns stay in the background waiting their turn, waiting to punch their way to the foreground, where they serve to re-emphasize the hooky chorus line. Left hook, right hook, don't underestimate this 'underdog'. This song likely won't grab the listener as quickly as "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb", but that track, "Cherrybomb", sounds like it's tailored for radio and will, like most everything on commercial radio, let you free of it's grasp suddenly, so you can discover the much better song, "Underdog". I know, I know, you're saying, "But Brion produced this song, not "Cherrybomb", doesn't that make "Underdog" the track tailored for radio?". And you're probably right, it's just that it sounds too damn good for what passes for radio. Ironically, "Underdog" ends with what sounds like a cherry bomb and I love that ending. I love how everything is building and rushing to that short, snappy explosion. Listen for that bang and then buy, well, PRE-ORDER(Pre-order through the link and also receive a FREE 7")Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.
Ga Ga Ga Ga GaTracklist: * Don't Make Me a Target * The Ghost of You Lingers * You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb * Don't You Evah * Rhthm and Soul * Eddie's Ragga * The Underdog * My Little Japanese Cigarette Case * Finer Feelings * Black Like Me
BUY - Release Date: July 10, 2007 Merge Records 2007 Mike McCarthy, Jon Brion
Not quite, but the song "Vicious Traditions" off of the band's 2004 debut, The Runaway Found, is in the film Mr Brooks. You know, that film where Kevin Costner is finally typecast as a murderer. And speaking of The Veils, the London-based outfit is about to begin touring North America (dates below) in support of their latest, the critically acclaimed (and not just by Sixeyes) album Nux Vomica, and you should seriously consider getting off your butt and finding some tickets. Great songs, lots of charisma, two ingredients that make for a fantastic show.
Mr. Brooks Music Video - Vicious Tradition by The Veils
The Veils Live on FabChannel
The Veils' Summer Dates Thu - Jun 07 Mercury Lounge, New York, NY - early show Thu - Jun 07 Mercury Lounge, New York, NY - late show Fri - Jun 08 Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY Sat - Jun 09 Great Scott, Boston, MA Mon - Jun 11 DC9, Washington, DC Tue - Jun 12 The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA Thu - Jun 14 El Mocambo, Toronto, ON Sat - Jun 16 Shelter At St. Andrew's, Detroit, MI Sun - Jun 17 Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL Mon - Jun 18 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN Tue - Jun 19 Grand Emporium, Kansas City, MO Thu - Jun 21 Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO Sun - Jun 24 Plaza Club, Vancouver, BC Mon - Jun 25 Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA Tue - Jun 26 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR Thu - Jun 28 Cafe du Nord, San Francisco, CA Fri - Jun 29 Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA
A highly anticipated album for all of you out there should be the new recording from San Francisco's John Vanderslice. Emerald City will be JV's sixth solo album, again on his label of choice, Seattle's Barsuk. Featuring nine songs recorded, for the most part, live at JV's Tiny Telephone studio, it merely continues Mr Vanderslice's upward spiral towards perfection in songwriting and production. The warmth of an acoustic guitar is prominent on several songs and sounds fantastic in the nimble musical hands and ears of JV and it's sonic qualities simply sparkle due to the production prowess of JV and engineer Scott Solter. After several close listenings to Emerald City a number of tracks are beginning to stand out from the rest, namely: "White Dove", "Numbered Lithograph", "The Parade", "Time To Go", "The Parade", and "The Tower". What the hell? That's five of nine! Take my word for it, this record will, after time to grow, surely surpass the brilliance of Pixel Revolt. Vanderslice writes succinctly, taking time to draw the picture as the musical heroes who inspired him might have. But I have to say that lyrics are the last thing I hear. I hear melody carried by the music and voice, the beat, the energy, and then I slowly delve into the lyrics. And Vanderslice is a master at crafting wonderfully haunting melodies and at arranging the songs to their best advantage. His songs don't have hooks like those 3 minute pop songs on the radio, JV songs snag you like an old movie can at 2 am after the third commercial break for "HeadOn, apply directly to the forehead", or a book after fifty pages... it takes a little time. If what passes for music by the band du jour of indie music doesn't kick you into gear like it used to, perhaps you're growing and you need some JV fertilizer. Whoa, that didn't come out right... JV's gonna kick my fertilizer maker. I'll end with this (and some JV mp3s):
Keep your eyes open for this record (cover shot by Autumn De Wilde): EMERALD CITY- July 24th
Sufjan Stevens: I'm A 'Believer' Magazine CD Contributor!
The latest music issue from Believer magazine (yes, that's the band Lightning Bolt on the cover and the artwork is done, once more, by Charles Burns) looks like it will give up it's best compilation yet this year. With Sufjan Stevens and Zach Condon (Beirut) both drawing up tracks especially for this CD and great songs like Oxford Collapse's "Please Visit Your National Parks" and of Montreal's "Du Og Meg", this is one to track down at your local indie mag shop. And that's not even mentioning the stellar writing to be found on it's lovely advertising-free pages.
This new song by Sufjan is a rocker. Starting out with a guitar that sounds like something off The Beatles White Album and, well, that tried and true guitar sound continues throughout with Stevens talk-singing and even squealing. It's a good song and worth hearing if just to marvel at the fact that this is the same guy who gave us songs like "Chicago" and "Sister".
If you're looking for more you could always visit the hype machine and do some searching.
CUE THE BUGLE TURBULENT THE 2007 BELIEVER MUSIC ISSUE CD June/July 2007 1. Deerhunter, "Hazel St." 2. No Age, "Everybody’s Down" 3. Oxford Collapse, "Please Visit Your National Parks" 4. Sufjan Stevens, "In the Words of the Governor" 5. I’m From Barcelona, "The Painter" 6. Aesop Rock, "The Next Big Thing" 7. Reykjavík!, "Rex" 8. YACHT, "I Believe In You" 9. The Twilight Sad, "Watching That Chair Painted Yellow" 10. Of Montreal, "Du Og Meg" 11. Page France, "Without a Diamond Ring" 12. Clogs, "I Used To Do" 13. The Blow, "Parentheses" (Rory Phillips Remix) 14. Bill Fox, "My Baby Crying" 15. Explosions In The Sky, "The Long Spring" 16. Magik Markers, "Body Rot" (the no nude mix) 17. The Drones, "I Don’t Ever Want To Change”" 18. Zach Condon, "Venice" 19. Lightning Bolt, "Deceiver" 20. Grizzly Bear, "Easier” (Alternate)"
These are from Vice Records (i found them on their blog), a couple of mash ups done by ToTom featuring Bloc Party (whose latest album, A Weekend In The City, can be found here). You've got to hear the improvement to Coldplay when mashed with Bloc Party. The Gwen Stefani mash up doesn't ring any bells for me, I've never heard the Stefani song before... plus you've got to endure her overdone, overwrought, over sung vocals (thank you major labels for foisting this stuff upon us all). Go for the Coldplay mash and Kele's vocals first.
BLOC PARTY Tour Dates May 27 Pompano Beach, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheater tickets 28 Tampa, FL @ Jannus Landing tickets 29 Orlando, FL @ Firestone Theatre tickets 31 Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle tickets
June 1 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues tickets 2 Winston Salem, NC @ Millennium tickets 3 Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall tickets 5 Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theatre tickets 7 Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony tickets 11 Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theatre tickets 12 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre tickets 13 Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl tickets 16 San Diego, CA @ Concerts in the Park tickets
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Montag is a Montreal artist, Antoine Bédard, who, unlike other more well-known Montreal artists Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade, creates his music in the electronic field. But this isn't the harsh over done electronic beats of a band like Justice, Montag has a soft touch, and this softness is echoed in the choice of collaborators on his latest effort, Going Places. Working with Beach House's Victoria Legrand, Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett, Anthony Gonzales of M83, Amy Millan of Stars, Québécois hip-hop artist Ghislain Poirier, the band Au Revoir Simone, and Vancouver-based singers Ida Nilsen of Great Aunt Ida and Leah Abramson, Bédard has expanded on the sound he created with 2005's Alone, Not Alone. Recorded at Montag's home studio, Micro Ohne Studio 3, in Vancouver, Going Places will hit shelves on June 5th through Car Park.
The song "Best Boy Electric" sounds like an upbeat Stars, while his boy-on-boy duet with Final Fantasy's Pallett, "Softness, I Forgot Your Name", is short and sweet melancholy.
Going Places (June 5th) track list: 1. I Have Sound (with M83) 2. Best Boy Electric 3. Mechanical Kids (with Amy Millan of Stars) 4. Alice (with Ghislain Poirier) 5. 322 Water (with Ida Nilsen) 6. Softness, I forgot Your Name (with Final Fantasy) 7. Safe in Sound (with Amy Millan of Stars) 8. Hi-5 au DJ 9. Hands Off, Creature! (with Leah Abramson) 10. (Plus Grand Que) (with Victoria Legrand of Beach House) 11. No One Else (with Au Revoir Simone) 12. Going Places
Sixeyes Blog Survey If you lovely visitors have a minute, would you please take this blog survey. It'll help me get a clearer picture of the demographics of Sixeyes readers.
If you lovely visitors have a minute, would you please take this blog survey. It'll help me get a clearer picture of the demographics of Sixeyes readers.
These are, up to this point, the new releases for insound this summer. I've bolded a few that you should pay attention to, the new one from John Vanderslice and Spoon's latest, both out in July. Oh, yeah, don't miss out on August's release on Matador from The New Pornos. PRE-ORDER these and more at insound.
June 06/05/07 Long Blondes Someone To Drive You Home Beggars 06/05/07 Pelican City of Echoes Hydra Head 06/05/07 Sean Na Na Family Trees Or: CoPe We Must Dim Mak 06/12/07 Datarock Datarock Datarock Nettwerk 06/12/07 Joan As Police Woman Real Life Cheap Lullaby 06/12/07 Takeovers Bad Football Off Records 06/19/07 Art Brut It's a Bit Complicated Downtown 06/19/07 Arthur and Yu In Camera Hardly Art 06/19/07 Fridge The Sun Temporary Residence Ltd. 06/19/07 Mooney Suzuki Have Mercy Elixia Records 06/19/07 Two Gallants The Scenery of Farewell EP Saddle Creek 06/19/07 White Stripes Icky Thump Warner Brothers 06/26/07 Bad Brains Build A Nation Megaforce
July 07/10/07 Interpol Our Love To Admire Capitol 07/10/07 Justice † Vice/Ed Banger 07/10/07 Sebadoh The Freed Man [Reissue] Domino 07/10/07 Spoon Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Merge** 07/10/07 St. Vincent Marry Me Beggars Banquet 07/17/07 Editors An End Has A Start Epic/FADER 07/24/07 John Vanderslice Emerald City Barsuk**
August 08/07/07 Architecture in Helsinki Places Like This Polyvinyl 08/07/07 Mirah Share This Place: Stories and Observations K Records 08/07/07 Okkervil River The Stage Names Jagjaguwar 08/14/07 Nina Nastasia & Jim White You Follow Me FatCat 08/21/07 M.I.A. Kala Interscope 08/21/07 Mendoza Line 30 Year Low Glurp 08/21/07 Minus the Bear Planet of Ice Suicide Squeeze 08/21/07 New Pornographers Challengers Matador** 08/21/07 Rilo Kiley Under the Blacklight Warner Brothers 08/28/07 Aesop Rock None Shall Pass Def Jux 08/28/07 Liars Liars Mute 08/28/07 Pipettes We Are The Pipettes Interscope/Cherry Tree
Stream At Spinner: Voxtrot, Matthew Dear, Juliana Hatfield and More
AOL's Spinner has Voxtrot's Voxtrot, Matthew Dear's Asa Breed, The Little Ones' Lovers Who Uncover, Various Artists Anchored In Love: A Tribute To June Carter Cash, Satellite Party's Ultra Payloaded, Juliana Hatfield & Frank Smith's Sittin' In A Tree, and Cary Brothers' Who You Are in all their FULL STREAMING glory! Oh, yeah, listen right here.
Don't forget to check the Hype Machine for more mp3s.
Download many of these artists through eMusic's FREE trial offer, check it.
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A special thanks to all who've voted for Sixeyes as 'Best Blogg' at The MUSIC BLOG AWARDS2007, so far. You can still take a crack at the ballot for this brand spankin' new event presented by eMusic. After placing your votes you can download 40 free mp3s from eMusic! Go vote!
Here's the latest video by The Veils, shot by the Brownlee brothers. This video is great, so much better than any featuring the band in the past. In fact, speaking of the 'past' and 'great', Finn Andrews with his wiry frame, fedora, and dark jacket, and the silent film flicker present throughout the video, brings to my mind a giant of film, Charlie Chaplin.
The band will be heading to North America for a tour beginning in June. Please do yourself a favour, grab some tickets and a good friend and go see the band. Here are the dates.
Sixeyes favourite digital music site is eMusic and has been for a number of years. You can check out eMusic through their Free Trial offer of 25 DRM-Free downloads, no strings attached. Go here.
Here's what's new at eMusic The National Boxer(highly recommended) Elliott Smith New Moon The Sea and Cake Everybody Stars Set Yourself On Fire Arcade Fire Neon Bible Dan Deacon Spiderman of The Rings Richard Swift Kisses For The Misses The Raincoats The Kitchcn Tapes Get Him Eat Him Arms Down
And while you're here don't forget to subscribe to Sixeyes feed through those 'oh so cute' little 'subscribe' buttons at the top right of each and every post. Please!
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The National's latest effort, Boxer, another 'grower' by the way, which is how I tagged Alligator in my review back in 2005, is finally, officially, in stores... and all over the internet (a good chunk of the album has been posted on blogs in the past two days) if you go looking here. But here at Sixeyes we're going to give you the band live, or to put it another way... FANTASTIC. This is one amazing outfit to see perform in front of you, you owe it to yourself and future generations (ok, that's a little over the top) to see this band of musicians.
These are mp3s from two separate Black Sessions (which are live radio performances) that the band did in France over the past four years.
Basia Bulat is from London Ontario, a medium sized Canadian city not far from the small city I spent many years living in (too many). I have since escaped to what has recently been named the world's most intelligent community and sometimes I wonder if they know I'm here. But enough about my intelligence, or lack thereof, this is about Basia Bulat and why you should give her music a good listen. Today marks the European release of her debut full length album on Rough Trade Records, Oh My Darling. I've tagged her as a 'rising star' in the past and will stand by my prediction, or my fortunetelling. Basia's music is intimate and almost lush in production, the voice and instruments seeming to press up close against the speakers reaching out to you. Her debut is only available as an import, but that should change soon, for now here's some music to tide you over until you get your hands on the disc... and here's her myspace where you can listen to some more and check upcoming tour dates.
Track List: 1 Before i knew 2 I was a daughter 3 Little waltz 4 December 5 Snakes and ladders 6 Oh, my darling 7 Little one 8 Why can't it be mine 9 The pilgriming vine 10 La da da 11 Birds of paradise 12 A secret
Back in 2004 Loretta Lynn released the acclaimed 'comeback' album 
Since there aren't any lyrics included with the album, or any 
A highly anticipated album for all of you out there should be the new recording from San Francisco's 
