The Look Back

2008 hasn’t been a huge year of concerts for me to date.  I’ve realized what my parents always meant when they said, “I am tired, I don’t feel like doing _____” after a day of working.  That being said, I’m so glad this show was on a Saturday and I got my tickets ahead of time.  We were also fortunate to have this held at the Echo and not below in the Echoplex.  Nothing against the Echoplex as I prefer it still to places such as the Fonda, Wiltern or even the El Rey but it is a bigger venue and can get crowded.  After seeing these guys put on the best show I have seen all year I can only imagine this will be their last stop at the Echo/Spaceland for the foreseeable future. 

They started off the set with “Sun Giant” (download from Friday Mix 32, March 7^th) and I had a very brief fear that they weren’t going to be able to pull off the stunning harmonies they have on the record.  The sound was a little off but this was soon fixed no more than 5 seconds later and you could tell there is nothing fake on either the EP or full length when it comes to the harmonizing.  These guys are tight and very accomplished musicians.  This was again evident on the solo for “Oliver James”.  A nice track on the full length but one that didn’t immediately stand out as others did.  After hearing this live I’ve grown a new appreciation for it. 

If I could be assured of an experience such as the one I saw last night every time I made the trek up to LA I’d be going once or twice a week.  As others mentioned the AC was definitely not on and the venue was at least 80-85 degrees inside but you have to expect that at a venue such as this on a hot summer night, even in LA.  The last thing I have to comment on were the other people in attendance at this show.  When they started their set the audience was SILENT, in a good way.  You could hear a pin drop between the vocals which is something I can’t remember ever experience to date.  Yes, the music is something that lends itself to that more so than other concerts I frequent but as a whole it was one of the better crowds I’ve been a part of. (Thankfully I also attended with people who were under control unlike the Mountain Goats show I attended earlier this month where a couple of friends decided to talk through the entire set.)  Congrats everyone on a very special night and the best show I have seen to date in 2008.

I listened to a fair amount of new tracks this week from upcoming releases I’m very excited about.  Annie, The Broken West and Oxford Collapse all have follow up albums coming out from August to ??? (No set date for Annie.) This should be an exciting autum for music with the new Cold War Kids record set to come out during this period as well.  I’m also looking forward to see what kind of vitriolic rant Pitchfork goes on in regards to the Cold War Kids album.  While I don’t read every review or news story they put out, I’ve yet to see the kind of animosity the editors hold for CWK put onto any other band.  Well, I guess there was that Jet review a while back.  (Happy Late Birthday Brendan. Happy Birthday Tomas.)

 Low – Murderer

Speaking of Pitchfork, they are still running the great Low documentary entitled, “You May Need A Murderer”.  It mostly centers on singer and guitarist Alan Sparhawk and his various religious and political ramblings.  Sparkhawk did go through a nervous breakdown in 2005 and you can see the evidence of this here.  The documentary follows he and his wife, Low percussionist and backup vocalist Mimi Parker, as they hit the road to shows as well as go to church and chase their kids around the house.  While Sparhawk is obviously dealing with a lot of mental issues in his life I still find it interesting that he is the only liberal Mormon I have ever met.  The amount of anger and disdain he shows for the president is astounding and makes you realize, “Oh yeah, he is an indie rock star afterall.”  This track is where the title comes from and is one of the more overt political tracks on the record that the band has said is not a political album.

 Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal (Black Dominoes Remix)

Going to see these guys tomorrow night at the Echo.  With any luck they live up to the hype.  This is a remix of my favorite track off the album by a somewhat random bedroom DJ here in the states.  A better take than say RATATAT would have on this track.

 The Broken West – Perfect GamesI can’t wait for the new album after hearing this.  I still find it funny that my good friend went to high school with the bass player and calls him his “arch nemesis”.  Who has an arch nemesis who isn’t a super hero?  Or is my friend really a super hero?  I’m confused now. 

I beg to differ with Pitchfork on whether this song is catchy or not.  It is catchy but nowhere near what “Please Visit Your National Parks” was. 

Johnny Cash & Lorne Greene – The Shifting Whispering SandsBefore you think, “oh God, Justin’s resorted to random hipster bull shit by posting a Johnny Cash track in his “country” spot for the week”, hear me out.  This features a gospel choir, Lorne Greene (the dad on Bonanza!) and just barely features Johnny Cash.  The story of a miner trapped and killed, this is good stuff.  You will definitely feel like you are in church hearing something you really shouldn’t be hearing when you listen to this all the way through.

Off to the 105 degree Paso Robles summer for Outstanding in the Field.  I’m really looking forward to this unique take on art, culinary expertise and sustainability.  Enjoy the first weekend of summer, officially.

Bright Eyes – No Lies, Just Love

A song about suicide or a song about redemption in the form of new life?  A little bit of both?  This is from a rather old EP I recently listened to and got reminded of the good old emotional Bright Eyes albums of old.  He’s doing a new “solo” effort which will be out in August. I have yet to hear any of the tracks but I can’t imagine it being much different with the exception of no Mike Mogus.

Girl Talk – Give Me A Beat

Feed the Animals dropped yesterday, “Radiohead” style, as you all know by now.  I wish him all the best on making massive piles of money that he can put into cool bags with big dollar signs on them as he deposits them in his mattress.  I’ve already put down $15 just to support this great artist and to further screw over the RIAA.

Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye

Jeff Buckley just sounded good today.

Bob Willis & His Texas Playboys – Time Changes Everything

The originator of “Texas Swing”.  This comes from an anthology album which showcases all of his many styles.  An interesting take on my stated favorite genre of “break up albums”.  The crackles and fuzz on this vinyl release really make it that much more cold and yet homey in some odd way. 

Enjoy a few choice numbers on my first free weekend in over 6 months. By free I mean I have no cloud hanging over my head that makes me feel bad for having fun and not studying for license exams.  I’m off until October.  Let the good times role, and pray that I passed Section C. 

Wale – The Opening Title Sequence

As the name suggests the title track from Wale’s new mixtape, “Mixtape About Nothing” ala Seinfeld.  I’d call it a gimmick (It’s worked to this point. He’s made it to the New York Times with it.) but he uses so many aspects from the show and yet doesn’t hold to it.  The beat here integrates the original Seinfeld theme which seems, again, cheesy at first but then you realize how well it all comes through together.  He also drops Lil’ Wayne’s name which is pretty popular to do right now.  Give him some downloads.

Health – Triceratops (Acid Girls Rmx A)

From the Disco remix album.  Local LA noise rock band.  Speaking of noise, Wolf Eyes comes to town to play Spaceland next Friday night. I suggest everyone with decent taste in music to check this show out.  They don’t come around very often to the West Coast so get out there and see them.  I’d probably skip the opening bands as they are usually beyond horrible and take twice as long to set up their gear than to play the one long “song” they have.  Speaking of this song though, they really turn it on around the 3:25 mark and turn it into something completely different and danceable. 

Brendan Canning – Hit the Wall

One of the members of Broken Social Scene and thus this is a “Broken Social Scene Presents:…” release similar to Kevin Drew and Stars.  Starting off rather slow and seemingly having nowhere to go, it then picks up to a decent pop song.  To me this seems to sound a lot more like Broken Social Scene than a lot I heard on Kevin Drew’s last album.  Maybe that was the idea, I have no idea but I hear it. 

Merle Haggard – I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink

These are the kinds of songs that Hank III has put out in the last few years that really hanker back to 60’s-70’s country music.  Songs about cheating women, pickups (not here) and booze.  Merle Haggard is one of the legends but you wouldn’t know it from this piano driven tune that it was really a country song since the requisite steel guitar is noticeably lacking.  Haggard was able to stretch the boundaries of what country music really was defined as being during this era.  He was also one of the first outlaws of the scene and thus one of the reasons my parents have little interest in his music.  Cue the sax solo. 

Local H – White Belt Boys (April)

My name is Justin and I’m a Breakup Album junkie.  Right alongside the love song lays its bitter cousin, the breakup song.  The entire foundation of country music seems to have been built on these songs yet no one really discusses them much.  Personally, I find the average breakup song to bring up many more emotions than an average to good love song.  When I saw a review for Local H’s new album describe it as “yet another breakup album” I was intrigued.  The premise is original in that there are twelve tracks on the album, one for each month of the year.  Songs range from bitter, see song above, to almost a cathartic ballad explaining both parties’ faults.  Again, this song starts off with the anthem of, “yeah, I hope you have a lonely life..” so you can infer where it goes from there.  On an album level I am interested to find out if he broke up in December/January and if the songs are in chronological order or if it was just placed in the normal calendar year just because. 

The Ting Tings – Great DJ

They are now being played in iPod commercials so Feist better watch her back.  I came into this album with low expectations and was blown away with the level of production and pop appeal.  Having heard the comparisons to Crystal Castles I was expecting more of that non-decipherable lyrics on top of 8-bit beats and loops.  Surprisingly the lyrics and very discernable and fun to sing along with on almost the entire album.  This seems to be something that has a lot of mass appeal and having seen some negative reviews on music snob views makes me think this is even more true.  The entire album is one of the more fun summer albums I’ve heard so far this year.  (Yes, that’s probably because summer just started so I’m in that mindset.)

The Cool Kids – One Two

Coming off the only album they have to date, The Bake Sale EP.  I’m not that well versed in mainstream rap and R&B so some of the references escape me on this album with the exception of the random sample Girl Talk has also used.  (Yes, I realize that statement makes me seem like the whitest person in the world and they could probably write an entire colum on Stuff White People Like based on it.) Fun track here with the references that they do drop regarding their style, city and sports franchise.  I’m also assuming the bikes they are referring to are not the Costa Mesa loved fixie.  (On that note, why in the world do you want a bike with no brakes? Seriously!)

Tilly and the Wall – Dust Me Off

Classic Tilly and the Wall.  That percussion/hand clap frantic beat in the background will always be a favorite of mine.  Coming at you from Conor’s Team Love imprint on Saddle Creek this is a fun, fun, fun album.  A snazzy little love song about having that one person in your life who you can call when you’ve just had the worst day ever (like when you go crashing through the window of a car on your fixie!).  Hell, having that one person you can call when you had just a normal day but want to talk about how it could have been better.  You really do miss not having this person once they are gone.  Lame review to a simple little song. Just listen.

Ryan Bingham – Southside of Heaven

West Texas holds some kind of magical spell over me.  I’m sure it’s pretty much a hell hole as everyone describes but just the thought of “West Texas” in my mind conjures up cowboys, cattle, mesas, high school football, bad ass guys who wear beat up cowboy boots everywhere they go, rodeos, down home living and beer.  I’m sure this isn’t really that far from the truth but in my head all those things are completely stylized and nothing likes how they really are.  Ryan Bingham’s music conjures up these tales, as does Friday Night Lights. (Season 2 out now on DVD, BUY IT!) Having read the wikipedia about Ryan Bingham after seeing him written up in the LA Times it read like everything I had heard about West Texas. Boy grows up with a roughneck father, has a hard life, takes up Bull Riding to make a living when he is in his teens and ends up with a gravely voice by the time he is 25 from a life lived twice that long.  He’s just missing the part about high school football but I added that in my head.  He’s now made a name for himself and seems to be doing alright.  This is from the “Dead Horses” album which most fans will admit is a much too polished recording so I’m waiting to hear the raw original version.  For any Friday Night Lights fans I envision Ryan Bingham is Tim Riggins at 25.