Ryan Adams Unleashes Easy Tiger

February 28, 2007 by · 4 Comments
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Ryan Adams is set to release his next album Easy Tiger on June 5. Here’s the tentative tracklisting and a small taste via some live tracks.

Easy Tiger
Goodnight Rose
Everybody Knows
The Sun Also Sets
Halloween Head
Off Broadway
Two Hearts
Tears of Gold
These Girls
Two
I Taught Myself How to Grow Old
Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
Rip Off
Pearls on a String

ALL MP3’s are Live tracks taken from the shows listed below via the Live Music Archive on archive.org

Ryan Adams Live at Bush Hall on 2006-09-18 (September 18, 2006)
Ryan Adams Live at The Norva on 2006-07-22 (July 22, 2006)

UPDATE : See the cover art here
The Music Slut: We’re Awesome!: New Ryan Adams Album Cover: Love It Or Hate It?#comments

5/16/07 Another update for all of you Ryan fans that have been stopping by(and theres a LOT of you so BIG THANK YOU ! and special thanks to those of you who have linked here)
Download the Easy Tiger version of Halloween Head here
and stream the Easy Tiger version of Two here
(thanks Idolator & myspace)

[WEBSITE]

Grab Bag : Recent Releases

February 28, 2007 by · 2 Comments
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Who Reads The Directions Anyway ?


Just a mix of a bunch of the newer songs that I’ve been into lately, plus a few from last year that had sort of slipped through the cracks.

First up a couple of the songs that were the main inspiration for my Brian Eno History Lesson post a couple weeks back. She’s A Rejector, a guitar laden new wave-ish hip shaker from the new Of Montreal disc, and Strange Lights, a reverb drenched fuzzed out dirgey rocker from Deerhunter. (antichrist television blues) is one of my favorites from Neon Bible, the soon to be released Arcade Fire disc. It’s a blistering rocker of a song thats owes as much to Springsteen as it is does to the Velvet Underground. The reunited Dinosaur Jr returns to form, although unless he’s singing I can’t say I really hear Lou Barlow‘s being back in the fold influencing these new tracks much. The Kaiser Chiefs second disc picks up right where Employment left off, Everything Is Average Nowadays is one of the catchier songs on the new one. The next two will have you up and dancing for sure LCD Soundsytem doing Watch The Tapes from the forthcoming Sound of Silver and the Macromantics new one which uses a formula similar to Lily Allen but cranks it up another notch.

Winding it up with a handful from last year that I just recently picked up, if Fleetwood Mac ever decided to go alternative you’d have Midlake. Roscoe is Rhiannon for Alterna-Rockers. Silversun Pickups shows what can happen if you take all of those 80’s and 90’s influences like Pixies and Sonic Youth and put them to good use. Lazy Eye is one catchy song. And last but not least Sparks show they can still pull it off when they want to, Perfume is a bouncy hypnotic fun little ditty that is classic Sparks.

MP3: Of Montreal – Shes A Rejector
buy Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer ?
MP3: Deerhunter – Strange Lights
buy Cryptograms
MP3: Arcade Fire – (antichrist television blues)
buy Neon Bible
MP3: Dinosaur Jr – Almost Ready
buy Beyond
MP3: Kaiser Chiefs – Everything Is Average Nowadays
buy Yours Truly, Angry Mob
LCD Soundsystem – Watch The Tapes (link removed by request of label)
buy Sound Of Silver
MP3: Macromantics – Scorch
buy Moments in Movement
MP3: Midlake – Roscoe
buy The Trials Of Van Occupanther
MP3: Silversun Pickups – Lazy Eye
buy Carnavas
MP3: Sparks – Perfume
buy Hello Young Lovers

Concerted by Jonathan Fischer

February 26, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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Concerted by Jonathan Fischer – www.myspace.com/concertedcomic

From The Mailbag : Willie Herath,Greg Sears and more

February 25, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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Willie describes his music as “Nod Your Head Beach Rock”!, a mix between Weezer & Jack Johnson. Harder than Jack, but softer than Weezer. I’d say he’s pretty much nailed the essence of it one sentence. His latest disc Cohgie Never Landed is classic alternative power pop music with an unmistakeable West coast flair. It’s pretty easy to imagine these songs blasting from boomboxes at beach parties or out of a car stereo in a convertible with the top down cruising down the coast. If you liked the sounds of the super hot blogger buzz band The Broken West that we recently featured, you’ll like this too. Put on your shorts and sunglasses, turn it up , kick back and party.

MP3: Willie Herath – Shake It Up Baby
MP3: Willie Herath – So Perfect

many thanks to Mona @ MLC PR for the songs

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [iTUNES] [CDBABY]


Next up from the mailbag we have Greg Sears and his home recording project called Greg Sears and The Only Honest Ones Left. Greg has created all of the songs in his bedroom using the Garageband program. I especially liked the list of instruments he says he used for percussion – “pencil,pen,turtle(glass, don’t worry, no animal cruelty)”. The songs are earnest Conor Oberst style vocals over unmistakebly lo-fi music. It works especially to the advantage of his song Anarchy Man,where the ramshackle shuffle of the instrumentation is providing its own anarchic chaos beneath the vocals. Hear more songs on his myspace.

MP3: Greg Sears and The Only Honest Ones Left – Anarchy Man
MP3: Greg Sears and The Only Honest Ones Left – War On Love

[MYSPACE]


Some other things this week…



The lovely Audra Mae has been named the K’nise Connection’s Music Maker Of The Week!
~K’nise says : “What a voice. Wow. “Turn Around” is amazing. If you really want a jaunt of a song, listen to “Bottom Of Up”. Wow again! “

[K’NISE MYSPACE] [AUDRA MAE MYSPACE]



This Wednesday February 28th The Swimmers wrap up their Wednesday night residency at the Khyber In Philadelphia and move it to Sunday nights next month at Pianos in New York City. If you haven’t yet, get out and see them. Fighting Trees is by far one of best albums I’ve heard this year. Hear the whole thing at their website. Many more upcoming tour dates on their myspace page including DC,Chicago and Detroit amongst others.

5 On A Friday : It’s Dopplebock Time !

February 23, 2007 by · 1 Comment
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Ahh the approach of springtime, one of the best times of the year for beer. And like a great song, a great beer sings to your senses. Today’s 5 on A Friday features five fine double bocks or dopplebocks as the Bavarians call it for your imbibing enjoyment.

A short history of Dopplebocks courtesy of John Haggerty Brewmaster at New Holland Brewing Co.:

Brewing for many centuries was the domain of monastic orders located throughout
the European continent. Much of this commercial endeavor was pursued in order to
help provide jobs and income to local citizens as well as a means to help raise
funds in order to help various charities that the church supported.

Since the monasteries’ members were not only monks but also brewers they
produced beer that, on occasion, served their specific needs. This is the case
with Dopplebock. Dopplebock beer originated as a means for the monks to provide
themselves with nourishment during the Lenten season when their vows forbid them
from taking solid food. The high residual sugar content gave the beer a
nourishing aspect not found in many other types of beer. It is also responsible
for the sweeter flavor profile of this particular style of beer.

The
name Dopplebock is derived from German meaning “double goat.” The word dopple
literally translates as double, while the word bock translates as goat.
Although, Dopplebocks are not actually twice as strong as regular bock beers the
word dopple is applied to signify the fact that they are stronger in alcohol
content. The use of the word bock is a bit more obscure. Some claim that it can
be traced back to a regional dialect when saying the name of the town of Einbeck
– beck sounded like bock and Einbeck was a center for the manufacture of
stronger beers at the time. Some people claim that it simply signifies that the
beer has an alcoholic kick similar to that of a billy goat. Regardless, in the
world of beer Dopplebock is one of the long standing styles that has found its
way from the old world to the new.

Dopplebocks are always a darker beer
generally a deep red or brown color. Typically they contain 7 – 7.5% alcohol by
volume but can be as strong as 12%. They are typified by a sweet, nutty flavor.
Bready aromas and flavors are not uncommon as well as those of some darker malts
such as chocolate or black malt. However, the most common malt flavors are
derived from various caramel and Munich malts.


1: Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
[WEBSITE]

2: Samuel Adams Double Bock
[WEBSITE]

3:Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock
[WEBSITE]

4: New Holland Blue Goat Dopplebock
[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

5: Spaten Optimator Doppelbock

[WEBSITE]

For more information on Dopplebocks and other beers I highly recommend BeerAdvocate.com

You Can Make Them Like You : Hold Steady Video Contest

February 23, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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Boys and Girls in America was one of best albums of 2006. The Hold Steady are currently one of the hottest rock and roll bands in the world right now and they want to let you in on the party. So break out those video editing skills and make them proud. Here’s the details:

Film Us a Music Video and WIN BIG!
When Boys & Girls in America was released in October, we challanged the Boys & Girls in America to share their own tales of the ups and downs of love, life & the stories of being yourself. Now, the Boys and Girls in America & the rest of the worlds are invited to take your best shot and shoot/animate/create your own video for one
of the songs from Boys & Girls in America. The rules are simple and you could find yourself with a wad of cash and some great prizes too!

Just go to the Boys and Girls in America website – and upload your original music
video!

Grand Prize for the winning video include $1000 cash prize, $1000 in JBL products, a free 6 month membership to eMusic.com, a Hold Steady Merch Pack and the chance to have your video on FUSE TV. First Prize includes: $500 cash prize, iPod Shuffle, 3 Month Membership on eMusic and a merchandise package of all of the greatest Hold Steady stuff. A runner –up prize consisting of a $250 cash prize, 1 Month eMusic membership and band merch pack insures that there are plenty of chances to win.

All you need to do is create a music video of any song on Boys and Girls in America.

Here’s a sample to get you thinking

The Hold Steady – First Night

For the rules, prize listing & to enter visit: BoysAndGirlsInAmerica.com

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [iTUNES] [EMUSIC] [HYPE]

Proxy Music : Bryan Ferry Gets Dylanesque

February 21, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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On Dylanesque, Bryan Ferry brings his love for Bob Dylan to a full album’s worth of covers. You’re probably thinking why a full disc of Dylan covers. Ferry’s Dylan bent is nothing new, his first post Roxy Music solo single back in 1973 was a cover of Dylan’s A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall and his 2002 album Frantic included covers of It’s All Over Now Baby Blue and Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright. The new album has long been a dream, saying “I just thought it would be great to make a whole album of Dylan songs. And at the end of last year, finally, it happened.” The whole thing was recorded in a week with his touring band, and captures a much more live feel than most of his recent work. Some special guests on the disc include Brian Eno on If Not For You and guitar virtuoso Robin Trower on All Along The Watchtower. Bryan plays it pretty safe by sticking with mostly well known selections, which sometimes hurts, as in the case of a song like Watchtower where there are much more definitive versions out there, but in other cases like Tom Thumbs Blues or Positively 4th Street Bryan gives them a smooth new spin. In all likelihood it won’t seriously increase either artist’s fan base, but it makes for a nice easy going listen. The album is being released in the UK on March 5 and hits US shores on April 3rd.

Dylanesque Track listing :
1. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
2. Simple Twist Of Fate
3. Make You Feel My Love
4. Times They Are A-Changin’
5. All I Really Want To Do
6. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
7. Positively 4th Street
8. If Not For You
9. Baby Let Me Follow You Down
10. Gates Of Eden
11. All Along The Watchtower

MP3: Bryan Ferry – Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
MP3: Bryan Ferry –
If Not For You

[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE] [FAN SITE]

YouTube Tuesday : New Orleans Style

February 20, 2007 by · 1 Comment
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YouTube Tuesday special Mardis Gras edition for Fat Tuesday. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours, so here’s some New Orleans style video goodness to watch while you’re feasting on the traditional fastnachts today.
Fire On The Bayou – The Neville Brothers on Letterman

Professor Longhair – Tipitina

Dr John – The Night Tripper 1970

Kid Thomas -Preservation Hall 1962

The Meters – Cissy Strut

Concerted by Jonathan Fischer

February 20, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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Today I’m starting a new Monday feature. Every week I’ll feature the newest installment of the Concerted comic by Jonathan Fischer from Seattle. In Jonathan s’ words:

Concerted is basically about being in a large crowd for live music. The focus is entirely on the audience, and it’s never once described what band or music event the characters are attending- interaction is based upon the universal experiences we’ve all had at a live show. Whenever an obscure artist is mentioned, you can practically see eyes roll back into the heads of the unaware. By staying ambiguous, Concerted remains relevant and appealing to everyone; I hope you’ll agree.

I found very insightful and entertaining, I hope you will too. So without further ado, here’s this week’s feature : Bulls On Parade.

Concerted by Jonathan Fischer – www.myspace.com/concertedcomic

Happy Chinese New Year !

February 19, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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Happy Chinese New Year !
Celebrate The Year Of The Pig !
MP3: Clipse – Chinese New Year

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